Review – G.I. Joe “Resolute” Cobra Commander

“Cobra Commander has always believed that vast wealth will give him his greatest desire: limitless power. But lately, he has come to realize that he must first achieve complete control over every nation on Earth.”
— from the back of the card

From the first photo of him that I saw online, I wanted a Resolute Cobra Commander action figure. The stylized greatcoat and matte finish paint job made the figure look astounding; evil and impressive all rolled into one package. And, maybe for the first time in 20+ years, the silver faceplate battle helmet looks menacing and like it’s part of the overall package and not just an extra accessory (I think I prefer the classic hood to the silver faceplate, but since both are cool it’s tough to decide . . . at least, it was until this version of the character: the silver faceplate is the better headgear of the two options).

And I’m not the only person who was impressed with the new costume design. A review at www.kastorskorner.com states:

“The cape and greatcoat make for a more comic-book like uniform than the classic Commander, but honestly, it’s no less outlandish than any of his past outfits.”

If anything, this new costume — in my opinion — looks more fitting for the leader of a cartoon-like global terrorist organization than anything Cobra Commander has worn before (including the armored suit, despite how much I like the armored Cobra Commander design).

Cobra Commander’s a fairly standard modern G.I. Joe figure, with more articulation than you actually need and, a problem we’ve seen before, accessories that negatively impact that articulation. The “cloak” and “skirt” elements of his greatcoat pretty much limit the Commander to the poses seen in the photos here; sure, you can push it, but his total range of movement is pretty insulting. If Hasbra had created the costume accessories in more parts — or, maybe better yet, in cloth — the figure would be a lot more poseable.

As Corey writes in his review of the figure at www.articulateddiscussion.com:

“The problem here is that a lot of the available points are actually limited his his clothing. His hips have little to no range of movement because of the stiff skirt/coat-tail while his shoulders can only move a little because of his …”shawl” I guess you’d call it. Even though every other point has a full range of motion, it’s hard to get him into any dynamic poses because of the limits imposed on the most important areas.”

Basically, don’t expect to do a whole lot with your Resolute Cobra Commander. He can’t even properly raise his sword over his head to rally the troops. Sad, sad, sad.

Other issues with this Cobra Commander is that he doesn’t have a holster for his pistol (not a deal breaker, but I’ve grown used to holsters molded into the figures) and his helmet won’t stay on. And I’m serious about that helmet issue. If I’m not ultra careful when I pick up the toy — and remember, this is meant to be a toy — the helmet falls right off. Lame.

I Really Do Like the Figure

I know I’ve been quite negative about the Resolute Cobra Commander but that’s only because such an awesome looking figure is a real disappointment when it has such major flaws. I’m happy I grabbed my own (even if I had to order him online and pay a few bucks more than I would have if he was ever in Target), and I still want the Resolute Cobra Trooper, because he does look really good when displayed. And with a little work I’m betting that someone could modify the figure to improve some of its flaws (though that someone wouldn’t be me).

If you like how he looks in pictures, and can find him at retail, grab one. I don’t think he’s worth a special order online, though.

Closing Thoughts

The most direct, honest summary of Resolute Cobra Commander I can give is: A fantastic, beautifully-designed action figure that quickly reveals its flaws the moment the package is opened.

If you’re looking for a new leader for your Cobra troops, and can even find the damn thing, I recommend grabbing this version of Cobra Commander. Despite the serious articulation problems he looks great in a display. If you’re looking for an actual toy to play with, though, I’d pass on this version of Cobra Commander. His helmet doesn’t stay on well, he doesn’t have a holster for his pistol, and that damned coat ruins his play value.

If you would like more opinions on Resolute Cobra Commander check this review at Turquoise Version and this review at www.hisstank.com.

Philip Reed is a little unhappy with the Resolute Cobra Commander, but it was his own fault for getting his hopes too high. After all, it’s just a toy and, like all toys, there were bound to be problems. He still hasn’t seen a Resolute Cobra Commander in any store, though.