The Rankings - 1983 Original 13

Everybody loves rankings, right?  There's no better way to start a pointless argument than to rank items that hold unique, special places to each collector.  Once upon a time, I tried to write up a completely objective ranking of the original 13 Joe figures.  But, even with the stated goal of erasing childhood nostalgia from the equation, the list was pretty much my personal favorites with a few guys bumped up a spot or two.  So, why bother with any of that pretext?  Instead, I'm going with a straight ranking of my favorite figures: starting with the original 13.  I'm only using swivel arm versions as I don't collect straight arms.  And, I'll do the "new" 1983 figures some other time.  I'm not sure I'll get to every year because I'll get bored of it long before I would ever endeavor to slog through all the 1993 releases.  But, I'm going to start with the year that's sure to elicit some opinions.  

The thing is, there are no wrong opinions about these figures.  If Short Fuse holds dear, core memories for you, that's a story worth telling in the comments.  The point of this isn't to challenge your beliefs.  Instead, it's to memorialize mine and prompt a modicum of discussion.  So, on with the show....

#13 - Short Fuse

I just can't get into Short Fuse.  He was never a player in my collection.  He didn't have much of a characterization in the comic other than being an annoying hot head.  And, his weapon wasn't conducive to childhood play.  But, really, he's kind of boring.  His chests harness isn't the greatest design.  But, he's also in a green that's similar to other figures.  So, you don't really feel like you're getting anything special with this figure.  Zap is a better use of the mold.  Hawk is a better use of the head.  I know we had one when I was a kid.  But, mostly, I remember him from the fact that I noticed his mortar mold changed and it was also knocked off by, I think, Galoob for some of their action figure lines.  That's not much of a legacy.

#12 - Grunt

I'm not a Grunt fan.  Never have been.  I've always found him to be boring.  To be fair, I missed the silver knife on his chest...a feature that captivated me when we got a Tan Grunt in 1983.  But, I still see this guy as just a basic infantryman.  His M-16 never clicked with me, either.  It broke thumbs in 1982.  I did love his backpack.  I gave it to Clutch so I didn't waste it on Grunt.  There's not much too him and he lacks the skills to really set himself apart from his more specialized team mates.  At some point in late 1982 or early 1983, we buried a bunch of Joes behind some bricks that lined the stairs up the hill in our front yard.  I remember pulling a well worn Grunt and Stalker out of the space a few years later.  That's about the extent of his use.  He and Short Fuse remain my least used figures of the original series of Joes.

#11 - Hawk

Let's face two facts.  Visually, Grunt is a better figure than Hawk.  And, the debut figure of Joe's leader kind of sucks.  But, I give Hawk the edge over Grunt due to the silver trim dominating the figure.  It gives him a more commanding presence.  And, the over abundance of silver does give Hawk a defining look.  There's not much else going on here, though.  So, he ranks pretty low.  I snapped the thumb of my 1982 Hawk when I tried to give him a Battle Gear M-16.  After that, the character disappeared until the amazing 1986 upgrade came around.  Hawk looks good.  But, if I want to use Hawk, I'll almost never choose this figure.

#10 - Grand Slam

Grand Slam and Flash  share the same mold.  The darker green on Grand Slam is a definite downgrade over the brighter green that Flash uses.  As a kid, we only had a straight arm Grand Slam.  The Silver Pads version was my Grand Slam.  I used him as a derivative of Flash, though.  The lack of accessories drops Grand Slam down a bit.  But, this figure does get a lot more use from me now.  Mostly, that's due to the fact that Grand Slam has remained pretty obscure over the years.  And, he's a guy who holds a certain, undeserved reputation for being rarer than other figures.  This is a function of the Silver Pads version.  But, photos with this original Grand Slam tend to do well since people don't see him all that often.  I definitely use this guy more than this low ranking would suggest.

#09 - Breaker

Breaker was my first Joe.  It pains me to rank him this low.  But, Breaker kind of marks a point in the line where every figure from here on out is pretty strong.  I ended up ranking him lower because there's not a lot of paint on him and he lacks a firearm.  That's made up for by his strong accessories, though.  His communications headset might be my favorite single accessory from the original 13.  And, it was a staple of my Joe world: even long after Breaker had fallen apart.  He's a mainstay in my HQ: helming the computer console.  And, I even use him as the second passenger in the VAMP.  Breaker remains a nostalgic favorite.  And, his low rank is just indicative of how strong the first wave of Joes was.

