Hi-Tech (2004)

Hi-Tech by his name only would seem to be yet another GI Joe in the vein of classics like Mainframe, a computer specialist. But his abilities lie along the lines of an all ’round Mr. Fixit. As an Operations Support Specialist, he’s tasked with being able to repair any kind of technology. In this way, he strikes me as a sort of wunderkind Tony Stark for the GI Joe team.

The figure presents a character who could easily have fallen into the “annoying brash/smart mouth kid” category, but I don’t see him quite that way. He is however another poorly armed and worryingly un-helmeted soldier. I have to wonder about these recent techies and their propensity for going without proper headgear. Does this guy just not want to ruin his flowing blond locks and is willing to trade avoiding helmet hair with the risk of quick death? Bet he’ll change his mind the first time a round nearly creases his skull. Despite the hockey hair and Liefeldian levels of pouches, I actually like the figure design a lot.

In fairness, the figure isn’t poorly armed after all, since he included a substantial missile firing machine gun platform. I assume it’s something of his own design. As an accessory, it almost falls into the same size category as the era’s deluxe figure weapons. A big piece like this is an impressive addition to a standard two pack. He’s also one of the few figures in the line who can use the ever-present Valor vs. Venom wrist communicator without looking weird.

The team needed its own resident mad scientist, a sort of technological counterpoint to Cobra’s Dr. Mindbender. Speaking of Mindy, Hi-Tech was involved in trying to counter the Doctor’s venomization process, the major plot device of Valor vs. Venom. Too bad we haven’t seen him in the modern era. I think he could use an update.