The Greatest G.I. Joes and Cobras, but I'm adding a hitch

[Swindle]

I always found Frostbite a low rent Snow Job. Snow Job, snow troop, red beard. Frostbite, snow troop, black beard.

I always thought Destro's IGs, when you got to be B and C list figs, Ferret and others just didn't look good design wise. Its like Hasbro really didn't put effort into them and his forces looked ugly and unappealing.

Yeah, Firefly. Cool before he randomly became a ninja. Still the obvious winner.

Falcon... less said about his appearance in very special episodes of DIC, the better.

So, Flint it is. Easily. Lots of exposure, very popular character, interesting that he only ranked as a secondary character in the GIJoe 2, but Hasbro was banking of Rock over the strength of GIjoe characters. I do think that speaks to how little most of these characters really matter in popular culture.

Firefly/Flint. Yeah, not much of a contest.

Gs...

GIJane
GIJoe
General Hawk
General Flagg
Ghostrider (the guy who name no one could remember)
Grand Slam
Grunt
Gung-Ho

Wow, lots of choices on the Joe side of things. Hmmmm hmmm hmmm... Joe Colton gets GIJoe as his codename, is the first GIJoe, and exists as a tribute to the old 12 inch line. Anyone remember one of General Hawk's filecards that explains copy right problems over his name to Cobra hacking GIJoe database or some shit? Hawk comes from a established family (loaded). That always cracked me up too, rich kid gets to play war because his family had bucks. Honestly, all these "Generals" bore me, actually. I don't give a damn about tippy top Joe command, Jugglers, budget politics and so forth.

Gnawgahyde as a lesser Dreadknok. Briefly seen as Baroness's sidekick in DIC, then the typical coward minion to Cobra Commander. I think Metal Head stole everyone's thunder in DIC GIJoe. Golobulus, ruler of Cobra La, GIJoe's answer to Unicron. The main badguy in GIJoe the Movie. Part of a three pack to mirror the Renegades Pack. A shame his figure sucks. Ghost Bear, remember that guy, Kwinn's son? He was a mech guy. I actually dig the figure. He has an anime vibe to him. Gyro-Viper, yawn.

So, in my mind, bottom line, its General Hawk and controversially perhaps for a lot of people, Golobulus.

[Bravo]

We are putting "Hawk" under General Hawk? I guess that's right. Mixed feeling about him. I think his leadership is overrated (it's his fault that General Flagg dies because he wanted Bludd and the Baroness, present during the attack on the Pit as bait for Cobra) Much of his comic book activity after his promotion to general involved those politics/behind the scenes. In the toyline he gets replaced by Duke, then comes back strong, then they coexist...then Duke takes the spotlight with New Sculpts, then Hawk appears only to be mutated into Venomous Maximus.

I'm not that impressed with Joe Colton. I like the nod to the classic series, but he was a "bonus" addition to ARAH mythos, never a prime player. With Retaliation it feels like he replaces Hawk, so Hawk get the shaft again.

The two Flaggs were okay. But I cannot say much about them as characters other than Gen. Flagg Sr. probably let Hawk have too much leeway.

So I'm skipping over the generals.

To me it comes down to Gung-ho vs Grunt. Grunt is the 82 icon, he adorned almost every corner of the comic for years. Sure he didn't have much to do in Sunbow (hung out with a conquistador ghosts in Dic!), and he left the team in the comic, but got a hot girlfriend. However, Gung-Ho was used more, is more known even if he was ignored in the last two cartoon series and the two live action films.

So GUNG-HO.

Now Cobra...those Plague Trooper guys who never quite gelled with me (Gallows, Grimskull and Guillotine)...very much fan additions, and I couldn't tell you which character was which. Gristle and Gnawgahyde...I like them, it's amusing Gnawgahyde was one of the few henchmen characters in Dic's early episode, and he looks smart compared to Metal-Head. However, Golobulus for better or worse, had the most impact. Gotta admit.

Gung-Ho and Golobulus.

[Felix]

I loved that they made version 2 Gung Ho in dress blues. Just a nice change for the turquoise camo and open vest. He really looked like a marine the second time around. I wonder how Sunbow would have used him...

