A 50th Anniversary three-pack that includes my favorite G.I. Joe character and one of my favorite COBRA characters? Seems like a dream come true. Not only are they giving us an update to COBRA’s venerable master of disguise, but they’re basing the figure on the Concept Case version, a rendition of Zartan that has been a fan favorite for the past few years.
I’m not entirely sure what Hasbro used as source material for this particular version of Zartan, with the gray shirt and differently armored legs. Perhaps it’s a feeling that here in the 21st Century a dude in a hood and armored belly shirt doesn’t have the same gravitas as he did over 30 years ago? I’m not sure, but I don’t mind.
The parts are all reused, with what I believe is the G.I. Joe: Resolute Duke’s torso and the familiar Zartan head and arms. The legs belong to the Pursuit of Cobra Jungle Attack Snake Eyes, which is a pretty awful figure, but the legs themselves manage to translate okay to this updated figure. The strange thigh pads are an interesting call back to the original Zartan, though the slanted leg armor looks considerably different than his vintage styled ones. I don’t mind, though, it’s a great updated look for him.
Zartan’s articulation is decent. His arms are carried forward from the 25th Anniversary version, but unlike many figures of that era, the range of motion is actually okay. Sculpting is a little soft there, however, making his arms look a bit slim and underdetailed.
The head and hood are great looking, and I like the more bulky armored legs. Wearing a shirt underneath his armor works fine for me as well, and even if it doesn’t have a real link to a different media, it’s a cool look, and when he wears a mask without the armor on, he looks at least a little bit more like a guy in disguise. Just a little, though. Zartan mostly has his classic paint scheme, with brown pants and a brown hood over a gray shirt and a healthy helping of very cool almost reflective metal for the chest armor, shoulder pads, and leg armor. It’s a great look for him and makes him look classic as well as gives him a shot of something different.
Accessories
Anyone who has owned previous versions of Zartan will find a lot of familiar gear here, including the removable armor, his trademark backpack, and three different masks. He also comes with the same knife he’s come with since the first 25th Anniversary version (though unfortunately he has nowhere to store it) as well as the multi-crossbow launcher that has come with a number of other figures. He’s pretty well equipped and the accessories all add something nice to the overall look and feel of the figure.
Out of all the concept case entries that were visible at JoeCon several years ago, the Zartan update didn’t really speak to me. I wasn’t sure what the motivator was behind the aesthetic changes, but now that I’ve got this figure in hand, it’s got some interesting updates and I can’t find much to complain about. Of course there aren’t a whole lot of improvements here when compared to a couple of spectacular figures like the Resolute Zartan or Pursuit of Cobra Zartan, but as far as classic looking updates go, it works okay.
I still feel like Zartan deserves the “Ultimate” treatment, similar to COBRA Commander, Destro, Storm Shadow, and Firefly, and maybe some day we’ll get it. For those looking for the ‘be all end all’ version of him, this isn’t it. That doesn’t make it bad, and in fact, I find it to be a very entertaining update, but for anyone who is looking for that sort of figure, I want to make sure expectations fall where they should be.
50th Anniversary Zartan
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.3
Summary
I’m a huge fan of Zartan as a character, and wasn’t really captivated by the Concept Case update that I saw at JoeCon a few years ago. However, I know a lot of fans were, and can understand why Hasbro went that way. The updated look as a lot of classic homage with it, but with a few more modern parts to add a bit of variety. It doesn’t feel like a fantastic update, but it’s fine, all told.
Pros
1 – I like the aesthetic of the added shirt underneath the chest armor
2 – Reflective metal paint apps on the legs and torso look great
3 – A bunch of useful gear, including the three masks, which offers some great playability
Cons
1 – 25th Anniversary parts look dated and don’t move as well as more modern counterparts
2 – Not a drastic enough improvement to the classic version to feel like an update worth doing
Note – You know you’re taking review pictures too late at night when you go through the editing process and realize nearly EVERY PICTURE has the left shoulder turned backwards. Oof.
Rest assured it didn’t impact arm movement very much, but please keep that in mind when viewing the images below. My apologies.
