2021 Blue Worm - Black Major

Worms were never a popular figure.  They got an oversized bit of attention for their helmet antenna that was often missing.  But, even as this piece started to get pricey, no one really cared much about the Worm.  For most collectors, he was a checkmark on a list.  A few guys might have had three or four to man their Maggot.  But, even a setup like this was somewhat rare.  Hasbro had the mold for the Worms in the 2000's and used it on the 2005 Convention General Mayhem figure.  And, while this figure was well regarded in its day, the mold's use didn't lead to calls for a new Worms figure repaint.  The Worm was just one of those unheralded gems from the line's middle years of whom most collectors were aware, but few cared about in any material way.

This made it all the more surprising when, in the early 2020's, Black Major announced the Worms figure was going to be one of his next releases.  The choice to use the Worm wasn't met with disdain.  For most collectors, it was an interesting idea that might have some merit.  And, by this time, Cobra Troopers, Vipers,  Crimson Guards, Alley Vipers, Night Vipers, Snow Serpents and Eels had all been made by factory custom producers.  With the heavy hitters mostly covered, looking to more obscure molds made sense.  The colors were announced, the figures were produced and, with little initial fanfare, Black Major made what are likely his best overall figures, ever.

Factory custom makers have struggled to get good color matches with vintage figures.  The Cobra Blue colors don't match up.  The Action Force greens are always a bit too light or a bit too dark.  The red and crimson used for Red Shadows and Crimson Guard figures is always just a little off.  But, the blue on this Worm figure is spot on.  It is a deep, rich color.  While not a perfect match for the 1982 Cobra figures, it's a color that matches up with Cobra in a way the lighter blues you often see on factory customs doe not.  The most noticeable aspect of the color, though,  is that this figure is done in a dull, flat tone of plastic.  It's a stark difference from the glossier plastic you see on most factory customs.  It allows this Worm to blend in with vintage figures in a more seamless way.  

When I was a kid, the Worms figure became a high ranking Cobra who was just below a named official.  He was above all the various Troopers and Vipers and would confer directly with the named Cobras.  He's assist them in planning and then convey the orders to the troops.  I don't recall if he was loyal to the militaristic Cobras or the conniving character portrayed by the Sea Slug.  (I suspect the Sea Slug.  The only evidence I have is a photo from 2001 on the Flying Scorpion figure where I set up my Cobra hierarchy and the Worm stands behind the Sea Slug.)  But, the Worms figure took on more prominence than the simply commander of a mid run Cobra vehicle should have.

One think I've realized of late is that I've lost a lot of the characters that I made up during my various Joe runs.  30 years of seeing photos and stories arranged with "canonical" toy appearances has stripped away some of the uniqueness of my Cobra setup.  Another part, though, is that army building turned once essential figures like this Worm into just another nameless, faceless Cobra whose sole duty was a singular task.  Even the vaunted Sea Slug is now just an army builder who often wears Techno Viper gear.  

I suppose this is a function  of age.  And, it was always difficult to explain why I had certain figures in distinct scenarios as their appearance made no sense without the years of context from my childhood play.  On some level, I feel I've lost some of the wonder around the toys.  Their value came form the stories they could tell, the emotions they could express and the pure wonder of exploring the human condition that could offer.  Now, I don't spend my time attaching such functions to my Joes.  They are collectibles that I take outside for photographs.  I'm not sure I would even be able to piece together a play session.  And, that loss is something I do lament.  While the horrible reality that is today's world plays out, it would be good to hold on to a piece of innocence.

While I love this blue Worm, the truth is that he makes for a much better army builder than I could justify turning into a character.  Despite having just the one version, I can only see him as an artillery or vehicle commander.  It's not a bad role.  And, it does allow the Worm to be used on a multitude of Cobra vehicles.  I just can't see him as that ambitious character, any longer.  Now, he's one of many Cobra specialists who wear uniforms colored to their environment or to match their vehicle of choice.  It makes for better photos.  But, I'm not sure it's a better story.

With this figure in hand, it become more apparent that Hasbro's inability to ever repaint the Maggot in a meaningful way (that terrible Night Force version doesn't really count...) was a mistake.  It's likely Hasbro had the mold in the 2000's.  But, cheap vintage Maggots and collector disinterest killed any calls for a repaint.  But, in Cobra blue, grey, black or white, the Maggot would have been an amazing update to the line.  Had it included a driver, that might have cost the chance at these Black Major Worms.  But, with the new colorways in hand, I find myself really wanting a matching colored Maggot to augment these figures and really showcase their panache.

The original selling point on the Worms figures is that they were, actually, three figures in one.  Each Worm included an alternate Torso and heads.  One head was based on the 1993 Cobra Commander.  The Worms has always had a bit of a regal look.  And, the medals and formality of the mold are a perfect match for Cobra Commander's character.  So, including the Commander head was a smart move.  The other pieces included were a Wild Weasel torso and a caucasian Doc head.  This setup also included an Aero Viper helmet and creates an interesting Air Viper figure.  I might hold the Air Viper configuration in the highest regard of the three possible combos.  It's a weird parts combination that you really don't see used at all, any more.  But, it really works.  At some point, I'll do a write up on that, specific, character, though.

The Worms accessory complement was weird.  There's no other way to say it.  The good part is that each figure included the Worms helmet with an antennae.  On this figure, the helmet is blue and the antennae is black.  The two tone color really adds to the overall look of the figure.  It makes the antennae more prominent and showcases it's addition to the helmet.  The helmet is a perfect fit and is one of better add on pieces you'll find in all the factory custom libraries.  Where the figure gets bizarre is the weapon choices.  The best piece is a 1988 Iron Grenadier Uzi.  This weapon is overly large.  But, it's the only piece that makes any sense for the figure.  

He also includes a knife.  It's a solid sculpt, but has a large, round handle that makes it tough for any figure to hold.  There is a small pistol.  I am not aware of the origin of the knife or pistol molds.  They might be from Anniversary era figures.  This small  pistol lacks details.  It's...fine for the Worm.  But, it's small and not that cool.  The final, most offbeat weapon is the main body of the 1983 Airborne Rifle.  Gone, though, are the stock and the muzzle with bayonet.  The weapon looks like a toy M-16 you got when you were 7 and promptly broke into three pieces.  Beyond the absurdity of the weapon choice, it doesn't really fit in the figure's hands.  If you find a figure with just the helmet and antennae, it's worth picking up because the rest of the gear isn't great.

