Chinese Exclusive Duke - Around the Web

I've had this Around the Web post for the Chinese Duke in my drafts for quite a while.  I have been hoping to keep finding more and more content on him.  But, that's proven difficult.  While this figure was widely available from Asia for about $1 as recently as the early 2010's, it has since dried up and the people who bought up the cheap overstock don't seem to take photos of their figures.  So, there's a paltry few entries in today's post.  But, it's still a foreign variant of Duke.  And, it's just different enough to warrant an acquisition if the price is cheap enough.

It seems that many new collectors aren't aware of this figure.  You see people denigrating it as "not original".  But, really, in terms of production, the Chinese Duke is probably substantially less common than the 1984 Duke.  But, reality isn't something that modern collectors are too concerned about.  In the first link, I lay out the differences between this version and the original.  So, there's at least something useful in there.

Chinese Duke Profile

Chinese Duke at JoeADay.com

Chinese Duke at The Viper Pit

Chineses Duke That's How I Found It - JoeADay.com

Chinese Duke by gen_liederkranz

Chinese Toxo Zombie

Eco Warriors are awesome.  They have been awesome since 1991 and the fact that it took nearly 30 years for the rest of the Joe community to come around on them shows how little taste Joe collectors tend to have.  Zombies were never awesome.  They were kind of interesting.  Then, they got stupidly overexposed and are more cliche than scare-vehicle these days.  But, the intersection of the two from 1992 is awesome.  It's awesome because the Eco Warriors neon purple outweighs overdone zombies.  But, it's also awesome because the character isn't an undead.  Instead, it's a toxic mutated Toxo Viper who has lost his humanity due to a rotting body and mind.  Sure, it's a bit out into the sci-fi realm.  But, Joe has always been sci-fi, despite the best efforts of military purists to re-define it.  And, the notion of the Toxo Zombie works quite well in the context of the super-villain like Cobra.

In the mid 1990's, Hasbro produced Joe figures for release in China.  Most collectors know these figures from the Chinese Major Bludd, Flint and Duke variants.  But, there are also several other figures: some common and some really rare that were produced.  The series of figures produced in 1994 are the most common and remain easy to find to this day.  This is due to the fact that many were sold to American discount retailers in the 1990s and were actually available in the US.  There are other series, though, that are harder to find and didn't see the same US distribution.  Among these is the Toxo Zombie figure.

As a figure, the Toxo Zombie is pretty good.  The entire premise is that a Toxo Viper was mutated into something less than human.  As such, the Zombie uses the Toxo Viper's uniform and replaces parts with worn away pieces that show the rotting flesh beneath the compromised suit.  The pinkish color with light green highlights make the figure look like a bleached out Toxo Zombie who fell into terrible chemicals.  Grisly grey flesh is exposed on the figure's left arm and foot.  Some of the armor is worn away and the pants are pock-marked.  The face shield is cracked to reveal a dismal visage with pink flesh, a sunken eye and a permanent grimace of pain.  For 1992, the sculpting is amazing.  But, must of the detail is lost by lack of paint applications.  This was also common in 1992.  With a differently colored face, blackened teeth and more hollow eyes, this figure could have been a work of art.

I've long been an Eco Warriors fan.  And, the 1991 Toxo Viper is among my preferred later Cobra army builders.  It was fun to have a single Toxo Zombie around to enhance photos.  But, I never really found a lot of use in an army of them.  With a few in hand now, though, there is some fun in having a Joe or two flee from a horde of brain dead monsters who only have evil intent.  But, it's also something that has little substance.  The idea of Dr. Mindbender or Cesspool having a few of these creatures in the basement of some warehouse is fun enough.  But, making them an essential part of a Cobra army doesn't work.  With no cranial capacity left, the Zombies are just listless masses that meander around the battlefield.  You could drop one or two into a Joe base for some chaos.  But, they would also be quickly dispatched since they don't really have any abilities beyond the scare factor.

