I find it strange to admit that there are a number of things I’m really not crazy about in the G.I. Joe world that everyone else seems to love… two of the highest items on that list are arctic figures and the character of Dr. Mindbender. That being said, you’d think that a figure of an Arctic Dr. Mindbender would fall down pretty far on my list of desired items, and I would have agreed. But once I got my hands on the G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club’s rendition of this figure, I immediately fell in love.
Well…fell in ‘big like’ might be more accurate. I don’t quite LOVE the figure, but I like it quite a bit, thank you very much.
For this particular figure, the Club worked with Boss Fight Studio to add a newly sculpted head and fur collar in order to accentuate the newness of the figure, and it works really well. The first Mindbender was a part of the Defense of COBRA Island 7-Pack, and as such was sculpted in the aesthetic of the times, which looks a bit dated compared to more modern offerings. He was certainly due for an updated head sculpt, and he got one heck of a nice one here, looking as if it was pulled straight from Sunbow concept art.
The fur collar also adds nice variety to the figure, which is otherwise a mixture of the canceled Arctic COBRA Commander (with mostly comprised of Renegades COBRA Commander arms and legs). The combination gives us a figure with a terrific arctic look (that happens to be pretty animation accurate) as well as maintaining at least some level of decent articulation.
With the long coat, the legs are still pretty limited, but the arms at least have significantly unrestricted elbow movement, which was one of the major detractions of the Arctic COBRA Commander tooling (which was used for a Convention Iron Grenadier a few years back).
Using the animation as a template, Mindbender is done up in a really nice purple and black paint scheme, following the queues from the vintage version, and you end up with a very nice looking figure that slides pretty seamlessly into any arctic environment, yet also looks unique and very true to Mindbender’s aesthetic.
Accessories
Dr. Mindbender comes with a nice number of accessories, with a familiar pistol as well as his trademark “mind bending” device (stun rod w/ generator), and also comes with the black hose and a repainted version of Sci-Fi’s backpack. He also has a great COBRA-themed laptop and arctic display stand.
The accessories all fit the character well, and the inclusion of Sci-Fi’s backpack is a nice one, too, as it retains a nice technical look while not being immediately identifiable as belonging to someone else.
Anyone who has been reading my reviews knows that I geek out over media-centric figures, and I love that this version of Mindbender is a true Sunbow homage. It’s also pretty cool that the Club has been using him heavily throughout the comic. While I wouldn’t have thought an arctic version of COBRA’s lead scientist would be appealing to me, the reality is this is a very fun figure that suits the good doctor remarkably well. Kudos on this one.
G.I. Joe Collectors Club Arctic Mindbender
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.3
Summary
As the 2015 G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club incentive figure, an arctic version of Dr. Mindbender doesn’t seem like something that would sit atop many collectors’ lists of needed figures. All that being said, in execution the figure is a pretty fantastic rendition of COBRA’s lead scientist and ends up being a surprisingly fun and interesting addition to the modern COBRA roster.
I believe I may have specifically stated in my G.I. Joe: Retaliation Ultimate Firefly review that Hasbro could never produce another Firefly and I’d be happy. While that might hold true, I can’t argue with the greatness of this Firefly update, and I’m glad that Hasbro elected to ignore my previous statement in that other review.
Granted, this figure pretty much is Ultimate Firefly with some minor additions, but those minor additions make a huge difference and make for a figure that is really cool, even though it’s 95% repaint.
First of all, it helps that the figure they repainted was an excellent one. Ultimate Firefly is widely regarded as one of the nicest figures Hasbro has produced, from the excellent sculpting and great articulation throughout. Somehow Hasbro took the existing figure (which was already terrific) and made some minor additions to it that took it even further.
Great elbow articulation and added wrist motion are both awesome pieces of the existing Firefly mold, which allow him to hold weapons really nicely and achieve some impressive poses. The sculpting in the figure is stellar, with the layered commando turtleneck and shirt, all pretty basic looks, but done so well on these figures. The legs are where this Firefly seems a bit more evolved, however. Rather than the Lifeline parts, we have what appears to be a new holster and knife sheath on the right leg and new pouches on the left. These small changes make a big difference, and I really like what they add to the figure.
Looking at the paint scheme, it seems like Hasbro was almost trying to emulate the o-ring Firefly from 2005 without the red, which is essentially just his familiar camouflage pattern in reverse. If I had any complaints about the Ultimate Firefly it would have been that his camouflage was too light, and the figure looks more gray than camouflage. That’s not an issue here, where the camo is much more clearly defined by color, and it’s a really nice urban look. He looks darker and more deeply camouflage, which is cool, even if he doesn’t directly match his original ’84 rendition.
