Tag Archives: G.I. Joe

#0514: Sgt. Flash

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

SGT FLASH

GI JOE: 25TH ANNIVERSARY

SgtFlash1

YO JOOOOOOOOOOOE!!!! If you’re gonna review action figures, every so often, it’s important to take a look at something from the original action figure line, GI Joe. And, while the original 12 inch Joe was the one who created the whole freaking industry, when you mention GI Joe, most people are probably going to think of the A Real American Hero incarnation that first appeared in 1982. In ’82, Hasbro was looking for a way to revitalize their brand. Instead of selling one large figure, why not a bunch of smaller ones? Each of them could have their own specialty, and if done properly, they could make use of a lot of the same parts, keeping costs down. Thus, the line started off with a group of figures affectionately known as the “Original 13.” The figures offered a mix of more realistic soldiers and some that were a bit more sci-fi inspired. Today’s figure is one of the latter, a laser trooper by the name of Sgt. Flash!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

SgtFlash2Sgt. Flash (originally just Flash, but I don’t think a certain Distinguished Competition was too happy about that name) was released in the 2008 assortment of the GI Joe: 25th Anniversary line. He was part of that year’s first wave of single-packed figures. The figure is about 3 ¾ inches in height, with 22 points of articulation. Flash is obviously based on his original 1982 figure, though a few liberties have been take here and there with the sculpt. The original Flash figure shared more than a few parts with his teammates, but that’s not the case here. The good Sergeant has been fitted with an all-new sculpt. It’s not one of the greatest sculpts the line had to offer. The head is easily the figure’s weakest point. The original was sort of plain and generic, but here he’s kind of a little dopey looking. Something about him really makes me not want to trust this guy with the lasers. Another problem with the sculpt is something that actually affected a lot of the initial 25th figures. The nature of how the lower/upper arm pieces were sculpted seriously inhibits the range of motion on the elbow joints, which ends up being quite limiting on a figure like Flash, who needs to hold stuff. There’s also the issue of his chest armor being divided in half, but that’s a more minor thing. The articulation is actually pretty nice to have there. The rest of the figure’s sculpt is actually pretty great. His jumpsuit has lots of great work on the folds and such, and being able to see the collar of the knit shirt underneath is a cool touch. The quilted pattern of the armor and the etched patterns on the gloves are also very well handled, and add some character to the figure. The paint ends up being the weakest part of the figure. The red, in particular, is pretty bad. It’s uneven, it frequently bleeds over, and there’s a rather noticeable spot on his chest where something got stuck to it while it was drying. The paint on the head does an already lackluster sculpt no favors. The eyebrows are really thick, and just a tad too high, and his eyes look rather lifeless. At the very least, the boots and gloves are well painted, so there’s that. Sgt. Flash includes a helmet with a flip up visor, his trusty laser rifle, a backpack that it can plug into, and a GI Joe logo-stand with his name written on the front.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Sgt. Flash was picked up for me by my Dad and my brother. I had just gotten my wisdom teeth out at the time, and I was sitting at home watching my DVDs of the cartoon. They felt kinda sorry for me, so they bought me Flash (as well as General Hawk, who was the real winner of the two). The original Flash figure is one I’ve always wanted, but never gotten. This one’s not quite the same thing, and he’s certainly not one of the best figures this line had to offer, but he does make for a decent stand-in, and he really isn’t that bad.

