It wasn’t too long ago that Bobby Bee of Bee’s Battlegrounds gave us an early look at upcoming Target Exclusive G.I.Joe Classified Series Cobra Ninja Force Zartan figure.
Next up, it’s Sharky’s turn, as he’s added Zartan to his Classified collection and has shared his take on the figure. Check it out below –
My GI Joe Classified Ninja Force Zartan review for your viewing pleasure. Picked this up at Collector’s Edge here in Melbourne.
You can find their website here: https://collectorsedgecomics.com.au/
If you enjoyed the review, the subscribe button is your best bet to ensure you get my early looks at highly anticipated action figures on your feed. You want in-hand images, head over to my IG Sharkys_pix and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to drop me a line. Thanks for tuning in.
G.I.JOE CLASSIFIED SERIES #192, COBRA NINJA FORCE ZARTAN
Preorder date: TARGET EXCUSIVE – Tuesday, February 17th at 1pm EST
G.I. Joe Classified Series #192, Ninja Force Zartan Action Figure
G.I. Joe is a highly skilled, on-demand, special operations force of men and women from around the globe tasked with defending the world from Cobra, a ruthless criminal organization bent on total domination. The brave members of G.I. Joe are prepared to seek out Cobra in any environment on the planet. From hostile jungles to ice-clad arctic peaks…wherever there’s trouble, G.I. Joe is there.
New to the G.I. Joe Classified Series line, Ninja Force Zartan comes ready for adventure, with multiple points of articulation for high poseability. This Ninja Force Zartan figure contains 10 character-inspired accessory pieces including 2 knives, 2 swords, backpack scabbard, a kama, a quiver of arrows, compound bow and 2 detachable bowstrings–one at rest and one drawn with attached nocked arrow. Master of Disguise Zartan understands that sometimes the best way to hide is in plain sight. You’ll be too distracted by his bright orange mohawk to notice the arrow he sent to bullseye your chest.
- YO JOE! G.I. JOE EXPLODES INTO A LARGER-THAN-LIFE ERA WITH 6 INCH ACTION FIGURES: The G.I. Joe Classified Series evolves the retro toy soldier figures fans know and love into a highly articulated 6-inch (15 cm) scale with premium deco and detailing
- CLASSIC NINJA FORCE ZARTAN-INSPIRED DESIGN: Features a classic design updated to bring the Dreadnok leader and Master of Disguise into the modern era and 10 accessory pieces inspired by the vintage character’s rich history
- HIGHLY POSEABLE WITH PREMIUM DETAILING: G.I. Joe Classified Series Ninja Force Zartan action figure set features exceptional detailing and articulation for cool poseability to create dazzling dioramas (some poses may require additional support)
- COLLECTIBLE WINDOWED PACKAGING: #192 in the Classified Series sequence. The window-box display showcases the figure along with accessory loadout, figure-specific File Card Icons, gorgeous original character artwork, and dynamic digital renders
- KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE: Look for other G.I. Joe toy figures, playsets, and vehicles to build your roster of heroes and Cobra villains (Each sold separately. Subject to availability.)
- A PERFECT PRESENT: Whether for birthdays, Christmas and the holidays, or a fun surprise, this Ninja Force Zartan figure makes a great gift for lifelong fans of G.I. Joe toys or for boys and girls who love action and adventure
Let me be upfront: I have a complicated relationship with this figure. Zartan is one of those characters you just want to love unconditionally, and for most of his run, Hasbro made that easy. Then 1993 happened.
The Ninja Force Zartan isn’t bad, exactly. It’s more like a well-intentioned cousin who shows up to Thanksgiving wearing the wrong thing. The spring-loaded action feature — that dramatic arm-swinging chop — was clearly designed for kids who wanted to “play” the ninja rather than pose him on a shelf, and honestly? If you handed the original figure to an eight-year-old, they would absolutely lose their mind. The mechanism had a satisfying snap to it, and the figure holds up better than you’d expect after thirty-plus years.
The color scheme is peak early-90s — purples and teals pushed to their absolute limit, somehow simultaneously garish and endearing. He doesn’t look like he’s hiding from anyone. He looks like he’s auditioning for a Ninja Turtles crossover. And yet… there’s something charming about the audacity of it.
Will you be adding Ninja Force Zartan to your Classified shelf?
Thanks as always to Shark Eyes Toy View for the intel!
It initially takes a lot of mental gymnastics to make a case for neon ninja Zartan. “Look at me! I’m being sneaky!” I found it actually works for me if I presume an urban op around some lowlife Eurotrash rave scene. One has to imagine infiltration missions where he needs oligarchs and their security teams to dismiss him as just another hoodlum, instead of a high-tech infiltrator and assassin who has killed ninja grand masters and emperors made from the DNA of history’s most ruthless conquerors.
This version actually works better for me than his Cold Slither deco. (But that’s solid, too, because my head canon is that all of the G.I. Joe commercials are sung by them. If you review it closely, all of the songs are about the new Cobra gear and specialists. You hear ballads about the Cobra Raven and Terror Drome, Swampfires, and Thunder Machines, but you never get any songs about the WHALE, USS Flagg, or even the HAVOC? The answer is clear: Cold Slither).
As long as I can switch the head with other people he’s disguised as or a classic Zartan, too, this is NOT a deal-breaker I thought it was going to be when we stepped towards the Ninja Force era. I’d have more of a problem if we went with the bright blue and yellow EEL v2 or the absurd left-field design of Aleph, the Night Creeper leader. So now I’m curious what they’re doing with Ninja Force Scarlett.
I can see this figure working his way up the underground street fighting circuit to get closer to Bison and Shadaloo if they can work out the licensing deal again, hopefully ahead of the new movie in October.
I wasn’t a fan of this figure in the 90s, but I’m heavily revising that opinion now. I do worry that we’re headed towards the great convergence of GI Joe x TMNT x MOTU x Universal Monsters x WWE x Star Trek based on the other deals those turtles have cut for crossovers in the past, but we’ll just see where it all goes: “Watch out Leonardo! You might have kicked Vega’s butt, but now you’re facing Cobra ninjas and the Dreadnoks!”
Pingback: Surveillance-Port.com Weekly Recap March 22nd – SURVEILLANCE PORT