Hasbro G.I. Joe Collector Club Cobra Commander Action Figure Hasbro, 2008
Day #10: October 27, 2010
Cobra Commander Robot Rebellion
G.I. Joe Collector Club Exclusive Membership Figure
Item No.: n/a Manufacturer:Hasbro Includes:Removable hood, cloak, staff, knife Action Feature:Hood comes off to reveal mask Retail:$19.99 or free with 2008 membership Availability: 2008 Other: From the canceled Robot Rebellion line
When some toy lines end, there is an outpouring of support as a few test shots find their way to eBay and then into oblivion. This Cobra Commander was meant to be part of the post-Valor vs. Venom line of G.I. Joe action figures in 2005 or 2006, and that whole thing was basically axed although parts of it made it into the direct-to-consumer line and Sigma 6. This figure did not-- but baby blue samples of it did show up on eBay giving fans another glimpse of what might have been. The collector club decided, instead, to mass-produce the item so you can have it. Good for them-- and I appreciate it not being in baby blue.
G.I. Joe fans have no shortage of Cobra Commanders to get, and it's rare that you get one that's completely new. This one combines elements from many figures over the years, and the end result is a pretty forward-thinking design. The hood looks like a hood-- because it comes off. The staff we've seen from roughly 2002 through 2005 is updated, and looks like an alternate Cobra logo. Heck, he even has a knife, plus a big cape that's so big it hugs the entire figure. With the rubber band o-ring design and a ball-jointed head (closer in design to 2007-2010 figures), this really does feel like a lost, missing link.
This figure's only real flaw is timing. In 2008, fans had already moved on to the 25th Anniversary-style construction, and this is more in line with the 2002-2005 line which, on the whole, was considered dead in 2006. It's not often that a toy that was meant to never see release gets revived for a small, core group of fans, but this one manages to be exactly that. With decent articulation and good accessories, it has everything you might hope for shy of a display stand of his very own. The club actually put this toy on sale for about $15 briefly in September of this year, so you might consider grabbing one if the price is right. Despite the low run, $20 seemed too high for a lot of folks despite it being a lower run and something truly unusual with a neat bit of history behind it. (Also, it's a black repaint, and who doesn't love those?)
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