Red Fang Redux
It’s another look at the Red Fang Ninja, one of the unexpectedly cool original figures from the 2009 movie line. Check out this blast from the past here.
Read moreTag: Rise of Cobra
Conrad “Duke” Hauser (2009 Rescue Mission)
Aren’t you a little thin for a toy version of Mr. Tatum? Oh yeah, that’s because this exclusive figure was based on Breaker, a toy based on an actor of decidedly less beefy proportions. Duke looks a little odd, like his head doesn’t quite belong to his body. That’s a shame, since the training uniforms similar to the one shown
Read moreScarlett (2009)
Female figures don’t sell. If you’ve been collecting action figures for a minute, and have ever read or heard and interview with a toy company rep, be it Hasbro, Mattel, Toy Biz or others, you’re familiar with the mantra. Conventional wisdom states that its true. Until I had a child, I had my doubts, but having perspective beyond an adult
Read moreGI Joe Pit Commando (2009)
What should we call these nameless movie troopers? Blueish-grey camo shirts? Some folks don’t think the small Joes should incorporate nameless troops, as it goes against the outfit’s origin as a team of highly skilled specialists. I don’t mind the concept at all, and I rather enjoy the flexibility that a generic figure can provide. As a kid, I had
Read moreSnake Eyes (2009 Rescue Mission)
All black Snake Eyes figures are things of beauty to me. There’s something great about the simplicity of that first figure from 1982, clad in just one cast shade of black plastic. Through the years, there have only been a handful of figures to go this route, one of which I’ve covered here before. The Target exclusive Rescue Mission boxed
Read moreIce Viper (2009)
While I was generally underwhelmed by the Rise of Cobra film’s basic trooper, I found myself enjoying the figures that were the specialist troops. From the movie Eel to the Elite Viper and this Ice Viper, the less generic guys held more interest. Maybe I’m biased because I’ve always found something likeable about the environment specific Cobras, but the Ice
Read moreGeneral Clayton “Hawk” Abernathy (2009)
I still don’t quite know how I feel about Dennis Quaid portraying General Hawk in the Rise of Cobra. I suppose it shouldn’t be a big issue, considering the film in general strayed so far from the GI Joe cartoon, comic and toy fictions of the 1980s. This Hawk was not the leader of a lean American mobile strike force/anti-terrorist
Read moreCrimson Neo-Viper (2009)
So I guess the idea here was to create a sort of homage to the Crimson Guard for all of us 80s Joe freaks. The all too brief file card states: CRIMSON NEO-VIPERS are masters of power and lethality within the COBRA ranks. They guard the leaders of COBRA and willingly submit to agonizing procedures to obtain exceptional abilities and
Read moreSerpent Armor (2009)
The SNAKE armor has come in quite a few different flavors over the years. Aside from the original white, there’s a Cobra blue version, as well as an interesting red recolor from across the pond. With the Rise of Cobra tie-in toys came this black number, perfect for all your formal Cobra world domination events. All that’s missing is a
Read moreNight Adder (2009)
While I didn’t care much for most of the Rise of Cobra movie based GI Joe and Cobra figure designs, the off-screen extras of non-movie figures had a share of very exciting new characters and troops. Night Adder showed up a little later in the movie run. A lot of those later wave toys were difficult for me to track
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