Tuesday, July 15, 2025

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

 

   Lots of new G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures have hit recently and today I'm starting to check out some figures from the newest series of single packed releases. Let's get this party started with Blowtorch, the G.I. Joe team's original flamethrower user. Blowtorch (AKA Timothy P. Hanrahan) was originally introduced in the 1984 series of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and went on to have a few appearances in the Marvel comic, the Sunbow animated series, and the Devil's Due comics. Despite never being a main character, Blowtorch's colorful outfit has seen him revisited as a character a few times in post 1994 G.I. Joe lines. I think he's most famous for his appearance in a PSA about fire safety which led to him appearing in the Fensler Film where Blowtorch's paranoia of fire and his love for porkchop sandwiches combined to make a memorable viral video. If you count the Night Force version of Rip Cord, Blowtorch completes the single carded releases of 1984 characters in the Classified Series, so that's interesting, too. I never had Blowtorch originally (he was before my time) but I did get one when I was in High School and was back into collecting the vintage G.I. Joe line. Ready to turn up the heat with Blowtorch? Curl up with a delicious porkchop sandwich and let's check this one out after the break...







The Facts:

Height: 6 3/8ths inches

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

Accessories: Flamethrower, hose, backpack, helmet, breathing unit, air mask, air hose, pistol, and 3 flame attachments.

Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars






Comparison:

* On the left is the Classified Series Blowtorch while the vintage figure is on the right. While you can see the connection, Hasbro's Joe team really beefed this guy up with more intricate equipment and a more modern feel. They still kept the color scheme but they really toned it down so he fits in with the modern line.




The Positives:

* While the U.S. Military doesn't use flamethrowers anymore (and hasn't since the late 1970s), Blowtorch somehow still has a job. Flamethrowers aren't banned in combat outright, but the U.S. doesn't use them. Still, I figure the Joe team has to have them for some crazy reasons rather than just torching Cobra troops. Maybe Blowtorch is burning drug fields or melting the walls of a Cobra ice fortress? Whatever he's doing, Blowtorch is well protected. He's got armor and a thick suit, probably lined with flame repellant material, and there's no skin showing except at his face (which gets covered; don't worry). His outfit is impressive and looks very cool with a great muted red and yellow color scheme. He could possibly fit in along with Tiger Force if you wanted him, too. His chest armor and thigh panels aren't removable but they are separate pieces that move a bit to help keep his articulation from being impeded.





* Hasbro definitely based Blowtorch's portrait off of his vintage figure. His hair looks swept over, probably because of how sweaty his head gets inside of his helmet and breathing mask. He's a decent looking guy and he looks a bit serious. I guess if you're carrying a bunch of combustible fluids on your person into a combat situation you'd have to be made of strong stuff.






* Here's a shot of his boots and legs, also heavily passed and covered with armor and flame retardant material. He's also sporting some heavy duty kneepads, so he doesn't have to give it a second thought if he wants to hit the ground. Blowtorch doesn't have a boot swivel, oddly enough, but he's got so much gear on his legs I presume he'd not be capable of moving that much. 








* To keep his lungs safe from breathing all kinds of nasty crap, Blowtorch comes with a gas mask/ breathing mask that covers his entire face. It loops around his head and tucks down into his collar. There's a clear lens so he can see what he's doing, too! A hose connects from the mask to the removable breathing unit on his chest. It's a nice setup! I'm guessing this is some sort of air scrubber or filter, part of a gas mask setup. Definitely seems more in that area of gear than an oxygen tank or something. 








* Last up is an armored helmet that covers the rest of Blowtorch's head and keeps him well protected. The helmet is very similar in design the the helmets seen on many other figures, but it's the same yellow as his jumpsuit and has some extra additions. It looks like it has some serious ear protection and maybe some sensors on the sides or perhaps flashlights for working in darker environments? I'm not quite sure what they'd be, but they are pretty cool.






* Blowtorch isn't a ninja. In fact, he's more armored up than most figures in the line. He still moves pretty well, though. The only point of articulation he's missing are the boot swivels, probably because his boots are so large and really are covered by his armored pants and jumpsuit. He's solid and he can take some pretty good poses with his flamethrower in action. He's a lot of fun to mess around with, particularly when you're using his different flame attachments. 







* The vintage Blowtorch has a green pistol molded on his leg, so this update gets a green pistol that is removable. It's a simple piece, nothing overly special, but it does give him an extra weapon if needed.






* There's a holster hanging down from Blowtorch's belt and the pistol fits in easily. It stays in place just fine, so no worries about losing it.










* Blowtorch's flamethrower is the same as Torch's, but the black and yellow color scheme is reversed. Huh. Interesting. Model-wise, it looks more like the pack from a classic M2-2 flamethrower. The backpack fits on pretty securely as does the hose that connects it to the flamethrower gun itself. It's a bit unwieldy but the flamethrower can clip on beneath the tanks for storage.






* The flamethrower itself is really cool. It kind of reminds me of the M240 Incinerator Unit from Aliens, a movie model that used parts from the M16 and M203. It looks more like a traditional gun than most regular flamethrowers that were in US military service. There's a protective grill of some sort on the front as well as an M16-like carrying handle on top.





* Like with Torch, Blowtorch gets three flame attachments that can be swapped out at will. The first is a small flame that fits in the barrel, maybe right before or right after he's using it. I imagine this is the pilot light, correct?


* Next up is a huge burst of flame. This is really, really cool looking and definitely an intimidating piece. I love the look of this one and the different colors in the plastic.







* Last up is a stream of flame that is jetting out of the barrel. This one is really gnarly and definitely is going to cause some damage. Think we'll see these reused with Charbroil and Ice Cream Soldier down the road?







The Negatives:

* My only complaint is that the strap for Blowtorch's breathing mask is so tight that it rubs off on his hair. Honestly, a swappable gas mask wearing head maybe have been the better way to go? Or maybe the helmet and mask attached as one piece? I like a lot of accessories, so maybe I'm wrong here.






   Blowtorch is lit. Seriously, he's a really good figure and the Hasbro Joe team just absolutely nailed him. A great design, a great update, and some very cool accessories. Just be careful with his mask and you'll be fine. He's a ton of fun to mess around with, especially with the different flame effects. Mix those flame effects up a bit and you can take some incredibly cool pictures. Pit him against Torch and fight fire with fire! This guy is a cool addition to the team and a key part of the 1984 roster. He's an Epic figure and really fun to incorporate into your display. Blowtorch bringing the heat!


This is the first figure of Blowtorch (AKA Timothy P. Hamrahan) I've reviewed. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:


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2 comments:

  1. 555July 16, 2025 at 5:15 AM

    Blowtorch has the distinction of being one of the few Joes whose real name is mentioned in the cartoon series - as well as dying at the hands of Cobra. In the 'Worlds Without End' two-parter, his name is listed as the first casualty of the final war with Cobra; given that he died with Duke, Alpine and Bazooka it must have been one hell of a last stand. He gets much better treatment in the post-Marvel Hama comics, and will definitely be a worthy addition to the shelf.

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  2. The Toy BoxJuly 16, 2025 at 7:02 AM

    It still saddens me that Hasbro made this line really inaccessible to collector's who didn't have the bandwidth or desire to allocate the time equivalent to a full time job to collect this series.

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