It's here that my interest in the Toxo Zombie kind of ends.  I have no real story built around them.  Instead, the purely visual treat that is the pink and green help bring some photos to life.  So, I do tend to use them with some frequency as they bring much needed life to many displays and photos.  And, for that reason alone, the figures are very valuable to me.  It's always nice to bring color to a photo and the Toxo Zombie works for that end.  Maybe if they were $10 figures, I might be inclined to pick up a few more and find something to do with them.  But, the zombie craze made all Toxo Zombies desirable and the relative scarcity of the figure has helped his inflation outlive the fad.

There are a few noteworthy features about this figure and his card.  The first is the most obvious.  This Toxo Zombie includes a gun and backpack.  They are the same weapons that were included with the Sludge Viper and Toxo Viper from 1991.  It never made sense to me that the Toxo Zombie didn't include accessories.  So, seeing them here seems more correct.  The next noteworthy detail is that the card is printed in Chinese.  In many cases, foreign cards feature stickers placed over American carded figures.  That is not so in this case.  The card is printed in Chinese, just like the more common figures that were released in 1994.  This brings up the final point.  The cardback features a 1995 copyright.  So, this figure was produced by Hasbro in 1995.  Now, we don't know if the figures were leftover stock from the 1992 run or a new production run altogether.  But, this late date is very interesting since the line had been cancelled in the US by then.

American Toxo Zombie figures have never been easy to find.  But, they have gotten much more desirable in the past couple of years.  Carded American figures sell in the $40-$60 range.  Loose figures are offered by dealers in the $30-$40 and an appalling amount of them sell for that price.  Left to their own devices, Toxo Zombies are around $25 figures on the open market, though.  This Chinese version is both somewhat common and also obscure.  You can get carded figures in the $75-$100 range.  Though, the price will ebb and flow based on the number in the market.  The figures are the same and loose versions are, supposedly, indiscernible from the American releases.  So, loose, the only real differentiating factor is that this figure would have gear (that could have been pilfered from a Toxo or Sludge Viper) and the unique filecard/cardback.  It's doubtful anyone would pay an extreme premium for that.

Chinese Exclusive Flint (Tiger Force Falcon) - Around The Web

In 1997, a scalp kiosk at a flea market on the other side of town had some carded Joes from China.  He wanted way more than I wanted to pay for them.  But, I remember seeing the Flint figure and thinking what a cool weapon was included with him.  (I didn't realize it was the Headhunter shotgun at the time as I had never seen a Headhunter.)  Fortunately, the advent of Ebay proved the figures were actually very common.  So common that I could open a carded version and enjoy one of the cooler and better done foreign exclusive figures.  Here's the best of the Chinese Flint from around the web.

Chinese Flint Profile

Chinese Flint by flatline54

Chinese Flint by Stormer

Chinese Flint by specialmissionforce

Chinese Flint at JoeADay.com

Chinese Flint by flatline

Chinese Flint by yototheJoe

Chinese Major Bludd Card Artwork

The Chinese Major Bludd figure is one of the most common foreign figures to appear in Joe collections.  This is a combination of his great availability and low price.  These make the figure attractive to potential buyers.  But, the quality of the figure is the real calling card.  This version of Major Bludd uses parts from the General Flagg, Lamprey and Super Sonic Fighters Major Bludd figures.

The card art itself is taken from the 1983 Major Bludd figure.  So, neither the mold nor accessories match what was actually included with the figure.  You see some English and non some non-English text combined on the cardfront.  The safety warning being in English is odd.  But, that warning mentions children under 36 months old while additional safety text at the bottom mentions the boy being suitable for kids 5+ years old.  It's a constant contradiction.  You will note the Hasbro logo on the bottom, indicating the figure was Hasbro made and is comparable to other, vintage Joes in terms of quality.

The cardback shows the Chinese line.  Again, you have an eclectic mix of figures with 1983 molds right alongside those from the 1990's.  However, in the case of Destro and this Major Bludd, the molds used were from later figures.  Duke and Cobra Commander used their classic molds.  (With slight modifications on Duke.) While Roadblock was actually the Tiger Force version of the original mold.  

