Fuego - Plastirama Ripcord (Argentina) - Around The Web

Swivel arm Plastirama figures from Argentina are very common.  Thousands of cases of them were imported to the U.S.and sold be dealers from around 1999 through 2006.  Many of the figures are so common that they used to be sold in lots for a couple of bucks per figure and still no one would buy them.  One of those figures is Fuego: the Argentina version or Ripcord.

Back when these figures first appeared, most collectors considered Fuego to be too similar to the Hasbro Ripcord to be worth a purchase.  The lower quality and general ubiquity of the 1984 Ripcord really prevented Fuego from finding a niche in the Joe world. 

As more and more collectors completed their Hasbro collections, though, they started to look at the more ignored Plastirama figures in a new light.  With this, they found that figures like Fuego were, actually, pretty different from their North American counterparts.  The colors were distinct and the accessories could be quite different.  So, in the twenty years since the Plastirama figures started selling out, figures like Fuego have found more appreciation and are parts of many collections.

Despite that, you don't see the figure used all that often.  There's little reason to since the Hasbro Ripcord is, probably, better and is also very easy to find.  So, guys like Fuego still are a bit under the radar.  They are definitely worth checking out, though, since you can still find them for acceptable prices, from time to time.  So, see how the creators below used Fuego and appreciate the things that make him distinct from the Hasbro Ripcord figure.

Fuego Profile

Fuego by hobieshinobi

Fuego by Hit and Run

Fuego by kbzonecustomtoys

Fuego by hobieshinobi

Fuego by 334inch_figure_collector

Fuego by hobieshinobi

Fuego by brasil_gijoe

Fuego by viper_space

Fuego by hobieshinonbi

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper - Around The Web

I like the 1993 Night Creeper mold.  I think it's just a weird, fun look that translates well into a toy.  They are great foils for Ninja Force Joes and remain one of my preferred enemies in photos of '90's Joes.  The 1994 Shadow Ninja repaint is also a strong figure.  Sadly, it is made of extremely brittle plastic and is nearly impossible to use without breaking the thumbs.  In addition, the plastic discolors very easily and most of the loose figures you see have a yellow tinge to them that doesn't go away when you try to refresh the colors in ice water.

Because of this, it's tough to put together a nice army of the 1994 versions.  They've also kind of disappeared as the ubiquitous lots of cheap Shadow Ninjas that used to sit unsold on Ebay for a couple of bucks per figure are long gone.  The upside is that army building is somewhat passe, these days.  But, that doesn't sate my desire to have a few more of these Shadow Ninja Night Creepers as an alternate look for the character.

I do wish we'd gotten at least one more repaint of this mold.  The sculpt's proximity to the Flak Viper kind of makes me want one in 1992 Flak Viper colors.  I think that would be fun.  That will never happen.  And, even the resurgence of Ninja Force as a marketing focus for Hasbro and Super7 is unlikely to result in a solidly repainted version of this figure in 3 3/4" form.

So, enjoy some of the content on this figure that you can find around the web.  I found more on this guy than I have on more popular figures.  But, I dug pretty deep to find everything I could about this guy.  So, the results are more a function of effort than the figure's actual popularity.

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper Profile

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper Toys R Us Advertisement

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by thedustinmccoy

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by gen_liederkranz

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by nightforcetunnelrat

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper at Mike's Collection

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by thedustinmccoy

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by tiffstasfigas

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by gen_liederkranz

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by viper_space

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by toy_haven_aka_patch

1994 Shadow Ninja Night Creeper by Gen _Liederkranz

1993 Eel - Around The Web

The 1985 Eel is one of the best figures in the history of the G.I. Joe line.  Because of this, his follow up design that was released in 1992 is often denigrated as it's so different from the classic look.  But, the 1992 figure is a strong design on its own.  The 1993 repaint is not really better or worse than the 1992.  It's missing a paint application and has very different weapons.  But, that allows it to be used either in conjunction with the 1992 figure or as a separate unit of Cobra's frogmen.

I like the purple 1993 version, though, just because it's not a figure you see all that often.  Despite that, I've been able to find some decent content featuring him.  He's never going to replace the 1985 Eel in collector's minds.  But, he can be a fun figure that really works well with his contemporaries.

