I haven't had a new G.I. Joe: Classified Series figure to review since March, so I'm really excited that I have quite a few figures in line for the coming month. Today I'm checking out Heavy Duty, a 1991 release who Hasbro really took a shine too. Heavy Duty became a prominent part of the early 2000s lines like G.I. Joe Vs. Cobra, Spy Troops, and Valor Vs. Venom, was one of the main team members of Sigma 6, and appeared in the 2009 live action film G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra. He was also revealed to be Roadblock's cousin in some of the animated productions like Renegades. I still have my vintage Heavy Duty and I loved him as a kid. My dad managed K-Mart stores for decades when I was a kid and I remember getting him at one of my dad's stores. I think I might have done something or helped at the store in some way (maybe a fundraising event where employees could bring their kids?) and was rewarded with a gift certificate or something similar or was given the option of picking from some toys preselected for us to pick from. I've had a number of other Heavy Duty figures over the years, especially from the Sigma 6 line, but this guy takes most everything great about the vintage figure and dials it up. Ready to check out Heavy Duty? Then join me after the break...
The Facts:
Height: 6 3/4ths inches
Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball-jointed drop down hips, ball-jointed waist, balljointed mid-torso, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel biceps, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, balljointed neck base, and a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: 2 swappable portraits, 4 swappable hands, 2 bracelets, bandolier, bull necklace, Man Portable Heavy Weapons System, ammo box attachment, 2 ammo belts, 2 heavy machine gun attachments, 2 missile launcher attachments, 2 knives, 8 missiles, 8 firing effects, visor, and headset.
Non-Scalper Price: $35 dollars
Comparison:
* Just for fun, here's a shot of the Classified Series Heavy Duty (left) and my vintage 1991 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Heavy Duty. The design and colors are very accurate (the Classified Series Heavy Duty's green is a bit less neon) though there's more detail now. Instead of two large missiles, the launchers now sport four smaller missiles each.
The Positives:
* Heavy Duty fits right in with a very military colored costume. He's sporting ripped off sleeves, sure, but Everything else looks like pieces of actual military gear. He's a big dude (he's actually Roadblock's cousin) and he stands taller than most other figures in the line. Hey, you'd have to be pretty substantial to carry the weapons system he totes around. Heavy Duty definitely looks like he's geared up for fighting. He makes me think of when you see pictures of actual soldiers out in the field, especially Vietnam era troops, who have essentially customized their uniform to their liking. Heavy Duty (real name Lamont A. Morris) isn't dressed to stand in line for an inspection; he's dressed to tote around a Man-Portable Heavy Weapons System in the field.
* The vintage Heavy Duty had a red visor that attached to his backpack and served as some sort of an aiming or image intensification device it snapped off on mine as a kid). This figure has a similar item, but it's much smaller. It's an eyepiece that wraps around the back of his hat and covers his eye. There's even a little reticle like image on the front.
* A headset is also included, perhaps for Heavy Duty to listen to music or perhaps receive communications while in the field. Heck, these also might be ear protection since I'm sure his weapons system is loud as heck.
* Heavy Duty's Man-Portable Heavy Weapons System is pretty large. It's not quite as large as something like the Cobra Flight Pod or the RAM Cycle, but it's definitely a deluxe accessory. Multiple pieces, some metal axles, and lots of removable missiles? There's definitely a lot going on here. It's also all stuff that does seem like a person could conceivably fire them from a standing position. Yes, the whole thing would be heavy, but the weapons do all look like they're items that a single person could use, at least one at a time.
* The back of the system looks like it's composed of a huge backpack for storing ammo for the miniguns and a computer system for programming and fine-tuning the systems. The words "Man-Portable Heavy Weapons System" are even printed on the back, making this look like an official piece of equipment rather than just something cobbled together.
* On each side of the system are shoulder-mounted miniguns. These look really cool and they each have a removable grey ammo belt that feeds into them from the backpack. Each minigun is mounted on a balljoint on an arm that swivels.
* Here's the front of the weapons system. There's a large chunk of armor on it that looks like it's already taken a few hits as it's all scratched up with some noticeable dents, too. The vintage file card stated that "Heavy Duty doesn't duck for ANYBODY!" and the vintage figure had "Just Try It!" printed on the front of the weapons system. We don't have that here, but we do have some nice paint detail and a view of two ammo boxes mounted on the bottom for the two larger machine guns at waist level.
