Bazooka Soldier (Code Name: Zap)

What’s Zap got going for him that’s not inherently cool? He’s different from the other team members and carries the most devastating weapon in the group. Who else can take out a tank all by his lonesome (aside from Sunbow Storm Shadow)? He also almost got his own unique head mold, complete with what would have been the Joes’ earliest 80s ‘stache. Dangit!

As toys go, I’ve always dug his unique color scheme. Along with his weapon, it sets him apart from the rest of the team. Sure, guys like Flash are…flashier, but Zap’s got a cool vibe all his own. Just look at that jade green plastic. Very nice.

He’s referred to as a bazooka soldier, and one could be pedantic about the fact that the term was technically outdated, but it was surely more recognizable to a kid in the early 80s than combat engineer or sapper. If you check out his file card, he’s a qualified expert with propelled explosive weapons beyond the venerable M1 bazooka, including the more modern M47 Dragon.

Speaking of his weapon, Zap had three variants of his signature armament. The original had two handles, while later versions featured both a thick and thin single handle. Be very careful if you have a straight arm figure. Don’t want to bust a thumb–better to bust snakes!