Snake Eyes (2007 Sigma 6 Commando)

Over the years, there have been great departures from the established style. Sgt. Savage and Extreme hit in the 90’s and were alternately dismissed and reviled. When Sigma 6 was announced in 2005, collectors were not exactly hurrying to jump on the bandwagon. It definitely wasn’t focused at them, and was designed with a kid friendly size and aesthetic. I find it hard to describe Sigma 6 in simple terms, or draw a comparison to other toy lines. It was stylized, yet based on classic designs. It was military based, yet more fanciful than even the vintage line. Some have described the style as anime, but I disagree. It’s an entity all its own. I think the line was the most different and original concept for Joe since the relaunch in 1982. First off, there’s the size. At 8 inches tall, the scale allowed for such a different experience in play patterns. The focus was on individual accessories per figure. And most figures in the line were loaded.

Snake Eyes is again presented as a straight forward commando. One of the greatest strengths of Sigma 6 was in its color palette. Striking (but not obnoxious) colors kept things interesting. A rarity for Snake Eyes’ character, there’s no black to be found. I find that refreshing. A fresh approach to accessories was another great highlight of the line. Many of the weapons were modular, with extra parts that could be added on. Snake Eyes’ machine gun has a removable sight, silencer and clip. It’s a figure that screams, “Play with me!”  During its brief run, the 8 inch Sigma 6 line managed to shake up the Joe collecting world’s pre-conceived notions of what the line could be. It was audacious, it was different, and above all it was fun. As much as I appreciate the realism and detail of the current Joe line, I still love the stylized fun of Sigma 6. It’s too bad it didn’t last longer.

For lots of great info on the line, check out Sigma 6 Central.