* I love these handles. They rotate and give the figure a solid place to grip the weapons system, presumably allowing him to control everything at once.
* The two machine guns are removable but they're not weapons you'd really use on their own. They do have holes in the barrels for firing effects (not included).
* Eight missiles are included, all bright green, and capable of fitting in the barrels. It's not always a tight fit, but if you're just standing the launchers up evenly or angled up, you'll be OK. These are the same as the smaller missiles from Metal-Head, a figure who makes a nice adversary for Heavy Duty.
* Eight launch effects are also included. They plug very securely into each chamber and the missile plugs onto the end. Mix them up for different firing combinations.
* A huge weapons system like this looks cool, but it's worthless if the figure can't carry it. Guess what? Heavy Duty can. He looks fantastic wielding this massive set of weapons, too. It plugs securely into his back, rests on his shoulders, and it folds around him. Have him gripping the handles and he looks ready to stand tall against Cobra.
* Four swappable hands are included with Heavy Duty: Two for holding weapons and the handles of the Man-Portable Heavy Weapons System and two fists for your average Cobra punching.
The Negatives:
* One of the miniguns has an arm that feels a bit off. The swiveling arm is a bit loose and needs to be pushed back in to keep allow the arm to stay stiff so the minigun can pose in upwards firing poses.
* The missiles can rest inside of Heavy Duty's M202 launchers but they tend to fall out. Most of them, anyway. I'm not sure why they didn't make the chambers a little more snug and secure.
Heavy Duty is an incredible deluxe figure. It's easy to look at him and think he's not packing that much gear, but it's simply not true. He's got swappable heads, hands, eye and head gear, and so many weapons built onto his articulated weapons system. He's a really good figure in his own but that Man-Portable Heavy Weapons System sends him over the edge. He's really a great deluxe figure and I've really enjoyed posing him and playing around with him. Since he's based on a 1991 release I'm sure they'll be a bunch of people who claim that they've never heard of him, but Heavy Duty has had well over a dozen figures across multiple G.I. Joe lines, so he's a truly worthy addition to the Classified Series. He's also Epic as heck!
This the first figure of Heavy Duty I've reviewed. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:
Blue Ninjas
Buzzer
Carl "Doc" Greer
Chip "Raptor" Talon & General Ledger
Chuckles
Clutch with VAMP (Multi-Purpose Attack Vehicle)
Buzzer
Carl "Doc" Greer
Chip "Raptor" Talon & General Ledger
Chuckles
Clutch with VAMP (Multi-Purpose Attack Vehicle)
Cobra Viper
Cobra Viper Officer & Vipers
Cobra Viper (Python Patrol)
Copperhead
Courtney "Cover Girl" Krieger
Craig "Rock 'N Roll" McConnel
Crimson Guard
Crimson Strike Team
Crimson Viper
Croc Master & Fiona
David "Big Ben" Bennett (Night Force)
David "Crazylegs" Thomas (Night Force)
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen (Tiger Force)
Desert Commando Snake Eyes
Cobra Viper Officer & Vipers
Cobra Viper (Python Patrol)
Copperhead
Courtney "Cover Girl" Krieger
Craig "Rock 'N Roll" McConnel
Crimson Guard
Crimson Strike Team
Crimson Viper
Croc Master & Fiona
David "Big Ben" Bennett (Night Force)
David "Crazylegs" Thomas (Night Force)
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen (Tiger Force)
Desert Commando Snake Eyes
Profit Director Destro
Python Crimson Guard
Python Patrol Officer
Quick Kick
Range Viper
Recondo (Tiger Force)
Python Crimson Guard
Python Patrol Officer
Quick Kick
Range Viper
Recondo (Tiger Force)
Storm Shadow
Storm Shadow (v2/ G.I. Joe)
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk (Tiger Force)
Techno-Viper
Tele-Viper & Cobra Flight Pod (Trubble Bubble)
Tomax Paoli
Tripwire, Aspara, & M.A.C.L.E.O.D.
Tunnel Rat
Tunnel Rat (Night Force)
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone & Quarrel (Night Force)
Vypra
Storm Shadow (v2/ G.I. Joe)
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk (Tiger Force)
Techno-Viper
Tele-Viper & Cobra Flight Pod (Trubble Bubble)
Tomax Paoli
Tripwire, Aspara, & M.A.C.L.E.O.D.
Tunnel Rat
Tunnel Rat (Night Force)
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone & Quarrel (Night Force)
Vypra
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