2002 Mirage - Random Photos of the Day

Hasbro got Mirage happy between 2002 and 2005.  In that short time, they released no less than 4 repaints of the obscure 1993 Mega Marine.  The thing is, all of them were pretty decent.  While the repaint still didn't fully accentuate Mirage's details, they did bring a more muted paint scheme to the mold.  Unfortunately, collectors quickly tired of Mirage.  Not only was it because of the multiple uses in such a short time span, but also, Hasbro made the mistake of packaging the first two repaints with Viper repaints.  As this was the height of the army building era, collectors quickly amassed dozens of Mirage figures.

And, with that, a once acceptable character from the '90's quickly became a collector nightmare.  And, the repaint era releases were quickly disregarded and tossed into boxes or custom fodder bags in frustration.  More than 20 years later, the figure still doesn't really have any cachet.  You don't see any  of the modern versions used very often since old habits die hard and few collectors who were around in the Mirage heyday still consider him a useful figure to have around.

This is too bad, though, as the all the Mirage figures are a nice and cool way to update the Mega Marines.  Personally, I think the 2003 Hoverstrike figure is the best version of Mirage.  But, this 2002 version that was first released in Wave 1.5 in the early summer of 2002 is also really nice.  So, enjoy some random photos as you stroll down memory lane to a time when Hasbro was really pumping out the figures at retail.

Rarities - 2002 "Albino" Nunchuk Pre-Production Variant

Hasbro often took their time getting skin tones correct.  In the early 2000's, it was common to find slight skin tone variations in pre-production figures versus their production counterparts.  In a few instances, there were even production variants in relation to skin tone.  Below, though, is a pretty drastic alternative to the production version of the 2002 Nunchuk figure.  The figure on the left is a much whiter skin tone.  Hasbro actually produced the more tanned version.  In the scheme of pre-production variants, this isn't all that spectacular.  But, it shows some insight into the production process and how Hasbro sometimes struggled with getting figures exactly right.

Figures like this pre-production Nunchuk were quite common in the mid 2000's.  You could not only find individual samples on Ebay, but also buy large lots of them in bulk from Asia.  Sometimes, you'd get mostly production level figures.  Sometimes, you'd get oddballs like this Nunchuk.  And, sometimes, you'd get some completely alternate paint job figures.  While these lots have dried up, the pre production pieces for figures in the JvC style have not found the stratospheric prices reserved for pre-production ARAH style figures from the 2000's.  So, if you can find them, they can still be somewhat affordable. 

2002 Big Ben - Wave 2

In 2002, Hasbro had a massive plan to bring G.I. Joe back to retail.  The figures were re-designed into a more modern aesthetic and were given a marketing overhaul to usher in a third generation of kids to the G.I. Joe mythos.  But, on the way to glory and riches, Hasbro hit a little snag.  It turns out that a vocal group of adult collectors were not 100% on board with the new direction the figures were taking.  At the time, companies still didn't know how to properly gauge internet outrage.  But, they were wary of it.  And, a few Star Wars missteps had given Hasbro a blueprint on how to handle adult collectors.  So, interspersed among the new figure styles were a smattering of repainted vintage Joe figures.  These repaints helped lower the costs of the retail line while keeping collectors engaged.  However, you could easily argue the efficacy of their efforts as the repaints quickly turned into repetitive figure releases done in oddball colors.  One figure that best showcases the blending of old paint mask costs versus the blase design was the 2002 Big Ben.

Big Ben was released twice in 2002.  (Which made less sense when you realize that Big Ben/Whiteout 2 packs from the early 2001 figure waves were still collecting dust at stores around the U.S. and Canada.)  The first release was a very solid tan and green design who meshed well with General Tomahawk and Sure Fire from the Wave 1.5 releases.  This wave was a bone thrown to vintage Joe collectors to sate their appetite for classic molds while also buying Hasbro time to update the sculpting on the Wave 2 "new sculpt" figures to now include the iconic o-ring.  The wave was well done, but massively overproduced.  Even the two highly desired army builders were abundantly available.  The second Big Ben, though, was included as a shortpack in the Wave 2 cases.  Again, Big Ben, Alley Viper, Mirage and the Cobra Viper were perks for long time vintage Joe collectors.  Collectors were given new army builder repaints while also getting updated paint jobs on some solid Joe molds.  The second Big Ben, though, featured an odd color scheme that makes him stand out in both good and bad ways.

