Hasbro‘s G.I. Joe crowdfunds generally get the response the company hopes for, and so far, the Dragonfly helicopter is in good shape. Fully funded already, it just shot past 13,000 backers to unlock Nightforce Ripcord as an extra bonus. Which means the next stretch goal is ready — if it hits 16,000 backers, a new Glenda action figure will be added on.
So Who’s Glenda?
Glenda is Jane “Glenda” Mullighan, a figure originally released only in Argentina. She used a repainted Scarlett body and weapons from Flash, as well as a headset. This figure appears to be new, but highly likely to be used as a base for future Scarlett and Flash figures.
“Glenda” sounds odd for a codename, unless somebody in her division meant to nickname her after Glinda the Good Witch and got it wrong. G.I. Joe codenames usually either refer to characters’ specialties (Dial-Tone, Mainframe, Doc) or give them military-style jokes based on their skills (Shipwreck, Dusty). A codename that’s just a regular name but not the character’s actual name is mainly a thing they seem to do for women, like Scarlett and Lady Jaye.
Glenda includes three interchangeable hairstyles and a removable helmet, along with extra fist hands, the Flash style laser and backpack, a handgun, and a one-size-fits-most rescue harness to attach to the Dragonfly’s winch.
Hasbro here appears to be following a similar pattern as they did with the HasLab Skystriker. Nightforce Ripcord was also a stretch goal for that, as was Scarlett in a pilot’s outfit. Beyond that, they added a figure of Wayne Ruthel, the copilot named on the original toy’s decals who never actually got a figure. For the Dragonfly, the equivalent would be W.C. Culbert, also named on the toy but never an actual figure. Like the actual pilot figure, Wild Bill, the name came as a derivation of toy designer Bill Culbertson. One more secret figure remains to be unlocked at 19,000 pledges.
Fans can continue to back the Dragonfly through July 17.