Python Patrol Crimson Guard and Tiger Force Dusty GI Joe Classified Series Release Date
We have the release date for the unannounced Target Exclusive GI Joe Classified Series Python Patrol Crimson Guard and Tiger Force Dusty thanks to some sleuthing from two of our favorites!
UDPATE June 01,2023: Target Listings are live!
You can preorder Dusty on Target’s website here: GI Joe Classified Tiger Force Dusty
You can preorder the Python Patrol Crimson Guard on Target’s website here: GI Joe Classified Python Patrol Crimson Guard
Official Images
We also got official images of both the GI Joe Classified Python Patrol Crimson Guard and GI Joe Classified Tiger Force Dusty at today’s Instagram Stream.
Special thanks to Chaz The Guru and Gi Shark from Instragram for hunting down the street dates for the upcoming pair of Target exclusive GI Joe Classified Series figures. Python Patrol Crimson Guard and Tiger Force Dusty, according to the Target kiosks, have street dates of June 1, 2023. Looks like Hasbro will be kicking off Yo Joe June 2023 with some announced, leaked figures! We’ve already seen the in hand images of both the Python Patrol Crimson Guard and Tiger Force Dusty but they have not officially been announced or revleaed by Hasbro! So with the street date of June 1, 2023 in less than a week, we are sure to see these figures pop up in Target stores very soon!
Python Patrol Patrol Crimson Guard In Hand Images
The Python Patrol Crimson Guard is packed in the windowless box, which they are doing away with moving forward, and the scene of the squad PP CG’s is amazing!
Getting a closer look at the figure, you can see he visor is painted red and he has a yellow and gray uniform with red accents.
The weapons and accessories are repainted from the standard and retro cardback releases and you can see that the PP CG’s knife comes with a red handle. In the box shots below, we can also see the leaked row of boxes of Tiger Force Dusty.
Python Patrol Crimson Guard Tease
Just like the GI Joe Classified Series Arctic BAT was teased on Snow Job’s box art, the previously leaked Python Patrol Crimson Guard made a cameo in the official production images for Bazooka. You can barely make out the figure in the background but he is there, and Bazooka knows it!
The original leaked images of the Python Patrol Crimson Guard is a little deceiving as they are using digital renders for the box art in some cases and the face shield looks more like a matte gray vs. a shiny gray in the teaser image.
January 19, 2023: Python Patrol Crimson Guard Leak
Special thanks, again, to the TheArtistShArK (here is a link to his YouTube Channel and Instagram) for the tip off and for sending us images of what looks to be leaked images of an unannounced Python Patrol GI Joe Classified Series figure. We also saw these same images from chaztheguru and now, based information supplied to us by TheArtistShark has confirmed that the back of the box has the # F7322, which lines up with the Target exclusive codename Kerouac with that same code #f7322. This is new confirmation that this figure is legit as the Crimson Guard san Crimson was not on the pipeline reveal but on the codename list!
Another image has surfaced, courtesy of Frank from Facebook!
Zooming into the back of the box, it looks like this figure comes with the same exact packout as the standard release and the retro carded release with red paint apps on some of the weapons. Again, we still don’t know if this real or not so we will keep you posted if we find any updated information!
GI Joe Classified Series Code Name List
According tot he leaked list of GI Joe Classified Series retailer code names, the code F7732 lines up with the code name GIJ CS THR Kerouac:
– F7732 GIJ CS THR Kerouac
– F7731 GIJ CS THR Shakespeare
– F7472 GIJ CS Tolkien
– F7471 GIJ CS Fitzgerald
– F7470 GIJ CS Lovercraft
– F7469 GIJ CS Woolf
– F7746 GIJ CS Dumas Pet: Scrap Iron w/ Drone
– F7748 GIJ CS DLX Dovle
– F7729 GIJ CS FTYS Wells
– F7728 GIJ CS FTYS Dickinson
– F8376 GIJ CS Hobbes
– F7741 GIJ CS ADV Aesop
– F7718 GIJ CS Steinbeck
– F7717 GIJ CS Plath
– F7468 GIJ CS Twain
– F7467 GIJ CS Verne
– F7466 GIJ CS Carrol
– F7465 GIJ CS Dickens
– F7464 GIJ CS Shelly
– F7463 GIJ CS Bronte
– F7462 GIJ CS Austen
Also covered on TheArtistShark’s YouTube Channel:
The Python Patrol
Hasbro is coming out in full force with the Python Patrol and, according to Joepedia, “The Python Patrol was introduced in issue #88 of the original Marvel Comics run. Loyal to the imposter Cobra Commander, Python Patrol’s technology was developed by Dr. Mindbender in order to help Destro’s cousin Darklon increase his company’s armament sales. Despite their eventual defeat in a minor border skirmish, the technology proved successful enough for Cobra to continue developing. They later appeared in issues #99, #100, and Special Missions #28. The same year Python Patrol released Hasbro contracted DiC to produce a new G.I. Joe cartoon. The Operation: Dragonfire mini-series came after a two year hiatus of no new cartoons. It followed the Sunbow continuity. Unhappy with Serpentor’s leadership, the Baroness and Gnawghyde kidnap Cobra Commander, who is still a snake as result of being exposed to mutating spores in Cobra-La. Upon discovering an ancient mystical energy called Dragonfire, they use a neanderthal focusing mask and Cobra sonic technology to return him to humanoid form. Upon being restored, the Commander uses the mask and Dragonfire focusing technology to create the Python Patrol. Afterwards, they help Cobra Commander regain control of Cobra from Serpentor.”