I haven't done much with him for quite a while.  I need to get them out again this fall and get at least one more in action shot of these Eels either working with the Bugg or taking out some Joes.  They work really well in those contexts.  Until then, enjoy all the creators below:

1993 Eel Profile

1993 Eel by Relena_Warcraft

1993 Eel by thedustinmccoy

1993 Eel by gijoe_c4_panama

1993 Eel by thedustinmccoy

1993 Eel by Joerizzo2025

1993 Eel by yojoe_collectibles

1993 Eel by gijoe_c4_panama

1993 Eel by thedustinmccoy

1993 Eel by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

1993 Eel by thedustinmccoy

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker - Around The Web

Every time I see the yellow 1994 Stalker, I think that I just profiled him.  And, as such, it's too soon for an Around The Web feature.  But, it's been over 5 years since I wrote about this guy.  And,  since then, I've found him among my preferred figures for various photo shoots.  I've long loved the 1994 Stalker mold.  Having with a splash of color to make him stand out just makes him that much better.

I was surprised at the amount of content I found on him.  It seems a few people do like to use the figure.  It's a great rendition of the Stalker character.  And, the yellow adds just enough to make him visually interesting without overpowering the black and olive green.  So, check out the content below and let me know your thoughts on the figure.

1994 Neon Highlight Stalker Profile

1994  Neon Highlights Stalker by thedustinmccoy

1994 Neon Highlight Stalker by misanthropic_git

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by corpscommandercody

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by gen_liederkranz

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by gijoe_c4_panama

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by thedustinmccoy

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by corpscommandercody

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by gijoe_c4_panama

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by corpscommandercody

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by powervsdreams2000

1994 Neon Highlights Stalker by thedustinmccoy

Cobra Flying Scorpion (Brazil) - 25 Years Later

I guess it's tradition to post up the Flying Scorpion every 5 years.  Today, though, marks 25 years since I first posted my original profile on the Brazilian exclusive.  At that time, he was an obscure release that no one really cared about.  Now, he's among the more expensive foreign figures and commands a stupid premium.  None of that has changed his importance to me.  He remains the flagship figure in my collection.  He's the most expensive figure I still use with any frequency.  Some of the flair and creativity behind him has faded into the background.  I don't have deep and evolving characterization for him any longer.  But, the figure remains one of my personal favorites and one I love dusting off every few years.

Twenty Five years is a long time.  It's hard to really imagine the world of August, 2001.  It was such a drastically different time.  2001 was really the dawn of the Joe collecting boom.  Starting in that year, prices rose, forums exploded and G.I. Joe looked like it was set to return to the cultural zeitgeist.  The next three years were a blur of hundreds of new figures, constant news about the line and voluminous fan content that kept even the most voracious collector well sated.  

All good things must end, though.  And, Joe took a drastic downturn at the start of 2004.  By the middle of 2005, the line was cancelled.  Hasbro was ambitious, though, and offered the cancelled line as part of their Direct To Consumer (DTC) strategy.  You can't call the Joe items anything but a failure.  They were dumped to Toy R Us in 2006.  But, the DTC idea was the pre-cursor to Hasbro Pulse and was a harbinger of the 2020's online focused toy collecting experience.  O-ring Joes were all but silent for more than 15 years.  In 2022, Hasbro Pulse brought some underwhelming releases back.  They were fine.  But, nothing that really caused any sort of collecting resurgence.  Now, Hasbro has outsourced their o-ring Joes to Super7.  And, fan creators are releasing wave after wave of factory created o-ring figures that were inspired by G.I. Joe.  (Most are more Remco than Hasbro, though.)  So, it's not a bad time to be a collector, these days, provided you are not trying to fill hundreds of vintage holes.  Those prices remain artificially inflated.

It's kind of fun that there are now some figures who match up with the Flying Scorpion.  Not all of them make sense when taken  against the Sky Patrol theme.  But, you can build out a nice collection of similar figures to augment this guy.  

