One of the best, if not the best, version of Cobra Commander ever released, the G.I. Joe: Retaliation Ultimate Cobra Commander did pretty much everything right. I think the only complaint I really have is the shallow holes in the feet and rocker ankles that don’t allow him to stand on display very well.
Beyond that, the figure was perfectly sculpted, excellently detailed, and amazingly well articulated, giving us quite simply the best classic version of the Cobra Commander we’ve seen. Pretty exceptional.
For this 50th Anniversary re-release, they chose that figure as a base, and who can fault them for that? It’s pretty much the perfect choice, and ever since the mid 90’s, repainting Cobra Commander in black has been a staple deco choice. For this particular release, they went to black and red, and it’s an aesthetic I actually really enjoy. I loved the colors of the repaint G.I. Joe vs. Cobra Cobra Commander, even if the t-crotch figure itself was lacking a little in execution. Black and red is a great color scheme for him, in my opinion. The only real question I have is with the red boots. I’m not sure what the thought process for that choice was, to be honest. I love the red hood, the red gloves, and the red shoulder cape, but I’m not too sure about the red boots, mostly because they kind of look like red spats with the pants and shoes combination.
The look I enjoy most is probably the red cape with the battle helmet, it’s got a great split of black and red and looks good, plus it pays a neat homage to the Spy Troops era, in which a Shipwreck figure came with a Cobra Commander disguise.
Accessories
Cobra Commander doesn’t come with a whole lot. He’s got the two heads (black helmet and red hood), shoulder cape, two canisters of a mysterious red liquid, his pistol, and a Rise of Cobra pulse rifle. It’s an interesting combination of weaponry, but is pretty fun and actually brings some new stuff to the table here.
I could see the red liquid being some kind of power source for his futuristic rifle…that’s the thought process I’m going with.
Cobra Commander is a decent enough update to the more familiar blue suited original from the G.I. Joe: Retaliation line. I’m not sure it was a figure that folks were clamoring for, but it’s a nice update and I find myself liking the black and red paint scheme (minus the weird color breaks for the boots). He’s got some fun gear, and the whole “battle in a box” concept works well here, too.
50th Anniversary COBRA Commander
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.2
Summary
Not sure if we really need yet another COBRA Commander figure, but he’s been sporting black ever since the 90’s, and it’s tough to turn down any uses of the excellent G.I. Joe: Retaliation Ultimate COBRA Commander tooling. It’s a great base figure, and the black is striking, though the red trim is a little hit or miss in its placement and application.
Pros
1 – COBRA Commander in his most immaculately sculpted figure ever
2 – Great inclusion of both the battle helmet and hooded heads
3 – “Battle in a Box” concept works well here, and I like the red liquid canister bombs
Cons
1 – Red boots don’t work especially well and look more like bright red shoes
2 – As with the previous figure, the rocker ankles hurt the depth of the peg holes in the feet and make the figure hard to stand
3 – The red trim in general would work better as a compliment rather than a predominant color on the hood, cape, and gloves. The color breaks don’t look especially natural
To be honest, out of all the concept case figures this Shipwreck repaint was one that I couldn’t quite get my head around. I really loved the two variations of the discount store Shipwreck, and while the “Navy” shirted version was interesting, it didn’t bring a whole lot new to the table compared to some of the other concept case figures. Considering the figure is pretty much a 30th Anniversary/Renegades Law from the neck down with the Shock Trooper vest and Rise of Cobra Shipwreck head, I had trouble figuring out the appeal. Don’t get me wrong, there certainly seemed to be a strong segment of the fandom who were clamoring for it, I just wasn’t one of them. Give me that awesome looking Pursuit of Cobra Clutch or HISS Driver any day.
Regardless, getting this figure in hand, he’s not bad. Not bad at all. I’m a fan of the version of Law that was the template for this figure, he’s greatly detailed and extremely well articulated, so it’s tough to go wrong there. The Navy on his chest is a neat touch, though with the vest on, you can’t see it much. A white t-shirt and khaki pants is a good combination, even if it feels a bit segregated from Shipwreck’s classic look. Perhaps my favorite thing about this version is that it seems to walk a good line for Shipwreck. Previous versions were either a straight-up sailor, a wet-suited Navy SEAL, or a commando soldier hardcore military guy. Shipwreck has always been a casual lay about who also happened to be a highly trained special ops soldier. This combination of parts strays more towards the “lay about” side with his t-shirt and pants, but it’s fairly easy to slap the vest on him and put him more in a military commando role.
If I have any complaints about the deco work it’s that the differences in the green shades throughout his legs are pretty evident, as well as the white on the torso and white on the sleeves. Not sure if that’s a plastic type/quality issue or more of a paint vs. production color issue. It’s a little bit distracting, though, I have to admit.
It’s a figure that didn’t especially appeal to me in the concept case, and doesn’t use any new parts, but the final execution ends up being a bit more fun than I anticipated.