Over the years, I've tried to translate Major Bludd's filecard a few times.  However, I have yet to be successful.  So, if anyone can translate it, please leave the info in the comments.

Through the years, there's been lots of speculation as to the audience for these figures.  However, large quantities of overstock Chinese figures were sold in U.S. liquidation and close out stores in the mid 1990's.  That is the source for the vast majority of the figures that populate collections today and is responsible for the cheap availability of the figure.  

Chinese Major Bludd - Around the Web

The Chinese Major Bludd figure is one of the most famous international figures ever released.  The Hasbro construction, easy availability and low price have made him a staple of most collections, even though he was not available at U.S. retail outside of some deep discount retailers.  The figure is excellent and worth owning.  Here's the best of the Chinese Major Bludd around the web.

Chinese Major Bludd profile

 Chinese Major Bludd at JoeADay.com

Chinese Major Bludd meme at Joecustoms.com

Chinese Major Bludd Guest Link at JoeADay.com

Chinese Major Bludd at Nekoman's Viper Pit

Chinese Major Bludd at JoeDios.com

Chinese Major Bludd Dio

Chinese Major Bludd Dio 2

Diorama - Tomahawk

Another shot from a fall day in 2001.  I was setting this up as a series of photos for some profiles.  Few of those came to pass.  But, I got this dio with the Tomahawk.   I really liked the visual of Snake Eyes on the rope at the time.

Duke - Chinese Exclusive

Duke is an iconic Joe figure.  There is no denying his presence in either the comic or the cartoon.  He became a major player from his first introduction and has remained a mainstay in Joe lore ever since.  He can be a polarizing figure, though much of that has subsided in recent years.  But, he remains popular.  By far, though, his iconic look is the khaki and green V1 figure originally released in 1983.  It is Duke's most popular look and the one that instantly recalls the character.  The V1 figure, though, was largely an American character.  Internationally, Duke was less important.  He appeared in Action Force, Japan and, later, in Tiger Force colors in Brazil.  But, that was about the extent of his international excursions.  However, in the '90's, an Easter egg showed up in a small carded series of figures meant for the Chinese market.  Among this small subset of figures was a newly created version of V1 Duke.  The mold changes were not nearly as significant as those to other figures in the set.  But, they are enough to warrant a profile of the Chinese Exclusive Duke figure.

The V1 Duke mold is a combination of early Hasbro coupled with the peak years of Joe design.  At his core, Duke's genius is the simplicity.  Unlike many of the 1983 figures, Duke follows the basic design of the original 13 Joes.  He has a basic military uniform in colors that befit the purpose.  He is not outlandish like Gung Ho nor environmentally themed like Snow Job.  He is just basic.  But, Duke goes to another level beyond the original Joes.  He features more detail on his shirt, down to the golden eagle on his chest.  The bandolier is better sculpted and his leg holster is better defined.  In short, Duke is the logical evolution of the original Joes.  By 1984, he was somewhat basic as opposed to his contemporaries.  But, he fit so well with the collection that you still could not dismiss him.

For accessories, both the original Duke and this Chinese version are well equipped.  However, Duke had the distinction of reusing most of his accouterments from earlier figures.  His machine gun is a version of the V1 Stalker's classic M-32, only cast in the standard 1984 green.  His helmet is a rehash of the original from 1982.  His backpack is a hybrid.  The design is the same as that from Airborne.  But, Duke's version was lacking the cross design in the back.  From the outside, it appeared the same mold.  But, it was new.  (It is also a different color, so don't get fooled on that.)  Duke's only original accessory is the binoculars.  This is a great example of how Hasbro could repackage some earlier parts from time to time to save money.  But, they used items like the different coloring and including something new enough that it kept the figure exciting.

