HCC788 - 1987 CROC MASTER - Cobra Reptile Trainer - Vintage G.I. Joe toy review!

[@brett8481]

ALLIGATOR....not "LIZARD". Crocodilians (Alligators, Crocodiles, and Gavials) are more closely related to birds then they are to lizards and snakes.

[@HCC788]

DING DING DING!! WE HAVE A WINNER!

[@HCC788]

For those who decoded the message in the video, this is the predicted comment. Didn't take long. 14 minutes.

[@robertlogan5354]

Yeah, but it's kinda fun to demean this silly character. Verbally reducing such a truly terrifying creature to a mere 'lizard' is a good way to do that.

[@brett8481]

@@robertlogan5354 I guess you mean the handler Hoodie-Coco was calling his alligator demeaning names.......silly lizards only have 3 chamber hearts and are cold blooded.....crocodilians have a partial septum in their heart and can thermoregulate (not as well as their close cousins the birds tho). Best to be respectful of the crocodilians.....they've been around since the late Triassic.

[@retrogc77]

When I was a kid my friends and I thought this was the most bad ass GI Joe figure available. We didn't care if it made sense. It just looked awesome. One of my favorites.

[@christianhafer9819]

That's all you should care about. It is awesome.

[@ronfroehlich4697]

I got Croc Master for Christmas 1987. One of my favorite GI Joe figures.

[@RogueTwo]

Like Copperhead, I used Croc Master as a default member of the Dreadnoks, guarding their swamp lair with his alligators (only they'd be crazy enough to hire this guy!) He would also man the turrent on the Water Moccasin, with his "pets" swimming alongside to attack any Joe who got knocked into the water. He's definitely weird, but over the years, I came to appreciate him. Side note: During the New Sculpt line, Croc Master got a new action figure, supposedly mutated, as was the gimmick during Valor vs. Venom, with animal DNA. But the real interesting thing was his filecard. He wasn't the first Croc Master (who had died in the Marvel comics series) or even the second. He was the latest person to hold the title, all of his predecessors having met with grisly deaths. I always thought that was creepy and cool.

[@affoster79]

I remember purchasing this guy back in 1987 when I didn't even like or collect GI Joe... But he was such a awesome character. Once I did get into GI Joe later I gave him a Corps scuba tank to wear on his back to make sense of the hose to no where. I to troop build to alligators but I used them from different toy lines Safari, Lanard, etc. The best toy company that carried alligators and crocodiles was Chap Mei known as Animal Planet in the United States. They had one the size of a medium vehicle with a chomping jaw and articulation in the legs.

[@xtort1220]

As a 4 year old this guy was my favorite figure. In fact all the figures with animal partners were my favs but Croc Master was the holy grail for me.

[@dubuyajay9964]

This guy is one of my favorite Cobra Troopers. Don't judge me. 🐊🔗🐍☠

[@cryptomnesiac]

Croc Master was another character I loved the look of from my childhood. As an adult it doesn't make any sense, but looking at it from a little kid's perspective, it was badass. Snakes and alligators aren't too far a part in the mind of 6 or 7 year old.

[@Pegwarmers]

I enjoyed Croc Master a lot as a kid.

[@tanguydelooz2881]

Croc Master and Muskrat were some of my favourite figures. I used to organise wrestling competitions in a Lego ring and those had good muscles and a look for entertaining the crowd.

[@brandonirizarry6380]

Croc master was my favorite figure when I was a kid.

[@mattdawg83686]

To be honest, I dug the figure and got him when I spotted him on the rack at my local Woolworth’s back in the day. I’ve never really dug the modern figures as they look too skinny.

[@GreenDragonPainting]

Croc Master was one of my favorite figures growing up. Mainly because he was one of the few i didn't loose in the woods playing with my friends.

[@FredericGuimont]

That new figure of Croc Master looks like they really understood the shortcomings of the old one and fixed them simply without overdoing it. Great vid.

[@shane3674]

Crock Master has always been one of my favorites! He has such an outlandish look and it just screams serial killer LOL! This guy looks like he would kill you just for looking in his direction by accident.

[@Cavillier1970]

HCX you're right about how Croc Master looks like a Batman villain. The artwork at the beginning made me think of Bane. I wonder if CM was the design insperation.

