GI Joe Classified Series Original 13 Concepts

Short-Fuze, Steeler, Zap, and Flash are GI Joe Classified Series Original 13 concepts that have yet to be made but Roel Robles has created digital renders to see what the figures could look like if they were created in the line!

Last week, we featured the talented digital render artist, Roel Robles, who has an amazing ability to envision what future GI Joe Classified Series could look like! We featured Footloose, Airtight, Quick Kick, Alpine, and Torch as the Joe Team has yet to pipeline most of the figures he has created digital renders for. The original members of the team were Hawk, Stalker, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Breaker, Clutch, Rock ‘n Roll, Steeler, Grand Slam, Flash, Short-Fuze, Grunt and Zap, which are often referred to as the Original 13. Collector’s have been clamoring for the Joe Team to finish the Original 13 but they are off to a good start with Rock N Roll, Breaker, and Snake Eyes (and please we do not need anymore Snake Eyes…please!!!). Today, we are knocking 4 more off the list and featuring newly posted digital renders of Flash, Zap, Short-Fuze, and Steeler!

Steeler

Steeler originally came packed with the MOBAT (Motorized Battle Tank) and it will remain to be seen if Hasbro creates this figure as a one off or if they will make a MOBAT to pair with this figure but Roel Robles has a great take on what the digital render could look like. Being one of the Original 13, Steeler’s uniform had a basic green shirt look and feel. Roel’s take on Steeler brings back those 1980’s feels with a UK / Euro twist, with the inclusion of red coloring on the goggles. He also comes with a larger array of weapons and accessories than the vintage figure, who only came with a black Uzi, a helmet, and a binocular headset. As the vintage figure came with a unified set of binoculars integrated into the headset, Roel decoupled them and made them separate accessories. He also includes a vintage take on the binocs and he took some liberties with the hair color as Roel’s version of Steeler is a blonde.

Steeler was one of the first G.I. Joe action figures released in 1982 and he was packaged with the Motorized Battle Tank (MOBAT). Steeler was the original tank commander for the Joe Team and he also appeared in the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon. Up until 1988, the only way you get Steeler was buying the MOBAT. In 1988, Hasbro made him a mail away figure as he was packed in a plastic baggie with a redback silver file card.

Steeler’s file card reads: “

Steeler comes from a blue collar middle-class background. He put himself through college on an ROTC scholarship and work as a heavy equipment operator. Familiar and proficient with all NATO and Warsaw Pact AFV’s. Graduated Armor School, top of class. Special Training: Cadre-XAFV Project; Artillery School; AFV Desert Exercise; Covert Ops School. Qualified Expert: M-16; M-1911A1; MAX-10; Uzi. The quote on his file card says, “Young, reckless, often clashes with authority (superior officers), but he’s one tough soldier!”

Steeler Action Force UK / Europe Exclusive

Steeler was an exclusive figure that was available in the United Kingdom and Europe around 1984 by the Palitoy toy company. He was packed with the Action Force Z-Force Battle Tank, which was a modified version of the MOBAT tank. He came with red markings and also had red painted on his binocular headset.

Flash

Flash is one of the classic GI Joe’s, and part of the Original 13, his uniform was more colorful than the standard green shirt Joes. Roel has an amazing take on Flash as he really paid homage to the vintage figure design. He included the classic red/orange coloring on his chest body armor and his shoulder and thigh armor. The black tubing and black XMLR-1A Shoulder-Fired Laser Rifle that connect to his Power Pack is a fresh take on a classic design. As some of the Original 13 Joes came with clear visors, Roel has integrated clear goggles into this helmet. He also included an extra sidearm, which is an addition to a Classified Series concept as Flash did not come with a pistol in 1982.

In the Sunbow continuity, Flash was brought in among the team that went to collect the red crystal element that powers the M.A.S.S. Device. The vintage figure was packed with a clear visor, a helmet, a black XMLR-1A Shoulder-Fired Laser Rifle, and a green power pack. You can clearly see where Roel drew inspiration from as his version of Flash is pretty spot on!

Flash’s file card reads, “

Flash is highly skilled in many aspects of electronic technology and is capable of equipment repair in the field. Specialized Education: Electronics School; Chemical School; Covert Electronics. Qualified Expert: M-16; M-1911A1; XMLR-1A (Shoulder-Fired Laser Rifle). The quote on this file card says, “Flash is methodical and persistent. Has an innate and unshakable faith in the order of the universe. He’s working on his Master’s degree in electronic engineering (nights).”

