As the last few Transformers reviews have indicated, I've had the 1986 Transformers movie on my mind. Still, I did notice when comparing the original Transformers Cartoon to the G.I. Joe Cartoon running around the same time because it feels like G.I. Joe handled the leadership transition somewhat better than Transformers did. Ironic as a last-minute edit to the G.I. Joe Movie was done because of the backlash Transformers had. Though some leaders did take more of a backseat even when they were introduced, to me, it did feel like when Flint and Lady Jaye were introduced, they essentially replaced Duke and Scarlet. There was even an episode where leaders of both G.I. Joe and Cobra were taken for a series of challenges, and while Cobra Commander and Baroness were taken to represent the Cobra side, Flint and Lady Jaye were taken to represent the Joes. Even when an official chain of command was discussed, Duke wasn't in charge; he was now second in command behind the then-new General Hawk. It makes me wonder what would have happened if they committed to killing Duke off in the movie. While we may never know about that, what we can do is look at the newest versions of Duke and Scarlet 2.0. By request on a poll on Facebook, because of how close it was between these two and how many can't see one without the other, here's a review looking at both G.I. Joe Classified Flint and Lady Jaye.
I'll start with Flint first as, in the spirit of him being Duke 2.0. Though some elements are different, a new head, new shin guards, a few new accessories and the vest replacing Duke's belts, the bulk of the parts are reused, but using a fresh paint and colour scheme to make him feel more unique when compared to his Wave 1 predecessor. The reuse of components fits the two of them, thanks to how similar their roles are in the Joe team, and what elements are different make a significant change to how the two of them look. Even if you had the two of them standing right next to each other on a shelf, you wouldn't notice that they're essentially the same toy just by looking at them. For those looking for a faithful modernization of an 80's Joe figure, Flint is a mostly 1:1 accurate translation of his original 1985 toy, only missing his backpack from the original toy, but it doesn't feel like a significant loss.
Regarding the accessories he has, Flint comes with the same pistol that Duke comes with, but without the gold paint that Duke's did. While it looks more realistic, it also seems pretty bland by comparison. He also comes with what is essentially a Shotgun to serve as a primary firearm. I love the look of this gun, especially over the one he came within 1985. From what I've heard, it's not a realistic Shotgun, but the paint and sculpting is realistic enough to look like a modern shotgun, especially when compared to Duke's rifle. I'm less of a fan of how it stores on his back; it does feel like the holster designed for it was put on upside down. It doesn't look bad when stored away, but like many primary weapons in the line, it looks better in the figure's hands rather than on his back.
Lady Jaye, on the other hand, I find less impressive in certain elements but more impressive in others. She's a very mixed bag, as some parts have transitioned very well in the modernization process, while others have transitioned very badly. I love the sculpting on the figure itself. The design for her feels more like a translation of the cartoon rather than one of the original toys, similar to modern Transformers aiming for the look of the character in the cartoon rather than the toys. That's not to say she hasn't got any roots in the original toy. Like Flint, her design is primarily based on her 1985 toy, and the accessories help bring more of the toy's elements into the design. The inclusion of an optional hairpiece that has the hat the original toy came with is a lovely touch in this regard. However, the other accessories suffer in the attempt to merge the original toy's design with her design in the cartoon, all while modernizing the design for the 21st century. The backpack was completely redesigned to incorporate storage for a spare Javelin, optional Javelin heads that can be easily interchanged, and a modern redesign of the camera accessory her original toy came with, now looking more like a GoPro on a very articulate armature.
The Javelins are simple but effective in design, but what lets things down is the attempt to modernize her Javelin launcher gun. Trying to insert a Javelin in the launcher is surprisingly tricky, with a lot of friction between the pieces, making the connection feel too secure like it's trying to lock the Javelin in forever. The result is an awkward mess of a launcher that either sticks out too far or is cumbersome to hold. It would have been better if she came with a Mini Javelin to load into it, as that could have also worked for the backpack storage as her Javelins did compress for storage. I'm surprised her backpack doesn't have any Mini Javelins sculpted onto it, in a similar vein to Scarlet and Storm Shadow's Quivers. As it stands now, it looks like she has two shots before she has to rely on her knife, a weapon that doesn't work well when fighting an army all using guns. Granted, neither is Javelins, but a Javelin with an explosive tip would be more effective.
With the exception of Lady Jaye's accessory choices (mainly the Javelin launcher), both these figures are solid inclusions in the line. Neither are the strongest the line offers, but both are fantastic inclusions to your Joe team. I could see Lady Jaye getting a re-release with different accessories, but they got Flint perfect right off the bat. Considering this was the first full year of the line and a year that was hampered by the delay of the Snake Eyes movie, it'll be fascinating to see what 2022 has on offer. Though the following review was sold as a Predacon, many know him as a Maximal. It's time to tell his tale to those who ask. To tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good, and let him be judged accordingly. Up next: Dinobot.
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