JoeWeek hits Friday! We’re going to forego our usual Friday Five for this week so we can get caught up on Joe reviews. Today, we’re opening up the General Hawk with Jetpack and the Paris Pursuit Baroness…

General Hawk was a favorite of mine as a kid. One time, I lost him for a few weeks in the winter and I was crushed until we found him when the snow cleared. He was pretty important back then and I was looking forward to seeing him in the movie. In Rise of Cobra, Hawk is portrayed by Dennis Quaid. I was okay with the casting when I first heard it, but I was a little disappointed at all the corny dialogue he was given in the final cut. Still, he was serviceable in the role and I’m happy to pick up a figure of him. This version is based on the scenes where the Pit is attacked and Hawk is caught woefully unaware in his office by the invading M.A.R.S. trio. For some reason, Storm Shadow doesn’t just kill him and he gets to live for his resplendent close-up at the end of the film. I didn’t mind. This General Hawk figure isn’t quite as appealing as that classic figure, but I already have the 25th one so I feel I’m taken care of on all fronts.

Good Baroness figures are hard to come by. For the first twenty-five years, it was the glasses that caused most of the problems. The movie glasses that featured high-tech “on command” transitions lenses really helped out Hasbro this time around. I still think they missed the boat by not making a version with the clear glasses. I’d have liked to see a figure based on the included card art. The figure’s appearance is taken from the Paris Pursuit scene. I really enjoyed it in the film, and I find myself wanting to get most of this ‘sub-set’ of figures including the Steel Crusher.

This version of Hawk has him in a black t-shirt with a shoulder holster. After watching the movie, I’m enjoying the figures/costumes that actually appeared in the film more than some of the made up ones. My only complaint on the figure is the camo pants. They’re not done in the same style and colors as some of the other figures. I really wish Hasbro had made a better overall effort to make all the blue camo characters match up exactly for a cohesive group shot. The head sculpt is pretty good here. I feel like I have a little mini-Quaid on my desk. I just hope his brother doesn’t come looking for him.

I passed on the first Baroness and thought I was okay not getting an ROC one. I was wrong though. The flowing trench coat of the Paris Pursuit Baroness was too hard to resist, though I imagine she’s not terrible compatible with the Steel Crusher because of it. She might reuse parts from the previous Baroness figure, I’m not sure. The trenchcoat pieces are definitely new and they’re sculpted with a lot of detail in the folds and seams. I’m in between on the rhinestone belt, but I think it works good here. The figure also sports some tall heels, but they don’t interfere with posing.

Hawk features a jetpack with movable wings, the M.A.R.S. case and two nanomite warheads, a gun and a rifle. I was very happy with Hawk’s pack-ins. First, the jetpack is much cooler than any of the missile launchers. Second, I was shocked to find that General Hawk has… wait for it… a holster for his handgun. I’m very happy to see that included. The jetpack is pretty cool, but I’m not sure what to do with it. I probably won’t keep it on Hawk, but I do like that it has moving wings and flaps so I think someone will get it. But my favorite accessory for Hawk is the M.A.R.S. case. It’s a movie accurate accessory, so I love that. It can hold four warheads (but only comes with two), but I’m more impressed that it seems accurately sized. A lot of times theses cases end up ridiculously huge. This case could use some paint details, but I’m not complaining. I’ve given it to Paris Pursuit Baroness and she looks great holding it.

One her own, the Baroness figure didn’t do much for me in the accessories department. She does come with 4 unique rifles and the missile launcher, so the quantity is there, but she doesn’t have a lot of multi-use like Hawk does with his, so that’s the other half of the reason she gets to literally steal Hawk’s case.

I’m pretty happy with the Hawk figure. I would have liked to get the jacket version, but there’s a pricey Pit between me and that figure. I think I just want the jacket to make it more like my classic figure, but that doesn’t make me like this t-shirt version any less. He does come with a couple cool accessories, but I keep him hanging out with the joes with just his rifle (in the holster!) and he fits right in minus the clashing camo.

Overall, the Paris Pursuit figures are a really appealing bunch. It helps that the scene in the movie was pretty cool. I still want an unmasked Storm Shadow mostly based on his actions during the Paris scenes and Baroness’ appeal to me is for similar reasons. With the rifle and the case, I really get a feel for those Paris scenes and get a little reminiscent for the movie. The Cobra logo on her shoulder isn’t movie accurate, but I don’t mind. I look at it as something that’s just a little foreshadowing of things to come.