Snow Job (2008)

What better way to start off spring than to cover a cold weather themed figure? Actually, the weather around the JAD HQ the past few days has put me in the mind of winter. After a few days of warmth and sunshine, we’ve been treated to snow twice this week. Weird. Maybe Destro decided to take the Weather Dominator out of storage.

As a kid, I was a huge fan of any winter/arctic themed action figures. In the past, I’ve chalked that prevalence up to living in the midwest, where we’re treated to seasonal snow, and even the occasional epic winter storm. While I’m sure that’s most of the reason, I now have to add a Kenner Star Wars slant to the theory. The Empire Strikes Back was released at a real sweet spot in terms of my age range. I was seven years old when it first hit, and the movie sent my Star Wars focus into overdrive. I picked up every Hoth-themed character and playset available, and the Hoth Ice Planet, Imperial Attack Base and Turret and Probot sets were among my favorites, year ’round. I didn’t wait to take them out in the snow, the snow went with them (in my imagination, of course).

When the GI Joe bug hit me hard in 1983, I had the perfect figure and vehicle combo to take the snowy place of Hoth Rebel Soliders and Snowspeeders–Snow Job and the Polar Battle Bear. While the galaxy far away started to take a backseat to Joe, I still found myself playing in the snow.

When the 25th Anniversary series went beyond a couple of multi-packs, I began to wonder if all my favorites would be made in this new style. Snow Job was high on the want list. He acquits himself well, as modern figures go. The alternate setup for the hood and removable goggles are great features, and something we couldn’t imagine getting back in the 80s. As often happens with long plastic jackets, the legs aren’t able to flex into much of a skiing position, or sit in a vehicle. That’s a common theme in the 25th style, as they don’t interact quite as well with vehicles.

On the plus side, a couple of easter eggs were thrown in. His holster has an Adventure Team logo, and there’s even another cool little detail in the sculpt, a figure-scaled Pocket Patrol Pack on the left thigh. The other accessories are close to the vintage versions, down to the classic laser rifle. He’s not the super kitted-out figure that would come later in the modern line, but that really wasn’t the purpose of the earlier modern Joes.