GI Joe Classified Cobra Trooper Review
The Target exclusive Cobra Island wave of GI Joe Classified figures have started hitting stores and today we have a look at the Cobra Trooper!
The Cobra Trooper comes boxed. The box is similar to the regular series with a large window and character artwork in the bottom right corner. The left side has the Special Missions: Cobra Island tag line which so far is specific to the Target exclusives. The side of the box is numbered like the rest of the series, the Cobra Trooper is number 12.
The back of the box has wonderful artwork of Cobra Island itself! It appears that depending on the figure you get, different areas of Cobra Island are highlighted. I can only assume that this is where the specific character you got is deployed.
The insert that sits behind the figure is another great bit of art. We have a POV shot looking up at the main volcano base on Cobra Island with a stylized Cobra Terrordrome logo dead center. I love the Terrordrome logo, but would also like to see the volcano base artwork in full color and uncovered.
Now on to the figure, The Cobra Trooper has a nice, updated look to it. Many of the classic cues are still there, blue outfit, black face mask, even the helmet is the same shape. The outfit just feels like it’s been brought into the next century (It’s been almost 40 years since the original after all)
The Cobra Trooper pairs well with other six inch figures. He stands about the same height as Star Wars Black and Marvel legends.
He has the same basic construction as most of the modern Marvel legends. The head has a swivel ball joint and the neck has a ball joint as well. There’s butterfly hinge shoulders, which makes it super easy to just boil and pop the arms. (You’ll have to do that to get the vest off by the way) Double jointed elbows, knees, etc… The torso has both a ball joint at the waist and a torso cut some would call “Brutal”. Thankfully the vest covers all of this and makes the aesthetic very pleasing. (Even if it does restrict much of that torso articulation.
The first thing that struck me as I was pulling the Cobra Trooper out of the packaging was the eyes. The face printing they do now days looks superb! Cobra Trooper has a few different ways you can display him with the removable helmet and the inclusion of removable goggles.
Speaking of accessories, here’s all of the (easily) removable accessories Cobra Trooper comes with. You get a Machine Gun, Sniper Rifle, Knife, two Pistols, Goggles, Helmet and Officer Arm Band.
The fandom quickly pointed out that the Machine Gun and Sniper Rifle bear a striking resemblance to the Nerf RapidStrike CS-18 and the Longstrike CS-6. (The Longstrike had a slightly different version as a Toys R Us exclusive that included a more accurate scope that the Sniper Rifle has) While I haven’t seen an exact comparison for the pistols, they do look a little like the Mediator Stock Blaster. I wouldn’t be surprised to find there is a Nerf version of the blasters out there. Honestly, many Nerf guns already look like future tech and GI Joe is supposed to be 10 or so years in the future tech-wise so this seems like a great crossover of company brands to me.
The Officer Arm Band appears to be molded to fit on the left shoulder, but since it’s soft plastic, you could probably put it on either arm. This is a nice touch for an army builder figure as you can now have either an Officer or a Trooper.
I love the detail on the knife! The hilt has a snake head with the blade coming out of the mouth. The knife will only fit in the sheath a certain way due to how the hilt is sculpted. The only negative aspect of this sheath is that the knife handle is right in the way of the face when he looks to his left.
The webgear vest also has two pistol holsters. One on the front and the other on the back. They hold the Pistols nicely and look good. Interestingly, only the holster on the front has a Cobra Sigil sculpted on it.
Speaking of the Cobra Sigil. That thing is everywhere on the Cobra Trooper! You’ve got it on his chest, both hands, a holster and there’s even one on the drag handle on the back of the vest!
The back of the vest also has two holes so you can plug both rifles into the Cobra Trooper’s back. Due to the way the rifles are sculpted, they can only fit together on the back in this configuration. (or reversed if they are upside down) I’m not crazy about the giant plugs on both of the rifles, but I do really like the fact that the Trooper can carry ALL of his accessories at one time.
I went into this line as a cherry picker. I wasn’t going to get all of them. When I saw the Cobra Trooper on the shelves, I just had to grab him. After playing with him, I’m glad I did! The detail is great all around, the articulation is wonderful and I’m loving the versatility in how to display him! If all of the figures are like this, I’m in trouble.
