Headhunter

By far one of the most under-appreciated subgroups in G.I. Joe had to be the Drug Elimination Force. The D.E.F. was filled with great classic characters in very nice new molds, some of them even better than their predecessors. Cutter and Mutt spring to mind as two of the D.E.F. Agents who really benefited from the redesign. Accessories were very good as well, as long as you don’t pay too much attention to the gaudy flashing lights and spring-loaded weaponry. In my mind, the war on drugs was a perfect cause for G.I. Joe to fight for…who better to do it than America’s best?

Perhaps even better than the remolded characters of the D.E.F., though was the new characters introduced and portrayed very well. Even though, technically part of the Battle Corps line, Headhunter Stormtrooper was a wonderful addition in the urban war category. Equally impressive, although lighter equipped, is the regular Headhunter, the “grunt” of the Drug Lord, Headman.

First of all, the mold. It’s nice and simple, not elaborate, but is equipped with loads of great detail. The uniform was nice, but simple, definitely within the parameters of a drug kingpin. Black leather uniform with gold buckles and a nice spiked shoulder pad made for a great impression, but wasn’t excessive for the purpose that he serves. The first edition of this figure had nice muted tones, mostly black with only hints of brown and even less gold just to add some trim to him. He’s got a pistol in his holster and a good selection of straps, and looks the part of drug enforcer.

One of the standout attributes of the D.E.F. subset had to be the accessories. Although most people instantly think of those obnoxious large spring loaded things, all I refer to are the simple weapons the figures came with. Shockwave with his great full helmet and mask. Cutter’s cool submachine gun w/ flashlight…and best of all, Headhunter’s sawed off shotgun and backpack holster. Such a great combination, I am amazed that Hasbro didn’t come up with it until the early nineties. It fits him to a tee, keeping the weapon out of the way while transactions are taking place, but ready to be unleashed at a moments notice. It’s a shame that right after these figures were released with their great weapons, Hasbro would move on to “weapons trees” and completely wreck any of the individualized guns that their characters came with. He is a stellar figure in great company, and you can expect to see almost everyone from the D.E.F. profiled here at some point.

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