Agree: Gung Ho & Golobulus. I don't think General counts as a name though, I feel Hawk is eligible for the win in the 'H' group.

H vote for me is Hawk and Heat Viper. Not too much else worth mentioning except Hit & Run, Hardball, Hydro Viper, Headman, Headhunters and Heli-Viper. I would almost choose Headman, but I'm strictly against anything 90's trumping anything 80's. Hydro Viper was cool, but HEAT Viper was more memorable with the cool half face shield and in his case, bright colors actually worked. Hit & Run was a favorite of mine though.

[Bravo]

I'm confused about Hawk's alphabetic placement, so I'm skipping him.

Heavy Duty and I'm not sure...the Headhunters were COPS's CROOKS ran through anti-drug propaganda. I'm not that crazy about either HEAT Viper. Hydro Viper's colors were not good. Heli-Viper was a tacky kitbash. HISS Driver wasn't really their code name. Hannibal Reborn is part of Devil's Due...best forgotten. Heavy Water looks like a mix of a video reject and comic book villain.

Heavy Duty and Headman for a 90's showing!

[Swindle]

Based on Grunt acting as the logo, I'm changing my G vote. I think of Jerry West as the NBA logo. That's a huge honor. Thanks for pointing it out, Bravo,... so Grunt and Golub for me now.

General Hawk... Hawk... whatever, f him and his rich family.

I thought Headman and Headhunters are embarrassing. Hasbro created figures that kind of, sort of glamorized Drug Dealing. I find that disturbing.

Heavy Duty existed as a Roadblock replacement. He did make it into Sigma Six and the Movie and has had plenty of figs. I can't just ignore all that, so I'll agree with that choice.

The Cobra Hs is ho hum. I'll go with Hydro Viper because of the file card, kind of reminded me of Memories of Mara.

[Felix]

Hawk didn't start out as a General, he was just Hawk. Heavy Duty has no place in my world. Even in Sigma 6, that figure was Roadblock to me.
I also disregard that first G.I. JOE live action movie entirely.

I's...
I vote Iceberg and Ice-Viper.
Iron Grenadier would have got it, but he's technically not a COBRA. Ice Viper is cool, one of my personal favorites actually. Interrogator almost looks like an alternate design for Cobra Commander, so does Star Viper. The only reason he doesn't get my vote, is he was made in the 90's. Ice-Cream soldier loses because it's crap like that that got the line cancelled IMHO. Iceberg didn't get a lot of attention, but I'm a sucker for anything that has to do with snow.

[Swindle]

There's really not much to choose from in the Is.

Iguanus? Fucking Manimals. They didn't even look like they belonged in the same toyline. I always liked the "flame" projectiles the Incinerators had, just saying. Then got a Iron Klaw fig, from G.I. Joe Extreme line. I don't really get where he'd fit in.

Iceberg is the star of one of my least favorite GIJoe episodes, btw, probably the worst season 2 episode certainly. Still, he easily wins over Ice Cream Solider.

Ummmm... Interrogator, I'll go with him. He's a bit of a cult favorite. Got used in newer comics and such. Almost a bit of a Boba Fett vibe to him.

[Bravo]

Iron Grenadier, like Destro they've been retconned back into Cobra time and again. Besides, there's no "other" category...seems like all allies become Joes and all enemies wind up with Cobra. I forgot that Iron Klaw now qualifies since his club figure is part of the modern era. I like Interrogator as a figure, but he didn't make an impact outside fan fic.

I actually liked Ice Cream Soldier's mold...I feel the guy got shafted by his look becoming a Cobra trooper...even if his figure always looked like it should've been a Cobra based on the helmet. Iceberg I liked, I had his figure for years and never noticed how badly his eye paint was off. Ha.

Iceberg and Iron Grenadier. We got no agreement on the Cobra.

[Swindle]

The Js are very sparse as well.

Jungle BAT or Jungle Viper. I'll go with Jungle Viper, Cobra needs more forces in that area. I thought the recent Jungle Viper was sort of a "cousin" to Night Viper with those goggles.

