I've been very excited for the deluxe ghillie suit clad version of Blowback from Valaverse's Action Force and, since I've had him for a little over a month, it's time I go ahead and review him. A standard version of Blowback was released back at the end of 2022, but I skipped him. Some of the basic Action Force figures, especially the guys, look to plain to me and come off as a bit generic. This version of Blowback is pretty unqiue and I knew he'd be a figure I just had to have. Ready to check out Blowback dressed up for some sniping? Then join me after the break...
The Facts:
Height: 6 3/8ths inches
Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed drop down hips, ball jointed waist, balljointed mid-torso, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, hinged neck, and a ball jointed head.
Accessories: Vest, 3 portraits, ghillie suit, 8 swappable hands, rifle, 3 magazines, pistol, knife, helmet, 4 ear pieces attachments, headset, sniper rifle, rifle case, 2 bipods, range finder, range finder base, and stand.
Non-Scalper Price: $55 dollars
The Positives:
* Since the the Action Force line does take advantage of base bodies, there is obviously a lot of reuse here from previous figures. That being said, Blowback's camouflage pattern is incredible. This is some really nice camouflage and it just looks fantastic on the figure. The color scheme is great and you could really see this guy being able to avoid detection when lying on the ground or hiding among some trees or bushes.
* Here's a shot of the back of the figure so you can see how the camo pattern wraps the entire way around. It's very impressive work.
* Blowback also comes with a tactical vest that's pretty common in the line, but which really completes the look of the figure. Everything is in shades of green and tan, so it matches the camo pattern nicely. There's also a belt which isn't removable unless you disassemble the figure. Blowback's vest is easily removable, though, and taking it off does help the ghillie suit fit better, though it seems weird that he'd not have his vest and gear on when in the ghillie suit.
* I don't have the previous Blowback but, as best as I can tell from pictures, this is a repaint of his portrait. The camo pattern looks great here and really captures the look of very detailed and effective face paint.
* The second portrait features Blowback closing his left eye to peek through his scope or the range finder.
* The third portrait looks like a generic trooper in a balaclava. I'd say it's supposed to be Blowback without camo paint on, but the eyes are blue instead of brown, so it's clearly not him. If you want to make the figure just a more generic soldier, this gives you that option.
* From the rear you can see more of the detail on the vest as well as the radio attached to it. On the back of Blowback's belt you can also see a multi-tool and what looks like a small flashlight, as well as a few extra pistol magazines.
* The articulation is pretty much the same as on most of the other Action Force figures I've picked up so far. The joints and range of motion are excellent and everything with worked just fine right out of the package. These are sturdy, well made made action figures that are a lot of fun to pose and mess around with and this guy is incredibly likely to make his way into your hands to try in different rifle firing poses, especially when wearing the ghillie suit.
* Blowback comes with the standard eight gloved hands in the same poses as those included with most very other figure. The pegs are really thick and sturdy and swapped in and out very easily. There's a pair of cradling hands for holding rifles, pair of fists, a pair of pistol grips, and a pair of standard grips.
* Blowback comes with a few headgear options. First up is the standard headset with a microphone attached.
* Next up is the standard ballistic helmet with earpads attached to provide more protection.
* You can swap out those armored earpads for headset pieces to help Blowback stay in touch with the rest of his team while still having some head protection.
* Finally, let's talk about the ghillie suit. The ghillie suit is a single soft goods piece that fits over the Blowback's arms and legs. It's much easier to put on than you might expect and it stays on securely thanks to the to elastic straps on each limb
* I like the look of the material used for the ghillie suit. It's pretty impressive and after the first day or two I haven't really had any pieces fall off of it. It really does look like it would nicely hide a figure and help them blend in to a grassy or wooded environment.
* The hood simply fits over the head of the figure, helping to obscure their silhouette.
* Blowback comes with two rifles, the first being an HK416 modified to be a marksman's weapon. I love the green and black color scheme here; it nicely blends in for when Blowback needs something that shoots a bit more quickly.
* The magazine is removable from the rifle and two additional mags are included (so three total).
* Blowback isn't called Stabbo, but that doesn't mean he can't use a knife every now and then.
* Blowback's combat vest can hold the knife in the sheathe and the spare magazines in the front pouches. I love how these guys can carry their gear.
* Blowback comes with a Sig Sauer M17 with green highlights. This seems to be a default Action Force team sidearm. Fortunately, it's a slick one.
* It slides right into the holster on his right hip for safekeeping.
* Blowback comes with a very large rifle case for storing his sniper rifle and his range finder. It's molded in a solid OD green and he can carry it, though it's surely quite bulky.
* The case opens via a hinge to reveal Blowback's rifle, range finder, and bipod inside. The gear stays in place quite well, using only simple slots for the equipment to clip into.
* Blowback's sniper rifle is a bolt action weapon. It looks like an M24. It's a killer sculpt with a hollow barrel for holding a firing effect, a hinged bipod, and a very well done camouflage pattern.
* The rifle comes with two bipods: One has the legs close together for stowing the rifle in the case or for having a figure carry the rifle while the other has the legs spread apart so the rifle can stand on its own.
* The rangefinder comes out of the case and can be held by itself or placed on a stand that folds out into position.
* I'm a huge proponent of action figures coming with display bases and Action Force's might be the best out there on the market. The metal texture of the display stand is fantastic, though Blowback's comes molded in OD green, and there are four pegs on the base, making it extra versatile. See that little slit at the back? If you want to cut out the file card from Blowback's package you can even display it behind him. I've actually picked up some of these stands by themselves from Valaverse, too. They work great with the Classified Series figures.
The Negatives:
* My only complaint about the figure is that the radio and antenna on the back of Blowback's vest makes it tough to get the ghillie suit all the way on. You could take off the vest, but that just looks odd and leaves Blowback seeming a bit undressed. I actually used heat to try to mold the antenna closer to Blowback's back as I didn't want to just break it off and it's not removable. Leaving the antenna on and not making it removable was a weird design choice.
While Blowback is quite a bit more expensive than most Action Force items, he really comes with a lot of nice extras. You get three portraits, multiple helmet options, two rifles, the ghillie suit, and the cool carrying case. Personally, I find him to be worth the deluxe price tag. I just wish the antenna on his back was removable. Otherwise, this is one of the coolest 1/12th scale military action figures out there. Whether you're a fan of the Action Force line, want to use this guy with your Classified Series figures, or just want to have a really neat ghillied up solider on your shelf, this Epic set has you covered.
This is the first figure of Blowback I've reviewed on the site. For more Action Force reviews check out the following:
Wow - this is a stellar deluxe figure. Somehow I missed this guy or thought the set was just the ghillie suit plus weapons. Nice!
ReplyDeleteYeah, this one is a full set. The arctic ghillie suit is just a set with the suit and weapons.
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