Action Figure Barbecue: Wrapping Up 2023: Jason "Shockwave" Faria from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

I'm almost through wrapping up reviews of 2023 stuff I picked up and I'm starting to pepper in some new 2024 releases that I've acquired, but today I have another 2023 release: Jason "Shockwave" Faria from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro. Back in early February 2021 I made a list of 10 G.I. Joe team members I was really looking forward to in the Classified Series figures and Shockwave was one of them (to date four of them have been released and one, Jinx, was just revealed). I loved the vintage figure as a kid and I even loved the 1992 D.E.F. version. Actually, he was my preferred Shockwave later on, and is still one of my favorites. The vintage Shockwave had a hilariously brilliant file card write up that compares being a member of a S.W.A.T. team with being a member of a choir (it goes on to note that Shockwave is "a half-decent tenor when his voice is in shape..." He's the guy who kicks down the door and enters in first and has been equipped this time around with a ballistic shield. In his post vintage releases, Shockwave was known as Shockblast, but now that Hasbro tends to use the character's "real" name with their codename, he's back to being good old Shockwave. Ready to see how Shockwave stands up to some heavy fire? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 6 3/8ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed drop down hips, ball jointed waist, mid-torso hinge, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, ball jointed neck base, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: 2 knives, shield, nightstick, hat, two submachine guns, and 2 magazines.

Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars

The Positives:

* Shockwave is very much based on the vintage 1988 version of the character, though his vest is much more detailed this time around with plenty of pouches and extra shells at the ready. He's sporting a fantastic looking digital camouflage that mixes light blue and dark blue with bits of yellow. It's similar to the vintage figure but more intricate.

* Shockwave's hat is removable. It stays on snugly over his balaclava and it's sporting the same digital camo pattern as his uniform,

* From the back you can see that Shockwave's camo pattern extends all the way around his uniform. He's also sporting some pretty heavy protective padding/ armor on his vest.

* He also has some armored plates on his forearms. The sleeves have elastic cuffs and the forearm pads fit on right behind them. They definitely look like they'd be a benefit to him in close quarters combat. Make sure you pull them back behind the cuffs of his sleeves or they'll interfere with the wrist movement.

* Because of his thick ballistic vest, Shockwave doesn't have as much arm movement as most other Classified Series figures, but overall he moves the same as everyone else. He's fun to mess around with, durable, and can take some great poses with a little work and patience.

* Shockwave comes toting two HK MP7s, a fairly popular weapon for close quarters combat, especially in situations where collateral damage is to be avoided and hostages are present. These are really cool looking accessories with detailed sculpting and hollow barrels for holding firing effects. I read the book No Easy Day a month or two ago, about the same time I received this guy in the mail, and the MP7 is mentioned a few times in there. Supposedly it can be so quiet when suppressed that there were times when the SEALS used it in one room without alerting terrorists in the next room.

* The magazines are removable on both SMGs, so you can pose Shockwave changing mags in the heat of battle.

* He has a holster on each hip for his MP7s which keeps them ready and accessible, no matter which hand he has free.

* When he needs to restrain someone at close range, Shockwave can use his handy dandy nightstick. It's a side-handle baton, designed like a tonfa. It's a cool piece, though I wish there was a loop on Shockwave's belt to store it in.

* Shockwave comes with two knives. The first is a long, straight knife that looks like it's more suited to opening locked doors or cutting cords. It kind of reminds me of something like a Quick-Pik shove knife that you use for opening doors quickly in an emergency.

* It's situated down in a small sheathe at Shockwave's left ankle.

* His second knife looks like just a standard, no frills blade. The blade is a bit wide and looks like it's made solely for subduing Cobras at close range.

* It fits into the sheathe on Shockwave's vest.

* Shockwave includes a ballistic shield, which fits quite well with his role as the first man in the door. This is a really nice looking piece of equipment with lots of detail showing off the various bolts and seams, four painted on victory markings on the front. There also look to be two very powerful lamps on the front, providing illumination in dark areas and potentially blinding criminals and Cobra agents.

* Shockwave is wearing a dark blue balaclava with a ribbed texture. It's a nice looking mask. But...

The Negatives:

* The part of his eyes visible just looks really.. bland? Underdetailed? The rendering and packaging images make him look really tough and fierce with a pretty aggressive look in his eyes, but the figure itself just looks a bit too plain.

* The handle on the shield is kind of weird. The rip is fine but there's a rubbery clip that just feels off. It almost means the shield can only be held one way.

* See the small notch on the top left? That's where Shockwave's weapon should be pointing out. Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen with the shield on the wrong side. *sad trombone*

Shockwave is a great looking figure that comes loaded with some very cool accessories. Having his shield not work in either arm and be positioned incorrectly is a bust, though. The less than impressive headsculpt is a bit of a downer, too. Still, it's hard to say that Shockwave is a bad figure. Heck, he's still a better than average figure. I'd still give him a Great rating, though he does have flaws. A lace to store his nightstick and a shotgun would have been welcome additions, too. If we ever see a Night Force version of Shockwave, I wonder if we'll see any improvements on him?

This is the first figure of Jason "Faria" Shockwave that I've reviewed on the site. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:

Agent Helix

Alley Viper

Alvin "Breaker" Kibbey
Arctic B.A.T.

Arctic Mission Storm Shadow

Baroness with Cobra C.O.I.L.
Baroness (Retro)

Baroness (Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins)

B.A.T.
B.A.T. (Python Patrol)

Blue Ninjas
Buzzer
Chuckles

Cobra Commander

Cobra Commander (Regal Variant)
Cobra Eel

Cobra Infantry
Cobra Officer

Cobra Trooper (Special Missions: Cobra Island)
Cobra Valkyries