Thursday, September 24, 2026

Action Figure Review: Zanya & Dreadnok Chameleon (Swamp Skier) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   It's Fall now and I'm getting overwhelmed again with new G.I. Joe: Classified Series releases! My Snow C.A.T. was just delivered, I recently received Sgt. Slaughter and the Triple T, Grand Slam and the H.A.L,. and the Fatal Fluffies, I found the latest series of figures (Mistress Armada, Iceberg, Synapse, Duke, & Toxo-Viper) at retail, and it seems like the retro carded Flash and Falcon, hooded Cobra Commander, and the Legacy collection avalanche rescue skier are on their way, too. And guess what? I'm still looking at a huge shelf of stuff to review from May through August! Crazy! Anyways, let's take a look at Zanya and the Dreadnok Chameleon (Swamp Skier), one of the multiple figure and vehicle combos from this year. The Classified Series has done an excellent job with the Dreadnoks so far and it's pretty exciting to get Zanya, Zartan's daughter, in the line. It's especially nice that we got her with the Chameleon instead of another variant of Zartan's classic costume. Zanya first appeared in 2001 in issue #2 of the Devil's Due Publishing/ Image comics G.I. Joe Volume 2 series, so calling her a "new" character definitely isn't accurate. She has an action figure in the 2011 Dreadnoks Battle Set that was part of the 30th Anniversary line so it's about time that we got her again. Ready to check out Zanya, the heir apparent of the Dreadnoks? Then join me after the break...





The Facts: Zanya

Height: 5 7/8ths inches

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

Accessories: 2 swappable heads, hairpiece, hat, 4 swappable hands, glasses, goggles, shotgun w/ removable stock and butt plate, machete, revolver, and holster.





 

The Facts: Dreadnok Chameleon (Swamp Skier)

Length: 10 and a 1/2 inches

Articulation: Swivel rear skis, working shocks on rear strut, swivel foot peg struts, swivel foot pegs, hinged under-seat storage lid, hinged under-handle bars/ console storage area, swivel handle bars, swivel front skis, and balljointed front fork. 

Accessories: None

Non-Scalper Price: $60 dollars


The Positives:

* Let's take a look at Zanya first as she's the star of the show. Hasbro's design for the Classified Series Zanya borrows freely from her comic designs and her 2011 figure, creating a figure that's not a one for one of any of the previous releases but that is still instantly recognizable. Rather than looking like she's completely inspired by 1970s and 1980s biker culture, Zanya looks more inspired by late 1990s and early 2000s goth and punk fashion: Green hair, a mesh shirt underneath a black belt shirt, and cargo pants. She looks like she shops at the Hot Topic of my teenage years! I really like the stylized Dreadnoks logo seated over a Cobra logo on her shirt and the way the mesh effect is pulled off on her shirt. It's textured and given a shade of paint between black and her skin tone, which really works quite well. She's also sporting a nonremovable spiked collar and some pretty nice stomach tattoos of birds with arrows through them, a reference to survival and resilience. 



* Zanya's been through a lot, too. She had a rough childhood and didn't meet her father, Zartan, until she was older. She has some rather severe features and a lot of piercings. They're tiny but they're sculpted and they each get a paint hit. I'm also really liking that smoky eyeshadow and her black lipstick. That's a heck of a combination with some green dreadlocks. A Dreadnok with dreadlocks! 








* Zanya's hair is really nicely detailed with a gradient of color so that her hair isn't all the same shade of green. 


* She has a lot of different ways to display her, including a pair of round glasses. Why? I'm not sure. They look pretty cool, though, and they actually fit on her fairly well. There is a spot on her hair piece that holds them in place. If you like punk girls with green hair and glasses then you're going to be very happy with Zanya.








* Are goggles more of your thing? Well, Zanya comes with some sweet goggles, too. These look excellent and stay on really well. They also make a lot of sense both for riding a motorcycle and for riding a swamp skier. 









* How about pairing those goggles with something like, say, a flight cap? Well, just pop off Zanya's hair and put this on her instead. I love this! It reminds me of Tank Girl. It's also similar to the hat that Horrorshow of the Oktober Guard wears. 










* Want something wild? Like really wild? How about a silver hockey mask. This is a separate headsculpt, not just a hair piece, and it shows off Zanya looking a bit like Jason in space but with shorter braids. I like how so many of the Dreadnoks have these crazy alternate masks. It almost feels like it could be another character, too. This pairs wonderfully with her included machete. 







* The articulation on Zanya is excellent. She's quite sturdy, has all of the joints you'd expect from this line, and most everything has a great range of motion. With her decent complement of weapons, multiple headgear options, and the included Chameleon swamp skier, you can really find a lot of things for her to do. 







* While Zanya herself has tons of new parts and headgear pieces, her accessories are largely reused. She includes the same Ruger .44 Magnum with a longer barrel and a serious scope that was included with Copperhead. This weapon looks like it packs a serious punch and seems to be designed for maximum accuracy.  









*  She also has the same over the shoulder holster for the revolver. It holds the pistol well and it has a nice texture with some additional sculpted rounds on the side. 









* Zanya also has Copperhead's golok machete, a short machete with a distinctive curved handle and curved blade end used for cutting heavier brush and growth at close range. It's a nice looking tool/ weapon and it goes nicely with her when she's wearing that metal hockey mask. 









* Zanya's belt isn't the same as Copperhead's but it does have a similar half-sheath for the golok to slip inside. 







