2005 General Hawk (Comic Pack General Abernathy)

The Comic Packs were an inspired idea that lacked proper execution.  That's a thesis statement that I've held true for 20 years.  Because, yes, the first Comic Packs debuted in the summer of 2004: 20 years ago.  And, this poses the fundamental issue with figures like this Hawk that debuted a year later in 2005.  If you were around upon his release, this figure doesn't feel anywhere near as old as vintage Joes felt back during that time.  So, despite the advanced age of this figure, he still feels new enough that his flaws are accentuated and his attributes are left behind.  So, with fresh eyes, I took a look at this figure because the 1986 Hawk was a childhood staple and this updated look for the Joe general seemed like it should have been a great figure.

One of the issues I have with all Comic Pack figures is the heads.  While I appreciate the attempt to update the heads to better match their comic appearances, the heads didn't quite match up to the bodies of the figures with which they were matched.  The more modern sculpting done on the Comic Pack heads was in too great of a contrast to the figure bodies on which they were placed.  So, you have a hyper detailed, stern Hawk face set against the softer details of a sculpt that was done with technology of 20 years prior.  It's one of the reasons most Comic Pack figures feel just a bit "off" to me.  The early 2000's Hasbro wasn't so much interested in creating a perfectly aligned figure.  They were just about smashing together whatever was good enough to quell backlash and sell some toys to desperate collectors flush with their first real money in their lives.  And, the result are heads that, on their own, look nice.  But, they really stick out when posed among vintage Joes.

And, that's how you get this Hawk.  From afar, this mold amalgamation looks ok.  But, when in hand, many of the limitations become apparent.  The Talking Battle Commander waist and legs are long.  They seem too long for the resculpted 1986 Hawk chest.  (We'll talk about that, later.)  The TBC arms are also too puffy for the torso.  So, the whole figure looks improperly proportioned.  While all Joe parts are interchangeable, they are not always aesthetically compatible.  This Hawk proves that out.  The new head is well detailed...too detailed to match the sculpting appearance of the rest of the figure.  But, the blonde flat top is a great look for Hawk and finally gave collectors a figure that featured Hawk's signature look from the comics.  Hawk also features blue eyes.  There are not many other figures in the line with blue eyes.  But, it's a super subtle detail on the figure that most people will miss.  Beyond that, the colors are nice and the details are painted.  The green and brown are much brighter than those of the original 1986 figure on which this is based.  But, the colors work and do create a stark visual when the figure is photographed.

The biggest issue with the figure, though, is just the overall quality.  Many figures from this era will  have legs that stick out and waists that don't align.  Hawk is a perfect example of this.  It can be difficult to get the figure to stand up on his own just due to the poor materials used for the o-rings and t-hooks.  O-rings from the early 2000's are notoriously breakage prone, even if you never remove the figure from the package.  Some of the wonky legs might be fixed with better o-rings.  But, that seems a lot for a figure like this when you could just get a 1986 figure at the time for about the price of the comic 3 pack.  These Hawks aren't as prone to discoloration as many of his contemporaries.  But, you will see arms and torsos whose coloring doesn't always match.  This was a factory mismatch during production, though, and not later discoloration.  Overall, though, the plastic used in this era was not good and your vintage figures will likely age better than these 2000's releases in the coming years.

In 1997, Hasbro reused the entire 1986 General Hawk mold for release in the A-10.  This well painted figure is fairly obscure.  But, Hasbro had the full mold and made a cool figure with it.  In 2002, the mold was planned for the collector-friendly Wave 1.5.  However, for some reason, Hasbro could not locate the mold, despite it being used just 5 years earlier.  So, instead, the Talking Battle Commander mold was used instead.  That lead Hasbro to, in 2005, resculpt the 1986 Hawk torso.  This was common practice by this time.  But, there was no rhyme or reason to which figures got newly sculpted parts.  Hasbro made new molds for this Hawk, Lady Jaye (despite the mold being used sans issue in 2003), Scrap Iron (whose mold was in use in India at the time) and Mutt: among others.  Missing from this list, though, are fan favorite molds like the V1 Cobra Commander, 1985 Snake Eyes, Shipwreck and even Destro.  I will give Hasbro credit for re-doing the Cobra Trooper, Officer and Crimson Guard.  But, you can't help but wonder why so much of the vintage Joe budget went to remaking 2nd tier characters or molds that were recently used instead of hitting just a couple of the missing classics.  A V1 Cobra Commander could have been repainted 10 times with minimal collector pushback.  Instead, we got the Talking Battle Commander mold (flat back and all!) multiple times.  At least factory customs have finally filled some of those gaping holes.

One item of note is the figure's name.  While I call him General Hawk, the official name is General Abernathy.  Hasbro's name copyrights of the early 2000's were all over the place.  And, the Comic Packs are full of oddball naming conventions where you see some characters released under their original code names, some given additional qualifiers to their old name (Double Clutch) and lots of figures released under the character's file name: like this General Abernathy.  To me, he's just Hawk.  And, that's how most will refer to him.  But, the official name is General Abernathy which is much less of a mouthful than Lonzo R. Wilkinson.

Comic Pack accessories weren't great.  They were too generic to the later figures.  Hawk is no exception.  He includes a newly sculpted M-16 rifle that debuted in 2004.  It's a nicely designed weapon that does work well with many other figures from that era.  And, while, as a kid, I have the 1986 Hawk the M-203 from Leatherneck, I just don't see this M-16 rifle as a good fit for Hawk.  It is nice, though, to have a few extras lying around.  He then includes a pistol that's oversized and has a grip that is so wide it will permanently disfigure Hawk's hands and a knife that, again, is OK even though it's out of character.  Hasbro did sculpt a new helmet for Hawk.  It's skinny and narrow and barely fits over Hawk's hair.  And, on the figure, it makes his head look squished.  It's very soft.  So, it won't rub paint when applied to the figure.  It was a noble attempt.  But, the execution was lacking.