#0347: Snake Eyes & Agent Scarlett

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SNAKE EYES & AGENT SCARLETT

GI JOE VS COBRA

In 1965, Hasbro invented the action figure with the very first GI Joe. The figure offered a take on the traditional doll idea, but meant for boys. He was 12 inches tall, had a cloth outfit, and was a pretty straight forward military man, offered in a variation for each of the four branches of the US military. After the end of the Vietnam War, soldiers and war were seen in a more negative light, so Hasbro had to change things up. This led to the Adventure Team era, which prevailed for most of the 70s. At the end of the decade, they faced another issue. Thanks to Kenner’s smaller scale Star Wars line, the industry was moving to smaller, less accessorized figures. Hasbro had to move quickly to reinvigorate GI Joe for a new audience, leading to the creation of GI Joe: A Real American Hero, which reworked the scale and made the line a collection of unique characters. It also provided the Joes with their first real foe, Cobra. It has remained the definitive take on the GI Joe concept pretty much since its inception. While the line never went away, after the 80s the line dwindled, until it was once again re-worked in 2002. That’s when I came on board. The line operated mostly on new sculpts, but there were a few re-releases mixed in. Today, I’ll be looking at one such release, with Joe mainstays Snake Eyes and Scarlett.

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

This pair was released as an exclusive two-pack through Toyfare magazine. They were meant to tie-in with the then current GI Joe VS Cobra.

SNAKE EYES

This is the 15th version of the ever silent ninja/commando/everything but the kitchen sink, Snake Eyes! Snake Eyes is 3 ¾ inches in height and he features 14 points of articulation. He’s meant to be a slightly more high quality recreation of the very first Snake Eyes figure, so he unsurprisingly used a lot of the same pieces. He’s mostly built out of the version 1.5, after Hasbro added the now standard swivels to his biceps, but instead of the original, he’s been given that of the second version of Roadblock. Not sure why that is, but I assume Hasbro had a good reason. Anyway, it’s a pretty great sculpt, even if it does show its age just a little. Obviously, it’s a tad more simplistic than most modern day sculpts, but that’s not too bad. He still has his fair share of detail, and he looks pretty great! The paint is a key point on this figure, as the original Snake Eyes didn’t actually have any. For this one, they’ve added some additional details to the various pouches and straps on the body to give him a little more variety. There is also a shade of very dark gray applied to the visor on his head, which was so subtle I almost didn’t notice it at first. Overall, the paint is pretty good, but there are a few areas where he has some bleed over. Snake Eyes included a submachine gun, a sword, some explosives, and a back pack, which a pretty impressive accessories compliment!

AGENT SCARLETT

This is the 6th version of Scarlett, or Agent Scarlett as she’s called here. She’s 3 ¾ inches in height and she has 14 points of articulation. Like Snake Eyes, she’s meant as a recreation of the original Scarlett figure from way back in the very first series of GI Joe: A Real American Hero. The figure is a complete re-use of swivel-armed version of the original figure, which is reasonable. Admittedly, the Scarlett sculpt is not as nice as Snake Eyes. Her arms sit a little bit far out at the shoulders, and the face is rather on the mannish side. It’s not terrible, but it’s not the greatest. The paint on Scarlett is a bit more intensive than that on Snake Eyes. All in all, it’s pretty good. There’s no real slop or bleed over, so that’s good. They’ve also made her a bit more colorful than her original incarnation, which is probably for the best. Scarlett comes armed with a crossbow and two swords, as well as a backpack.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

GI Joe was mostly in a lull when I came into the world of action figure collecting. As such, my first real introduction to the property was GI Joe VS Cobra. Once I had gotten the newer figures, I began looking into the older figures, particularly those of Snake Eyes. Thanks to an article run in Toyfare magazine, I learned of the second version of the character, which I really wanted. It didn’t prove easy to find, so I had to go without it until recently.

In the meantime, I purchased this set from Toyfare to hold me over. I remember being extremely excited when I first saw the order form in the issue in which they were offered! My always supportive Mom was feeling particularly awesome, so she ordered the set for me. Since then, it’s easily remained one of my favorite pieces of my GI Joe collection. It’s a great set and I really love it!

