Wet-Suit (2002)

Where the first Wet-Suit figure looked like a sport diver to me, this one goes for an all-out science fiction/comic book influenced garb. Par for the course with the 2002 series, to be sure, as the first series’ packaging was heavily inspired by a more graphic design scheme than the fully painted packaging deco of the 1980s and 1990s. At the time, I was glad to see anything GI Joe return to the toy aisles, especially since the line had been taken out just a few shirt years after I started to collect again. I could finally get into Joe at the ground floor. Maybe that’s why I don’t harbor much ill will towards the era. There were disappointing elements through its various stages, but for the most part, I have good memories of the days of the so-called new sculpt figures.

Although it’s a t-crotch figure, and not fully “compatible” with the usual small GI Joe construction style, I still find a lot to like with the uniform. Sure, it’s along the lines of the brand’s more sci-fi leanings, but the mix of armored pieces, a unique new removable dive helmet/mask, and small touches of highlighting colors add up to a figure that is pleasing to the eye.

Other accessories are all holdovers from older diver figures, but their presence isn’t badly out of place. After all, maybe Wet-Suit was really attached to his trusty diving light, and how can you really improve on a speargun? (Although Depth Charge had a really nice new compact version of the classic underwater weapon.) Underneath the helmet is a very nice head sculpt, which has a wavy hairstyle similar to the character’s Sunbow animation model.

Finally, this is Brian M.Forrest according to the file card, and not Brian C. Forrest as the original 1986 figure was known. I know, I know, that’s a totally nerdy thing to point out, but there it is. On the positive side, as many issues as the relaunch era had with code names, file cards and the like, at least they actually included file cards.

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