Dr. Link Talbot (2005)
What’s the most ridiculous military specialty you’ve heard of for a Joe team member? How about veterinarian? Maybe it’s not ridiculous for the Joe team. After all, somebody’s gotta be around to give Junkyard, Order, Lamont, Sandstorm, Max and Timber their parvo and heartworm shots.
Dr. Link Talbot made his debut in the Valor vs. Venom series, the storyline in which Cobra was combining animal and human DNA to create super troops. He was also a central character in the direct to video special based on the line. I don’t want to get into the guts of the special, but I will sum it up with this: the Joes defeat Cobra with paintball guns. Oh joy. Back to Link, I get the veterinarian thing now, with all the animals and whatnot. Seems like shoehorning to me, but what do I know, I’m no writer.
The file card is one of those eye-rollers. You see, not only is Link a vet in the animal sense, he’s also a vet in the military sense. Let me guess–former Navy SEAL, right? Yep. And he’s a martial arts expert? Yep again. Oh brother. It’s Big Brawler badassery all over again.
The figure itself is all kinds of odd. My main problem: dude is totally decked out in sweats. What self respecting person (much less a member of a daring, highly trained special mission force) does his general walkin’ around business in sweats? Get some real pants, man. Link also seems to have shopped at the same floating armour specialty store as Zartan, since his elbow pads appear to just magically sit on his arms. Maybe they’re glued on, I don’t know.
I could figure out something for Link to be compatible in Joe. I’d have him be part of the PIT’s support staff.
Really, the mold would have been better used as a Cobra. Maybe an unmasked version of Big Boa. But, this was about the time I simply couldn’t collect the new sculpts any more. Hasbro just went too far off the deep end if figures and characters. But, it’s not a decision I’ve ever regretted in the slightest.
Former Navy S.E.A.L., now veterinarian…an original kind of G.I.JOE!
Link could be of use to the Joe pet brigade. There’s some story potential to be had there. Too bad that the DDP characters are in limbo now along with the Valor vs. Venom concepts. In the meantime, maybe there’s still hope for Link if he takes a second job at Bally’s Total Fitness.
In my Joeverse, Doctor Link Talbot is the field Doc of the “G.I.JOE S.E.A.L. team”: http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=14851&catid=member&imageuser=444 !
😉
If you see a guy with armored shoulder pads on his tank top, you know he means business!
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