CESSPOOL v.2 (2014)

G. I. JOE : FIGURE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE 2.0

It’s been a whole month since I’ve reviewed a G.I. Joe figure.  I think that must be a record for this site.  All of my Joes are packed away for the coming move along so they’re not as easily accessible for photos as they once were.  But the other day another package from the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club arrived in the mail. This one containing my 7th and 8th figures from the sophomore figure subscription service (FSS). It would be easier to just keep these guys in their packages until after the move but I opened them up for you, my faithful readers, so that I could post this review.

version 1 (1991)

This latest shipment of figures consisted of Night Force Lt. Falcon and Cesspool. Falcon was not a figure that I was excited about but Cesspool was one of the figures I was most looking forward to from FSS 2.0.

The first Cesspool was released in 1991.  This was a few years after I had stopped collecting Joe figures as a kid.  By ’91 the line was becoming gimmick heavy with multiple sub-teams. 1991 brought us the Air Commandos, the Sonic Fighters and the brand tackled environmental issues with the inclusion of the Eco-Warriors.  The Eco Joes were brightly colored and featured water spraying weapons and color change plastic.  The environmentally conscious Joes were led by Flint, the Joe team’s Warrant Officer who was already a well-established character.  

Their opposition on the Cobra side, Toxo-Vipers and Sludge Vipers, were led by a brand new character, Cesspool, a crooked businessman with a penchant for pollution.  Even though I was not collecting Joes at the time I thought Cesspool made for an interesting addition to the Cobra ranks.  The Cobra army consisted mostly of nameless troopers so it was nice anytime a new “name” Cobra character was introduced.  The white hair and grotesque scar on his face gave him a look quite different from any Joe figure we’d seen before.

Cesspool and the other Eco-Warriors seemed to make little to no lasting impression on most Joe fans.  They had a few brief appearances in the comic book and the DIC cartoon but were then forgotten.  None of the new characters introduced in the sub-set were ever revisited in the new-sculpt era or in the modern line; until now.

Since I have no nostalgic attachment to the character, Cesspool was not a figure I was clamouring for, and yet he’s exactly the kind of character who I like to see included in the FSS.  I love how the club doesn’t shy away from any era of Joe with their character choices.  Cesspool has such a unique look and an interesting backstory that I’m sure he’s got a few fans out there.  He’s a character that I’m happy to add to my collection.

Cesspool’s body is made up of a mish-mash of parts from  previously released figures such as Sci-Fi and the Techno-Viper.  The parts work well together but they don’t do a great job of replicating the look of the original figure.  There are a few key elements missing such as the massive cobra emblem on his chest and his metallic golden arm.  However the paint job is very well done and ties all of the mixed parts together nicely.  I actually prefer the new biohazard logo on his chest plate to the old Cobra logo.

Since Cesspool has such a distinctive face the Club had no choice but to sculpt an entirely new head.  They really knocked it out of the park on this head sculpt.  Cesspool looks fantastic.  The evil sneer and that nasty scar, which looks worse than ever, give this figure a ton of personality. The way he’s depicted on the backer card art is also amazing.  He looks full-on insane and that seemingly open wound makes me want to look away and cringe.  However, if you aren’t a fan of his ugly mug you have the option to display him with his helmet on .  The helmet is gold with an orange visor and it’s very Cobra Commander-esque.  I’m quite torn as to how I should display him.

For accessories he comes with a repainted version of Barbecue’s backpack, a sludge gun and hose, a smaller sludge pistol, and a suitcase full of money.  This figure is the new highlight of FSS 2.0.  My crap photos don’t do it justice.  9 out of 10.