Originally, this figure represented a new character in my collection.  He still does.  But, I rarely photograph him in that role.  It's just too difficult to convey his importance and role in a photo unless someone has my 32 years of backstory that began at a boring job in the summer of 1994.  So, he usually appears as a single operator with some troops behind him...not much different than any other named Cobra.  I still like the idea of him as the new leader of Cobra.  But, the practicality of making that evident just doesn't work out.

In the early 2000's, it was pretty easy to get Flying Scorpion figures.  You could find carded versions for around $30.  Loose figures were harder to find unless you had a connection in Brazil.  But, the figures were cheap.  Those days are long gone.  And, you'll pay a substantial premium to add any high quality members of the Patrulha do Ar to your collection.  The figure isn't rare.  He's just popular and his price tag reflects that aspect of the demand curve.

Due to his high pricetag, there's not a ton of Flying Scorpion content out there.  Aside from being expensive, he's also fragile.  So, taking him out in the rain to pose him in the wet rocks doesn't hold a lot of appeal for those who own him.  But, I still do.  So, enjoy all the photos below and I'll see you again in August of 2031.

Flying Scorpion Profile

Flying Scorpion 15th Anniversary

Flying Scorpion 20th Anniversary

Flying Scorpion by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Flying Scorpion by 00zxcvb

Flying Scorpion by relinquished1979

Flying Scorpion by Scarrviper

Flying Scorpion by Harry Hendriks

Flying Scorpion by relinquished1979

Flying Scorpion by don_zartan

Flying Scorpion by relinquished1979

1997 Short Fuse - Around The Web

Short Fuse is my least used member of the original 13 Joes.  He never resonated with me as a character or a figure.  His 1997 update, though, is kind of nice.  He's a good blend with Zap, Grunt and Stalker.  And, the addition of a bazooka makes him more useful than when he only had his mortar.  But, he's never going to really matter to me.  

That's OK, though.  You need a lot of figures like Short Fuse in a successful line.  Guys who are just kind of there.  But, for someone, the character or figure will resonate and be the reason they still collect today.  Short Fuse fills that role.  There's not a ton of content on the 1997 figure out there.  So, check out what I could find.

1997 Short Fuse Profile

1997 Short Fuse Brown Pants Variant

1997 Pre Production Short Fuse

1997 Short Fuse by Outrider

1997 Short Fuse at the Attica Gazette

1997 Short Fuse by gen_liederkranz

1997 Short Fuse by Evilface

1997 Short Fuse at OAFE

1997 Short Fuse by gen_liederkranz

2001 Desert Striker - Around The Web

The Desert Striker is 25 years old.  It has faded into obscurity since its release.  But, even during its heyday, the vehicle was never all that popular.  Collectors of the early 2000's had multitudes of cheap vehicle options available to them.  This was enough to make the Desert Striker something of an after-thought.

Today, you don't see the vehicle all that often.  Usually, it's more a function of collectors having one nearby to enhance a photo instead of the vehicle being the focal point of the scene.  But, it is nice to see some of these early collector focused toys still in use.

Desert Striker Profile

Unproduced Desert Striker Dusty

Desert Striker at Hit and Run's Field Notes

Desert Striker by scarrviper

Desert Striker by ironman3719

Desert Striker by TitusLester32

Desert Striker by mrmikevinthepit

Desert Striker by vintagetoystuff

Desert Striker by p0intman4

2004 Comic Pack Scarlett - Around The Web

Some figures are really good.  But, you will never have occasion to use them.  Such is the case of the 2004 Comic Pack Scarlett.  She is based on a single scene in G.I. Joe #2.  In that context, the figure works.  More broadly, though, how often do you need Scarlett in a white jumpsuit?  The answer is not often.  She looks good, fills her purpose well and is not all that useful.  

As Comic Pack figures go, you don't see this Scarlett all that often.  Snake Eyes and Kwinn appear with far more frequency.  Which speaks to the usefulness of this figure.  There are situations where she's a great addition to a scene.  Few Joe photographers seem to attempt that, though.  This is one of those figures where I wish the content that was produced around the time of her release still existed.  But, that's all been lost to time.  So, check out these reviews and photos (some over 20 years old, now!) before they fade away, too.