#0272: Chuckles

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CHUCKLES

GI JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO

Chuckles

1985 may have been the year that set the standard for GI Joe: A Real American Hero, but 1987 also proved to be an important year for the line. 1987 marked the release of GI Joe: The Movie, a full length theatrical film which tied into the Sunbow animated series. The movie introduced a few new recruits to the line, and the toys followed suit, bringing all but one of those recruits to the line proper. Today, I’ll be taking a look at one of those recruits, Chuckles. Chuckles is an infiltration and intelligence specialist; essentially a spy. He also likes Hawaiian shirts!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

ChucklesWilsonChuckles was released as part of the 6th series of GI Joe: A Real American Hero, which was distributed in 1987. The figure is 3 ¾ inches tall and features 14 points of articulation, all standards for the line. Chuckles featured an all new sculpt, which was only used for this particular figure. The sculpt doesn’t have the detail of Flint or the elegant simplicity of Snake Eyes, but it’s not too bad. The head seems a bit strange, especially the ears, which have an odd shape to them. The rest of the sculpt is fine. Nothing incredibly impressive, but far from the worst the line had to offer. The paint work on Chuckles is somewhat basic, but it’s all well applied, and the shirt in particular looks really great. Chuckles included a handgun and a holster, but mine was purchased loose without those pieces.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Like Flint and Snake Eyes, Chuckles was purchased at Yesterday’s Fun, a really cool toy store I visited with my family while on vacation last week. Just like Flint, I found Chuckles while looking through a box of vintage GI Joes trying to find Snake Eyes. I never owned a Chuckles figure, but I remember liking him in the movie. The figure was in pretty decent shape and was fairly inexpensive, so I figured I might as well go for it. He’s not my favorite Joe ever, but the figure is distinctive, so that’s cool.

#0271: Flint

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FLINT

GI JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO

Flint

Yesterday, I took a look at the GI Joe line’s second version of Snake Eyes, released in 1985. 1985 was rather important year for GI Joe as it served as the year that introduced a new style of movement on the neck joints, and also introduced several characters that would go on to become key characters in the franchise. One such character was Chief Warrant Officer Flint. Interestingly, Flint officially first appeared in the GI Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon 1984, before his release in the toyline.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

FlintWilsonFlint was part of the fourth series of GI Joe: A Real American Hero, released in 1985. This is the very first version of Flint released in the line.  The figure stands 3 ¾ inches tall and features 14 points of articulation. Flint featured an all-new sculpt, though it would go on to be reused on two additional Flint figures, as well as donating several pieces to fellow Joe Claymore. The sculpt is pretty much in line with what the rest of the line’s sculpts looked like. It’s a nice sculpt, with some pretty nice detail work, especially in the folds in the uniform. The head also offers quite a bit of character, giving Flint one of the more distinctive looks in the line. The paint work on Flint is really nice. There’s pretty much no slop or bleed over, and he features a whole lot of small details, such as the camo pants, or the rounds in his suspenders. Flint included a backpack and a shot gun, although mine was purchased loose, and therefore lacked the shotgun.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I purchased Flint last week from Yesterday’s Fun, which I visited while on vacation with my family. While looking through a box of vintage GI Joes to find Snake Eyes (reviewed here), I came across Flint in rather good condition. I’ve always rather liked the figure, but never had the opportunity to get one. He’s a cool little figure, and I’m happy to have him.

#0270: Snake Eyes – V2

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SNAKE EYES – V2

GI JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO

SnakeEyesV2

The 3 ¾ inch line of GI Joe first launched in 1982, with 16 figures, sharing as many parts as possible. It was a hit, and those original 16 have since gone on to become rather memorable, simply for being there first. However, many people don’t see that first year as the one that defined the line, but rather see 1985, the line’s fourth year. It’s the year that introduced the ball jointed neck articulation that would become standard for the line, as well as introducing fan favorite characters like Flint, Lady Jaye, Shipwreck, the Crimson Guards, and Tomax and Xamot. It also featured the line’s first re-do of a previous Joe, Snake Eyes, beginning his reign as one of the line’s central characters. Today, I’ll be taking a look at that second Snake Eyes figure.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

