G.I. Joe Classified Series Gnawgahyde, Porkbelly and Yobbo review

Gnawgahyde added a skeevier element to the Dreadnoks in a totally logical way. He’s a poacher, which definitely fits into the skill set of Zartan’s ragtag crew. He kinda cuts the line ahead of Monkeywrench and Thrasher, but he’s a welcome addition to the Classified Series.

I’ve got a soft spot for him thanks to his role in Operation Dragonfire by helping Baroness restore Cobra Commander to his previous glory. And while the first season of the DIC cartoon was 50/50 in terms of quality, his bond with Metal-Head led to some pretty funny moments.

After Metal-Head’s packaging teased Gnawgahyde’s arrival, it wasn’t surprising to see him debut. The one twist was he was a deluxe figure with two animal sidekicks. Let’s see if this Dreadnok is ready for the hunt or needs to get busted to the back of the Dreadnok wing of the display.

Packaging: Hasbro has gone with a less exciting color scheme for the ’24 Classified Series figures with the mostly black with traces of blue. It does help make the Cobra logo stand out though.

The left side features a portrait of Gnawgahyde and his pets while the right shows his stats. Over on the back it’s a pic in “the bush” with Gnawgahyde, Porkbelly and Yobbo navigating a storm.

His bio largely borrows from his Real American Hero file card: Gnawgahyde could have single-handedly decimated the herds of all the endangered species of Africa, if his fellow poachers hadn’t railroaded him off the continent for cheating at cards, being generally obnoxious, and smelling bad. With the help of flatulent warthog Porkbelly and surly macaque Yobbo, he kept solvent by stealing furs until the Dreadnoks recruited him.

For his skills, Gnawgahyde ranks 3 stars in long-range weapons, 2 stars in mercenary and animal handling and a 1 star in black market deals.

Likeness: Gnawgahyde mostly uses the Roadblock/Gung-Ho mold giving him the muscular torso and arms with thicker legs and the left leg kneepad. It’s a smart mold for a guy showing his chest and arms. He’s got his animal fur best to show he’s truly committed to his poaching cause. The texture on it is fantastic.

The Classified Series designers made sure to include his tooth necklace and dog tags. He also has his arm band with some animal’s teeth or finger/toenails. For his wristband, the CS team gave him the studded wraps on his left arm. He’s also got a right furry/leather wristband with the teeth setup. These enhancements really add to Gnawgahyde’s look.

Gnawgahyde’s belt contains two larger and two smaller grenades. Save for one small grenade on the side with the larger grenades, this is pretty close to the RAH version. And the slats on the Roadblock mold actually match up fairly well with the look of his boots from the RAH figure.

His head sculpt looks fittingly irritated as if he’s annoyed by the latest contract the Dreadnoks have with Cobra Commander. I love the muttonchops and how they contrast with his bald head, which has a few scars suggesting some of his poaching captures weren’t easy targets.

Paint: Gnawgahyde has a fun mix of colors. The yellow on the vest isn’t bright but isn’t so muted that it doesn’t pop against his blue jeans. I do wish the animal print looked more like the card art with white in the center of the black circles.

He’s got plenty of tattoos including an Anarchy one on his left arm. The right arm tattoo is pretty cool as it’s got a skull with a knife pierced through it and snake crawling out of the mouth. Gnawgahyde’s also got a snake coiled around his left ear.

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Scale: Given the buck, Gnawgahyde is taller than the other Dreadnoks, which is fine as it provides some height discrepancy to the faction.

Articulation: Gnawgahyde isn’t afraid to mix it up close and personal with the Joes. This mold is great for brawling in addition to holding heavy weapons.

Or just hanging with his pals.

Gnawgahyde has:

• head
• neck
• shoulders (butterfly)
• elbow (double-jointed)
• wrist
• wrist hinge
• mid-torso
• torso
• waist
• hips (ball-jointed)
• drop down hips
• knees (double-jointed)
• ankles

Accessories: Gnawgahyde comes loaded with a bunch of accessories, most of which we’ve already seen from other figures in the line. That’s no crime considering they match up with his original rollout of gear.

First is his arrow, compound bow and quiver, which are reused from the Shadow Tracker with some army green paint apps.

He’s got the sniper rifle from Lowlight that also have some army green paint accents.

To lug it around he’s got the sniper case, again reused from Lowlight.

Gnawgahyde originally had a very cool machete that he wore on his wrist with a clip. The CS team made sure to include that setup with the updated figure and it’s a highlight accessory.

For up close and personal attacks, or to simply skin some pelts, he’s got two hunting knives with a serrated edge on the blade. One fits in the furry sheathe on the back of his belt. You can place the second in the sheathe along his right boot.

Finally, he’s got his slouch hat with teeth encircled around the lower brim.

Now let’s get to his animal sidekick pals.

Porkbelly is Gnawgahyde’s pet warthog. His RAH version was a solitary piece with no articulation. For Porkbelly, the CS team just decided to show off and have some fun with him. The sculpt is next level from the wide prominent head, the protruding tusks, the intense eyes and the mohawk style of his hair. His skin is sculpted with all kinds of wrinkles and textured details.

Gnawgahyde gave him some additional touches like a pierced ear and nose. There’s some nice paint gradient work with a light, standard and darker greys. Naturally the earrings are painted silver.

Yobbo is the new addition. He’s a macaque and in true Dreadnok fashion, he’s wearing an eyepatch over his left eye.

He also has a decent paint job with some nice gradients of grey and brown and peach around his face. He’s not articulated, but he does fit smoothly on Porkbelly’s back or Gnawgahyde’s shoulder.

Worth It?  The Classified Series figures rarely feel like rip-offs. Even the deluxe figures. Gnawgahyde originally clocked in at $43.99 get buttyre has been dropping down rapidly on clearance. I was able to get him for $13.91, making Gnawgahyde the best deal for a figure I’ve picked up all year. You can still get him on clearance although not at that price at Target.com.

Rating: 10 out of 10

The price definitely factors into the score, but the CS team did a great job of translating Gnawgahyde to the line giving the special touches to make him stand out and really coming through on his pet sidekicks and accessories.

Where to Get It?  You can still get Hasbro Pulse. To help more collectors access them, Hasbro has made the line available at other retail partners including Target and GameStop. If you prefer the online route, Amazon and Entertainment Earth also have him available.

As an Amazon, Entertainment Earth and Target associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.