There are times, it seems, where nearly every memory of my childhood is at least tangentially related to G.I. Joe, as foolish as that sounds. As I was prepping this review in my head, I recalled that at some point in 1984, my best friend at the time and I were preparing to exchange Christmas presents. It was with some great, barely concealed frustration that I was wrapping a brand new Spirit figure for him– not because he didn’t deserve it, but because, dangit, the figure looked awesome and I wanted it. But my mom had been adamant that we give it to my friend for Christmas, so it got sealed in a box, wrapped in paper and forever removed from my eager, ten year old hands.
Fast forward a few days and my friend and I exchanged our gifts, both of us eagerly opening them– and much to our pleasure (and surprise) we’d both bought each other Spirit action figures from that new G.I. Joe toy line we both loved so much.
For whatever reason I clearly remember Freedom’s claws breaking within three days of opening him, but I loved that Spirit figure and by the time it finally saw retirement there was a broken thumb, a broken crotch and a lost belt to go along with Freedom’s claws.
Now, here were are in 2022, way more years later than I’d care to admit, and I just expressed similar excitement in opening the package of another version of Spirit Iron-Knife, one whose design was overseen by a group of Native Americans who had agreed to work alongside Hasbro to ensure the update to the G.I. Joe tracker was as inclusive and sensitive to their heritage as it could be.
As a result, some changes were made from the vintage version, but all things considered, this Spirit update is a credit to the fantastic history of the character, who took up prominent roles in both the comic and the cartoon back in the 80s.
DESIGN
As with most Classified figures these days, Spirit Iron-Knife certainly seems to take a healthy amount of inspiration from his classic look from 1984, but, ends up with just the right amount of updates and tweaks to thrust him into the modern day.
Like the classic Spirit he’s got his powder blue shirt and tan khaki pants, though Hasbro removed the belt and the frills along the boots, mostly, I suspect, out of respect for Spirit’s Native American heritage and without leaning on some of the more prominent stereotypes of that heritage. The result is a figure that looks instantly like he did back in the day, but without some of those more egregious design elements that could take away from an otherwise fantastic looking figure.
The secondary strap and knife sheath on his chest, along with the belt and leg holster and sheath are all in the same olive green color and fit the figure perfectly without restricting his articulation, a delicate balance that Hasbro has achieved to perfection here. The sculpting on Spirit is as terrific as always, his face full with the familiar character that we’ve seen throughout both Sunbow and Marvel, the look of grim determination as well as the red headband and a thin strand of hair hanging over the fabric which only serves to further express the figure in three dimensions.
The gauntlet on his left arm has two holes in it for Freedom’s claw pegs and the sizing is just right, allowing the large eagle to perch, ready to strike.
Speaking of that eagle, he comes with folded wings or wings outstretched, and includes ball-joint articulation for both as well as hip and neck– so he can be perched in wait, or in mid-flight. Some fantastic added detail only possible in a larger scale.
ARTICULATION
As mentioned, the design of the chest strap and sheath is great in that it does nothing to restrict the movement of the figure’s torso joint or shoulders, so Spirit Iron-Knife retains a full range of motion in nearly any direction.
A pet peeve I’ve often had for G.I. Joe figures in other scales was that the soldiers could never really quite hold their weapons “right” there were always some limitations to the way the figures moved. Well, Spirit can capture an almost perfect pose with the sniper rifle, either on his feet or on a knee or anything in between and while it might be a little thing, it makes a big difference.
Spirit Iron-Knife’s articulation is pretty much everything you’d want it to be and it gets bonus points because even the eagle has it!
ACCESSORIES
At some point during Classified’s inception, it was decided by the design team that they wanted to do whatever they could to have a spot for all of the various figures’ accessories either on the figure or in an included bag or backpack. They haven’t always hit that mark (there have been spare hands and hair pieces, for instance) but they’ve regularly come pretty dang close.
Spirit Iron-Knife is a perfect example of how they’re achieving this feat.
Obviously there’s an exception here — Freedom comes with two sets of wings, so they’re not going to have a place to store the alternate set– but everything else has it’s place. A holster for the pistol, two separate sheaths for both knives, a backpack with a peg for the sniper rifle as well as a mount for Freedom.
You can pose Spirit Iron-Knife with every bit of gear he comes with and he both holds that pose well and looks dynamite at the same time. Obviously, Hasbro elected to eschew the spear gun from 1984 in favor of a more traditional sniper rifle, and that totally works for me– even as a kid I wasn’t especially sold on that weapon. His pistol looks like an old school combat pistol and both knives are just different enough, while very much looking their part.
I’ve already expressed my pleasure with how Freedom came out as well, so in short — I cannot think of a single way they could improve the accessory compliment with this figure. It’s just fantastic.
