Gary Collinson takes Hasbro’s G.I. Joe Classified Series Cobra Ferret ATV for a test ride…
Launching back in 2020, Hasbro’s G.I. Joe: Classified Series puts a modern, six-inch spin on the iconic G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line of the 1980s, and over the past couple of years especially, the line been absolutely knocking it out of the park as Hasbro’s designers work their way through the vast roster of Joes and Cobra, crafting some absolutely incredible figures packed to the brim with nostalgia and reverence for the brand.
If you’re a regular reader of Flickering Myth, you may recall I wrote a piece back in July discussing my appreciation for the Classified Series and how this 80s kid had surprisingly rediscovered his love of (unboxed) action figures in early middle-age through this nostalgia-fuelled take on a firm childhood favourite. Since then we’ve been fortunate enough to get our hands on a selection of new Classified Series products to playtest from the fine folks at Hasbro Pulse, and so we’ll be rolling out several articles over the coming weeks as we share our thoughts on these new recruits. First up however, we’re taking a look at the Classified Series version of one of the coolest vehicles of the entire ARAH line…
As any serious G.I. Joe fan knows, action figures are only half the battle fun, with A Real American Hero featuring a whole host of iconic vehicles and playsets of all sizes for kids to stage their battles between Cobra and the Joes. Initially, the Classified Series focussed primarily on action figures, with Hasbro seemingly testing collectors’ appetite for 1:12 scale vehicles with a couple of early smaller-sized offerings in the RAM Cycle and Cobra C.O.I.L. motorcycle (the latter, I believe, an original design for the Classified Series line – and an absolute swine to find if you missed it first time around). However, with around 200 figures now released or announced at the time of writing, we’re finally starting to see some of those beloved childhood favourite vehicles getting scaled up to Classified size.
Sure, there’s no mortgage-requiring U.S.S. Flagg just yet, but Serpentor’s Air Chariot and the Cobra Flight Pod arrived last year, while Hasbro’s HasLab crowdfunding platform also delivered a monster-sized Cobra H.I.S.S. Tank and we’ve seen this focus expand even more in 2024. Two further HasLab Projects have taken the battle to the skies with the Dragonfly (XH-1) Assault Copter and newly-closed Cobra Rattler Ground Attack Jet, while recent months have seen the arrival of the H.M.S. (HEETSEEK MISSILE SYSTEM), VAMP and Cobra Stinger, along with the Cobra Ferret ATV – a mini vehicle which is sure to be instantly recognisable for fans of the 80s animated series and/or Marvel comic book series, having featured prominently in both.
Unlike the original 1985 release, the Classified Series Cobra Ferret comes with its own dedicated driver, the Cobra Ferret Scout, which is essentially a repainted version of the Cobra Valkyrie troopers from 2023, with a similar colour scheme to that of the Cobra Driver from the Stinger. The figure further differentiates itself from the Valkyries with a nice armoured vest piece, and comes with a pair of pistols and a soft plastic removable helmet which Cobra’s costume designers have suitably adorned with snake fangs that seem a little dangerous in all honesty, but certainly add a little menace to the Scout’s look. While she probably won’t be the rider of choice for many fans, the Ferret Scout is still a nice figure and should display well alongside the Stinger Driver and/or the Valkyries for any Cobra army builders out there.
As for the Ferret itself, the vehicle is actually a little larger than I’d anticipated, measuring around 20cm x 15cm x 12 cm and comfortably sits two figures with room to spare (it’s around double the size of the RAM Cycle). It also – to my memory – comes about as close to recreating the 3.75″ scale Ferret as can be, very much retaining the original design and featuring all of the signature elements you’d expect including front mounted machine guns, detachable cannon and side mounted ‘Com-Bat’ missiles (so advanced they can shoot either way!) complete with classic red and blue Cobra paint job.
When I mentioned earlier about the designer’s showing reverence to the brand, that really is evident here with the Ferret, down to the placement various markings, warning notices, etc. which – thankfully – no longer need applied via stickers (there’s still some assembly required for the ATV itself, but it’s fair to say that the unboxing and putting things together is a lot more tolerable – even enjoyable – as an adult!). It’s not just a scaled up version of the original however, as the Classified Ferret also comes with working suspension in each of the four wheels, but sadly this seems to have come at the cost of steering as, unlike the RAM Cycle, the handlebars aren’t connected to the wheels here. Still, that’s about the only real complaint I have with the Cobra Ferret, although a couple of blast pieces wouldn’t have went amiss (the ones in the photos below aren’t included in the set).
The Ferret is such as iconic Cobra vehicle that it’s essentially a must-have for any respectable Cobra collection, display or diorama, and thankfully Hasbro has delivered with this Classified update. As a kid, the Ferret was one of my three favourite mini-vehicles from the Cobra side alongside the Trubble Bubble and Cobra C.L.A.W., and so it’s great to now have two of those available and part of my collection (lucky for me the C.L.A.W. is also in the pipeline).
With this and the Stinger, Classified Series collectors are finally starting to be able to put together some formidable Cobra forces, with the Ferret falling on the more affordable end of the spectrum. However, just as back in the day, that doesn’t mean its any less fun, and so whether its to add support to your H.I.S.S. Tanks and Stingers or to serve as the main focus of your Cobra display (or Tiger Force squad, if you’re that way inclined), the Ferret is definitely going to be a welcome addition to your collection.
Thank you to Hasbro Pulse for kindly providing us with the Cobra Ferret Scout and Cobra Ferret ATV and Retro Beachhead figures for this article. The other figures and accessories in the photographs are from my personal collection.
Gary Collinson
