After reviewing Hasbro’s windowless packaged Shipwreck and being very disappointed, we started eyeing up the alternative action figure known as Valaverse’s Action Force. Although nowhere near as well known as G.I. JOE, this other toy line features a hero who is no stranger to Hasbro’s military action figures.
Sgt. Slaughter will be a familiar face to anyone who grew up in the 1980s. He was a professional wrestler and American icon. He appeared in the G.I. JOE cartoon and line of action figures. Recently, the man with a massive chin returned in toy form to both the Classified series and the upstart Valaverse Action Force roster.
Sgt. Slaughter is currently $21.99 over at Valaverse’s store. This is not a sponsored review. We went out and purchased the figure. Initially, we had planned on picking up the G.I. JOE Classified version of the professional wrestler-turned-action hero. However, Action Force’s take on Slaughter looked better and gave us a bigger bang for our buck.
How big of a bang? Well, the Action Force figure comes with several pairs of interchangeable hands, two weapons, a tactical vest, a backpack, two hats, sunglasses, a thigh-mounted holster, and removable sunglasses— Hasbro‘s Sgt. Slaughter had far fewer accessories and a higher price tag. It was an easy decision.
Oh, and this action figure comes in a package with a window! Hasbro may be shifting back to these types of boxes later this year, but the last handful of figures (Shipwreck included) are stuck in boring boxes that are not made to be displayed.
There are several noticeable differences between Action Force and G.I. JOE, some positive, others not so much—however, Sgt. Slaughter does come out on top in most instances. His weapons alone put him ahead of the game.
Action Force’s Milkor MGL grenade launcher features a spinning cylinder and multiple painted parts. Compare that to Gung Ho’s stylized weapon. The Classified version looks like cheap plastic. Although nicely detailed, it looks like a NERF toy rather than a weapon of war.
Another difference is the articulation; rather than using the ab-crunch joint, Action Force’s Sgt. Slaughter’s torso is segmented, allowing for more dynamic twisting, but at the cost of looking a little wonky when the figure isn’t wearing a vest or bandolier.
Although the arm and leg joints are similar, the muscle mass vastly differs. Sgt. Slaughter isn’t as bulky as his G.I. JOE and COBRA counterparts. While this does allow for a greater range of articulation, especially when trying to get the arms to cross the chest, the Action Force figure looks a bit skinny in the limbs.
The mismatched skin is another negative that keeps Action Force’s hero from being great. The plastic on the chest is shiny, while the arms are not glossy. Meanwhile, the head has a flat tone that’s much more realistic.
Hasbro has learned a lesson regarding joint pins, at least with newer Classified figures. No longer do the figures sport unsightly pins. Action Force also employs this feature, although you’ll have to do some manual cleanup of the plastic to eliminate some excess plastic from the molding process. I’m still annoyed that my Spider-Man 2099 figure has visible pins that ruin the figure’s lines…
For the price, there’s no reason to pass Sgt. Slaughter up if you’re a fan of the man or just like collecting 6″ tall figures that easily fit in with the competing toy line.
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Sgt. Slaughter (Action Force) - Valaverse's G.I. JOE Classified Alternative Does It Right - 90%90%
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