Hm. I definitely had bad luck with OG Stalker (but didn't with the retro card, no idea how that works). OG Storm Shadow and OG Destro were nightmares. I ended up buying a Destro from a reseller who had worked the kinks out of him and that became my go-to Destro--out of the box he was horrendous with the hip thing.. Kamakura'a knees super stiff for me, and I had some kind of issue with Shipwreck but was able to fix him myself. I straight up have no memory how I fixed it but he's okay now, but I def had problems with his legs.
Ironically in those scenes, particularly the 2nd film, the concierge is basically handing him pretty standard firearms that you can get at any gun store, they're just "modified" for the discerning gentleman ie: cutting a notch of metal out of the barrel shroud/slide on a handgun so it's slightly less heavy. Then he hands him an Italian version of a $600 shotgun and acts like it's a wine tasting. Granted it's a $2500 dollar Italian shotgun, but they're IN Italy so it'd be notably less, plus it's like acting as if owning a Rolls Royce makes you a better driver. The movies are fun, but I prefer not to hear how much better a gold plated custom trampoline is going to make someone bounce.
I am fortunate to have never become such a person. Like, I love Bernard Cornwell and I just let it go that he describes seaxes as mail-piercing mini lightsabers -specifically- designed for fighting in shield walls (they are none of these things, as we've previously discussed). But it is what it is. Writing him angry letters about it isn't going to change the books, and the books aren't -bad- because he gets the physics of certain weapons wrong.
In all honesty, the only realism I need from those movies is how accurate "someone killed my dog and I will kill every human being who gets in my way to avenge said dog" is as a plot point. Everything after that is just frosting. Most realistic crash out in cinematic history.
I don't know if I've mentioned this before or just thought I did but I bought a seax at a ren faire this summer because I was reading those Gwynne books and I was day drunk, and it is literally the only bladed weapon I have ever bought I just straight up do not like. I resent that fucking knife on a daily basis. It's also heavy as fuck for no reason.
Lol... yes, that's actually what got us on the topic, I believe, of all the historical fiction/fantasy writers not knowing what the fuck a seax ACTUALLY is or what it's for. And then we talked about how yours has a bolster, which is 100% ahistoric and makes me kind of angry to know about.
I was on the fence about a dinosaur wrangler until you posted that name. That's the best Viper name I have ever heard, so now I'm getting one. Rewards where due, right?
Holdup. "Sundown" is the name of the Texas Ranger in the C.O.P.S. line. A line famous for having one of Beachhead's descendants in it. If his filecard shows his name is 'Walker Calhoun,' I think we've opened an unexpected door.
I'm not sure if this was exactly your point, but I hadn't caught on it was specifically called 'Action Soldier' like the original (original) Palitoy line. I know that name was also used in the 60th Anniversary subline, but in context, is this intended as an anniversary figure for the Action Man line?
I was actually wondering if you knew and had a visceral reaction to the new Savage Crucible barbarian coming with a seax too. (It's less goofy than mine). The only saving grace of my day drinking weapon buying is I also picked up what I guess is just a "practical"/"utility" dagger from the same guy and it's the best I own.