#08 - Snake Eyes

Yeah, I get it.  The "all black" was a design choice.  But, it's also limiting on this figure.  And, the 1997 and later repaints that added just one or two paint applications showed that just a little bit of color would break this guy up and make for a better figure.  But, Snake Eyes also features some unique parts.  The bomb on his leg is a feature that's really ignored and speaks to the figure's intentions of being a commando instead of a super human ninja.  His gear was also pretty strong.  The Uzi is synonymous with Snake Eyes and remains a mainstay of the character to this day.  There is something about the all black appearance of the original design that is lost when you paint up some details.  But, were this figure not super popular and somewhat expensive, he'd have little reason to be used over the later repaints of this mold.

#07 - Zap

My youngest brother got a Zap when he went to visit my grandparents in early 1983.  Before the figure came home, both Zap's thumbs were broken.  So, Zap wasn't a part of our childhood collection.  But, he's a figure whose importance grew as an adult collector.  Very early on in my collecting journey, I got obsessed over Zap.  So, he was among the only early figures I sought out to add to my collection in 1999-2000.  He didn't disappoint.  His unique color and strong gear add up to a fun figure.  Were mine not suffering from a snapped o-ring and stuck back screw, I'd use him in photos much more often.  No later homage to this original Zap was able to live up to this original version. (Though, the Super Sonic Fighters Zap is among the better character upgrades Hasbro ever did.)  The swivel arm version remains expensive due to the ubiquity of snapped thumbs.  But, he's worth having around.

#06 - Steeler

If you were missing just one of the original 13 figures back in 1982 and 1983, it was probably Steeler.  Being the driver of the line's most expensive vehicle meant he was often absent from otherwise complete collections.  Steeler features a unique chest piece.  That alone makes him useful.  But, he's also a great match for the Mauler and Slugger, giving him some versatility among later vehicles that was often lacking from his contemporaries.  His binocular helmet attachment was neat and gave him more visual distinction.  And, he even included an Uzi, something also unique to him as a vehicle driver.  I use Steeler more than most of the other original 13 figures.  Though, that's also because I have a spare that's easily accessible.  But, he's deserving of his spot.

#05 - Scarlett

Scarlett's a tough one.  From a sheer design standpoint, she might be the second best figure in the original lineup.  Her sculpt is amazingly detailed.  And, that's often glossed over.  Her unique color really stood out among the sea of Green that was the original wave.  And, it allowed her to evolve with the line and remain complementary with figures that were released years later.  It's tough to find a Scarlett that hasn't discolored.  And, that really limits her.  And, the 2003 repaint of this mold was better.  Even the 1997 is strong, though, it's very different from the 1982 coloring.  So, her lower ranking here is a function of those later figures being more interesting than the first design.

#04 - Clutch

Clutch was my favorite Joe right from the get go.  His unique chest with the holstered pistol was a drawing point.  I gave him a visor, Stalker's gun and Grunt's backpack to make him the most badass fighter the Joes would ever see.  Years later, even a straight arm Clutch retained relevance in my collection because he was so well done.  He's at home when he's behind the wheel of any early Joe vehicle.  And, you can use him sans vehicle as well.  I still refer to this head sculpt as the "Clutch" head as I feel he owned the design the best and made it his own.

#03 - Stalker

Stalker stands out due to his cammo pattern.  It was a unique look among the original figures.  And, it gave him depth beyond the reuse of the standard grenade and knife torso.  His head also featured a sculpted head covering with his green beret.  It made the figure a quick favorite.  The prominence of the character in the comic helped hold him over and made Stalker among the more popular characters in the line.  Stalker had a ton of great character updates.  (I'll maintain the '89 Stalker is one of the best updates any character ever got.)  But, none of them treaded over this original version.  Even today, an original Stalker can intermingle with figures from all years and not look out of place.  I wish the Comic Pack versions had been better.  But, we have the 1997 figure, which might be even better than the 1983.  Any way you look at it, though, the combo of figure and character puts Stalker near the top.

#02 - Flash

Flash is the best designed figure of the original 13.  He features a nice shade of green on his base layer.  He is then accentuated by a brilliant red chest, leg and arm pads.  These give him a startling appearance among his peers.  Were that not enough, though, the entirety of the red is outlined by a silver trim.  All of these colors carry over to his back, too.  In short, the sculpting was miles ahead of what other toy lines were doing.  And, then, Hasbro gave us the real kicker: his accessories.  Flash got the standard helmet.  But, you really get the impression that the standard clear visor was actually designed for Flash first and then ported to other figures.  His backpack is an intricate mess of technology.  And, it all culminates in a laser rifle that can plug into the pack.  The combo of sculpting, color and gear makes Flash tough to beat.  In fact, he should be number 1.  But, he's beat out for one simple reason that you'll see next.

