Jet Pack Trooper (2013 Kre-O)

The Jet Pack Trooper was one of my favorite new Cobra troop types introduced in the 25th Anniversary line. This Kre-O version, introduced in the third wave of blind bag figures, exploits one of the strengths of the block format: buildable accessories. A jetpack may not seem like an exciting feature to add to a figure, especially since they’ve been an element of GI Joe toys since the early 80s. For me however, this sort of micro-build adds interest to a figure that could have been just another miniature Cobra army builder.

The pack isn’t a perfect match for the
JUMP mold, but it gets the job done simply. The minifig itself incorporates an approximation of the Air Trooper mask, itself based on a gas mask design, and the color scheme is close to its predecessor as well. In the end, it conveys the essence of the original in minifigure shorthand, and that’s positive for me.