Hawk was released in the first wave of Direct to Consumer sales.  This meant that collectors were initially excited by his release.  But, they quickly moved on and the entire comic pack was available at clearance prices for a long time.  I bought several extras for gear and custom parts because, even after shipping, you were paying under $2 per figure.  You'll find some flattering reviews of this figure from the time.  But, the lack of photography of the figure and it's relative absence among collector usage today is a telling sign that the figure fell pretty flat in the collecting world.  The blonde hair was universally lauded.  But, the rest of the design just didn't resonate.  The figure wasn't an upgrade over the original and simply couldn't overtake the vintage design.

It has long been rumored that there will be an updated 1986 style Hawk figure that will be released by Hasbro at some point as part of their Transformers Cross Over line.  So far, the figures in that line have been disappointing because they tread no new ground and don't really offer cheaper alternatives to now expensive vintage Joe figures.  So, while I'm not really in favor of Hasbro releasing any more o-ring Joes, I will hope that, if the Hawk figure comes to be, that Hasbro takes a cue from this Hawk and finally brings a proper 1986 style Hawk to collectors.  While I'd love a black jacket figure from issue #50 of the comic, I'll take just a 1986 Hawk homage with blonde hair.  That little detail will be enough to make a new Hawk figure worthwhile.  

The 1986 Hawk mold was released by Hasbro in 1986 and 1987.  There is a very rare mail away General Hawk from 1992 or 1993 that includes the golden rifle from the 1991 Cobra Commander.  It's one of the more difficult bagged figures in the line to find.  The entire figure was then released in Brazil and India.  Both the Estrela and Funskool figures are very similar to the Hasbro releases with the Brazilian figure featuring darker green and the more common Funskool versions featuring lighter green.  Hasbro got the mold back and released a repainted figure in 1997.  The full Talking Battle Commander Hawk was released in 2000 and 2002 before the parts were cannibalized for this 2005 Comic Pack figure.  This newly sculpted head and torso, though, never appeared again.  There is an alternate Asian variant of the figure that features a completely green torso.  But, that was the end of this Hawk mold.

All the Comic Pack figures got caught up in the market hype of the pandemic collectible world.  Now, you will still see high prices for individual figures and carded sets just due to incredibly low supply.  Collectors are holding their items, hoping the prices continue to rise.  But, they have not only leveled off, but actively fallen on more common and less desirable items...like this Hawk.  While dealers will still ask $40+ for a loose, complete figure and over $70 for a carded set, the reality is that the figure sits unsold for $20.  Carded sets are worth between $35 and $45.  You can argue over Flint or Hawk being the top figure in the set.  But, really, they're both about the same level of usefulness.  So, don't fall for the dealer hype and overpay for this figure.  In hand, he's kind of disappointing.  For a couple of bucks, that's OK.  But, for dealer prices, you'll feel cheated.

2005 Comic Pack Cobra Commander - Clear

The Star Wars line has long been about scene specific figures.  Collectors clamour for their favorite characters as they appeared in just a few seconds of screen  time.  For the first 20 years or so of the Hasbro Stars Wars renaissance, Hasbro was happy to oblige.  One of the weird offerings, though, came in the line's earliest days.  You could buy some Lay's chip brands and send away for a clear "Spirit of Obi-Wan" figure.  Personally, I didn't really see the appeal of such a limited figure.  But, I was a sucker.  And, I mailed away for one of the figures.  (And, like everyone else, I actually thought the figure would have some future collectability due to the obscure release method.  Oops.)  The translucent blue plastic that was used was a pretty solid representation of the character's appearance on screen.  And, over the next decade, Hasbro would release a cornucopia of "spirit" figures using the same basic plastic.  Finally, in 2005, though, the concept was brought to the G.I. Joe line.  Instead of the figure representing a ghost, though, we were given an interpretation of Cobra Commander as his image is projected through a camera.  For a figure mold that had been a bit overdone by 2005, though, this approach of a clear Cobra Commander was an interesting and refreshing choice for a figure release.

Of course, the real question is what can you do with a translucent version of Cobra Commander?  With no paint, you can't really pretend it's a stealth suit.  (Like you can with the clear, Arctic Mirage figure.)  So, you're really left with the figure as a projection of the Commander who can gloat in front of his enemies and inspire his troopers: all while he is safe inside a basement bunker where he can feel safe.  Cobra's armies, in their brainwashed glory, fall for this cowardice.  Which, speaks to the gullibility of those who the Commander recruited from small town America.  The issue with a projection figure is that you need something to project the image.  This can be accomplished in various ways.  But, the best is just to use a Tele-Viper and his camera/gun.

And, that's about the end of the use for this figure.  But, like the figure's Star Wars cousins, the appeal lies not in the quality of the actual toy and it's playability, but the possibility of filling a very niche purpose.  In the right setting, this figure can look great.  Some Star Wars collectors have built amazing displays using the holographic figures.  But, you don't really see these set pieces in the Joe world.  Joe fans will display their figures standing on parade.  Or, maybe, on vehicles or in the few bases.  You don't see too many custom scenes that are built, specifically, to showcase a small selection of figures.  It's just a difference in the collector base.  And, is why there wasn't a huge upswell of support for more translucent Joe figures.

Originally, the Comic Packs were going to continue their numerical procession.  And, this Comic Pack #9 was planned for a much earlier release date.  But, the Comic Packs were kind of DOA by the end of 2004.  The Oktober Guard packs were under-produced.  And, Hasbro had to quickly retool and move up some more interesting packs in the release schedule.  While these diversified the figure releases, they didn't really help improve the lot of the Comic Packs at retail and all of the non-October Guard waves were pretty much clearance and discount store fodder.  For a while, it appeared that the pack with this Cobra Commander, Scarlett on her skis and a lame attempt at "Breaker" would end up cancelled.  But, Hasbro was able to pigeon-hole it into the initial waves of the DTC launch after the Joe line failed at retail in 2005.  

