G.I. Joe fans will soon be rejoicing over a new opportunity to obtain a Cobra air assault unit. Hasbro’s new Cobra F.A.N.G and C.L.A.W. vehicle set
The largest item in the set is the Cobra F.A.N.G. (Full Armed Negator Gyrocopter). This vehicle features a turning tail fan, removable missiles, turning rotor blades, movable flight control stick, pivoting nose gun and removable bomb. The small copter showcases a detailed engine and allows sufficient space for a single pilot. It is a simple vehicle but a fun one, and seeing it re-released for the first time since 1983 is a cool novelty. The decals are. for the most part, easy to apply and stay attached. It’s another solid piece of the 25th Anniversary line.
The C.L.A.W. (Covert Light Aerial Weapon) is unfortunately not as strong. While it’s another callback to the classic line, this seems to be an entirely new and re-engineered mold. I cannot conclusively say this new version is brand-new, as I never owned the old one. However, given that this new one is a single piece of plastic that features a connector specifically tailored to the 25th Anniversary line, it seems evident that this vehicle is more than a retooled old mold. The plastic used and overall construction makes the piece feel somewhat flimsy. Although, the level of detail in the piece makes up for it’s less than sturdy feel. If this is indeed a newly-tooled item from Hasbro, I think we can expect to see several additional C.L.A.W.s released as the line continues into this spring, which is cool given that it is such a small piece and can be easily stored. The vehicle features rotating handles, adjustable wing tips and removable bombs. It is a basic vehicle but a fun one. Given the way in which it attaches to figures, the C.L.A.W. is interchangeable throughout the line. It looks cool, despite feeling a little chinsey.
The two figures included in this set are new re-decos of released parts, giving fans a new version of Viper and a new Cobra Pilot. Both figures have clean paint apps and cool, interchangeable accessories, allowing for a number of play and display options. I’m unclear as to whether each figure is the intended pilot of either vehicle, given that they are packaged one way but shown in the opposite vehicles on the included filecards. I’m assuming Hasbro shrewdly did this to imply that the pilots are compatible with either vehicle.
The newly-designed Viper is unfortunately not my favorite figure in the 25th Anniversary line. He looks great but his articulation somewhat limits his ability to hold his weapons well. Most of the time, it appears that he is aiming downward instead of straight. That is at least his appearance if you are posing him holding a weapon in two hands. However, that might not be a bad thing for an aerial trooper who’ll likely spend most of his time shooting at enemies from above.
Conversely, I simply love the Cobra Pilot. The Hasbro team has done a fantastic job with the re-deco of the stellar Cobra Trooper mold that was developed for the 25th Anniversary line. This pilot will fit in nicely with the others while also looking solid on his own. He’s a cool trooper who can easily hold any of the weapons in the set. As a cool bonus his air trooper helmet is removable, revealing the standard masked trooper face.
While this review might not be as glowing as some of my previous looks at this line, the lack of appreciation for the individual parts is completely offset by the value of the set as whole. A good comparison to this might be Voltron, where the individual lions may not catch one’s attention, but the fact that they all combine to form a giant fighting robot makes them awesome. In the same way, the individual parts of this set may not have caught my eye on their own, but putting them all together in a single set is fantastic in terms of value, playability, display options and the overall fun factor. Again, when single carded figures are running from $7-$10 individually on shelves, this set provides two vehicles and two figures for around twice the cost. The incredibly high value of this set is evident and it’s yet another great addition to the ranks of Hasbro’s G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary line.
Click here to see our full photo gallery of the Hasbro G.I. Joe F.A.N.G. & C.L.A.W. vehicle set!
You can read more of C.J.’s musings on film, toys and music over at stunksstage.com.