Joe con offered fans something really special this year; a Darklon 2-pk. Now I know some fans could care less but the hard core fans that went were pleasantly surprised. Darklon is a character with a limited chance of mass release but that issue was resolved. The club is known for taking “B” level characters and offering them to club members. In some cases (such as this), this might be a one and only chance for release.
As a Joe collector, I have a need to acquire every figure in both modern/ vintage form. It is my hopes and dreams that Hasbro and the club would release all vintage counterparts in modern form. This could take years but I am patient and understanding. For now, I am ecstatic to have Darklon in my modern ranks. For most fans, this two-pack was a journey into patience as the club failed to bring the entire product run to Joe Con. Now do not get me wrong, I had a pack from day one thanks to a friend but it was more of a loner until a got mine.
Here is a brief history lesson for Darklon:
“Darklon was part of a unit of Iron Grenadiers used by Destro in Sao Cristobel when the latter sold a nuclear warhead to one side in the country’s civil war but arranged for the helicopter carrying it to crash. Darklon was sent in command of a team of Iron Grenadiers under to recover it before a G.I. Joe Team reached there first. En route a peasant girl warned him “Beware the dark man… he will be your downfall… I have dreamt it…” but Darklon was dismissive. However Darklon’s team and the Joes were beaten by a Cobra team headed by the Baroness. Darklon and the Grenadiers returned to Destro’s temporary base which they unsuccessfully defended against an attack by the G.I. Joe Team, who sought the remote control for the warhead. During the battle Destro was thrown out over the edge of a cliff and Darklon, believing his salary gone, contemplating selling the remote control to Cobra but he was overpowered by the Joe Snake-Eyes (the “dark man”) who took the control and used it to take the warhead from Cobra.”
Sgt. Major is Destro’s right hand man within the IG ranks. It is nice to finally have this figure. He definitely fits in with this year’s theme. I know the focus is on Darklon but do not underestimate this figure; he is indeed incredible. Now that we have some history behind us lets look at the figures to see how they compare to the others in the set.
Darklon:
To me, he is spot on when compared to the vintage counterpart. Sculpting is crisp and the use of existing parts is good. He sports the standard articulation that most, if not all, 25th figures have. My sample had good paint apps and everything meshed together nicely. The only issue I have with him is he lacks the ability to hold his weapons firmly. Due to the nature of the hands, it can be a challenge to get them to stay. This is minor though; the sculpt wins hands down and saves the figure.
Sgt. Major:
Now this figure was a surprise. I am a huge IG fan and I never thought I would get the second man in charge of the Iron Grenadiers. The sculpting is spot on and he does fit in with the IG troops from the box set. I have nothing negative to say about the good Major. He can hold his weapon just fine and the sword fits in his right hand with ease. Of course It helps that he sports the classic black look of the IG,s (maybe some gold trim would have worked better than red). Still, this figure is incredible and I was excited to get him finally.
Availability:
If you went to con and ordered one, then it should be on the way to your house. I know many fans have received theirs so stay positive. Now if you did not get to go, your only way of attaining this figure is through Ebay or other secondary sources. I highly recommend this set so go ahead, place that bid and be happy. If I was to rate the set, I would give it a solid 9.5 out of 10.