The upside is that, in addition to this blue figure, there are a variety of Worms colors to track down.  There are arctic Worms that are a perfect match for the Wolf.  There is an all black version that is the only figure in that color scheme that's worth owning.  Really, it's amazing.  Then, there's Crimson, Red Shadows, Python Patrol (which, again, is better than it has any right to be), Desert, for some reason...Tiger Force, a grey cammo version and an Air Viper color scheme.  There might be more, too.  But, you have Worms for all seasons and all of them are of high quality in terms of tight joints, paint applications and overall construction.  And, you can now have a Worms commanding every vehicle in your Cobra armory, should you so choose.

The Worms figures have gotten a lot harder to track down, these days.  Either their production run was shorter than more traditional army builders or, more collectors simply held on to the figures due to their overall quality.  If you can find the figures, the various colors will run you between $15 and $35 with the more desirable colors going at the top end.  Usually, these figures will also not include the parts for the Air Viper or the Cobra Commander.  So, you're not even getting the complete package.  I'll argue that this figure is worth it.  The quality is excellent and the colors just pop.  This blue Worms gives you a chance to upgrade your Cobra command structure with a new figure.  Or, just build out your mechanized army.  Either way, it's a solid figure and one of those under the radar releases that has no business being this good.

2019 Night Force Snake Eyes - Black Major Exclusive

I've looked at two of the many flavors of the Black Major V2 Snake Eyes figures already.  There isn't much to say about a mold that was criminally underused and is now the exact opposite.  But, sometimes, a figure hits you in a way you weren't expecting.  I'm not a huge fan of the vintage Night Force subset.  To me, all the figures look the same.  Having one or two in the Night Force colors is really cool.  But, having 12 of them is just a boring, banal team that really flies in the face of what Joe is supposed to be.  But, it remains the most popular vintage Joe subset and really is something that needed a few more members.  Especially when you consider that Snake Eyes was not part of the original team.  Fortunately, Black Major corrected that in 2019.

On the one hand, Snake Eyes' absence from Night Force in non-sensical.  Of any Joe, Snake Eyes seems the singular, logical choice to either lead the team or at least be part of it.  I can only imagine what the pricing would be today had the 1985 Snake Eyes mold gotten its only repaint in the 1988 or 1989 Toys R Us exclusive Night Force sets.  But, his omission has more to do with the peculiarities of his release years and their lack of overlap with the TRU sets.  I actually have to give Hasbro credit for not including Snake Eyes in the 2004 Night Force set since Snake Eyes was overused at the time.  Though, the 1989 Snake Eyes mold in 2004 Night Force green might have been pretty cool.

The 1985 Snake Eyes holds a prominent place in my collection.  In 1985, I was reading the Joe comic and was well versed in Snake Eyes being the most prominent character.  His new figure personified everything that kids of that era wanted Snake Eyes to be.  He was still a commando at heart.  But, now had a ninja element, too, so he could battle the best Cobra figure ever released in the 1984 Stormshadow.  As such, to me, the 1985 sculpt is Snake Eyes.  Even moreso than his 1982 original design.  The placement of this figure at such a prominent point of my childhood blinded me to the obvious weaknesses in the figure's design, though.

As Black Major repainted the mold in a variety of colors, my blinders to the sculpt began to fade away.  I would now see that the head is a little bizarre, with the sculpted mouth.  The figure also has a little pooch in his stomach.  These flaws, though, were offset by finally seeing the mold painted in a way that accentuated the details that made us all fall in love with the figure back in 1985.  So, I still hold 1985 Snake Eyes repaints in higher regard than they might deserve.  There's something about this mold that remains magical due to its prominent placement during my childhood.  It's helpful to understand those old feelings and how they shape my view of toys based on the classic figure.  And, it's why I try to stay out of very valid debates about how good this figure actually is.  To me, I can't have a rational debate over a toy that was so central in my formative years.

It's interesting to me that I've owned a version of the 1985 Snake Eyes for 40 years, now.  Despite that, I still don't feel I've ever adequately appreciated the figure.  It always seems like I can not do anything that lives up to the greatness of this mold.  Photos don't do it justice.  Paint jobs make it better, but it still seems like there's more to be done.  This is legacy that is hanging on from childhood.  The result of these inadequacies is that I don't use 1985 Snake Eyes figures as often as I should.  He'd work great in many photos.  But, I end up taking one of the repaint era figures based on the 1991 or 1983 Snake Eyes instead.  With those figures, I never worry about capturing the essence of the figure in a perfect way.  With the 1985 mold, I want to do that.  And, I've scrapped many photos and writings about the 1985 mold for that very reason.

This Night Force version of the figure got a bit of use for a while.  I loved the added colors on the character.  But, since then, the figure has stagnated.  I haven't taken a photo of him in years.  Other Snake Eyes colorings have grabbed my attention and are more likely to be used.  And, I'm not sure why that is.  I still really enjoy this color scheme on the mold.  But, it suffers from the general malaise that I feel towards using this classic look for Snake Eyes.  I'll choose other Snake Eyes costumes long before I turn to the '85.  In some ways, I should rectify that.  The '85 is still my preferred look for Snake Eyes.  And, using some of these older Black Major colors does give photos more flair.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow.  Maybe, I'll take this figure down to the creek and try to find a cool spot for a showcase.  

Aside from one detail, this Snake Eyes uses colors that are callbacks to the vintage Night Force figures.  The black base and grey pants match up with the standard motif of the vintage era.  And, the green highlights hearken back to the Toys R Us figures using that color, too.  None of the colors on the Snake Eyes are an exact match for the vintage figures, though.  He's one of those guys who looks good on his own.  But, if you posed him with the '88 or '89 figures, you'd notice that his coloring is off.  The main difference, though, is the red visor.  The red is somewhat of an homage to the red highlights used on Night Force vehicles and isn't a feature of the vintage figures.  It actually kind of works for me, though.  It gives the Snake Eyes more visual distinction from his other figures.  And, it also allows you to use this as an alternate look for Snake Eyes rather than just a Night Force addition.

My favorite element of this Snake Eyes is his accessory color.  While the figure includes the full complement of 1985 Snake Eyes gear (backpack, Uzi, sword and wolf), it is the base, brown color of the figure's gear that is most striking.  The rich hue isn't often seen.  And, while it may not make sense for a sword or firearm, it looks cool.  I'm a sucker for oddball accessory colors.  And, this Snake Eyes pulls it off with aplomb.  (There's tons of Black Major Snake Eyes gear available in more standard colors, now, should you want to give the figure more traditional weapon colors.)  The brown is a nice offset to the black and green base.  It complements the figure's coloring and gives him even more pizazz.  

