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??
When I reviewed Spirit from the Classic Clash 2-Pack I made reference to the fact that while I wasn’t in love with the 25th Anniversary version of the figure, the accessories almost made up for it. I kind of feel the same way about Blowtorch, though his accessories aren’t quite as cool.
Blowtorch is one of those frustrating figures to me. He has a great sculpt with some good colors and very nice accessories, but has a few limiting factors to me, most of which are his elbow joints. When this figure was first made a number of years ago they hadn’t quite perfected the bulky cloth sculpt while maintaining great articulation. As a result, Blowtorch’s thick padded uniform ends up restricting his elbow movement far too much for my liking. I have some room for forgiveness for a lot of aesthetic choices like that, however when a guy whose specialty is essentially his flamethrower weapon can’t even hold said weapon, that’s a bit of a turn off. Because of the elbows he cannot even hold the flamethrower two-handed, so I have a hard time finding some love for the figure.
However, there are some things to love about this version of Blowtorch.
I know most folks reading this are aware of the homage to Gary Head with the Sightline figure, and that’s a terrific aspect of this series of 50th Anniversary releases. What some folks may not know, though, is that Gary’s relationship with legendary sculptor Bill Merklein revealed some early concept art for Blowtorch, including a piece showing him in this green and gray color scheme. There was a lot of fandom clamor for a version of Blowtorch in that color scheme, so in a way, I consider this figure also an homage to Gary, and I’m glad it’s out there for that reason. Not only that, but as much as the color scheme for Blowtorch does make sense from a flamethrower perspective, seeing the figure in a darker color shade is enjoyable as well. Add that in with the whole throwback to the canceled Pursuit of Cobra figures, and there are some things to appreciate here.
From head to toe this is just a repaint of the 25th Anniversary Blowtorch…that fact alone is a bit off putting when you consider that the original 25th Anniversary Blowtorch was never that much of an in demand figure, and for some reason we got the figure re-released in the Pursuit of Cobra (almost exactly the same) and then re-released again last year in the 50th Anniversary line. Now we have him for a fourth time, although at least this figure has a drastically different paint scheme. As I said, I understand the temptation to do this figure, I just hope we can now consider Blowtorch retired for a long while.
Accessories
The G.I. Joe flamethrower comes with his typical accessories, including the helmet, oxygen mask, flamethrower, backpack, oxygen tank, assault rifle, and two mines. They’re all repurposed accessories from the Pursuit of Cobra/50th Anniversary versions, and while it’s nice to get some of the gear in slightly different colors, there isn’t much really new and exciting here.
It’s difficult for me to rationalize the decision to release yet another version of a somewhat mediocre 25th Anniversary figure, but with the fandom demand for the canceled Pursuit of Cobra repaints, I can see why Hasbro would want to lean that direction. That being said, from a personal perspective I don’t have a lot of love for another Blowtorch repaint, even as an homage to a canceled vintage version.
50th Anniversary Blowtorch
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
2.5
Summary
Paying homage to the unreleased Pursuit of COBRA figure is a great idea in concept and a nice way to appeal to the collector crowd, but I have a hard time finding satisfaction in the third release of this already somewhat sub-par figure in a few year span.
Pros
1 – Great paint scheme as an homage to the original Bill Merklein concept art
2 – Nice love letter to collectors for going to the unreleased well
Cons
1 – 25th Anniversary sculpting restricts elbow motion
2 – Downward pointing hands add to the arm issues and don’t even allow a realistic pose with his signature weapon
3 – Fourth time getting this figure is not the charm
Lots of folks have been asking when I’m going to get the 50th Anniversary reviews under way… consider today the day!
First and foremost I’m tackling the Silent Strike boxed set featuring the Skystriker w/ Capt. Ace & Sightline vs. the COBRA HISS w/ HISS Driver and HISS Gunner.
This set is available right now from Big Bad Toy Store, and was one of my most anticipated 50th Anniversary items. So did it live up to expectations?
