2018 Black Major "Purple Haze" Snake Eyes - Around The Web

Back when this figure was released in 2018, it was quite popular.  And, in very short order, the strong Joe photography community used him in tons of various photos. Now, though, I can't find any of them!

Attica Gazette's look at the Desert Version of this Snake Eyes this week brought back the memories when the latest Black Major figures appeared in photos by all the Joe creators of the day.  Now, though, the day of big set pieces and action poses are all but gone.  And, the online Joe photography community has gotten much, much smaller.  It's a sad state of affairs and the change happened pretty quickly.  But, I know how hard it is to get out a nice cadre of figures and vehicles and try to pose all the figures in fun ways before they are all knocked down from a sudden breeze.

The Purple Haze Snake Eyes remains my absolute favorite paint job of the V2 Snake Eyes mold that Black Major produced.  It was just the combo of a single base color matched against some very nice details.  The purple color is just stunning.  And, it makes for a great match on the Snake Eyes mold.  On some level, I wish the figure had been released sans Cobra logo.  But, it works fine as an Invasor or Mortal or Lobisomem or whatever other character you wish to assign to him.  

I do hope we see some of the derring-do of the Joe photography community return.  I don't know if it will.  But, as we age, time does become more available.  So, that might spur a content Renaissance for a short time.  Until then, enjoy what I could find of this figure.

Purple Haze Snake Eyes Profile

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by C3pesto

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by AtticaGazette

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by gladiousbrazil

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by MrMikeVinthePit

Purple Haze Snake Eyes at the Surveillance Port

Snake Eyes reviews at the Dragon Fortress

Red Shadows Cobra Invasor - Black Major

When G.I. Joe was exported to Brazil, most of the major characters went with it.  On the Cobra side, though, the Estrela toy company forewent Cobra Commander (likely because Hasbro kept the mold) and created two new characters for their toy line.  The Cobra De Aco and Cobra Invasor would later be joined by the Cobra Mortal from Argentina to make a triumvirate of exclusive Cobra characters from South America.  They all used Snake Eyes parts as all or part of the mold.  Across the Atlantic Ocean, a slew of repainted Joe figures were incorporated into the enemy faction of Action Force: the Red Shadows.  The two combined to make great extensions for enemies of G.I. Joe.  In 2010, though, the Black Major forged the two together and released a Red Shadows Invasor using a repainted Snake Eyes body but colored all in red and with the iconic skull and bones logo of the European Red Shadows.  This figure tied together some fringe elements of Joe canon and gave collectors a spectacular way to expand their collections.

The Snake Eyes repaints were the second mold produced by the Black Major.  They followed the Cobra Troopers and had some of the same issues as the Cobra Troopers did.  The body mold is slightly smaller than a real Snake Eyes figure.  So, the figure will neither fit onto vintage Joe figures stand nor be able to wear a backpack.  On top of that, the figure uses the large crotch that appeared on the 1982 straight arm figures rather than the more streamlined piece that debuted with the swivel arm upgrades.  It creates an odd visual for the figure.  And, the greater likelihood of breakage is still there.  But, these are collector figures so there aren't many kids who have gotten a chance to break them apart.

There are a large number of Snake Eyes variants.  Some were Invasors.  Some were Cobra Mortals.  Some had obscure logos tampo-ed on their chest.  Some were useful in odd ways like the desert Snake Eyes variants.  Others were just over the top.  But, this Red Shadows Snake Eyes is the one that works best for me.  The main reason is that this figure seems like something that could have existed.  A repainted Snake Eyes figure was released in the Action Force line.  And, Red Shadows features repaints of Cobra figures.  To me, it's within the realm of possibility that a repainted Snake Eyes could have been used in the Red Shadows line.  (He wasn't, though.)  So, in looking at this figure, he seems less like a fan creation and more an extension of what Hasbro and its licensed subsidiaries might have developed.

