So the Retro Fang has probably been the most controversial release in the new GI Joe Retro line. People are upset at the new design of the Fang and the new Fang Pilot. People think that Hasbro should have just reissued the 25th Anniversary Fang and called it a day. Luckily I have never owned a FANG (original or 25th. I still kick myself for not buying a 25th FANG too…) so I am going into this without any preconceived notions!

So let’s start with the FANG itself. According to the Hasbro Fan First Friday this is all new tooling. I personally like the design of the little helicopter. Throwing out all real-world usefulness (I mean it’s GI Joe!) I think it’s a nice design. It reminds me of the Fangs in the show (I’m a show guy and I never read the comics). I think the mold itself has some really nice detail work on it. The engine is really nice, the rivet work is pretty detailed, rotors spin, the gun moves around, what more could you ask for?

Well everything isn’t perfect. On one side there are 6 screw holes that are clear as day. No attempt at trying to hide them, just some holes or screw in the side. I’m not a fan of that at all. Also the stickers need to be applied over rivets or other uneven parts. This makes some of the stickers not look flush, and even start to lift over time. Sadly , one of the large stickers that says FANG 76X3-6 was missing off my sticker sheet. On the bright side it would have been placed over some rivets so at least I didn’t have to do that (have to look at the positives right?). I also found that it’s a little difficult to get the pilot in the seat, but after some wiggling, I was able to get him in there

So now let’s move onto the Fang pilot. This guy has been an interesting addition to the Retro Line. So let’s start with the positives. I really like the direction they seem to be heading with this figure. There appears to be a lot of good detailing, and I really like the way his mask integrates with his vest. I personally like how his mask is molded onto the figure so that it looks natural. No use in a design for a head under the mask, if I’m just going to display the guy with his mask on most of the time. (Your mileage may vary here) The vest is a tight fit and it doesn’t appear to have any “snaps” on it. So, this makes it more streamlined and tight on the figure. Now I also imagine if I wanted to take it off, it’s going to make it much more difficult. But I tend to keep my figures with their original equipment, so it works for me.

I mentioned it before, but I really like the head on this mold. The mask is really nice with some nice detailing. The helmet is removable and a nice piece. I do wonder however how well a helmet like this would work in an open cockpit helicopter though…. doesn’t seem very practical…. So the pilot’s hair is pretty detailed, but I’m not big on the look. It’s nicely detailed but it looks like the hair on Retro Crankcase. Just not a fan of the style, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad design. At least he keeps his hair styled under his helmet!

So now onto some criticism! First and foremost, his limbs appear to be in weird proportions. His arms appear really long, and his feet appear rather large. If you fix those, I think the sculpting would be spot on. Now I did have a major issue with the characters left arm/elbow. The elbow appears frozen or stuck. This appears to be a widespread problem. I had to boil water, put the pilots left arm in the water for about 30 seconds, pull it out and wiggle it, and then cooled it back off. After that the arm has been moving with no issues.

So, the blue coloring of the pilot seems “off” on what it usually is for Cobra. Usually, it’s a more navy blue and this appears to be more towards an indigo. I am curious how the Cobra Commander blue will match with him. There isn’t a Cobra emblem anywhere visible on the figure itself. There appears to be one on the right side of the guy’s chest, but it is hidden underneath the vest. I would have liked to have seen it as an arm patch or somewhere on the vest but it’s not a game changer for me. Also where’s the dude’s stand? Not really a big issue because he will always be piloting my FANG but no stand is a bummer. 

So overall I like the new FANG and pilot but I’m not in love with it. Some small details keep me from loving it. I do like that I’m able to buy new Joe vehicles again which I do like. I like the detail and sculpting of the pilot, but his proportions make him a bit off. Hopefully those get fixed because I’m seeing where a lot of potential can come from this pilot and his helicopter.