Slip Stream (2003)
Just what happened to Slip Stream’s face mask? Shouldn’t these things have a hose of some sort that connect to any oxygen supply? In fact, the Ace mold on which the body is based had a helmet that plugged right into the figure’s chest. You can still see the little hole, in fact. Maybe there’s some sort of new pilot gear I’m not aware of. Someone please correct me if so, because I don’t do a whole lot (if any) research as part of this blog.
I’m not complaining about the head, it’s always just made me wonder. The fact that a new head was made was a nice little bonus. I know the year had its fair share of new heads in the comic packs, but I don’t recall remolded drivers getting the same treatment. Regardless, he didn’t get much use for me, other tan hanging out in the cockpit of the excellently repainted Toys R Us exclusive Conquest X-30.
Man, I wish TRU was still committed to exclusive GI Joe product. Oh yeah, that reminds me of something. Stick around…
I wonder why they gave the guy a new sculpt, yet didn’t do the same to the other drivers of 2003.
I managed to find the repaint of the conquest x-30 with this figure. I picked it up the moment i saw it. On the bus home, several kids were looking at it and that was the last time i saw kids looking at a Joe producet with interest.
Granted the repaint of the conquest has problems [it wont stay together] but i like this figure of Slipstream. Even if he could be easily passed for any other pilot in that mask.
I dipped my toes back in the Joe waters during this time but it was brief, I was more focused on D&D 3.5 at the time, that’s why I’m not too familiar with GvsC and VvV. The fact that I know those abbreviations is no small miracle.
I really like this figure. The colors make sense, and if smallish, the head is pretty good. Seems like they planned something for the airmask and said “eh, just go with it”. Maybe to save cost?
Excellent colors on this one make it a great candidate for the Sky Patrol. The new head is versatile and appreciated as such but that peek-a-boo, not-nearly-there visor has bugged me since Kenner used it on the vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot figure. It looks more like his black hair is showing from my vantage point.
Comic packs didn’t show up until 2004.
Bad face sculpt, but cool Conquest!
I bought this X-30 mostly for this Slipstream.
Not as detailed as his previous ’86 uniform, but I liked the less leather looking helmet (like an open seat prop plane pilot would have), and that the rest of body looked like (well, it is the body) that Ace pilot it is from. That ’97/’98 Ace repaint was a lot more interesting to me than the original Ace or the repaint of that original Ace.
It was great having these two great jet pilots for a while.
Seeong as to how i missed out on Joe from 97-2006(ish), i didnt even know this Slipstream existed. Its definitely an appealing look for him ,although a bit softer on the details compared to the vintage one i had back in the day. I woud still feel compelled to pick him up if i ever saw him. But i m curious about the Conquest he came with. Was there a major difference in quality of plastic between this one and the vintage one? Would it be something worth tracking down now?