Volga (1998)
According to the file card info, this is the Oktober Guard member usually known as Daina. Was there another rights issue going on, or did the Hasbro team at the time just think that Daina needed a proper code name? Then again, is it really her, since the hair is red?
This figure is light years better than most anything released the previous year. There are painted details throughout, and bits like the gloves, belt, and star insignia are painted. This is a welcome change from the QC issues of some 1997 figures like Duke.
The camouflage pattern is by far my favorite element of this figure. A three color pattern is pretty amazing, and the fact that it’s applied clearly and not in loose airbrush is a plus as well. This is the kind of detailed camo that we usually only see on expensive convention sets, so to get it in a regular release in the 90’s was a real treat.
The Lady Jaye mold eventually became worn out, but I can’t really blame the repeated use of it, considering the limited number of female parts choices within the vintage small Joe scale. At least a new head was created in this case. While the features are more matronly than what I would expect for the trim Oktober Guardswoman, a brand new head sculpt is a creditable effort. The inclusion of all of Lady Jaye’s accessories seems out of place, but they can be easily swapped out for more appropriate Russian weapons. As a bonus, I have a backup set of LJ’s javelin rifle and camera in black.
Don’t forget the backpack! I’d give all this to the comic pack Lady Jaye.
Funny you should mention the Daina connection–the figure was ACTUALLY going to be Daina. Yojoe.com has the explaination, PLUS a prototype picture:
http://www.yojoe.com/preprod/98/volga.shtml
THAT head looks so much better!
The figure itself looks a lot better than the stuff from 1997, but man, that head just does not work for me. Not being familiar with the Oktober Guard at the time, I didn’t like it…but considering who it’s supposed to be, it’s even worse. And since they went to the expense of tooling a new head, why on Earth didn’t they at least give her a furry Russian hat instead of a ball cap?
I kind of wanted the set back in the day because Gorky and Brekhov used molds from characters my brother had that I liked, but Volga was just so off to me that I just couldn’t buy it. To me, it didn’t look that different from Lady Jaye and where it really bugged me was that at least at first glance the head looks quite similar to the original LJ head, but it did everything wrong that LJ did right. Honestly, a more arctic camo scheme could have saved the body for me–I figured why do I need two LJ’s that are mainly green.
I never got the set for the reasons KW mentioned. The head was a true deal breaker in this instance. Good thing her accessories turned out to be salvageable!
The 98 figs are generally awesome. But Volga sucks. I bought my only og pack the week they came out and probably would never had acquired had the initial excitement not kicked in. At least has to tried in the 90’s. by the arahc they had largely given up.
It’s a fantastic camo, but that head is unforgivable. Like some of the original 2001/02 figures, it looks like they sculpted it out of cookie dough. Also, I haven’t seen a Volga where the torso and waist fit properly.
You think it had something to do with the molding?
I seem to think sonebody once said her head sculpt was based on a real person. If so, why not base it on a more attractive person! LOL.
I remember when TOYS R US had bunches of this set, nobody wanted it. It shipped double what the Cobra 3-packs did. What a bone-headed move on their part.
Great camo. But the head/face sculpt of this version of Daina/Volga/Vorona is terrific: bleah!
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