The Night Force Snake Eyes is of decent quality.  In 2020, the Snake Eyes mold began to wear out.  And, some of the later paint jobs tend to have loose arms.  But, that doesn't affect this Night Force version.  The backpack mold, though, has a flaw that prevents the sword from fitting into the slots.  It's annoying as it renders one of the better features of Snake Eyes' accessories moot.  You can awkwardly slide it in, sideways.  But, it's precarious, at best.  Aside from this, though, the figure is solid and works very well with vintage figures.

When this figure was first released, he was only available to those who purchased an entire 9 figure set of Snake Eyes repaints.  After that, a few select figures were raffled off.  And, a few were sold on auction sites.  Those figures started over $100 and continued to sell for $70+ for quite some time.  By the fall of 2019, though, the figure had fallen in price and you could get one under $30 at online auction sites.  As with all Black Major figures, future pricing is tough.  Were there fewer Night Force Snake Eyes figures made than the other repaints that were released at the same time?  Will collectors continue to want this particular paint job when there are, literally, at least 18* others to choose from?  If you like the figure and find it at a price you like, snatch it up.  The one constant is that after factory customs sell out, they get harder to find.  So, even if the figure drops in price, tracking one down might be worth the extra bucks today.

*I started writing this profile in April of 2020.  I just got around to finishing it, more than 5 years later.  Now, there's dozens of '85 Snake Eyes repaints available.  Some are great.  Some are bad.  And, some are weird.  But, there's something for everyone.  This Night Force version sits, unsold, at $40.  And, his contemporaries seem to have settled in the $25-$30 range.  That's a good starting point should you want to buy this Snake Eyes in 2025.

2017 Cobra Soldado - Around The Web

When the first factory custom Cobra Troopers appeared, there was one, single design that I wanted to see: an homage to the Brazilian Cobra Soldado.  The brighter blue on that figure was always visually distinctive and appealing.  It's a rare situation where the different color was still a perfect match for Joe figures.  Finally, in 2017, we got the first Soldado release.  The blue isn't a 100% match for the real figure from Brazil.  But, it works well enough.  And, it remains one of my favorite Cobra Trooper repaints.

The two best early Brazilian repaints were the Cobra De Aco and the Soldado.  (Though, Athena is pretty good, too.)  But, they were both straight arms.  Making them useless as toys.  While we're still waiting for a proper, swivel arm De Aco, this 2017 figure finally gave us a swivel arm Cobra Soldado.  I've never understood the appeal of straight arm figures.  I find them useless and don't even collect them.  So, having a swivel arm Soldado finally gave me the enemy force I'd been craving to battle against my later Brazilian Joes.

There's not a ton of content on this figure out there.  Like most of the late 2010's factory customs, the content of his release era has been buried by the algorithms and few people still use him.  Some of the photos are of later edition Soldados who came out in the 2020's.  They are equally nice.  After checking these guys out, let me know in the comments which repaint of the Cobra Trooper is your personal favorite.

2017 Cobra Soldado Profile

2017 Cobra Soldado by gen_liederkranz

2017 Cobra Soldado by cyko_9

2017 Cobra Soldado by Nekoman

2017 Cobra Soldado by sintechness

2017 Cobra Soldado by hobieshinobi

2017 Cobra Soldado by slipstream80

2017 Cobra Soldado by sintechness

2020 Night Force Snake Armor - Black Major

I do not like the Snake armor.  I hated it as a kid and it has been completely and utterly irrelevant to me for over 40 years.  But, one of the things that helps us grow as people it to take another look at something we dislike and try to understand why we dislike and if the circumstances around that dislike warrant another evaluation of our opinion.  It's something good to do with political views, social conventions and even the people in and around your life.  So, when Black Major produced Snake Armors in 2020, I saw an opportunity to pick one up and see if my childhood bias against the toy held up.  In this case, I'm actually looking at a Night Force version of the Snake armor.  I'm not sure why there's a Night Force version.  But, it was cheap and included a Stormshadow repaint I wanted.  And, the base colors are Cobra enough that it solved my need for a sample of the Snake that would help determine if I've been wrong for the last 4 decades.

The Snake came out in 1983.  It was a cheap toy that was meant to fill the price gap between a figure and base vehicle.  At the time, Hasbro ensured Joe toys existed within price points so that G.I. Joe toys were a possibility for any level of gift giver.  And, because of this, my brothers and I got no less than 3 Snakes between birthdays and Christmas in the fall of 1983.  By that point, I was completely engrossed in G.I. Joe and they were the only toys I really played with. So, ostensibly, any Joe toy would have been an awesome addition to my toy room.  But, Snakes were not.  From the get go, I found them useless.  The last thing I wanted was a suit that limited articulation on my figures.  I could easily imagine some force shield that offered all the power of a Snake without limiting my ability to pose the figures any way I wanted.  But, the most damning aspect of the toy was that, in order to use it, it took a figure out of rotation.  Someone had to be inside the suit for the thing to work.

So, now we get the crux of the issue.  Pretty much anyone reading this would say, "What about the exoskeleton included with the Snake that allowed it to be set without a figure?!?".  Usually, this would be prefaced or ended with the word dummy.  (Or, your expletive of choice.)  But, we'll save that.  Because, you see, I didn't know about the exo skeleton piece.  In all three of our Snakes, that little part was tossed with the leftover sprues.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe it was the zeal of opening something new.  Or, I was just a moron who missed it.  But, I didn't know this part existed for a many years.  So, this is the part where you call me a dummy.  

But, to be fair, this was not the end of the Snake for me.  In time, certain Cobra figures got broken.  Even as a kid, I could not abide by figures with broken crotches or thumbs.  So, when a Cobra Officer was damaged, it made perfect sense for him to slide into the Snake as the operator.  This allowed me to use the Snake.  But, it also didn't cost me a figure since someone already broken was no longer considered part of my actual collection.  But, even with this addition of a figure, I found the Snake lacking.  Like the MANTA, the Snake didn't stay together all that well when you actually played with it.  And, the lack of poseability still killed it.  In short, the Snake couldn't manage to find a way into my adventures.

In 1984, I started buying the Joe comic.  In short order, I found a local comic book shop and started buying back issues of the Joe issues.   Eventually, I came across issue #19.  Here, Dr. Venom put Kwinn and Snake Eyes into the Snakes and had them attack the G.I. Joe Headquarters.  I had a few problems with this issue.  First, Dr. Venom kept referring the Hiss Tank being "Cobra blue".  As the Hiss was canonically black, I found this a glaring error.  Second, it didn't make sense to me that Kwinn and Snake Eyes would have their bodies controlled, but still have clear enough minds to shoot the locks on the suit.  Finally, it was self defeating to have these invincible suits who could be cracked open by a guy who somehow managed to get a remote controlled machine gun to fire manually.  The upside, though, was that the terrible suits were proven very ineffective.  And, in my mind, my dislike of Snakes as a toy and a concept were codified in the comic forever.

