Duke was released in the fourth quarter of 2010 as part of the third wave of figures in the Pursuit of Cobra line. The Pursuit of Cobra line features environment-themed missions in which the G.I. Joe team pursues Cobra operatives to the ends of the earth. As part of the Desert Battle mission theme, the G.I. Joe team battles Cobra's newest weapon, the H.I.S.S. Tank, through the heavy sandstorms and arid wastelands of the desert.
If the earlier released Jungle Assault Duke figure was Hasbro's way paying homage to the motion-picture industry, this version of Duke--with his form-fitting, lightweight armor and sci-fi-styled weaponry--is Hasbro's nod to popular modern-military video game franchises like Call of Duty and Gears of War. The similitude should come as no surprise because Hasbro intentionally used various pop culture references for design inspiration, in the Pursuit of Cobra line, hoping to broaden the G.I. Joe franchise's reach.
Release Date: 2010
Figure Number: 1102
Retail Price: $6.99
Accessories: plasma cannon (2), cannon barrels (8), cable (2), backpack, rocket launcher, assault rifle, display stand with G.I. Joe logo (CONRAD "DUKE" HAUSER)
Did You Know? A plasma weapon, like Duke's dual-plasma cannon, is a weapon designed to use high-energy ionized gas (typically created by super-heated lasers) to burn through or melt a target. While there are no known examples of plasma weaponry in real-world use, a number of corporations are funding its research.
Conrad "Duke" Hauser
Infantry
Name: Conrad S. Hauser
Serial Number: 234-55-GI89
Grade: E-8 (Master Sergeant)
Mission Equipment: "DEPLAZ" (DP-SM) Shoulder-Mounted Dual Plasma Cannon
Conrad "Duke" Hauser commands the G.I. Joe team. He wears impact-absorbent battle armor to protect him as he pushes deep into Cobra territory during the desert battle. He keeps moving closer until he's right on top of the deadly Cobra H.I.S.S. Tanks - then he blasts them with his plasma cannon.
InfantryName: Conrad S. Hauser
Serial Number: 234-55-GI89
Grade: E-8 (Master Sergeant)
Mission Equipment: "DEPLAZ" (DP-SM) Shoulder-Mounted Dual Plasma Cannon
Conrad "Duke" Hauser commands the G.I. Joe team. He wears impact-absorbent battle armor to protect him as he pushes deep into Cobra territory during the desert battle. He keeps moving closer until he's right on top of the deadly Cobra H.I.S.S. Tanks - then he blasts them with his plasma cannon.
2 comments:
This is more of Salvo than Duke to me. Great design be should really be a new character.
I wonder if IDW would do a POC comic book or incorporate POC into the G.I. joe mythos. I would really like to see them in Larry's ARAH.
Not a fan of the plasma cannon weapon with Duke and think you have a very good point that this would make a good Salvo.
The future of POC seems to be over, unfortunately. Hasbro seems to lack patience with lines unless they are a hit out of the gate. The POC line started of slow, mainly because it was supposed to be an extension to ROC, which people still had a sour taste in their mouth from.
As the line went on--especially waves 5 and 6--we got some amazing figures and their integration into environment themes would make for some good story material, be that comic or otherwise.
A lot of people are hoping that Retaliation can be the modernized G.I. Joe,still heavily rooted in its A Real American Hero past, much the way POC was. We'll just have to wait and see.
Post a Comment