Is Cobra Commanders Hood Mask Racist?

[daveysockrocker]

I asked this question on a fan friday post but thought I'd open it up to the main GI fans here.

Has anyone heard about Hasbro stating they aren't going to make a hooded Cobra Commander figure because hoods are problematic?

There's a customizer who 3D prints hooded heads who said this, but I cant find any reference to Hasbro saying it anywhere online. The customizer charges 100 bucks for his, admittedly nice, custom heads. Fwoosh and Toygalaxy have displayed them. But I dont want to pay that if I dont have to.

He said that it has "racist undertones" but Ive never in my life made that connection to his hooded mask. Has anyone else? Is his hood mask racist?? Will we never see an official hooded mask Cobra Commander from Hasbro??

 

[Roadpigmaster]

28 minutes ago, daveysockrocker said:

I asked this question on a fan friday post but thought I'd open it up to the main GI fans here.

Has anyone heard about Hasbro stating they aren't going to make a hooded Cobra Commander figure because hoods are problematic?

There's a customizer who 3D prints hooded heads who said this, but I cant find any reference to Hasbro saying it anywhere online. The customizer charges 100 bucks for his, admittedly nice, custom heads. Fwoosh and Toygalaxy have displayed them. But I dont want to pay that if I dont have to.

He said that it has "racist undertones" but Ive never in my life made that connection to his hooded mask. Has anyone else? Is his hood mask racist?? Will we never see an official hooded mask Cobra Commander from Hasbro??

 

Nope and that guy is just wanting to get your money. Be patient and you will see a Hasbro version of Cobra Commander... Your other options are for the moment the ultimate version or the one from the DVD battles.

[daveysockrocker]

1 hour ago, DrLava said:

what race can it be racist to?

i guess cuz the KKK wears hoods, is his connection, but Ive been a gi joe fan for years and Ive never even thought of that and yeah cobra itself never did anything racist.

[deecee4]

I don't see it as racist either. The hooded villian look was kind of a trope from the '30s and '40s adventure serials. 

[JayC]

Dont think Hasbro has made any such statements that they wouldn't do a hooded Cobra Commander figure because its deemed racists. The KKK was viewed just as racists back in the 80's when they originally released the figure as it is today so I dont see any difference.

[daveysockrocker]

5 minutes ago, JayC said:

Dont think Hasbro has made any such statements that they wouldn't do a hooded Cobra Commander figure because its deemed racists. The KKK was viewed just as racists back in the 80's when they originally released the figure as it is today so I dont see any difference.

See if you didnt hear about it then that customizer must be BS-ing because you get all the details. I think he might be saying it to get sales of his custom heads Which is wrong of him because GI Joe doesnt deserve that said about them.

[SpiderS]

Yeah I don't think so, we are getting red skull figure who literally nazi so yeah I doubt that hood will have much issues on the market.

[Satam]

3 hours ago, daveysockrocker said:

See if you didnt hear about it then that customizer must be BS-ing because you get all the details. I think he might be saying it to get sales of his custom heads Which is wrong of him because GI Joe doesnt deserve that said about them.

That's what's happening.  A hood that covers the face isn't necessarily racist unless it has a point on top, plus Hasbro released a Cobra Commander with his hood in 3 3/4" for the Collectors Club just three years ago.

[Belmont13]

That guy is just is just trying to cause panic so he can sell his overpriced custom head. I'm sure a hooded Commander Cobra will be released eventually, especially when re-releasing the Cobra Commander with a new head will be profitable for them. So far they have released light blue, Pulse Con exclusive Supreme and regular Cobra Commander who was 3 to a case and didn't pegwarm so the character sells and the Hooded version is just as iconic.