[MAJICobra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuburbanHell

Absolutely agree on color choices, but also bad head/body sculpts not helping back then, so I'M my ranking of the 89 bad guys would go:

Gnawgahyde > TARGAT > Annihilator > Night-Viper > Alley-Viper > HEAT Viper > Frag-Viper

The various vipers after 88/89 started being real hard sells for me.

See, I totally agree with Bryon onranking of the 89 baddies, but not on the color choices being an issue. I love all of the color variations, save Frag Viper which was bland and uninspired.

To be sure, for the modern, adult senses the colors could've incorporated more blues, reds and silvers a la previous Cobra rank and file, but the colors of the 89 Cobras and Iron Grenadiers were a nice variation to kids at the time, and avoided the ghastly neon's of the later years.

I think 1989 holds up very well compared with say 1991...while the same distance apart as 84 and 86's line ups, they are light years away from one another in aesthetics.

[SpottedEagleSvn]

I'm hopeful that we'll continue to see a good spread of safe and riskier bets moving forward. With Retro being a regular thing, they have another way to revisit the more popular characters without using main line slots for them. Maybe that makes it easier to release some of the more out-there concepts one or two at a time to see what we'll buy.

[Snakeeyesisposh]

I used to call Frag Vipers Frog vipers because the head and the
body reminded me of frogs like Black Manta's head.

If it looks like the old Frag Viper . . . .
Torpedo's body?

[RedAlert Rescue]

I guessing that some characters are going to debut as Retro and then later show up in the mainline or Store Exclusives a sub-group repaint or minor remould.

For example Beachhead initially as the new Retro and then as TF Beachhead later on.

I think there is some characters who scream "need a Retro" like Jinx and some other who are perfectly fine as-is for example Quick Kick or Big Boa wouldn't be on any short list of Retro's I'd ever make up. The main reason being that one of the main reason I'd even want a retro is correct body parts, and correct accessories and yet that is the very thing they seem dis-inclined to offer in the 1st place.

I am not going to obsess about ARAH accuracy so much as I am say Practicality in some instances.. take someone like Night Creeper Commander. I think "Conceptually" that is a fine idea but due to it being a 1990's item it has all the problem with it's accessories and maybe the colour saturation is a bit much... a prime example of where an item xould greatly benefit from a sensitive re-imagining.

But I just worry that if they made a lot of these "Ninja" all they end up doing is recycling accessories over and over again.

Which is perfectly fine if it is a cartoon laser rifle on an M-16 but not ideal if they just randomly decide to give everyone the same Melee weapons as Akkiko over and over again.

[Jeffrozup]

Frag Vipers coming might mean Cobra Letal is not far behind since they fall under his leadership and sub team.

Alley Vipers - SWAT/air
Frag Vipers - demolitions
Saw Vipers - demolitions
Night Vipers - nocturnal
Heat Vipers - anti- tank

I can see a Night Vipers 2 pack being made with the green and red versions. It would also make sense to put Saw Vipers and Frag Vipers together since both demolitions experts.

[280-CUSTOMS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Pants

I'm inclined to agree.

I am as well i love night vipers the poc/30th version was great in both colors he had perfect form for an action figure not top heavy not light in the ass he was a well balanced figure . I could deal w/about 10 of them in each color ..

[captain mal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpottedEagleSvn

I'm hopeful that we'll continue to see a good spread of safe and riskier bets moving forward. With Retro being a regular thing, they have another way to revisit the more popular characters without using main line slots for them. Maybe that makes it easier to release some of the more out-there concepts one or two at a time to see what we'll buy.

I also hope they don't forget about Version Two and subsequent versions of characters. We're getting the most iconic versions - but there are a ton of characters that have great second, third, fourth versions...

Duke, Roadblock, Hawk, Scarlett, Lowlight, Grunt, Mutt, Major Bludd, Gung Ho, Flint, Stalker, Rock n Roll...

[Trigger2K]

Wonder what the chances are of more Tiger Paws and Ferrets getting made? Seems like they both had a really low number so far.

They're still on Pulse so not archived. I'm wondering if they charged too little and didn't see enough profit or what.

[CG Steve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07GT500 COBRA

Same. I always liked my Cobra troop divisions based on environment rather than weapon specialty.

Hard agree. I know that takes the "fun" out of GI JOE, and I still make room for oddball uniforms, vehicles, and certain devices but not so much with squad roles. I have designated marksmen, heavy weapons, SAW gunners, etc. but they just wear blue trooper or Viper outfits.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryon

Agreed. '89 enemy figures suffered from dumb color choices. However, many of them had great designs and most of them did come with some pretty cool gear. All things considered, here's how I would rank them:

Night-Viper > Alley-Viper > TARGAT > Annihilator > Gnawgahyde > HEAT Viper > Frag-Viper.

The Brown/Blue combo is UGLY, though the V2 club camo version isn't much better, due to the hideous shade of brown. From a battle standpoint, the sash seems stupid. The weapons are cool, I guess.

Yeah, many of these could use a Classified "modernizing" or "softening" update on the color tones. I actually owned T.A.R.G.A.T., HEAT Viper, and Annihilator as a kid.

Like the Frag Viper, I think the HEAT Viper would be a pass for me but T.A.R.G.A.T. is an awesome experimental specialty troop that was perfect in the OG colors.

I like the design of the Annihilator, but not necessarily the color of the uniform and definitely not the man portable gyro pack concept. I would repurpose them as the IG equivalent to the CGs based on their loud color and dress looking uniform.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuburbanHell

Absolutely agree on color choices, but also bad head/body sculpts not helping back then, so I'M my ranking of the 89 bad guys would go:

Gnawgahyde > TARGAT > Annihilator > Night-Viper > Alley-Viper > HEAT Viper > Frag-Viper

The various vipers after 88/89 started being real hard sells for me.

I'm not exact on the release dates, but I also had a Laser Viper and a Flak Viper. I think both of those would be passes for "adult" me.

[Tanksmasher]

Frag Viper would look better with a non-spandex type uniform. The original is a little too smooth. The cesta is fine but giving him an MGL would give us a modernized option.