But, at its core, my dislike of the Snake went deeper.  Generally, I was not a fan of robots.  For some reason, I never got the robot bug.  This manifested itself in 1986 when I found the BAT a fairly lame toy and character.  BATs were fun for about 4 minutes before Sgt. Slaughter would slip behind them, shoot them in the back and watch them burst into flame...rendering them absolutely useless.  I was shocked to find my friends and even random kids at the store who LOVED BATs.  I didn't get the fascination with robots.  And, I still don't.  I see collectors going ga-ga over mechs and things and I simply don't understand the appeal.  But, to me, the humanity of the characters was a driving force in my play.  So, even in my days of playing with Star Wars figures, I rarely found the robots interesting.  Monsters and aliens could be given personality.  But, I just didn't click with robots.  And, to this day, I find anything that heavily features robots to be kind of boring.

The Black Major Snakes are very well done.  They are of high quality and display nicely.  The paint masks are crisp and the rainbow of colors allow even curmudgeons like myself to find something of interest.  Snake accessories tended to break on the vintage toys.  With the Black Major figures, the risk is still there.  But, the attachments fit snugly and work very well with the arms.  The parts fit together without falling apart.  And, even with the exo skeleton inside, the toy stands and functions just fine.  

There are tons of Black Major paint variants of Snakes available.  A few colors were even metallicized and you can get shining versions that look like Christmas ornaments if you are so inclined.  The original Snake had an interesting life.  Hasbro released the white version in 1983.  Then, in 1985, they repainted it into a blue version.  I have no idea why the Snake got this treatment when other, far better vehicles in the price point did not.  But, the blue Snake exists and is somewhat rare.  In Europe, Palitoy released a red Snake named the Escape Armor for the Red Shadows.  Of course, it's highly desirable and expensive.  Funskool finally released the Snake in the 1990's.  There are various hues, the most famous being a gray version.  Again, this is hard to find and you'll pay a premium for one.  So, for a crappy, crappy toy, there are tons of variants out there.  Yet, there are only two Flight Pods and one real coloring for the CLAW....

Black Major Snakes dried up pretty quickly.  While you can still find them, the initial assortment sold out far faster than I would have thought.  All this proves is that my take on the Snake is the minority opinion in the community and the design is generally well liked.  Less desirable colors of the Snake are still available in the $12 range.  But, some of the most desirable colors almost never appear for sale and will command a premium.  For me, it was easy to get one like this Night Force version because it was more about having one Snake to review than having the right colors.  If you're a Snake fan, that might not be the case.  

Night Viper - Grey (Black Major Version)

We can argue whether the default Cobra color is blue, red or even purple.  (Seriously, there's more purple Cobras than other colors.)  But, everyone will agree that Cobra's principle color isn't green.  There were just two vintage green Cobras that both appeared in 1989: the Aero Viper and the Night Viper.  Both figures are highly regarded as the color can work in small doses.  The dark green palette works for the specialty of the Night Viper.  But, there are many other color schemes that would have also fit the mold.  Hasbro never saw fit to repaint the Night Viper and he remained one of the more desirable vintage army builders for many years.  In the late 2010s, factory custom maker the Black Major released several series of Night Viper repaints.  All showcased the untapped potential of the Night Viper mold.  The paint job I've found most useful, though, is a grey and black color combo.  The grey hearkens back to the Stinger Driver from the vintage line and fits with the iconic Cobra vehicles from the line's early years.

I've recounted my discovery of the Night Viper before.  He was, though, the only figure I purchased at retail between early 1988 and December of 1992.  His pristine cardback with bubble still attached sat inside a small Banana Republic brown paper shopping bag on the top shelf of the closet in my childhood room for nearly two decades.  While I never really got to use the figure, his top notch design kept him as someone that held more value to me than most of my post-childhood Joes.  As an adult, I acquired a nice squad of Funskool Night Vipers that were my core Cobra army for a few years while we waited on Hasbro to finally get some diverse army building molds into production.  

In time, though, that novelty waned.  I had less interest in a Night Viper army because I had other figures that became available.  But, when I liquidated a huge chunk of my collection in the early 2010's, I kept all the Night Vipers.  I saved my four vintage figures.  And, kept my entire Funskool army.  (It helped that Funskool figures were worthless at the time and I've have sold them for less than my $4/figure cost.)  So, even as the figure fell out of favor from a usage standpoint, it remained a viable army in my collection.  Every now and then again, I get the urge to get the old Night Vipers out and relive their heyday as the pre-eminent Cobras in my legions.  But, you'll see that Night Viper appearances are few and far between.  Heck, the photos in this profile are at least 3 years old and I don't have any newer ones to supplement them.

This figure is pretty basically colored.  His body is a silverish-grey with black highlights.  Aside from a small, silver belt buckle and the small green and yellow logo on his left arm, the figure is two tonal.  But, in this context, the figure works.  His paint masks match the vintage Night Viper and this figure very much feels like something Hasbro could have made during the vintage run.  While additional painted details would have been nice, they are less necessary for some repaints due to their ties to the vintage figure's appearance.  

For gear, the Black Major Night Vipers match with the vintage figures.  He includes the classic rifle: complete with strap to go over his arm and the weird holes to affix the rifle to the Night Viper's legs.  The Night Viper backpack is there, though it's kind of underwhelming due to the original design.  The figure features both the face shield and the monocle that attaches to it.  The face shields are the biggest source of consternation for these figures.  The shields are difficult to get on and can either break or snap off the pegs that are on the figure's helmet.  Some colors work better than others.  But, they are all tight fits and take a bit of patience to get onto the figure's head without breaking something.  

The result of all this is a really nice repaint of a classic figure.  I'd hesitate to say that this grey Night Viper is better than the green version.  It's just different.  The green has many uses.  But, this grey version does, too.  He fits well with the Stinger, Hiss Tank or even the Night Watch.  And, it is nice to have a a grey figure from some of the later years to fill in gaps on Cobra vehicles when you want to use other figures who were released after 1984.  More importantly, it's a sensical color for both the mold and the character's specialty.  Grey and black is about as classic "night" as the Joe line gets.  So, seeing it on this Night Viper mold makes this release feel like it could have been a vintage Hasbro design.  For me, that's a huge plus when it comes to factory customs.