Zap

Zap has a deeper meaning for Roel and he says. “I’d love to have Zap especially since he was Latino. Nice thing about the Joes is that they had a lot of representation from the get go.” He is abosultly right as the vintage GI Joe line has a great set of diverse figures from its inception. His take on Zap is amazing and his head sculpt pays homage to the illustration of the character on the front card illustration. Personally, the vintage figure head sculpt for Zap left a lot to be desired as he did not look Latino at all. Being GI Joe’s original Bazooka troopers, Roel has reused the rockets, backpack, and bazooka from Bazooka’s figure (and yes, 3 mentions of bazooka is a bit much for a sentence). Ok, one more Bazooka reference as Roel added some darker reddish brown coloring to the weapon to give it some pizazz. The light brown web gear and backpack add a much needed variety to the look of the, which is also vintage figure accurate in look and feel but the lighter color makes the accessories pop more! Roel added a walkie talkie and pistol to the figure to build out his weaponry as the GI Joe Classified Series figures are known for their amazing packouts in the latter part of the line.

Zap was featured in the Sunbow cartoon quite a bit! According to Joepedia, “Zap was on hand in the base to witness Cobra use the M.A.S.S. to abduct several world leaders on air. When the Duke was found alive and well, he was there to greet his commander. During the recovery of pieces of the fractured Cobra Weather Dominator weapon, Zap was assigned guard duty at G.I. JOE headquarters to protect the hydromaster component. Unfortunately, the Cobra ninja Storm Shadow stole the part back. Zap was later part of a unit sent by Colonel Sharp to stop inner city gang members from harassing a mayoral candidate and intimidating potential voters. His team later discovered that Cobra was using the youth gangs to gain public sympathy, and thus electoral votes, for the harassed politician who himself had been actively conspiring with Cobra. When Flint, Lady Jaye, Airtight, Dusty, Alpine and Bazooka were trapped into a danger-filled Cobra fortress known as the “Fun House”, Zap’s explosives expertise were called up to demolish thickly armored steel doors that prevented the team from rescuing their six comrades. After numerous attempts, Zap succeeded in breaching the entrance with high-explosive charges, just minutes before the entire base self-destructed.”

Zap’s file card reads, “

Zap is the team specialist in armor-piercing and anti-tank weapons but also functions as demolitions man. Specialized Education: Engineer School; Ordinance School; Advanced Infantry Training. Qualified Expert: M-14; M-16; M-1911A1; M-79 (Grenade Launcher); M-72 (LAW Rocket); XM-71A (TOW Missile); XM-47 (Dragon Missile). The quote on his file card says, “Zap is the fun loving type…he’s cool under fire. The stuff he works on could blow up at anytime.”

Short-Fuze

Short-Fuze is another classic Joe and Roel used pieces from various bucks in the design. He also gave the figure a much needed hairstyle and some spectacles. He looks very similar to Chris Evan’s, who played Captain America, in the Marvel cinematic universe but I like the head sculpt as it goes very well with the figure. Paying homage to the vintage figure, Roel included his dark green helmet, dark green ammo pack, and a black M-1 81mm medium mortar with the black mortar stand that attached to the mortar.

In the Sunbow cartoon, Throughout the early stages of the M.A.S.S. Device crisis, Short-Fuze remained on reserve. Along with Steeler, he spent the time devising a way to bring down the relay satellite that allows the M.A.S.S. to aim its beam around the world. They built the Satellite Killer which was quickly launched only to be shot down by Cobra.

His file card reads,” Short-fuze comes from military family (Father and Grandfather both career Top Sergeants). Enjoys abstract mathematics and can plot artillery azimuths and tribulations in his head. Specialized Education: Artillery School; Engineer School; Advanced Infantry Training. Qualified Expert: M-14; M-16; M-1911A1; M-79 (Grenade Launcher); M-2 (60mm Light Mortar); M-1 (81mm Medium Mortar). The quote on his file card reads, “Short-Fuze is logical and sensitive. Has a tendency to blow his stack—hence the nick-name…Short-Fuze.”