CONCLUSION
Whether facing off against Storm Shadow in the Sunbow cartoon, or teaming up with Ripcord and Blowtorch alongside Bongo the Balloon Bear, Spirit has often played key roles, not just on the toy shelves but in various media as well — heck, he even made the shortlist for Sigma 6.
With this version of the character, Hasbro propels him into a slightly more modern look but with all of the great vintage throwbacks, and took great care to remain sensitive to his cultural history. All three figures in this assortment are spectacular and Spirit, I believe, stands atop that pile
General Gallery
G.I. Joe Classified Spirit Iron-Knife
Design
Originality
Articulation
Accessories
Value
4.7
Summary
It seems only fitting that Spirit Iron-Knife comes in the same assortment as Storm Shadow and although I always bristled at that conflict in the Sunbow cartoon, I find the giddy nostalgia satisfying nearly 40 years later. It certainly helps that Spirit is a hell of a great figure with some flawless sculpting, excellent articulation and great accessories.
Pros
– Amazingly detailed sculpt
– Poseable Freedom? Get outta here!
– Just the right touch of modernization
Cons
Knife handles are pretty small and his hand gets stretched out with the rifle so he can’t hold them all that well
Ever since I first sat down on my aunt’s corduroy couch in 1984 and read Storm Shadow’s file card, he has remained at the top of my favorites list. Even before I knew of his connections to Snake Eyes, even before I knew about the long and storied history of the Arashikage, the mysterious COBRA ninja was a permanent fixture in my adventures. This masked man who moved with “blinding speed” and could “scale walls with his bare hands and feet” had instantly elevated to near mythical status. While that was a long time ago (longer than I care to remember) I feel somewhat certain that Storm Shadow was my first introduction to the term “ninja” and I absolutely fell in love.
Ironic that these days I much prefer the near-future military stuff to the ninja stuff, but at 10 years old, ninjas were where it was at.
Fast forward nearly (cough cough) 40 years and G.I. Joe: Classified brings us a new 6″ version of Storm Shadow and in many ways he elicits most of the same emotions– but interestingly, that’s not necessarily a good thing.
DESIGN
Before I get too deep into this review, I need to make one thing crystal clear: from an execution standpoint this iteration of Storm Shadow is about as close to perfection as one can get. His stocky, muscular, somewhat oversized sculpting, yet maintaining an immaculate level of articulation– it’s a combination that Hasbro uses to absolute stellar success.
So why do I feel a bit mixed about the end result?
In two words: this guy.
Ever since the G.I. Joe: Classified line was launched and debuted on GIJoe.com, I have been losing my mind in anticipation of a figure from that image above. While I saw many fans scoffing at the metal mask and the Batman gauntlets, I absolutely fell in love with the modern-mixed-with-vintage aesthetic. The white base uniform, the ninja-themed mask– but enhanced with future tech and a nasty, sharp-edged flair (not to mention the amazing full-arm tattoos). Yeah… THAT was the Storm Shadow I wanted.
Instead, at some point shortly after the Classified kick-off, the design team shifted focus, moving from a futuristic tech-based aesthetic to one that adheres more faithfully to vintage looks. Initially, according to the designer, that was in celebration of the 40th Anniversary, but it seems to be how they’re approaching the line going forward. Don’t get me wrong — it’s agreeing with most of the fans out there (I’m a bit of an outlier when it comes to those things) but from my perspective… well, I was hoping for something a bit newer.
That being said– this figure is spectacular for what it is. To Hasbro’s credit, they do work in a few modern elements, including the great forearm gauntlets and gloves and a removable hood (which isn’t necessarily modern, but a different touch for this version). And while the source material for this figure doesn’t blow me away, the way they were able to capture the spirit of that vintage Storm Shadow in a 6″ scale is just– pretty much mind-blowing.
His secondary cross-chest strap has throwing stars that aren’t removable, but look like they could be, which is a great compromise, giving us that appearance without the risk of tiny accessories that would be all too easy to lose. Along with that strap, he has removable belt straps which allow you to pose him standing still, or in dramatic motion, with the belt waving in the wind.
If I did have one complaint about the execution– for reasons I can’t quite grasp this figure, more than others, has made me crave swappable hands. I want a Storm Shadow like this who has a flat “karate-chop” hand, multiple closed fists, all sorts of expressions that really bring the figures to life. All things considered, that’s a minor gripe, but one that would take a magnificent figure and make him– well– magnificenter.
ARTICULATION
What can I say about Storm Shadow’s articulation? G.I. Joe: Classified in general has been truly living up to the “America’s Movable Fighting Man” mindset when it comes to G.I. Joe and Storm Shadow is no different. Even with the somewhat bulky sculpting, the figure is amazingly poseable and well-articulated, able to achieve a number of great, deep joint poses from ninja crouches, to sword-fighting combinations and almost anything in between.
