Head: Chap Mei Ninja (modified with neck ball)

Torso: VvV Ninja Viper (modified with gear)

Upper Arms: VvV Viper

Forearms: VvV Night Creeper (modified with Chap Mei wrist crossbow)

Waist: VvV Ninja Viper (modified with gear)

Upper Legs: VvV Night Creeper (modified with gear)

Lower Legs: VvV Night Creeper

All parts painted using Citadel paints and sealed against scratching/chipping.

For better or worse, Ninjas are a part of G.I. Joe's legacy. Brought into the Real American Hero franchise during the height of 80's ninja-mania, they started as a small, carefully crafted facet of the storyline. Originally, only Storm Shadow was a ninja, with Snake-Eyes having trained with him before tragedy sent them on separate paths. As the popularity of other "ninja-based" toy lines gained, more and more martial arts themed figures were introduced (with varying degrees of success) until that aspect of the Joe line transformed into the appalling "Ninja Force" sub-line of the 1990's.

Somewhere along that twisted path of toy-line self destruction, the Night Creeper was introduced. Compared to those who would come after him, his purple and gray color scheme and vaguely middle-eastern clothing choices were gritty and subdued. Visually, the original Night Creeper was never one of my favorite designs, but the concept of mercenary ninjas was very appealing to me. Where Storm Shadow was driven by honor and courage, Night Creepers were just in it for the money. There was potential there, even if the figure didn't fully exploit it.

When the Night Creeper figure reappeared in Spy Troops and Valor vs. Venom, the new mold offered a lot of promise. Some of the color choices and body proportions were still underwhelming, but the articulation was moving in the right direction and the details were a marked improvement. Looking at those parts and some of the other poorly colored but otherwise well-sculpted pieces from that era, I thought that combining them could make for an interesting take on the character. As a fan of Chap Mei toys, I also found a number of their Ninja themed figures offered unique, well-sculpted alternatives to Hasbro's heads. This figure is a result of that combination, paying homage to the original Night Creeper's colors, while outfitting him for a more specialized mission.

This Night Creeper is meant to be an archer and assassin specializing in silent weapons. He's equipped with a variety of crossbows and carries two quivers of standard bolts, along with a pouch of specialty heads. He retains full articulation so he can be posed in a variety of ambush positions and hold his weapons in some visually effective poses.

Until I turned the camera on him, I wasn't that excited about this figure. It was more of an experiment to me and an attempt to use parts that I couldn't find a use for at the time. After photographing him however, he proved to be one of the most dynamic and visually satisfying customs I've completed. Whatever magic the camera imparts, this figure seemed to flourish under its spell.