Accessories
The G.I. Joe sailor is equipped with pretty basic accessories. A machine gun and submachine gun, as well as the tactical vest, two knives, pistol, and silencer. Of course he also has his trusty parrot Polly. None of the accessories are exceptionally different, but they compliment the figure nicely, which is all I can really ask for. He can hold the weapons really nicely with those great Law arms, and is just a fun figure to sit and mess with. The Shock Trooper vest has that handle on the back that can double as a mount for Polly as well, which is a neat touch. I don’t know if that was planned (he fits, though the rubbery material of the vest doesn’t keep him there very sturdily).
I should also say that I assume both knives are his. There isn’t an especially clear indication, but that seems to be the case, at least in my mind.
This is one of those few Concept Case figures that I just looked past and was never really captured by. I didn’t see much of a reason to push him through to retail release, but getting him in hand, the figure has a lot of promise, and walks that great line between Shipwreck’s familiar slacker personality and more military edge. I like it more than I thought I would.
50th Anniversary Shipwreck
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.4
Summary
A figure I wasn’t expecting to really love, but one that took me by pleasant surprise. A great balance between Shipwreck’s slacker sailor look and his more true-to-life military roots. Nice figure build and a fun compliment of great accessories adds to the positive feel of this figure.
Pros
1 – The 30th Anniversary Law build is a great template
2 – I really like the NAVY deco t-shirt
3 – Lots of great accessories
Cons
1 – Some strange color differentiation with the legs, depending on the material used it seems. Could be a difference between production plastic and painted plastic as well.
2 – Paint on Polly looks like it’s supposed to be detail paint wipes, but looks somewhat messy
At what point does a great figure and fun army builder become a bit tired and redundant? I’m not sure, but if the Steel Brigade figure isn’t there yet, he’s getting close. Don’t get me wrong, this figure is fantastic and has been from day one. While I’ve never been a huge fan of G.I. Joe using “troops” I’ve always loved the G.I. Joe Collectors Club take on the Steel Brigade and have been able to rationalize the existence of these Troopers as a support squad for the International Peace Keeping Force that the Club devised for the team.
That being said, I bought a few of these figures when they were first released in the Pursuit of Cobra. I bought a few more in the 30th Anniversary. I even have some zombie versions from the 2014 Convention set. Now the figure sees release again as part of the 50th Anniversary line. The figure was never exceptionally hard to find, so I’d think most fans have well built Steel Brigade squads at this point, but we’ve got him again here.
Not a huge deal, and for folks who missed him the first couple of times, this is a good opportunity to stock up, but as I said, when I’ve got almost 10 of the same figure already, it can be a bit tough to build up excitement. He uses the COBRA Shock Trooper as the base figure, with a Beachhead head sculpt. The paint apps work well, being a nice mirror of the vintage version, but with some new elements as well. The helmet appears to be a slightly different color and the legs don’t match precisely, mostly due to the different material turning out slightly different shades of tan.
As a figure, it’s a great mix of vintage and modern, and is an excellent update, the only real issue I have is that this is the third such almost identical version released since 2011.
Accessories
Like the figure itself, the accessories are familiar as well. He has the Shock Trooper vest in Steel Brigade green as well as the Duke bandolier. The bayonet machine gun, rocket launcher, backpack with spare rockets, as well as the Duke backpack gives a good mix of accessories inspired by the vintage version as well as typical trooper weapons. He’s got a heavy machine gun, and the SCAR assault rifle comes with him too, though press release images show the Iron Grenadier with that gun. Lastly, he has the removable Steel Brigade themed helmet.
As I said, from a pure execution standpoint this is a great figure, and I know the 50th Anniversary formula necessitates certain “carry forward” figures. As G.I. Joe troop builders go, the Steel Brigade is about the only option. It can just be a little tough to get excited about a figure I’ve bought on store shelves a few times already.
50th Anniversary Steel Brigade
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
4.1
Summary
This figure has always been a good one, even if we’ve seen it several times before. I can think of some “carry forward” figures that might have been better choices here, but in an army builder pack where you want to pit a Joe against a COBRA/Grenadier character, Steel Brigade is the only real choice.
Pros
1 – Shock Trooper base body is a great one
2 – Paint apps are good as well
3 – Tons of great accessories
Cons
1 – The figure has been released a few times already
2 – Nothing really new brought to the table with this version
Like the Steel Brigade trooper, this particular iteration of the Iron Grenadier has been released a few times to compliment the Pursuit of Cobra City Strike Destro, one of the coolest PoC figures ever done (and one in desperate need of one of these “carry forward” releases). I’ve always loved the Iron Grenadiers, and that love doesn’t falter with these versions, even though they are essentially re-releases of the past versions.
In actuality, this 50th Anniversary Iron Grenadier does have some cosmetic changes with the color pallet of the camouflage, and I actually like those color changes quite a bit. The figure foundation itself is the same as we’ve seen, built off the same formula as the City Strike Destro with a terrific padded uniform, yet thanks to the revolutionary sculpting and design of the latter year G.I. Joe figures, even with the thick padded uniform, they still manage to retain great elbow articulation and range of motion. It’s pretty impressive, actually.
