Cobra Crimson Guard planning stages -- opinions sought

Inquisitor Peregrinus

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
So I've wanted to do one of these for almost thirty years now, ever since they first showed up, and I'm at an interesting pickle...

With Star Wars, it's pretty clear -- the movie trumps all. If the comics and action figures don't match what's onscreen, they're inaccurate. Later, with Transformers, many (myself included) consider the G1 cartoon the benchmark, despite the toys coming first, and the comic preceding the cartoon by months.

G.I. Joe is kinda in the middle of that timeline. The (3 3/4") toys came out in 1982, and the comics debuted about the same time, even though the cartoon lagged behind by a couple years. But with these, I have always felt that the action figures were the primary reference, with the comics and cartoons expanding on them.

So when the Crimson Guard showed up in 4th quarter 1984/1st quarter 1985 across all three media, within a matter of months of each other, I'm not sure what to use as primary inspiration. There are four distinct versions of Siegie right from the start.

• The figure itself
• The card art
• The comic book
• The cartoon

Variations include: which pantleg and sleeve cuff stripes are silver and which are red, whether the front placket trim is silver or red, whether the front placket fasteners are silver or red, what the left sleeve patch looks like, what the left-breast "bird" pin looks like, what the holstered sidearm on the left leg looks like, where the top of the front placket ends, what the collar is like, everything about the epaulets... and, of course, whether the faceplate is silver with a black visor or black with a silver visor.

Near as I can tell, everything from the card art to the comic to the cartoon used the action figure as primary reference, despite fudging details or getting them plain wrong. I'm curious, though -- how much of the design/prototype stage of the CG figure development is known? Did Hasbro reverse the colors for faceplate and visor at the last minute? Redesign the sleeve patch? I mean, we know the comic and cartoon models for Megatron came from a prototype version of the toy that ended up not being made that way (although I sure wish it had been -- someone needs to get on a Masterpiece Edition of Megs that uses that as base inspiration). Could the same be operating here?

How many CG costumers have made silver faceplates with black visors, and how many the other way round? How many have not put silver trim on the edge of the front placket? For that matter, how many have done a vintage CG costume in the first place, rather than the new version? I'd like feedback to help me sort out in my own mind what direction I'm going to take with this. I mean, I want ot be accurate to the figure, but I also like the silver trim and fasteners on the front placket. I could go either way on the faceplate matter. And so on. *sigh*

--Jonah
 
If you consider the the action figures to be the primary reference, use them. If something else looks cooler, use that as your basis. You're building it, do what makes you happy, right? Just looking at some google images, it looks like costumers are doing black faceplate/silver visor.
 
Yeah, I know the "do what you love" rule of costuming. Just wanting other people's opinions to force me to sharpen exactly what it is I do want to do. So I''m pretty solidly set now on doing the figure version, but I still want thoughts...

Starting with this reference here (thank you mech9.com):

5765595802_726339ef63_z_zps75c215db.jpg


I'm probably going to define the border around the front placket with topstitching. I might do a bias tape trim to give the edge a little more heft. But the fasteners... most people who do the silver trim and fasteners version use military O-2 rank bars. I'll probably go the same route, but should I paint them a matching color, or wrap them in bits of the fabric I'm using for the uniform?

Other thing I need additional brains weighing in on:

CobraCrimsonGuardGIjoe_zpse57c843c.jpg


The epaulets and that bib-thingie that looks to be part of the collar and abuts the top edge of the front placket. Ideas?

--Jonah
 
Did a quick search on google and found images of a 12 inch crimson guard that looks really cool.
[URL=http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/we66y/media/image_zps8d7b569e.jpg.html][/URL]
I though this would be a really good starting point for your costume, you could get a red leather jacket and alter it rather than making something from scratch and you've then got a cool leather jacket that you could wear out when you're not cosplaying.
[URL=http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/we66y/media/image_zps0aa30807.jpg.html][/URL]
 
I honestly hadn't considered leather... I don't think I will -- their uniform seems to be the same material as the regular troopers and Cobra Commander, and that's pretty solidly woven cloth. That, and since this is properly a one-piece coverall, I think it'd get a little too warm. *heh* I'll probably do a CG-inspired leather jacket, though, with the front placket and the painted-on insignia and the aiguillette and epaulets... It's a fun idea, and thanks for putting it in my head. :)

I will say I'm kinda cross at Sideshow for that, as they're normally pretty good at accuracy to their source material. :unsure Wrist straps? Round buttons? And what the hell is up with that chest pin? That bears NO resemblance to this:

Pinclose-up_zps0c8b4004.jpeg


--Jonah
 
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