G.I. Joe Renegades Airtight

Presenting from Airtight the GI Joe Renegades Hostile Environment Specialist. The original Airtight is the second G.I Joe to come into my possession way back in the 80s and I was in love with him because of the "Spaceman" look of his uniform and gear - till I realized that he was walking around with a vacuum cleaner. Thirty years later Hasbro reintroduces Airtight in the same environmental suit, but with an entirely different history as they tie him into the G.I. Joe Renegades cartoon.

Corporal Kurt Schnurr CBR (Chemical, Biological and Radiological Warefare) and Ordnance specialist AKA Airtight is now Doctor Kurt Schnurr, a civilian Biochemist. Both are from New Haven Connecticut.

The civilian Dr. Kurt Schnurr actually starts out working with Cobra in the G.I. Joe Renegades cartoon. Together with Dr. Monev (Really? Couldn't figure out that there was something wrong with his name huh?) they develop the Anaconda Strain virus which turns mammals into reptiles. Dr. Monev infects Airtight and the Joes come to rescue him on the behest of Airtight's daughter, Elena.

They rescue him and administer the cure to the Anaconda Strain. The bad news is, the Joes were fooled into rescuing Airtight. Unbeknownst to all... it's a trap! Airtight had been infected for too long a period that he was no longer showing symptoms but was spreading the virus. The Joes rush again to rescue him and Airtight is forced to permanently wear his containment suit while he struggles to find a permanent cure for Anaconda.

Airtight comes with a lot of gear. Aside from his containment suit and haz-mat helmet, Airtight comes with his primary weapon:  a Hazardous Environment Containment Rifle (A Vacuum cleaner) attached by a hose to a purification backpack;  A containment unit; A substitute Oxygen Tank; a and, a FN Tactical Police Shotgun with a red-dot sight with no extra ammunition in sight for some strange reason, leaving him with no more than 8 12 guage shots.

His blister card reads "Dr. Kurt Schnurr is a scientist working for COBRA Industries. Schnurr becomes a bio-chemist to fight diseases in developing countries and he believed CORBRA personnel when they assured him they would support his goal. But he discoveres that COBRA has darker plans for his research, and that even his lab partner, Dr. Monev, is not who he pretends to be."

What's to like about GI Joe Renegades Airtight?

There's a lot to love about GI Joe Renegades Airtight. Let's start with the fact that despite being aligned with the GI Joe Renegades cartoon, Airtight was not sculpted with the "Anime" feel that can be seen with the other Renegades characters as can be seen with Duke, Scarlett, Snake-Eyes, Cobra Commander and even Firefly. Neither was he given staplers for guns - thank God.

Airtight is a fine tribute to his 80s version. Almost nothing was changed and everything was improved. The biggest deviance from his 80s version is that the Renegades Airtight does not have air-hoses connecting his helmet to his purification back-pack. This is probably because they gave him an air-tank and two different air-hoses to connect the two back-packs together to his helmet would have been too complex. However, if you look carefully at the rear of the helmet, vestigial holes for the air-lines are still there.

I'm also a big fan of how he can remove his helmet. Note how his head is not out of proportion, nor does the helmet appear over-sized when he has it on.

 Airtight's articulation is also excellent and he comes with the new wrist-articulations that the 25th Anniversary line started. The low point is that he still can't stare down the sights of his gun.

What's NOT to like about GI Joe Renegades Airtight?

Actually? Nothing. Fine articulation, great sculpting, pays homage to the original. What more can you ask for? The only thing that you probably have going against this figure is that if you do have him, if you do idolize him, then you must be one hell of a nerd or dork - no offense, I like him too. I mean, you collect toys which makes you a nerd, and then your favorite is the scientist who goes to battle with a vacuum cleaner? How can you not be a dork? :)

Dorks will rule the world. Don't worry.

Also if you watch a lot of contagion or zombie movies then you know that people dressed this way die first.

The G.I. Joe Renegades Airtight is not as rare as most people would think. He's available on Amazon for a low US$ 10.63 (Roughly PhP 450.00 plus shipping)

For the full review and gallery, visit darklorddungeon.blogspot.com