The first, and some might argue the best, G.I. Joe Navy SEAL makes a big return for the 50th Anniversary line in a three pack. Torpedo was my first introduction back in the day to the near-mythical branch of the Navy called the “SEALS” and he began to shape my appreciation for the special forces in ways that not many other pop culture elements have. My only issue with him back then was that while he was branded as a Navy SEAL, he was designed purely as an underwater operative in a permanently attached wet suit, which limited his usability in many circumstances.
Heck, back in 1983 his air mask and goggles were even sculpted to his face, so you couldn’t even use a whole lot of imagination to pretend he was acting in a more land based capacity. Even in an early comic appearance (#16 – Night Attack) he scrambles around Washington, DC in a wet suit and flippers and looks downright ridiculous. While the G.I. Joe Collectors Club went out on a bit of a limb and produced Wet Suit in land ops format for their 2011 Convention Set, Torpedo has never gotten that treatment, at least not in a modern era format (yes, it happened in Spy Troops, but not since).
This would have been a really interesting opportunity for Hasbro to do that, but instead we got essentially a repainted 50th Anniversary COBRA Eel in Torpedo colors. That’s not a terrible thing, but it does feel like at least somewhat of a missed opportunity.
The tooling is decent, using G.I. Joe: Retaliation Snake Eyes arms and legs with 25th Anniversary Torpedo’s torso. The forearms are from the 25th Anniversary COBRA Eel, which worked nicely for the COBRA operative last year, but isn’t quite so accurate to the source material this time around.
Range of motion is nice due to the later generation tooling, though the rocker ankles leave a little to be desired with the footpegs. The flippers do fit nicely. It’s questionable as to how much the Retaliation Snake Eyes figure really resembles a full blown wet suit, but the nice thing is it can kind of work for a land operations soldier as well, without too much suspension of disbelief.
Paint applications are nice, closely resembling the vintage ’83 Torpedo with the light gray trim over black. The belt with the knives is pretty snug around the waist, and doesn’t fit the two blades seamlessly.
Accessories
Torpedo comes with an interesting allotment of gear. He’s got the facemask and backpack from Rise of COBRA Shipwreck, which is great in a way, as they both look fantastic. The facemask fits Torpedo really well. He’s got his trusty speargun as well as a submachine gun (which is released here in a strange tan color, I’m not entirely sure why). He has his two knives from the 25th Anniversary and the two new flippers from last year’s COBRA Eel. All in all, some great looking stuff.
This Torpedo figure is a nice update, though I’m not sure many folks were demanding such an update. I would have loved to have seen a bit more outside the box thinking, perhaps making him a land operations version of the character, and it’s clear that he’s pretty much a COBRA Eel repaint. Still, the enhanced range of motion helps, and he still manages to tie nicely back to the vintage aesthetic. Not my favorite by any stretch, but not terrible either.
50th Anniversary Torpedo
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.3
Summary
A decent update to the first underwater operations specialist of the G.I. Joe team, though I wish it was a bit more than just a COBRA Eel repaint. Good accessories help salvage it a bit and a classic paint scheme creates a neat link back to 1983.
Pros
1 – G.I. Joe: Retaliation parts create a base of good sculpting and articulation
2 – Fantastic accessories
3 – Great vintage themed paint deco that also ties into Wolf Squad
Cons
1 – Not much more than a repaint of last year’s COBRA Eel
2 – Snake Eyes tooling walks a thin line for being a wet suit
Is this real life? It wasn’t so long ago that when folks asked me who my favorite character was and I said “Hit & Run”, I would get a questioning look and the gesture that told me the person asking was trying to remember who that character was.
He didn’t appear in any animated series, he barely appeared in the comics, and by and large he’s a mostly forgotten later-era G.I. Joe infantry specialist. Certainly not as remarkable to most folks as Grunt or even Footloose, Hit & Run flew under most radar screens except for avid G.I. Joe fans.