From that visual appeal, though, this Invasor works for me on a different level.  In the early issues of the Joe comic, we saw several anonymous Cobras whose look differed from standard troopers and officers.  The characters  appeared in background panels starting with the first issue.  It stands to reason that early Cobra would have had several "named" leaders to help corral the troops and lead Cobra military operations.  In the days before Destro, Major Bludd and Zartan, Cobra Commander still needed top operatives to carry out his orders.  This is where characters like the Invasor, Mortal and De Aco come into play for me.

I see the Invasor as one of those early Cobra operatives who was brought over in the Red Shadows merger.  For the Shadows, he operated all over the world.  But, once within Cobra, the Invasor was relegated to European duty.  Here, he recruited defectors from the Cold War east and shuffled them into Cobras ranks.  Their malleable personalities, military training and anti-American upbringing made them perfect pawns to take up arms against the U.S. military.  However, by the time Cobra Commander ended the Red Shadows as a faction and globally branded his evil enterprise as Cobra, the Invasor was long dead.  I've yet to come up with a story that ends with his demise.  So, I'm still unsure if he dies at the hands of the Joes or due to a double cross from his own allies.  But, the Invasor is no more and is completely forgotten within the modern ranks of Cobra.

Red Shadows Cobra Invasors are no longer easy to find.  They appear very infrequently.  Typically, you will pay around $40 for one.  But, left to open market, the figure will likely go for more.  Back in 2010, all of the Invasors and Mortals were pretty easy to find.  So, if you were around back then, you could have easily bought one for around $10.  There's just not as many of those guys still around as there used to be.  Which is why this Invasor and many other flavors don't show up all that often.  I'm grateful I had a chance to get this figure and have found him to be one of the best acquisitions I've made in the past decade.

2018 Black Major "Purple Haze" Cobra Invasor

In the fall of 2002, an odd figure appeared for sale from Asian sellers.  At the time, it was known that a slight Snake Eyes repaint was going to be released in a boxed set as a Toy Fare magazine exclusive.  But, this new Snake Eyes was purple in color.  It was not known if this was an unreleased paint variant or something new.  Collectors, though, saw the resemblance to a cartoon episode Snake Eyes and wanted the figure badly enough that the early releases sold for over $100.  (At a time when that much would get two carded Satan figures or 2 Stardusters and 2 version D Steel Brigade figures.)  Supply, though, eventually outstripped demand and the figure's price fell.  Plus, it was revealed that the figure would appear in a DVD boxed set as an exclusive.  Collectors got their figure and the DVD Snake Eyes fell into obscurity.  Now, more than 16 years later, the world can go agog over a new purple Snake Eyes figure.  This one, though, is a remake of the classic 1985 Snake Eyes produced by Black Major.  And, it is a beauty of a toy.

Technically, you can't call this figure Snake Eyes as he's stamped with a silver Cobra logo.  You could make a case to call him a Cobra Mortal since one of his contemporary releases mimics that character.  He could also be Lobisomem since that character used the Snake Eyes mold and was a Cobra.  But, it's probably more apt to refer to him as a Cobra Invasor.  Invasor used the V1 Snake Eyes mold.  There's no logic to dictate that he would have been updated to a V2 mold.  But, why not?  The Invasor character could co-exist with the Cobra Mortal since both used the same basic uniform.  So, I'm going to see this guy as an Invasor.  Invasors are troopers, according to their South American origins.  But, I see him as a character.  I'm not huge on the Invasor concept as it exists on filecards.  But, I can use this figure as a character named Invasor and he does fit nicely with 1990 Night Creepers as a better leader of that enemy faction.

Beyond that, though, the figure just looks cool.  The purple is a great background color for the black and silver highlights on the figure's chest, arms, waist and legs.  You'll notice that the grenades on the Invasor's chest are painted grey, offsetting them from the black bandoleer.  There are more paint applications on this figure than the original Snake Eyes and they bring forth the sculpt's details in ways that decades of black obfuscation never could.  To me, these new colors highlight both the highs and the lows of this Snake Eyes sculpt.  You can see the exceptional 1985 design.  But, you also see the oddly shaped mouth and the slight pot belly.  These don't take from the memories or my fondness for the 1985 Snake Eyes figure.  Instead, they enhance it since I have more ways to enjoy it, now.

