Cobra La Royal Guard and Ninja Force Zartan GI Joe Classified Series In-Hand Images

Toy news really does have a way of catching you off guard, and this is one of those moments where I had to do a double take and then lean in closer. In a strange but exciting turn of events, the Cobra-La Royal Guard, revealed durng the NYCC 2025 panel, and Ninja Force Zartan, whose digital render was officially revealed during GI Joe Day 2026, have already surfaced on eBay, giving us what appears to be our very first look at the produced figures. That is not something we usually see, especially this quickly after a render reveal, and it immediately sent my brain into full GI Joe mode. Seeing physical product images always changes the conversation, because suddenly details feel real, tangible, and locked in, rather than just relying on the digtal renders. From what has been shared, this early appearance gives collectors a much clearer sense of how the Cobra-La Royal Guard and Ninja Force Zartan translate from screen to shelf, and it raises plenty of questions about timing, distribution, and how close we really are to preorders. Huge thanks are absolutely in order to Preternia for posting the images and putting this on everyone’s radar, because this kind of early intel is what keeps the community buzzing. Whether these figures slipped out early, were acquired through unconventional channels, one thing is clear is that GI Joe Day 2026 continues to deliver surprises, and this unexpected eBay appearance just added another layer of intrigue to what is shaping up to be a very interesting year for Classified collectors. If you want to purchase these figures early, can see if the Cobra-La Royal Guard and Ninja Force Zartan are still avaiable after the jump!

Ninja Force Zartan

This packaged shot gives us our first look at the figure as he has sharp face paint with the bold markings running across the eyes and down the cheeks giving him that classic Zartan look. The bright orange mohawk is sculpted tall and clean, paired with a black sleeveless vest with zipper and textured shoulder detail, while the green pants and black boots bring in that classic Ninja Force color mix I remember. Even sealed in the box, the figure’s expression feels intense and focused, and seeing him fully produced like this makes it easy to take in the sculpt and deco all at once.

The back of the box features a full photo of the actual figure, showing Ninja Force Zartan crouched with both blades drawn, which gives a clear look at how the finished sculpt and paint translate outside of the tray. The sleeveless black vest, green pants, purple knee pads, and boots are all clearly visible here, along with the way the weapons and gear interact naturally with the figure when equipped, offering a true preview of how he looks once removed from the package.

The side panel features a bold illustrated portrait of Ninja Force Zartan shown from the waist up, gripping a drawn bow with an arrow pulled tight across his chest. The artwork highlights the tall orange mohawk, red face paint cutting sharply across the eyes, and the black sleeveless vest with layered textures, while the green pants and purple accents peek in near the lower edge. I really like how the intense stare and clenched jaw come through in the illustration, giving a clear visual match to the character’s look and attitude seen inside the package.

On the opposite side panel, a vertical row of small red icons runs down the box, indicating Zartan’s abilities, presented as simple graphic symbols rather than text callouts. They’re stacked cleanly along the edge, giving a quick visual reference without pulling focus away from the main photography on the back panel.

Ninja Force Zartan Digital Render

Ninja Force Zartan is shown with a sharp, aggressive look, featuring the bright orange mohawk and matching face paint that immediately sets the tone. The figure wears a sleeveless black vest with zipper and stud detailing, green pants, and purple shin guards, with wrist bracers and a skull belt buckle adding to the layered gear. The accessory spread is extensive and includes twin daggers, longer bladed weapons, a crossbow, quiver with arrows, grappling-style gear, and additional tactical pieces, giving him a wide mix of melee and ranged options that lean heavily into the Ninja Force aesthetic.

Cobra-La Royal Guard

This packaged shot gives us our first look at the Cobra-La Royal Guard figure, shown standing upright in the tray with a striking red and gray color scheme and layered organic armor textures running across the torso, arms, and legs. The sculpted chest and shoulder sections feature raised, vein-like detailing, while the gray limbs and red gauntlets break up the look with clean color separation, and the exposed gray head shows a sharp grin with defined facial lines. The accessories are packed tightly around the figure, including multiple wing and armor parts and his classic sword in a pale bone color with jagged edges, along with several alternate heads that offer different expressions and helmeted looks, all clearly visible through the window and giving a solid sense of how much can be swapped straight out of the box.

The back of the box shows a full photo of the actual Cobra La Royal Guard figure, giving us another clear look at how it appears fully assembled with the parts attached. The wings extend outward with layered vein detailing, contrasting against the red and gray body armor, while the weapons are shown in use. Along the side, the alternate heads are pictured individually, including different facial expressions and a helmeted option, making it easy to see how the look of the figure can be changed once everything is out of the package.

The side panel features a dramatic illustrated Cobra La Royal Guard shown mid flight, with the segmented armor and insect like wing structure rendered in layered reds, blues, and organic textures that feel very alive. The face design, glowing eyes, and biomechanical detailing lean heavily into that surreal Cobra La aesthetic, with sharp lighting and color contrasts that really sell the alien nature of the character. Based on the visual style and execution, we believe this artwork is by John Giang, matching the same look he brought to the previous Cobra La box art, and it fits perfectly with that established visual language.

Along the side of the box, a vertical column of small green icons highlights the Cobra-La Royal Guard’s abilities, presented as simple symbols rather than text as usual.

Cobra-La Royal Guard Digital Render

The GI Joe brand panel at NYCC 2025 also gave us a new render reveal of the Cobra La Royal Guard and confirms that the code name “Rudy DLX” corresponds to the Cobra-La Royal Guard in the Mainline Deluxe assortment.