Where the previous two versions of this figure had elaborate gray and white camouflage, this particular version mixes it up a bit and changes out the darker gray with what looks to be a light blue/gray. The overall appearance is similar to the previous heavy weapons soldier, but adds just enough variety to keep things interesting. I’m not sure if it was a specific, purposeful change, or just happenstance, but the results are nice. It at least adds some variety to the three separate times the figure has already been released to retail.
Accessories
Iron Grenadier comes with much the same gear as previous iterations did. The old school heavy machine gun (that originally came with Para-Viper) as well as the backpack and stedi-cam assault weapon. The machine gun belt is there, too, as well as the awesome, oversized tactical vest that is such a great one. Yes, the gear is all the same, but the gear isn’t too bad.
The re-release of the Iron Grenadier, similar to the Steel Brigade, presents another opportunity for would be army builders to acquire somewhat difficult to obtain troops for their squads. I think the Iron Grenadier was a bit more difficult to find, and these colors are a nice variation of the common theme. Ultimately I think I can better find a place in my collection for the Iron Grenadier than the Steel Brigade.
50th Anniversary Iron Grenadier
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.7
Summary
A third iteration of this bulky, padded, heavy weapons trooper for Destro, Hasbro has managed to differentiate the color schemes just enough to keep things interesting. Some swatches of lighter colored camouflage add a bit of variety to what is a pretty great base figure to support the terrific City Strike Destro.
Pros
1 – Any compliment to City Strike Destro is a good one
2 – Stedi-Cam machine gun is really great and collectors are always looking for a good way to get one
3 – New camouflage paint colors looks nice
Cons
1 – It’s essentially the same figure that’s been released twice before
2 – I’m still not sure where that ancient Para-Viper machine gun fits in
While I admit to not being all that excited about the unreleased concept art Blowtorch and Python Patrol Croc Master, I’m glad to see that many collectors who desired those two figures are being satisfied.
Do a pair of new paint deco’s make up for any shortcomings from 25th Anniversary era figure builds? Check out my 50th Anniversary Review Page or click the links below to see for yourself!
There can be a lot of similarities found between my feelings for Croc Master and for Blowtorch as expressed above. Croc Master was a somewhat mediocre 25th Anniversary figure (at least in my opinion) who suffered a bit from the aesthetic of the times. I can only picture what a Pursuit of Cobra or 30th Anniversary Croc Master would look like and tear up a little. He’s one of my favorite more obscure characters, and I’m just not sure that 25th Anniversary version does him justice.
He’s not a terrible figure by any means, I’d just love for him to be larger and more imposing.
All that being said, he was a figure that was never particularly difficult to find, and I believe was even on clearance, yet he was re-released in the exact same color scheme in the Pursuit of Cobra line (the same series as Blowtorch) for an unknown reason. Then, infamously, like Blowtorch was slated for the Pursuit of Cobra line in a Python Patrol themed repaint, but never made it to retail.
Hasbro fixes that error by releasing both he and Blowtorch in this two pack and while fans are likely excited (these two were in hot demand for a while) I don’t feel particularly inspired. The Croc Master figure uses all of the same parts as the 25th Anniversary version, which does have some unique touches like the bite marks on the arms and the great head sculpt with removable mouthpiece. This new version in the red and gray Python Patrol paint scheme does look pretty cool (although it stands out a bit since all modern era Python Patrol repaints have been in the vintage yellow/gray/green style and not the red style). Purely from a color standpoint, I do like this new paint scheme, I just wish it was applied over some newer, more detailed parts and pieces.
Don’t get me wrong, I really like the color scheme for this Croc Master figure. The red is a great, dark shade, and actually does link up nicely to some of the red trim throughout other Python Patrol figures. The deco on the legs is nearly a perfect match for some other figures as well, and in a group shot situation, Croc Master blends far better with the overall team than I thought he might initially.
Accessories
Croc Master comes with some familiar gear including the croc, cobra, whip, capture net, and shotgun, as well as the case that contained a couple more snakes in the Rise of Cobra line. They are some good accessories, but like Blowtorch, nothing we haven’t seen before and nothing that blows my socks off.
From a collectiblity standpoint, I know what the draw was for this two pack, and I definitely understand why Hasbro did what it did. However, as someone who has no real love for the original versions of these figures, I have no special desire to see them repainted either. I never truly understood the fascination for the Pursuit of Cobra repaints, and suspect if they had hit retail as intended, they likely would have been the last to sell out. Their unreleased status was their biggest draw. It will be interesting to see the retail response to these now that they join the common “released” cast of characters.
50th Anniversary Croc Master
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.1
Summary
Another bone thrown to collectors with the previously unreleased Python Patrol Croc Master finally getting his place on retail shelves. Like Blowtorch, the 25th Anniversary stand out dramatically compared to more modern figures, but I’m pleasantly surprised by a paint scheme that looks good and manages to fit into the Python Patrol aesthetic better than expected.
Pros
1 – Great Python Patrol color scheme, and I really like the shade of red
2 – Tons of pretty cool accessories, including snakes and Shadow Tracker’s capture net
Cons
1 – Older figure parts don’t look as impressive as newer figures
2 – Some articulation restrictions due to parts choices
3 – Whaddup with a red crocodile??
