Friday, September 29, 2023

Action Figure Review: Cobra Eel from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 


   Hasbro has been releasing so many G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures recently that it's almost overwhelming, but in the best way possible! I've got a bunch of figures lined up to review with more arriving each day, but today I'm checking out the Cobra Eel, an Amazon exclusive. The original Cobra Eel was released in 1985 as part of the fourth series of figures. While I never had one as a kid, I did have the Eel's unique accessories from one of the weapons packs. My first Eel was the 25th Anniversary version from 2008. The Classified Series Eel does reuse some parts from Torpedo, but there is so much new stuff here that he doesn't feel like a repaint or anything. These guys have been a little tough to get but they do seem to be popping in and out of stock on Amazon. Hasbro will surely rerelease the Eels at some point, too, so patience will hopefully pay off. Let's dive in and look at the Cobra Eel after the break...





The Facts:

Height: 6 1/4th inches

Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed drop down hips, ball jointed waist, mid-torso hinge, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, ball jointed neck base, and a ball jointed head.

Accessories: 2 Flippers, knife, speargun, rebreather pack with helmet.

Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars






The Positives:



* While the base body is shared with Torpedo, the unique color scheme and, the bold Cobra logo, and all of the newly added parts really make the Eel stand out. Besides having armored shoulder pads and a separate armored harness around his neck, the there is also a unique waist piece and unique wrist covers. He's sporting a bit more stuff on his wetsuit, but the figure still has a sleek, stealthy look to it. 










* The Eel is a tough looking SOB. Yeah, you can't see most of his face under his neoprene diving hood, but you can definitely tell from his eyes that he's determined and just wants to mess up some stuff and some people. 










* The Cobra Eel has a different dive computer on his wrist than Torepdo. His is a sculpted part of the forearm and has a really neat graphic on the screen and a a control knob. I love this little feature!









* The helmet for the Eel is really cool with a clear lens, a communications antenna on the right ear, and what might be a headlamp on  the forehead. It's a snug fit but it stays on well and looks fantastic. The tubes for his rebreather are permanently attached to the helmet, but they're nice and flexible. 




* The rebreather is pretty large and it has the jet propulsion unit on the bottom that the vintage toy had. I assume that helps the Eels to move through the water more rapidly. The air hoses do rotate so you can position everything correctly. 







* Check out this cool Cobra Eels logo on the back of the rebreather! That's a really neat design!




* The Eel does share swim fins with Torpedo, but that's pretty smart reuse in my book. These fins are all black and kind of rubbery. That lets them easily fit over the Eel's feet rather than just clipping into peg hole. 


* The Cobra Eel also comes with the same speargun as Torpedo but with a different paintjob.  I like it as it's a very modern speargun with a sleek design and a harpoon on the end with some decent sized barbs, though it isn't as cool as the vintage Eel speargun that had two spears and a cattle prod like stinger on the tip. The speargun is a bit rubbery, but I don't find it to be overly so. Honestly, it's nice to not have to worry about the harpoon tip breaking off.

* The diving knife is another reuse from Torpedo. Still, it's a great knife and the color scheme is very appealing.



* There's also a sheath for the blade on the Eel's left ankle. 


* The Cobra Eel has fantastic articulation. While he's toting his scuba gear and some additional armored bits and bobs, there still isn't much to restrict his poses. Everything is sturdy, the joints have a great range of motion, and the Cobra Eel definitely looks impressive whether placed in traditional combat poses or in swimming poses. If you get a flight stand of some sort he would look really cool swimming across your shelf.


   Even though he has fewer accessories than some other figures, I still love the Cobra Eel. Hasbro did a really nice job on this guy and while there certainly is some overlap between him and Torpedo, it doesn't seem all that noticeable or appear that too many shortcuts were taken. The colors are great, the sculpt is excellent, and the breathing pack and helmet are just really nicely done. This guy is another Epic figure, adding some underwater support to the Cobra legions. 






This is the first Cobra Eel I've reviewed on the site. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:
Flint  










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2 comments:

  1. GIJigsawSeptember 30, 2023 at 10:27 AM

    One of the coolest Cobra figures. Such a pain to find. I'll be patient. Excellent review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17October 6, 2023 at 11:12 AM

      Hopefully he keeps popping up in stock at Amazon randomly. Hasbro will surely rerelease him at some point, too.

      Delete

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