Hotwire (2008)

Wow, who upset Dr. Mindbender’s new intern? This is Hotwire, the Cobra BAT Mechanic from the 2008 convention exclusive set. The theme for the year was Cobra Headhunters, and the main boxed set included both some cool new frankensteined BATs as well as the awesome Headhunter and Headhunter Stormtrooper molds. Hotwire, a character originating from the 2004 GI Joe card game, was a side item available at the con, and was included with his own mech. I suppose then he could be classified as a driver figure. He can’t however be classified as a good figure. I mean look at that mug! I hate to get scatological, but the man really needs to get some fiber in his diet.

One of the keys to successful parts reuse (beyond retooling) is to use molds that aren’t instantly recognizable. This head just does not work for the figure at all. The head mold comes from Street Fighter Blanka, which was rather comical even when painted in its original green or blue skin and red hair. The hairstyle is what sank the concept for me when it was Blanka. The slicked back hairdo made Blanka look like he was more likely to take over Nakatomi Towers than fight in a no-holds barred international martial arts tournament. Wait, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah, the head.

Sorry, that’s the effect this figure has on me. I find myself more interested in his parts than the figure itself. So anyway, from the neck down, Hotwire is not too bad. I’ve seen customizers use the Hardball torso to create an effective plain shirt many times over the years, and it worked well here too. The use of the separate jacket piece from the DTC Hannibal completed the lab coat look nicely.

Overall, I like the idea of including obscure characters and new ideas in the con sets, and I hope that the club returns to it, rather than simply rehashing old foreign exclusives. But that’s a subject for another day.