Joe Con 2017: Meet Cobra BAT v1.8

The final 1:18 Joe Con 2017 preview has been posted – the Cobra BAT v1.8!

gi joe con 2017 Cobra BAT v1.8

COBRA BATTLE ANDROID TROOPERS:
B.A.T. V1.8

– 25th Anniversary Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure.
– Modern Era Character Update with NEW Head Sculpt!
– EIGHT Army Builder action figures in this exclusive set
– Includes removable Chest plate, interchangeable Hand
attachments: Sword, Claw, Flamethrower, Laser weapon,
Backpack, Pistol, and Cobra Logo Stand.

(Note: Photo depicts action figure mock-up and final product may slightly differ.)

This is how the Joe Con 2017 previews end… not with a BANG but with a whimper.

The final preview is live and fans finally get a look at the Cobra Battle Android Trooper v1.8.  I’ll be blunt– it’s exactly what I was afraid it would be.  The Cobra BAT v1.8 is merely the existing 25th Anniversary Cobra BAT with the head of the BAT Squad Leader, which is essentially that of the classic 1991 Battle Android Trooper. The only real new addition to the BAT’s kit is the blade that was last released with the FSS 4.0 Inferno BAT.

This year’s “Force of Battle 2000” set is going to include eight of the Cobra BAT v1.8 and one Cobra BAT Squad Leader.  Normally, nine reuses of the same tooling might be a good thing– if the the figure was a highly sought after piece.  However, there have been so many re-releases of the Battle Android Troopers in recent years that I find it hard to believe that anyone out there is actively clamoring for more of them.  Heck, there have been TWO re-releases in the 50th Anniversary line alone!  (2014 Arctic Ambush and 2016 Cobra Legions Urban camo.)

Essentially, this new BAT v1.8 is a repaint of the BAT Squad Leader.  Call me crazy but that just feels uninspired and, quite honestly, lazy.

Unless the Club is saving all of their production budget for the souvenir exclusive items, this year’s set feels pretty lackluster from a character standpoint.

In case you’re keeping score, here’s the roster and all of the previews shown thus far:

Battle Force 2000:

Cobra:

According to the convention brochure, this year’s Joe Con 2017 boxed set will retail for $410.00.  Also, there’s no word on souvenir pricing at this time although it’s a safe bet that prices will remain at or around levels seen in both 2015 and 2016.  With so many vehicle drivers in the mix it’s a sure bet that the souvenirs this year will be mostly vehicles.  The question remains– which vehicle molds will be repainted and reused?

For more information on this year’s event at Walt Disney World, visit GIJoeCon.com!

3 thoughts on “Joe Con 2017: Meet Cobra BAT v1.8

  1. Are there really that many B.A.T. fans out there to justify their overexposure? I’ve never cared for them at all, much like the Dreadnoks, who also made up the bulk of a previous convention set several years back.

    I only envision diehard completists and those nostalgic for the Battle Force 2000 era to feel excited about this set. Let’s hope the souvenirs prove to be any sort of saving graces for those of us who can find and afford them.

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