This figure uses some of the same colors and paint masks as the Wave 1.5 figure.  The greens are compatible (which actually helps if you army built both figures) and the bullets feature a rich golden color that's better offset by a black bandolier.  Big Ben's head, though, is one solid color.  If you mix and match heads, you can get some more interesting combos of Big Ben.  But, both 2002 releases feature paint masks missing on the other.  It's kind of weird.  His pants are a fairly ugly brown.  But, they don't really clash with the blue coat.  So, it kind or works.  Big Ben's hands are meant to be gloved.  And, all the releases prior to 2002 featured gloved hands.  Hasbro went with flesh hands on both 2002 releases and it doesn't really work.

What do you do with a figure who's primary color is baby blue?  Big Ben's arctic type design works in his favor in regards to the color choice.  There is a surplus of blue ice in many arctic environments.  So, Big Ben could blend into the background in locations like that.  Otherwise, the color is one of many in the history of the Joe line that make little sense but are kind of fun to look at.  But, that's the reason I like him.  The early 2000's vintage Joe repaints were heavy on green and brown and all kind of blended together.  A figure like this Big Ben stood out for how different it was.  Sure, that difference means it's completely forgotten today.  But, it also broke up otherwise banal releases of that era.  The vintage Joe line was a panoply of color.  Many collectors choose to not remember it that way.  But, looking at carded figures arranged by year proves that figures like this Big Ben were the norm from the beginning.

The soft plastic used on the early 2000's era Joes is turning out to be somewhat problematic.  Many figures from this era, even properly stored, are starting to discolor.  Whites are starting to tinge yellow.  (Star Wars figures from that time used similar plastic and Stormtroopers and Clones from that time are starting to drastically yellow.  It's sad to see mighty Imperial armies fade away due to shoddy materials.)  But, light blues are proving to be especially hard hit.  Figures like the Comic Pack Scarlett, Scrap Iron and Thrasher all discolor with slight provocation.  And, collectors are starting to find that even figs packed away in dry basements are starting to turn.  This Big Ben uses the same colors and you see many samples where fading has already kicked in.  It's probably inevitable that these figures will turn in time.  You can only take measures to postpone the degradation.  But, you see lots of Big Bens where the arms or chest are losing their original color and it's only going to get worse.

The 2002 Big Ben figures include the same gear.  But, the colors are slightly different.  This blue Big Ben includes his classic rifle, satchel and two grenades.  Hasbro included a bonus Snow Job rifle with the figure to make up for the missing bi-pod and backpack.  The absence of the pack is a nuisance.  But, the Gift Set Dial Tone from the same year (and Recondo that was released in 2003) both include black versions of the original Big Ben pack that work perfectly with this blue release.  It should be noted that Big Ben's weapons and grenades are a unique, graphite color.  They have a bit of a sheen to them that makes them distinct.  (This color was used on the weapons included with the Alley Viper, Viper and Mirage, too.)  Black versions of Big Ben's gear are more common and many collectors who tossed gear into bins during this era are likely to think the two Big Ben's have the same weapons.  So, when buying this Big Ben, be sure to confirm the weapon color to ensure you're getting the correct versions.

This Big Ben figure was only packed one per case in Wave 2 of the 2002 G.I. Joe vs. Cobra line.  Despite the shortpacking and his inclusion with an all powerful army builder, this figure was fairly easy to find.  G.I. Joe had a huge retail push in 2002 and stores received plenty of cases.  Brisk sales also ensured that stock was replenished.  I was still finding this figure at retail into the early months of 2003.  But, the shortpacking has somewhat caught up with this figure and you do not see him with anywhere near the frequency that you can find his far more common Wave 1.5 brethren.  But, since this is a very undesirable look for the character, you can still get mint and complete with filecard versions for $4 - $6.  In this day of stupid Joe prices, that's a relative bargain.  But, better Big Ben figures are just as cheap.  So, outside of the oddity of this figure's color scheme, there's no real reason to track him down.  But, I'm a sucker for $4 Joes.  So, that alone makes him a worthwhile pick up.