Drop down hips, double joint knees and side ankle joints allow very expressive movements from the waist down, and his butterfly shoulders, torso cut and double elbows give him a wide array of movements throughout the upper body as well. There’s no secondary vests or cumbersome web gear or sculpting to get in the way of his movements, and from that perspective, I can’t really think of a single improvement.
ACCESSORIES
Just like the vintage figure, Hasbro takes a shockingly straight forward concept and executes it to perfection with the backpack, twin sword sheath, removable arrow and a spot on the back of the pack for his new compound bow (an upgrade from the ’84 version and more in line with the ’88 camouflage iteration).
The removable hood feels like another call back to 1988, but one that I welcome, as it does add a neat new flair to this pure white version of Storm Shadow that the ’84 classic didn’t have.
The swords are sculpted with really great dragon-themed hilts, and while I like the bow, you can’t really pose it in a firing post, even with the removable arrow. If I have any complaint — WHERE ARE THE NUMB CHUCKS?!? (Yes I know that’s not what they’re really called). Maybe we’ll have to wait for the inevitable Quick Kick release to recreate our Enter the Dragon battle scene…
CONCLUSION
Unlike many G.I. Joe fans out there, I truly enjoy seeing new and different takes on this universe, and don’t necessarily want to constantly revisit the past. I do recall hearing the outcry from a few of the vocal fans when Classified first launched, decrying the gold armor and the futuristic weapons and I think Hasbro deserves a lot of credit for recognizing that and retooling some of their go forward plans.
That being said, I do believe there should be some sort of middle ground– a mix of vintage purist and a healthy injection of new elements as well. Some would argue this Storm Shadow accomplished that with the great modern gauntlets and the hood, and perhaps they did, but I simply cannot get over that amazing artwork on the GIJoe.com site and lament what could have been.
With all that in mind, however, this Storm Shadow figure is spectacular. The design, while a bit overly faithful is still immaculate. The articulation continues to take things up a notch and the plethora of accessories only further exemplifies all of the great things the Classified design team is doing right now.
While the inspiration isn’t necessarily 100% aligned with my preference, the action figure itself is difficult to find fault with.
General Gallery
G.I. Joe Classified Storm Shadow
Design
Originality
Articulation
Accessories
Value
4.4
Summary
We live in an era of eternal conflict and at the center of my conflict is STORM SHADOW. I kid– how can I possibly be upset at a figure this damn good? The truth is, I can’t, even though I would have preferred a more modern take on the venerable COBRA Ninja. That being said, the execution of this figure is almost as flawless as you can get, in spite of a bit of a lack of originality and devotion to the vintage themes.
Pros
– Amazingly detailed sculpt
– Fantastic assortment character specific accessories– but where are the NUNCHUKS
– Love the addition of gauntlets and separate hood piece
Cons
– A little bit too devoted to the vintage aesthetic
Yes, I know, I’m pretty unabashed in my love for the G.I. Joe: Classified line and I’ll readily admit that I’ve enjoyed pretty much every figure they’ve released so far.
But, from time to time, one figure rises above the others, and evven in a line full of great toys, there is a new one that stands above the crowd. The G.I. Joe: Classified Zartan is just about as close to a perfect G.I. Joe toy as you can get.
Zartan has always been one of my favorite characters in the G.I. Joe lore. The way he walked a narrow line between good and evil (he was always better evil, however) his near-supernatural shape shifting abilities, his twisted sense of honor and loyalty, as well as the way Larry Hama interwove his backstory into Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow.
Zartan was the epitome of everything I loved about G.I. Joe. Just the right hint of supernatural, just the right hint of futuristic sci-fi–a mix of weaponry and martial arts skills. I love Zartan and I really, really love the G.I. Joe: Classified representation of him.
DESIGN
Very much like Destro, the design for Zartan leans heavily into his vintage look, giving him the familiar brown hood, eye make up, layered chest armor, etc… But also like Desro, they’ve gone an extra step in adding some really interesting modern flair throughout a pretty familiar looking design.
In some cases, the changes are subtle, like the layered texture throughout his hood that really gives it a third dimension. Other changes are more obvious, like the reinforced armor on his forearms and the spectacular snakeskin texture on his gloves.
The figure is a nice, solid size, though not as big and bulky as Gung Ho or Roadblock. I thought at first he might be built on their buck, but in fact it appears as though his bare torso and arms beneath the armor are completely new tooling. Paint applications are very familiar, with brown pants, black armor (though some of that armor has a great, understated metal “sheen” to it).
Again, the benefits of the larger scale really show through with the vast amount of sculpted texture that really bring the figure to life. You can see where there’s metal, where there’s fabric, and even the different changes in fabric texture. Though the figure is mostly two colors – brown and black, the variant shades and sculpts beneath those textures tells a really great story.
Like most Classified figures as well, Zartan can carry every single accessory he comes with, between a great sheath on his belt and a peg on his backpack (more on that awesome backpack later), not to mention the snake’s head and monkey’s paw that adorn his belt as well.