SnakeEyesV2WilsonSnake Eyes was released as part of the 1985 series of GI Joe: A Real American Hero, which was the 4th series of the line. As indicated in the title, it’s the second version of the character in the line. It is also considered by many collectors to be the definitive take on the character. This is the figure that added the character’s definitive knight-style visor. The figure stands 3 ¾ inches tall and features 14 points of articulation. The figure features a brand new sculpt, which interestingly enough never saw any re-use or re-release, which is surprising given Hasbro’s penchant for re-use and the popularity of this particular figure. The sculpt is pretty much par for the course for a vintage GI Joe figure. It’s fairly basic, but that’s part of the appeal of the figure. The simplicity works especially well for Snake Eyes’ design. The paint on Snake Eyes is once again fairly basic, with a few areas of dark grey details and some silver on his right arm. For the most part, it’s pretty cleanly applied, although there is some bleed over on his bandolier.  Snake Eyes included a sword, a back pack, an uzi, and his pet wolf, Timber. However, my figure was purchased used, so he only has the back pack.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Snake Eyes version 2 is a figure that’s eluded me for roughly ten years. When I got into GI Joe with the GI Joe vs Cobra line back in 2002, I was thrilled with the line, and quickly began looking into older figures from the line. Snake Eyes was by far my favorite character at the time, so I was very interested in versions of him. Not too long after, the magazine Toyfare ran a feature on the Top 20 GI Joe toys, with this particular figure ranking #3 on the list. As soon as I saw him, I knew I wanted one, but acquiring one was no easy feat. Toyfar eventually ended up releasing an exclusive Snake Eyes figure, but that one was built out of the first version, not the second one that I really want. Still, I got that one to tide me over (incidentally, that one still remains one of my favorite GI Joes). When Hasbro launched the 25th Anniversary line, I picked up the update of the V2 figure, once again to tide me over.

Last week, while on vacation with my family, we visited a nearby toy store called Yesterday’s Fun. We’ve been there a few times before, and they always have some pretty cool stuff. I walked around and found a few figures I was interested in, and when I walked up to the counter, I noticed a box of loose GI Joes in a glass case. I politely asked to go through them, hoping to find that Snake Eyes figure. Alas, he wasn’t in the box (although I did pick out a few others I’d wanted). Then, as the owner put back the box, I noticed a small selection of Joes sitting next to the box. Sure enough, there sat Snake Eyes, front and center. I can’t begin to describe how excited I was to finally get him after looking for one for so long!

#0219: Roadblock, Beach Head & Kamakura

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ROADBLOCK, BEACH HEAD, & KAMAKURA

GI JOE RETALIATION

NinjaDojo3pack(Retalliation)

Two G.I. Joe reviews in a row?  What are the odds?  Well, G.I. Joe’s are about 5% of my collection, so take of that what you will.  This time around, the figures are from the film G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the second like-action movie based on the Real American Hero incarnation of the franchise.  Retaliation wasn’t by any means a good movie, but it did have its enjoyable moments.  Also, being a toy movie, there were toys.  In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a sucker for toys!

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

Roadblock, Beach Head, and Kamakura were released in the Ninja Dojo three-pack.  The set was part of the first set of offerings released to tie-in with the movie.  Thanks to Paramount’s decision to move the film’s release back, the set ended up on shelves almost a year before the film’s release.

ROADBLOCK

RoadBlock(Retalliation)

Roadblock is the only figure in the set actually based on a character from the movie.  However, he doesn’t appear to be based on any of the character’s looks in the movie.  The figure stands just over 4 inches tall and features 16 points of articulation.  Hasbro seems to have decided to rid some of their figures of a few points of articulation, and Roadblock is one of them.  He’s got single jointed knees and no ankle articulation, which greatly limits the figure.  The figure’s sculpt is shared with the regular line’s release of Roadblock, with a new right hand.  The sculpt looks okay overall, and does bare a passing resemblance to Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, who played Roadblock in the film.  The paint is my biggest issue with the figure.  Everything is cleanly applied, but there’s one glaring problem:  he’s waaaay too pale.  Roadblock is very definitely supposed to be black, and this guy definitely isn’t.  It’s very distracting.  In addition to the coloring issue, they’ve also turned his goatee into more of a subtle stubble (that’s kind of a neat term.  Subtle stubble.  I should make that a thing.)  The figure comes packed with a rifle, a mini-gun, ammo, and an ammo box. (The nun-chucks are actually Kamakura’s, but I put them in Roadblock’s picture.  Oops!)