2006 Joseph Colton - Viper Lockdown

Once the anniversary figures were released in 2007, the JvC era of G.I. Joe came to an end.  I define this period (generally) as 2002 through 2006 and it's also described as the "New Sculpt" era.  But, truth be told, the figures that Hasbro produced in 2006 were far cries from those who debuted in 2002.  The abandoned o-ring returned quickly.  But, the general figure proportions got better and the figures slimmed down.  Really, a 2002 figure is as far from a 2006 figure as a 2006 figure is from an anniversary figure that debuted in 2007.  The JvC line is full of good work, though.  It had innovative character designs, gear that could interact with the figure and a solid line up of classic characters and new recruits.  It's been a long time since I've looked at a figure from that era.  But, this Joseph Colton shows the evolution of that time that ultimately lead to the anniversary sculpt figures we still see today.

One of the things that the JvC era did well was they went easy on the vintage homages and reinterpreted characters in new ways.  In some instances, the figures were duds.  But, in others, the new takes were fun and interesting.  (I'm looking at you, Disco Destro!)  This take on Joseph Colton firmly falls into the latter category.  This isn't the Joe Colton we know.  But, it's not a radical departure for the character.  It's a fun toy, which is something that hearkens back to Joe's roots and was abandoned in the movie era.  Of course, being released in the DTC series, few kids actually had a chance to find him...until Hasbro dumped their unsold overstock on Toys R Us.  But, Hasbro at least tried.  I've long maintained that had Hasbro given the same level of thought to their vintage repaints of the 2000's as they did the JvC line, the vintage line would have continued at retail: long after the JvC stuff died out.

When the JvC era debuted, I was a willing and enthusiastic participant.  It was nice to get Joes at retail, again.  But, I was also blind in my support for anything Joe: naively thinking that support would lead to better things.  I religiously bought everything through 2003.  But, as 2004 dawned, I found my interest in the new sculpts diminishing.  I found that I rarely used them and always took out my vintage style Joes for photos.  As the 2004 continued, it became harder and harder to be a completist of the line.  Tons of retailer exclusives started popping up: often reissuing many existing figures along with one or two new figures.  I discovered that the effort of collecting the line wasn't worth the joy it brought to me.  So, I stopped collecting JvC.  And, with that, I lost any interest in a Joe figure that wasn't vintage style.  (You'll note that I profiled JvC figures throughout 2003.  But, in 2004, my new release focus shifted almost entirely to ARAH style releases.)

Over the years, I sold or traded off my entire collection.  This proved fortuitous as it allowed me to partake in the first batches of factory custom figures which are now much more expensive and hard to find than anything from the JvC era.  And, I've never regretted it.  That's the piece that's so odd to me.  I've long regretted selling or trading off vintage pieces.  But, I don't miss the JvC stuff at all.  I haven't had any in a decade, now, and I don't even have nostalgia for the era.  I fondly remember finding Vipers and Mirages on the shelves.  But, aside from the purple 2002 Snake Eyes, all of the JvC era stuff just flows together: even with that era and my purchases logged in the archives of this blog.

What is odd to me, though, is that we haven't seen the resurgence of collectors who were kids who grew up with the JvC era figures.  Collectors talk about the anniversary era being the heyday of modern Joe.  But, the best anniversary years sold about 2/3 the figures of the lower ends of the JvC era.  And a few JvC era waves saw production numbers that exceeded even the waning years of the vintage line.  These weren't all bought by collectors.  There were, maybe, 5,000 active Joe collectors of that era.  So, hundreds of thousands of Joe figures were bought and played with by kids.  Kids who would now be in their mid to late 20's...the prime years for them to be asserting themselves as the next generation of Joe collectors.  Sure, there a couple of them out there.  But, by and large, these kids didn't become collectors.  The second coming of the ARAH mythos was cool and sold toys.  But, it failed to penetrate the pop culture psyche of the kids to whom it was targeted.