[@cerebros3671]

Croc Master’s mask looks very Bane-like. That and him being similar to Killer Croc kind of raises eyebrows. Great video, too.

[@lo1bo2]

I was thinking Bane, too!

[@Ebonzai]

He's older than Bane though right?

[@christophermoody6840]

@@Ebonzai yeah I dont think Bane came around until the early to mid 90's when DC started killing their super heroes.... Doomsday killing superman and Bane crippling Batman.

[@user-si9fx4xb6v]

@@Ebonzai Yes, Bane would not appear in the Batman comic books until 1993 six years after Croc Master's action figure was produced. I have to hand to Larry Hama, for writing Croc Master the way he did in G.I. Joe Year Book #4. At least his usage their was logical. I am still surprised that Hasbro made a modern action figure of him when I can think of other characters more deserving of a new action figure. Still they made a modern style Serpentor and Nemesis Enforcer so who am I to judge?

[@christianhafer9819]

Croc Master is Bane. Batman stole it for sure.

[@brandonkeisler86]

I've got the 25th anniversary version! I wish badly I still had all my vintage Joes that were left behind in a move. I know some people bash the 25th, but this really was an opportunity for me to enjoy those childhood memories again.

[@user-si9fx4xb6v]

I like the 25th anniversary action figures myself, as I can now own a lot of the action figures I missed out on owning in my childhood. Plus some of the new features like working gun holsters and knife scabbards are really great.

[@yakito007]

This was the first G.I.Joe figure I bought. The second was Wet-Suit. I don't remember the third, but understand my love for this character. Regards! I still follow your reviews and it's great the way you have grown on KZbin.

[@annmarieevetts2473]

Looking at the gator, all I can think about is the Sunbow episode that shows Baroness stepping on Little Frou-Frou... the LaFitte family alligator.

[@HCC788]

Ha-ha! I used stills from that episode in my Gung-Ho review. Funny episode. :)

[@MrKersey]

The sounds of birds chirping in the background is so soothing and relaxing. I like the 1987 Croc Master figure, although even then, the names of their characters got a bit strange. The overal sculpt of the figure is very nice and the color palette is appropriate. I always paired him with Copperhead and Zanzibar for the matching swamp/riverine theatre of war.

[@plee501pl]

Croc, looks like a mash up between Killer Croc and Bane. Also, maybe conceived during an acid trip gone bad... Thanks for the share Commander!

[@impossiblepie]

HCC788, your humour is hilarious!!! I noticed you dont have your snake eyes tattoo, when did you get it? Croc rocks!!!!!

[@SylentEcho]

Croc Master pre-dates Bane and Spawn and inspired both their designs! Bane's backstory is very similar, too.

[@rtd1409]

It was a really enjoyable memory of getting this figure in 1987 from a small Mom & Pop Toy Store at 8th & Vermont here in LA after coming home from school just off the bus in the 3rd grade year. Went to Taco Bell and remember the walk home was just so cool and yes the hose vanished very quickly! Wished he made it with the other 1987 figures that were not included in the GI Joe movie would have been neat to have seen them. The 1987 lineup was the last of the "Beloved GI Joe Years" for me as after that it began to spin out of the Joe roots of the earlier years.

[@SarveshGaonkar]

I remember buying this as a kid. It was my first ever GI Joe model #Nostalgia

[@ilarianannini2975]

He's weird but I think he's a good character. In the 80's books meant for children often showed Medioeval castles with moats full of crocks. I loved the idea of a castle guarded by crocks. Of course no Medioaval castle has ever had crocodiles to guard it....

[@HCC788]

Well maybe they should have! They just needed the right guy to train them.

[@jscott8049]

I agreed with you with raptor who I didn't understand but I kind of like because he looked like Ozzy Osbourne to me, but Croc Master worked.. it was still kind of in the reptile family..Cobra.. I always had him and Copperhead together... Plus I think he got me into S&M so that's pretty cool.

[@Mlopez_602]

I got a hold of this guy somehow but never used him. He sat in the turret of the Water Moccasain. Which sat on shelf.