BEACH HEAD

BeachHead(Retalliation) (2)

Beach Head is G.I. Joe’s resident drill sergeant.  He’s been absent from the films so far, but Hasbro gave the character a movie style revamp for this set.  The figure stands about 3 ¾ inches tall and features 22 points of articulation.  Beach Head is made from all reused parts.  His head is reused from the Pursuit of Cobra version of the character, and his body is from one of that line’s versions of Snake Eyes.  Both figures are top notch, so the pieces being reused are good choices.  The level of detail in the textures of the sculpts is downright amazing.  Beach Head also makes use of add-ons for his web gear and knee pads, which add some great depth to the figure.  The paint work on the figure is nice and clean, with no bleed over or slop.  He’s been given a rather muted color scheme, which is in keeping with the style of the film.  Beach Head includes a rifle, two different submachine guns, two knives, and a pistol with a removable silencer.  These are all re-use from other figures, but they’re great pieces, so it’s sensible.

KAMAKURA

Kamukura(Retalliation)alt

Kamakura is one of G.I. Joe’s numerous ninja members.  Interestingly enough, he wasn’t added during the line’s Ninja Force incarnation, but instead first showed up in the Devil’s Due run on the G.I. Joe comic in the early 2000s.  He’s only had a small handful of figures, and none of them were really all that good.  The figure is about 3 ¾ inches tall and features 22 points of articulation.  Like Beach Head, this figure is 100% parts re-use.  His head comes from the Resolute version of Storm Shadow, his hands and feet come from another POC version of Snake Eyes, and the rest of him comes from the 30th Anniversary Storm Shadow.  These are all well sculpted pieces, although I do feel one of the other Storm Shadows may have more accurately represented Kamakura’s usual balaclava.  Regardless, they’re good pieces, and they work well for the character.  The paint work is all nice and clean, but I do feel like it’s a little basic compared to some of the other figures in the line.  Kamakura is accessorized with a removable hood, three different swords, a set of sheaths, a machete, a submachine gun with a silencer, a claw thing (which the internet informs me is called a “Tekagi”) and a set of nun-chucks.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I pretty much only bought this set for Kamakura.  I enjoy the character, and, like I said, he hasn’t really had any good figures.  This one’s not perfect, but he’s certainly an improvement.  While Roadblock will forever be relegated to the bin of shame, Beach Head is actually a pretty decent figure in his own right.  All in all, it’s not a bad set, depending on what you’re looking for.

#0218: Captain Ace

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

CAPTAIN ACE

GI JOE 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Ace

“He’ll fight for freedom, wherever there’s trouble, G.I. Joe is there!” or here rather. Yep, it’s another G.I. Joe review. Yet again, I’m pulling a figure from the A Real American Hero incarnation of the franchise. This time around, is one of G.I. Joe’s trusty pilots, Ace. Or, as he’s been named due to trademark issues, Captain Ace. Hey, he lucked out compared to some of the others, believe me.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Ace is one of the figure’s from Hasbro’s G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary line. He comes from one of the line’s two-packs, where he was packaged with a figure of Cobra pilot, Wild Weasel. I picked up Ace on his own, so no Weasel review, I’m afraid. Ace stands about 3 ¾ inches tall and has 22 points of articulation. He’s based on Ace’s original design from his ’83 figure, and, according to yojoe.com anyway, features an all new sculpt. I know several pieces of this sculpt were also used on the 25th Anniversary version of fellow pilot Wild Bill, but I guess Ace came first. Ace’s sculpt is very nice, with lots of great detail work in the folds of the jumpsuit. His head sculpt also has the appropriate “hotshot pilot” vibe. Ace also features a harness add-on, which helps to further emulate the look of the original figure. It’s a nice piece, and it sits pretty well. Ace’s paint is a bit on the messy side. There’s a few spots of bleed over and his face paint is just odd, giving him a bit of a wide-eyed stare. It’s a bit of a letdown, given how nice the sculpt is. Ace includes a helmet and a display stand with his name and the G.I. Joe logo.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I picked up Ace a while after his release, from a local toystore. I got him loose, hence the lack of pack-mate Wild Weasel. I’ve always liked Ace, though this is actually the first figure of him I ever got. He’s a cool figure, but I do wish the paintwork were a bit better.