Comic Pack Scarlett Profile

Comic Pack Scarlett by gen_liederkranz

Comic Pack Scarlett by relena_warcraft

Comic Pack Scarlett at Generals Joe Reborn

Comic Pack Scarlett at JoeBattleLines.com

Comic Pack Scarlett at 16bit.com

Comic Pack Scarlett by armed_and_plastic

Comic Pack Scarlett by doksewage

2004 Comic Pack Snake Eyes (Arctic Gear) - Around The Web

The second appearance of Joes in media spent the majority of the issue with four classic Joes wearing completely different uniforms than their action figure appearances.  It would take 22 years before we would actually see a figure that matched with the comic appearance.  In this case, it was Snake Eyes.  

The Comic Pack #2 release turned out solidly.  While mostly just a Snake Eyes head on a Snow Job body, the figure adequately conveyed the look from the classic comic.  With the splashes of green, yellow and white to offset the black, Snake Eyes created a nice visual that's held up pretty well over the past 2+ decades.  

The figure still appears with some frequency, too.  Below are some links full of the figure's appearances.

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes Profile

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by Bouncy Bengal

2004 Arctic Snake eyes by mikesjoetography

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by General Liederkranz

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by backyardjoes

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by atwooddan

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by Cody

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by mikesjoetography

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by doksewage

2004 Arctic Snake eyes by silentinterlude

2004 Arctic Snake Eyes by mikesjoetography

2004 Nullifier - Around The Web

The Flak Viper is one of my favorite Cobra army builders.  His design resonates with me.  And, I pined for him for years as his retail absence mocked me from the cardbacks of his casemates I could track down.  While I love the colors on the 1992 and 1993 releases, they still left a lot of potential in the mold for repaints.  And, in 2004 Hasbro delivered.  Renamed as the Nullifier, the Flak Viper mold was released in Cobra Blue and black.  The result is one of the best army builders of the 2000's.  Sadly, he didn't include any proper accessories.  Fortunately, in the 2010's, there were plenty of Flak Viper rifles available for cheap prices from Asia.  So, if you have any army of them, you can outfit them with proper weapons.

This is one of the few army builders of the repaint era that I still use with great frequency.  Sadly, the figure's upper arms are extremely prone to discoloration and they will turn a dark blue that gives the figure two-tone arms.  So far, I've been able to ignore this, though.  

I would have liked a silver visor on this guy.  The entirely black helmet loses some of the depth that existed on other Flak Viper mold uses.  Aside from that, though, the figure does everything he is supposed to do.  He's a mid tier figure from the 2000's when it comes to his popularity.  You see him often enough.  But, he's not ubiquitous like some other figures from that time period can be.  Check out all the content below to see how others use the figure in their photos.

2004 Nullifier Profile

2004 Nullifiers Diorama

2004 Nullifier - Around the World

2004 Nullifier at JoeBattleLines.com

2004 Nullifier by joerizzo2025

2004 Nullifier by Night Force Tunnel Rat

2004 Nullifier by gen_liederkranz

2004 Nullifier by relena_warcraft

2004 Nullifier by dreadnokdread

2004 Nullifier by icebird

2004 Nullifer by gen_liederkranz

2004 Nullifier by classic_gijoe

2004 Nullifier by yotothejoe

2004 Nullifier by dreadnokdread

2004 Nullifier by dawghaus_

2004 Nullifier by gen_liederkranz

2010 Convention Flint - Around The Web

The 2010 Convention Flint is a weird figure.  The coloring is amazing and gives him a look that's fun, unique and interesting.  Sadly, the parts aren't a perfect match with the larger 1993 body feeling a bit out of scale with the head that was based on the 1985 figure.  

Back in the days closer to this figure's release, content featuring him was a lot more common.  These days, you just never see the figure.  He's fallen into that realm of figures that's too far removed from their release to be popular and a bit too scarce for others to really showcase him.  When he does appear, you notice him.  It's just not as common as it used to be.  So, enjoy the content below and check one of the more distinctive figure of the repaint era.