[@ralang999]

good role for him

[@dubuyajay9964]

He's ideal for that swamp boat considering his line of work.

[@Rob_Thorsman]

Croc Master: So I use gators as a form of defense and security. Cobra Commander: Excellent. You shall be known as Croc Master. Croc Master: But... I use alligators. Cobra Commander: Get to work, Croc Master! Croc Master: But... alligators...

[@supersho93]

Calvin aka Fumbles aka Trouser Snake must have been the next recruit after Croc Master.

[@crypticjim]

@@supersho93 You mean Dr Kill Shot

[@TerryTurner]

Just seen a modern version of The Croc Master on eBay for $11.👍😉

[@gilborrego]

Looking at my Croc Master this weekend, I realize I have a slight variant. His eyes are not painted red, they are unpainted, just black. I've been missing out on that extra bit if evil and didn't realize it!

[@drakon32]

I like this guy. I liked most of the gimmicks up to the 1988 line.

[@jrkh7702]

Surprised you didnt mention the Miami Vice influence. Same year as the Don Johnson inspired Chuckles you have guard gators like his character on Miami Vice. Makes me wonder if the gator was originally designed to come with Chuckles.

[@Slashman3]

Jr K H Yup, Crockett used his pretty to guard his boat!

[@az-cafe-moto]

Love croc master. Finally got one as an adult. Goes good with water Moccasin

[@reddeadbandjam]

Alligator Wrestler was probably his intended name and for him to be the Cobra counterpart to Sgt Slaughter but somewhere along the line they decided Croc Master sounded better

[@jordel2010]

Tim Roper I agree. Personally, I didn't own a Croc Master figure but I used to play with another kid who had one; we pitted Sgt. Slaughter against Croc Master given both were pretty buff (and if we wanted to make things challenging for Sarge, we threw Sea Slug in the mix).

[@Drawkcabi]

In "Game of Thrones" AKA "A Song of Ice and Fire" Green Dreams are prophetic dreams, most notably seen in the "Frogmen" of Greywater Reach and Jojen Reed of House Reed in particular. Of course ASOIAF wasn't out at the time Croc Master came out, but there was a song that talked about green dreams and a lizard... "loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams red, gold, and green, red, gold and green..." I thought you were going to maybe end the video with that :P

[@jamesthompson2329]

I think Croc Master would fit better with the Dreadnocs than Cobra

[@FoxofMaysville]

Being that Croc Master was an alligator wrestler, I like to have him and Sargent Slaughter go at it from time to time.

[@jakubbuszko3089]

Hi ! I even like a Croc Master but am never sure why because I like all even weird animals . Normally this man comes with Falcon shotgun because I had two ... Idea to having alligators in home reminded me old Miami Vice sitcom . He should have crossbow & off course bigger air tank maybe . He could be more for Fallout universe than G.I Joe but maybe is the same story like with old Bond movies too . Thanks for a show take care !

[@rtd1409]

Love the figure and remember the joyous day taking him home 31 years ago. I didnt use the chain on the animal but gave it to Stalker as a belt and Law's baton as Staler was an MP for me. Love the comparison and this brings a lot of fun back to me.

[@MiKeMiDNiTe-77]

I've probably already commented on here but anyway Crocs definetely top tier and one of the best he's a legend unto himself 🐊

[@NerdGasims]

Ok so both Raptor and Croc-Master were two dudes that had jobs they didn’t like and were obsessed with a animal to the point they trained and dressed like said animals. Then Cobra Commander comes along and gives them jobs based on there crazy animal ideas; Cobra Commander started ‘Shark Tank’ before Marc Cuban excepted took the craziest business ideas with the most insane risk

[@duncanjackson4170]

Great review! So funny!! It seems that a key difference between the vintage and modern figures is the mouthpiece. The modern figure seems to more faithfully represent the file card portrait in that respect.

[@transfan83]

I’ve always liked this guys mask.hes better than raptor at least

[@bartdman95]

Now that you mentioned him looking like a Batman villain, he looks like Bane. Although Bane was created years later. :)

[@christianhafer9819]

Yeah, the Batman people stole the likeness of Bane from Croc Master. 100%

[@reddeadbandjam]

Finally! Ok got my coffee, let's do this

[@HCC788]

I'm out of coffee. I could use some.