Accessory wise, this figure includes remakes of the full complement of 1985 gear.  You get an Uzi, sword pack and even a painted wolf.  I was never a fan of G.I. Joe animals.  And, to this day, I have zero interest in Timber as a character or an accessory.  But, lots of people love the the non-human sidekicks.  So, Timber's inclusion here is worthwhile.  (And, check out those yellow eyes!)  The gear is solid, but not as sturdy as vintage Joe gear and is easily discernible from originals.  The pack is the point of interest for two reasons.  The first is not a good one, though.  There was an issue with the sword holster on the pack and it's too small for the sword to fit into it.  So, all the Invasors and Mortals lose the ability to nicely lug their sword around.  The second reason, though, is cool.  The pack has some painted details.  There are grey patches in the middle which help illuminate the black pack from the darkness and showcase the details far more finely than the all black versions that exist.

The quality of these Snake Eyes figures is fairly strong.  They have nice, tight joints and will hold a pose.  Those that I have will all easily hold weapons in their right hands.  But, the left hands are tight and I have yet to get a weapon into one.  The left legs of the figures will flay out a bit from time to time: especially when you try to pose the figure on top of a boulder in a slight breeze as you race against sun down to get a good photo.  There are various fixes for this and the flay is no where near as bad as that of 2010 era Cobra Troopers.  The paint is crisp and sharp.  And, the plastic quality is very high.  Both Black Major and Red Laser's Army have upped their game for 2018 and it shows in the designs, materials, accessories and construction of their figures.

The version 2 Snake Eyes sculpt is, arguably, the most famous design in the vintage line.  Even as a relatively common figure, mint and complete versions still fetch over $70 due to the popularity.  This is because it is Snake Eyes, it was released in 1985 and, this look for Snake Eyes was never replicated or updated in the repaint and subsequent Joe eras.  There is only one other use of the mold: the Brazilian Lobisomem figure.  And, this character is a near identical match for the American figure.  With no mold saturation, the V2 Snake Eyes has taken on a mythic status and has been one of the most requested updates from factory custom makers for a long time.  

Currently, this figure is available for around $18.  Black Major figures can sell out and take on aftermarket lives.  But, this Snake Eyes is polarizing.  The mold in purple and with a Cobra logo is not for everyone.  Visually, the figure is spectacular.  But, not everyone appreciates the visuals of a figure over its utility and place in the Joe pantheon.  Plus, there were 9 Snake Eyes repaints made available at the same time with more soon to follow.  This leads to a short term mold saturation as collectors frantically try to sort which paint jobs they want and which are superfluous.  Longer term, though, the initial onslaught sorts itself out and figure molds that are no longer available get more desirable.  While this purple Snake Eyes has a novelty factor and is somewhat silly, it is also serious and grounded in some Snake Eyes appearances.  Depending on the production numbers, the figure could prove difficult to track down in the future.  But, the oddball design could also limit the demand.  (Most of the Steel Brigade and Cobra Trooper repaints of 2017 have dried up.  But, they haven't taken on huge aftermarket appreciation since the demand is still soft.)

Personally, I couldn't wait to snatch this figure up and add him to my collection.  The vibrant colors and rarely used mold all add up to the perfect fit for my collection.  In time, I'll grow tired of seeing the V2 Snake Eyes mold used as a bad guy in a rainbow of colors.  But, I found the initial wave of offerings to hold several brilliant pieces that are worthy of acquisition.  If you look back at the Black Major Invasors and Mortals from around a decade ago, most of their designs have held up and retain the uniqueness of their original release.  They have also taken on quite an aftermarket desire.  It's unlikely that the Joe world in 2029 will look anything like the 2019 version.  But, this Snake Eyes repaint is something I will enjoy for a long time: just because it is so different.