Convention Flint Profile

Convention Flint Random Photos of the Day

Convention Flint by andrewcf1992

Convention Flint by Cobra Freak

Convention Flint by adamanttoys

Convention Flint by gen_liederkranz

Convention Flint by alpha1creative

Convention Flint by gen_liederkranz

1988 Tiger Force Dusty - Around The Web Part 2

This Tiger Force Dusty was one my first Around The Web features back in 2015.  Since then, there's a lot more content on him that's out there.  This version of Dusty is a nice alternate look for the character.  It's still desert enough that he's not limited into the Tiger Force theme.  And, you can use him in other environments, too.

This Dusty has gotten somewhat pricey in recent times.  A lower production run, easily broken thumbs and crotches and an easily lost bi-pod all add up to mint and complete specimens selling for a premium.  But, if you can find one, he's a useful figure to have around.  So, check the links below to see how others have used him in their collections.

1988 Tiger Force Dusty Profile

1988 Tiger Force Dusty Around The Web 2015

1988 Tiger Force Dusty by 00zxcvb

1988 Tiger Force Dusty by hobieshinobi

1988 Tiger Force Dusty by backyardjoes

1988 Tiger Force Dusty by G.I. Joe Idaho

1988 Tiger Force Dusty by backyardjoes

SuperCop (Funskool Exclusive) - Around The Web

In 2001, a weird figure popped up.  It was a previously unknown toy that used G.I. Joe molds.  The figure was named SuperCop.  Using the head from Sgt. Slaughter and cast in all blue, the figure was a really nice representation of a law enforcement officer.  The figure was very expensive when compared to other Funskool figures of the era.  But, even with the high price, SuperCop proved popular and sold through rather quickly.  For a while, he'd appear in all sorts of content.  Slowly, though, that all disappeared.  Now, you see the figure very infrequently.  Few people have him these days.  And, those who do are rare to use him.

I've had this draft sitting around for about 5 years.  As such, there's a bunch of links form back then that don't even work any longer.  More ghosts of the Joe world that are just gone.  None of that detracts from the figure.  He's stupidly expensive these days.  There's tons of guys who haven't been active since the early 2000's who have no idea that those extra Super Cop vehicle sets they bought now command premium prices.  

I don't use this figure often enough, any more.  I just don't have the interest in him that I once did.  At some point, I should do more base photos with him and some Law army builders.  Until then, enjoy the content below.

SuperCop Profile

SuperCop Packaging

SuperCop at JoeADay.com

SuperCop by atwooddan

SuperCop by yojoeroadhouse

SuperCop at Action Force.dk

SuperCop Video Review

SuperCop at Leaky Suit Brigade

SuperCop Rescue Jeep

SuperCop by atwooddan

1991 Ozone - Around The Web

Ozone has the misfortune of being a member of two subsets that were very unpopular in the early days of the online collecting community.  That lead to his solid mold and cool helmet being mostly ignored for many years.  Fortunately, these days, Eco Warriors and Star Brigade are much better liked among the collector set.  That's lead to a bit of a reckoning for the characters that comprised those series of figures.

And, today, you can find some decent content featuring the original paint job on the mold.  The Eco Warriors Ozone is a panoply of solid colors.  Few figures in the line look like him.  And, that really makes him stand out.  There's content in the links below that spans back a decade.  There's creators who are long gone from the community.  But, their work lives on.  So, check it out.

Ozone Profile

Ozone at the Dragon Fortress

Ozone by doksewage

Ozone by Pegwarmers

Ozone by rumble alley toys

Ozone by actionforcedk

Ozone by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

Ozone by kiers.customs

Ozone by thedragonfortress

Ozone by misanthropic_git

Ozone by thedustinmccoy

Ozone by corpscommandercody

Ozone by kitbashjoe

Ozone by knowingthebattle

Ozone by slipstream80

European Exclusive Mutt - Around The Web

Mutt is among my favorite figure sculpts and characters in the entire line.  I have a version of every figure ever released based on the vintage mold.  And, while Mutt was released many times, it is the European exclusive version that is the most distinct from his original look.  This orange haired figure is not Stanley Perlmutter.  But, instead, is of Scottish descent.  We don't know why this version was exclusive to Europe.  He and Spirit were this odd pair of matching figures who randomly appeared in early 1990's European Joe assortments.  

