Action Figure Barbecue: Action Figure Review: Leatherneck from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

Today I'm starting to look at the newest series of G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures from the most recent series to ship and I'm kicking things off with Leatherneck. Leatherneck was a 1986 release in the vintage line and thus was one of the figures I had when I was quite young. General Hawk v2 was my first figure and Sci-Fi was my second, so I either started collecting at the end of 1986 when these guys had been on shelves a bit or in early 1987 before that year's line shipped (I think Hasbro kept the figures in circulation for about 2 years before discontinuing them). Interestingly, three of the four figures from the newest series of releases are based on 1986 releases: Leatherneck, Dial-Tone, and Zandar. (The S.A.W. Viper was a 1990 release, though I was still collecting Joes by then, too.) On Leatherneck's vintage file card there was always a line that stuck out to me: "He is uncouth, opinionated and overbearing. And he has no patience at all with the indecisive, the lazy and the dishonest. Not a man you can like, but one you can trust."
That always has stood out to me as some excellent characterization. Leatherneck isn't really a likeable guy at all but he's a darn fine Marine. Interestingly, the vintage figure looks like it could have easily been a Gung-Ho version 2 at first (there are quite a few figures like that in 1986- Sci-Fi as Flash, Wet-Suit as Torpedo), but it's clear that by the time the figure was created he was a very different character from Gung-Ho despite them being both highly decorated Marines. The Joe team was expanding and needed more than one medic, more than one Marine, more than one SEAL, etc. Ready to check out Leatherneck? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 6 1/4ths inches

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

Accessories: Rifle, magazine, pistol, knife, hat, shooting glasses, backpack, bracelet, radio pouch, watch, and 4 swappable hands.

Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars

The Positives:

* If you're looking for a very classic looking soldier/ Marine, Leatherneck is a good choice. He's a figure that looks quite a bit like his vintage counterpart while still feeling like a modern member of the United States military. I'm sure there are elements of his gear that aren't in use anymore, but the Joes were never about standard issue gear and uniformity. He doesn't feel dated. His vest is a separate piece that sits over his torso and his BDUs have a nice camouflage pattern. He's got rolled up sleeves, multiple pockets, and lots of gear hanging around on his belt and vest.

* Leatherneck (real name Wendell A. Metzger) doesn't look like a particularly happy dude. He looks like he's been through a bit lately, though he's not going to tell you about it. His mustache is suitably massive and bushy, his receding hair is cut short and tamped down because of his cap, and he shaved early this morning and is already starting to sport some dark five o'clock shadow. He kind of looks like a chemistry teacher I had in high school, though a bit more buff.

* Leatherneck's cover fits like a charm. It's really snug on his head and absolutely completes the look of his Marine combat outfit. The camo matches the rest of his outfit and there's a Marine-inspired symbol on the hat, similar to Gung-Ho's.

* Leatherneck's shooting glasses are excellent, too. They fit well, look pretty good on the figure, and work on their own or with the hat on. The fit is very snug and they're much sturdier than many previous glasses in this scale.

* Leatherneck has what looks like a take on an older styled Marine Raiders patch on his left shoulder. The skull with crossed cutlasses on a red diamond seems to be an older design, dating back to World War II. The watch on Leatherneck's left wrist is removable and has19:00 on the display.

* On the right shoulder is Leatherneck's rank insignia. I'm also liking his bracelet. The vintage figure has one, too, and I believe it's intended to be a memorial bracelet or honor bracelet. The vintage file card mentioned that he served in Vietnam as a Tech Sergeant with the 1st Recon Battalion, so the original character was surely supposed to be a man who had lost some comrades. It's nice to see that detail included here.

* Leatherneck has his trousers bloused over his boots, which is a cool detail. He's also sporting some kneepads, a nice modern touch.

* On his left hip he has a small field radio, some sort of cord, and an extra magazine for his pistol. The radio pouch is removable, though the radio isn't.

* Leatherneck's articulation is excellent. This series of figures felt very tight out of the package with an even sturdier plastic quality than before. Leatherneck has all the joints you'd expect but the armholes on his vest are wide enough that he can take advantage of the "butterfly" joints more than you'd expect, allowing for some great two handed shooting poses. He really has a lot of gear and it's fun to let him try everything out on some unlucky Cobras who have crossed his path.

* Leatherneck's pack is fairly basic but it still has a bedroll (which gets a green paint application) and a canteen visible. Lots of sculpted straps and pouches, too.

* Let me start by saying that the weapons in this latest series feel much sturdier and thicker than most weapons that have come before. The plastic is much more rigid and firm. There does seem to be a bit less detail and slightly softer sculpts, but nothing is rubbery fragile feeling. The original figure had an M-16/203 rifle and this one is similar, but more modern. It's clearly a generic take on a rifle with a grenade launcher, but it looks realistic enough. Simple and basic, though there is a pouch on the stock, so that's a neat detail.

* The magazine is removable and stays in quite securely. There's also a hollow barrel for the rifle and a hollow barrel for the grenade launcher on the bottom, allowing you to blast/ firing effects from other figures in here.

* Leatherneck's knife is pretty decently sized, has a nice design, and features a handle so he can hold it comfortably.

* It also slides right into the sheath on his vest. I love that! You all know how nuts knives sheathed like this make me! I've thought they were super cool ever since I first played Resident Evil on PlayStation. That's the way to store a knife!

* We usually only get swappable hands with martial artists or Cobra Commander figures but Leatherneck comes with some swappable hands, too. There's a pair of pistol grip hands and a pair of fists for pounding on some Cobras.

* Interestingly, Leatherneck's pistol is the same as Gung-Ho's except with the addition of an optical sight on top. Pretty nice looking pistol, really.

* It fits easily into the holster on his right hip, too. Always good to have it easily accessible.

The Negatives:

* The memorial bracelet is really cool, but it's very loose and will easily fall of while you're posing the figure. I commend the Joe team for trying to make it work like a real bracelet of this sort, but it would have been more functional as a full loop that couldn't just fall off.

* On the right shoulder is Leatherneck's rank insignia, showing him as a Staff Sergeant (E-6). Interestingly, his original file card designated him as a Gunnery Sergeant (E-7), so he's not quite as high up as he used to be, which is weird. It took me a bit of looking but it seems like Hasbro also used an army style insignia rather than a marine style insignia. I wouldn't have recognized that at first, but knowing it is a bit of a hit, I guess.

Leatherneck is kind of like an onion; at first he seems like a simple figure, but there's really more going on than you realize. A removable watch and memorial bracelet/ honor bracelet? Lots of tiny sculpted details? Glasses and a cap, both of which fit well? He really is quite a solid figure. I had some little complaints, one of which was probably just an oversight (using an incorrect insignia) and another was a design decision that just didn't work as well as intended, but those are minor flaws on what is a very good figure. Ultimately, he's a Great and a 1/2 figure who is loaded with coolness.

This is the first figure of Leatherneck I've reviewed. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures check out the following:

Action Sailor (Recon Diver)
Action Soldier (Infantry)
Agent Helix
Albert "Alpine" Pine

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)
Big Boa

Blue Ninjas
Buzzer
Carl "Doc" Greer
Chip "Raptor" Talon & General Ledger
Chuckles
Clutch with VAMP (Multi-Purpose Attack Vehicle)

Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander (Once a Man)

Cobra Commander (Regal Variant)
Cobra Eel

Cobra Infantry
Cobra Officer

Cobra Trooper (Special Missions: Cobra Island)
Cobra Valkyries