G.I. Joe Cobra Trooper Action Figure Review 1983
By: Karl Stern (@dragonkingkarl, @wiwcool, karl@whenitwascool.com)
G.I. Joe - Cobra the enemy action figure
In 1982-83 most of the Hasbro G.I. Joe line was made up of the G.I. Joe special forces members with only one single enemy to fight. The Cobra Commander enemy leader was available by mail-in in 1982 and on the single card in 1983 but until then (for roughly a year or until your mail-in figure arrived) G.I. Joe only had one "enemy" to fight- the generic troop builder figure titled (appropriately enough) Cobra Trooper and the Cobra Trooper Officer (so I guess technically two enemies).
The Cobra Trooper was only a mild modification of the Cobra Trooper with some silver paint additions and a slightly different helmet. The Cobra Trooper is your basic Cobra enemy soldier. In later years, the basic blue cobra trooper would be replaced by the more stylistic Cobra Viper but early on in the comic books and in the toy line this basic trooper was the enemy.
The cobra trooper came only with an m-16 rifle and no backpack or other ACCESSORIES.
I am probably one of the few who prefers the basic blue Cobra Trooper over the later Cobra Viper. I think the very simple military looking figure with a simple black mask is very "evil" and "terroristic" looking and, to me, more resembles what a renegade, outlaw, paramilitary force would look like than the more futuristic Cobra Viper.
About the only criticism i have for the cobra trooper is that i wish they would have painted on black gloves instead of the totally blue arms. besides that, i like the simplicity of the figure.
Here is the original (well, 1983) Cobra Trooper along side the 25th anniversary era dollar general basic trooper which i also think is one of the best of the line. the wood grain details to the modern era troopers gun really sets him off and i actually get my black gloves.