#01 - Rock and Roll

Rock and Roll isn't the best figure among the original 13.  But, he's the one I use the most.  Part of it is that his simplicity works for his specialty.  But, he also features a unique torso and an amazing weapon.  I happen like the character, too.  I remember Rock and Roll as the crazed madman from "Hot Potato" in the first issue of the comic.  But, he later became a bit more mellow.  And, this made him interesting.  He was supposed to be "replaced" by Roadblock.  But, he stayed on the team and remained an integral part of the story until the very end.  The gold bullets really make Rock and Roll stand out.  And, it gives him more bulk, even if he's the same size as the rest of his friends.  I use this figure constantly.  I bought a spare just so I could use him more often.  It happened to the mail away version, which was a nice surprise.  (Things like that used to happen all the time.)  So, Rock and Roll gets my top spot just because he's a guy who resonates with me and gets used all the time.  It's no more complicated than that.

So, there you have it.  That's my ranking of the first 13 G.I. Joe figures.  What are you thoughts?  The great theme of the Joe line is that was designed to appeal to every kid.  So, different parts grabbed then attention of different kids as the time.  I have plans to continue this series.  It won't be chronological.  But, you'll see them pop up and we can discuss some of the different years and how the figures stack up.

1983 Silver Pads Grand Slam - Around The Web

Silver Pads Grand Slam remains one of those figures who still carries an aura about him.  It's not an easy figure to find in mint condition.  And, while he's not the most important character in the Joe world, the figure transcends that and remains desirable.  As such, there's some decent content using the figure that's out there.  The striking colors and general rarity make for fun photos.  So, check them out!

Silver Pads Grand Slam Profile - 2000

Silver Pads Grand Slam Profile - 2023

1982 JUMP Profile

Silver Pads Grand Slam Mail Away Overstock

Silver Pads Grand Slam by 00zxcvb

Silver Pads Grand Slam by thedustinmccoy

Silver Pads Grand Slam by gen_liederkranz

Silver Pads Grand Slam by Night Force Tunnel Rat

Silver Pads Grand Slam by doksewage

Silver Pads Grand Slam by steelbrigade

Silver Pads Grand Slam by Night Force Tunnel Rat

Silver Pads Grand Slam by flatline54

Silver Pads Grand Slam by steelbrigade

Silver Pads Grand Slam by doksewage

Silver Pads Grand Slam by gijoe_guy

Silver Pads Grand Slam by steelbrigade

Silver Pads Grand Slam by still_a_big_kid

Silver Pads Grand Slam by evilface

Silver Pads Grand Slam by ftwten

Rarities - Mail Away 1983 Grand Slam, Hawk and Clutch

In the summer of 2001, a random seller posted a few bagged 1983 G.I. Joe figures who were packed with redback filecards.  They had a small stock of them.  They were offered at $5 and bought out instantly.  I managed to get a Clutch and Hawk, but missed out on the Grand Slam.  The seller said they had more.  But, due to the quick sell out, decided to do more research on the value of the items.  Within a few weeks, some additional bagged figures appeared.  They were higher priced, though still offered for sums that seem ridiculously cheap these days.  Some collectors bought a few.  But, mostly they sat around as the collecting world wasn't really interested in them.

Over the years, the supply of the figures never really dried up.  You could always find them.  But, there were never enough to really drop prices too far.  For a very long time, you could get the bagged versions for about the same price as a loose, mint and complete figure of the same character.  Grand Slam was usually higher priced, though, as he included the filecard from the Silver Pads Grand Slam.  And, in those early days, many collectors didn't make a distinction between the redback versions of filecards or those cut from a box.  

The reason for this is that a ton of overstock of these figures have been found.  You'll even see a "barn" find where entire cases of the figures were discovered and put into the collecting community.  During the years close to the finds, the figures would get cheap.  Now, they have gotten more expensive.  While there are plenty of them out there, they are still more scarce than standard loose figures.  And, many collectors in the early days simply opened the bags up because it was a cheaper option to get high quality vehicle drivers.

The most interesting aspect of the figures is that you get a red Grand Slam with a Silver Pads Grand Slam filecard.  The photo for the Silver Pads figure was all new and created as a JUMP exclusive when the figure was added in 1983.  So, it's not like they destroyed the original artwork.  So, the appearance of the Silver Pads art is weird.  But, it's likely that Hasbro had it more ready to go since it was newer.  As collectability goes, this filecard is the most noteworthy just because it has the juxtaposition of figure and artwork.

The reality is that these three figures are not rare.  There are tons of them out there due to the various finds over the years.  People still pay premiums for them.  But, usually, the prices for these three figures remain far below bagged samples of other 1983 mail away and catalog figures.  So, at least there's no inequity there.  Once upon a time, it was easier and about the same price to simply buy one of these bagged figures and open it to get a mint and complete with filecard figure of the three included in the set.  That's no longer the case.  