Collectors were lukewarm to this pack, though.  The contemporary packs to #9 featured some less used molds and had more potential for great figures.  But, none of the releases actually caught on with collectors.  And, instead, they all ended up clearance fodder, too.  I only acquired this pack because they were half price or less at the old Hasbro Toy Shop.  The Breaker in the set was useless.  Though, the Scarlett actually turned out kind of nice.  Sadly, though, she badly discolors and is near impossible to find in decent condition these days.  I kept the Cobra Commander because he was unsellable in 2010 or so.  No one wanted him.  So, he remained in my collection even as his contemporaries were dumped for pennies on the dollar.  Now, though, I'm glad I held onto the figure: if for nothing more than a conversation piece.

Did you know that even translucent plastic can discolor?  Well, it can.  And, you'll often find this figure with darker upper arms than lower.  The upper arms of the 2000's figures are always the first to go.  So, it's likely that other parts of this figure will discolor, too.  And, it's pretty much guaranteed that no mint versions of this figure will exist in another two decades.  The darkening isn't really detrimental to the appeal of this figure.  The main issue is that the figures don't discolor uniformly.  So, you get two tone figures that don't look all that good.  Once all the pieces go, though, it will be back to a solid looking figure.  The soft plastic that Hasbro uses in the 2000's doesn't hold up all that well.  And, it likely that vintage figures will hold up better into the 2040's and 2050's than these newer figures from the same century.

The original body mold for this Cobra Commander debuted in 1992 on the Talking Battle Commanders Cobra Commander figure.  In 1993, the figure was repainted in black and also given a new back piece that wasn't the flat version used to accommodate the talking backpack.  In 2000, the figure was repainted in dark blue.  But, the flat back from 1992, somehow, returned.  The same mold was used in the 2003 convention set.  In 2004, Hasbro sculpted the new head sculpt that you see on this clear figure.  It debuted in a Comic Pack and was then repainted in a coppery red color in the Imperial Processional set.  Then, finally, this translucent figure appeared.  The flat back ruins many of the figure.  Though, the 2003 and Processional figures were aided by the inclusion of capes that hide the multi-holed backpiece.  I don't really consider the new head to be an improvement or a detriment when compared to the original head.  It's just different.  But, I do think that it looks the best on this translucent release.

For some, unknown, reason, Hasbro also updated this figure to have 1984 Roadblock arms.  2000's era Hasbro loved the 1984 Roadblock arms and used them way too often.  They are scrawny and undefined.  And, when paired with a rather bulky mold that debuted in 1992, they look out of place.  Just months before this Comic Pack figure was released, Hasbro used the original arms on the Imperial Processional figure.  So, there was no real reason why they couldn't also have been used for this Cobra Commander.  It's less of an issue since this figure has such a limited purpose.  But, it's just one of those weird choices that Hasbro made in the early 2000's.  And, we really don't know why.

This Cobra Commander includes his classic 1983 hair dryer pistol.  While it's not a great fit with the bulkier mold from 1992, it is iconic to Cobra Commander.  But, in another baffling move, the weapon is cast in black plastic.  So, you have a translucent figure holding an opaque weapon.  You just can't reconcile that.  The upside is that black hair dryers were never all that common.  So, extras were always welcome...especially since the Processional Cobra Commander didn't come with a weapon.  It would have been nice to have gotten the classic weapon in translucent blue plastic.  But, it doesn't make much sense for a projection to be holding a gun.  A staff or pointer?  Sure.  But, the gun isn't necessary.  So, it's one of the weird inclusions that's useful to have around, even if it's useless with the actual figure for which it's intended.

This figure has turned out to be kind of hard to find.  It wasn't a pack that collectors army built.  And, it was released during one of the lowest points in Joe fandom.  Today, this is a $22 to $30 figure based on timing and the number in the market.  Dealers tend to get closer to $30.  But, the figure has cachet and sells for a slight premium just due to the uniqueness of the design.  It's certainly not a figure that you need in your collection.  But, it is a neat set piece that can help define a display.  I, certainly, wouldn't pay a premium for one, especially with the spectre of discoloration looming so large in the figure's future.  But, for a cheap buy, the figure is worth owning.  I've used mine three times in almost 20 years.  But, I paid, maybe, $3 for him.  So, the price was worth it.  I'll leave it to you to determine if today's market also makes him a worthwhile acquisition.

2005 Comic Pack Flint - Around The Web

The 1985 Flint is my favorite figure.  In 2005, Hasbro released a Comic Pack version that was similar to the original figure.  It featured softer colors, poor accessories and a brand new head.  The new head, though, was not good.  On some level, it seemed like a younger version of Flint.  But, really, it's inferior to the original head in every way.  (And, I'm not blinded to the fact that the 1985 Flint head has some...flaws.)  Mostly, the head was famous for not being Falcon.

Now, nearly as much time has passed since the 2005 figure was released as had passed between the 1985 version and the 2005 Comic Pack release.  Unsurprisingly, the 2005 Flint has not held up.  You can tell from the relatively sparse content featuring the figure that he's not that popular.  You can't even catalog all the photos that feature the 1985 Flint.  And, collectors use the original as their go to choice for photographs even today.  It's just such a better option and is a nearly ubiquitous member of pretty much every Joe collection that's out there.

It is interesting to read up on contemporary reviews of the figures that were written right after their release.  The sentiment on this Flint was tepid, even back then.  And, that's translated into a figure that's simply faded into obscurity.  It's probably a just fate for this figure.  The 1985 figure is vastly superior.  And, the Funskool version of Flint remains a cheaper option for the V1 Flint look and it includes the trademark shotgun.  So, enjoy what little content there is on this figure out there.

