Way back in 2019 we got Raider (Shadow) {FOTD #2,157] and I thought it was the best dang thing. I still do, but now we've got the similar-but-different Raider (Shadow V.2) that actually did not sell out before mine came in the mail. That's unusual. If it's still available in the shop I'd say go grab it, also there's a nifty cape that's thinner than some of the previous releases stuffed in the bottom of the Healey Made zip bag. I missed it despite looking for it the first time. The mold is still good, and there are enough little changes over version one that I felt obligated to waste $25 a second time. (I really like the figure.)
The reason I'm so in love with these figures is that it's basically a Kenner 5-jointed design with alternate parts and Glyos construction. That means you get a 3 3/4-inch figure that can swap limbs with other figures, giving you a low-level ability to customize it to fit your needs. New molds have been released to the tune of about one a year, so it's something that hasn't overstayed its welcome. We've only got three molds so far, and I don't know if we'll be seeing too many more. They're marvelous little things.
The differences are subtle, but there. The area above the boot and below the knee is painted, while the gray cuff around the bottom of the boot is now painted black. The gray on the hands, shoulders, and rockets are gone. The green on the eye piece is gone. The neon orange/red color is much brighter and sprayed a little heavier. His blaster now has gray on the grips, with recolored rockets that look a lot different - one has a green tip, the other has an orange stripe. At first glance it's the same figure, but side-by-side you can tell it's a little different. You really don't need to own both, but I'm goofy enough that I had to see the differences up close.
You can see a lot of Kenner-like details on this one, just like the other releases. The pants have deep lines in them like Darth Vader. The general vibe of the figure is Cobra Commander meets Boba Fett meets Peter Cushing, with some mutations - you can see what looks like a button to activate non-firing rocket launchers. If Kenner kept making toys in this style without the Star Wars license, figures like this seem like what we would have seen by the end of the 1980s. It fits perfectly in old Kenner vehicles for Star Wars toys, but the Raider was tooled without foot pegs. He won't be hanging out on display stands or playsets, but he seems to stand well without assistance.
If you can still get this - and like the idea of a figure designed to go with the whole retro Kenner, or Super7 ReAction style - this is it. The original Shadow Raider was the first fully-painted figure from this line, and I just love it. I hope to see more figures in these colors some day. Maybe one of the Outer Space Men or a Pheyden in matching colors would be cool - but until then, these are pretty good, and the Shadow Assassin should be released any day now. I'd recommend this figure more to classic Kenner fanatics than Glyos collectors, but why not both?
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