Snake Eyes (2009 Arashikage Cycle)

Yes yes, it’s another Snake Eyes. He’s just darn hard to avoid if you’re going to talk about 1980s and beyond GI Joe for any length of time. Most of the time, his figures are black, black and black. Sure, sometimes grey is in the mix, and he famously broke out some blue duds in ’91, but for the most part, he’s not the most colorful fellow. For Hasbro designers, it must be a problem akin to Kenner’s conundrum with Batman after the release of the 1989 film. You have a character who’s darkly garbed, yet you need to populate a toyline with multiple versions to keep kids’ interest. The solution for Kenner was to outfit the Dark Knight in a plethora of outfits, from the practical to the outrageous. Many Joe fans would be glad that Hasbro for the most part hasn’t ascribed to the Batman Extended Wardrobe Universe when it comes to GI Joe’s most popular character. I think they’ve missed an opportunity here, but then again, I’m a weirdo.

My favorite movie-era Snake Eyes figure doesn’t follow the exact aesthetic of the film’s costume, yet incorporates an element of the on-screen Joe team. By that, I mean the pants. Cast your mind back and remember if you can the Rise of Cobra costumes’ one interesting facet–urban camo uniforms. While most of the team wore dark, body-hugging armor, a more traditional military uniform was worn here and there. I found the design interesting, and was happy to see it on more than one of the figures. i was doubly jazzed to see that Snake Eyes was lucky enough to slip into a pair of Nice Pants.