Iron Grenadiers (2015 Kre-O)

Continuing with coverage of the SDCC exclusive Construction Commandos set, we’ve got the villainous side today. Destro and his Iron Grenadiers are ready to take on the Marauders in brick form. It’s interesting to note that the Grenadiers are making appearance in Kreon form for a convention exclusive, as in 2012 they were the subject of the JoeCon villain offerings. I wonder if this was a conscious choice considering that there was no Kre-O six figure set offered until 2013. Maybe they’re making up for lost time? Whatever the case, it’s a welcome group to see.

As with the Joe figures, the detail work on the IG set is impressive. Back printing abounds, and a few new pieces make an appearance.

The elephant in the room in regards to vintage accuracy is Destro. Here he’s wearing his “pimp daddy” outfit rather than the familiar Grenadier version of 1988. I can understand the inclusion of this version, considering the original’s popularity among the fanbase, as well as a modern era appearance as a San Diego Comic Con exclusive. He’s also wearing a cape, like he needed to be any further over the top. Regardless, the gold head is cool to have.

Darklon is a great choice to include, but I was wondering if his interestingly detailed sculpt could be translated into a flat brick figure. The printing takes care of this nicely with some two-tone on the torso to simulate the texture of his shirt. The head must have some of the most intricate printing of any Joe Kreon. Finally, his rifle is approximately well with just a couple of additions to one of the common rifle molds.

Voltar also made an appearance in the JoeCon 2012 box set, but here he’s looking more like his original figure. What can I say about a bad guy who dresses in hot pink? Fantastic. He’s also got what looks like a new head piece, and one of the most low-profile sculpts in the line. It’s a great fit.

The Iron Grenadiers get an officer who differs from the two troopers. Again, there’s some impressive print design here, and the sword works well as a callback to the vintage figure. Using a bandana to solve the issue of the face mask is workable, and seeing it makes me want to try out the effect with a plain Cobra trooper. The two IG troopers are less detailed, but they’ve also been given classic looking weapons with their red sidearms. While I’m not a big-time army builder, I can see how the brick format might turn you into one. There’s something addictive about these little figures in general, and amassing ranks of them makes for an impressive sight.

I generally consider myself more of a fan of the Joe figures than the Cobras, but this interesting mix has me torn between choosing which faction I prefer. Maybe the included tank build will help me decide. Come back tomorrow when we wrap up the Construction Commandos set with the Kre-O Triple T.