This Colton is pretty basic.  The green and black camo pattern is nice and the maroon beret joins the silver highlights in offsetting the base colors, nicely.  But, he's so basic that, were I not familiar with him, I wouldn't recognize him as a G.I. Joe figure.  In fact, that's likely why he was lying at the bottom of a figure bin at a local comic shop where I found him.  One of the main features I loved about the JvC era was the working holsters and Colton's are perfect.  Aside from that, though, there's little to discuss about the figure.  But, that's OK.  The JvC era was dominated by intricate, well designed figures.  So, getting a few basic guys like this Colton gave the line a visual diversity that was reminiscent of the vintage line.

The Viper Lockdown is an interesting beast.  Upon its release, the set was well received.  Collectors always loved new Vipers.  And, getting an Interrogator and a G.I. Jane in the set were collector bonuses right as the line was dying.  Joseph Colton, though, was probably the least well received figure in the set.  In recent years, members of the set have gotten pricey.  But, the JvC era figures, in general, haven't seen the huge price surges that both vintage and anniversary figures have seen in the last 2 years.  While the Jane figure will fetch $20, Colton won't get 1/3 of that amount.  You can still buy carded sets for around $50.  So, if you want the whole set, that's the way to go.

Diorama - Bat Factory

There was a time when I bought a lot of new sculpt figures.  They were cheap and plentiful and were a way to buy something at retail.  The Joe world was a lot of fun in 2002 and 2003 as the community was especially vibrant.  2004 started a downturn, though.  These photos were taken in 2004 when the single pack figures started showing up at local CVS stores.  By the end of 2004, I had abandoned collecting anything other than vintage style Joes as Hasbro made collectors jump through too many hoops to get the figure they wanted.

Ultimately, sold my entire new sculpt collection to fund the purchase of some bootleg Cobra Troopers.  I don't regret that decision at all.

You will notice the unpainted Neo Viper pre-production piece below.  At the time, it was cheaper to get figures like this than it was to buy retail figures.  How times have changed on that front.

Rarities - Unproduced 2002 - 2005 New Sculpt Figures

During the Joe Vs. Cobra era from 2002 through 2005, Hasbro tried a lot of things.  The produced hundreds of figures in just a few years.  In the deluge of product they attempted, many concepts failed and were abandoned.  In doing so, several figures were left behind and never got released.

The most prominent example of this was the failed Mission Disk series of figures.  They were single carded products packaged with a computer disk.  They were sold at smaller retailers.  The first wave just used already released figures.  As such, the concept utterly failed at retail.  The second series would have included some new figures, though.  Below is the cancelled Mission Disk Destro, Flint and Double Clutch.

Along with specifically cancelled figures were simply alternate color schemes or unfinished figures that appeared to be first attempts at a design before it went to production.  Below are a Duke, BAT, Shipwreck and Salvo figure that range from completely different from the production figure to simply slightly different.  

There are some figures that are just...weird.  Below are a Flint and Frostbite figure that simply defy explanation.  The colors are terrible and Frostbite's skin is unearthly.  These figures were unlikely candidates for release.  But, they may have been color or mold tests for other uses of the parts.  Their atrocity, though, is interesting in it's own right.

Also among the oddities of the day were a few figures that were without explanation.  Below you see the famous open torso Scarlett figure.  There is no way this figure was ever considered for release by Hasbro.  But, large quantities of them were made and available from Asia.  After initial figures sold for high amounts, the supply increased and the figure is relatively common today.  How this figure came to be is a mystery.  But, it's something collectors have tracked down.  The second figure is the "She Hulk" Bombstrike figure.  While it's not rare to find unpainted prototypes in odd colors, it is rare to find those alternate plastic pieces fully painted like the Bombstrike is below.  Again, this is more a result of production process than a figure that was ever intended for release.  But, they are more oddities that define some of the weirdness that could be Asian figures.

2004 Crimson Sand Viper

For the most part, the new sculpt figure that Hasbro has produced have been decent. A few molds have been terrible, but an equal number have been great. One area where Hasbro has succeeded, though, is in the fact that they repaint their great molds frequently. I know that many collectors are down on repaints as a method to expand the Joe line. My opinion, though, is that, done right, repaints can add a vital element to the Joe mythos without expanding the character base at too great a rate. In many cases, the repaints are something drastically different from the original figure's paint scheme and allow a mold to be used in more areas. A great example of this is the Crimson Sand Viper.