[@reddeadbandjam]

HoodedCobraCommander788 I have a feeling this figure and his "reptile" were sculpted before they were named. The sculptor probably intended it to be an alligator.

[@brandonkeisler86]

Tim Roper me too!

[@jackloera4600]

Great review and hilarious as usual. I've always felt Crocmaster would have been better as a dreadnock

[@Baloothepibble]

This and Raptor were my favorite. They made zero sense but kinda looked like superheroes!

[@christopherlacher3544]

I love this figure. One of my favorites.

[@bighurtgarfield1375]

That new croc is very cool looking. The articulation at the jaw is a nice touch and would've been a great addition if they had articulated the pets in the 80s.

[@godsavant]

Oh my god, I had that plastic green alligator at the bottom of my toy box, and I could never figure out where it came from...

[@willischalepah9488]

in 1987 he was one of my favorite gijoe love cobra side more then good side.

[@gxbouncer1]

Thanks for the credit mr 788 !! Another great video!!

[@anionhero]

I personally liked the Croc Master when I was a kid. It's possible that it's because, like you said, he sort of looked like a super-villain that you would expect Batman or another super-hero to fight. Also because of his muscular build, it gave me someone formidable to face off against the stronger Joes, like Gung Ho (my personal favorite) and Sgt. Slaughter.

[@guitardudeguy3139]

"There's a combination of words I'd never thought I'd say. " LMAO!

[@josiahalcorne7568]

Of course, I disagree but I always love your take. Thanks for a highly anticipated review. Thanks to everyone who helped track down accessories.

[@HCC788]

Thanks, Josiah! I respect anyone who can disagree without being disagreeable. I'm glad you like the figure! Cheers!

[@josiahalcorne7568]

I am pretty sure its a big part how much alligators are embedded in the psyche of Florida kids. Every body of fresh water potentially has an gator in it. Gator wrestling was huge here. Romancing the stone, Crocodile Dundee, Temple of doom, Miami Vice. We grow up with as much fear of losing a pet to an alligator as we do a runaway car.

[@ramonpas]

Raptor, Croc and Hydro-Viper all freak but i have a big nostalgia for them.

[@leegray99]

When he was first released he was one of my fav figures but now I am not a big a fan as I was and I did laugh as you mentioned about leaving comment's while typing this.

[@tommybenefield1480]

This is absolutely hilarious 😂 thanks for the review

[@NinoEchanove]

You're the man! Love this figure

[@maxbrandt6]

He looks like some kind of S & M freak with a gator/crocodile theme, even for Cobra that's weird and on the desperate side.

[@brandonkeisler86]

You killed me with all those alligators

[@ToyGuy-bg2bd]

The tip jar part was funny great video

[@stephanienicley1172]

thank you larry

[@malikvonsaint8717]

I love how you put your wife in your stories lol. Shes a great sport!

[@orcatwar9810]

today is my birthday and we get a review of croc master well i like him because he is just weird

[@Michael_Johnson_5446]

Very funny intro. I love Croc Master. He's wacky, but great for jungle environments.

[@BobHansenJokes]

I. LOVED. THIS REVIEW. Great work.

[@George-de6hd]

I live crock master (he should have been a dreadknock) His classified figure is awesome!!!I never knew so many people disliked him 🤷🏻

[@delvis7842]

I think the whole '87 villain line-up would do much better nowadays with the nano bot technology. That along with taking most of them and adding them to the ranks of Cobra La and saying it was a scientific biological division of Cobra (or something like that). A man made swamp surrounding the Techno Drome, er, Terror Drome makes sense for a group wiyh a swamp based biker gang in thier midst, I guess!

[@PlatformJunkie]

Love Croc Master!

[@jasonkerest394]

They did have alligator wranglers in the James Bond film Live and Let Die, but they were missing hands. I do like the eyes, very intimidating looking.