1983 Silver Pads Grand Slam

Grand Slam was among the first repaints in the vintage Joe line.  In 1983, he, Grunt and the Cobra Trooper all got the repaint treatment.  Grunt and the newly named Viper Pilot were given prominent places as the pilots for the well hyped Joe gliders.  Those toys were garbage, though.  And, the figures remain the only good thing about them.  Grand Slam, though, had less fanfare.  Instead of getting an all new toy to call his own, Grand Slam was packaged with the JUMP.  It's likely that the excellent jet pack hadn't been perceived as a great value by the parents of 1982.  So, Hasbro decided to start including a figure to entice more people to buy it. In the 1983 catalog, the silver Grand Slam appears with no special indication that he's a new addition to an old toy.  40 years later, JUMPs remain common and attainable.  But, the Silver Pads Grand Slam has become a collector prized figure and taken on a bit of rarified air.

I would have sworn to you for many years that this figure was a 1984 release.  I had him listed as 1984 on my original profile for a long time.  This is simply due to the fact that my discovery of this Grand Slam occurred in 1984.  The local Service Merchandise store had a small section in the back where they kept smaller toys that didn't make sense to store in the display cases.  This section was mostly figures.  But, there were some small vehicles, too.  Among them was the JUMP with this newly colored Grand Slam.  This Service Merchandise was the only place I recall seeing this new Grand Slam coloring.  And, as no one else had the the silver figure, I desperately wanted the JUMP.  Each time we went to the store, I'd go back to that aisle and wait for my parents.  Inevitably, they'd find me with the JUMP box in my hands, hoping I'd get one for my birthday in 1984.  

On the big day, my parents came through.  Along with the Whale, I got a Silver Pads Grand Slam and JUMP.  Also, for that birthday, I got a new Stormshadow (my brother's from just two months earlier had already lost or broken most of the accessories) and a straight arm Scarlett figure.  I spent the afternoon and evening playing with the new Joes with all my friends, eating pizza and then watching Beverly Hills Cop.  Which, somehow my dad managed to rent without my mother's objections.  It all wrapped into a perfect day and forever associated this Grand Slam with great memories and feelings.

That alone was enough to keep Grand Slam around.  The only red pads figure we owned was an old straight arm from a HAL my brother got for his birthday in October of 1982.  So, the character seemed new.  And, armed with the jet pack, Grand Slam was a powerful force.  Through 1985, Grand Slam remained one of my favored figures and he even held his own as the class of 1985 slowly joined my collection.  At some point in 1986, a swivel arm Flash entered into our collection.  I'm not sure where he came from.  But, it was a nice figure.  For Christmas that year, my brother got the Dreadnok Air Assault set from Sears.  Not being a Dreadnok fan, though, I kept the Skyhawk as a Joe vehicle.  It became a new branch of the Joe team.  Prior to this, air power hadn't been a big part of my play pattern.  Really, a well timed airstrike or Dragonfly arrival would completely upend the adventure as air superiority was too much for Cobra to overcome.  But, the real reason was that airplanes were hard to play with.  Smaller aircraft were OK.  But, the larger toys looked great while being too large and bulky to really use in a detailed play scenario.  

I needed a pilot for this new Skyhawk.  But, I had few choices available.  I tried some figures who had sculpted helmets.  But, they could rarely fit into the vehicle.  I then had an idea.  Grand Slam, with his more unique silver colors would become the pilots of the Skyhawks (yes, the figure became an army builder) while Flash would become the more common land soldier who supplemented the new force.  In short, this worked fantastically.  The Flash figure's would invade on land while Grand Slam would fly in the air.  I would give Grand Slam either Ripcord or Lifeline's air mask, to make him more pilot-like.  Grand Slam might save the day.  He might die in battle.  In many cases, divers had to rescue Grand Slam from deep under the water where he was trapped in the cockpit of his aircraft.  Sometimes he lived and sometimes he didn't.  But, through the end of 1987, these two figures were among the most used toys in my bedroom.  

When I put my Joes away for good in 1988, Grand Slam and Flash were carefully wrapped in plastic bags and tucked away inside a red Lego container that I hid in the back of my closet.  My youngest brother, of course, would find it and remove figures when I wasn't around.  But, he was after newer toys and left the Grand Slam and Flash intact.  As an adult collector, I found that Grand Slam.  He was relatively worn and, at some point, I had replaced his crotch with that from a 1982 red Grand Slam figure.  But, he was still there.  With my memories intact, I made a high quality Silver Pads Grand Slam a key acquisition as a collector.  And, I was fortunate in that as the figure has become far too expensive for a vanity purchase these days.

Silver Pads Grand Slam figures were only available with the JUMP.  In one of the weird anomalies of the early Joe line, though, there was a three pack of Hawk, Clutch and Red Pads Grand Slam figures that were available in bags.  The Grand Slams, though, all include the Silver Pads Grand Slam filecard.  But, the figures are all red pads variants.  In an other really fun oddity, Hasbro actually factory overpainted some red pads figures with the silver paint.  As such, you'll see some Silver Grand Slams that have red paint peeking out from behind the silver.  Many people quickly out these as fakes.  But, some are legitimate products of the Hasbro factories that were trying to save money on overstock figures.