#0185: Iron Grenadier

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , ,

IRON GRENADIER

GI JOE 30TH ANNIVERSARY

I’ve done a fair number of reviews based around Hasbro’s 3 ¾ inch re-imagining of GI Joe under the A Real American Hero name. It’s ranged from the early 2000s re-launch as GI Joe VS Cobra, which was followed by GI Joe 25th Anniversary, which was in turn followed by the tie-in line for 2009’s GI Joe: Rise of Cobra. Following the return to the non-movie themed toys, Hasbro first introduced Pursuit of Cobra, before jumping into GI Joe 30th Anniversary. No points for guessing why they went with that name. Today, I look at an Iron Grenadier, a member of weapons supplier Destro’s personal army.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The Grenadier was released as part of the first wave of GI Joe 30th Anniversary. It’s a slightly tweaked version of the same figure’s release in the Pursuit of Cobra line. Both figures are a more armored re-imagining of the classic Grenadier design. The key difference between the two is this version’s lack of camo-paint on the gray parts. The figure stands 3 ¾ inches tall and has 20 paints of articulation. The articulation is a bit hampered by some of the sculpted parts, but that’s to be expected. The Iron Grenadier is actually crated from totally reused parts, but they’re a smart re-use. The head comes from the previous 25th version of the Grenadier, and the body is from the armored up version of Destro released in the Pursuit of Cobra line. This means that the troops matched the newer version of Destro, while still fitting with the previous Grenadiers, which is definitely cool. All of the sculpted pieces are really great, and tremendously detailed. The paint work is pretty good on this figure, though he is hurt by the lack of detailing on the gray parts. Given the high quality work on the rest of the figure, he almost looks unfinished. The Grenadier includes a display stand with his name and the Cobra symbol, a backpack, a smart-gun, bullets, and a bullet case. All in all a solid figure.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I hadn’t really planned on getting the Grenadier, but I decided to order a full set of the first two waves of 30th from Big Bad Toy Store, so I ended up getting him with the set. I don’t regret the purchase, as it’s a pretty cool little figure, and a great addition to the Cobra ranks. It’s not quite as good as the Pursuit of Cobra version, but it’s still good on its own merits.

#0167: G.I. Joe Resolute Cobra Box Set

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COBRA COMMANDER, STORM SHADOW, ALLEY VIPER, BARONESS, DESTRO, ZARTAN & FIREFLY

G.I. JOE 25th ANNIVERSARY

Hoo boy. Yep, this review is gonna be a long one. Typically, I try to do boxed sets as one review for the whole thing whenever possible. That’s not usually that much extra work, until I run into something like the set I’m reviewing today.

This isn’t the first time I’ve looked at GI Joe’s A Real American Hero incarnation, but it’s the first time I’ve looked at this particular branch of it. After the early 2000s GI Joe VS Cobra interpretation started to dwindle, Hasbro once again relaunched the line as GI Joe 25th Anniversary, to coincide with the titular anniversary. It was a combination of boxed sets and single packed waves of figures. Eventually, the line’s sales fell, so Hasbro moved several of the remaining figures to a few online exclusive seven – packs. Yep, I’m going to be looking at seven figures today. Hang in there readers!

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

This was a one of two online exclusive boxed sets released in the summer of 2010. Both sets were based on 2009’s GI Joe: Resolute, an animated movie that was aired as a series of shorts on [adult swim]. The script was written by comicbook writer Warren Ellis, and it served as an update of sorts to the cartoon from the 80s. This set featured the Cobra characters from the series.