From a design perspective, Zartan is an absolute home run.
ARTICULATION
As with the other Classified figures, Zartan’s articulation is pretty much perfect. The armor is sculpted in a way to not hinder the way he moves and he’s capable of achieving almost any pose you’d want. His large shoulder pouldrons are een designed in a way to move with his arm movements so he can look imposing standing still, but also stretch his arms out in nearly any fashion.
ACCESSORIES
My goodness, the accessories Zartan comes with a pretty close to perfect. No, he doesn’t come with a ton of gear, but he comes with just enough, and you get a fantastic combination of warm nostalgia and cool new touches to go along with it.
The backpack is, just as it should be. Very evocative of his original 1984 version, it even holds the mask just like that previous figure did. The mask fits perfectly and while of course it won’t fool anyone, it really leans heavily into that classic toy functionality and I love it. Zartan comes with a pistol that’s very much like his original version as well, plus the bad ass knife that slips into his holster.
New additions are both the monkey’s paw and the snake head, which are elements that tie him into his swamp background and give him a bit of a cool “voodoo” edge. Such a neat touch. He comes with the same scarf as the COBRA Viper, only in brown instead of gray, which is removable if you don’t like it. The hood also comes off, yet it stays on his head perfectly well, too, for some added variability.
CONCLUSION
How much praise can I heap on this figure? It ticks every single box you’d want it to tick. You like the vintage look? We got it. You like the modern “G.I. Joe: Classified aesthetic”? Got those bases covered, too.
I honestly cannot think of a single complaint about this figure. In a line that has already impressed me with nearly every single offering, somehow they just managed to one-up themselves. Not only that, but this is a standard release figure, which should make it easier to acquire. I know when first announced there were pre-orders across the board at Pulse, BBTS, Entertainment Earth, Gamestop and others. Word is that the figure can already be found at Walgreens as well.
Hopefully this is a sign of things to come as far as avaialability goes.
Meanwhile, I am thrilled to add this figure to my growing roster of COBRA agents. Classified is once again gaining ground as perhaps my favorite iteration of G.I. Joe since the classic days. Watch out, Sigma 6, it might be gaining on you!
General Gallery
G.I. Joe Classified COBRA Infantry
Sculpting
Paint Applications
Articulation
Accessories
5
Summary
This figure is just about as perfect as you can get. A great, timeless character, some nice vintage throwbacks, but with some really great modern twists. The perfect allotment of accessories, fantastic articulation– yeah, Zartan is where it’s at.
Pros
– Amazingly detailed sculpt
– Increased scale provides opportunity for nicely layered paint and sculpt techniques
– Right mix of vintage and modern
Cons
– Love the accessories — would have REALLY loved a compound bow
Army builders rejoice! The fandom was about ready to revolt when it came to the Target exclusive COBRA Trooper, but once the Infantry was revealed, I felt like at least some of the heat was off (at least for the few minutes before Hasbro revealed the COBRA Viper…)
The best thing about this figure is perhaps the realization that Hasbro is willing to re-release these exclusive figures at mass retail, and in paint schemes that closely resemble the other versions. While this COBRA Infantry is clearly quite different than the COBRA Trooper, it’s not markedly worse, it’s just– different. Although they did make some subtle changes, they kept it consistent enough that it still blends well with the previous version– in short I think Hasbro handled it pretty much perfectly.
While I suspected Hasbro would re-release the COBRA Trooper in an easier to acquire format, I was a little nervous about what they would do to the color scheme. I was worried about the potential of a black deco or even something stranger, and to my absolute pleasure, Hasbro elected to stay VERY close to the previous version.
No, it’s not exactly the same, but honestly, that’s okay. It’s close enough and while there are different paint applications, there aren’t necessarily less of them, so the figure looks just as nicely detailed as the previous version, which is a very good thing.
I find myself really loving the different flesh tone of the updated Infantry as well, and the colors are close enough that if you want to mix and match throughout the Troopers and Infantry, you can create a nice, eclectic mix of COBRA cannon fodder.
Comparing both versions, simply by looking at the paint deco I find myself appreciating elements of both. While I much prefer the metallic shine to the armor for the exclusive ersion, I don’t find the muted blue of the Infantry that much worse, it’s just different.
While I like breaking up the blue uniform with the black vest, the blue vest looks nice, too, especially with the added colors in the gray straps, it does a good job making the vest look more realistic and less monotone.
DESIGN
Design-wise, the COBRA Infantry has everything the Trooper does. Fantastic modernization in the head sculpt and face mask. A terrific looking tactical vest with holster (front and back) and knife sheath. Fully decked out combat togs, looking much more like a military operative than its vintage counterpart.