While Flash was released around the world, Grand Slam only appeared in the US.  It's likely that his parts were shipped off to make Grunts and Flashes all around the globe.  But, poor Grand Slam never saw release outside of Hasbro.  Even the comic, which made a point to showcase all of the early Joe team, ignored Grand Slam.  He got one great moment kicking Major Bludd through a bus window in issue #17.  But, that was about it other than making fun of Short-Fuse's name in #22.  Grand Slam didn't return as a character until Hasbro dusted him off in the late 2000's as part of the DTC line.  While Grand Slam figures tend to command a premium due to his reduced release area, the character is pretty much forgotten and has little influence in the Joe world.

So, this figure is pricey.  Nice, mint and complete figures will run at least $100.  Some of them with JUMP packs will even get to $150.  Dealers get the higher amount all the time.  For a figure that's "rare", though, there's actually quite a few Silver Pads Grand Slams out there.  So, it's not hard to get one.  But, you'll pay for it since perception outweighs reality for many old Joe releases these days.  As the silver paint wears easily, though, finding mint specimens is getting harder and harder.  And, my desire to showcase the figure in outdoor photos also diminishes as replacement figures become more and more expensive.  The upside to Grand Slam is that he has a figure that's found a collector afterlife.  But, the fact that it's due to rarity and price instead of quality is kind of a bummer.  Each collector will find different value in owning Grand Slam.  For me, the childhood connection makes this silver version a must own.  But, at the same time, did I not have the memories of the figure, the red pads version would be just fine for me.  

1982 JUMP Jet Pack

My Joe experience in 1982 began in October.  In that time, my brother and I managed to acquire pretty much all of the Joe toys released with few exceptions.  The MOBAT was the most glaring since it was the flagship vehicle of the time and included an exclusive figure.  One of the other missing items, though, was the JUMP Jet Pack.  I'm not sure why this playset was absent.  We had multiple FLAKs, VAMPs and duplicate figures from birthday and Christmas gifts.  But, for some reason, the JUMP never showed up.  But, since it didn't include a figure and Cobra didn't have any airborne vehicles, the missing jet pack never really crossed my mind.

If you flash forward to 1984, the JUMP was still somewhat out of mind.  There were enough new items in 1983 and 1984 to completely occupy me.  But, at a local Service Merchandise store, I found something of which I wasn't aware: a JUMP with an exclusive Grand Slam figure, only colored in silver instead of red.  It was this figure that got me interested in that version of the JUMP.  Not, necessarily, for the playset, but for the Grand Slam.  Even then, I had an interest in obscure Joes that were not part of the collections belonging to any of my friends.  I looked over this JUMP and Grand Slam combo for several months.  There were times when I had the money to buy it, but just didn't pull the trigger as I was saving for something else.  My parents, though, must have seen me staring at the toy.  And, for my birthday in 1984, I received the JUMP and Grand Slam.

That 1984 birthday was probably my favorite from childhood.  It was unseasonably warm that day and my friends and I were able to play outside well into the evening.  Once it was dark, we moved inside where we had an epic battle using my new JUMP, WHALE, Scarlett and Stormshadow figures.  This was my introduction to the JUMP and instantly locked the playset into one of those associative memories where looking at the toy simply brought back feelings of happiness and joy that were imprinted during that first day of ownership.

For me, the JUMP playset features two main components.  The first is the launchpad.  It's just a platform, but works very well for its purpose.  The second component is the one that mattered to me: the actual jetpack.  The jetpack plugs into a figure like a normal figure backpack and is interchangeable with any vintage Joe.  This little piece, though, was the crux of the toy.  With it, any Joe could not "plausibly" fly.  That was a huge play element.  I had adventures where the JUMP was used to spot the enemy from miles away, as an escape for a desperate messenger who had to relay Cobra operations and as an attack mechanism which Cobra was hard pressed to repel.  In short, it brought a new dimension to every figure and didn't require flight to be confined in an expensive and bulky vehicle.

The jetpack was a key accessory for me.  For a while, the jetpack served as an emergency escape device for top Joe commanders.  It would be on a vehicle or in a base and strapped to Hawk should Cobra over run the base so that he could escape to fight another day.  Over the years, I developed a nameless, faceless legion of jetpack troopers.  It was represented by various figures through my childhood.  Most famously, though, the jetpack became the domain of Maverick and he then represented these crazy jetpack jockeys until I stopped collecting. 

