The Cobra Paralyzer has returned to my Cobra forces arsenal. I originally bought a Paralyzer brand new in what must have been late 1991 or early 1992 for a mere $4.98 on sale at Prange Way, a now defunct store chain. At this time in my G.I.Joe history, we had more recently moved from the middle of nowhere to a much bigger city and the Paralyzer was one of the first new vehicle additions.
My original Paralyzer from that time was sold years later in series of
collection trimming trades and sales I was doing. Part of my decision to sell away the Paralyzer stemmed from essentially the color.
8 years later, another Paralyzer is here.
It is orange. I wouldn't call it neon orange at all, it's not as "bright" seeming to me as some of the more light green color on vehicles from around these years in the G.I.Joe lineup. As I started to think about the Paralyzer and the orange it has, it occurred to me I have another almost brand new "modern" orange vehicle in my collection:
Silent Strike H.I.S.S.. (Technically this H.I.S.S. is not in "My H.Q.," rather it is part of the overall-shared-with-the-junior-joes collection.) But, as I've sort of knocked the old 1983 H.I.S.S. out of my Cobra motorpool this really works nice for comparison side by side pictures not only of color, but of size comparisons between the two. A fun aspect of taking pictures with the orange of the Paralyzer is that with just minimal light changes, the shade of the Paralyzers orange really takes on different shades of orange easily.
The Paralyzer sits wider and lower than the H.I.S.S., I view this as a tactical advantage.
What makes G.I.Joe fun for me is that it is, or, I should say it was, nice to have figures that worked with vehicle and gear. Here are some tank drivers to show vehicle to figure comparison.
Unlike some of the vehicles, such as the Cobra Rat, the figures legs in the drivers seat do not dangle beneath a hollow bottom. However, the bottom is still fairly hollow otherwise.
The tread detail is really nice in my opinion. It's not just a raised cylinder shape against a flat back, but rather it is "open" all the way through. While not suspension-looking heavy in detail, the aggressive cleats (?) on the tread really stand out and I can imagine this vehicle tearing across most terrains.
The Paralyzers turreted armament has a nice range of motion from lower than it needs to go...
... to an... alright elevation, however the pom pom gun's "hydraulic-powered activation hose" and a part of the Paralyzer body helps to limit any higher of an angle. Due to the more limited elevation, perhaps the Paralyzer could be said to be a dedicated ground battle unit from the get-go?
The best part is that the turret weapon assembly has a full 360 degree rotation and it turns without any "snap-in" positions, so it will turn where you want it to turn smoothly. Depending on which direction it is turned may allow for slightly more gun elevation.
However, despite a great 360 degree turret rotation, the operator of the Paralyzer should definitely be wearing protective headgear.
And not only are head injuries possible, a potential choking hazard swings soon after....
Not mention, depending on how one chooses to imaginatively launch these " Anti-Radar, Electronically Charged, Communications Deactivation Missile(s)," you may want to employ an Incinerator as the operator of the Paralyzer.
However, my Motor Vipers are the types of individuals who find amusement in danger, so today they will do well. Figures slide well into the "Inclined, Full-Control Cockpit with Cranium-Touch Battle Instructions."
Despite the insert catalog picture that shows a Crimson Guard Immortal using these outer pegs, without some impossible arm twisting, I don't think these outer posts are meant for the figure, but like years ago, I still wonder what else they would be?
Inside the cockpit, which has to feature one of the most comfortable looking seats in the entire Cobra inventory, there are two handles which the figure can reach and hold very well. The interior has a nice amount of interesting details, perhaps even a floor grate for the feet. And is that a fuel can in the upper right?
(Interesting how just a slight light movement changes the apparent color on this orange)
However the top won't shut with the figures knees bent to where one would think the feet would go. And straightening the legs will not help if the figure is still holding onto those hand pegs in the cockpit. So, the figure really fits best when just dropped in loose, and the Paralyzer does not require that the top be opened to get a figure in there to begin with. This is where I wonder if there was something costed out on the Paralyzer prior to the production toy here?