I have seen some images where Firefly’s lower limbs look dramatically different colors than his upper limbs, but I have to say the difference isn’t that striking in person. I wouldn’t have even noticed it if others hadn’t pointed it out. There is a bit of sloppiness to the camouflage paint, missing some of the crispness of some lines and making the camouflage pattern look somewhat imperfect. Not a huge deal, but something worth mentioning. Also, my figure has a significant paint flaw near the eye holes of the mask which shows a big blotch of flesh colored paint. Another paint related QC issue that bears mentioning. By and large, this second iteration of 50th Anniversary figures has considerably better QC than last year’s did, but there have been some rampaint paint issues that do bear mentioning.
Accessories
Hasbro didn’t just stop with some additions on the figure itself, though, they added some terrific new accessories, too. Firefly comes with what appears to be a brand new silenced sub machine gun and saboteur themed backpack (with a great knife sheath on it). He’s got his familiar webgear, with the bombs glued on as they were with the Collectors Club Wreckage figure. The backpack is really nicely detailed with intricate paint apps on the newly sculpted piece of equipment. He also comes with the two knives for the sheaths, the same two mines that the Pursuit of Cobra version came with (one of which fits on the backpack). There’s a pistol for his new holster on the right leg, too, the same pistol that’s come with many different figures at this point.
I didn’t think it could get much better than Ultimate Firefly, and in truth, since this figure is just sort of an evolution of that one, it still hasn’t. But as someone who isn’t so connected to the aesthetics of vintage characters, this new paint scheme is a nice look for the character, even if just a reversal of his original colors. Even with a bit of sloppiness on the camouflage blobs and facemask, the figure looks good, and I really love the new additions.
50th Anniversary Firefly
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
4.3
Summary
Ultimate Firefly was one of the best figures produced in recent years, and this new evolution of that figure has some nice new elements that only add to the existing greatness. While conceptually the new paint scheme has some great value, in execution there are some QC issues and the camouflage paint isn’t as crisp and clean as I might like to see it. That being said, this is still a great figure with fantastic new accessories, and I really love the new holsters and sheaths.
Pros
1 – Fantastic, nearly perfect base figure makes for a great starting point
2 – Newly sculpted sheath, holster, and pouch add ons for the legs add some awesome elements to an already great figure
3 – Newly tooled accessories were a pleasant surprise, and they manage to look incredible as well
Cons
1 – The paint looks somewhat uneven and sloppy in some places
First and foremost, I have to admit that it’s not often that I see a desert trooper decked out in blue and white camouflage.
That being said, that is really my only complaint about this figure, I find myself strangely loving almost every other single part of it. It certainly helps that the base figure is one of my favorite G.I. Joe action figures of all time, the Pursuit of Cobra Jungle Duke. I’ve loved that figure since the first time I ever set fingers on it, and this version of Dusty mimics it in all the best ways, and in fact, some might say improves on it with updated arms that include expanded wrist articulation, while maintaining the same range of motion.
For some reason I just love that combination of reactive armor and baggier jungle ops combat pants, and it helps that the articulation of the figure is spectacular. Elbows and knees both have great range of motion, and simply by adding Dusty’s head on there, you can establish a whole new character. No, it doesn’t make much sense to have Dusty in blue and white, but I’ve been pretty vocal in the past that I’m not huge on narrow-fit environmental operatives, so having a great character like Dusty available in color schemes beyond the traditional brown and tan of desert operations is totally cool with me.
Hasbro continues to do great with the “battle worn” Reactive Armor, showing streaks and worn metal throughout the torso in a pretty effective manor. Dusty’s dark blue mixed with white/light blue camouflage does look a little strange and doesn’t fit much preconceived notions for me, but I find myself more than willing to overlook it because the figure is so good.
I will say from a structure/plastic quality perspective, the right knee of my figure is exceptionally loose, which is a bummer. I’m looking into buying a second, though, because I love the figure that much. I have no idea if the loose knee is unique to mine, or if it’s a common theme. Also, my Dusty had a nasty smudge of paint on his face, which I was able to scrape off, but it still didn’t look real good.
Beyond those issues (which may be widespread QC related, or may just be specific to this particular figure) I love this figure a lot more than I ever envisioned. Whether he’s fully equipped or just partially equipped, he is truly fantastic and a lot of fun to play with…errr… I mean display.
Accessories
Really, really great accessories here, too. He’s got the helmet/goggles and collar with cape from his Pursuit of Cobra version, which layer on some great detail and character work to a desert operative who may find himself exposed in the wilderness for a long period of time. He also comes with the two machine guns from the Retaliation G.I. Joe Trooper, one of my favorite figures in recent memory, though I wish the weapons weren’t blue. He can hold them fairly well, but not perfectly, especially the sniper rifle.
Dusty also comes with the great webgear from the PoC Duke figure, along with the pistol and machete.
This figure is great. Upon first glance I had no idea why they had chosen the paint scheme they did (and truthfully, I still don’t) but I can’t get over how much I love the figure formula underneath. Sure, much of that credit should be given to previous sculptors and designers, but the choice to carry it forward was really good, and I’m surprised at how nicely it meshes with the PoC Dusty gear as well. The result is a really great figure version of a good character that I’m happy to have in a non-desert specific paint scheme.
