Review – Secret Cinnamon Squad The Stranger

“The Stranger has kick ass smarts, tons of gear, and can do light gymnastics. He is also trained in Shaq-Fu and lucha libre. The Stranger is an expert in shuriken, voodoo, wilderness survival, friendship, and zombie elimination. Qualified Expert: All NATO and Warsaw pact small arms.”
— from the back of the card

The boys of the Secret Cinnamon Squad are back with a new bootleg action figure, this time with The Stranger, another resin inaction figure crafted out of an older toy. Unlike their last bootleg figure, Argus 3000 (reviewed here), this guy was only offered to the Squad’s previous customers. Limited to a run of six figures, each priced at $13, I just had to get a look at this new guy. And now, thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can also get a peek at him.

Packaging

Packed on a card, The Stranger has that great old-school action figure packaging that we’ve known since we were tiny kids. I love the fact that the guys over at the Secret Cinnamon Squad took the time to put together this cool card back and blister because it really adds to the toy’s “fun” factor. It’s a nice design, with goofy bits all over the front and back, and I hope they continue using this type of package.

I guess The Stranger is just a little more toxic than Argus 3000, though; you see, Argus 3000 was for ages 76 and up while The Stranger is for ages 96 and up. Well, not only am I breaking the law just by owning this guy (I’m nowhere near 96), I also completely ignored the fine print on the card back:

“If you open it, you’re breaking laws of friendship and are a stinky caveman.”

Well, it’s time for me to Caveman-Up because I ripped this baby open and instantly proceeded to introduce The Stranger to the other 3.75-inch action figures in my collection.

A Chunk of Flawed Resin

The Stranger’s cast has issues, all of which I was warned about before I even tried to buy this guy. In a post titled Stranger Mold Sucks Big Butts and I Cannot Lie, we were all warned:

“My mold for The Stranger sucks. I did ten guys (one is going in the trash.)”

Other than a gaping hole in the top of his head, which is huge, I don’t think the cast is quite as dirty as the creators appear to. There are a few tiny pock marks here and there, but it all adds to the figure’s personality and drives home the point that this is an entirely hand-crafted piece of art.

Paint Applications

At least, that’s what they call it when discussing the mass-run, mass-market action figures. For short-run resin toys it’s probably just as easy to call this a paint job. And it’s not a terrible paint job, it’s just that the paint is a little sloppy in places and it’s possible that the artist tried for a little more detail than he should have. The camo pattern on the pants, especially, stands out and is the primary spot where I think the artist tried something that just didn’t quite work. A flat color with some dry brushing would have most likely worked better than the camo.

My favorite painted details have to be the design on the shirt and the rough, dirty colors on the gold head. I have no idea where that head came from, but it’s the figure’s best part and looks weird and creepy.

Accessories!

This time around the Secret Cinnamon Squad gave us a couple of weapons with our inaction figure. One of the accessories is Zarana’s rifle (from the 1986 wave of G.I. Joe action figures) while the other is Recondo’s rifle (from the 1984 wave of G.I. Joe action figures). I’m not sure if these are original weapons or replicas, but adding the guns was a really nice touch and I hope they continue this practice with future figures.

Closing Thoughts

This latest release from the Secret Cinnamon Squad doesn’t have quite the same level of cool as their first bootleg toy, Argus 3000, but it’s a step in the right direction and makes a good addition to their line. At a run of six pieces it’s not very common — Argus 3000 was something like a run of 16 pieces — but for those who enjoy bootleg toys its a nice addition to a collection.

The Stranger’s going right in my own collection where he’s stand beside other 3.75-inch action figures, both mass-market toys and bootleg pieces of art. He’s not perfect, but he’s going to be one of those figures people talk about in a few years after the Secret Cinnamon Squad has a bit more experience under their belts.

Philip Reed is already eyeballing the next release from these guys. A glitter-filled dinosaur robot action figure? Sold!