The Sand Viper mold is top notch. As a figure, the Sand Viper offers a superb sculpt, intricate detail and quality design. As a testament to his overall desirability, many collectors have army built the original Sand Viper in numbers that far outpace their intentions for a figure who is so limited by his specialty. The mold was just too cool to not buy in bulk. However, the desert theme on the original Sand Viper meant that this figure was somewhat limited in his role. That limitation, though, has been alleviated with the release of this Crimson version. Done in basic crimson and black, this Sand Viper is at home in most any combat arena and allows the Sand Viper mold to move beyond his desert intentions and truly utilize the sheer evil promoted by his design.

I will say that Hasbro has been very repaint happy in the new Joe line. I am of the feeling that any one mold should only be repainted a maximum of three times before it is retired. One is the original paint scheme. One should be a themed paint job like Night Force, Tiger Force or Python Patrol or an environmentally specific paint job such as desert, jungle or arctic and the final should be something completely different from either of the other two paint jobs. Each repaint should be at least 8 months removed from the prior and the repaints should be packaged in different ways to help promote the diversity of the different color schemes. I think that if Hasbro followed a similar scheme, then you would hear less complaints about the repaints and I think you would actually see some excitement over a properly done repaint.

As this figure is crimson, a lot of collectors will use him as the Sand Viper leader or as a smaller squad of elite Sand Vipers. I have yet to fully determine this guy's use in my collection, but the sheer sense of danger created by his color scheme has me wanting to find some special place for him. In the long run, though, I think this Sand Viper will end up as a specialized Cobra infantry trooper who will be above the rank and file Neo-Vipers but not quite to the elite levels that define the upper echelon of Cobra's organizational structure. I think he will be useful in that role and that type of scenario lends itself to smaller numbers of this figure as he is more elite than your typical infantryman.

This Sand Viper has (at this point at least!) only been released in a special 3-figure value pack. Not every retailer out there, though, ordered this set so some collectors, depending on their local source for toys, may not have adequate access to this item. The good news is that it is available online. As a set, the Value Pack is a great idea as you get three figures and a helicopter (though it's a crappy one!) for around $11. That's a great deal for three unique figures. The problem, though, is that the other 2 figures in the set, Recondo and Wild Bill, are both Joes who have about zero trade value on the second hand market. This, in effect, makes this version of the Sand Viper an $11 army building figure. In this case, that is a double edged sword. The high price point discourages ridiculous army building and helps keep this figure available, but it also is a stronger deterrent for the more casual army builder to acquire only a few extra Sand Vipers. At this point, Hasbro has yet to really figure out the best way to get collectors the army-building figures they want in a way that is equitable, affordable, and easy. My feeling is that the best way to sate this collector demand is to offer some army builders via mail order. That way, massive army builders will be able to stockpile their troops without adversely affecting those collectors whose army building ambitions are more modest. This approach would not endanger the retail validity of Hasbro's current offerings as the figure molds offered via mail order could be 18 to 24 months removed from their initial retail release. Collectors could not ignore retail army building figures as they would have no idea of the smaller subset of army building molds that would, eventually, end up being offered via mail order. In my opinion, this would be the best case scenario for giving collectors the army builders they want without resorting to scalper-friendly army building packs or other retail gimmicks that never seem to accomplish the intended result.

2004 Urban Neo-Viper (Wal Mart Exclusive)

If your Joe eye has blinked any time in the past 120 days, you have missed quite a lot. Through the first 8 months of 2003, Hasbro released, essentially, 12 figure packs to retail. This was the beginning of the Spy Troops theme and offered some excellent new characters and molds. The drawback, though, was that these figures were available at retail for a long time and there were only 2 army building figures among the 12. The last 4 months of 2003 have seen a flurry of Joe releases. First, there was the highly anticipated Wave 7 (Though that, technically, appeared in late August.). Before that wave really had a chance to settle into retail, the first cases of Wave 8 were released. While collectors were still trying to finish acquiring that wave, the most anticipated wave of the year, the army building wave was released. That wave, though, quickly disappeared, leaving many collectors without the figures they wanted. The reason for the quick hook was that Hasbro wanted to get the 2004 Venom vs. Valor figures on the shelves before Christmas. This lead to Wave 9's appearance at retail in early December. This, alone, made for 24 figure packs that were released in the final third of this year: twice as many as were released in the previous 8 months. There was one last surprise, though. Hasbro offered Wal-Mart an exclusive 6 figure repaint wave that was to be released under the Venom vs. Valor banner. This wave was 3 desert Joe repaints who were paired with 3 urban themed Cobra army builder repaints. This brought the total to 27 figure packs released in the final 4 months of 2003. A huge number of these figures are army builders so budget conscious collectors have had to make some tough choices. The saving grace is that these figures have been the best new sculpts to date and the repaints, in this case, are inspired. As such, I felt it appropriate to profile the Urban Neo-Viper from these Wal-Mart exclusives.

