Cobra Air Trooper (2015)

When I first heard about the San Diego Comic Con exclusive edition of the Toys R Us Desert Duel set, I was excited to see an extra Joe team member included, but wasn’t so enthused about getting another Cobra Air Trooper. The original version of this figure left me unimpressed back in 2011, and I didn’t think much would change with a new edition. Now that I have the figure in hand, I have to say that I like it more than the previous version.

The lighter grey color scheme and the red with black highlights help to make this figure less dull than its predecessor. The knee pads, waist pack and ammo are picked out in black this time, which breaks up the all-over grey of the flight suit. The reds are also a nice complement to his pack mates, the Elite Horseman and his Basilisk vehicle. There’s even a hint of blue on the neck post.

The figure’s purpose in this set seems a bit lost to me, even considering the fact that the trooper’s specialty is airborne assault. The file card states that he was sent in help the Horseman fend off the Joes, but he still looks more like a pilot than a combatant to me. I would have called in a Cobra Para-Viper in this situation, or maybe a jet pack trooper (the original recipient of the Air Trooper moniker) but what do I know? Speaking of the Para-Viper, this guy is still stuck with 25th Anniversary Ace’s lower legs, so he’s perpetually stuck in a bent-knee position.

Tomorrow we’ll cover the SDCC exclusive Joe that’s included in the set.