Review & pics by: Otto "The Otter" Phillips
 

Old Snake with Advanced Stealth BAT Duo

G.I. Joe / Transformers Collectors Club Exclusive

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

It’s been hinted that the Transformers and G.I.*JOE cartoons existed in the same universe, but Transformers takes place about thirty years later, whereas they exist concurrently in the comics. In the Episode “Only Human” a character is introduced that would be very familiar to fans of the G.I.*JOE cartoon, and he goes by the name Old Snake. Although it’s never said as much, Old Snake is clearly Cobra Commander long after Cobra has been defeated and the Joe team is no longer needed. Old Snake sees the Decepticons as way to possibly get back in to the World Domination game.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

Old Snake is a good representation of his cartoon counterpart. His torso is made up of the long coat Storm Shadow from the Rise of Cobra line, painted in a faded tanish brown to resemble the tattered an worn trench coat he was wearing in the show. As for his legs, I can’t be 100% positive, but I believe they are the same as the Resolute Zartan and look like jeans with heavy duty boots. His head is from several different Cobra Commanders and is a dull finish reflecting its lack of polishing throughout the years. His hat is glued on to his head and comes from the FSS3 and Night Force Con Set Muskrat. His overall look looks great, but because of the long, lower part of his coat, his leg articulation is limited.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

He comes with a personalized figure stand, one of the pulse pistols from the Rise of Cobra and 50th Anniversary Baroness and the back pack that came with the 25th Anniversary and Retaliation Lady Jaye. The pistol fits in the working holster on his belt and has the right kind of sci-fi look to it for a character from thirty years in the future. While the photo on the back shows him wearing the back pack, I didn’t want to risk breaking the straps putting it on him, considering his shoulders are considerably broader than those of the Baroness.

 

Stealth B.A.T.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

The set comes with Old Snake and two, count them; TWO, of these Stealth BATs. In Old Snake’s quest to try and take over the world, he decides to make a more advanced version of his Battle Android Troopers in the creation of SERPENT O.R., but due to the interference of Hawk and the Earth Defense Command he lost that creation. He decided to try a different avenue and make the BATs simple fighting machines that could blend in by changing into Unmanned Ariel Vehicles(UAV).

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

Yes, you read that right, “change into Unmanned Ariel Vehicles.” A first in this series of G.I.*JOE/Transformers crossover sets features transformers that actually transform. These designs are from an existing Soundwave Transformer that is pretty closely scaled to Joe figures and looks like the MQ-9 Reaper, minus the propeller on the back.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

The transformation from plane to robot and back is pretty simple, although I did have to read the instructions on how to do it a couple times. It’s been thirty years since I "Transformered", so that’s expected. Since the set comes with two BATs, I figure I’ll leave one as a robot and the other as a UAV.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

The last Transformers I messed with were the G1 series way back in the 80s and I remember them being cool on the transformation part, but most were lacking on everything else, so I was pleasantly surprised at how articulated these figures are in robot form, with neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and ankles so they are very posable. Another small bonus to these figures is that a small robot deploys from their chest called a Nightshriek which can access small spaces and create its own kind of havoc. The Nightshriek is held in place on the BAT’s chest with a peg, and at the end of the BAT’s arm is a hole that this peg fits into so the BAT can hold the Nightshriek. Along with the Nightshriek, the BATs also come with a couple small Energon cubes.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

The Stealth BAT comes in the black and yellow paint scheme with hints of silver and green of the first BATs and on the nose of the UAV, is a red T shape reminiscent of the visor of the BAT’s head from the cartoon series. The wings are marked with the Cobra insignia that also incorporates the Decepticon logo.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

Although this set is a bit spendy, I think it’s worth it for getting a nice exclusive figure and two exclusive Transformers. Like the Marissa Fairborn set, it might be difficult to incorporate the figures into your Joe-verse, but however you want to do it, they’re yours to do it with.

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Old Snake & Stealth BAT

 

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