Jinx wins by default on the Joe side, but she's worthy. I always wish her figure had the Joe logo like in GIJoe the Movie. I also prefer her unmasked than masked.

[Felix]

I guess Ice Cream soldier soldier was pretty cool actually. He doesn't win my vote, but I do like him too. I'm strange that way. I like Star Brigade, Eco Warriors, and Ninja Force too.


Jinx: Agree. But I prefer her toy with the mask. It's one of the reasons she's one of my favorite figures. Exposed faces take away from the fantasy. I'm also glad she didn't have the GIJOE logo. I felt she could be working for Cobra like Storm Shadow.

J Cobra: Fail.

K' I'm giving it to Kwinn. Screw you Knockdown, you suck.

[Bravo]

What about Joe-Bob the Dreadhead from the con set? Ha! For the Joes there's JUNKYARD!

I'll vote Jinx and Jungle Boogie Viper, not sure BATS need camo per se...and his camo looked too much like Stalker's. Cannot have Jinx lose to a dog.

I'd forgotten an I Joe, early...ICE STORM, from the polar shark ROC minisub...IIRC, he had a new head sculpt, but his vehicle was hard to find then he got a Convention release, he's forgotten.

For K it's Keel-Haul...! He was a cool figure, original or Battle Corps. He was not a character you could all that much, though. Kamakura has become Snake-Eyes' ROBIN...they even make Kamakura figures for both movies, he wasn't in either. But I'm sticking with the Admiral.

Kwinn worked for Cobra as a merc, never technically a JOE member,...so he gets COBRA nom...I cannot think of an K Cobras. Marvel mentioned some Kitchen-Vipers but never showed them.

Keel-Haul and Kwinn for the win.

[Swindle]

Ha! I like how Felix just goes fail for the Cobra Js.

I don't like the idea of sub-groups for a specialized Cobra troops. Likes Jungle BATS. Who cares, those things are tough to stop and even harder to hit among trees. They don't need cameo. Why Not Jungle Crimson Guard? Or Jungle Hydro Viper? It's stupid.

I'll be back to do my Ks later, sorry, I'm sooo tired right now.

[Swindle]

I'm with Bravo on Kwinn being a baddy. I do think it was dumb how he got killed, though.

Ummmm, Keel-Haul vs Kamakura. I remember some other guy running the Flagg in Pyramids of Darkness Mini-Series. He was fat, was so called "old navy" and didn't want Lady Jaye on the carrier because it was bad luck. Even as a kid, not owning the Flagg, I knew that wasn't thr guy who came with it.

Anyway, I'll go with Kamakura. He's gotten a lot of exposure as the tag along to Snake Eyes.

[Felix]

I can see Kwinn going either way, but Bravo's right, he did officially work for Cobra.
Let's see, Keel Haul or Kamakura...I'm a weird fan who actually likes ninjas. Maybe he is Snake Eyes' Robin, I don't care. Kind of sad how quickly a new ninja gets a figure, but Billy, a main character, never got one. Keel Haul never does anything. He appeared at the Cobra Island Civil war, prepping the RECON team, might have popped up elsewhere, but he's forgetable. Kwinn get's my vote for JOE and COBRA because he helped the Joe's too.

L Joe's: Lady Jaye. We knock off Lowlight, Lightfoot, Leatherneck, Lifeline, and Law for this chick, lol!

L Cobra: It's either Laser Viper or Lampreys. Lamprey is a cool figure, but Laser Viper has the Cobra mask look. I'm going with Lamprey because it's 80's over 90's, and Mercer used a MORAY to escape Cobra Island, which means he probably killed a couple Lampreys to get away. They also had much better face shields than Motor Viper...that should make a decent lazy bastard custom, never dawned on me before.

[Bravo]

Lady Jaye and Lobotomaxx

Okay, Lady Jaye and Lamprey. Lamprey is a bit cooler looking than Laser Viper (I like them, too), but the modern Lamprey they gave a transparent visor to and it shows how odd some Cobras would look if you could see their faces under there.