Look, it's a custom body for a cool version of Red Skull!
Elite troopers serving Destro.
Wow, informative. The Iron Grenadiers (as a group) were introduced in 1988, making Destro more of an independent force in the story and not just an underling - kind of like the Dreadnoks, but civilized. It certainly made sense, because Destro was smart enough to know he'd eventually need to protect himself from the whims of a backstabber like Cobra Commander, and what better way to do that than with his own army? The comics eventually turned them into an entirely separate faction, but the toys have never really bothered making that distinction. The Iron Grenadiers (as individual soldiers) are a cross between personal guards and pharmaceutical sales reps. But for guns, instead of drugs. Harmaceuticals.
The original Iron Grenadier troops had a decidedly martial look,
with a rounded helmet that had a fin on top, and the wearer's face hidden behind what looked rather like a gas mask. On this version, the helmet part is removable, revealing the tech running the full way around the back of his head. The addition of silver helps the black visor stand out, and it's reflected in the vent on the front of the red section over the mouth and nose.
Since this is a guy in a dress uniform, it makes sense that part of the sculpt is taken from the Crimson Guard. When Cameron Bye was sculpting the torso, head, helmet, and weapon holsters,
the original plan was to use both the Siegie's arms and legs, but that plan got changed before production, so now everything is new from the hips up. (Bye's original work also included new bands around the thighs, but those got dropped, too.) The idea to give Iron Grenadiers a fancy long coat to wear as part of their uniform didn't come about until the 2012 Joe Con box set, so getting it updated here is lovely fun! It's a great look, and the addition of a little necktie peeking out at the top is something new.
The traditional Iron Grenadier colors have always been red, gold, and black, both for the average troopers and the higher ranks. This one keeps that alive, and adds a little contrast with grey pants and shirt. The coat is matte black, with gloss for some of the padding on the ribs and the pocket on the belt. The red trim is painted cleanly, and the golden buttons are picked out perfectly. There's an Iron Grenadier symbol on the left shoulder, based on the ceremonial sword Destro carried in 1988. That's not something the group has had before; the closest would be the Clan McCullen coat of arms, which was on the 2012 figures' coats.
The Iron Grenadiers aren't just ceremonial forces, they actually fight when need be. So this figure having as much articulation
as any other Classified release is the way it should be. We get a barbell head, ball-jointed neck, swivel/hinge shoulders on pectoral hinges, swivel biceps, double-hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, hinged chest, balljointed waist, hips that are a balljoint mounted on a hinge, swivel thighs, double-hinged knees, swivel ankles, and swivel/hinge feet. The lower edge of the coat does limit things, but it's PVC so that's minor. The hinge in the right wrist goes thumb-to-pinky, while the one in the left goes back-to-palm. The stats on the box assign him Mercenary 2, Explosives 2, Black Market Deals 2, and Sabotage 3.
Like his case-mates Alpine and Storm Shadow, the Iron Grenadier gets a bunch of reused accessories. The pistol and laser rifle? Destro. Sword and scabbard? Crimson Guard. Machine gun with removable ammo box? Rock'n'Roll. You may not have seen the double-barrelled assault rifle, since
it's been used with a couple Walmart-exclusive figures, but it's not technically new. The pistol is solid black, but the other guns all get paint apps: gold on the laser's barrel, red for the AR's hinged foregrip, and red for the bipod and magazine on the machine gun. The scabbard plugs into the figure's belt, and there are two holsters on his back; while he would be able to draw the pistol from back there, the way the blaster fits in would never let him grab it himself; maybe it's for the IG who's behind him in formation?
Between this guy, the repainted B.A.T., and Metal-Head, Destro's Iron Grenadiers are getting a lot of attention all at once; you know eventually we're going to get a new Destro to go with them. And when he comes out, you're going to want soldiers to flank him and make him look even more badass. Good thing this modern design is so good, huh? Love to see actual updates of the characters!
-- 03/28/25
Who's your favorite Iron Grenadier character? Tell us on our message board, the Loafing Lounge.
|