[nighthawk]

Nice Cobra Commander repaint.

[FlintWO2]

I love the additional pics, and as I stated before great work! I can look at beautiful customs like this all day. Makes me feel like I'm 8 years old again! 😊

[Loose Cannon]

Wow! This would have been so cool back in the day, says my 8 year old self.

[HissHissFangFan]

Definitely, my own childhood self was a major consultant on these--a huge fan of the toys, cartoons, and comics. The cartoon, not so much, but you gotta try throwing some of that in there for a true celebration of it all (or a least proto concepts, since technically this set represents a time before the cartoons--says my kid self).
Almost done with these...


gCobra_25th_82-2p3_2017-0708ab by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

Cobra Air Trooper: The same concept that Hasbro introduced in 2007, except where the file card alludes to them also being Cobra Fighter Jet pilots, in my mind Cobra and Joes do not get jet fighters until post 1983. Rather, I see these air troopers first being Jet Pack troopers, then repacked as a toy in 1983 as the Viper (glider) pilots. He’s an analogue to Grand Slam (silver pads), and though his JUMP pack may translate too directly to GS’s gear (stolen gear?), it does look great in Cobra blue. His alternate air gear is the Fang-inspired heli-pack from the 2013 Cobra Commander.

Recipe: Upper body from 2013 DG Cobra Trooper, lower body from 2013 Sgt Airborne. Helmet and Jet pack from 2007 Cobra Air Trooper, head from 2008 Cobra Eel. Extra jet pack handle from 2008 CLAW. Webgear from 2013 Cobra Invasion Trooper. Repainted figure with Citadel Kantor Blue, Testors Flat Black.

Cobra Flametrooper: This one started out in my O13 as a laser trooper and an analogue to Flash (matching laser rifle and all), and had the same build as my early Comm officer (anti-Breaker). He evolved into something a bit more intimidating, and into a complement to the Air Trooper in terms of look and placement in the group shot.

I’ll note here that each of the figures of this set evolved over the years in response to each other and to the look of the overall group shot (taken year after year). Also, reuse of parts and colors in this set is entirely intentional to maintain a uniform look and feel—something that, in retrospect, endears me to the Hasbro’s G.I. Joe O13 toy set of 1982 and that is unique to the Joe O13 compared to subsequent figure waves.

Recipe: Lower body from 2013 DG Cobra Trooper, upper body from 2013 Sgt Airborne. Helmet from 2007 Cobra Air Trooper, head from 2008 Cobra Eel. Backpack from 2009 Blowtorch, flamethrower from Marauder Gun Runners. Repainted figure with Citadel Kantor Blue, Testors Flat Black.

[jlw515]

OMG! See this is why we needed the individual close-up pics! The CLAW handle on the Jet Pack just makes super duper sense. The fact that you've suggested your Air Trooper as a VIPER Glider Pilot is also just ingenious! Plus I love your idea that these characters are like the nemesis of particular 'Joe characters i.e. your "anti-Breaker" statement. Also, just a thought about the similarities between 'Joe and Cobra weapons (at least this is how I view my 'Joeverse) is that the same weapons supplier is somehow selling weapons to both sides, hmmmm?

As a HUGE fan of the original blue suit Cobra troopers all of your customs are just amazing, and it makes me want to buy up as many army building DG blue Cobras I can find on ebay to replicate many of these customs.

I do have a suggestion on your Bazooka Cobra helmet. Have you thought about taking the net from Shadow Tracker, painting it black, and covering the helmet?

Oh, and thank you for listing what brand and color paints you use!

Can't wait to see how you update other Cobra soldiers like HISS Tank Drivers and Stinger Drivers!!

Jason

[chuckles32]

Yeah, I'd like to see Hiss or Stinger drivers, or an early version of a pilot for the FANGs..

[Kairos]

These are all really awesome! I love how each member has a specific function; something we don't usually get with Cobra guys.

[HissHissFangFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlw515

OMG! See this is why we needed the individual close-up pics! The CLAW handle on the Jet Pack just makes super duper sense. The fact that you've suggested your Air Trooper as a VIPER Glider Pilot is also just ingenious! Plus I love your idea that these characters are like the nemesis of particular 'Joe characters i.e. your "anti-Breaker" statement. Also, just a thought about the similarities between 'Joe and Cobra weapons (at least this is how I view my 'Joeverse) is that the same weapons supplier is somehow selling weapons to both sides, hmmmm?

