FAST DRAW v1

G. I. JOE

I’m feeling pretty lazy today but I figured I’d throw up a quick review before retiring to the couch for a few hours.  The only problem with trying to find a figure that I can review quickly takes quite a while.  I’d hate to waste a quality toy with a rinky dink review just because I’m feeling lazy.  Well I think I’ve found the perfect figure to review in this situation, the G.I. Joe team’s ordnance specialist Fast Daw.  He’s a great choice in this scenario because he’s an awesome figure and yet I have very little to say about him.  Fast Draw was released in 1987 alongside figures like Chuckles, Jinx, Law, and Mercer.  Those characters all got nicely fleshed out in the Joe animated movie that was released that year, which sadly Fast Draw was absent from.  Fast Draw got very little love in the cartoons or comics so he has very little personality to speak of and no memorable story lines to re-tell.  A few interesting tidbits were provided on his file card however.  Such as the fact that he fancies himself an old-west gunfighter and that his secondary military specialty is clerk typist.  It’s a crime that characters like Snake-Eyes have 60 different figures available while Fast Draw was never re-released.  This is the only version of Fast Draw ever.  He was completely ignored in the new sculpt and modern sculpt eras.  Which is really a shame because I think he’s a wicked looking character with a ton of potential.

The figure itself is very unique with a fully padded uniform.  He had a full flip down mask/visor which gave him a science fiction-esque appearance.   His accessories were also very unique.  He had a giant pack pack with articulated launching pads on the sides.  Missiles were placed in the pads and then flexible tubes ran from each one and attached to small trigger pistols that fit in each of Fast Draw’s hands.  (Sadly one of my Fast Draw’s missiles have broken off  )He also had a bright blue breathing tube that ran from his face shield to his backpack, for what purpose, I’m not sure.  (My tube is lost) The color choices: red, blue, green and gray  work surprisingly well together and definitely make him stand out in a crowd.

I loved Fast Draw as a kid and he was always one of my last surviving Joes in any battle.  I hope we get an updated version soon.  8 out of 10.