The Chinese Duke really has two major differences from the American figure.  First, he uses the waist from the 1983 Cobra Officer rather than the original Duke waist.  The more noticeable deviance, though, are the arms.  The original Duke arms feature rolled up sleeves.  Near the end of the run, Hasbro lost the mold and switched the sleeves to a full length cuffed mold.  (This is the most that was used on the Japanese Duke from Takara.  But, some were also released in the US.)  This Chinese figure, though, features a third arm construct: this time using the arm molds from Hit and Run.  Really, the result is mostly the same figure as the American version.  But, with enough differences to make it worthy of an international variant distinction.

The Chinese figures are very odd.  Released around 1993 or 1994, they featured a great assortment of classic Joe molds, newer versions of classic characters and two completely newly amalgamated figures.  They were made by Hasbro in the same factories as U.S. Joes.  So, the quality of the figures, accessories and cardbacks are the same.  Some Chinese figures are harder to find than others, but all are basically available.  The real question is why were 2 unique figures made by Hasbro for this market?  It has always seemed odd to me that Hasbro would have gone to the lengths they did to make Flint and Major Bludd.  Were these 2 figures that were planned for either a late 1994 or early 1995 release and were far enough along in the process that Hasbro just released them into whatever distribution method they had available?  Were they just anomalies where Hasbro designers got to quickly match up figure parts to fill an order?  At this point, we don't know.  But, the 2 figures are an insight into the oddities that surrounded Joe's final years.

The Chinese figures also pose another problem.  If you look at the figures released in the series, most of the molds returned in the 1997 - 2004 timeframe as comic pack, TRU or full retail release figures.  There is one glaring omission and that is the V1 Cobra Commander.  The mold was used in the Chinese Joe exclusives but then "lost" and never seen again.  How would such an important mold be the only one of the Chinese figures to disappear?  Again, another mystery.  But, even the Duke released in 1997, just three years after this version, used different parts.  So, maybe some of the molds were lost or damaged.  But, it is curious that the most popular mold from the Chinese figures is the one that disappeared.

As a character, there is no ignoring Duke.  I figure acquired the American figure as a mail away in January of 1984.  I was sorely disappointed just a few weeks later to find the first 1984 carded figure hanging in Kohls store was the Duke I had gotten via the mail.  Regardless, Duke quickly became a valuable part of my collection.  Duke's filecard mentioned his flight training and he quickly found himself as the co-pilot of the Dragonfly or manning the second seat in the Skystriker.  I didn't see Duke as the leader of my Joes as much as a new recruit who was highly trained.  By the summer of 1984, that had changed and Duke took more of a leadership role in my collection.  But, even this was short lived.  By 1985, Flint had arrived and taken over Duke's slot as the combat leader of my Joes.  By this time, I had three or four Duke's in my collection (my brother's had also gotten mail away figures) and they quickly became custom fodder for other figures in my collection.

Today, though, Duke has a greater role.  As my collection is mostly limited to figures from 1986 and earlier, Duke has a more prominent place.  Having this Chinese version allows me to have multiple Dukes around without having redundant figures.  It's a small difference: having a foreign figure nearly identical to the American versus having 2 American figures.  But, it is an area of collecting I appreciate.  So, figures like this Chinese Duke take on greater importance than they would otherwise have.

All of the Chinese carded figures are rather easy to find.  Huge quantities of them were available at American discount stores in the mid '90's and most of them remained carded as they were snatched up by enterprising dealers and collectors.  On top of that, loose Chinese Dukes turned up en masse in Asia in the mid 2000's.  So, tons of loose figures were loaded into the market.  As such, loose figures are cheap, though most of the stock has been absorbed and they are tougher to find than they used to be.  Carded Chinese Dukes, though, do get somewhat pricey.  Since it is, essentially, the V1 Duke on a card with his original artwork and original accessories, collectors have taken to the figure more so than even the Chinese exclusive figures.  But, if you want a pristine mint version of Duke and don't want to spend a ton of money, the Chinese version is a great alternative.  Most collectors wouldn't be able to tell the difference in pictures.  So, it is a worthwhile acquisition from that standpoint.  But, as an essential foreign figure, if you already have the V1 American Duke, this is a variant that can be skipped.  It doesn't offer much to a collection beyond filling out a roster.  But, for the price, that is an acceptable fate for a figure like this.