Interestingly, this shift away from “blue pajamas with black suspenders” kind of brings into question the need for the COBRA Viper. Back in the 80’s I always saw the Viper as more of a front line “ground pounder” sort, a trooper better equipped for an in the trenches firefight, while the old school COBRA was perhaps more behind the scenes.
These Classified updates seem to align the two infantry in a much closer way, which isn’t a bad thing at all, I still love them both and enjoy them both, just an interesting twist to the COBRA hierarchy.
As with the Trooper, I am almost astounded at the level of intricate detail work throughout the figure. Not content to be vanilla with the uniform sculpting, it seems like every inch of the figure is absolutely lathered in different textures, from the ridged shoulder pads to the dinged up metal forearm and shin guards, all the way to the tightly sculpted wrinkles and surface of the military pants.
Every inch of this figure is simply etched with spectacular detail that really brings it to life and shows what’s possible in a larger scale figure.
The COBRA Trooper, when it was first released, instantly rose to the top of the list for my favorite Classified figures, and even with the adjusted paint applications, the Infantry holds close to that position as well.
ARTICULATION
Like the Trooper, the COBRA Infantry has terrific articulation and the ability to drop into any manner of great poses, either firing or otherwise.
The drop-leg hips, butterfly shoulders and impressive knee and elbow joints completely redefine poseability and only serve to further accentuate the sculpt. The way Hasbro has been able to marry sculpt and poseability is really impressive all the way across the line, and COBRA Infantry is no exception.
ACCESSORIES
This is perhaps the only real “detraction” I can point out about COBRA Infantry versus the COBRA Trooper.
Yes, the Infantry comes with fewer accessories. It lacks the cool sniper rifle, the red arm band, and what I think is the most glaring ommission — no awesome snake themed goggles. Honestly, I’m totally fine with the sniper rifle and arm band missing, those can be explained away by the fact that the Trooper is perhaps elevated in rank.
But the goggles? Man, I really wish they’d included those. I was fortunate enough to get a couple of the Troopers, so I’m more or less okay with this, but if I hadn’t gotten the troopers and could only get the Infantry, I would have been bummed that none of my COBRA foot soldiers came with those bad ass verticle slit goggles. Yes, I think they’re that cool. It may be a silly hill to die on, and I’m certainly not going to say you shouldn’t buy the Infantry because of that, but I do wish they’d been included.
Aside from that minor complaint, the Infantry comes with the same knife, pistols and non-sniper rifle (and of course the helmet) which suits me fine. Yes, the pistols and the rifle are pretty “science-fiction” but I’m okay with that. They look like they could potentially exist in some real world “ten years in the future scenario” and are certainly no more ridiculous than a good number of the vintage accessories we’ve seen over the years.
CONCLUSION
I love that this figure exists and that it exists so close in color and aesthetic to its exclusive predecessor. Hasbro is in a sort of a no-win situation. It’s becoming clear that in order to ensure a line’s place in certain retail establishments, those retail establishments want exclusives. Yes, at this point, with the six Target figures, there is a very high ratio of exclusives to standard figures. But I am in such love with the Classified line, I’m okay with that, because it’s six figures we likely wouldn’t have at all at this point , and to me, the more the better, at least for now.
Make no mistake — Target exclusives are the bane of my existence. I have no local stores and the website is useless, but I’ve still loved every single one of those figures and have managed to acquire them with little difficulty.
That being said, I’m thrilled that Hasbro is doing things like the COBRA Infantry, and giving folks easier access to those awesome figures while still maintaining a pretty awesome design aesthetic.
This COBRA Infantry army builder will fit in seamlessly to your COBRA ranks, and I find myself actually looking forward to seeing what Hasbro has in store for the inevitable Viper repaint, not to mention Beachhead, Baroness and Firefly. I bet they’re coming.
General Gallery
G.I. Joe Classified COBRA Infantry
Sculpting
Paint Applications
Articulation
Accessories
4.6
Summary
For many collectors, this will be their first opportunity to acquire this particular figure, and I think Hasbro has done a terrific job of releasing this update in a great color scheme while still maintaining the unique elements of the Target exclusive version. While I really, really love the Target exclusive version, there is absolutely no reason not to army build the Infantry to your heart’s content. A lot to love about both.
Pros
– The same great sculpt and design as the Target exclusive
– Lots of subtle paint detail that brings the figure to life
– Army build without buyer’s remorse!
Cons
– I prefer the metallic colors of the exclusive version’s armor
– Comes with fewer accessories and I do miss the awesome goggles
Ah, so we’re starting to see a theme here– take what are certain to be the most popular army builders in the line and make them difficult to find exclusives. Got it. Solid plan.
In fairness, if designing exclusives for Target is what gets Target to carry the line, then I’m okay with that, even if it’s a feat of frustration and acrobatics to try and get the figure. Actually, I have a confession to make when it comes to the COBRA Viper.