In my opinion, this Wal-Mart wave is a perfect example of repaints done right. Hasbro has tried to theme some repaints in recent waves, but I don't like that approach. What we've ended up with is a hodge-podge of characters that don't really fit into a theme. The Night Force repaints are scattered and it's hard to piece them together as a cohesive unit. (Especially with the long time between some of the wave releases.) Offering repaints as an exclusive is a great way to fit a number of like-colored Joes and Cobras together without making a full release figure wave too bland. Rather than the full 12 figures that comprise a normal, full retail wave release, this exclusive wave only offers 6 figures. That is the perfect number as it doesn't allow the theme to overtake the importance of the entire line, but does offer collectors and children alike some variance in their figure purchase choices. Going forward, I would prefer to see smaller exclusive waves like this for repaints rather than having them spread through full retail release waves. That will keep the full releases fresher and allow Hasbro to better time their releases for 2004.

This Wal-Mart exclusive figure wave features 6 figures: Duke, Roadblock, Gung-Ho, Iron Grenadier, Cobra Claws and this Neo-Viper. The Roadblock is a straight repaint of his Wave 6 release. The Gung-Ho, reuses the awful non O-ring mold from Wave 1 of 2002 and, as such, is really out of place in this wave. The Duke is more interesting as he is an amalgamation. He features the Wave 4 Duke head on the Wave 3 Snake Eyes body. I like this approach as the figure is not a straight repaint and offers something more exclusive than just figure color to this wave. The IG is nicely cammoed re-do of the figure we've already gotten at retail twice in 2003 and the Claws is the O-ring version. (And is, in my opinion, the best version of Claws to date.) The three Cobras mesh well together and work well as an urban assault force. All the Cobras feature their basic accessories that we've grown accustomed to. However, the dreaded sound attack weapons make an appearance in these sets. While the Cobras at least have guns that are usable, some Joes do not. Duke only has a sound attack gun and that, to me, makes him less desirable than he should be. These figures also feature spring loaded missile launchers. (Yes, these sets feature 2 of the most hated additions to the Joe line, spring loaded missile launchers and sound attack weapons!) The nice thing is that the figures are evenly packed in the cases and are shipped in ratios that make it possible, should you find these guys, to build an army in short period of time.

I have always liked the Neo-Viper mold. From the first non O-ring figure from 2002 to this figure, the mold is just solid. He looks like the updated Cobra trooper he is supposed to be. He is articulated in a manner that allows for some nice action poses and makes him the type of figure that is easy to display in a variety of ways. The inclusion of the unique rifle and pistol with this version really make him a more desirable alternative to army building than many of the Neo-Vipers of the past. His colors really allow for some diversity in his use. The marble, white, black and bright red Cobra sigil work in a way that allows this guy to be used in arctic, urban or mountain environments. To me, this makes this version of the Neo-Viper the most useful of all his incarnations.

In my collection, Neo-Vipers are the replacements for Vipers. I was somewhat disappointed to see the Viper character appear in Wave 9 as I felt that it was the Neo-Viper who really occupied this position in the new Cobra. I feel that it is the Neos who make the basic grunts of the Cobra legions and their different uniforms allow for their appearance in all situations. Going forward, I think I'll keep that concept intact and use the Viper as a higher ranking trooper who is a bit more elite than the standard Neo-Viper. My new Cobra will be a bit more streamlined than my ARAH-sculpt based Cobra as I feel that Neos will comprise the bulk of my troops. The other Viper types will be more highly specialized and exist in far fewer numbers.

