Archive: Cobra Shock Trooper - Elite Combat Troper (City Strike)

The Cobra Shock Trooper was released in the fourth quarter of 2010 as part of the third wave of figures in the Pursuit of Cobra line. The Pursuit of Cobra line features environment-themed missions in which the G.I. Joe team pursues Cobra operatives to the ends of the earth. As part of the City Strike mission theme, the G.I. Joe team stealthily infiltrates a Cobra warehouse, in an urban center, housing some of Destro's newest weaponry.

Both the accessories and character I.D. card biography suggest the Shock Trooper is, in reality, a SWAT trooper. Shock troopers are military assault troops that specialize in operational mobility and often lead attacks on enemy defenses, while SWAT troopers are paramilitary troops that perform tactical, high-risk operations. SWAT troopers are typically armed with equipment capable of breaching barricades and subduing enemies, such as sledgehammers, shields and electroshock weapons; all gear included with the Shock Trooper.

Archive: Snake Eyes - Ninja Commando (Desert Battle)

Snake Eyes was released in the fourth quarter of 2010 as part of the third wave of figures in the Pursuit of Cobra line. The Pursuit of Cobra line features environment-themed missions in which the G.I. Joe team pursues Cobra operatives to the ends of the earth. As part of the Desert Battle mission theme, the G.I. Joe team battles Cobra's newest weapon, the H.I.S.S. Tank, through the heavy sandstorms and arid wastelands of the desert.

With over 50 versions of Snake Eyes throughout the years--four in the Pursuit of Cobra line alone--this version embodies what one would expect in an ultimate update: it closely resembles its vintage counterparts with a subtle touch of modern interpretation, the figure's body is well proportioned and has a wide range of articulation, and it includes a generous amount of gear--including many weapons from both the first (1982) and second (1985) versions of Snake Eyes--as well as an alternate head.

G.I. Joe 2 Adds Stevenson as Cobra Villain Firefly

Jon M. Chu's G.I. Joe sequel has its first new villain. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ray Stevenson has been cast for the role of Cobra saboteur Firefly, in G.I. Joe 2. Stevenson joins Byung-hun Lee, who will reprise his role as Storm Shadow, as the second confirmed member of the Cobra team. Actors Sienna Miller and Joseph Gordon-Levitt who played Cobra villains Baroness and the Doctor, respectively, in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, will not be back for the sequel. It's unknown if Christopher Eccleston will return as Destro. G.I. Joe 2 begins filming at the end of the summer and is scheduled for an August 2012 release.

Archive: Jungle-Viper - Cobra Jungle Trooper (Jungle Assault)

The Jungle-Viper was released in the fall of 2010 as part of the second wave of figures in the Pursuit of Cobra line. The Pursuit of Cobra line features environment-themed missions in which the G.I. Joe team pursues Cobra operatives to the ends of the earth.. As part of the Jungle Assault mission theme, a G.I. Joe team led by Duke discovers a heavily fortified Cobra fortress, the Terror Drome, in a remote jungle.

Without the ghillie suit, you could easily mistake the Jungle-Viper as a modern update to the Night-Viper. The black and green camouflage and flip-down, night vision visor have an obvious influence borrowed from the 1989 Cobra night fighter. Jungle-Vipers are more theater-specific troopers, however, and are different from Night-Vipers in that they aren't combat troopers, but snipers who lurk invisibly in the shadows, taking out the enemy with a precision shot from their high-powered rifles.

Hasbro's Comic-Con Exclusives Detailed

Hasbro released details of their exclusive G.I. Joe lineup for this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Confirmed earlier this year at G.I. JoeCon, the exclusives include both a classic and Cold Slither chase variant version of Zarana on "burst" style packaging, and a G.I. Joe / Transformers cross-over Starscream set. The Starscream jet is modeled after the soon-to-be-released 30th Anniversary Sky Striker XP-21F jet and includes a pilot Cobra Commander figure with Megatron gun accessory. The Starscream jet will also include additional decals for unique number, letter and piping possibilities. The exclusives can be purchased at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth (booth 3329) on the exhibitor floor with both versions of Zarana priced at $12.99 and the Starscream with Cobra Commander set priced at $49.99. Comic-Con 2011 kicks off on July 20.

G.I. Joe 2 Casts Lady Jaye

It didn't take long for Flint to get his Lady Jaye. Days after the announcement that D.J. Cotrona signed on to play the role of Flint in the second installment of G.I. Joe on the big screen, Deadline.com is reporting that Adrianne Palicki will play Flint's love interest and covert operations specialist Lady Jaye. Palicki was tapped for the starring role in the Wonder Woman television series, which shot a pilot, but wasn't picked up by a network. Deadline.com is also reporting that the original G.I. Joe, Joe Colton, is rumored to have a role in the film and rumblings are that Bruce Willis is a favorite for the part.

Archive: Iron Grenadier - Elite Trooper (City Strike)

The Iron Grenadier was released in the Spring of 2011 as part of the sixth wave--which arrived at retail before wave five--of figures in the Pursuit of Cobra line. The Pursuit of Cobra line features environment-themed missions in which the G.I. Joe team pursues Cobra operatives to the ends of the earth. As part of the City Strike mission theme, the G.I. Joe team stealthily infiltrates a Cobra warehouse, in an urban center, housing some of Destro's newest weaponry.

Iron Grenadiers share the same body, flak vest, and shoulder and shin armor as City Strike Destro, with a different paint scheme. Considering Iron Grenadiers are Destro's elite troopers, the choice to use City Strike Destro as the basis for this figure makes sense. The armor gives a consistent feel to this heavy weapons regiment and if you're an Iron Grenadier, it bodes well to the quality of your armor if Destro is willing to wear it himself.