I broke. I did it. I paid scalper prices (at least for one of them). What other choice did I have? Yes, I know it only encourages them, but without a local Target store accessible to me and with none of my friends even able to find one for themselves, it was time to face facts– I got lucky with the COBRA Trooper, Roadblock, Beachhead, Baroness and Firefly. That luck was not going to get me any further on the Viper.
That being said, about two weeks after I clenched my teeth as I was clicking the buy button on eBay, Robot Kingdom got a two pack of Firefly and COBRA Viper in stock, that while certainly not MSRP, wasn’t exactly what I would call a “scalper price.” Thus, I’ve got two. Eventually I’ll have more.
The reason I’m not so twisted up over it is because Hasbro’s track record, at least at this early stage, is that they will eventually release the army builder in the main line assortment. The colors may be a bit different, but not terribly so (if COBRA Infantry is any indication).
Heck, they already have card art for the Viper on the back of the package with red boots instead of black– could that be an indication of what we’ll see in a normal retail assortment?
I feel like I have to specify — I do not regret spending scalper prices. I am 100% in love with the G.I. Joe: Classified line and if I have to break the bank for a figure, I’m prepared to do that. The rest of my figures have been more or less purchased at MSRP, which considering where I live, is pretty impressive. It always boggles my mind when people complain that these figures are impossible to find. If you shop online, it’s actually quite easy.
I have TWO (2) Wal-Mart’s and ZERO (0) Targets within a 70 mile radius and I’ve been able to buy every single figure I wanted (while needing a little extra effort for the Target figures). I haven’t been dependent on brick and mortar for my toy collecting in– maybe ten years? Why start now?
All that being said– I suppose rather than harping on how easy or hard it is to find a Viper, I should talk a little bit about the figure itself.
After all, I paid more money for this figure than I have any other Classified figure to date. Was it worth it?
Oh, yes. Oh my goodness– yes.
DESIGN
The COBRA Viper is a key example of what sorts of cool things are possible with this tooling re-use formula that Hasbro is utilizing with the G.I. Joe: Classified line. I believe the figure uses Duke’s tooling from the waist up, with a fresh secondary on the torso as well as the forearm guards that slide over the existing arms. It saves some money on tooling, but completely reinvents the figure in a perfect way.
While the COBRA Trooper was almost a total reinvention of the old school COBRA aesthetic, the Viper leans a lot more into its vintage roots, but still manages to look nicely modernized and updated to fit into the near-future Classified design scheme.
Key design elements like the textured forearm guards, thigh pads and boots are very much a COBRA Viper hallmark, and they’re portrayed well here, giving the figure a unique look.
The COBRA Viper’s headsculpt is again, a nice throwback to its vintage look with some added texture and a nice mirrored finish on the facemask. The goggles are removable (though I added a dab of super glue because they tend to fall of at a moment’s notice).
I find myself really loving the tactical vest as well with its elaborate straps, textures, ammo pouches and a sculpted COBRA logo near the bottom of the vest, all providing spectacular modern twists to a familiar vintage aesthetic.
Back in the day there were some questions about how the COBRA Trooper and COBRA Viper- co-existed. Clearly, back then, the COBRA infantry was clearly a less armored and less “tactical” operative while the Viper was geared out for real front-line combat. In G.I. Joe: Classified the lines get a little bit more blurred as both the Trooper and the Viper appear almost equally tactical. That being said, it gives me great pleasure to heave both within my COBRA roster, I think there’s definitely room for both.
ARTICULATION
In a way, it seems odd to have a section in these reviews for articulation — after all, nearly every Classified figure maintains the same high standards for articulation and COBRA Viper is no different.
The COBRA Viper manages to balance fantastic design aesthetic and almost flawless articulation, with none of the great range of motion impacted by any of its various secondaries. Butterfly shoulders, double jointed knees, elbows, rocker ankles, the neck joint, hips– this tactical COBRA soldier can achieve nearly every pose you’d want.
I feel it necessary to point out that there is just something different about the way Classified figures are engineered that I’m really drawn to. Whether its a result of the gear they’re typically wearing, I’m not sure, but they feel larger, bulkier, and almost more solid than the typical Marvel Legends releases, yet in spite of that thicker buck, they maintain an impressive array of articulation that is prevelant throughout each and every figure release.
ACCESSORIES
So here’s another double-edged sword.
One item of note about the COBRA Viper accessories — the goggles on his helmet are removable. In fact they are so removable that I elected to use glue to hold them to the helmet. That’s why you don’t see them in the image above. Of course, his removable gray scarf is also easily removable, I just plain forgot to include that in the above image.
Beyond those two items, the COBRA Viper comes with a pretty vanilla weapons compliment, including a backpack that’s nicely evocative of the vintage version (with some great updated colors rather than the plain, drab black). He also has a futuristic rifle and the same pistol that Duke and Beachhead both come with, only this one in pure black. With the same leg holster as Duke, this figure can hold his pistol very well, and interesting, the rifle has a removable magazine for a nice little extra touch.
