Again.......Why not Stalker instead of Ripcord?

Ripcord is a white paratrooper. Not to say someone black couldnt play him. If marlon Wayans resembles any it would be Stalker. Stalker was an original, not Ripcord. Ripcord sat the sidelines in the cartoon. He probably had a short role in the comics, I dunno. I never liked him because he seemed too plain. But Stalker was and original with leadership. When they cast Wayans as Ripcord, did Hama think to tell the guys that he would make a better Stalker? I could argue this alld day til Im blue in the face. I like black characters in GI Joe, but I want them to do it right. Ripcord is a character outta left field like Mercer, Airborn, or Steeler. I like all of these, but you get what Im saying.

Stalker is one of my favorite three Joes, and it makes me sad that he won't be appearing in the film. I would even be cool with Wayans playing him; having seen Requiem for a Dream, I know he's got some dramatic chops.

The other question is why Heavy Duty over Roadblock? It's always been weird to me how Heavy Duty has replaced Roadblock in so much later Joe product and media.

I guess b/c the writers really wanted a comic sidekick for Duke. That's not Stalker at all. So they just figured they would give him any old name from the toyline. I can't really think of an African American Joe that fits the comic sidekick role (well unless they were really clever and went with Big Lob - I can see it now shortened to Lt. Lob to sound cool ). I think they would have been better off just creating a new character for Wayans role.

For me, assuming the figures blend well with the 25th figures, Wayans figure will just join the small group of Joes who share code names. He will be the second Ripcord like there are two Docs, Dustys and Airbornes etc...

There are two different Dustys?

Actually from what Ive heard Wayans would be better in the Alpine roll where him and Bazooka could be the comic relief.

my question is...

with all the fanfare over the creative consultation of larry hama, did he mention this? did he not? did he and the powers that be not care?

wayans isnt a dealbreaker for me...i will still be there opening day.
but idve rathered a little more accuracy.

Originally Posted by shlappyguy

There are two different Dustys?

Yes:

The one who most figures are based on:

http://www.yojoe.com/filecard/85/dusty.shtml

And Dusty II

http://www.yojoe.com/filecard/02/dusty5.shtml

They basically have the same file cards, but it is 2 different file names

Ripcord was a major player in the comic books for a little while, then he disappeared. They probably would have been better off trying to do a Alpine/Bazooka comic relief duo - sort of like the two pirates in POC. Maybe the producers put a negative connotation to the name "Stalker."

Yeah, Ripcord seems like such an odd choice. I haven't read the script but unless there's a real good reason to have a para-trooper, they've wasted a chance to have a great classic character in there. Why not have Wayons play Blowtorch at this point? At least he'd have a different weapon than the rest.

I guess having both Hawk and Duke have made the need for Stalker and Flint type leaders a bit unnesscesary. At the very least why not have a kinda wise cracking "Doc"? If they need a wise cracking character at all.

Originally Posted by Moses

Ripcord was a major player in the comic books for a little while, then he disappeared.

It seemed to me at the time that Hama was giving Ripcord something of a "try-out" to see if the character would connect with the readers enough to make him a major player. And I don't think it worked out.

That having been said, I liked Ripcord's portrayal during that time (and still do, as a matter of fact) and wish that he would have been featured more prominently.

I guess that's why it kind of bothers me when fans refer to him as a no-name type of low-wrung character. He may not have always been a huge star of the comic, but his storyline was a big deal and affected the series' direction to a large degree. From his romance with Candy to the swapping of identities between him and Zartan, I just don't see him as the throw-away character that others seem to.