2005 Flint Profile

2005 Flint by Sintechness

Comic Pack #76 at JoeBattleLines.com

2005 Flint by toyjaeger

2005 Flint by gen_liederkranz

Comic Pack #76 Review at Generals Joes Reborn

2005 Flint by Slipstream80

2005 Comic Pack Buzzer

Buzzer is the only Dreadnok whose character I find even remotely interesting.  Ripper and Torch are just ignorant thugs who live to create carnage.  Monkeywrench is just an English version of them who likes to blow things up.  Road Pig is stupidly annoying.  Gnawgahyde and Thrasher don't have any real characterization at all besides "generic bad guy".  And, even Zanzibar doesn't play on the pirate theme of his character and is really only somewhat salvaged by the quality of his figure.  Buzzer, though, has some depth. His intelligence allows him to be ambitious and dangerous.  Yet, the fact that he indoctrinated himself into a criminal lifestyle shows a level of arrogance that makes him psychotic.  To me, this makes for a better villain.  Guys who just want to break stuff and kill people lack motivation and are easy to defeat because they just react to their gutteral instincts.  They lack the purpose and planning of a motivated and intelligent bad guy.  And, because of that, I find Buzzer being a useful guy to have around.

So, Buzzer has remained the only Dreadnok who really gets any use in my collection.  While I don't see him as the conniving genius who was capable to leading Cobra...or was at least under that delusion, I do still see Buzzer as someone who is more ambitious than his heathen friends.  He can climb the leadership ladder a bit.  And, he's someone who's entrusted with missions far beyond those of the other Dreadnoks.  This Comic Pack Buzzer, though, is an older, wiser Buzzer.  He's given up trying to outdo Zartan.  But, he's found value in leading small bands of unruly Cobra Troops.  And, through these missions, Buzzer has managed to enrich himself.  And, instead of dreaming of a devastated, anarchic world, Buzzer has realized that he can soon make enough money to retire back to a life of books and reflection as he walks the River Cam each day.  Of course, every now and then, Buzzer will cut down a tree and block the river just to sate his most carnal desires.

This Buzzer included black repaints of all the figure's original gear from 1985.  The chainsaw, axe, gas can and backpack holder are all here.  And, that was nice since it was rare for Comic Pack figures (or, even TRU exclusive figures) to include their original gear. I have been criticized for years for the way in which I have Buzzer hold his chain saw.  I have done it this way since I was a kid.  I found this pose the closest way the figure could actually emulate the pose on the card artwork.  And, it's stuck with me for 39 years, now.  Aside from that, though, I enjoy Buzzer's gear.  I find it useful, even with no firearms.

I also like the colors on this Buzzer.  The green vest is a nice updated look that is something different enough from the original figure to appear unique.  It even works with the blue pants.  The fact that all of Buzzer's details are highlighted in gold and grey paint also makes the figure appear of higher quality than most other Comic Pack and retail o-ring figures of that era.  It's a near certainty, though, that Buzzer's legs are going to yellow and his flesh colored arms will turn darker.  The poor quality plastic that Hasbro used during this era ensures that few mint Buzzers will be around in just a couple of years.  

The supposed selling point of the Comic Packs was that the figures featured new heads.  But, for the most part, the heads were a drastic downgrade from the vintage sculpting.  Many of the heads were just terrible.  But, a few of them were kind of nice.  This Buzzer is one of my personal favorites, though.  I feel it's an upgrade over the original head.  But, at worst, it's a lateral move where the 2005 head better matches the older Buzzer who appears in the comics.  I like the updated pony tail as it makes Buzzer look like his hair his thinner and that matches the older look on his face.

Buzzer had a good life.  He got a single release from Hasbro.  There are many filecard variants.  But, the figure remains the same.  From there, Buzzer went to India.  He was among the very first Funskool figures released.  And, he featured some exclusive color variants such as dark hair or a red vest.  Some of these are very rare and expensive.  He ceased production at some point in the 1990's.  But, was among the figures that Funskool pulled back into production in 2002.  Funskool was learning of a burgeoning American market for their G.I. Joe figures.  So, in addition to their five new figures for that year, they tossed in the return of Flint, Airtight, Zarana, Scrap Iron, Buzzer, Ripper and Beach Head.  Hasbro got the mold back in 2003 and used it for the 2004 Convention figure and this 2005 Comic Pack figure.  A Buzzer knock off also exists in the European Force set of figures from Europe.  The figure features a rendition of Buzzer's head with a painted black mustache.  He is named Mygal and is the enemy leader of that small group of figures.  It's a fun one for Buzzer aficionados to track down and gives Buzzer an impressive array of rare and expensive non-Hasbro uses.

The fact that Hasbro made this three figure pack at all is surprising.  First off, Buzzer and Ripper figures that were nearly identical to the original Hasbro releases were available from Funskool at the time.  And, every toy dealer on the internet was able to stock all the Funskool figures they ever wanted and sell them for $4 each.  There were plenty of these available to collectors at the time.  In addition to that, the club had made a Dreadnok set in 2004.  This set included Buzzer and Ripper (with all their original gear) and even included Thrasher as an attendee exclusive.  While this set was out of the range of some collectors and kids would have had no idea it existed, the reality was that the set was a colossal dud.  Buzzers and Rippers from the set could be had for $7 or $8 for many years.  And, even the Thrasher would sit unsold for $10.  So, there was plenty of Dreadnok availability at the time.  And, there was even a recent proof that Dreadnoks really weren't all that popular.  

So, it was inevitable that this Dreadnok three pack with Buzzer, Ripper and Thrasher would fail.  And,  it failed spectacularly.  Many collectors skipped it as there was no reason to get another version of the characters in such close proximity.  And, others just didn't have any interest.  So, the sets floundered at various online retailers.  In time, they were clearanced out.  And, when the sets were 1/2 price, I finally bit and added them to my collection.  I picked up a couple of more when they dropped to $3 or $4 per set as I figured they'd be good custom fodder.  But, even at blow out prices, the sets sat around for quite a while.  Retail Joe was dead in 2005 and 2006.  And, there was no breathing new life into it until it had been on hiatus for a while.

