Darklon is just a weird figure. His mold is insane. His coloring is bizarre. And, as a character, he doesn't really serve a purpose. But, in some ways, all of those strikes against him make him work as a figure. He's so mismatched in terms of color that he blends together into a wonderful tapestry of red, brown and green goodness. His helmet is even somewhat redeeming and he looks kind of intimidating. Darklon is more popular than I would have thought. Here's the best of him from around the web.
Darklon Profile
I've read negative fan comments about Darklon over the years and dismissed most as "he's post 1986, so he sucks". But, you say as a character he doesn't serve a purpose. And that's actually more valid. Destro already had a second in command with Voltar and the IG's weren't a big force in terms of amount of toys. His vehicle small and nonsensical, it doesn't add much to the team. The idea of more Destro relations isn't bad per se, but that they will dress weird is more a toy/cartoon idea than a comic one. Darklon winds up being another guy in a weird mask and costume at a time when that was the default GI JOE bad guy appearance.
ReplyDeleteDarklon being head of a fictional European country has potential. But that's lost because he has no non-IG forces of his own, no, I don't count Python Patrol. He could've been DR. DOOM of GI JOE, but instead he's a used weapons salesman...so he's like Destro without the character development mixed with comic book CC but without the pathos and struggles of Cobra Commander. Darklon probably inherited the family business and head of state role.
Also he hangs out with Those Guys from Another Galaxy. What a weirdo.
He also moonlights as one of Pyro's Band of Thugs. So he's definitely a weirdo.
DeleteThat’s a good point, a small force of Darklonian army builders would’ve been awesome and made him much more useful. He’s not even really an IG in the comics. (Although from those issues I would’ve most liked figures of my namesake and his troops, not that Hasbro would’ve even considered it...)
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