[@brandonkeisler86]

Trained dogs, because they're not insane. Lmao 😂

[@Morgaine4194]

I think he is great but you make good points

[@JoeMotionVideos82]

It's a cracagator or an alidile

[@orcatwar9810]

co....croc master that made my day

[@neobluemax]

He is like the rancor trainer in ROTJ. You didn't need him but he was there with all the other villians. No more silly than having piranhas in your volcano lair ala Blofeld in James Bond movies. Someone has to train/raise and nurture the animals... not gonna trust blue shirts with that.

[@woofan25]

Larry Hama made the best of him in the comics, but I was glad Cobra Commander stuffed him and all the other bad characters (Voltar, Raptor) in the land-locked freighter to died unceremoniously.

[@rickdavis32]

The tubes were horrible techno vipers has them too. This is where Gi Joe got really interesting Cobra army builders were so awesone I had 6 Alley vipers and several night vipers too. I had numerous army builders from yard sales and dollar and resale shops. He and raptor were unique additions in the Cobra corps. Things of note,nearly animal can be trained, theres a chick in florida that has a pet alligator that has his own 4 wheeler. Plus dreadknoks are also f#!%ing insane grape soda drinking badasses that were origionally supposed to be Teddy Bears.

[@two2erisfans]

Great looking toy

[@ExUSSailor]

"At least if you want him holding his lizard..." HA!

[@cruizerdave]

Excellent review of a ... figure ... it’s certainly a figure . Banetastic! Anyway, how about some more upbeat music during the credits?

[@drewtitanllc3891]

Croc Master and Big Boa had Sleep Apnea....that explains the C-Pap hoses.

[@toddhumphrey7961]

Great review as always, you marvelous *beep*!

[@Slashman3]

I still have my original crocodile, but ironically, he was used as a chew toy by the family dog.

[@matthewsirois3705]

Yeah, he's a bit weird but not nearly as silly as Raptor. I got a lot of use out of him. I often had Cobra bases hidden out in swamps. I'd use my old Star Wars Degobah playset, and I bought a bunch of plastic alligators (the kind you could find in any toy store) to fill out his army. I wonder if they initially intended to name him Gator Master?

[@ikeb9367]

I always used Croc Master as someone who was a little more mentally stable. He was head of Cobra Island Security.

[@timf7413]

Agree on wanting infantry versions of the the Joe SEALS. Always bothered me that they seemed to equate "SEAL" with "diver"

[@timf7413]

I'm not a modern figure guy but IIRC at least Wetsuit did get a modern convention figure in infantry gear.

[@user-si9fx4xb6v]

Just before the transition to the newer sculpt style, Torpedo got an action figure in combat fatigues. It was the body of Muskrat with a new head and for what it was it was decent. I do agree, that the Navy SEALs on the G.I. Joe team defiantly could have used action figures of them not in scuba gear. I know that I would buy them in a heartbeat if they did.

[@ShannonFargo]

Crotch of Thundera! Give me sight beyond sight!

[@BLAZE084]

Has anyone noticed the figures design makes the character look like a hillbilly bane from an alternate Batman universe? Now I can’t unsee it.

[@B3Sirius]

Alligator VS Crocodile: In alligators it's broad and U-shaped, while in crocodiles it's narrow and V-shaped. Next are the teeth. In the case of alligators, the lower teeth are typically not visible when the mouth is shut. In crocodiles, however, some teeth in the bottom jaw appear, most notably the large fourth tooth.

[@pauricboylan11]

25th anniversary Croc Master was rereleased in the Rise of Cobra toyline as the pilot for the mole drill vehicle in 2009!!😑

[@MidnightRangeTM]

Cool character.....that’s all that matters.

[@sergeiyzerman7240]

This character was obviously taking advantage of the popularity of Crocodile Dundee, which came out the previous year.

[@matthewneufer1758]

I had this guy I use to make him run with the Zantan an the Dredknoks

[@edaniels240]

I'm surprised when he was introduced they didn't make him a Dreadnok

[@nanlion]

hey man! What happened to the great performances of humor? The mix with the information figures was the best!

[@chrisbrewer9942]

“The assumed profanity is filled in by your dirty mind you filthy Peaches” 😂 Always look forward to the extras after the credits 👍🏻

[@sethlogee]

You could pose Mr Croc 🐊 upright which would make the crocodiles 🐊 front legs of the ground but that would make the croc look like it is lunging a la guard alligator 🐊