Saturday, September 30, 2023

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

 



   Snake Eyes has definitely received the most figures in the G.I. Joe: Classified Series so far but it doesn't feel like he's being overdone. Other than maybe the movie Snake Eyes (who didn't hang around as much as the rest of the movie figures), it's tough to say that any version of Snake Eyes hasn't been a brisk seller. Today I'm really excited to check out the Retro Carded version of Snake Eyes which is inspired by the vintage 1982 action figure. While none have been bad, the Retro Carded figures have been pretty hit or miss as to their desirability (Zartan, Baroness, and Destro were simple repaints while Gung Ho and Lady Jaye had some major differences from their mainline counterparts). Snake Eyes is definitely a hit and it build differently from the previous Snake Eyes figures with a mixture of parts from previous Snake Eyes figures, Stalker, and quite a few new elements. Snake Eyes is definitely the face of G.I. Joe now, hiding his face and being a man of few words. Let's take a look at this impressive Retro Carded Snake Eyes after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 6 1/4 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 barbell jointed head.

Accessories: Uzi, holster, sheathe, pistol, suppressor, 2 grenades, knife, explosives satchel, and display stand.

Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars.

The Positives:

* The Original 13 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero figures from 1982 freely shared parts and Snake Eyes shared a torso with Stalker, Breaker, Hawk, and Grunt. This retro version of Snake Eyes shares the body of 2022's Sgt. Stalker, so he's sporting the same basic a commando sweater with BDU pants. of course, Snake Eyes is sporting all black. The little details on his outfit like the ribbing on the collars and cuffs of his shirt, the pattern of the material on his pants, and the non-removable web gear (though it is a separate piece) really brings some nice detail to the sculpt and make for a different take on Snake Eyes. The only non-black on the figure is some green on the parts of his webgear like the belt buckle, grenade, and knife. 


* While the Alpha Commandos Snake Eyes was already a pretty decent take on a commando Sake Eyes, this version is even truer to the vintage toy with a simpler face mask and more squarish goggles. I love the expression on Snake Eyes' face, too. It conveys so much emotion and pathos with a raw intensity that is unmatched by all but the greatest Shakespearean thespians. 


* The Classified Series has incredible articulation and Snake Eyes benefits from reusing an excellent body. He looks great holding any of his weapons and has an excellent range of motion. These are without a doubt the most well articulated and highest quality figures on the market for the price and I just love messing around with them. This guy is now one of my go-to favorites.



* Snake Eyes' primary weapon is his ever faithful Uzi. It looks perfect with this version of Snake Eyes. 




*  His sidearm is shared with Stalker: A nicely detailed pistol equipped with an extended magazine. It's a great looking weapon and it even has a paint application on the grip. 




* Snakes also comes with a boxy suppressor that fits into the barrel of the pistol. It looks like an Osprey from SilencerCo to me.




* Snake Eyes can tote his pistol and suppressor around in this handy, dandy holster. It securely stores both pieces of equipment and keeps them close at hand. 










* Snake Eyes also has the same standard knife as Stalkr, though his has a black blade and a green handle.





* It slides in securely to his convenient sheath on his left hip.




* Snake Eyes has some all new accessories, one of which is this explosives satchel. This is based off of the satchel included with the vintage 1982 Snake Eyes and has three pouches which presumably contain explosives and detonators. 



* The coolest new accessory are these two grenades. They can clip onto Snake Eyes' webgear or the strap of his explosives pouch and they look incredible. 





* Since he's a Retro figure, Snake Eyes comes with a pain black display stand. 
The Negatives:

*  The only issue I have with Snake Eyes is one carried over from Staker: The knife on his web gear is not removable! That's inexcusable for a 1/12th scale line! Toy Biz pulled it off on a Resident Evil figure back in 1998 and Hasbro was giving 1/18th scale Joes removable knives on their web gear during the post G.I. Joe: Resolute era, so what's going on? I was absolutely crushed to learn this knife wasn't removable. Crushed! I still am, too.

   This Retro take on Snake Eyes is really, really good. I'm loving this guy and I find myself always wanting to mess around with him. While there is a lot of reuse there is also plenty of new stuff here, too. He's a Great and a 1/2 figure and definitely on of the best Retro carded figures in the Classified Series. At PulseCon we learned that these retro figures are going to continue, so it'll be exciting to see how some of those figure turn out. I'm really excited for Beach Head! 





If you're a fan of Snake Eyes check out my reviews of the G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Ninja Paratrooper Snake Eyes, Snake Eyes from the G.I. Joe Retaliation Tactical Ninja Team, and the G.I. Joe: Classified Series Snake Eyes, Snake Eyes deluxe, Snake Eyes & Timber: Alpha Commandos, and the G.I. Joe Origins Snake Eyes. 

For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:
Flint  






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