SCC Figure Spotlight - FROSTBITE (Versions 1, 2 and 3)

"The colder the climate, the hotter my trigger finger!" - Frostbite, 1993.

SNOW CAT DRIVER - FROSTBITE  (Version 1)

    Frostbite was the G.I. Joe Team's second cold weather operations specialist to be released in the line.  A part of Series 4 in 1985, this new character was the Snow Cat Driver.  The Snow Cat was the Joes' new half-track, winter vehicle.  In addition, the same year, the Cobra Snow Serpents were also released, so Frostbite and and Snow Job (1983) had some opposition.

    Frostbite's file card explains that he is from Alaska, so operating in a cold environment  feels natural to him.  It tells that he originally worked on the Pipeline but lost interest when he decided he needed a bigger challenge.  He ended up joining the army and eventually found his way to the Joe Team.

    Frostbite is geared up for action in the arctic with his winter gear.  He wears a fur winter hat with black goggles.  He has a white winter jacket with grey fur at the top, white pants, gloves and boots.  On his face, he sports a jet-black beard, and personally, I always thought he looked like Kenny Loggins!

    In addition to his Snow Cat vehicle, Frostbite has one accessory.  He comes with a black M-16 with a large scope on it.  

    I remember getting the Snow Cat and Frostbite for Christmas.  How perfect is that to get a great snow figure and vehicle right around the time there is snow on the ground!  I would load up the Snow Cat with figures and Frostbite would lead my Joes on many imaginary missions across the Arctic!

    Frostbite (v1) is awesome (and so is the Snow Cat)!  A great addition to the Joe Team and a perfect figure to be paired alongside Snow Job and the Polar Battle Bear.  Furthermore, he has a smile on his face that makes you feel good... like he just genuinely likes you!  With all that in mind, I would give Frostbite (v1) a rating of 5 out of 5 Kenny Loggins CDs!  Now that's something to smile about!

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TIGER CAT DRIVER - FROSTBITE  (Version 2)

    Frostbite and his Snow Cat (now called the Tiger Cat) were recolored and re-released in 1988 as part of Tiger Force.  Thankfully, his file card does a good job at maintaining his continuity.  It discusses his history from the original file card and then explains his transition into Tiger Force.  It is the one file card that gives a clue as to what Tiger Force's actual mission is when it mentions "barreling over sand dunes in the Sahara Desert" and "battling Toxo-Viper's in temperatures over 113 degrees".

    Though the mold was the same, the figure was drastically different from the snow-white uniform of the original.  Now he was outfitted with a brown winter (??) jacket with the grey fur.  His pants were yellow with the black "tiger" stripes on them and he had black gloves and boots.

    On his head, he still wore the fur winter hat with the goggles now being a gold color.  The strangest part was his beard, which was black on the first figure, was now red..?  Did he dye his beard to try to transition into the Tiger Force color scheme?  Was that a requirement?  I guess the guy is really dedicated to the cause and was trying to do his part... or maybe he was sick and tired of all the Kenny Loggins comparisons.

    Frostbite (v2) also came with the same M-16 with scope accessory as the original did.

    I like this figure, I think he has a good look!  The colors are good, the gun and even the Tiger Cat are great, and his file card was really well done.  The winter hat and jacket, however, just don't make sense for a mission in the Sahara.  I also don't understand the beard color change.  That was just weird.  Regardless, I still thought he carried over well enough and would rate Frostbite (v2) at 4 Out of 5 Kenny Loggins CDs!

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ARCTIC COMMANDER - FROSTBITE  (Version 3)

    Frostbite returned in 1993 as a single carded figure with the Battle Corps assortment.  He was now the team's Arctic Commander, which I thought was fitting.  He had been a Joe member for several years now.  It's nice to see him get a promotion (though the file card still lists his rank at E-4, the same on his other 2 file cards?).  Like his Tiger Force file card, the new one does a good job in maintaining his continuity!  It even mentions that he operated in the Sahara and his preference to work in colder environments.

    While the first two figures shared the same mold, this figure was an all new sculpt and was radically different than the previous versions.  This Frostbite wore a grey winter jacket with some turquoise straps going over his shoulders and three bright orange grenades on his chest.  He had white and grey "snow camo" pants and brown gloves and boots.  On his head he wears a grey winter cap and he has a brown beard....?

    Of course, Frostbite had the standard 90's generic weapons tree.  Attached to it were several rehashed accessories such as a shotgun and machette (Muskrat), two rifles (Grunt (v3) / Cloudburst) and two missiles.  He also came with an orange rocket launcher and a white winter facemask - which was new, this is not the one that previously came with Stalker (v2).  

    Frostbite (v3) is a pretty good figure... but nowhere near as great as the original.  The sculpt isn't as crisp on this figure, and his head seems a little big.  He also doesn't look much like the previous 2 figures.  The Kenny Loggins likeness is gone and the beard is now brown... why does the beard keep changing color?    

    But the figure still looks pretty good.  I may not care for the weapons-trees, but at least most of the weapons are white, and he does have 1 original accessory.  The file card was done well and that didn't always happen when older, existing characters moved into the 90's.  I think Frostbite (v3) is looking at a rating of 3 Out of 5 Kenny Loggins CDs.  A little lower than the others, but still not too shabby.

    Frostbite has had an interesting journey over his time in the G.I. Joe line!  He went from a vehicle driver in the Arctic, to a vehicle driver in the Sahara, to the Joes' Arctic Commander.  The changes between figures have been odd... from wearing recolored winter gear in the desert to constantly dyeing his beard.  But Frostbite doesn't fare to bad.  We have seen much crazier transitions between other figures.