But, yesterday's pegwarmer is today's hot collectible.  And, now, all the early 2000's Comic Packs command high prices.  This is odd, though.  As, the figures from this time, especially the Comic Pack figures, are not aging well.  They are discoloring in the package and you see their chests and necks cracking if you simply move an arm on  loose samples.  In short, they really aren't worth the money.  But, Buzzer's pack tends to sell in the $60 range from dealers.  Though, it's worth about $40 on the open market.  Dealers will get up to $25 for a mint and complete with filecard Buzzer.  But, if you can find an open market seller, he'll go for under $10 these days.  Chances are, though, that he'll either be discolored or will discolor within a year or two of his acquisition.  Really, it took clearance prices to get me to buy this Buzzer in the first place.  And, I really like him.  But, if I didn't own one already, I doubt I'd ever actually acquire one.  It's a neat look for Buzzer.  But, I'll never see the Comic Pack figures as anything other than clearance fodder that promised so much to collectors but delivered so little.

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" Cobra Commander - Around The Web

Comic Packs were a mixed bag.  They were full of pretty bad figures.  But, there were also some pretty good ones.  And, this Fred is one of the best.  The head really captures the essence of the character.  And, more importantly, the head was also compatible with some of the contemporary Cobras released and could be used on Crimson Guard heads to really recreate the concept of "Fred".  These sets were heavily clearanced as they didn't sell well.  So, it was cheap to get extras to use the heads for customs.  That isn't so much the case today.  

There's lots of great content out there on this figure.  Many people have done cool things with it.  So, check out the links below and enjoy!

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" Cobra Commander Profile

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by corpscommandercody

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by dashiellrfairborne

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" at JoeBattleLines.com

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by relinquished1979

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" at JoeADay.com

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by mrmikevinthepit

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by corpscommandercody

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by misterbungle

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by sintechness

2005 Comic Pack "Fred" by corpscommandercody

2005 Night Watch Trooper - Around The Web

Once upon a time, Hasbro did little with the classic Cobra Trooper mold.  Just as collectors had given up hope we'd ever seen another retail release of the mold, Hasbro dropped a little surprise into the first round of DTC releases: the Cobra Night Watch.  

Ostensibly, the Night Watch is just different enough to be useful.  But, also just different enough to not really go with anything.  Below, you'll find a nice mix of modern uses of the figures as well as some thoughts on the figure back when it was first released.  In the 18 years since this figure appeared, though, the multitudes of Black Major Cobra Trooper repaints have rendered the Night Watch kind of moot.  There are plenty of factory customs that now are better night themed figures and also better blend with Night Vipers, the Stinger and other Cobras that fit the nighttime theme.

But, these figures are still useful, even if they are not the cheap army builders that they were even just a few years ago.  You can check out all the links to see a nice array of ways that collectors have used these figures.

2005 Night Watch Trooper Profile

2005 Night Watch Trooper by andrey_collector

2005 Night Watch Trooper by Dreadnok Dread

2005 Night Watch Trooper by gijoekorea

2005 Night Watch review at JoeBattleLines.com

2005 Night Watch Trooper by thedustinmccoy

2005 Night Watch Trooper by gigamach

2005 Night Watch Trooper by megastorm

2005 Night Watch Trooper by yotothejoe

2005 Night Watch review at General's Joes Reborn

2005 Night Watch Trooper by Slipstream80

2005 Night Watch Trooper by gen_liederkranz

2005 Night Watch Trooper at JoeADay.com

2005 Comic Pack Zarana

The Comic Packs were an inspired idea.  The offered promise of spectacular new figures, long desired repaints and new characters who had been missing from the Joe line for its 22 year run.  But, in the three years the concept was produced, very little of these promises came to be.  Instead, the Comic Packs became a home of overused parts, repetitive characters and releases that were barely different from the original figure releases.  Such was the case with the 2005 Zarana figure.  Ostensibly, a new Zarana should have been a welcomed release.  But the actual figure offered nothing that could not be acquired from either the original figure or the super common and $4 Funskool Zarana that was available at the time, too.

The calling card of the Comic Packs became newly sculpted heads.  That (along with the $10 price point for 3 figures!) was the primary drawing point for the product.  The problem, though, was that the heads didn't really offer anything extraordinary.  In fact, pretty much every new head in the 2004 releases was inferior to the original and many of the 2005 new heads were either too small or too large.  Hasbro started to find their stride in later 2005, though, as figures like Firefly, Serpentor and Fred all featured some excellent sculpting.  But, there were also duds like Tunnel Rat, Zartan and Roadblock who were released at the same time.  Zarana's head falls into the middle.  It's not bad.  It's not great.  It's a softer look than the mohawked 1986 heads.  But, I'm not sure that really fits with Zarana's character.

In the comic, Zarana slowly overtook the character role that had been held by the Baroness.  She was given leadership positions.  While you can question why she was chosen for this instead of just leaving the Baroness there, at least she was consistently portrayed as rather ruthless in the comics.  She wasn't a character who was offered a redemption arc.  (Like the Baroness was.)  So, for that reason, at least her character was consistent.  My biggest complaint with this 2005 figure is that the newly sculpted head doesn't really convey that.  Zarana was an angry character.  This figure shows her as more calm and put together.  As Zarana was never depicted that way, the new face makes no sense.  It doesn't flow with Zarana's characterization and is somewhat anti-thetical to her entire existence.

My other issue, though, is that this figure is pretty much the 1986 color scheme with very slight shading differences.  If you have the 1986 or Funskool release, this 2005 figure offers you nothing new.  While the 2004 convention figure tried and failed to really change the look for Zarana, they didn't take any chances.  The Comic Packs were a place to do that.  But, to be fair, Zarana never appeared in any color scheme other than one matching her figure.  So, there wasn't a ton of artistic license to be taken from the source material.  But, you get a blue and pink Zarana figure that looks like a famous actress is playing Zarana in a movie instead of someone who looks like the character.

