G.I. Joe Convention 2016 Drop Zone

By all accounts, Drop Zone feels like a figure that really shouldn’t work, yet somehow does. G.I. Joe operatives are human (well… I guess they are, right?) and it makes sense for them to have some different body types, and it was an interesting choice to make Drop Zone so skinny. If I had to bet, they probably wanted to use the Strato Viper legs to approximate the vintage figure, but those legs are pretty slender, so they took that as a theme going forward and the entire figure looks really tall and thin, a nice and different look, to be honest.

Using the Retaliation Flint torso and Retaliation Storm Shadow arms (thank god they didn’t use Strato Viper’s!) the figure looks almost scrawny, but still packed with great sculpting detail. I’m one of those fans who really loves the Retaliation Storm Shadow update, and the arms are a big reason why. They work here for some unknown reason, even though the intricate detail, by all rights, shouldn’t necessarily jive with the rest of the
figure’s look.

Articulation is quite good with Drop Zone, especially with Storm Shadow’s narrow, unencumbered arms, allowing for some great poses and weapons firing stances. You wouldn’t think that various shades of brown color would make for a very interesting color scheme, but it works for Drop Zone, built nicely off of the vintage color scheme and mixed in with some great gray colors. For some reason I really like the texture and color mix of Storm Shadow’s biceps and the way the layered padding looks with these added colors on the arms. It’s really very nice.

Accessories

Now we’re talking! With Drop Zone, the Sky Patrol figures start coming with jet packs, and they are really great jet packs to boot, based off the fantastic Rise of COBRA pack that came with General Hawk back in 2009. With the wings that spread out and the poseable rear angled rudders, this is more than just a slapped together piece of plastic that resembles a jet pack. I love that the Collectors Club included them here, though I do wish
all six Sky Patrol members came with them.

Along with the pack, Drop Zone has the removable Strato Viper webgear from the 25th Anniversary, which kind of hangs off his skinny torso. As a word of warning, the holster/pistol on my webgear was separated in the baggie, and I had to super glue it back together, but once I did that, things stayed together fine. Complimenting the jetpack and webgear is a helmet (Pursuit of COBRA Ashiko helmet like Airwave), and two guns. I really like both weapons, and actually think I like Drop Zone’s accessory compliment the best out of the entire Sky Patrol.

Drop Zone is an interesting figure. With a tall and slender build, baggy webgear, and odd textures throughout the figure, it’s a formula that you wouldn’t expect to work, yet it does. He bares a decent resemblance to the original, but with great articulation and really fun accessories, he’s a worthy update for the modern era.

Check out the video review for the Sky Patrol half of the boxed set below!