Hannibal: Reborn (2006)
I just don’t get prime time television these days. To have a series based on a serial killer would have been unthinkable in the past. Maybe I’m just getting old, but I can’t get into Hannibal beyond his appearance in the original Silence of the Lambs film. Wait, what? Oh, sorry. Wrong Hannibal. Anyway, I always loved it when he would chomp his cigar at the end of an episode and say, “I love it when a plan comes together.” Huh, what’s that? Oh, another wrong Hannibal? Sorry about that.
Coming from the rebirth of Serpentor cycle of the Devils Due GI Joe comic series, he was one of the ten clones created by Dr. Mindbender during his creation of the Cobra Emperor. I have to confess to not reading the series at the time of its release. I haven’t been much into comics since dropping out of buying them in the mid 90s. I did buy the first two issues of the relaunched comic, but quickly lost interest. I’ve since started to go back and read the series, but I wonder if I should bother considering there’s a true continuation of the classic Marvel continuity still going on.
The figure is a decent enough representation of the character, albeit with shorter hair. The first time I saw him, I was underwhelmed. I thought–who is this guy? He’s basically just a long haired dude in a lame skull t-shirt. His comic pack partners, Cover Girl and Spirit were much more interesting to me. At least I could remember the characters from way back when. Hannibal must have been popular, since his comic pack was a fans’ choice winner.
The very next year, a lot of the parts for this figure went into making the con exclusive Roddy Piper Iron Grenadier figure. The arms, torso, jacket, and even Serpentor’s helmet were used to create the first ever Joe version of the Rowdy one. I sold my Roddy a couple years back, but I still have this guy. Why? He holds no interest for me. Oh well, at least Cover Girl is nice.
While Hannibal’s head and jacket are new sculpts, the rest of the parts come from:
-Valor Vs. Venom Shipwreck (arms)
-DTC Salvo (torso)
-Spy Troops Destro (waist and legs)
And of course, the helmet and sword would later be released with the 25th Anniversary Serpentor.
I don’t get the current fascination with serial killers, either. I’d rather have a series of novels and movies based on John Smith the soldier than the man-eating dude who shares his nickname.
This pack is valuable nowadays due to Cover Girl’s inclusion. Since her current Club figure is also an exclusive, I doubt that demand for the ’06 version will decrease much. Meanwhile, Hannibal ended up as Devil’s Due’s answer to Billy. You didn’t miss much in terms of story and the character’s continuity has gone out the window since IDW took over the comic license. I do recommend Larry Hama’s continuation of his Marvel series if you’re more into old school G.I. Joe as I am.
At least Hannibal’s parts has been reused in creative ways. The accessories have far greater potential and will likely turn up sooner than later alongside another Cobra figure.
I stumbled across one of those comic issues at one point. Joe comics are hard to get in my area so i thought it was some sort of crossover with Punisher
On the subject of serial killers getting toys. In the first issue of toyfare i ever bought [Augest 01] there was some mention of Hitler being made into a 12′ doll. Creepy!
The curious-absurd fact is that we have a mass produced Hannibal since 2006 and no Billy Kessler (Cobra Commander’s son) since 1982/83. Are many years that I ask: why!?
Neapolitan Joe.
The promotion of serial killers in TV shows such as “The Following” and video games such as “Heavy Rain” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Rain ,which when played, features a son getting abducted from a mall, then and/or hit by car caused me much consternation as a father and further proof that as a society, we have lost our moral compass.Sorry,I don’t enjoy children being tortured as entertainment,which creates a cognitive dissonance where people can watch this garbage yet by law, cannot act on these urges this entertainment creates.That’s why you see horrific stories in the news of children being abducted and killed. Monkey See, Monkey Do.
this character didn’t need a figure any more than the other clones
Daemon and Firwall both did though
My frustration with this figure is that it was decided by a fan vote. They were going to do one single comic pack based on a Devil’s Due (rather than Marvel) issue, and they gave a list of choices (10, I think). Each 3-pack had two classic characters and one original-to-the-comic character, including Firewall (one of my favorite Joes period, not to mention my favorite out of the DD years), Zanya (who got a figure a few years later, anyway), female Dreadnok Heartwrencher, and a few others (Destro’s son, I think, Mayday, the DD versions of Overkill and Overlord, whatevs).
I placed my vote based on the new character, but I think this pack won because of the classic characters (and I can’t blame them for that: neither CG nor Spirit had had 21st Century figures at that point and they’re both great fan favorites). However, this stuck us with, to me, the least interesting Devil’s Due character in the bunch. IMHO.
I think a lot of it has to do with the success of that cable series Dexter. Networks seem to have an inferiority complex relative to cable channels because so many cable series get all the so-called water cooler talk (like Mad Men, Breaking Bad), even though networks still get better ratings (except maybe CW), so they try to imitate those cable series. They haven’t been very successful (that 1960s Playboy Club series, that 1960s airline-based series) though. Cable had less restriction and more willingness to take risks (closer to art house than the networks are in style), so they’ve been setting the tone.
Hannibal Smith > Hannibal Lecter (though it was a memorable cinematic performance, though I don’t see the appeal in milking it for several movies and a tv series. That waters down the impact of the original)
Dexter with the Laboratory > Dexter the serial killer
While I’m not a fan of censorship, there are/should be some limits. Just read up on Heavy Rain (heard of it, never looked into it). Sounds like a video game equivalent of that Saw movie series only with less gore (I liked old school horror or cheesy slashers but once it turned to CGI, it became too realistic and I was repulsed by the obsession with mutilation & torture in newer horror). Wow, what a gloomy game. At least it was given a M rating so people kind of know what to expect.
Speaking of video games, the 1991 NES game G.I. Joe seems to have finally started to get recognition as a hidden gem on the NES. It was incredibly obscure until the past 2 or 3 years.
The one where the playable characters were Duke, Grid-Iron, Blizzard, Snake Eyes, and Rock N’ Roll?
Yep.
Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates both got shows this year. I don’t mind it, personally, if it’s put together/written well. I don’t know if either show is good yet but plan to check them out. I do think it’s weird that we got both this year and wonder what the cultural significance of it is. For each his own and all that. I hate Dexter though. Anyway, this guy is kind of interesting just because of how off he seems. I’d buy him if I could get him cheaply enough.
A show that might be interesting is Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates, and the lady from Misery all being stranded on an island together. Toss in 2 or 3 more psychos to round off the cast.
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