While most of the 1982 vehicles would make their way around the world, the JUMP did not.  This is odd as it's the only 1982 vehicle that did not have a non-Hasbro made international release.  The jet pack did appear as an accessory in the European Action Force line.  This red colored pack is fairly obscure and a cool find.  But, the red doesn't really match any Cobra colors.  But, it can work with the Action Force Joe repaints of the time.  The JUMP was available as a mail in until around 1985.  And, we all know the jet pack would appear around 1987 with the mail away Starduster figure and would continue to be released with that character until at least 1993.  This could explain why the playset never appeared anywhere else since Hasbro never really took the actual jet pack out of production.

What's more odd, though, is that Hasbro didn't re-use the mold in the 2000's.  Despite the jet pack being a collector favorite and Hasbro having the mold, they never bothered with including it with any figures from that era of toys.  It's a shame as even one or two jet packs could have turned mediocre releases into something awesome.  In 2007, the jet pack, blaster and cord made their final appearance as accessories to a convention release of Starduster and Grand Slam.  The club tried to release the entire JUMP set.  But, the mold was damaged.  A few "feet" from the set were available at the 2007 convention as leftover pieces, reminding collectors of what could have been.  In the anniversary era, though, the jet pack was redone and has appeared many times, proving what a solid accessory it is.  In 2017, factory custom makers introduced the jet pack, blaster and hose in various colors as part of their Starduster repaints.  You can now find the jet pack in blue, red, white, chrome and other colors to augment your armies.

JUMPs are weird to price.  Because the set included a "rare" Grand Slam figure, there are people who believe the whole set is rare.  So, you'll see mint and complete with blueprints sets sell in the $50 range with an alarming frequency.  At the same time, you can get a perfect pad, pack, computer and gun for about $10 far more easily.  Even if you want a complete with blueprints set, you can find them regularly in the $20 range.  So, for such a popular item, you can still get the JUMP for decent prices and even pick up a few spares to have sitting around.  This is a great thing since the JUMP is a cool toy that works well in dioramas and individual scenes.  It's a rare piece that allows you to display a couple of figures in a small footprint and always looks cool doing so.

1983 Grand Slam - Around the Web

Grand Slam may be the most obscure Joe of the original 13.  He didn't get a lot of play in the early comics and didn't get much characterization until he kicked Major Bludd through the windshield of a bus nearly a year and a half after Joe debuted on the newstand.  He's a figure, though, that collectors have warmed to over the years.  Much of this is due to the fact that his silver pads version is considered a relatively rare figure.

I was able to find a decent amount of Grand Slam content out there.  It seems his obscurity in early Joe media has allowed to take on more life in the ensuing 35 years.  Here's the best of Grand Slam from around the web.

Silver Pads Grand Slam Profile

Red Pads Grand Slam Profile

Grand Slam Dio 1

Grand Slam Video Review

Grand Slam Dio 2

Grand Slam at JoeADay.com

Grand Slam Dio 3

Grand Slam at 3DJoes.com

Grand Slam Dio 4

Grand Slam Dio 5

Grand Slam at Comic Vine

Grand Slam Dio 6

Diorama - Red Jackal's Negotiations

Red Jackal negotiates the release of some Cobra Elite Troopers.  Hawk is not pleased and fears this Red Jackal person will become a thorn in the fledgling G.I. Joe Team's side.

2007 Convention Exclusive Grand Slam

Of all the convention sets that Master Collector has released, I hold the 2007 version in the highest regard. Sure, there are individual figures in other sets that are better than pretty much all the figures in 2007. But, as a whole, the set delivered across the board. What really enhanced the set, though, was the convention attendee figures. In years prior, the attendee figures had been OK, but nothing that set the collecting world on fire. That changed in 2007 with the release of Steeler/Rip It and Grand Slam/Starduster. These 4 figures helped fill out the set and filled many gaps in the remakes of the vintage figures.

The Grand Slam figure is nothing short of excellent. Using obscure parts and colored in the traditional silver with a base green that is a cross between vintage olive drab and Action Force Green, the figure is an excellent example of what could have been done with the multitude of vintage molds that were available to Hasbro during the early to mid 2000's. The figure is a great update to the Grand Slam character using more modern parts, but is still in line with the character's original appearance. He is the perfect update and an exemplary showcase of how the entire repaint era should have been approached.

The accessories for this figure were excellent. Aside from the jet pack, the figure included a flame plume that was originally molded for a Boba Fett figure in the early 2000's. It turns out, this item fit into the holes sculpted onto the JUMP almost two decades earlier. So, it was a logical fit for this figure set. Grand Slam also included a recolored helmet from the 2006 Lady Jaye figure. It is an acceptable choice for flight gear. But, the fit is only so-so. It's a small issue, though, as the general appearance of the figure makes up for any shortcomings and the appearance of the JUMP was a tremendously welcome surprise for the collecting world.

