Toy Fair Flashback: Cobra Detonator
Just thought I’d throw out a little bonus flashback coverage, since the real Toy Fair was a pretty sad experience for those expecting some Joe news out of Hasbro. But hey, there’s always some new product at Comic-con and JoeCon.
For now, pretend for just one more day that you’re really pumped to see something new, like say…this. Pumped–get it?
Eagle eyed collectors will recognize this as the photo from the Funskool Detonator box. The extra silver on the Nitro Viper is a nice difference we never saw in production.
When I re-read a lot of the later comics, I was surprised to see the Detonator basically replace the Hiss Tank as the de facto Cobra armor vehicle. I had forgotten that part from when I read them the first time through. But, I didn’t have the toys then, either.
The Detonator is a fun vehicle. Lots of play room (can hold 5 figures in the cockpit) with various guns and stations for other figures, too. The pump missile launcher can work, too. I do recall someone creating a great custom Detonator replacing the pump with an ASP top. It was pretty cool.
”G. I. Joe/Cobra Tanks sure have gone through an evolution of different styles/designs,to peak anybody’s imagination.The 1993 Cobra Detonator,almost looks like the 1988 Cobra Adder, but larger in size.”
I never really liked the Nitro Viper, but the Detonator was a fun vehicle. My personal favorite Cobra vehicle from the time frame is probably the Parasite, though. The Enemy equivalent of the APC.
I have grown to like this vehicle over the years, but the foam missiles just really do kill it for me. Rob as far as new product at SDCC or JOECON? Yeah about that…..
I haven’t seen a Detonator piled up with Alley Vipers before; that’s pretty cool. The Detonator is well designed and fun for a while. The name is clever coupled with the plunger resembling an old-timey TNT detonator. But this vehicle is BIG, and it’s really just a glorified Nerf cannon. Had they found a way to make it feel more like a base or battle station, I think it’d get more attention.
The plunger look like a Sophisticated ANTISTEALTH RADAR ANTENNA!
This looks like a fun vehicle, with a decent attempt to integrate nerf launcher….. Cobra never got much in the way of epic large vehicles or playsets. Except for the bugg, and terrordome.