50th Anniversary Dusty
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
4.1
Summary
Even with an unusual paint scheme, this version of Dusty is a surprisingly fun entry into my G.I. Joe mythology. The Pursuit of Cobra Duke figure base is top shelf, and the combination of accessories from that figure and the PoC Dusty works remarkably well. Other accessories add to the fun factor, and the end result is one of my favorite versions of the Dusty character ever produced.
Pros
1 – Pursuit of Cobra Duke base figure is one of my favorites of all time
2 – Added wrist articulation and new arms makes it even better
3 – Tons of great accessories combined from different figures for an excellent end result
Cons
1 – Still not sold on the blue paint scheme, though glad to see a lack of desert colors
2 – Some QC issues with loose knee joint and paint slop on the face
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to the way some folks have approached G.I. Joe is that everyone seems so hung up on re-doing vintage figures they don’t leave room for new concepts. Hasbro, in my opinion, has been doing a good job, especially with this recent rendition of their 50th Anniversary line, to explore new ideas as well as revisiting some classic looks.
We got great versions of Gung Ho and Storm Shadow, but also a brand new character in Sightline, and a whole new team in the Wolf Squad. It’s enough to satisfy two different camps. With this “Sneak Attack” 3-Pack there are some new concepts brought to the table, though I’m not sure how successful they all are.
Hasbro elected to put together a different parts formula for Bazooka rather than rely on his 25th Anniversary version, and from a sculpting perspective, I’m glad they did, though using the Retaliation Roadblock parts makes the character a lot larger and more muscular than he might otherwise be perceived to be. The larger base figure also makes the head look pretty small sitting on top of those tall, broad shoulders.
Bazooka uses the torso and arms from Ultimate/Battle Kata Roadblock, but uses the legs from the Wave 1 Roadblock, which unfortunately has reduced knee articulation. Of course, the original Bazooka did as well. One nice thing about the use of the Roadblock Torso is that the split-torso joint is far enough down on the body so the entire “14” from his football jersey sits above it, which means no unsightly split in the middle of the numbers. I like that aspect a lot.
What has me scratching my head, just a bit, is the paint scheme. Designers went outside the box a little bit with the paint apps here, going with a darker blue and very light blue camouflage scheme for reasons unknown. Now, G.I. Joe in the past has certainly been known to use strange camouflage colors and patterns, so I don’t have any major issues with those decisions necessarily, but I do wish some reason had been used for it. Bazooka’s super light (almost white) blue jersey with powder blue numbers doesn’t really resemble anything specifically (though at JoeCon, Mark Weber mentioned, tongue firmly in cheek, that perhaps this was Bazooka’s “away jersey”). The colors here are somewhat bright, though not obnoxiously so, I just wish some reason was given for the eclectic choices. His pants are blue and white camouflage, which might work for a water based operative or parajumper (in fact on one of my early customs, I used a blue and white “Cloud” type camouflage for a parajumper) but Bazooka is really neither.
Again, though, this certainly wouldn’t be the first time a G.I. Joe figure was given a bright, odd color scheme, and it hasn’t bothered me terribly in the past. I think the reason it gives me more pause now is that G.I. Joe in recent years has tried hard to make itself more grounded, and this feels like a departure from that, but not necessarily an unwelcome one. Heck, I’m just glad to see a figure that isn’t meticulously tied back to how the figure looked 30 years ago.
Accessories
Bazooka comes with lots of his familiar gear, including his excellent backpack with four removable bazooka rounds, plus the bazooka that the rounds can actually fit into. He has his trusty helmet with chin strap, and in case he fires all four rounds, he has a nice tactical shotgun as his backup weapon. Not a ton of gear, but enough and it all works well for the character.
Bazooka’s portrayal in the Sunbow animated series had always soured me on the character, but I’ve learned to appreciate what the cartoon writers were doing with all of these over-the-top characterizations of some of these guys. He’ll never be a character that is central to my G.I. Joe mythology, and this update doesn’t blow me away. I think it makes sense to get Bazooka out there in the same year as characters like Shipwreck, Alpine, Dusty, Gung Ho, and Spirit and it’s quite interesting to stand back and look at this collected group of vintage favorites and see how things have changed.
50th Anniversary Bazooka
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
2.8
Summary
Updated parts do wonders for Bazooka’s sculpting, but unfortunately do not dramatically improve his articulation, especially in the knee joints. He comes with good gear, but an eclectic paint scheme that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I’m not a huge fan of the character, and while I like elements of this build, the figure as a whole doesn’t quite come together.
Pros
1 – Always a big fan of using updated sculpts whenever possible
2 – Colors are strange, which I love, as long as they serve a purpose
3 – Great choice of accessories
Cons
1 – Even with the new sculpts, the figure suffers from a lack of double-jointed knees
2 – Paint apps are eclectic, yes, but also don’t make a whole lot of aesthetic sense
3 – Bazooka’s head is tiny on top of this large new body frame
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