For many collectors, the 2007 convention set was the swan song for the ARAH style Joes. (Sure, Master Collector came out with ARAH sytle sets in 2008 and 2010, but this set seemed to be a celebration of the end when it was debuted.) The Anniversary figures were showing up at retail and bringing in a large contingent of modern toy collectors who had only a slight connection to Joe. The result was a drastic change in the collecting community...much moreso than even the dichotomy that erupted in 2002 over the JvC style figures. For that reason, the 2007 Con set has held a place of importance in my collection. It marked the last real time that collecting was about my generation and the type of figures that I enjoyed. After this, Hasbro was basically only interested in the new breed of collector and we dinosaurs were left behind.

The 2007 Jet Pack Troopers quickly became insanely popular on the aftermarket.  Within a week of the convention, the figures were selling as high as $150 each!.  In time, those prices dropped to around $100 or so.  They stay around that level, with some occasional dips, due to the low supply and high demand for Grand Slam and Starduster. These days, the figures are very difficult to find and do not appear with much frequency on the market. If you time your purchase right, you can get deals. But, the general scarcity and still high collector interest in these figures has left them very expensive to acquire. Had I not gotten a set during the days of the Convention in 2007, it's unlikely that I would have ever owned them. As a $35 figure, Grand Slam is pretty cool and worthy of acquisition. As a $85 figure, he is much less so. But, this is a both a character and figure that didn't get much due from Hasbro and having a high quality version is nice. It's a shame that these guys weren't offered to a broader audience for cheaper prices, though.

1983 Grand Slam

Most of the original Joes got solid character development in the comic.  When you have 10 issues and 13 characters, that tends to happen.  Grand Slam, though, was a notable exception. He was relatively forgotten in the comic until issue #17 when he got to kick in Major Bludd's face after Bludd had taken hostages on a bus. It was a solid appearance for a character who then continued to fade into obscurity. The figure of Grand Slam, though, is well done and is not deserving of this characterizational slight.

As a mold, Grand Slam is nothing more than Flash with Grunt's head. The base plastic is a darker green than that on Flash and the red is a deeper hue as well. There are no more differences than that. Had a figure come out in 1987 with this much similarity to another, regularly carded figure, it would have been decried by collectors. But, being an original member of the Joe team and being introduced in the line's inaugural year gives Grand Slam the leeway for collectors to enjoy him despite his similarities to his team mate. The fact that the mold is probably the most detailed body mold in the original lineup doesn't hurt, though.

In the fall of 1982, my brother got tons of G.I. Joe toys for his birthday. Among them were multiple HAL's. His best friend's mother realized this and snatched one up before it got opened in the present frenzy. She then exchanged it for a VAMP so my brother had the laser cannon and the jeep that towed it. As I looked at my brother's toy haul, the HAL didn't excite me. I wanted to like it. I was a huge Star Wars fan and anything that was remotely like the gun stations on the Death Star was a toy idea that intrigued me. But, the HAL disappointed. It looked cool. But, it wasn't that much fun to play with. Grand Slam looked good sitting the command chair. But, the toy just wasn't that much fun since my understanding of lasers prevented me from seeing the HAL as anything other than a weapon of extremely limited use. (Especially since there were no Cobra aircraft in 1982.) It was the VAMP that really attracted my attention. So much so that I got my own VAMP for Christmas that year. I did, though, take the visor from Grand Slam and give it to Clutch so that I had my first decked out figure of Clutch with the visor, Stalker's gun and Grunt's backpack.

As an adult, though, the HAL has grown on me. It is a remarkably detailed toy that I can better appreciate. The practicality of it as a weapon is still debatable. But, the sculpting and design are iconic parts of the Joe line. The fact that the mold for it was used the world over also makes it a fun part of international Joe collecting. Having a HAL, though, requires Grand Slam. Like all of the original vehicles, the HAL and it's operator are forever linked. I simply can't see one without the other. This is Grand Slam's role in my collection. He operates his heavy weapon and rides shotgun in the VAMP from time to time.

Most collectors, though, associate Grand Slam with a different specialty than just the HAL operator. In 1984, in an effort to boost sagging sales of the JUMP jet pack, Hasbro offered a new Grand Slam repaint as part of the set. This silver pads version is one of the harder to find vintage figures and a more diverse version of Grand Slam. It is also the only swivel arm version of the character I had in my childhood collection. It was this version that defined Grand Slam to me. But, in lieu of being the sole user of the JUMP, the figure was also a pilot. He found his greatest use outfitted with Lifeline's airmask at the helm of the Dreadnok Skyhawk. Here, Grand Slam saw use for many years. He was both a specialized character and a nameless army building pilot. In either role, though, the figure got more use than he ever would have seen from just the HAL. Even today, I see this red pads Grand Slam as more of a jet pack trooper. I have a spare JUMP set to outfit the figure and he sits in his drawer with the other 1983 swivel arm figures with a jetpack, cable and gun from the JUMP, just like his silver padded brother.