At this point in my collection, knowing that this figure exists and that I have a couple is where the value in him lies.  I don't really see me taking this guy out and using him in extensive photo shoots.  And, it's hard to get proper night shots where the figure really makes sense.  I like to take him and mingle him with 1989 or Funskool Night Vipers.  But, I rarely find the occasion warrants any photos to commemorate it.  I do enjoy the Night Viper mold.  It's one that I've never been able to fully appreciate because I had the figure in my teenage years but couldn't really appreciate him.  That's carried over to today and I generally feel that the Night Viper is a figure that I really should use more often.

Hasbro released one vintage Night Viper.  Some of his parts were used on the 1992 Heli-Viper: but in very odd colors.  After that, the mold went to India.  Funskool released the Night Viper for many, many years.  The figure was colored in similar style to the American figure and was a staple of online Joe dealers during the Funskool heyday.  (Funskool Night Vipers would sell out routinely throughout 2001 and even into 2002.  Guys bought them by the dozens.)  There are a few minor coloring variants on the figure and accessories.  But, the figure's main design doesn't stray from Hasbro's vision.  Hasbro got the Night Viper back in April of 2003.  His parts were then used for the 2005 Iron Grenadier convention figure.  And, in 2006, the club released an exclusive "not an army builder" Night Viper that was...in green.  So, even the newly painted version didn't really bring anything new to the mold other than some painted details.  Due to the club's use, the Night Viper didn't get picked for any retail sets...even though he was a natural fit for the Night Watch set.  Factory Custom makers re-creating the mold, though, has finally brought about the Night Viper repaints we've always wanted.  You can now get them in grey, tan, red, gold, blue, black, python patrol and even colored like the Alley Viper.  At this point, every Night Viper you could ever want is available.  So, the mold finally got its due.

The Night Viper series debuted as a higher price point figure from Black Major.  And, it's never really come down.  These days, it's pretty easy to find the less desirable Night Viper colorways.  They don't really seem to sell.  The earlier figures with many of the more collector friendly colors are much harder to track down.  You'll end up paying between $25 and $30 if you can find one.  Which, is probably too much.  As the market cools down, figures like this will be less desirable and should come up, from time to time, at cheaper prices.  You just have to be ready to pounce when one appears.  Until then, there's lots of other Night Vipers that are just fine to tide you over. 

2018 Cobra Starduster - Black Major

When Starduster variants first showed up in 2017, I picked up a couple of them.  They made for great figures.  But, as more repaints appeared, I had less interest in them as I was rushing to catch up on the Steel Brigade, Cobra Trooper, Alley Viper and Night Viper repaints.  By the time I got around to chasing down the Stardusters, they seemed like old news.  In late 2020, though, Nekoman showcased a Red Shadows Starduster as part of his Laser Exterminator profile.  Not to be outdone, RTG at the Attica Gazette then showcased the figure in its full glory on his site.  With these, my interest in the figure was piqued.  And, at that time, you could still get a few of the late 2010's Black Major figures for cheap prices.  

When I thought about it, Starduster makes more sense as a villain.  His jet pack is very much a super villain weapon.  His visor hides his face well enough.  And, he's obscure enough that switching the affiliation of a repaint doesn't really hurt any Joe mythos.  Shortly after reading these other blogs about the figure, a red Starduster popped up for $12.  I quickly snagged it.  Mine, though, is not the Red Shadows version.  Instead, it's a Cobra version of Starduster cast in all red.  But, it still works for my intended purpose.  And, it's a damn fine example of the work Black Major can do.

Black Major released a massive amount of Starduster repaints.  Some were Starduster.  Others were marketed as Cobras.  And, there were Red Shadows versions, too.  Quickly, collectors who were pigeonholed into Starduster's intended role were freed to actually do something with the character.  I've never really clicked with Starduster as a character.  To me, the most interesting thing about him is that he was named Hedge-Hopper in a preview issue of Marvel Age.  That's not much on which to base a character, though.  So, having the figure in a definitely Cobra color and Cobra markings was an interesting way to re-envision the character.  

The calling card of the figure is the red color.  It is a deep and vibrant red: fitting for a Cobra.  The camo pants are in oddball choice that shouldn't matter.  But, they add depth to the look of the figure and give him some visual interest.  The black details and silver highlights stand out against the red backdrop.  Really, there's not a ton of paint applications.  But, when you have a powerful base against which accent colors can pop, small amounts of paint can go a long way.  And, with this Starduster, they do.

I'm not really sure what to do with a Cobra Starduster.  Just having a jetpack guy isn't all that much fun after a few interactions.  It's why I had jetpack troopers when I was a kid.  They were useful in spurts.  But, not enough upon which to base a character.  But, every villainous organization requires some B-level bad guys who can be beaten by the good guys but not be so important that their capture would compromise the bad guys or their plans.  So, this Starduster fits that role well enough.  He'll show up from time to time.  But, usually, it's for a short time and a limited role.  But, with thousands of figures now available in the vintage Joe style, some have to be intended for bit parts.  

The Starduster era Black Major figures are very well done.  From a quality perspective, the joints are solid, they will hold a pose and the paint masks are vibrant and sharp.  You'll see some paint wear on the figure's visor in the photo below.  The translucent plastic of the visor doesn't hold paint all that well.  But, some other colors seem to better maintain their paint.  The grenade launcher is also painted.  So, it can wear if you use it frequently.  Beyond that, though, the jetpack is awesome: equal of a Hasbro release.  And, the helmet fits nicely onto the head.  You'll note the reversed rivets in the figure below.  A function of the time when these figures were released.  You can find them with proper rivets, too.  So, there's plenty of little things to look out for when chasing this figure.  

Depending upon when you bought this figure, you got a variety of different pieces.  Early figures included both a Duke chest and a Recondo chest so you could make an imitation of either major Starduster variant figures.  The figure should always have a helmet, visor, jetpack and grenade launcher.  Some will have the weapon and hose from the JUMP, too.  As time has gone on, many of the figures made available have become separated from some of the superfluous pieces.  But, you'll see variants of the chest and weapons among various figures that you can acquire.  

This Starduster is tough to price.  You see them offered at $40 or $50.  But, they don't seem to sell at that point.  You'll see some sell around $30.  But, those seem to be outliers, too.  Contemporary Starduster variants that were released at the same time as this Cobra version seem to run between $20 and $30.  So, that's probably the sweet spot.  There's a lot of people who try to oversell this figure just due to the association with Starduster.  But, the original, Hasbro Starduster is one of the most over-hyped figures in all of collectordom and isn't nearly as popular or rare as his price suggests.  So, don't overpay for the Black Major figures just due to a false sense of rarity associated with the Hasbro release.

