2001 G.I.Joe A.W.E. Striker

I had the G.I.Joe bug today and decided to check the local shop to see if any new items were in.   There was a large selection of G.I.Joe products to be seen.   There was something from 1982 to the present there in all manner of condition.  

One of the items I had the most interest in was something I already had, the 2001 A.W.E. Striker.

 

It didn't seem like all that long ago but it has been since I bought the 2021 A.W.E. Striker.    I've had other A.W.E. Strikers, too, like the "Ninja Cruiser".   The 2001 version still stands out as my favorite.   When I was slimming down my collection, I had two of them.   But in my minimalist approach to that project I thought that there wouldn't be two in a small G.I.Joe team type of unique force.  I regret that call.

But no matter, I second one is back in my hand and actually just a little bit better than my previous "second" one sold long ago as I had cracked the roll cage near to the point of breaking by the antenna part...., it was still mostly solid and backed up by the other 5-points of solid contact but it could have definitely have gone the rest of the way.

Like the 2021 A.W.E. Striker, I'll open this up and write about it.   This was a lot more satisfying of a purchase even as it was more expensive comparatively.

Just look at the box.  Bigger isn't always better.  There is a lot more packed onto The Real American Hero Collection box and I am not just saying that because I'm old.   The same product is essentially in each of these except for the figure.  

Inside the box, parts!   In plastic bags.   

 

I don't remember the individually wrapped wheels from back when I put the other two I've put together, well, together.

This was fun.   I didn't find the 2021 A.W.E. Striker quite this fun for some reason.

 

This roll cage bar is straight, unlike the 2021 A.W.E. Striker.  It is solid.    

I think I might leave the antennae on the tree for now.  I have other antennae from other A.W.E. Strikers not being used and I have found that if I wanted to put the A.W.E. Striker on a bookcase shelf that was maybe too low, or maybe having to put it into a Rubbermaid storage bin, I would be taking the antennae off.   

I had to compare the suspension on my original 2001 A.W.E. Striker that I have had for 20 years with this new out of the box 2001 A.W.E. Striker.  The suspension sag of sitting on a shelf or in a box under the force of gravity does bring it down, doesn't it?

 All-in-all, nothing new to me all but definitely a fun purchase that didn't leave me with some weird bit of modern less-than-quality thing that would end up bugging me.

Below are some views with my original two 2001 A.W.E. Strikers years before I trimmed back on my collection.

Lonzo "Stalker" Wilkinson a $12.93 overpriced figure

The toy department is slim.  Most everything has been slim for some time in all categories.   This is nothing new.    The angry patriot G.I.Joe fans like to blame the lack of product on a lack of patriotism or a certain Snake Eyes movie.   These people simply can't handle mental processing the reality of supply and demand and a backed-up supply system and need some mythical boogeyman to sow their hatred towards.

Today the local brick and mortar has some unexpected arrivals.    Unlike other trips through in general in the toy aisle, which used to be a fun thing to do, I almost felt like I had seen this scene before.  It has that been-there-done-that feel.    

At first I was thinking this is great, first pick on a bunch of Cobra Troopers and here's that instant bad-guy miniature army.   Then I started looking at the bent up warped accessories in every one of those packages and at $12.93 a figure it just lost all appeal to me.

Not being a "modern" G.I.Joe figure style collector, if we call it "modern" anymore, there was nothing here that I really had to have.   But for my small "modern collection," Stalker, as a character, was good fit.

After inspecting all the Stalker figures, I picked out the one with the better paint application and accessories.

The other two scales of figures looked like fine toys but what would I do with them?   They actually looked like they had a ton more dollar value in them.

The old plastic blister card came off really easy, almost too easy.  In the real world I deal with packaging, and glue seems to be coming in lighter, if not sometimes non-existent, levels.

Unlike G.I.Joe A Real American Hero that we had from 1982-1994, the card value is totally lost on this 2021 re-take.

There's not much to go on and nothing that hasn't been seen before.   The "Lonzo "Stalker" Wilkinson" title does not have that simple power like the old card did.  "Ranger."   Codename:.....

Happy Meal toys are not much less in quality from what is hear.

Even after a relatively scrutinized inspection, the rifles still had some warp to them.  

The molded "made in" is replaced with straight up painted on numbers.  Gone are the days of seeing the year code stamped on a butt for the modern collector.

These hip-upper-thigh joints were a feature I liked on another modern figure that I can't think of but now they feel like these might be the structurally weak spot on this figure.

This gun just sucks.   I liked it in the package but it is like getting one of those early knock-off brands of G.I.Joe back in the day with their chunky weapons.

This weapon was one that is very fitting with Stalker, this really adds to the retro value.   And the figure can hold this rifle.

All in all, a figure that will look well with my small "modern" G.I.Joe collection.   The "web gear" doesn't float as bad as the earlier "25th" year figures I have had and the pistol fits nice in the holster as well as the knife.

With the construction format not being my favorite, this one seems good for the uniform style.  It does not have that bashed together parts feel that some of these figures have given me.

Overall the simple green/ camo look of the G.I.Joe Ranger came out alright.

A $12.93 figure?   No, not that great of a value.   Not at all.