Chinese Exclusive Tiger Force Flint (AKA Tiger Force Falcon)

Back when I profiled the Chinese Major Bludd, I recounted the tale of my first encounter with this figure. Now, years later, I've finally taken the time to add this guy to my collection. Like the Bludd figure, the Chinese exclusive Tiger Force Flint brings a new dimension to an predominantly American Joe collection.

You will notice that I've subtitled this figure Tiger Force Falcon. The reason is simple. Many collectors use this figure as Falcon since the head is just a repaint of the original's. The arms are from Flint but the rest of the body is from Dusty. The cool shotgun that is included with him is from the Headhunter figure while the pack is a uniquely colored version of the pack that comes with most figures that have been released since 1998, most notably with the Cobra Trooper. Basically, though, this guy looks like Falcon and fits well into the Tiger Force concept. He lacks the yellow paint that really made many of the American and Brazilian Tiger Force figures unusable and has subtle, muted color tones that really allow him to blend into a typical forest environment. Frankly, anyone who didn't know any better would easily mistake this figure for a typical American release.

I think that's why I like this figure so much. He is different from the American Tiger Force figures but has a functionality to him that outshines his European exclusive brethren. I see this guy as a quintessential combat figure. He will work well with tanks, jeeps, helicopters, or infantry. He has the versatility that I find to be of utmost importance to the figures I tend to use most. As such, I think this guy will become another new character in my Joe world. I foresee him taking the role that Falcon used to occupy. Of course, though, he may also see some use as a newly promoted Captain Falcon should I ever decide to undertake a dio-story. Either way, I know that I'll get more than my money's worth out of this guy.

Other than that, there's really not much too this figure. Frankly, had this guy been released in the U.S., I don't think I would have ever profiled him. He would be a common stock soldier like many of the figures from the mid-'80's tend to be. I think everyone would have him and he would be like Outback or Tunnel Rat: people would really like him, but not go out of their way to promote him. I think this is where some foreign figures can really help. Some people would never have this figure because they only collect the American Joes. In fact, for the first several years that I was actively building my after market collection, I was one of them. Now, I realize what I missed out on. Figures like this guy and the Major Bludd are really required components of any full collection. (Though the Bludd is now less so after the '01 release finally gave us an updated version in his traditional colors.) They are great figures on equal footing in terms of quality, accessories, construction, and aesthetics as all of their American counterparts.

The Chinese Flint isn't too hard to find. Usually, you can easily find one in only a couple of days. There are a number of online Joe dealers who keep this figure in stock. The really nice thing is that he isn't expensive. Like the Bludd figure, a carded version of this guy will usually go for less than $20. With that in mind, it's easy to buy one and open it up. That's how I got both my Bludd and this Flint. It's just too much hassle to acquire them any other way. Of course, though, you might want to act now. Recently, this figure has gone up in price. He was purchasable for under $15 only a year ago. With the interest in foreign issued Joes increasing, and a diminishing supply of these figures on the second hand market, it is foreseeable that this guy could one day be rather expensive. Personally, I wish I hadn't waited for so long to pick him up. He's a great figure that works well in any collection. I'm really looking forward to using mine.

With the acquisition of this guy, I've got all the Chinese figures I'm after. However, I'm still after a bunch of Brazilian and Argentinian exclusive figures. If you have some of those that you wish to part with, email me.

Chinese Exclusive Major Bludd

I first encountered this figure in the summer of 1996. I was at some scalp kiosk at a flea market looking for Joes and Star Wars figures. The only figures this guy had were four Chinese carded Joes for which he was asking about $25 a piece. The Flint figure intrigued me, as his shotgun was very cool. (At that time, I was not as versed in Joe as I am now. I did not know that gun was available in the U.S. with the Headhunter.) I thought the Major Bludd figure was also cool, but I figured that these guys were far too expensive and I would never have any of them. Fast forward four years and here I am profiling the Major Bludd on my website.