Grand Slam only appeared in the U.S. with the 1982 straight arm figure, the 1983 swivel arm figure and the 1984 silver pads version that was available with the JUMP jet pack.  After that, the figure and character disappeared until the modern lines. It's possible that his mold was simply lost when Hasbro exported Flash around the world. But, the complete disappearance of the characters was the bigger mystery. Grand Slam could have easily been brought back in one of the more science fiction themed subsets of the 1990's. As he was not, though, collectors are really left with just his original versions and there are no odd continuity gaps that require convoluted plot devices to slot the character as a astronaut, monster hunter or ecological protector.

Grand Slam figures tend to be expensive.  Mint and complete with filecard versions run in the $18 range.  You can get them cheaper from time to time.  But, Grand Slam tends to be rather popular and you see the pricing reflect that.  As a figure, though, Grand Slam is as essential as the rest of the original 13 characters. Within the context of his original release year, he is imperative. But, even taken as part of the greater vintage line as a whole, Grand Slam is essential. He is a figure and character that are a bit of a blank slate, but who fills an important specialty. My collection would not be complete without the two early Grand Slam figures. Despite the lack of attention paid the character in Joe media, many collectors feel the same.

1983 Silver Pads Grand Slam

When the JUMP jet pack came out in 1982, it was pretty cool, but didn't come with a figure. Many people bought it, but many more, like me, passed on it for whatever reason. In 1983, they re-released the JUMP. This time it included a figure. This figure, known as Silver Pads Grand Slam, was a repaint of the Grand Slam figure that had come with the HAL laser cannon. I don't think this re-release saw a great distribution. I wanted one, but only found them at a Service Merchandise. In late 1984, I got this jet pack for my birthday. (My infamous 11th birthday where in a two week span I got this, Major Bludd, the Whale, Stormshadow, and all three Dreadnoks. I still remember the monumental battle my friends and I had at the party.) This figure immediately went into my heavy play rotation. I liked him because no one else had him. Whenever I would play with the neighbors, they would always have the same figures and we would argue over who would get to use whose figures. Since this was the only version of the Silver Pads Grand Slam, I didn't have to worry about unnecessary hassles with him.

This guy made the successful transition from Jet Pack trooper to pilot. I used him as the pilot of the Dreadnok version of the Sky Hawk. I gave him his visor, Lifeline's air mask, and Snow Job's gun. He was one of my favorite pilot figures and he occupied the cockpit of that Dreadnok Sky Hawk until it met it's untimely demise in the clutches of my youngest brother. You can see by the condition of this figure that he got extensive use for many years. He was one of only three or four of the original mold Joes who were able to survive in my play rotation for many years. Again, though, it was what I had done with the figure rather than the figure itself that kept it interesting. My pilot armada was shot down a thousand times by Cobra Hydrofoils, ASPs, Hisses, and troopers. I made him a faceless minion who sometimes saved the day, and other times was the innocent victim of a new Cobra weapon. It was that versatility that kept him in my collection and allowed him to survive until today.

The Silver Pads Grand Slam is an easy custom figure. He's really not all that exciting. I think that has helped keep his popularity down. All you need is an original Grand Slam and a bottle of silver paint and you've got one of these guys. Since he is so unglamourous, most people don't pay attention to him. He isn't the type of figure that makes you automatically want him, but he is one of those guys that helped keep a great line going. With some of the less popular figures, Hasbro was able to keep cool toys on the shelves. I was able to get this guy just before he disappeared because he wasn't all that cool of a figure. Had it not been for that, I would have missed out on the jet pack, which was one of the better accessories they release early on. Anyways, I've lost my train of thought and since no one is reading , I'm just going to bail out here.

This guy is kind of tough to find. When they do appear, they can get pricey. Many people consider him complete with only his helmet and visor. Since those accessories are rather interchangeable among many original joes, he isn't too tough to find complete. I've seen this guy go for a mint, and escape for a song. He is getting more popular though, as the dealers seem to be moving into Joe territory. At least they will all take a bath before they realize that joe collectors don't dig variations and none of the figures are truly rare. Save the .0000 vs. .0001 crap for the Star Wars fans. Anyways, this guy is pretty cool. If you get a chance to pick one up, you should take it. This is one of those guys that doesn't seem to turn up unless he is offered by himself. Not many people bought another JUMP just to get a repainted figure. As such, we are left with another of those little known figures that aren't all that popular but make excellent additions to any collection.
You can view this guy's filecard here.

I'm not after any more of this guy, at least not yet. If you have any figures of a great nostalgic value and you would never part with them, email me.