Hasbro: G.I. Joe Classified Series Cobra Island Firefly Review

Let’s have a show of hands for anybody who is excited for more Target exclusive G.I. Joe figures.

I don’t see any hands raised.

It’s that time again, when the aisles are full of tears, the Target employees are full of resentment, and Joe fans are full of bitterness. I like those figures that you can easily preorder and not think about again until they show up.

Regardless, with a little help I managed to get my hands on Firefly. Firefly is a badass ninja saboteur who is available to anybody who can pay his prices. I like to think of the real Firefly sitting in a lawn chair in a Target aisle waiting for someone to drop a couple bucks in his lap, but it’s just a random target somewhere in the Midwest, and at odd hours of the day, like from 12:35 to 12:53 on a Thursday, and the only way you know he’ll be there is if you get a text alert five seconds before Firefly pops the top on a can of Fanta and checks his watch. I have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about here. I think the cold weather has slowed the flow of blood to my brain.

I have to make a confession up front: I was not happy with Firefly when initial images debuted. I took one look at him, curled the corner of my lip and scoffed. I didn’t like the big bulky jacket at all. I didn’t like the single piece of shoulder armor. There was too much going on.

However, having him in hand, the armor isn’t quite as bulky as it seemed in the promo pictures. Sure, it’s still a bit thick, but maybe I’m just getting easier in my old age. It’s not a perfect 1:1 vintage repro like I want, but taken on it’s own merits, there is a lot to like, because at the core of the line these are still just very well done figures from many standpoints. The bulkiness inherent in the design is saved by the flexibility of the material, and the fact that it’s Firefly, who is definitely in my list of top five Cobra villains. Maybe top three. I don’t know, when you love a property like I love Joes, I can’t quantify such things. He’s up there.

Underneath the jacket, Firefly is a smattering of different parts from already released figures. There’s some Beach Head, some Destro, some Duke, all of which go together seamlessly. I like that the parts can all be mixed and matched like many of the original Joes, some of whom freely borrowed parts from other figures when necessary. Of course, the new parts and the different paint schemes shore up the illusion of new just like it did way back when.

Firefly is very well articulated everywhere except for what is underneath the overlay. I could get some waist motion, but the torso motion is so restricted that I’m not sure I was getting any crunch out of it at all when I tried to move him. The overlay itself is actually a very flexible material so the dangling pee-pee flap doesn’t get in the way of his leg movement, but the torso won’t crunch, at least on mine. That is good news for the one shoulder pad, since it doesn’t restrict his arm movement at all. The high collar doesn’t restrict his neck motion that much either; I’d say you still get about 90 percent of the motion you’d ordinarily get.

The newly sculpted overlay part is very nice for what it is. There are sculpted in dings and scratches like it’s been through some explosions. It is very form-fitting, which is good for his overall silhouette. Again, not my ideal look, but since I’m thinking classic versions are an inevitability then the figure isn’t ruined by the jacket. Like I said, I’m either mellowing in my old age or the figures are fun enough to counterbalance the criticisms I might have.

The paintjob is very nicely done. While I missed the camo pattern on Beachhead’s pants, here Firefly is given an all-over urban camo that gives him a familiar, distinctive vibe. It pushes him even closer to that definitive Firefly that I have in my mind.

The headsculpt is very reminiscent of one of the covers of Devil Due production’s GI Joe Reloaded comic from the early 2000s with the asymmetrical crazy eyes. This line uses the paint-printing technology, which makes all the difference in making these feel a little higher grade than your standard pupil-on-the-eyelid mess that can happen.

The mask itself is a little off kilter, with a popped area on the top of the side with the wider eye. I’m feeling a little stupid as I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be indicative of something in particular or if it’s just a small detail for the sake of it. Maybe when he pulls his mask off that’s the part he always pulls and it’s stretched out? I’m not really sure.

Firefly comes with a decent amount of accessories, all of which can be stored either on him or his backpack. The backpack itself is well sculpted, with a few tools and other things he would need for his work. He comes with a bundle of dynamite that pegs onto the bottom of the backpack. There’s something very Acme about a bundle of dynamite. Firefly is about to go after the Roadrunner. It’s a nice inclusion.

In keeping with these modern times, he also has a drone and remote control. The drone’s legs fold up, and it can peg onto his backpack. The remote control fits into a slot in the inner side of the backpack.

He comes with a pair of goggles that slide over his head snugly. I like the look of them, but they won’t be a permanent attachment to my Firefly.    

Finally, he comes with a stylized laser weapon that I’m sure replicates one of Hasbro’s Nerf guns. It’s a nice-looking gun if you’re into that kind of thing, but I’m going to be looking for a submachine gun replacement. Anything I can do with these figures to push them a little closer to my ideal, I do, and it makes me love them even more.

For a figure that was looking like it might be a disappointment, Firefly turned out to be yet another fun inclusion in the line. The vehicle for getting it might be a royal asspain to end all asspains, but if you get lucky and are able to get your hands on him, he’s a cool toy.