Firefly (2007)

The initial 25th anniversary Firefly encompasses a lot of what I find successful and unsuccessful about that line. With the recreated vintage cardback and added modern detail and articulation, one might think of the series as being the “GI Joe figures we always wanted”. I tend to think of 25th figures like this Firefly as the “GI Joes better left on card”. To a collector like me, who primarily opens and displays his toys, that’s a sad statement.

The figure does succeed at presenting a more detailed version of the Cobra saboteur. The head sculpt is well detailed, as are the newly tooled accessories. The backpack is particularly impressive, and it’s good to see a new version after the umpteen remolds of the original. While I like the new weapon with folding stock, it’s a disappointment not seeing his distinctive original. The paint apps are generally crisp and detailed, though the uniform’s grey could have been a shade darker and the camo a little less sparse.

Firefly is quite frustratingly unposeable for a figure boasting more points of articulation than his vintage counterpart. Mine is a version with the “diaper crotch” that hampers the leg articulation, and the elbows don’t bend far enough to convincingly hold his weapon. Even RAH figures could tuck the stock of a rifle under an arm without the weapon popping out of their hands. This kind of inconsistency continued through the line, and continues to irk me whenever I dig figures like this out of storage. Though more articulate than the older Joes, fit, finish and consistency just weren’t up to the old standards.

Speaking of fit, the shoulder harness is a downright mess. The straps have him in a choke hold. It rides so high, the thing might as well have been a pair of shoulder pads. The uniform shirt underneath is a disappointment as well, as it’s simply Beachhead’s sweater mold repainted. All in all, the best way to appreciate this Firefly is to leave him on card, and remember your 1984 version. Again, a sad thing to say about a toy. These things are toys, right?

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