The accessories lack the creativity of Firefly and yes, the rifle is a bit more “laser rifle” than assault rifle, but as with other examples, I’m cool with that. This rifle doesn’t look wildly space-aged (like Roadblock’s) and it’s a design that I’m more than happy to live with.
CONCLUSION
Considering how close the standard COBRA Trooper is to a “tactical” special operations kind of soldier, I’m honestly quite surprised Hasbro dipped their toes into the “Viper” waters this early in the line. With COBRA Trooper, Red Ninja and now COBRA Viper, it’s getting easier and easier to grow an army (well– it would be easier if you could– you know– actually buy the Viper somewhere). There are still some key core characters in the COBRA hierarchy missing, but you can rest assured when guys like Major Bludd, Scrap Iron and others arrive, they will have plenty of troopers to command and control.
I’m happy to say, though, regardless of how much I question the choice to go with a Viper this early, the fact remains that Hasbro absolutely KILLED this figure from an execution standpoint. Sculpting is flawless, the combination of new parts and re-used tooling blends to give us one hell of an update to the vintage figure.
I’ve said it hundreds of times already, but I just want to reiterate — G.I. Joe: Classified is hitting every single high point for me. I understand some folks are frustrated with availability (which, I should note, is likely a good deal due to the global pandemic that people seem to comfortably forget about when complaining) but the figures that have been released are just about as close to a perfect combination of vintage and future aesthetic as I could ask for.
I think people are pretty aware of my diehard love for Sigma 6… I know it’s still early in the line’s history, but these figures are nudging very close to Sigma 6 for one of my all time favorite iterations of the brand. Keep ’em coming.
General Gallery
G.I. Joe Classified COBRA Viper (Special Mission: COBRA Island)
Sculpting
Paint Applications
Articulation
Accessories
4.6
Summary
Yes he’s only available in very limited instances through Target, but the COBRA Viper remains a highlight of the line and a figure I greatly hope to see Hasbro repaint and re-release at some point in the near future. He’s a fantastic army builder that every collector deserves to fill their shelves with, without paying the hefty after-market prices.
Pros
– Great sculpting, parts and a nearly perfect paint scheme
As if Hasbro wasn’t already creating controversy by going back to the well with the Target “COBRA Island” exclusives, but they had to go and split the fandom over their iteration of Firefly as well. That’s right, everyone, disagreements abound in regards to this version of the COBRA saboteur, yet for some reason, collectors are still beating down the door at Target to get their hands on one.
I will admit, Hasbro’s propensity toward Target exclusives seems dubious, especially considering their choices for characters. Both Baroness and Firefly are, without a doubt, core members of the COBRA cast of characters, yet so far, they’ve both only been available in limited numbers (and wholly unavailable via Target.com). Now, I’m not one of those people who throws barbs and insults and threatens to boycott the line, though I’ll admit, the Target hooplah is getting a little tiresome, especially for those of us who don’t even have a local Target within 70 miles of our home.
Thankfully, in the case of Firefly, someone has been able to hook me up (thanks, John!) but for people who don’t have those connections, I can see why frustration is mounting. At some point you simply either accept the fact that you’ll have to pay hefty secondary market prices, or that you’ll just be content without certain figures.
Granted, Hasbro has already demonstrated (at least with the COBRA Trooper) that they are willing to re-release store exclusives in the mass retail line, and evidently with few enough cosmetic changes that the figure is still highly desirable. Granted, the COBRA Trooper is the only case of that so far, but here’s hoping characters like Firefly (and the Baroness) get similar treatment.
Enough about that– what about the figure itself?
There are days when it feels like perhaps I’m following a completely different toyline that most of my collecting compatriots, especially when it comes to Firefly. I’ve heard no shortage of outrage about his “bomb suit” and how a sneaky saboteur would never wear such clunky armor and how it’s a complete and utter abomination to the spotless reputation of Firefly.
Hmm. Right. Well, I don’t buy it. First of all, Firefly doesn’t exactly have a track record of being super sneaky saboteur all the time. Certainly I’m not the only one who remembers the neon 90’s versions (which were AWESOME figures, by the way, get outta here with that hate) or the fact that Firefly bulked up for his G.I. Joe: Resolute version, G.I. Joe: Renegades version, AND his Pursuit of COBRA version.
Also– I mean– G.I. Joe and COBRA ain’t real world. There’s fantasy here and that’s okay, and personally, as long as the character looks bad ass and has awesome looking “near future” tech I’m generally okay without it being a slavish adoration of the real world or the vintage aesthetic.
Firefly ticks those boxes in a huge way. I really, really love this figure. First and foremost, I don’t see him wearing a bomb disposal vest.. it’s armored, for sure, but it allows plenty of range of motion, with a level of protection he might need just in case one of his bombs blows up in his face. It’s bulky and armored, sure, but I think it looks awesome, and that’s really all I can ask. The layered pouches and dinged up armor plate add some great versatility and character to his look, while his shoulders and hips remain fully poseable.