COBRA COMMANDER

Cobra Commander, as the name implies, is the leader of terrorist organization Cobra. He’s one of the few characters that had more than one look over the course of the series, so they’ve decided to give him his more standard uniform that he wears for the majority of the series. It’s a cool design, and serves as an update on his original 1982 figure. The figure stands about 3 ¾ inches tall and features 22 points of articulation. The Commander shares his torso, waist, upper and lower arms, gloves, upper legs, and shins with his first 25th Anniversary figure, and was also an almost wholesale re-release of the Resolute version of the Commander released in the main line. The sculpt looks like a pretty great representation of the Commander’s appearance in Resolute, despite the re-use. Most of the figure’s success comes from his add-on half cape and skirt piece, which both cover up the reused pieces and give the Commander the regal dictator look he should have. The head adds to that, with a nice, more angular update to his traditional mirror faced helmet. The paint on the figure is all very well done, with no real signs of slop or anything. He’s conveyed here in the cartoon’s more muted tones, which accent the figure’s sculpt very well. It would be nice if there was perhaps some more detailing or a wash of some sort to bring out some of the sculpted folds and such, but at this scale, it’s not a huge issue. Cobra Commander includes a sword, a pistol, an ornate knife/dagger and a stand bearing his name and the Cobra logo. That’s a nice assortment of accessories!

STORM SHADOW

Storm Shadow was Cobra’s resident expert in all things ninja. He served as a counter point to GI Joe member Snake Eyes. Storm Shadow’s design was based on his original design, with some thorough tweaks to update it a bit, I suppose. He stands about 3 ¾ inches tall and has 22 points of articulation. He shares his torso, arms and waist with the 25th Anniversary Quick Kick figure, but everything else is new. Storm Shadow also features a hood, sash and shirt as add-on pieces, allowing you to dress him how you like, I suppose. All of the pieces are well sculpted, doing a decent job of capturing the character’s look from Resolute. The add-on pieces look a bit bulky from certain angles, but it isn’t too bad. The paint is serviceable, but not the greatest. There’s a few spots of sloppiness, and he could really benefit from a wash of some sort. The details really get lost in the white. Storm Shadow includes two katana, a backpack with sheaths for them, a claw attachment for his hand, and a stand with his name and the Cobra logo.

ALLEY VIPER

The Alley Viper is this set’s army builder. Admittedly, not the most practical way to release such a figure, but don’t let that color your opinion of the figure. He stands 3 ¾ inches tall and has 22 points of articulation. Most of his basic body comes from either the basic Resolute Cobra Trooper or the previously released samurai version of Storm Shadow. He has a new head, helmet, goggles, and chest armor. These pieces make a world of difference, making the Alley Viper look like a brand new figure. The sculpting it really great here, with lots of little texture work, especially on the torso piece. The paint on the figure is clean, and looks great all around. The Alley Viper includes two large rifles, and a display stand.

BARONESS

The Baroness is the right hand…woman, I guess, and has been a fixture of Cobra since the beginning. Her figures in the past haven’t been the greatest. This one’s not the worst, but it’s not an amazing. She’s a little under 3 ¾ inches tall and has 22 points of articulation. She shares her body with the previous version of Baroness from the 25th Anniversary line, with a new head. The body is perfectly fine. Nicely proportioned and all. The head is another story. It seems like it’s more of a molding issue than a sculpt issue, but nonetheless, it’s not a very good piece. The paint is serviceable. It’s all very cleanly applied, but there’s nothing super impressive. She includes a removable pair of sunglasses, two sub machine guns, and a display stand.

DESTRO

Destro was Cobra’s weapons supplier, though more often than not he was just treated as a part of the Cobra hierarchy. His design deviates the most from his original look, but that’s understandable. His original design was probably the most dated of the original designs. He’s the tallest member of the set, clocking in at a full 4 inches and featuring 22 points of articulation. Destro’s only shared piece was his head, which he shares with all of his previous 25th Anniversary releases. Everything else is brand new, and it’s all very sharply sculpted, which is really cool. Like Cobra Commander, he’s got a very regal sort of look to him. His paint work is simple, but it’s all cleanly applied. It looks accurate to the show. Destro includes a machine gun, a briefcase containing a sub-machine gun, two pistols, an alternate cybernetic arm, and a display stand.

