Now that I've finished off reviews of the entire HasLab Dragonfly crew it's time to jump into the.... well, not the most recent series, as Letherneck, Zandar, Dial-Tone, and the S.A.W. Viper are currently out. Most of the set is on the way to me as I'm writing this, but I guess I should cover the set that came out at the end of 2024, huh? Let's start by checking out Albert "Alpine" Pine. And, yes, that's his real name and always has been. On the original figure, his real name was only visible on the file card on the back, though, but in the Classified Series Hasbro has his real name and code name together, front and center. Alpine is another figure that came out before I was collecting Joes as a kid and who I don't ever remember seeing in stores. He had a pretty solid presence in the Joe media, particularly animation, but he was never released in one of the repaint subsets nor was he given a second figure in the vintage line. I'm pretty sure my first Alpine was one of the Valor Vs. Venom versions from 2004, though I also did later have the 25th Anniversary figure, too. Alpine ought to be a pretty popular figure as he's a well liked character, clad in a more traditional military color scheme, and has a nice assortment of weapons. He's also the star of one of the popular Fensler films, so if you need a guy too harass lost kids at a carnival, Alpine is your dude. Huh. Maybe the whole review should just be me typing "memememememememe." Kind of like if Beaker from the Muppets wrote the whole thing. And then instead of saying the figure is Crap, Eh, Good, Great, or Epic, I'll just end with a video of a fart. But I'm not going to subject you to that. Instead, I'm giving Alpine the respect he deserves. Let's check this guy out after the break...
The Facts:
Height: 6 1/4ths inches
Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball-jointed drop down hips, ball-jointed waist, hinged mid-torso, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel biceps, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, balljointed neck base, and a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: Rope, goggles, hat, rifle, magazine, grappling gun, hook, grappling hook w/ rope, and 2 ice axes.
Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars
* I'd say that Alpine is another pretty successful G.I. Joe: Classified Series figure. Alpine is instantly recognizable but he doesn't feel dated nor is he just a larger version of the vintage figure or 25th Anniversary figure. His gear feels a bit more current and detailed, his outfit is a bit more complex, and he has a few neat extras like the Idaho themed T-shirt. The part of Alpine's jacket covering his torso is a separate piece, but since his arms are jacketed there's no reason to take it off. He still has his jacket heavily padded with those leather patches (or whatever they are) on his forearms, but the textures on most of his gear vary from one another; a superb attention to detail that's almost always present on the figures in this line.
* I don't think the headsculpt is bad at all, though it seems that some collectors aren't feeling it. I think it's pretty good with some nice detail. He looks kind of chill. I mean, I know Alpine can go all in when he's fighting Cobra, but he's also probably just enjoying his climb, too. Interestingly, Alpine's skin tone has shifted quite a bit over the years in different figures. Remember this guy? Some folks have speculated that Alpine might be black and Latino. I could see that. He has a nice fade hairstyle and a very realistic looking hair texture, along with some great work on his eyes. It feels like Hasbro's sculptors put a lot of character into each figure's facial features, bringing them to life.
* His goggles are removable and they look great. Yeah, they're crooked here, but that's on me. I love that removable goggles work well and look decent in the 1/12th scale. Eyeglasses and sunglasses can still be wonky, but goggles always seem to be a hit.
* Alpine's unique ballcap fits his head perfectly and looks great. It almost looks like it has some padding or armor or something. Is that really a thing? I tried to look and saw lots of cold weather mountaineering hats, but not just hats for climbing at lower altitudes, I guess. Could this hat be padded to help give him a little extra protection if some smaller rocks fall on him? I know it's not going to stop a boulder or anything, but I guess it might fend off little rocks.
* The Idaho state shirt on Alpine is really cool. It adds a nice little extra bit of character to the figure, references the character's hometown of Minidoka, Idaho, and keeps him from having just a plain white shirt underneath. I really like the print. It even looks a bit faded, like a favorite T-shirt that's been washed and worn over and over again.
* Not only is Alpine wearing a separate (nonremovable) climbing harness but he has loads of carabiners hanging from his belt, too. They're all part of the belt (one single sculpted piece) but the paint details do make them look like separate pieces. Of course, there is a loop for attaching him to a string or rope if you want to.
* The climbing boots match his jacket and they have grips/ cleats/ whatever around the edge. Handy.
* Alpine's rope is a separate piece that can fit over his shoulder, hanging around the figure. This isn't a functional piece or anything but it looks good and has always been a part of the character's appearance.
* Alpine's articulation is excellent, so not a lot to say new there. He's sturdy, has the same array of joints as most Classified Series figures, and he interacts with all of his accessories well. His thicker jacket does restrict the movement of his lateral "butterfly" hinges a bit, but it's nothing too problematic.
* When it comes to Alpine, I've heard quite a few complaints about his accessories. I'm personally not a fan of the Classified Series figures coming with the same stuff as the vintage figures, just larger, if the original stuff is outdated. I like something a bit more modern, even perhaps cutting edge. This grappling gun originally came with the Alley Viper, but it's not bad. It has the removable hook (now in a different color!) and you can still add a string on if you feel inclined.
* Alpine's Rifle is also the same as the Alley Viper's rifle. We've seen this one a few times, and I do like it. Especially with the green highlights. It does make for an odd rifle for a climber, though. I'd expect either something with good scope, like a marksman's rifle, or something smaller and compact. The original figure has a Beretta M-12, and I could see something smaller and light having been a good choice. Again, with so many good 1/12th scale weapons out there I can definitely rearm him if I want, and there's nothing wrong with this accessory, but it's not the most well thought out.
* I do like these ice axes, though. They're very realistic, have some great paint applications, and they actually have a little difference: One has some green take woven around the shaft, right above the handle. These are excellent!
* There are two loops on the back of Alpine's harness where his ice axes (I think that's what they're called, even if just used for regular climbing) can be stored. You can put them in either way and they'll stay put.
* We've seen this grappling hook a few times before, but it's still a decent accessory, especially with the string on it. Mix it in with Alpine's gear, put it on his harness, tie the hook to it. Lots of options here, really.
The Negatives:
* Alpine does have a little pouch on the back of his harness that I'm assuming is for pitons or something. It's cool, but the lack of a backpack is really odd. I'd assume a mountaineering trooper would need a place to store his gear. I certainly don't mind figures that come with lots of extras, but one of the cool things about the classified series is that most figures can carry their gear somewhere. There's no place to store Alpine's rifle nor his grappling gun. I'd be fine with just storage for one. He does have a lot of gear with him, but the lack of a backpack just seems odd. You'd think he'd have one to hold lots of extras.
I think Alpine is a great looking figure and, when you break him down, he comes with quite a few accessories. Seriously, what other figures at retail come with this much stuff? My only real complaint is the lack of a backpack. This guy needs a place to put the grappling gun and rifle so he can use those incredibly nice climbing axes! He's a Great and a 1/2 figure and one of the last standard 1985 figures needed to complete that year (minus drivers). From '85 all that's missing now is Footloose (who is coming) and Airtight. He's got to be on the way soon, right? I'm actually fine with drivers coming without vehicles, so I'm hoping we'll see those guys as single releases, too.
This is the first figure of Albert "Alpine" Pine 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
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
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
Ah if only I had a wide enough HISS tank to stash him under, along with Quick Kick and Bazooka. The UK adventures gave him a few good stories, scaling the Eiffel tower one episode or haggling in an Algerian market the next (still wearing his mountain gear)
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