One & Done - PREDACON

ALIEN BOUNTY HUNTER - PREDACON

    When the G.I. Joe Toy-line began in 1982... it was the G.I. Joe Team vs. the evil terrorist organization - Cobra Command.  By the time they wrapped the Line up in 1994 G.I. Joe was facing off against not only Cobra, but also drug dealers, mutant beasts, dinosaurs and yes... even aliens...?

    The sub-group, Star Brigade, debuted in 1993 and saw the Joes taking their battle with Cobra into outer space.  By the time the second wave of figures were released, there was a trio of aliens known as the Lunartix Empire among them.  Their names were - Lobotomaxx, Carcass and Predacon.  The three aliens in this group were very different from one another.

    Predacon, was the Alien Bounty Hunter, and his file card describes what he does for a living.  Apparently he captures criminals and then sells them back to the "Galactic Authorities".  If the criminals are rejected, Predacon instead will put the captives in his personal "alien zoo".  It also mentions his only loyalty is to that of his tribal clan on his planet - Trilenium.

    The figure is just as bizarre as the file card.  Predacon had big, black eyes and some gnarly-looking teeth showing from his big grin.  From his head he had long green dreadlocks that went down his back and chest.  He had a dark blue chest piece with a weird arched back and four bare arms except for the gold gauntlets on his forearms.  

    From the waist down, he was pretty plain.  The figure had white pants and shoes with no paint ops.  On his feet, he wore big Ronald McDonald clown shoes.  His feet were also arched in... probably to help him stand properly with the arched back.  A very strange figure, indeed.  

    While the sculpt of the figure was very original, the accessories were not!  Predacon was given a generic "weapons tree" with previously issued gear.  He came with a rifle with scope (Tunnel Rat), another rifle (Airborne), a pistol (Shockwave) a sci-fi pistol (Blaster), a machette (Muskrat), a knife (Hit & Run) and a figure stand.

    What can I say about Predacon???  The upside is, he is by far one of the most unique figures in the entire line!  The person that sculpted this figure put a lot of effort in.  The dreads were a nice addition and the etched hieroglyphics in the arm guards are exceptional.  I would say that the card art is well done too!  

    Unfortunately, for all the hard work of the sculptor and card artist... it seems everyone else took the cheap route.  There is a LOT of details in the sculpt with NO paint apps at all.  So all these details go lost.  He has recycled Earth weapons...?  Give this guy some gear that is new to him!  Give him a crazy looking sci-fi weapon that we have to use our imagination to what it does.  We know you can do it...   Make a rifle like Dee-Jay or Avalanche have, but make it specifically for Predacon.  

    Furthermore... his look is reminiscent of the alien hunter from the movie - Predator...  Who also has dreads and collects trophies.  And on that note - he also stole his name from a Decepticon sub-group!

    Anyways... Predacon...  How do you rate this guy???  I mean, considering some of the un-originality we saw with the first Star Brigade series with several repaints and re-used vehicles... the second series really tried to crank it up a notch (btw, Sci-Fi 1994 is crazy cool).  

    But Predacon borders on effort and non-effort.  Add in the fact, I just don't feel like he BELONGS in G.I. Joe.  I can make my peace with Joe and Cobra taking their battle into space.  But space aliens???  I just can't get on board with that.

    On his own, Predacon is a pretty good figure.  Give him some additional paint apps and let that sculpt shine.  Give him a futuristic stun gun and maybe a net so he can capture his bounties.  Finally, throw him in a toy-line where he would be more at home!!!

    But here... in G.I. Joe...?  He gets 1 roll of Bounty Paper Towels out of 5.  I'm sorry Predacon.  You deserve a more fitting toy-line.

G.I. Joe had more aliens in their future, had the toy-line continued.

    In 1994, I was working at Target... and as fate would have it, one of the areas I stocked was the Toy Section.  I still recall the second wave of Star Brigade figures coming in around Christmas time.  I think by this time, it was common knowledge the toy-line was done.  These figures came in on a truck and mysteriously were taken to an area in the store room where they handled damaged merchandise.

    Of course, I wanted them, no matter how outlandish they looked.  So I asked why they did not make it to me so I could put them out?  I was told their barcodes would not scan and they didn't know why.  So they were keeping them in the back for now.

    For about a week or two, I kept an eye on the figures.  They just sat in their box on the floor, ignored and soon to be forgotten (by everyone but me)!  After inquiring about their eventual fate, finally the decision was made to print new barcodes, stick them on and cover the old barcodes.  This can be seen on hoodedcobracommander788's review of Carcass on YouTube when he is looking at the card back and file card.  Who knows, maybe HCC788 got one of the figures from that box???

    I bought all the Lunartix Aliens, but I never did open any of them.  I guess I appreciated how different they were.  I just had no interest in them mingling much with my other Joes figures.

    Alright... here we go... what did YOU think of this strange addition to the G.I. Joe Universe?  Did you like 'em, hate 'em, prefer them over Cobra la?  Let me know you thoughts below!!

Additional Information and Random Rambling...

--- For a better look at this weirdie, a good spot to check him out is at www.3dJoes.com.

--- Did you know...?  The Mexican release of this figure has red skin, grey dreads and a black body.  It is very different looking!

--- On his file card, his Secondary Military Specialty is "Arm Wrestler"...???  Insert eye-roll here.