Rarities - Plastirama 2nd Series Figures

You know them.  I know them.  Everyone knows them.  The 2nd series of figures released by Plastirama in Argentina are, arguably, the most famous foreign rarities of all.  All of the 6 figures in the series are rare and very expensive.  Even today, the existence of carded figures other than Glenda remain rumors and speculation.  But, the figures themselves do now exist in enough quantity that anyone with the money can acquire them within a reasonable timeframe.

In 2001, Argentina went through an economic crisis.  One of the side effects of this, was that many enterprising Argentines discovered that they could sell G.I. Joe figures to Americans for very large sums of money.  So, as 2001 turned into 2002, tons of these figures (which, previously, had existed in quantities you could count on one hand) wafted into American and European collections.  Instead of lowering demand for the figures, though, the newfound availability brought the figures out of the shadows of the Joe world and gave them new prominence.  It lead to discoveries like the fact that Manleh included a parachute.  (Which was not known until that timeframe.)  Quickly, much was learned about the figures and they joined the general Joe lexicon.

Despite the cutesy mnemonic device that is "argen seven", there are really only 6 figures in the 2nd series.  (The 7th figure, Cobra Invasor was released in series 3 and is much easier to find and exists in greater quantities than the 2nd series figures.)  Here are each below:

Glenda

Glenda is a Scarlett repaint done in Argentina blue and chrome.  The head paint tends to be bad on all the figures.  She included a headset from Breaker and Flash's laser rifle.  As neither accessory fits on the figure, they were odd choices.  But, the blonde hair, striking blue base and the chrome highlights have made Glenda the second most famous figure in this series and a long time collector favorite.

Cobra Mortal

Arguably, the most famous foreign figure of them all, the Cobra Mortal remains the definitive holy grail of the Joe collecting world.  The economic crisis of the early 2000's in Argentina brought a lot of these figures to the market.  But, a lot was still a pretty small number overall.  Today, high quality samples of the Mortal sell for a couple of thousand dollars.  The figure was remade for the 2006 convention and has seen representations in the anniversary line as well.  The Mortal included Scarlett's crossbow.  (The Uzi  and ammo pack appear to be an incorrect inclusion in the photo.)  It is an odd choice for the figure.  But, adds to his overall bizarreness.  The mostly chrome body offset with red and black has become an iconic look for the Snake Eyes mold and the Plastirama Mortal is one of the most sought after figures from any toy line.

There is debate about the Cobra logo.  Some figures have been found without the logo.  It was initially believed that these were just samples where the logo rubbed off.  However, the abundance of them had lead to well founded speculation that the figure without a Cobra logo may be a legit variant of the Mortal.

Manleh

Manleh is a pretty drastic repaint of the classic Stalker mold.  First off, the figure is caucasian.  He is also colored in Argentina blue with yellow highlights.  For years, Manleh was actually harder to find than any other figure from his series.  In time, that evened out.  The figure includes an Uzi and a parachute.  The parachute was only discovered in the early 2000's.  But, it has become more available since then and complete Manlehs can be found.

Redmack

Redmack is a brown repaint of the 1982 Hawk figure.  This version, though, includes a brown helmet and backpack along with a version of Rock and Roll's M-60 and bi-pod.  The most interesting part of Redmack, though, is his card art.  The exclusive to Argentina painting clearly shows the character using the Zap/Short Fuse chest in lieu of the grenade/knife chest that was common to so many original figures.  This shows that Plastirama had a different idea for the Redmack figure that was changed rather late in the process.  It could be they needed the parts for other figures or made a mistake.  But, it gives Redmack something more interesting than just being a Hawk repaint.

Shimik

Shimik is an amalgamation of the Grunt/Grand Slam head with Rock and Roll's body.  The figure features dark skin as it's main differentiating point.  The overall look is excellent, though.  And, Shimik is easily on par with the more popular Mortal and Glenda figures in terms of a unique look.  To make you a bit sick to your stomach, though, this figure was not well regarded in the early 2000's when large quantities of him started appearing for sale.  Shimik figures sold as low as $17 for a few months.  That's hardly the case now.

