Inevitably, in a toy line with as many characters as G.I. Joe, there comes a time when, instead of constantly creating a brand new character, you have to go backwards. That’s the time opportunity for old favorites to reappear in a new set of clothes. While I’ve already done several articles on the rotating wardrobes of Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow and Cobra Commander, several other characters were just as prolific in their costume changes, to varying levels of success/originality.
Many characters received simple repaints of their iconic uniforms when they became members of various sub-groups like Tiger Force or the Python Patrol. I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about complete overhauls that worked and worked well enough that, even though they’re neither a Ninja nor a Commander of Cobra, their revamped designs works just as well as their original ones. Many characters went through several design changes throughout their “lives,” but when you think of Major Bludd or Zartan or the Baroness, there’s really only one look that pops immediately into your mind. Likewise Spirit or Bazooka or Recondo—those guys were redesigned, but they have one iconic look that has stuck with them all these years.
But there are a handful where the redesign has joined the original to stand shoulder to shoulder, and if we were to get a line of 6-inch Joes I’d need both the original and the redesign to feel like I’ve gotten a complete line. Let’s take a look at five that worked. In no order:
Rock N Roll
Rock N Roll was one of the original thirteen members of GI Joe. The heavy machine gunner before Roadblock usurped his role in the team, he was built on the same general body as the other 12 Joes, but varied his look with the addition of two ammo belts crisscrossed over his chest and that gigantically awesome machine gun. Debuting in 1982, it would be 7 years before he got a drastic overhaul. Eschewing the lone machine gun for a pair of insane gatling guns, Rock N Roll hit the tail end of the ’80s with more firepower than ever and looking better than ever. While two years later he would be draped in the resplendent neon colors so many Joes fell victim too, Rock N Roll managed to acquire a great redesign that remained true to his character.
Roadblock
Speaking of the heavy machine gunners, they don’t come much heavier than this gigantic gourmet with the soul of a poet. Roadblock could tote a .50 caliber Browning machine gun around like it was a violin, and could hang with the best chefs in the business. Making his debut in 1984, it only took two years for him to receive a second uniform, but he wore it well, and no later redesign has come close to matching it. While his original camo shirt remains the iconic favorite, his second uniform served him well and has come to be iconic in its own right.
Destro
Destro has components that immediately spring to mind when you think of the character: that haunting silver mask, that pimped out collar, those wrist rockets. But Destro’s 1988 redesign dared to spit in the face of all of that. Gone was the collar, the wrist rockets, and the silver. In its place was a regal militaristic look with a golden mask that announced his arrival as the head of his own army. The Iron Grenadiers had arrived and Destro gained one of the most radical redesigns on this list. While the collar would return, Destro’s Iron Grenadier days found him in not only one of the best Destro designs, but one of the best character designs, period.
Hawk
Hawk was just the “Missile Commander” when he debuted in 1982 with the rest of the original 13, and as Field commander of the Joe team, wore a grunt uniform like all the rest. But when he became Brigadier General he got a swanky upgrade complete with bomber jacket. This is one of those rare instances when the redesign has become more iconic than the original due to much more media exposure. In fact, if we were to get a six-inch G.I. Joe line, I would bet the second version is the version of Hawk we’d get first.
And finally…
Shipwreck
Shipwreck’s sailor uniform is the definition of iconic. There’s no way not to hear the name Shipwreck and think of his traditional shirt and bell-bottom pants. Shipwreck received a handful of Navy SEAL inspired diving suit figures before settling in on a very different look that also ended up in the revamped Devil’s Due comic book and soon became the new standard for his appearance. Keeping the same color scheme, he was now wearing a knit shirt and hat, looking much less like Popeye. From 1985 to 2002, this is the longest time between designs on the list, but if he’s not going to be wearing his sailor suit, then this is as good as it gets for him.
*All pictures courtesy of Yojoe.com
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