The original card artwork for the 1986 Zarana showcased two features that were changed on the figure prior to its release.  The first was that Zarana had a tattoo on her arm.  This was removed.  The second was that Zarana was not wearing pink leggings under her ripped jeans.  So, she exposed a large amount of fleshy thigh.  This was too much for a figure also wearing a low cut crop top.  So, the pink undergarment was added via a paint application.  This 2005 does not bring back the tattoo.  We can then argue about whether they changed her leg to be bare skin or still covered by an undergarment.  When I asked this question of collectors, the results were mixed...meaning that any definitive change Hasbro may or may not have wanted to make is still completely muddled.  Due to Hasbro's inability to adequately paint caucasian skin tones in the 2000's, Zarana's leg could be skin or pink tights.  I'll leave it to the individual collector to make their decision.  

Overall, the quality of this figure is mixed.  While the limbs move easily and don't fall apart, there is an issue with the head.  It will only turn to the right.  I have three Zaranas and none of their heads will move left.  You could probably force it.  But, when you do, you'll crack the torso around Zarana's neck.  This is a common affliction of the Comic Pack figures.  So, you have to exercise a bit of caution when positioning the head.  The gear fits and the thumbs are soft.  So, you won't break them.  Zarana's face sculpt is actually really well done.  But, it doesn't look like Zarana.  Honestly, the face would have worked better on the 2006 Lady Jaye figure.  It's just too kind looking to fit with the mean and dastardly Zarana and it doesn't display the effects of the Dreadnok hard lived life in which Zarana partook.  The paint applications are strong, though.  So, the figure showcases much of the sculpted details, just like the original figure does.

Zarana's accessories are on the low end of Dreadnok gear.  She includes a backpack that's not all that interesting, it's just in black this time.  And, her weapon du jour is a saw.  This isn't a realistic chainsaw like Buzzer's from 1985.  It's a spin blade thing that really would only have purpose in sawing people.  If you look at it like that, the saw is rather gruesome.  But, honestly, it's kind of boring.  As a kid, figures without firearms were tough to use.  And, as Buzzer had a far better saw, there was really no reason to use Zarana.  Her saw appeared a couple of times in the early 2000's and you can find it in black and silver with various other figures.  So, you can change around the look of this Zarana's weapons a bit.

A final word about figure quality.  The plastic used on the Comic Pack Joes (and, Joe figures in general) during the early 2000's is turning out to be absolute garbage.  Especially for whites, light blues, greys and flesh colors.  You know, basic colors that appear on a ton of figures.  You'll notice in the top photos below that the Zarana's upper arms are starting to discolor.  The third photo is from 2007 and you can see the different coloring on the figure's arms.  Like the 2005 Scrap Iron, this is an inevitability and not something you can really stop.  Carded figures are seeing the same thing happen still in the package.  The plastic isn't holding up at all.  I only hope the super expensive 2022 Pulse release use better quality materials.  But, in the not too distant future, there will be no mint 2005 Zaranas left.  This sucks.  There's no other way to put it.  But, it's a grim reality for the 2000's era Joe figures.

Zarana has an interesting history.  The original figure was sculpted with a fatter head with earrings.  Hasbro didn't like this and decided to sculpt a new head that was also released in 1986.  This figure color changed like Zartan and Zandar.  But, once her retail run was over, Zarana disappeared.  Then, in the mid 1990's, Zarana showed up in India.  Funskool released her for several years.  However, prior to the mass imports of Funskool that started in early 2001, Funskool had taken Zarana out of production.  So, she was a relatively difficult figure to find at the time.  But, in 2002, Funskool revived several classic molds: including Zarana.  There are subtle Funskool Zarana variants.  But, she is one of the few Funskool figures who doesn't have major variants in coloring.  In 2003, Hasbro recalled 18 molds from Funskool.  Zarana was among them.  The club quickly put her mold to use in the poorly received 2004 Dreadnok themed Convention set.  For years after it's release, these figures were available for below original price.  Then, this Comic Pack Zarana debuted in 2005.  The mold was retired at that point.  Despite all the versions of Zarana, she really only has her one classic look.

As the Joe market finally starts to cool down, figures like this Zarana are feeling the pinch.  While dealers offer a ton of them for $30 or so each, they don't sell.  Mint and complete figures are worth about $12-$15 each.  It's a fall from a year ago when they were nearly double that.  And, while some carded Comic Packs from that era still command premiums, carded Zaranas top out around $50 and she is, far and away, the least desirable figure in the pack.  So, if you're missing her, Zartan and the Fred Cobra Commander, just buy and open a carded set.  For me, this figure isn't a good Zarana.  The original heads are better.  This figure is a good attempt at something different.  But, it just didn't deliver.

2006 Tommy Arashikage

No single product better encapsulates the 2000's era releases of vintage Joe molds than the #26 comic pack.  On the surface, this was a highly requested item by collectors of the time.  It featured three of the most popular characters in the Joe mythos and illustrated a pivotal scene for all of them.  Yet, at the end, the figures used parts that had appeared multiple times in just the Comic Pack sets alone.  And, the new parts still featured issues that kept them from really being perfect.  In short, the figures have a distinctive look of 2000's era Joe releases that helps separate them from vintage figures and the anniversary look that would immediately come after them.  At the time, the Vietnam pack was well liked.  But, all of the focus was on Classified and Stalker.  The final member of the pack, Tommy Arashikage, was somewhat derided and left behind.  Now, 15 years later, though, I better see some of the value in Tommy, even if the figure remains flawed.

Hasbro had a nice parts library available to them in the 2000's.  Instead of engaging it, though, they stuck with the same pieces over and over.  Big Ben, Firefly and Red Star all found tons of uses...to the point where their parts got stale.  Another greatly overused figure was the 1984 Roadblock.  His parts appeared commonly.  And, they make up the bulk of Tommy.  The Roadblock torso mold is odd as it was designed to show muscles at a time when the sculpting quality wasn't quite ready for that challenge.  So, it's always been a bit top heavy.  And, that continues with Tommy.  The fact that Tommy has this massive bare chest, but is still wearing sleeves really is an odd look.  The web gear doesn't hide his chest, either.  So, it can't cover the sins of poor parts choices.  Hasbro never spent much effort finding and making quality figures from obscure or unused parts.  So, the Comic Packs got repetitive quickly.  And, this Tommy was somewhat swept under the rug by collectors of the day who found the Roadblock torso and legs overused.