In 2008/2009 I was very pleasantly surprised when Hit & Run was included as part of the Assault on COBRA Island 7-Pack, although the formula wasn’t the best. In those days, though, there wasn’t exactly a lot to choose from. For a long time it seemed like that might be what we got for a modern era Hit & Run figure, but then 2012 came, and the now infamous Hasbro Concept Case revealed an amazing Hit & Run upgrade using a mixture of Firefly and Lifeline parts. Ever since then, Hit & Run has been a fixture in various G.I. Joe figure assortments, most of them from the Collectors Club. First there was the Night Force version (along with a Kre-O rendition of the same figure), then we got a great version in the Figure Subscription Service, and finally Hasbro has gotten into the game with the Vanishing Act 3-Pack featuring a Wolf Squad repaint of Hit & Run. Originally viewed as another Night Force version perhaps, the Wolf Squad connection was revealed as part of a Q & A session right here on GeneralsJoes and the figure makes a lot more sense based on that.
The figure uses the same parts formula as other recent installments, with the Hit & Run head, Lifeline’s torso, Agent Mouse’s arms, and the legs sourced from PoC Snake Eyes, but used and modified several times since. Unlike previous iterations of this figure, the 50th Anniversary Hit & Run has the same legs as the PoC Snake Eyes, and not with the additions from Lifeline. I have little issues with the parts build, though I wish there had been a way to use the Ultimate Firefly torso seen in the concept case. According to the Collectors Club the head doesn’t fit on that torso. In the grand scheme of things, Lifeline was one of the best figures produced in recent years, so I have no issues with how that build came to be. The range of motion is great, sculpting is excellent, and he holds his weapons very well. He’s got plenty of holsters for his various accessories, and the figure’s look and feel from a build perspective is excellent.
I will say, however, that I am curious about the mindset behind the deco choices. It certainly looks as if Hasbro was going for either a night operations or urban operations color scheme here with various shades of gray with black trim. I realize the tie-back to Wolf Squad (and love it) but from purely an aesthetic standpoint, the Hit & Run figure does have some paint related issues. First of all, the majority of the figure is swathed in a pretty standard shade of gray, which is a relatively blah color to start with. He’s got some interesting camouflage on the pants, but his torso and arms are completely without camouflage, which might not look so weird if he had webgear, but he doesn’t, so the different in color scheme is pretty apparent. If the base uniform color wasn’t the same exact shade, too, it might work okay, but instead of looking like camouflage pants with a non-camouflage shirt, it just looks like there were some missing paint applications. I do understand it was probably a costing issue, I just can’t help but think how much better the figure would look with the great leg camouflage on the torso and arms (to match the helmet and backpack).
There are some variations in the shade of gray throughout the pouches on his torso, which breaks things up a bit, as does the red underneath his arms. The black gloves and boots adds some variety, too, but other than those few color breaks, the figure comes across as fairly monotone. Of course, one of Hit & Run’s trademarks is camouflage skin, and they maintain that here, going with a darker gray, which actually makes the figure look almost rock-like. It makes me think perhaps he was developed as a mountain specialist, where the rocky colors of his skin might help him blend into the stone surface of the mountains he’s climbing. It’s a strange color scheme that doesn’t look especially natural, and being gray, it sort of adds to the monochromatic feel of the rest of the figure. Thinking to the Wolf Squad angle, I could see Hit & Run being a “cave hunter” type of operative, a guy that goes into caves to try and root out COBRA leadership, or what have you. The darker gray shades look pretty cool within the dark shadows of a cave, and the lines on the skin could work for a rock pattern.
I love the build, as I have from the first time I saw it, but the color choices are a bit off kilter and not all that exciting. I am thrilled to have another Hit & Run to add to my repertoire, but I love the continued evolution of Wolf Squad, but I think there could have been some deco changes here and there.
Accessories
Hit & Run comes with a lot of familiar accessories that we’ve seen in previous versions of the figure. His helmet and goggles are here, with a really nice looking urban operations paint scheme. There’s an infantry backpack, too, which maintains that great camouflage pattern. If anything they really make me wish Hasbro had done the urban ops camouflage throughout the entire figure rather than skipping the torso. Unfortunately the Lifeline torso doesn’t lend itself to having webgear on top either.
He also has his familiar machine gun (the one from the 25th Anniversary, not the Lifeline machine gun from the last two releases), pistols, and knife, which each has a place in a holster or sheath on the figure. His secondary pistol is the one with the silencer from Snake Eyes.
