Review – G.I. Joe Snow Job

“Snow Job was a major Olympic Biathlon contender. He enlisted initially for the special training and support privileges the Army gives to Olympic champions. However, to the consternation of Army PR flacks, Snow Job volunteered and was accepted into the G.I. Joe team.”
— from the back of the card

After taking a look at the 2008 Snow Serpent action figure last week (review here), it only feels right that today we turn our eyes to a G.I. Joe team arctic trooper . . . and who better to cover the snow than Snow Job?

The Short Form

Now it’s true that Snow Job isn’t quite as cool as the Snow Serpent, but that’s hardly his fault since he’s a named character — and a hero — and there’s no way that he can compare to the pure awesome that’s wrapped up in the Snow Serpent. If we overlook that, though, it’s tough to do anything except heap praise on top of Snow Job; from sculpt to accessories he’s a superior piece of work and should be in every G.I. Joe collection on the planet.

So what are you doing reading this? Get out to your favorite store (or, if your store is out, hit Past Generation Toys since as of today they’ve got this guy for $5) and grab one. You’ll be happier playing with your own Snow Job action figure than you will be just looking at my pictures and reading my rambling nonsense.

What? You’re Still Here?

Okay, I can see that you need to know more before you’re convinced and go out to buy your own Snow Job action figure. Okay, I can give you more, but all you’re gonna do is want one of these by the time I’m finished.

A Detailed Sculpt

Snow Job, just like the Snow Serpent action figure, is packed with detail in the sculpt. Pouches and wrinkles cover his costume, the face is clear and the head well-protected by a skullcap, and there are even buttons and seams sculpted into his outfit. And it gets even better — as this review at OAFE points out — since Snow Job has a working holster and even an easter egg for old-school G.I. Joe fans (that is, 1980s which is my school).

Paint

Many G.I. Joe action figures have excellent paint jobs and Snow Job is no exception. The photos here — especially those that clearly show his face — demonstrate just how crisp the paint work is. Yes, much of the figure is cast in the off-white color that dominates the design, but what painted details there are work perfectly.

Accessories

This page at yojoe.com shows all of Snow Job’s accessories, and he comes fully loaded. He doesn’t have exactly the same sort of arctic gear as the Snow Serpent carries — no snow shoes, for example — but he’s definitely prepared for an adventure in the snow.

• Skis and Poles – Very simple gear, yes, but these pieces look great once they are snapped onto Snow Job’s backpack. I’m not really a huge fan of these actually on his feet, but the photos here show just how much these pieces on his pack really make the figure look great.

• Backpack – Unlike the Snow Serpent’s backpack this particular pack only looks good when it’s carrying other accessories. But since it’s the only way to make the skis and poles look awesome, I’m gonna say I’m happy with this piece. It would have looked better with some pouches and a sleeping bag, but what we got is functional.

• Rifle and Revolver – Pretty standard, but where would Snow Job be without weapons?

• Hood and Goggles – These are the crowning touch on Snow Job’s excellent costume. The original figure (take a look at him here) was designed with the hood and goggles as a permanent fixture but Hasbro’s artists gave us removable bits that work perfectly. The goggles are a little big, but they look great once the hood is dropped into place.

Closing Thoughts

I loved many of these newer G.I. Joe figures the instant that I saw them, but my frustration with how the movie is looking is making me really appreciate this series. From the classic package design to the tons of accessories and great character choices, everything about this line screams to me that fans of the 1980s G.I. Joe series were involved in this line.

Snow Job isn’t the first figure you should buy, but he’s easily top 10 material. Part of that is no doubt because of my love of arctic figures, but the detailed sculpt and nice accessories play a serious role in my claim that Snow Job is a high-quality toy that’s fun to play with and a pleasure to look at. Pose him, play with him, either way this is a good piece of work.

Philip Reed also has the Arctic Snake-Eyes action figure. That guys needs a turn here on the site.