My biggest issue with the figure is the skin tones.  Hasbro really struggled with skin tones in the 2000's.  And, that is evident on Tommy.  The main mistake they made, though, is that they attempted to match painted flesh on the head and lower arms with plastic flesh on the chest.  The result is that Tommy's head and arms are slightly different colors than the chest.  And, as the arms use flesh paint, it is globbed over hands, making them difficult to use without rubbing the paint away.  There is really no reason for the heads and arms to be painted.  The other details on each piece required paint masks.  So, casting the head and arms in the same plastic as the chest would have made the figure more cohesive.  And, frankly, more useful as you wouldn't be so loathe to risk damage to the figure just by putting his gun in his hand.

Tommy's head isn't perfect.  Hasbro could not get the ARAH heads quite right in the 2000's.  Most were terrible.  But, as the Comic Packs progressed, the sculpting did improve.  The real value in Tommy's head, though, is the tied bandanna on the back.  While the head is still too large to really fit the ARAH figure body from two decades prior, the bandanna is a nice piece of work.  It features multiple paint masks of greens and brown.  And, the front and sides are somewhat smaller, denoting it being covered by hair, before enlarging into two flowing ribbons emerging from the knot at the back.  It is sculpting and painting beyond anything seen in the vintage Joe line and is the hallmark of the Tommy figure.

Frankly, the quality is the Comic Pack figures has proven to be terrible.  From massive discoloration on blue and white figures, to mis-shapen hands right out the package, the Comic Pack figures have not held up well.  To make matters worse, Tommy has a design flaw that leads to his chest cracking at the neck.  Even carded figures will feature this affliction.  Tommy is not alone in this design flaw as it appears on many Comic Pack, TRU and even JvC sculpt figures from that era.  The 2000's plastic is performing badly over time.  So, finding a truly mint Tommy will take some doing.  And, it's still pretty likely that the crack will form, even when the figure is locked away in proper storage.  

Tommy's accessories are pretty nice.  He includes a bow, quiver and 2 arrows that were sculpted for ninja releases during the 2000's era.  The quiver works well when slung over his arm.  But, the Roadblock torso and the web gear that are also included with the figure really prevent it from being worn over the shoulder as the 2004 Ninjas do.  The final accessory is a repaint of the 1992 Shockwave rifle.  All of Tommy's accessories are grey.  And, that grey color is unique to this comic pack.  As there were Tommy figures available as overstock from Asia, you often see figures with incorrect, black weapons from other, earlier figures.  (It should be noted, though, that the Vietnam figures' weapons were also available as overstock from Asia and some people have large quantities of spares in the right color.)  So, pay close attention to the accessory color when you purchase a Tommy to ensure he has the proper gear.

In the 15 years since this figure was released, it has aged better than some of his contemporaries.  But, that's mostly due to the cohesiveness of the #26 set and the need for all three figures to be present in a collection.  I still rarely use the figure.  And, he really doesn't appear all that often in other photos or dios.  (Classified, though, does.)  On some level, though, this figure works on a few different levels.  Sure, you can have it be a time-period-bound Tommy figure.  Or, it can be someone new to the Joe team who brings some additional skills.  Honestly, I can also see the figure as an updated and more useful Quick Kick, too.  The fact that ignored Tommy for so long allows him some latitude in my collection as I see him as something new where I can start a new character.  And, while the figure isn't perfect, few releases in the 2000's were.  And, I'm more forgiving of the limitations of the repaint era now that it's more in the rear view mirror than the vintage line was when this figure was released.

When Hasbro released this set, it was readily available.  In fact, it was part of the overstock that went to Toys R Us stores.  For a while, this pack sat on the pegs with the other, less desirable sets.  Then, rather suddenly, they were gone.  This Vietnam pack was simply absorbed and never really hit clearance prices.  The other Comic Packs that were contemporary to it then followed suit.  And, more than a few collectors of the time were suddenly left without the set and none available at retail.  And, as few collectors stockpiled this set like they did the earlier sets that were blown out as cheaply as $3 per pack, there wasn't collector overstock to help.  It's likely that this pack was produced in similar numbers to the Oktober Guard packs.  But, as collectors hadn't abandoned the line in early 2005, there was more interest and they saw a smaller retail window.  

Dealers price Tommy around $50.  But, they don't sell for that price.  Due to low supply it seems they can move them for a $40 price tag with figures at open pricing going as low as $30.  In general, Tommies seem to be more expensive than the Stalker figure from the same pack, but less than the Classified figure.  If you don't have a set, it's no longer cheaper and easier to just buy a carded set and open it, though.  You'll pay $250 for that privilege.  For the money, this figure isn't worth it.  It's easily the worst figure in the set.  And, there's far better figures for the money that are way more worthwhile acquisitions.  But, for the right price, the figure is an interesting conversation piece.  And, the general ambivalence to this figure from the community means you can get something that will give your photos some distinction.

2005 Night Watch Trooper

At the 2003 G.I. Joe Convention, Hasbro showcased the upcoming Cobra Infantry 6 pack.  This set included four Cobra Troopers and two Cobra Officers that were painted up as homages to the original characters from 1982.  It was a hugely anticipated set and proved to be extremely popular.  Collectors of era assumed that Hasbro would then repaint the molds into the rainbow of basic troop colors that every Joe fan had yearned for since 1984.  At the time, Hasbro was repaint mad and collectors were army builder obsessed.  It was a no-brainer.  But, then, it didn't happen.  Sure, a Cobra Trooper and Officer showed up in the first 5 Comic Packs.  But, they were poorly colored and used terrible arms.  As 2005 brought about the retail line's cancellation, it became apparent that collectors would never get Stinger or Crimson Troopers.  The loss of these highly desired releases, though, was drowned out by the general malaise over the line's overall demise.  But, Hasbro then offered collectors a lifeline: the DTC experiment.  Among the figures and vehicles that comprised these online only toys was a 6 figure set of classic Troopers and Officers: the Night Watch.

