Action Figure Overview: G.I. Joe - Firefly, Cobra Saboteur (Hasbro, 1984)
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| G.I. Joe! Cobra Saboteur, Code Name: Firefly (Hasbro, 1984) |
G.I. Joe was a groundbreaking 12" tall military action figure created in the 1960s. Although the construction and size of the figure remained primarily the same in the 1970s, he grew out his hair and beard and shifted his focus from military to adventure for the first half of the decade. In 1976 & 1977 he shrunk down to become a not-so-popular 9" action figure called "Super Joe." After a few silent years, G.I. Joe returned in 1982 as a 3 3/4" action figure; the new standard size thanks to the popularity of Star Wars figures!
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| G.I. Joe Wave 3: Firefly, Cobra Saboteur (Hasbro, 1984) |
The 1982 "Real American Hero" re-launch was a huge hit and that's when I showed up for the party! I was instantly sold on these new 3 3/4" action figures right from the beginning and picked up everything I could from Wave 1 & 2. By the time Wave 3 came out in 1984, I was 100% into G.I. Joe! Several of my favorite figures arrived in Wave 3 including the Cobra Saboteur, Code Name: Firefly!
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| My childhood Firefly on his fire mission since his O-ring replacement! |
Firefly was easily one of the coolest looking Cobra figure to have come out at that time...and that's saying a lot, because we had some good ones right off the bat! Firefly was dressed in a gray camouflage outfit with a matching ski-mask, dark gray boots and gloves. Under his long-sleeve shirt, he wore a turtleneck. Molded on to this figure you'll find a gun, knife, and a variety of explosives.
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| Firefly cautiously approaches his target! |
By the third wave, the figures were beginning to come with a little more gear than before and Firefly was no exception. Like most G.I. Joe figures of the time, Firefly came with a machine gun. Unlike most figures, he came with a walkie-talkie that wasn't molded on to his body or backpack. It was tiny. I suspect that thing was one of the first pieces to get lost in the entire 3rd wave. Firefly also had one of the coolest backpacks in the entire Real American Hero line! It was gray with a removable panel. Taking the panel off revealed a tool kit which included molded-in screwdriver, pliers, and a bomb timer. The panel itself held a molded-in socket wrench set. The outside of the backpack had several molded-on explosive devises. Wave 1 backpacks were neat, but too small and basic for my tastes. I think almost all of the Wave 2 backpacks were better than any from Wave 1. By wave 3, the designs continued to be solid with one or two exceptions, but Firefly's backpack was the best of the bunch! It was the right size, had the removable panel, and had so much awesome detail that it just stood out from the rest!
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| Firefly with his Awesome Backpack, Machine Gun, and Walkie-Talkie! |
According to his file card, Firefly was a mystery even to Cobra Commander. No one knows his name or what he looks like. No one ever sees him sneaking in or leaving the scene of destruction. I thought he was such a bad-ass because the file card said he got paid in advance with no guarantees or refunds! I thought, "Even Cobra Commander doesn't really have any control over this guy!"
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| G.I. Joe File Card for Cobra Saboteur, Code Name: Firefly (Hasbro, 1984) |
I'm not 100% sure, but I think this was one of the first Wave 3 figures that I found in the stores. I know I got him before I was able to find Storm Shadow. At the time, everyone wanted Storm Shadow. As far as I could tell, Storm Shadow was the most popular character of the wave. I loved Firefly, but I fell into the Storm Shadow crowd just like most other kids I knew. Once Storm Shadow arrived at my house, Firefly took a backseat for a while. However, Firefly had a longevity in my collection that few figures had. As subsequent waves came out, Firefly continued to be one of my main Cobras for the entire time I played with G.I.Joe!
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| Despite years of action, my childhood Firefly is still in good shape! |
Do you collect G.I. Joe figures? Which character is your favorite? Tell me below in the comments!
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Firefly's that classic figure that everybody loves. Then, Hasbro repainted him to death in the 2000's. But, 15 years later, that seems less of an affront and it's easier to enjoy this figure. I actually prefer the 2005 Comic Pack version. But, there's something about this original that seems somewhat timeless.
ReplyDeleteYes! It certainly seem like Firefly is one of the most popular figures from the GI Joe line. I know he's a favorite of mine! I really like the 2005 comic pack version too, but those silver grenades would make stealth a bit more difficult. -Haha!
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