2010 Black Major Blue Cobra Mortal - Random Photos of the Day

In the case of this figure, I couldn't do an around the web feature.  The reason is that there's nothing out there.  So, instead, I'll just post some of the various photos I've taken of him over the years.

Back in 2010 or so, when this figure first showed up, I thought that the Cobra blue body combined with the chromed head created an incredible visual.  Back then, factory customs were pretty new.  And, there was only a couple of dozen total figures.  So, this figure felt very fresh.  It seemed like something that could have been released.  And, it was actually much better than any official version of the Cobra Mortal character that had seen production.

Now, the figure seems almost quaint.  When compared to the current crop of factory customs, this figure is akin to comparing a 1982 Joe to one released in 1992.  They have evolved to a degree that the originals are easily recognized.  And, I kind of like that.  It shows that there is still work to do in the Joe world.  Despite that, these early figures retain a type of innocence from their early design period.  

2021 Black Major Cobalt Guard (Gold Trim)

Back in the early 2000's, I was vocal that Hasbro should release a repaint of their updated Crimson Guard mold in Cobra blue.  I was hassled for this by collectors hung up on the "Crimson" part of their name.  When the Shadow Guard were released in mid 2005, I was adamant that the set should have included at least one Cobra blue figure to lead the new legions of black clad Siegies.  More people came around on the idea.  But, Hasbro was done and new repaints of their Crimson Guard mold were not to be.  In the early 2010's, though, Black Major released his first Crimson Guards.  These figures, though, were not as ubiquitous as the Cobra Troopers and Invasors had been.  The cheap lots of 4 to 6 figures were no more.  And, when he released a Cobra blue version, I was pretty much out of the Joe world.  Around 2016, I managed to get one of the blue Black Major figures off of Ebay for a few bucks.  In short order, the figures would get very expensive: too expensive for army building.  But, in 2021, Black Major brought back the Crimson Guards with a new mold.  This time, the figure included additional heads and a Viper rifle.  Among his color offerings were a few takes on Cobra blue.  Sold under the Cobalt Guard header, these blue Crimson Guards finally gave me a chance to build a blue Siegie army that I had wanted for a decade and a half.

The Crimson Guard was one of the most requested army builders from the early 2000's.  He was the third or fourth most requested figure behind the Viper, BAT and Cobra Trooper.  Eventually, Hasbro relented and resculpted a new Crimson Guard figure.  The figure wasn't bad.  But, it reused some existing parts, didn't have the classic gear and only included heads with removable helmets.  In short, they were fine.  But, they didn't really scratch the itch for collectors who loved the original mold.  In the early 2010's, though, Black Major made his first round of Crimson Guard figures.  These featured a multitude of color options and included the original gear.  But, these figures were made in lower quantities than the Cobra Troopers of that era.  And, while plenty of guys did army build a few flavors, they really didn't permeate the collecting community to the degree that some of the other factory customs from those early days had done.  Finally, about a decade later, Black Major's second run of Crimson Guard figures were released.  Done up in even more colors, these figures were well received by the dwindling collector base of the time.  Since there isn't much content being created these days, the figures don't appear with the frequency that you'd expect.  But, that's more about the dwindling creative collector and less about the figures themselves.

For me, as a kid, the Crimson Guards really were Cobra's elite troopers.  To me, the red uniform was combat ready.  The Siegies were just so good that they could wear red into battle with little concern.  The best of the best would then become Eels (I still swear that, somewhere, I read that CG's became Eels.  But, this appears to be youthful exaggeration on my part rather than any official canon.)  who could then become Snow Serpents.  (Who were the pinnacle of the Cobra army and equal to most Joes.)  But, as I got older, I saw this as a less likely use for the character.  Instead, they slowly became guards for Cobra Commander and other Cobra hierarchy.  They were still elite fighters.  But, they were reserved for protecting Cobra's top leaders.  The dressy uniform was still cool.  But, I didn't see it as combat ready...especially now that I had far more army builders available to me.

It is from this protector role that the CG's evolved.  One of the main events in my Joe world was the Crimson Guard Rebellion.  The group tried to take over Cobra in the mid 2000's.  The end result was that the elite unit was mostly broken up.  Those who remained are still entrenched in Cobra leadership: a powder keg of potential unrest just waiting to be lit.  But, mostly, they keep their heads down after they saw so many of their brethren be unceremoniously executed by Cobra Commander when he defeated them.  

One of the humiliations that the Commander bestowed upon the Crimson Guardsmen was that he allowed for their uniform to be worn in different colors.  Most of the younger elites choose blue to show their loyalty to the Commander.  Elders often wear black to denote their status.  But, some choose to wear red.  Mostly, it's done as a troll to the remaining rabble of rebellious guardsmen who see the youngers wearing red as an insult.  But, the Commander prefers blue and his personal guards always wear the blue uniforms as a means of confirming their loyalty to him.  The golden trim, though, is reserved for the officers among the Commander's entourage.  A special notation fitting of their status.  And, the blue and gold motif matches the Commander's dress uniform: implying the leaders have access to the Commander when he's at his least guarded moments.

My main draw to the gold trimmed figure is just how exquisite it looks.  For some reason, the color combo of the lighter blue and bright gold really clicked.  Not so much in that I wanted a dozen of them.  But, it worked as the leader of a large unit of figures.  As you can see in the photos below,  the blue is a bit lighter than standard Cobra blue.  But, it's not quite the Soldado blue.  It works for me.  Especially now that there are several other figures that have similar hues that are available from factory custom makers.  For this figure, the paint masks are tight and  the figure quality is really nice.  The golden paint really makes the fine details on the CG mold pop.  It's great to get Crimson Guard rifles.  And, you get an extra Viper rifle with every figure.  (Which is kind of handy when you have a couple dozen 2006 Viper Pit figures sitting around.)  Even now, where I'm in a phase of hyper-criticality on anything Joe, I still find this figure aesthetically pleasing.  Which keeps it relevant to me.

It is likely that this gold trimmed figure exists in smaller numbers than the other blue Crimson Guard flavors that were made.  For those who pre-ordered a set, a single gold trim figure was included along with nine of the silver trim figures.  (You could choose red Cobra logos or silver Cobra logos for the 9 other figures.  I went with silver.)  What this means is anyone's guess.  On the one hand, lower run figures tend to do well if people can't get them.  But, at the same time, the obscure nature of their differences combined with the massive amount of new figures released all at once tends to leave the figures the odd men out.  We'll see how it plays out with this figure.  But, I'm glad I have one as he's a visual treat that really helps provide more depth to the Crimson Guard brigades.