At first, collectors were ecstatic about the Night Watch.  Cheap Cobra army builders were rarely scoffed at.  But, once in hand, the oddity of the release hit home.  The Night Watch figures didn't really fit anywhere.  Sure, they were supposed to be Cobra's night guardsmen.  But, their color scheme didn't fit with Night Vipers.  Nor did it really match up with the Stinger or it's driver.  They were an island unto themselves.  And, this quickly took a bite out of their popularity.  Slowly, the sets began to stagnate.  And, when Hasbro finally sold all of their non-moving online stock to Toys R Us, there was a large supply of Night Watch sets that were included in the sale.  A year after the set's online release, you could find plenty of Night Watch sets hanging at Toys R Us stores around the country. 

With time, though, comes perspective.  And, this set was both over-hyped and then overly derided within its release window.  Now, though, you can see the figures in the set for something new.  The Night Watch doesn't fit the traditional definition of Cobra Trooper colors.  But, the bluish-grey with camo pants does add some design flair to a normally staid look.  The grey pads on the chest straps bring out the detail on that feature that had been lost to a sea of black on other releases.  The multiple skin tones allowed for more diverse army building.  Though, Hasbro did do away with the differing eye and eyebrow colors for the caucasian members of the 2004 Infantry set.  

Truth be told, I don't much use the Night Watch figures any longer.  Not because they are bad.  It's just because there are better versions of the Cobra Trooper that were released by the factory custom makers in the ensuing years.  So, the uniqueness of the Night Watch is lost as there are lots of Cobra Troopers out there with multiple colors, additional painted details and camo pants.  And, the factory customs include the correct arms as well as the original rifle.  So, they offer all that made the Night Watch unique.  But, in getting these figures out for photos, I was reminded of their quality.  They seemed a bit odd at the time.  But, the details make for good figures.  But, because we were deprived of basics like Stinger Troopers in 2005, these Night Watch Troopers became victims of collector expectations.  We wanted them to be something they were not.  And, they were dropped because of this.  When taken for what the Night Watch is, the figures hold up much better.

The Night Watch Trooper's accessories are OK.  The Toys R Us six packs had devolved into a just including massive amounts of non-sensical gear for the figures.  The Night Watch brought back a bit of order to the weapons...even if it meant a decrease in quantity.  Each of the four Troopers includes the same black stand, black knife and black rifle.  Both the rifle and knife are JvC era designs.  But, they actually work with the older figure molds.  The knife is menacing.  It looks good and it's always nice to have extra bladed weapons lying around.  The rifle is also OK.  It's a rifle/grenade launcher combo that debuted a few years earlier.  It's compact for what it is.  The handle is a bit blocky, though, and would snap vintage thumbs.  The softer, more pliable plastic used in the 2000's releases, though, allows the Night Watch Trooper to hold it with no fear of breaking.  In fact, the greater issue is that the weapon stretches out the figure's hand so much that you have to push it back into place before he can hold the weapon again. 

This figure uses the same parts as the 2004 Comic Pack Cobra Trooper.  Supposedly, the change from the 2004 Toys R Us Infantry figure mold was due to Hasbro finding the original Officer and Trooper parts in a different factory.  The sad part is both the waist and arms are from the 1984 Roadblock.  I don't really mind the waist.  It does look a bit out of place.  But, it doesn't bother me to the extent that it does others.  The arms, though, are a different story.  Roadblock's arms were meant to be bare.  So, with painted sleeves, they look skinny.  I thought that Thunder's arms on the 2004 Troopers worked well.  But, these Roadblock arms are the weakest point of the Night Watch figures.  The original Cobra Trooper arms were iconic in that they included the piano wire that really gave you an idea of how bad they were.  Losing that detail (and all details) on the Night Watch figure made them appear more plain.

In looking back at the Direct To Consumer strategy, Hasbro was really ahead of their time.  In 2021, a series of collector themed toys sold via online dealers who cater to that constituency should be viable.  More than a few companies make it work.  But, in 2005, it was downright innovative.  We do have to account for the fact that that toys had already been designed and molds created.  So, Hasbro had a lot of sunk cost into their creation.  So, the proposition was less risky for them than it otherwise would have been.  The fact that DTC failed is both a function of the timing (2005 was a LONG time ago!) and the size of the Joe collecting world.  Joe collectors like to believe we exist in great numbers.  But, we don't.  And, we never have.  People point to large populations on various social media forms as proof of a large size.  But, those groups are mostly people who joined to ask a question (usually about value) and then never come back.  There's a few dozen to a few hundred really active people out there with an overall collecting community that's, maybe, 10% of the size of the Star Wars community.  In short, there aren't enough of us to sustain a line.  Even in 2021, that's true.  The Joe toys we see are geared towards people who collect scale: almost exclusively at retail.  If they flock to Joe, we'll get more of that product.  But, there aren't enough of us 3 3/4" collectors left to really support a toy line.  And, that's now been true for 15 years.

Like all of the 2000's era ARAH releases, the Night Watch sets have kind of dried up.  You can get boxed sets in the $80-$90 range.  And, dealers tend to sell a lot of loose, complete sets for similar amounts.  This appears to be a deal, though, since dealers will get up to $20 per figure for the individuals with many still reaching $16 on the open market.  It's a far cry from the days of these being $3 or $4 figures.  And, at current pricing, it's hard to justify these figures.  Most of the factory custom paint jobs of the Cobra Trooper are better.  And, they are around the same price.  The Night Watch is something different.  But, it lacks a true identity and it doesn't really mesh well with any existing Cobra units or vehicles.  If you can get them cheap, the bizarreness of their release is worthwhile.  But, at current pricing, there are a lot of better options out there for classic Cobra Troopers.