The figure is missing the signature chest insignia.  This was removed for the Brazilian release of Mutt.  And, it's still missing on this later, European release.  His accessories are a darker grey color that live about halfway between the light grey of the 1985 Battle Gear pack and the black of the 1984 Hasbro release.

There's a decent amount of content on this figure.  He was one of the first European figures of whom American collectors became aware.  And, there was a time when loose figures were fairly common.  Even today, you can find lots of Euro Mutts with broken crotches and thumbs.  He's one of the more available figures.  Though, finding a complete one with the correct accessories remains a fairly tough chore.

Sadly, this figure has not gotten so expensive that you don't often see newer collectors willing to take hi outside and get him dirty.  When it was $40 to replace him, that was one thing.  Now that it can go over $200, that an entirely different proposition.  For me, though, it's still behind the original 1984 figure in terms of the best Mutt.  I'd argue that the Brazilian Mastim figure is better, too.  But, the orange hair and offbeat color scheme makes him a worthwhile discussion piece for any collection.

European Mutt Profile

European Mutt by dreadnokdread

European Mutt at R.T.G. at ARAH Gallery

European Mutt by gijoeaction

European Mutt by Golden_Cobra_79

European Mutt by nightforcetunnelrat

European Mutt by gijoeaction

European Mutt by bruxovigo

European Mutt by gijoeaction

European Mutt by viper_space

European Mutt by gijoeaction

European  Mutt by Relinquished1979

1997 Grunt - Around The Web

Grunt isn't a character that's ever resonated with me.  He entered our home on the first day we ever had any G.I. Joe figures when we got him on my younger brother's 1982 birthday.  I immediately took his backpack and gave it to Clutch.  I never really paid any attention to Grunt.  And, as the line matured, Grunt was even less important.

That carried over to the 1997 releases.  I never took Grunt out of the drawer for many, many years.  Even then, it was just for a profile.  But, as the years have progressed, the figure has grown on me.  The intricate cammo pattern and deep green pants are a great look.  He's a great complement to Zap, Short Fuse and Stalker.  So, while the character still doesn't matter, this figure has grown on me.  

This isn't to say it's without problems.  The helmet doesn't fit.  He comes with the antithesis of his classic M-16: an AK-47.  It's weird.  And, the 1997 figure quality isn't the best.  All of that has added up to a figure who doesn't appear frequently.  Here's a bit of content on him from around the web.

1997 Grunt Profile

1997 Grunt by Nekoman

1997 Grunt by hobieshinobi

1997 Grunt by thedustinmccoy

1997 Grunt by gen_liederkranz

1997 Grunt by flatline54

1997 Grunt by atwooddan

1983 Snake Eyes - Around the Web

It's tough to find things to say about the 1983 Snake Eyes that haven't already been said hundreds of times.  He's the most iconic member of the original 13.  And, he was one of the most distinctive action figures released during his heyday.  Hasbro released at least half a dozen repaints of this mold.  And, every iteration of Joe since the vintage line has had a Snake Eyes figure based on this original appearance.  Factory custom makers have exploited the mold for dozens of different homages.  And, there are foreign variants from Europe, South America and India.

There's more content on this figure out there than is listed below.  But, I just went with some of my favorites from recent years.  It's tough to imagine that a the majority of the photos of figures like this Snake Eyes are lost to internet history.  But, there's enough left to enjoy if you like this look for the character.  So, check out the links below and let the creators know you stopped by.

1983 Snake Eyes Profile

Red Backed Snake Eyes

1983 Snake Eyes by DreadnokDread

1983 Snake Eyes by mikesjoetography

1983 Snake Eyes by 00zxcvb

1983 Snake Eyes be Relinqueshed1979

1983 Snake Eyes by yojoe_collectibles

1983 Snake Eyes by incrediblebulk

1983 Snake Eyes by DreadnokDread

1983 Snake Eyes by still_a_big_kid

1983 Snake Eyes by darkstar_vintage