Destro (2006 Sigma 6)
Destro has always been a villain with a (shiny) head for totalitarian high fashion. Not that his sense of it is grounded at all in the real world, but you have to credit him with being bold. In the world of Sigma 6, bold is a good fit.
The enemy weapons supplier dresses to impress in a blue/grey rather than the usual black outfit, however the jacket retains his signature high collar. His pants are molded on, which creates an odd sort of look, almost akin to the old schoolboy outfits common to the early 20th century. Maybe it’s the high boots, but to me they look like shortpants. I’ve seen a few customs over the years that have given him the pants from the later bank robber Destro, or one of the other cloth pants wearing Sigma Sixers, like Heavy Duty.
In all seriousness, Destro is a good fit for a redesign into the Sigma style, and his design elements make the transition to the style very well. I have no problem with classic looks getting a makeover from time to time. The angular style of the series really works well with Destro’s chrome mask. I think his shiny visage is more menacing than ever in this form. Look at those red eyes. Amazing.
Accessories were a large part of the draw for Sigma 6, and Destro’s specialty makes him a natural for an inclusion of interesting gear. Instead of a briefcase/backpack, he’s got a briefcase. This is a marvelously engineered accessory. It’s not only detailed, but very functional. On the inside are various denominations of cash. Who says that the Pursuit of Cobra Destro did this first, by the way? This is the original Moneybags Destro.
The case also houses a submachine gun that integrates into the handle. My only problem with this is the fact that the case won’t stay together for Destro to hold once the gun is removed. If that’s not enough action in one accessory, it’s also a built-in laptop. A little outdated now, but hey, it was 2006.
It wouldn’t be Destro without some kind of advanced weaponry, and he’s toting a dual-missile launcher. From a pure play perspective this is what the Sigma line really nailed. The larger scale was perfect for more easily integrated shooting and action weapons. The 8 inch figures could, for the most part, actually hold them without falling over.
Doing this daily blog thing is a real slog sometimes–well, as much of a slog as something that’s not actually work can be. The vintage figures always have a special place in my heart, and they’re a joy to cover, but some are more interesting than others. However, every time I grab up a Sigma 6 figure to snap some photos, I have a lot of fun.
I usually get new Destros when they come out. I bought this one and that was it, I was into Sigma Six. I also thought “Moneybags” Destro took his inspiration from the S6 versions…there were some great ideas in that line!
The detail on the inside of the case is fantastic. You can see the crosshatching on Grover Cleveland
I’ll freely admit, when Sigma Six first started, I was somewhat underwhelmed. I wasn’t a fan of the new scale and honestly, since the cartoon wasn’t in my market, I didn’t really pay it much mind. However, between this blog and the really good reviews over on GeneralsJoes, I’m kinda kicking myself that I somewhat willfully ignored this part of Joe history. (Full disclosure, there wasn’t a lot of Sigma Six stuff in my area after the first wave, which didn’t really impress me much either.) This Destro looks nice, and the weapons are great. I’ve never been a big fan of the cloth-goods stuff on large figures, I prefer my costuming done with sculpting and paint, but his jacket really does look pretty nice. Again, great figure from an era, that while I don’t think will rise to the greatness as other eras of the Joe line, that gets a lot more hate than it probably deserves.
Man, if ever there was a figure that would get me to collect the S6 stuff, this Destro would be it. The cloth high collar is a nice change of pace for him. Destro looks here more like a WWII villain, something out of a Sgt. Rock comic or maybe an outlandish Nazi weapons dealer.
The accessories alone are superb. I would get this figure for the coolness factor alone as a display piece even if he’s not in scale with my RAH stuff.
For me, changing away from a 3 3/4 scale was a cardinal sin that made it hard for me to try sigma six. I wish EVERY toy line were to scale with 3 3/4. Also, I am not a fan of “stylized” figures either- much as I love Justice League cartoon, I would never buy one of those figures. Even though action figures (especially early 80s Joes) don’t always look totally realistic, I have a hard time going for ones that intentionally look cartoony.
Between Marvel U, Star Wars, and GI Joe, toy collecting requires time and money enough without trying to keep up with figures outside of the 3 3/4 scale. I made a few rare exceptions (Grendel figure, speed racer Mach 5, the odd transformer here and there). That is also why I am not very into the Kree-O figures.
But I appreciate your enthusiasm for these S6 figures, Rob. They are kind of cool. You can do things in that scale that are not feasible in the smaller scale.
Great action figure!
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