I will welcome and enthusiastically embrace every new Hit & Run figure we get, and this one is no exception. The parts build is great, gives him terrific articulation, and some really nice accessories. It’s a solid figure, which is somewhat held back by a somewhat dull deco pattern. In the grand scheme of things it’s a figure that had some great potential, but could use some aesthetic improvements.
The Pre-Production Version
I’ve seen a lot of fans question the reasoning behind pre-production collecting. A lot of folks have this misconception that it’s about getting something “first”, and that is not always the case. Sometimes it is, but not in all cases. When it comes to the 50th Anniversary Hit & Run, I jumped on one of the first pre-production auctions that came across the board, and the result is I have a figure that is very nicely different and adds a cool element to my Hit & Run collection.
As you can see from the images below, the pre-production figure is considerably different.
Different shade of gray skin color
No hair
No skin camouflage
No uniform camouflage
Black boot color goes to the knees
No camouflage on the helmet
No camouflage on the backpack
Check out some of the comparison images above. I’m really glad I jumped on that pre-production auction, and this is just a small example of why some collectors focus on them.
50th Anniversary Hit & Run
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.5
Summary
Another version of my favorite G.I. Joe character. With a parts build carried from previous versions of the character (with slight leg tweaks) he’s got great sculpting and articulation, but the paint scheme is pretty hit or miss.
Pros
1 – HIT & EFFING RUN
2 – The basic body build is great, lending to excellent articulation and sculpting
3 – More Wolf Squad is always a good thing
4 – Love the camouflage paint pattern on the helmet, backpack, and legs
Cons
1 – Flesh paint is a very strange shade of gray that looks unnatural
2 – Camouflage paint apps missing on the torso doesn’t look right
Like his fellow Marine, Leatherneck last year, Gung Ho was overdue for an updated modern figure, though many would argue Gung Ho’s need was far more drastic than his 1986 era teammate. I would agree.
I think most of us would also agree that Gung Ho’s update meets all of those lofty expectations.
So this is it…as much as Destro and Leatherneck were the stars of the show for the first go round of the 50th Anniversary, this second wave was all about Storm Shadow and Gung Ho, with most of the focus squarely on G.I. Joe’s first Marine. So, what’s the verdict?
Pretty excellent, in truth. Nearly perfect, I dare say.
Leveraging the sculpting skills of Fred Aczon, now of Boss Fight Studio, Gung Ho is a work of art from a sculpting standpoint. I believe the figure is brand new from head to toe, standing tall and wide in stature, as the classic character should. Interestingly, he’s not quite as tall as Leatherneck or Destro, but stands somewhere in between those two and more “normal” sized figures. I still find it amazing that Gung Ho was deemed important enough to be included in the first 25th Anniversary 5-Pack, but somehow not important enough to be re-released in his classic visage ever since. There were a few other versions of the character interjected into various lines, but none that really did the character justice. This one does, in spades.
The new head sculpt is chock full of great character, with the handlebar moustache and the familiar Marine cap. The torso and arms look great, and the legs are great, too, allowing Gung Ho to stand tall and sturdy. Leg joints and plastic quality feel better than we got with Destro last year with a functional holster and knife sheath on the boot. At this point we have several different great legs for these tall characters, and kudos to Hasbro for not just re-using Roadblock or Destro this time around.
Paint applications are good, looking very much like the classic ‘83 version of this character in a similar powder blue camouflage. The Marine Corps tattoo on his chest is incredibly well done, too. It’s huge on his chest and covers some serious real estate, not just kind of tossed on there as the ‘07 version was. This Gung Ho is prouder than ever of his Marine Corps heritage!
Accessories
The Joe Marine comes with a ton of gear including a great looking newly tooled vest, a re-released grenade launcher, mini gun w/ backpack, pistol and knife. He also has Duke’s smaller, paratrooper format M-249 SAW heavy machine gun for good measure. Yeah, Gung Ho is pretty strapped, and the gear is really nice. I would have loved to have seen a slightly more normal assault rifle for standard military operations, but who can complain? I’ve got plenty of extra gear to go around.
