Firefly (2007 Sigma 6)
Most of the impetus for this blog comes from reconnecting and finding a continuing use for my collection, the breadth of which sometimes makes me question my sanity. Earlier in the week, a couple of GI Joe news items got me thinking about Sigma 6 Firefly.
First, there was the news of the Toys R Us exclusive Jurassic Park figures based on GI Joe molds. One of these figures wears a mask that’s painted in a very similar fashion to this Firefly. Hmm..interest piqued, I thought. Then came the news that the Retaliation Firefly may have a background as a former Joe, similar to the Sigma 6 version. Okay, gotta dig out the figure ASAP, I said. So here we are.
Part of me thinks, when digging through a bin of stuff to find a specific toy: just why did I buy this stuff? But then I find the figure, mess about with it a bit, rediscover just what about it captivates me, and finally end up feeling better about having a basement full of toys.
I’m trying hard not to gush about how Sigma 6 pushes all my toy buttons. Sure, it didn’t equal the good old days in terms of sales, longevity and compelling media tie-ins, but holy cow was it a cool toy line. For the small scale GI Joe line, the hook that kept things going was the interaction between figures and vehicles. The size and articulation suited them perfectly and made a great play pattern. For the larger Sigma 6 scale, the hook is the accessory, whether it be weapons or gear. All over the line, there are great integrations of figures and weapons, and just plain amazingly designed figures.
This second release of Firefly in the Sigma 6 line represents his full-on transition to Cobra. Earlier in the series, he had been a Cobra spy in the midst of the Joes. There are hints of both his classic look (grey camo) as well as the previous Sigma figure, including similar weapons and armored uniform pieces.
The weapons have more in common with his earlier Sigma version than what we’ve come to expect from the Cobra saboteur. The designers must have taken his code name literally, as he’s equipped with fire-based weapons. As crazy and literal as these weapons are, they’re still well made, and can be reconfigured. With snap-on fire claws and a fire blasting staff, he’s an impressively armed alternative to the Firefly of the 80’s. I didn’t mind GI Joe being re-imagined in this way, especially when it resulted in some great toys and fun play.
When I bought some Kreo-O figures a few weeks back, I remember thinking that I was having the most fun with Joe since Sigma 6. Figures like this Firefly aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I find it interesting that Kre-O, another play-centered, stylized take on GI Joe in a new scale, has been embraced by collectors. Oh, and if you haven’t yet, check out Sigma 6 Central and GeneralsJoes’ Sigma 6 Celebration for all the love that the Sigma series deserves.
Jesus Tap Dancing Christ, that’s a Joe figure?! I am SO GLAD I missed this entire era of GI Joe!
I would’ve watched the cartoon more if they didn’t use 4Kids! group voice actors and had better writing. I would’ve cast the characters MUCH differently. If anyone wants to know who, ask.
With the mask, it looks like a robot, not a person (looking at it a second time, the mask reminds me of the mask some Fire Nation soldiers had in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon). I can see how this figure would be unappealing in the context of the GI Joe aesthetic.
Don’t worry about your sanity… unless you get a grandiose vision of modifying a ride-on lawnmower into a scaled up Rat from 1992 that is.
Little Boa, thanks, I now know what I need to do to prep my mower for my professional mowing gig this year…
On the subject of the sigma six cartoon. I just finished watching the D.I.C series and apparently sigma six is worse. I didnt think it was possible to make a Joe cartoon worse than DIC.
The Sigma Six cartoon started out fairly soft, it seemed like it wanted to be one of those sort of emotioned shapes, lines, zany style cartoons mixed with super boss villains that role in for the episode in style shows (pokemon, sort of, I guess), it just didn’t grab me a whole lot.
Toward the end of the end of the cartoon, it almost seemed like it was starting to get a little more GI groove on. Lt. Stone, HANDS DOWN, my favorite thing about Sigma Six (cartoon and figure), came in to the show, and so did Firefly about that time.
Just when the show was starting to get somewhat interesting to me, it was done. 🙁
After Stone and Firefly, Long Range rounded out my top three characters, and I tell you guys, if they had dropped Duke and Scarlett, and put Stone in charge for the next season, I think Sigma Six would have kicked it up a notch. With Stone in command, Long Range driving the RHINO, Heavy Duty and Tunnel rat still providing the wacky humor, and having Hi-tech mature into a sort of James Bond’s “Q,” could have led to some interesting shows.
Firefly was one I wanted to buy out of the figures, the cartoon sort of sold me. The twin sub-machine guns just said “firefly” to me for some reason, too. Never did get one, I was waiting for clearance price!
The few figures I did have were sort of fun, really pretty solid toys with great pose-ability, not overly exaggerated human forms, either, in my view.
These would make for a great stand alone display, and as the years roll on, a rare one!
Why they did not arrive in Europe!? Another pissed opportunity.
Most of the sigma six stuff didnt arrive in Australia [not that i’m complaining]
Didn’t care for Sigma Six, either scale…I can under the appeal of the larger scale thought I dislike the cartoon look, but the 2.5″ scale was a bit of an insult, actually…cancel 3 3/4″ at retail and then make mini-figures? Kreo doesn’t appeal to me. I see some charm there in the little figures since they are actually poseable (not rubbery junk), but I have no interest in buying building blocks. To get all the figures, you’d have to buy the big sets. No thanks. I don’t even buy much of the modern 4″ line, either, because it’s not 3 3/4″. I’m just not a hardcore GI JOE fan.
LOVE this version of Firefly, both the story and the figure. Hell, I love the black-orange good guy FF too.
You need to dress as Firefly for the full effect (1984 or 1992/93, it doesn’t matter much), raise your arm defiantly as you go by spectators and shout “COBRA!”. If that doesn’t look crazy enough, maybe “COBRA! La la la la la la…” like Serpentor did from the movie.
Haters gonna hate…