Normally, my feelings towards foreign figures are rather grim. I feel that most foreign issued Joes are overrated, over hyped, and overpriced monstrosities that lack the quality and basis in reality that drove the American, and even the European, line. Had other countries taken the molds and redone them in a fashion that was designed to mimic their own military, I think the foreign figures would hold more appeal to me. As such, I tend to avoid foreign releases. Every now and then, though, you do come across a foreign figure that just must be part of your collection. The one figure who most personifies this is the Chinese release of Major Bludd.

I've already profiled the Major Bludd character with the original figure. However, that guy has now found retirement. This version has become Major Bludd in my collection. He is just the perfect version that fits in excellently with the later figures. The 1983 version is a bit too thin and scrawny to look like the horror Bludd is supposed to be. This version, made from the 1991 version's head, General Flagg's chest, and Lamprey's legs and arms, is bulky enough to stand up next to the later figures without looking out of place. He makes an perfect companion to the 1993 Cobra Commander and either the 1988 or 1992 Destro figures. I don't know why Hasbro didn't release a remake of the good major in a paint scheme and mold that would at least pay homage to his roots. Like the Baroness, though, it was not to be for Bludd. Instead, he was relegated to poor resculpts like the 1994 version. While the figure itself isn't all that bad, the color scheme and accessories doomed it to a lifetime of discount bins. This figure's only shortcoming is his accessories. He comes with a version of Dodger's rifle that doesn't fit him at all. A quick swap with the original Major Bludd's accessories, though, and you have a perfectly outfitted figure.

It really is a shame that this figure was never released in the U.S. It is, without a doubt, the best version of Major Bludd. I really don't know how China, of all places, got a figure of this calibre, but it is unfortunate that American, and other, collectors never got to see this figure as part of a regular release. The nice thing is, this guy is all over the place. He is easy to get and can be found without too much trouble. I've known about this guy for quite some time, but only recently decided to add him to my collection. I have been leery of foreign figures, but consider this guy too cool a figure, for too small a price, to not have in my possession. He is now in a place of prominence, next to the Commander and surrounded by 1998 Vipers. Major Bludd had pretty much disappeared from my heavy use box. I just couldn't see him standing tall with many of the later figures I tend to like. (In fact, the only non-ball headed figures I still use with any regularity are the 1984 Firefly, 1984 Ripcord, and Scrap Iron.) Now that I have this figure, though, that dilemma is solved and Major Bludd will regain his rightful place among the Cobra elite.

Many collectors and dealers will try to fool you into the scarcity of foreign released figures. The fact is: foreign figures were released for mass consumption in their home countries. While the production numbers may not be as high as the American figures, foreign releases are by no means rare. As the internet makes the world smaller and helps break down language barriers that have traditionally existed between some countries that produced many of the most unique Joes, expect many new foreign variations, as well as the highly publicized figures about which we already know, to spring up with alarming regularity. That being said, this version of Bludd is very, very common. Many of the Chinese figures were imported to the U.S. in the mid '90's. You can find both the Major Bludd and Flint figures for about $8-$12 for a MOC figure. Finding them loose, though, is very tough. I got my Bludd by opening a carded sample. Now that I've done that, I can't ever see me going back to any other versions of the Major Bludd figure. I have no regrets and don't think you will either.

Just a quick side note, the next wave of new Joes have been shown in some toy publications. One of the new figures we will see either late this year or early next is a new Major Bludd. He is a repaint of the highly underrated 1991 version, but he is painted like the original. It seems some Hasbro designer has seen this Chinese version and decided that it was a great idea. Be on the lookout for that figure very soon. He will come with the Rock Viper, which is actually a repainted Range Viper. They are both very cool. Hasbro is doing a bang-up job on the new releases. It is certainly an exciting time to be a Joe fan!

This guy rocks! Who is your favorite foreign figure? Let me know.