Motor Viper is pointing to a curious peg like detail on the top cockpit piece that is just to the side of the seat in lowered position.
Back to back, the Paralyzer can carry two passengers on its "Personnel Transportation Mount," much like the H.I.S.S.. The much lower body of the Paralyzer is much more figure friendly in height and the rear deck still maintains a scale ground clearance of a respectable (and estimated) 16 inches. The H.I.S.S. has a tow hook, though.
In the "modern" age of action figures and "blocky" vehicles, the Paralyzers hanging rear deck with vent-like details and open spaces is really refreshing for me.
Dropping a pair off Vipers on the back curiously lines them up with a weapon on the turret nicely.
Scale is a nice detail that I like with the figures and vehicles. Even though the Paralyzer is a small vehicle, the treads are still fairly tall. The Paralyzer is not much bigger than a V.A.M.P., a vehicle that is maybe just a little under-scaled, but the V.A.M.P. (especially with 25th interior sizing) really stands out as a standard scale benchmark for me. I mean, the tires are big, but not unbelievable when a figure "person" stands next to them. With scale in mind, the Paralyzers weapons are sized nice and still seem based in a scale world of details. Well, I think so, these "Double-Barreled, Concussion Cannon with Servo-Firepower" are definitely not a 7.62mm like on the V.A.M.P..
I think of 1991 as the year of the "
Rise of the Action Accesories." This carries into the vehicles the way I see it, and the Paralyzer is no exception. The Spring-Fire missiles are usually something I don't care for, but I think on the Paralyzer they are done very nicely. As is, I don't have to load the missiles, and they can just sit on their launching box as if they were classic imagination-launched weapons. If the missiles themselves were able to have more fins detailed on them, that would be a plus, but the missile storage mounts are not that far off from a 1983 missile mount, so easy replacement alternatives might be there?
The Pom Pom Gun is nice, and as nice as this Paralyzer is, it really makes me miss my original Paralyzer, but the recoil action still works fine.
"Fire!"
In the "modern" days, we have had larger vehicles, like the
N.A.C. or the Patriot Girzzly, or the newer Night Raven, where to me it seems like the human powered handles or what-have-you really take up a lot of the space of the vehicle and I think they take away from that scale detail of a vehicle that draw a person interest into it. The Paralyzer has that design, though, where the user can just right into the action with action figures becoming the Paralyzers gunner as seen here:
I don't have to worry about coming up short with the Paralyzer. Literally. It raises up to meet the opposition.
The body of the Paralyzer has a lot of interesting features on it, even on the side where what I assume could be the hydraulic tanks that lift and lower the treads are located.
Near the point where the treads connect to the body are these raised points with holes, they have the look like a tool could be used to crank up the treads as it looks connected to the hydraulic tank looking details.
Sitting on the turret, but off to the sides are two cylinders with cones, in some ways they remind me of a large rocket pod commonly on a gunships pylon. Maybe just something to put there to fill space, though?
Not only is there a "Multiple Round Ammunition Loading Chamber", but there are other details on the gun itself. The more curious one to me is the center cylinder, it really looks like a classic black hose accessory should go on it and connect to something. The raised and slightly off-centered detail just behind it seems like it was a part of something in the original design. What was it?
I like visible cannon ammo. A pair of ammo boxes stuck in both those spots would have been a neat detail that could have been there.
The vertical bar details, do you think they were meant to be lights? Also, the cockpit cover here is a "Forward-View hatch with Built Armored Compartment" and the top vent on the forward top is the "Climate-Controlled, Engine-Cooling, Air Duct Ventilation System." I think there must have been more to the Paralyzer in the initial design.
A second turret base I recently acquired makes me wonder if there are variations throughout Paralyzers on the orange color?
With and without flash in low light, there is considerable difference in two turrets I have here. Variants or simply the results of a time and environment affect on the plastic?
