By Loran
Well, in addition to not getting anything close to a full line, it seems as though the toys for G.I. Joe Renegades are going to be a pain to find, as well. Some of the main characters have proven easy to find, but side characters and Cobras have proven to be a challenge, especially the amazing Storm Shadow figure which I have yet to see. Still, it’s better to get a bunch of impossible-to-find figures than none at all, I guess. This makes me glad they only ever did one army builder, which I happen to have right here…
What G.I. Joe toyline would be complete without a standard Cobra Trooper? Yep, thankfully, Hasbro gave us the Cobra Soldier from Renegades in toy form. Although, I actually have a bit of a hard time calling him a “Cobra Soldier” or a “Cobra Trooper” considering Cobra’s role in the television show. They aren’t as much of an evil terrorist organization as they are an evil business trying to destroy the world’s infrastructure from the inside-out. As a result, the Cobra Troopers are less like footsoldiers, and more like security guards. I like this concept, as it can easily be worked into Joe lore as a whole. Gotta have someone at the front desk of Extensive Enterprises, don’t you?
Like many of the other Renegades figures, the Cobra Trooper reuses older parts to save on costs. What amazes me is what figure they chose for it. With the exception of the kneepads and head, obviously, the Cobra Trooper shares his mold with the fantastic Pursuit of Cobra DUSTY figure! Yeah, it surprised me, too! And amazingly, it works!
The vest is the most essential new piece. The turtleneck covers a good chunk of the figures face, which makes him seem almost sinister. The back has a white Cobra emblem with SECURITY written underneath it. See, even Hasbro saw the whole “Security Guard” aspect of the figure’s design!
The figure includes a choice of two heads, one in the animation model and another wearing a mask. I actually don’t like the masked one that much. It almost looks… TOO evil, and actually kind of un-Cobra-like. I like the regular head more because despite the expression, he still looks like your average schlub that just so happens to be working for an evil corporation trying to take over the world. But then again, aren’t we all?
Also like many of the other Renegades figures, there’s a serious lack of accessories here, but it doesn’t hurt him too much. He comes with a standard-issue pulse rifle, a new-sculpt nightstick, and a pair of handcuffs. All of them suit his purpose nicely, and I’d rather have a figure with a few well-thought-out accessories than a bunch I’ll never end up using. The handcuffs are probably the coolest ones, even if it can be hard to get them around the wrists of some figures. They’d be better with a longer chain.
While he’s far from the last Renegades figure I’ll be reviewing, I’m saddened by the fact that I’m running out. He’s a good army builder, and I suggest getting at least one, provided you can find it at some place like FPNYC. I won’t be happy until I get… hmm… two more. 😀
