It’s time again for the annual unveiling of the G.I. Joe Convention figures!  Each year, prior to registration the good folks at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club launch their marketing blitz and tantalizingly unveil the figures from the year’s convention set.  It’s a slow “dance of the seven veils” with reveals occurring over the course of days if not weeks until the entire 15 figure 1:18 scale set is unveiled in all its plastic glory.

Of course, as a long time Joe fan, you probably already knew that.

So, who’s this year’s first reveal?  It’s none other than the first of several troop builder: the Cobra Lab Rat

Hmm… it’s an interesting concept although not quite as strong of a figure as I’d hoped for a debut.  The concept seems pretty simple– take a standard Cobra blue shirt and put him into a lab environment.  A such the figure uses the Retaliation Ultimate Cobra Commander body with the same lab coat that we’ve seen tossed around since the days of “Dr. Rex Lewis” from Rise of Cobra.  He’s topped off with a repaint of the Pursuit of Cobra Dusty extra head.  It’s not a bad look as could have thought of worse ways to make a toxic lab technician.  The use of the Cobra Commander body works for the thicker heavier gloves although personally I might have used a standard Cobra Trooper body underneath just to give it a more rank and file appearance.  However, aside from some personal preferences, it’s not a bad look.

The Cobra Lab Rat comes complete with a Compound Z injector, tablet, briefcase with Compound Z cannisters, and a figure stand.

That leaves the following as the next preview options:

• Zombie Hunters: Outback, T’J Bang, Steel Brigade Commander
• E.C.O. Force: Flint, Ozone, Clean-Sweep
• Cobra Lab Rat x2, Toxo-Vipers x 3, Toxo-Zombies x 3, and Repulsor with Dawg (NEW K-9).

For more information on the 2014 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention, visit GIJoeCon.com

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