You can get the gold trimmed Cobalt Guardsman for about $22.  This is a far cry from the pre-order pricing.  But, in line with the retail cost when single figures were made available.  In general, Crimson Guard flavors from that era sell in the $15-$20 range.  So, the gold figure has a slight premium.  But, that's also likely due to reduced options for acquisition.  In the end, the gold and blue is a striking combination that makes for a visually pleasing figure.  But, you have lots of options for visually pleasing figures these days.  I go with what speaks, specifically, to me.  This golden trimmed Guardsman did just that.  So, he's a fun addition to my collection.  I just need to use him a bit more often.

2023 Black Major Mercenary Troopers

Major Bludd doesn't need troopers.  Really, as an independent mercenary, he'd be bogged down by the responsibility of troopers.  He might have some associates in the event he'd need some additional help.  But, he's not the type of person who would command an army.  Despite that, there are some 2023 Black Major Cobra Trooper repaints who just mandate that Bludd have a few, select Troopers at his disposal who just happen to share the color scheme of Bludd's 1983 debut.  

It is my opinion that, when it comes to the Cobra Trooper mold, less is often more.  The paint jobs that follow the vintage paint masks, just with alternate colors, are my personal favorites.  In cases, though, where one subtle paint mask is added, like on these Mercenary Troopers, the result is often even better.  It breathes life into a mold that is now fairly common and makes up a large percentage of the overall figures released in the past decade and a half.  

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the cammo pattern Trooper repaints.  That is, definitely, a minority take, though.  As, most collectors really seem to love the various cammo Troopers that are out there.  I prefer the figures that utilize solid colors.  This isn't to say that there aren't some bangers among the cammo Troopers out there.  I just have to draw the line somewhere when  it comes to factory customs and, with Cobra Troopers, I remain particularly choosy about the new paint designs I'll track down.  

Major Bludd is one of my personal favorite Cobra characters.  The main thing about him was that he was always evil and never really had a redemption arc that ruined his fundamental character.  He was just a guy who would kill with impunity provided that you were the best paying customer.  Despite my enjoyment of the character, I don't use him all that often.  Mostly, this is because I have just one loose vintage Bludd and he sits among my main collection that rarely gets used for photos.  I still have a bagged version from Hasbro Canada.  But, I can't mingle that with my other loose figures.  So, Bludd sees little use unless it's his later versions.  And, those are less inclined to blend with this early Cobra Trooper mold.  So, getting these figures out is usually a special occasion.  

Black Major has gone through several different Cobra Trooper molds in the past 15 years.  This Mercenary Trooper uses the (as of today!) most current mold.  The most notable feature is that the head is a bit...squished.  So, it gives the Troopers of this mold a distinct look that allows them to be distinguished from earlier releases that might share the same color scheme.  There are other differences, too.  But, the Attica Gazette better covers them.  So, go read that for a full breakdown of the nuances of Black Major's various Cobra Trooper incarnations.

There are, now, over 100 flavors of Cobra Troopers that are available.  They extend from standard repaints like a crimson figure to obscure and ridiculous versions like an orange figure with brown tiger stripes.  So, with so many Cobra Troopers available, you can afford to be choosy.  I've skipped many great repaints in the past couple of years because they are similar enough to figures I already own.  But, I do find figures like this Mercenary version to be somewhat fresh and interesting. With so many variants available, every collector can have their personal favorites that might be something in which other collectors have no interest.  So, that's a huge upside of a mold being repainted into oblivion: there's something for everyone.

The main draw of this figure, for me, is the juxtaposition of color.  You have the black base that is offset by the brown pants.  The brown is a unique color that's both realistic and under-represented among Joe figures.  The swath of brown on the figure's collar provides a nice starting point for the hue, too, and really ties the top and bottom of the design.  The entire thing, though, is highlighted by a bright green.  The green isn't too bright.  But, it's not a drab that would blend into the brown and black.  Instead, it really highlights them and gives the figure a contrast that is visually stark.  It works against both the black and brown, which is hard to pull off.  The logo and bullets aren't silver.  They are a silvery, metallic blue color that, in its sparse application, accentuates those details more so than when  they are in traditional Cobra logo colors.  If all that isn't enough, there's a few splotches of cammo paint on the figure's helmet.  This provides a little extra detailing that makes the figure feel like something more than just a base Cobra Trooper repaint.

Like most of the recent Cobra Troopers, this figure includes three accessories.  He starts with the classic Dragunov sniper rifle.  It's a requirement for any Cobra Trooper.  Despite the iconic stature of the homage to the character's original weapon, though, I find myself more drawn to the second rifle included with the figure.  I'm not sure of its origin.  But, it's properly scaled for the 1983 body design of the Trooper and looks more like a more modern assault rifle.  It's a bit tighter in the figure's hands.  But, not so much so that you are worried about stressing or breaking a thumb.  The final piece of gear is a Big Bear backpack.  It's a common yet, unremarkable pack.  So, it works in the context of the Trooper.  It's something that's nice to have, even if you seldom use it.

The overall quality of these figures is pretty par for the course for Black Major figures.  The joints are tight.  The paint masks are sharp and crisp.  The figure can hold its weapons.  The limbs will hold a pose.  The figure isn't the same as a vintage Joe figure.  But, it's still pretty good.  After 15 year, you should know what to expect from factory customs.  And, if you've never owned a Black Major figure, that's not because of lack of opportunity.  But, if you like this figure's look, it's certainly worth tracking down a few and building up a squad to your liking.

This figure is relatively recently made.  Had a small production run and is rather niche.  Right now, you can still get mint and complete versions for $20 - $25.  If you can find a lot of them, you'll probably pay slightly more than 1/2 of that per figure, though.  I have a tough time predicting which Black Major figures will be super popular on the collector market and which will fade into obscurity.  But, pricing on out of circulation Black Major Cobra Trooper repaints does seem to be softening a bit.  This is a function of the overall market downturn we've seen in recent years combined with the sheer volume of new figure releases that have been pouring into the community in 2024.  

My general rule when it comes to factory custom army builders is to acquire figures I like if I can get them in bulk.  I don't really have a use for one or two of these figures.  But, four or five fill out a photo and have some value in my collection.  My point isn't to suggest you mimic my rules for my collection.  Instead, it's just a reminder that, sometimes, guardrails on acquisitions are good.  Otherwise, you end up with dozens or hundreds of figures for which you overpaid and for which, now, you have no real use.  And, we all know how much it sucks to try to sell off large quantities of single figures.  So, approach figures like this with a purpose and pick and choose among those who speak to you...even if the reason for your interest in them isn't readily definable.