DESIGN
Head-to-toe, Firefly feels like a terrific evolution from his vintage aesthetic. I am absolutely in love with the head sculpt, the angry sneer, the hint of some sort of scarring, the layered fabric balaclava with a mix of standard gray and camouflage. It all looks terrific.
Beneath the armored vest, his gray camouflage is done amazingly well, given off a real urban camouflage aesthetic. I think most folks can tell that the underlying figure belongs to the previous COBRA Island iteration of Beachhead, with the commando-sweater style sculpt on the chest and arms, which suits Firefly to perfection.
As all the G.I. Joe: Classified figures are, the articulation, smoothness of joints and range of motion is simply fantastic, allowing Firefly to drop into all manner of great poses, either for firing, sabotaging, or whatever else you have in mind.
The sculpted texture really stands out at the larger scale as we see several different styles of “fabric” on his arms and his legs (not to mention the armored vest). The result is a figure that, although is colored mainly in different shades of gray, really has some unique styling that takes a timeless character and infuses him with great modern styling.
If I have any complaints, I’m not a huge fan of the weird texture on the boots, I’m not entirely sure what Hasbro was going for either here or with Beachhead originally, but that seems like an odd, relatively minor quibble.
ARTICULATION
As I already touched on, Firefly has terrific articulation, even with the large vest he wears on his torso. His shoulders can still move thanks to flexible shoulder pads, and even with the front and back flap of the armored vest, his hip movements aren’t hindered in the least.
Firefly has double joints pretty much everywhere, allowing for fantastic poses and firing movements, making him a really great toy to either play with or pose. Certainly the vest hinders his ab crunch somewhat, but it’s not like someone wearing that vest would be able to bend fully over in real life either.
G.I. Joe has always revolutionized articulation, even from its 1960’s roots, and while the Classified line certainly borrows from Marvel Legends, I think it still takes things to a new level, really blending the articulation with the sculpting to the highest possible benefit.
ACCESSORIES
So here’s another double-edged sword.
Firefly is both made and broken by his accessories, and in my opinion there is so much more good than bad. I’ve already talked about his vest, which isn’t so much an accessory as it is a part of him, but there are other pluses and minuses as well.
Firefly comes with a backpack, a bundle of old school TNT, a tablet control, a drone, night vision goggles, and a pistol. What truly continues to amaze me is the way the G.I. Joe: Classified design team goes above and beyond to make all of the accessories fit on the figure. The tablet control fits into the backpack while the drone connects to the top and the bomb connects to the bottom, all while Firefly holds the pistol and wears the night vision goggles.
The interactivity of these accessories is truly awesome and does a terrific job bringing the character to life. Many complaints that I heard throughout the modern era of G.I. Joe was that in many cases the weapons compliment felt just sort of thrown in. Everyone just came with a bunch of weapons, there wasn’t much uniqueness there.
That all changes here. Firefly comes with gear that feels truly uniquely his (though I wouldn’t be surprised to see it repurposed elsewhere at some point). The fact that he can control the drone with his tablet, pull the goggles over his eyes, etc… is all so great and gives him a wealth of “play value” even though people tell me I’m too old to play with my toys.
That being said, I’m not a huge fan of the pistol he comes with. I’m pretty forgiving with the “future tech” style weapons, but Firefly’s is just sort of– I dunno. It really does nothing for me.
PRESENTATION
As I continue to say with each of these reviews– the presentation is truly striking. At first the idea of multiple artists felt a little off. But Hasbro has proven me wrong time and time again and Firefly is no different.
CONCLUSION
Yes, the fact that this figure is only available in limited quantities at Target is frustrating. Believe me, I know. I don’t even have a local Target to shop at.
That being said thanks to the kindness of friends in the G.I. Joe community, I’ve had no issues getting every figure I’ve wanted from this line so far, and I’m thrilled for that. Firefly is yet another fantastic update and upgrade to the classic version who manages to look very much like his old school rendition, but with just the right modern updates.
Bulky tactical vest or no, I LOVE this figure. He’s versatile, fun to play with and makes a great addition to my growing COBRA roster.
General Gallery
G.I. Joe Classified Firefly (Special Mission: COBRA Island)
Sculpting
Paint Applications
Articulation
Accessories
4.4
Summary
This version of Firefly is a terrific update from the original. I truly love his accessories and the sculpting, and while the paint applications feel pretty straight forward and not especially risk-taking, they work for the character. Wish he had a better pistol.
Pros
– Great sculpting and parts use
– Fun accessory compliment
– Head sculpt full of character
Cons
– Target Exclusive
– Not a huge fan of his pistol
– If you do remove his vest, paint apps are lacking
