[StalemateSB]

Just got my Cobra/Cobra officer 2-packs this afternoon, here are my first impressions. Tl;dr - a nice dose of nostalgia marred by qc issues.

I ordered 2 sets, they came well packed in a cardboard box with plastic padding. Inside is the standard Hasbro brown box:



Inside that box is the actual product box:





The bottom of the box separates (after you cut the tape) and looks kind of like a footlocker. It's fitted snugly even after cutting the tape and I tore it a bit pulling it off.



Inside is some tissue paper protecting the accessories, as well as the legal pamphlet.



All the accessories out of the paper ~ 2 stands, a mortar, a bazooka, a Rock 'n Roll gun, Stalker's grease gun, and a couple others (I don't know the real names or which vintage figures they all may have come with)



Inside the main box - the carded figures!





One thing I noticed even before taking the figures out of their blister, the Cobra has a white plastic stress mark on his left elbow. Hasbro, this is not acceptable!! Presumably this is from when the elbow rivet was attached. The joints aren't even especially tight, I would say they are right about where they should be.



Cobra & Cobra Officer unleashed from their plastic prisons, nice!





So there is something really weird going on with the Officer's knee joints. They are sculpted such that they really limit movement; he can't even bend his knee 90 degrees...



The regular Cobra is much better



Here's a comparison with 1983 Cobra, 1983 Officer, and 2022 Officer. The vintage figures have much better knee range than the 2022 figures. WTF?



At first I thought it was because of these sprue nubs on the backs of the knee, but the problem persisted even after I cut them down with my knife. It appears to be a problem with the sculpt itself. Also he has that silly product stamp on the back of the leg, I'll have to try to remove that somehow.



There was also a bit of paint slop on the front left leg of the Officer :(




I was trying to pose him using his mortar but, umm.. yeah.



Back to the Cobra (Trooper).. I wanted to have him hold the bazooka, but the handle on it is huge, way too big for his hand. Is this a joke? There is no way that thing is going on there without stressing or breaking the thumb. Reminds me of vintage Zap. Also the bazooka is made of blue or black plastic, painted green, so the paint began to scrape off. I gave up on it pretty quickly.





He handles the Rock 'n Roll gun pretty well, though!



Holding some of the other accessories.





Here's some comparison photos - 1982 Cobra, 1983 Cobra, 2022 Cobra, and 2021 Cobra Trooper.



Same comparison with Cobra Officer. '82 has a replacement cobra logo which is why it's bigger.



Other general observations: Other than what's noted the paint apps appear clean and crisp, although I prefer the eyes and brows on the vintage figures. The plastic is softer and has a duller finish than the vintage, but that was expected based on what we got with the Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow set. The inclusion of the figure stands is always appreciated. For the price I would expect much better quality control, and I can understand how someone with a limited budget would feel they aren't getting their money's worth here. For me these are better left on card so I don't think I'll open my other set. I worry that once these go plastic-free there won't be much reason to buy them, unless it's a character I don't have the vintage figure of or the quality improves. Thanks for reading!

[ozzie92]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StalemateSB

For me these are better left on card so I don't think I'll open my other set. I worry that once these go plastic-free there won't be much reason to buy them, unless it's a character I don't have the vintage figure of or the quality improves. Thanks for reading!

Totally agree, here!

Thanks for the in-depth review. I?ll be leaving mine carded as planned, and placing the extra weapons inside the star cases I will be displaying the carded figures in.

[CodeNameRebel]

Do the knee joints do better if you boil them like you had to do with the Retro Fang Pilot?

[SmokeBellew]

I like the face paint apps and even the lighter shade of blue, but I don't know that I actually want these. I was hoping seeing real photos (not a youtube vid) of the actual product in hand would make me want 'em, but I just ain't feeling it. I think I've just been doing this too long and I'm done.

I gotta bring up Pulse's dicked up fulfillment of these though. I've never encountered any store that ships the way they do. They're so weird. Maybe they fulfill member's orders first, which would be alright.

[StalemateSB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodeNameRebel

Do the knee joints do better if you boil them like you had to do with the Retro Fang Pilot?

Hmm, good suggestion! I just tried it and yes, it does help some. Still not as good as the vintage figures but better, thanks.

[StalemateSB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeBellew

I like the face paint apps and even the lighter shade of blue, but I don't know that I actually want these. I was hoping seeing real photos (not a youtube vid) of the actual product in hand would make me want 'em, but I just ain't feeling it. I think I've just been doing this too long and I'm done.

I gotta bring up Pulse's dicked up fulfillment of these though. I've never encountered any store that ships the way they do. They're so weird. Maybe they fulfill member's orders first, which would be alright.

I am a member and it would be nice if that was one of the perks because I don't really think the membership is worth it. Sometimes I just have more money than sense, as they say. I'm also in that space now where I'm excited to get ANYTHING Joe from them, the last thing was I think some BATs back in January?

[Mega Convoy]

Wow, never thought I'd say it but I can't really see a reason unless you're a new collector, lost or sold yours or a completist. I'm good just with the retros as the art is same. The officer is tolerable.

[ozzie92]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mega Convoy

Wow, never thought I'd say it but I can't really see a reason unless you're a new collector, lost or sold yours or a completist. I'm good just with the retros as the art is same. The officer is tolerable.

Just like the Retro carded SW figures, these have become my carded collection. When that packaging goes away, they had better switch over to new characters or I am through collecting them.

EDIT: …and, upside down. :(

[iostream71]

Told y'all those elbows were gonna be a problem(especially on darker figures) with that new plastic. Those rivets stress it too much

[sbartek1974]

I'm guessing Lenny didn't have time to play with these before they went into production.