Captivating Cover: Combat Ready!
I never thought I’d use the terms generic and ninja commando in the same sentence, but this early 2000s coloring book has forced my hand. I’ve found the most interesting coloring book covers of the past incorporated either a multi-character scene, or even an out of the ordinary fourth wall breaking subject.
Speaking of which, and I know I’m straying off-topic, but one of my favorite childhood coloring book covers remains not a GI Joe subject, but this activity book from the relatively obscure Marvel property Crystar. Fantastic and wacky stuff.
Back to the Joe cover, Snake Eyes incorporates elements of both his first and second new sculpt era releases, including arm and legs wraps, and a funky silver visor. I’ve never understood how he’s supposed to be able to see out of that thing. In an odd bit of accessorizing, he’s also taken to wearing spats. Excuse me, ninja commando spats.
Snake eyes has a fancy taste in footware.
Also. I wonder if the paper in that Crystar colouring book is of better quality than the action figures. I heard those things are super fragile.
A nice pose of Snake Eyes for a kid’s book!
Like many Joes, Snake Eyes is a military history & memorabilia enthusiast. He focuses on incorporating British WWI soldiers’ puttees into his uniform. That, or he really likes Luke’s look in “A New Hope”.
And what was the “poster” of?
At least one issue of the Marvel comics depicted the visor (in close-ups) as an obvious grille, which some iterations of it resemble more than others.
That said, I have to note that the newsculpt-era mash-up of the classic, 1964 disembodied head G.I. Joe logo with the ARAH tricolour bars (further complicated by their terminating in stars) and Cobra sigil is one of the ugliest, most over-designed bits of branding in the line’s history.