Python Patrol Crimson Guard 1989 Vintage Figure
According to the file card, “The PYTHON CRIMSON GUARD is the creme de la creme of shock troopers. All Crimson Guardsmen met be college graduates and in top physical condition. The Python Crimson Guard is a master at infiltration and sabotage. His function is to spy on his fellow vipers and report all violations of Cobra policy to the Python Patrol commander.”
“This guy is too precious to be wasted on the conventional battlefield. He is usually dispersed throughout the country, assuming an apparently normal appearance and lifestyle. Watch out! That friendly new neighbor of yours just might have a snake skin Python Patrol uniform hanging in his closet…”
With respect to the vintage figure, the Python Crimson Guard was first released 1989 as a carded figure and was sold in 1990 and was discontinued domestically in 1991. He was a straight up repaint of the Crimson Guard from 1985 but with special Python Patrol deco and black accessories.
Thanks to the Surveillance Port on Instagram, we got a leak for the previously leaked Tiger Force Dusty listing found on eBay. This version of Dusty is said to be a Target exclusive, as has been with the rest of the Tiger Force. This is a Classified version of the 1988 A Real American Hero Tiger Force version of Dusty. We can see the package front illustration pictured below showing Dusty in the Desert but in Tiger Force colors. On the rear of the package, we can see what the actual figure looks like. You can see Dusty’s face with some camo paint on it. He has on a green and yellow tiger print shirt. and khaki green pants. He has the same oversize draping helmet and googles. Also per the side of the package photo, we now know that Tiger Force Dusty will be #65! He comes packed with the same accessories as before but in this khaki green color scheme. So let’s take a look at this Tiger Force Dusty Classified Series Packaging Leak.
Tiger Force Dusty
Thanks again to the Surveillance Port on Instagram via Uncle Bobby Bee @beesbattlegrounds for these in-hand images of Tiger Fore Dusty, courtesy of GIJoe Felipe on FB! Yes, it takes a village people!
According to Surveillance Port on Instagram:
Incoming! By way of Felipe GIJoe on Facebook comes our first look at the upcoming Tiger Force Dusty figure packaging! Many thanks to @beesbattlegrounds for the heads up! #surveillanceport
Surveillance Port
Vintage Tiger Force Dusty
Tiger Force Dusty was released in 1988 as part of the Tiger Force subline of the GI Joe A Real American Hero Action Figure line. He is also known as Dusty v2, as this is a Tiger Force colored repaint of the first version of Dusty. He can with the same accessories as the original, but in more khaki green colors.
Dusty Tiger Force Target Exclusive GI Joe Classified Listing On eBay
Back on March 15, 2023 we reported that thanks to chaztheguru who have us a heads up as there was a report coming from Hisstank.com as one of their member’s, arashikage storm, has discovered what appears to be an eBay listing for an unannounced Target Exclusive Tiger Force Dusty GI Joe Classified Series figure. Although no official images have been revealed yet, the listing points to an April 1, 2023 release date. Given the Python Patrol Crimson guard leak that came out of nowhere and the leaked images of Night Force Big Ben and Range-Viper, it’s conceivable that a Tiger Force Dusty is in the works as it will be a repaint of the regular release.
Tiger Force Dusty eBay Listing
There is an eBay seller out of Taiwan who listed a Tiger Force Dusty (affiliate link. See disclose policy). Although there are no official images, the MPN lines up with the previously leaked code name THR Shakespeare:
Complete Your GI Joe Collection
Be sure to check out our GI Joe shop pages where we’ve curated figures from Classified Series all the way down to the 1980’s Vintage line and more so you can find the figures you need easier!