* Two pair of hands are included with Zanya: A pair of fists and a pair of standard pistol grips for wielding her weapons. They swap easily and aren't something you see with every G.I. Joe: Classified Series release, so their inclusion is a nice surprise. 
* Let's shift our attention to the Chameleon swamp skier, a nice update of the vintage vehicle that was packed in with the 1984 Zartan action figure in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line. The swamp skier is a popular vintage vehicle due to it's connection with Zartan, though it really was a pretty small, simple vehicle. The 25th Anniversary Zartan figure even came with a miniature Chameleon. This time Hasbro has gone much larger, making this a very decent sized small vehicle. The colors are quite nice, though most of the main colors are simply molded with not too much paint.




* Four skis are present here and each one can swivel vertically, allowing you to place this on an uneven surface if you're doing a photo shoot or displaying it in action. The back skis also have "shocks" inside for the axle that goes through, which is a cool little feature. 









* While the blueprints for the original vehicle indicated that there was an ink blaster back here to throw off pursuers, this one just has four exhaust ports and a thruster. You can actually put one of the exhaust or missile effect pieces in the center port here, such as those that come with the Rattler, Dragonfly, or Snow C.A.T.
* The front controls are quite nice. There are plenty of sculpted dials and gauges, the handlebars can swivel, and there's an excellent yellow and black chameleon logo similar to the vintage toy right on the side. 


* The front has some transparent "light" pieces and a small machine or laser gun. The vintage toy was supposed to have a water cannon but I think a machine gun or laser is preferable. There's even a hollow barrel there for a firing effect.







* I really like that you can open the seat and the front console to store some extra gear. Most of Zanya's extras can fit inside to keep them from getting lost. It's a fun little feature and I appreciate it's inclusion. 








* Zanya is a smaller figure than your average Joe, but she can still sit on the Chameleon quite well. Since it's built for larger figures, too, you'll have know problem putting Zartan on here. The adjustable foot pads really help make it easier to pose and attach a figure, so I'm glad they have some articulation. 






* I failed to mention Zanya's shotgun, which looks to be a SPAS-12. It's quite solid, something that can't be said for earlier releases of this mold.

The Negatives:


* Unfortunately, the hinged stock and butt plate are still fidgety. You can't really fold the stock up without it falling off, either. It's one of my least favorite weapons from the Classified Series, unfortunately. 





* Zanya's belt has a little hook that's intended to... hold the shotgun like this? Apparently. It's a pretty weak inclusion and you're best to ignore it. Just throw the SPAS-12 under the seat. 








* Also like Copperhead, the little tab on the holster for the revolver just does not want to function properly. It's really annoying. Honestly, it would have been fine without the strap to lock the revolver in tight; there's enough friction to keep the gun in place on its own. 



* I like the engine detail here but the lack of any paint detail really makes it come off a bit flat. This surely could have been given a couple paint hits to keep it from looking so monotonous. 








   Zanya is an excellent figure and the only weakness is in her reused accessories which have a couple problems. It's a shame that Hasbro's Joe team didn't pick a few better designed for her; maybe it's because they put so much attention into all of the extra portraits headgear items for her? The Chameleon is definitely the best version of the vehicle we've ever had so far as I'm aware, though, and it's a pretty decent mid-size vehicle. It could use a few more paint applications on the engine pieces but I love the features like the shocks, the storage compartments, and the posable handlebars and foot pads. It's an all new small vehicle and, if you consider Zanya at the standard price of $28, then the Chameleon is $32. That's not too bad of a price for a smaller vehicle. It's not perfect, sure, but it's not bad. Overall, this is a Great and a 1/2 set. It's quite well done and I'm glad we not only got the Chameleon but another Dreadnok out of the set as well. It would have been really easy for Hasbro to re-release a "vintage" Zartan again,  but this is far more exciting in my book. 


These are the first figures of Zanya and the Chameleon that I've reviewed. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:
Destro  
Flint  












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9 comments:

  1. GIJigsawSeptember 26, 2026 at 9:08 AM

    I absolutely love this set. It is perfect.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17October 8, 2026 at 11:41 AM

      It did turn out quite nice. I do wish the engine were a bit more detailed but Zanya herself is a very impressive figure.

      Delete
  2. Krysta BeeSeptember 26, 2026 at 9:38 AM

    Always look forward to your GI Joe reviews. You’re spot on with the positives and negatives with this one. Such a great vehicle and figure combo, with just a few small drawbacks overall.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17October 8, 2026 at 11:41 AM

      Thanks for your comment! I've got a ton of G.I. Joe reviews coming soon as Hasbro has flooded the shelves and my porch with new stuff over the past month or so.

      Delete
  3. John HoodSeptember 27, 2026 at 5:46 AM

    The original Zartan with Swamp Skier (Chameleon) is one of my favourite Action Force (G.I. Joe) toys! This update looks great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17October 8, 2026 at 11:43 AM

      I took a peek at the Action Force version to see if it was any different. Just the stickers are different, right?

      Delete
    2. John HoodOctober 13, 2026 at 6:04 AM

      I'd imagine so!

      Delete
  4. C.D.September 27, 2026 at 3:58 PM

    Welcome back. I know it's been a few reviews, and weeks, but I only just saw that you're posting again. Congrats on the promotion. Love your reviews, looking forward to October!

    Zanya was a character I've liked since 2001, and was thrilled to get her again. The accessories are, agrees, disappointing. In a prototype she had an ak47 like the 30th anniversary, which is a shame.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17October 8, 2026 at 11:44 AM

      Yeah, about the accessories I'm presuming they used some previous equipment due to budget issues. She does have a ton of new pieces for her headsculpt, hair, and eyewear, plus the Swamp Skier is all new and less likely to be reused than other vehicles.

      Also, thank you for your kind words! I appreciate it.

      Delete

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