ZARTAN

Zartan was the leader of the Dreadnocks, and the resident master of disguise over at Cobra. He stands about 3 ¾ inches tall and features 22 points of articulation. He shares a head with the previous 25th Anniversary version of the character. I believe all the other pieces are new. He looks pretty spot in to the character’s look in the cartoon. The sculpt is decently detailed, and properly stylized, which looks pretty good. The paint is perfectly fine, with no real slop or bleed over. He’s done nicely, but the color scheme is pretty bland, so he kind of blends in. He includes a smaller gun, a sniper rifle, and a display stand.

FIREFLY

Firefly was a beloved show by creator Joss Whedon, cancelled after just 13 episodes… No wait, sorry. Firefly is a Batman villain who…no, that’s wrong too. Firefly is actually Cobra’s something expert. Not certain what, but he looks while doing whatever it is he does. He stands 3 ¾ inches tall and has 22 points of articulation. He shares his body with the Resolute Cobra Trooper, with a new head and a body armor add-on piece. All of the sculpting work is solid, with some great detail, particularly the stitching on the mask, which is a cool touch. The paint is once again solid work, but like Zartan, it’s really drab. For as cool as people seem to think the character is, he’s not the most exciting figure. He includes a rifle, a missile, a rocket launcher thing (not pictured), and a display stand.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

The Resolute box sets were what really got me into the 25th Anniversary line. I had enjoyed the cartoon quite a bit, and I really liked the updated designs, so I was all aboard for the figures. I had initially really wanted the set for Cobra Commander and Storm Shadow, but once I got the figures in hand, I really enjoyed the Alley Viper, way more than I thought I would. Not that Commander and Storm Shadow are bad. Sure, the set’s not all perfect (I’m looking at you Baroness), but it’s a lot of fun and it was a great way to get an instant set of all the main Cobras.

#0152: Wild Bill

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

WILD BILL

GI JOE VS COBRA

Today, I’ll be taking another look at the original Action Figure, G.I. Joe!  Once again, this is a figure from the successful A Real American Hero incarnation of the line.  This is another look at the re-launch of the line in the early 2000s, under the “G.I. Joe vs. Cobra” branding.  After the first few waves, Hasbro started offering figures featuring “sound attack” weapons, which generally meant that the figures’ weapons had these large tabs and could be inserted into a slot on a specially marked “sound attack” vehicle to get that weapon’s specific sound.  It was an interesting concept, I suppose, but wasn’t the most reliable thing.  Anyway, I’m actually looking at one of the figures from the sound attack line without a sound attack weapon.  Hang on to your hats, it’s Wild Bill, G.I. Joe pilot!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Wild Bill was released as part of the 2002 assortment of G.I. Joe vs Cobra.  He originally came packed in a two-pack with a repaint of the Neo-Viper, one of Cobra’s troops, but my research shows me that he also was released single carded later on, which I believe is how I got mine.  The figure is 3 ¾ inches tall and has 14 points of articulation.  Like so many of the figures in the G.I. Joe vs Cobra line, the sculpt on Wild Bill is a little bit dated looking now.  He doesn’t quite have the “v” shaped torso that we saw on the Night Creeper, but he still has the long lanky arms, which look a bit odd.  The detail work still looks great, though, so there was obviously a fair bit of effort put in to the figure.  The paint work is pretty good.  Not hyper-detailed, but done well enough, with no slop or bleed-over.  Wild Bill had a decent accessory compliment, with two revolvers, a rifle and his trusty hat.  The hat is definitely my favorite piece, as it sits very nicely on his head.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I’m pretty sure I picked up Wild Bill single carded from KB Toys on a trip to the mall with my Grandmother.  I’ve never been the biggest fan of the character, but this was a pretty cool figure that I thoroughly enjoyed when I was younger.  He actually stands the test of time a lot better than most of his compatriots from the same line.