While the sample below is pictured with an uzi, Shimik did not actually include that weapon.  Instead, he had a version of Stalker's M-32.  Along with that is a black backpack and helmet along with a version of Steeler's visor.  The visor is the interesting accessory.  Steeler showed up in Europe around 1984 and then appeared as a mail away in the U.S. after that.  But, this is the only evidence of him in South America.  It's possible that Hasbro sent the straight arm mold for Steeler to various South American Joe producers and they simply chose to not use it.  It could also be that Hasbro sent all the original 1982 accessory molds to South America and continued using duplicate molds for later Hasbro releases.  It's a great unknown.  But, seeing the visor here raises questions of what other molds were sent to Estrela and Plastirama.

Topson

The Topson figure is somewhat problematic.  The figure is a great repaint of Breaker of long sleeve arms.  He includes a grey helmet and a grey version of Grunt's backpack.  You see quite a few pictures out there of Topson with a grey version of Blowtorch's helmet, too.  However, that helmet was released in grey in the U.S. and is quite common.  There is no evidence that the Blowtorch helmet survived to Brazil, Mexico or Argentina as all the Blowtorch figure molds from these countries are either repainted 1982 helmets or repainted Doc helmets.  We've never seen a carded Topson, so anything is possible.  But, the timeline of accessories the disappearance of the helmet mold on figures with whom it's release make sense lends a great deal of skepticism to that helmet having been released in South America.  So, buyer beware if you see one with a Blowtorch helmet.

As if that's not enough, the figure also likely included a small phone/remote control.  This appears to be the remove from the Flamethrower Pac Rat.  It is, of course, often missing from the Topson figure.  On his card art, Topson is actually seen with a Snake Eyes ammo bag with an antenna sticking out of the top.  It's odd, to say the least.  But, all this makes finding a complete Topson the most daunting of the 6 figures in the series.

Here's a group photo of some other samples.  The second photo is likely the best example of the actual accessories that were included with the figures.  But, until we find carded samples, it's impossible to know for sure exactly what gear each character included.

Rarities - Rubiplas (Venezuela) Figures

Everyone knows of the ultra rare 2nd series figures from Plastirama in Argentina.  In 2003, though, it was discovered that this figure wave also saw an exclusive re-do in Venezuela from the Rubiplas toy company.  Shimik, Redmack, Glenda, Manleh, Topson and the infamous Cobra Mortal were released in Venezuela: some with unique paint applications.  While the white Cobra Mortal is the most famous variation, some other figures features slight differences as well.  Collectors love nothing more than a foreign repaint of a super rare figure that is even rarer than the original.  Below are some of the Rubiplas figures.

While the differences on the non Mortal figures are slight, it is the Mortal itself that is the most interesting.  The white base of the figure is much more useful than the red, black and chrome version from Argentina.  Though, had the white version come first, I suspect that some of the luster would have fallen from the Mortal since this version isn't as strikingly odd as the Plastirama figure.

We still don't know why Plastirama came up with the 6 new characters for their 2nd series of figures.  Nor do we know why they are so scarce.  The fact they sent them to Venezuela where Rubiplas also produced them is one of those oddities that befell the Joe line.  The rarity and popularity of these figures prices them out of most collectors' range.  The fact that they are straight arm figures limits my interest in them.  It would have been cool to see someone produce a set of these with swivel arms when the majority of the molds were still around.  I'd have loved a Manleh and Shimik figure.  But, like many obvious re-uses of vintage Joe molds, that's a desire left unfulfilled.

Venezuelan Joes are among the most difficult to find in the world.  Though, we have seen more and more of their items available as the Internet makes the world a smaller place.  (A tanking Venezuelan economy also plays a part.  Plastirama figures were nearly impossible to find until the Argentine economy collapsed in the early 2000's.  Then, they suddenly became almost common for a while.)  These figures are an example of the wide array of interpretations the Joe line received in other countries.  Were it not for their rarity, I wonder if they would be overly popular.  But, as we've seen in recent years, foreign oddities, even ones that exist in large numbers in the U.S. have steadily risen in price.  So, the uniqueness of their release would likely ensure collector interest, even if these were as common as the Plastirama Sgt. Slaughter.