Cobra Commander

Code Name:

Enemy Leader

Desimone Guide: #16

Tomart's Guide: #GI5023 (straight arm), #GI5069d (with cobra hq)

Mint-on-Bubble Figure

Mint-on-Bubble Figure (back)

Cobra Commander's Filecard

Biography from the G.I.Joe Comics Homepage

Figure Description:

Cobra Commander was first available as a mail-in offer in 1982. The mail-in figure was the last straight-arm figure.

In late 1982, the figure was also available packaged with the Sears exclusive Cobra Missile Command Headquarters.

Versions of Cobra Commander:

• Cobra Commander (1982)
• Cobra Commander v1.5 (1983) (Swivel Arm)
• Cobra Commander v2 (1984)
• Cobra Commander v3 (1987)
• Cobra Commander v4 (1991)
• Cobra Commander v5 (1991)
• Cobra Commander v6 (1993)
• Cobra Commander v7 (1994)
• Cobra Commander v8 (1997)
• Cobra Commander v9 (2000)
• Cobra Commander v10 (2001)
• Cobra Commander v11 (2002)
• Cobra Commander v12 (2002)
• Cobra Commander v13 (2002)
• Cobra Commander v14 (2003) (Convention)
• Cobra Commander v15 (2003)
• Cobra Commander v16 (2003)
• Cobra Commander v17 (2004)
• Cobra Commander v18 (2004)
• Cobra Commander v19 (2004)
• Cobra Commander v20 (2005)
• Cobra Commander v21 (2005)
• Cobra Commander v22 (2005)
• Cobra Commander v23 (2005)
• Cobra Commander v24 (2007)
• Cobra Commander v25 (2007)
• Cobra Commander v26 (2007)
• Cobra Commander v27 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v28 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v29 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v30 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v31 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v32 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v33a (2008)
• Cobra Commander v33b (2008)
• Cobra Commander v34 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v35 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v36 (2008) (Coming Soon)
• Cobra Commander v37 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v38 (2008)
• Cobra Commander v39 (2009)
• Cobra Commander v40 (2009)
• Cobra Commander v41 (2009)
• Cobra Commander v42 (2009)

Accessories:

Cobra Commander came with a black laser pistol.

Click the link to see the figure with its weapon - All Geared Up!

Variations:

When the new version of Cobra Commander was released in 1983, the straight-arms were replaced with arms that could swivel at the bicep. Also, the date stamp on the figure was changed from "1982" to "82-83". While technically only a variation, the changes are substantive enough to consider this a new version. However, as many people consider this only a variation, we have chosen to list this figure as version 1.5, rather than version 2.

A variation exists specifically with the straight-arm version of Cobra Commander. The earliest Cobra Commander's had a poorly painted Cobra logo - with very little detail. The second straight-arm version has a sharp, crisp logo with clearly defined inner stripes on the Cobra - pictured above. The first edition is much harder to find.

The logo variant is sometimes referred to as the "Mickey Mouse" variant. The logo variant was available mail-in in 1982 and some were also available in the Cobra Missile Command Headquarters set.

The filecards that came with the first mail-in Cobra Commander have a rough cardboard backing, while the filecards that came with the Cobra Commanders from Hasbro Direct have a glossy red backing - like all filecards from Hasbro Direct. Filecards included with the Sears exclusive Cobra Missile Command Headquarters also had the red backing.

Body Construction:

When the figure was released in 1982, except for the arms, the body construction was original. The only parts from previous molds were his arms, which were originally used on Cobra Officer.

The back of Cobra Commander's torso is interesting to note, as it has a groove in the back where his laser pistol could snap in and be carried.

Note that the figure's head only turns left and right - it does not allow the head to look up and down. The heads only turned left and right until the the swivel ball head that was introduced in 1985 (Series Four).

The molds of the torso, waist, and legs of this Cobra Commander were re-used in 1984 for the Hooded Cobra Commander (version 2).