2016 Tank Commander - Black Major Exclusive

There are hundreds of paint jobs available on the 1983 Cobra Trooper mold.  Some are great.  Some are terrible.  And, most, are just there.  They're neat enough designs.  But, they don't really transcend the others.  Many of them, though, serve a specific purpose.  There is one area where a certain color scheme is completely necessary.  But, then, doesn't really make much sense in any other context.  Such is the fate of the 2016 Tank Troopers.  Black suited figures with red trim is a fine design that is also not all that exciting.  But, when paired with specific Cobra vehicles, the Tank Troopers are great.

The idea of having Cobra Troopers in color schemes to match any vehicle or specialty figure seems great.  And, back in 2010, it really was.  Collectors could get Troopers to match some of their favorite Cobra figures and vehicles.  As the decade crawled on, more and more Troopers were released.  And, with that, came some diminishing returns.  Now, in 2024, there are Cobra Troopers for every occasion.  And, you'll go batty trying to get squads of them all.  I find it better to pick and choose and focus on designs that really speak to me.  Among my preferred color schemes of Python Patrol, Swamp Troopers and Soldados, I also have a small cadre of these Tank Trooper figures that are cast in red and black.  

The reason for that is because of the 1985 Sears Exclusive SMS.  This special repaint of a Hiss Tank and MMS was meant for the Crimson Guard.  However, I've never felt that the CGs really matched the tank.  Simultaneously, the blue Cobra Troopers and Officers were not great matches for it, either.  But, with the advent of these Tank Troopers, I finally had an adequate crew for one of the key vehicles of my childhood.  The red black perfectly matches both the SMS and the 2004 Operation Crimson Sabotage.  On top of that, they are also really nice matches for the 1983 Hiss and even the Stinger.  In short, they fit with Cobras 1983-1985 vehicle aesthetic.  So, if you have a soft spot for those early Cobra designs, the Tank Troopers are the crew you wished you had back when you were a kid.

The Cobra Trooper remains the best incarnation of Cobra's classic bad guy.  Vipers are just too well equipped to see them as foot soldiers in an upstart terrorist organization.  But, guys wearing blue shirts and pants with a mask over their face gives the appearance of affordability that would have been imperative in Cobra's early days.  In case you think they aren't dangerous, though, each trooper carries a piano wire on his arm.  These are men of no moral compass who view murder as a matter of their job and nothing more.  Those who place such low value on human life would have been attracted to Cobra by the pay and sphere of safety that Cobra could provide.  

The fact that things like this were incorporated into a children's toy is amazing.  The early Joe team wasn't shy about making the good guys be good guys and the bad guys be bad guys.  The 1980's were the decade of clear heroes and villains.  The notion of the anti-hero would only become pervasive in the 1990's...mostly as a way to evolve the simple tropes of the prior decade that were no longer drawing in audiences.  Now, we have sympathetic villains and heroes who, frankly, have character flaws so deep that they really should be villains.  But, the early Cobra was designed in the vein of Hydra and other Nazi-derivative villains of the post World War II era.  And, the Cobra Trooper is the textbook example of this.

There really isn't much more to say about the Cobra Trooper mold.  I've looked at tons of colorings of the mold.  And, I have several more sitting in my draft folder that will appear in future years.  The mold remains the same.  But, the color schemes offer chances to use the mold in more circumstances and have some nice color matches with additional members of the Cobra hierarchy.  While we really don't "need" any more Cobra Trooper color designs, the fact is that must have colorings still continue to appear.  And, I often find that that there are lots of designs that I never thought I wanted until I saw them.  Once in hand, I have yet to be disappointed.

The Cobra Trooper is Black Major's most used character.  There are at least 4 different incarnations of the mold.  You can tell the differences by the foot pegs, backpack hole and even the head.  The Tank Troopers are earlier molds.  But, the quality is still high.  They don't have the floppy joints of some 2010 era releases.  They hold their weapons well.  (These figures actually include the standard Dragunov rifle, an Officer AK-47 and a backpack.  You'll often find current sales not including all the proper gear, though.)  And, best of all, the paint masks are simple and effective.  It's hard to believe these figures are coming up on their 10th anniversary.  But, the fact that new Cobra Troopers have already been released this year shows the enduring appeal of the mold.  And, it's a safe bet that as long as factory custom figures exist, new Cobra Troopers will be among the releases.

The Tank Troopers were not popular upon their release.  You could buy sets of 4 or 5 Troopers and one Viper Pilot for under $25.  Resellers would offer even better deals if you made a bulk purchase.  Now, you can barely get one Cobra Trooper for that amount.  But, 2017 was a very different time in the Joe world.  The documentary hadn't pulled in fly-by-night scalpers and pickers.  And, the pandemic hadn't destroyed all the collectible markets and created an unsustainable zeal for nostalgia.  So, these aren't $5 figures any more.  But, they are also not expensive.  You might have to wait a while to find the figure, especially if you want a set.  But, you should be able to find them in the $15-$20 range with prices going lower if you can find a full team.  

2018 Black Major "Purple Haze" Snake Eyes - Around The Web

Back when this figure was released in 2018, it was quite popular.  And, in very short order, the strong Joe photography community used him in tons of various photos. Now, though, I can't find any of them!

Attica Gazette's look at the Desert Version of this Snake Eyes this week brought back the memories when the latest Black Major figures appeared in photos by all the Joe creators of the day.  Now, though, the day of big set pieces and action poses are all but gone.  And, the online Joe photography community has gotten much, much smaller.  It's a sad state of affairs and the change happened pretty quickly.  But, I know how hard it is to get out a nice cadre of figures and vehicles and try to pose all the figures in fun ways before they are all knocked down from a sudden breeze.

The Purple Haze Snake Eyes remains my absolute favorite paint job of the V2 Snake Eyes mold that Black Major produced.  It was just the combo of a single base color matched against some very nice details.  The purple color is just stunning.  And, it makes for a great match on the Snake Eyes mold.  On some level, I wish the figure had been released sans Cobra logo.  But, it works fine as an Invasor or Mortal or Lobisomem or whatever other character you wish to assign to him.  

I do hope we see some of the derring-do of the Joe photography community return.  I don't know if it will.  But, as we age, time does become more available.  So, that might spur a content Renaissance for a short time.  Until then, enjoy what I could find of this figure.

Purple Haze Snake Eyes Profile

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by C3pesto

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by AtticaGazette

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by gladiousbrazil

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by MrMikeVinthePit

Purple Haze Snake Eyes at the Surveillance Port

Snake Eyes reviews at the Dragon Fortress