As a HUGE fan of the original blue suit Cobra troopers all of your customs are just amazing, and it makes me want to buy up as many army building DG blue Cobras I can find on ebay to replicate many of these customs.

I do have a suggestion on your Bazooka Cobra helmet. Have you thought about taking the net from Shadow Tracker, painting it black, and covering the helmet?

Oh, and thank you for listing what brand and color paints you use!

Can't wait to see how you update other Cobra soldiers like HISS Tank Drivers and Stinger Drivers!!

Jason

Thanks for the comments Jason. The weapons supplier connection/idea is fun! Let me know how you'd like your no-prize delivered...

The nemesis idea was really just an easy way of generating ideas for basic, different, but generic troopers for the set. The Joe O13 are, after all pretty generic and standard per MO (no offense to the O13, though, as you'll see in my future threads). The nemesis idea would have had cross-sell potential back in the day, in retrospect. But in the end, I never intended or set out to do straight up anti-versions of each of the 13 Joes.

The netting from Shadow Tracker? I never opened mine, so I went to check, and as it turns out...I didn't own one! The goggles on the heavy hardware troops are pretty tight on the helmets anyway.

If you do repaint the blue on the Cobra Troopers, be warned that the Citadel tends to attract more dust. If I were starting from scratch today, I would probably go with Tamiya Flat Blue, with a Satin or Flat varnish/finish.

[HissHissFangFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kairos

These are all really awesome! I love how each member has a specific function; something we don't usually get with Cobra guys.

Well every Cobra (agent or trooper) seemed to have a VERY specific function after (during?) 1983, and a very specific..color (put mildly)--same thing for Joes. Every figure in both camps became even more varied in look and color each year--and less like they were on a specific team.

The upsides of the change in philosophy are obvious, given the success of the ARAH line. But with this set, I wanted to make the argument that Hasbro may have been able to find a better balance between variety and uniformity. Would that philosophy have sold as well? My guess: no. Still, fun to think about, and fun to make the set...

[HissHissFangFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckles32

Yeah, I'd like to see Hiss or Stinger drivers, or an early version of a pilot for the FANGs..

Unfortunate timing for my last writeup on these...


gCobra_25th_82-2p5_2017-0708ab by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

Baroness: In my early O13 sets, I had a HISS driver and matching FANG pilot, but later convinced myself that those 2 figures were more of 1983 concept for both comics and toys--and I was at that point firmly dedicated to a 1982 only set. So I needed new fill ins, and the blue Baroness made a lot of sense and seemed like a good figure to try and recreate. This would be my first attempt at working with a little sculpting material on Joe figures. I hate sculpting.

Recipe: 2008 Baroness head, 2007 Scarlett entire body. Gun from Pyramid of Darkness DVD Pack Cobra Paratrooper. Gloves and body suit details were cut off and/or sanded down. The head did not sit well on the Scarlett body, so hot glue was used reposition it on the body’s neck ball. Belt, shoulder pads and collar sculpted with Aves Apoxie. Repainted figure with Citadel Enchanted Blue, Testors Flat Black, and (??) Gold.

Dr. Venom: When my custom Baroness came together nicely, I thought that Dr. Venom would work well flanking the Commander, opposite of the Baroness. So I tried to kitbash my own version with cheap figures in my fodder bin—using the Collector’s Club figure as a basis. One regret I have with this figure and the Baroness is that they use early 25th figure parts, whereas all the others are rebuilt with later 30th figure parts—but I don’t think there are better 30th figure parts for these particular figure builds (any ideas are welcome).

Recipe: 2007 Cobra Trooper (or similar repack) torso and upper arms; 2008 Wild Bill (or similar repack) lower arms; 2007 Star Wars Comic Pack Grand Moff Tarkin head; 2009 Movie 2-Pack Tunnel Rat legs; 2009 Rise of Cobra Dr. Rex coat, RexLace for the tie. Repainted with Testors Flat white, Citadel Astronomican Grey, Citadel Kantor Blue.