Just as the tall and imposing Destro and Leatherneck figures were last year, this rendition of Gung Ho is the star of the second series of 50th Anniversary figures, and he deserves his place in the limelight. There is almost no possible place for complaint with the figure, as its design and execution are both top notch, giving us one heck of a great new version of the G.I. Joe Marine. Sure, it took us eight years to get a new version of the classic Gung Ho character, but some might say it was worth the wait. He is truly stellar. My hope at this point is that they take this figure and redeco him in some more realistic camouflage for the Marvel issue #39 era of jungle operations. This version of Gung Ho would look pretty spectacular in more realistically colored camouflage.
50th Anniversary Gung Ho
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
4.9
Summary
With all the great sculpting and none of the plastic quality issues as last year’s 50th Anniversary series, Gung Ho stands at the top of the mountain this year. It almost makes the eight year wait worthwhile. Very little to complain about with this fantastic figure. There are some nitpicks, but they’re very small, and as a whole, this is one heck of a great 1:18 action figure.
Pros
1 – Spectacular sculpting
2 – All new figure from head to toe
3 – Represents a key character that was badly in need of an update
4 – Large stature to reflect Gung Ho’s imposing presence
Cons
1 – Minor paint quibbles. Tattoo is a bit large, some camouflage pattern paint mess
2 – The fact that the Gung Ho/Shadow Guard pack wasn’t packed more than just one per case
Ever since they were first revealed back in the new sculpt era, I’ve been resistant to the concept of the Shadow Guard. First and foremost, the Crimson Guard are already supposed to be the upper echelon of elite Cobra operatives, do we really need a MORE elite Elite Cobra operative? Crimson Guards were always undercover officers and administrators, and not so much the field combat arm (with the Crimson Guard Immortal at least filling out that role somewhat), so I couldn’t figure out how the Crimson Shadow Guard fit in there. Plus, there’s the whole crimson theory…what’s the purpose of a Crimson Guard who isn’t actually crimson?
From a field operations standpoint, I do have to admit I love the G.I. Joe: Retaliation version of the Crimson Guard. His tactical vest, newly tooled helmet and terrific accessories all add up to a great update to the Elite original. Much as I hate to say it, getting a Shadow Guard version of this combat equipped Crimson Guard is kinda neat. I love the new head sculpt, and the parts choice works well, too. I’ve never loved the original 25th Anniversary Crimson Guard legs, so repurposing the Alley-Viper legs for this works well for me. Same with the Shock Trooper arms. It gives the Crimson Guard figure a more combat oriented look with far better articulation and range of motion than the 25th Anniversary version. The more modern sculpting and articulation has done wonders to make the figure look cool, but still retain a somewhat regal air.
Even as a repurposed figure in just a new paint scheme, I like the Shadow Guard, but don’t love it. I still struggle to rationalize his purpose in the Cobra hierarchy, but I know there has been some fan demand out there for it, so Hasbro’s decision to satisfy those fans makes sense. It also helps that the basic construction of the figure is a lot of fun, regardless of where it fits in the grand scheme of things.
Accessories
Crimson Shadow Guard comes with the Retaliation Crimson Guard tactical vest, backpack, sword, and bevy of offensive weaponry. They all work well and for a more combat oriented version of this Elite trooper I enjoy them quite a bit. The weapons work for ornamental purposes or actual combat purposes, and the designs are great, too, even if it’s more of the same.
I can’t quite figure out how this guy fits into the grand scheme of things, but the figure execution is nice. Much of the credit for that goes to the Retaliation designers, but the Shadow Guard concept is done well here.
50th Anniversary Crimson Shadow Guard
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.2
Summary
Using the really fun G.I. Joe: Retaliation Crimson Guard as a base figure, the Crimson Shadow Guard makes for a nice version of the new sculpt era COBRA division. While I can’t quite rationalize the existence of this branch of the Crimson Guard in my head, the execution is nice, I like the figure build, and he’s got some great gear.
Pros
1 – Great sculpting courtesy of the G.I. Joe: Retaliation rendition of this figure.
2 – The black paint apps do have an air of menace
3 – Lots of great accessories
4 – I’ll never complain about revisiting concepts from the 2003 – 2005 era
Cons
1 – Still don’t quite understand the need or purpose of the Shadow Guard
2 – The figure could have used some nice gold trim in certain places