This figure's availability is not yet determined. It could be that Wal-Mart will completely sell out of this wave before Christmas and those who don't have this guy will be left in the cold. However, that is unlikely to happen. I would imagine that this figure will be available at retail well into the start of 2004. As he ships 4 to a case instead of 2, it will take longer for even a small shipment to sell out. Plus, there are thousands of Wal-Marts in the U.S., and even the most remote American collector usually has access to more than one. That should allow collectors to get their fill of this figure. International collectors, though, are less lucky. As this is a Wal-Mart exclusive, it will only be available in the U.S. Online Joe dealers won't be able to get these figures without buying them at retail and passing the markup on to foreign buyers. This is unfortunate as this is a nicely done Neo-Viper. Hopefully, 2004 will see Hasbro take at least some steps to help overseas and remote collectors who can not find items at retail. For, when they start producing even repaints of this quality, Joe's popularity can only be supported.

What do you think of this method of repainting army building figures? Let me know.

2003 Tele Viper

Several years ago, I profiled the original Tele-Viper. In that profile, I remarked at how important this character would be to any organization like Cobra. However, I was less enthused about the figure's actual design. Now, that has all changed with the release of this new sculpt Tele-Viper. He has all the functionality of the original with a look that should make this figure one of the more popular new sculpt Cobra army building molds.

This version of the Tele-Viper is both an homage to the original figure and an improvement upon him. You will note that the Tele-Viper's distinctive vest is still present on this version. It is, however, more subdued and is just the base for the figure's design rather than the entirety of it. Added are a number of small details that make this figure look more handy. You can tell this figure's specialty just by looking at his body. Gone is the original Tele-Viper's less than stellar head. This version features a sleeker design with a movable comm device and smaller goggles. He still has some of the Cobra blue base, but now features more purple. The visual effect is still the same and you can place this figure as a Cobra with only a quick glance.

The Tele-Viper is nicely accessorized. He includes a small pistol that is now becoming a bit too common along with a well proportioned grenade launcher. Instead of including a traditional backpack, though, the Tele-Viper sports a custom fitted shoulder mounted communications pack. It fits into two holes molded onto the figure and looks decent. However, as this item was custom made for the Tele-Viper, it means that this accessory can not be shared among other figures. One of the hallmarks of the original line was that almost every accessory worked on every figure. The new line is moving away from that as we are seeing more and more custom accessories. The Tele-Viper also includes one of the smallest accessories ever released. He has a small, hand held radio. If, fifteen years from now, there is the same type of nostalgia for the new sculpt Joes as there is now for the original line, I can see this accessory being among the hardest to find. (Assuming it isn't released again at some point.) It's a neat feature, though, and makes the Tele-Viper a figure that has lots of play value.

One thing of note is that the Tele-Viper has a packaging variation. He is available with either a figure called Halo Jumper or Sgt. Airborne. A lot has been made of this and some people have gone bananas trying to get both versions. I'll just say this: this is a packaging variant and, historically, those have not proven to be all that collectible in the long term. Sure, people will pay more for a carded Cobra Red Star, but not a whole lot more. And, he is hardly a sought after figure. Every figure from 2002's Wave 1 had a packaging variation, but no one is really interested in those. As such, I don't put much stock in a variation like this. Were I looking for something that will be significant down the road, I'd be on the lookout for the Gung-Ho with the variant facial hair. Actual figure variations tend to have much more collectibility than packaging variants.

Normally, this is where I tell you how this recent release should be widely available at retail outlets as well as online Joe dealers. However, that is not the case. The Tele-Viper joins the rest of his wave as well as the infamous army builder wave as figures that were not fully produced. The production runs seem to have been cut short and many collectors have not had the chance to acquire these figures at retail. Adding insult to injury is the fact that online dealers only got a fraction of their army building wave shipments and no shipments of Wave 8. This means that, for the most part, foreign Joe collectors were totally frozen out of these figure waves. The worst part about this is that these two figure waves were the most anticipated new figures of the year. The army building wave was probably the most anticipated figure wave ever and, due to some odd decisions by Hasbro, has become the one wave that a lot of people do not have and most people do not have enough of. This is incredibly frustrating as Hasbro produced the army building wave as a way to appease collectors. Now, it has turned into another black mark against them. There is a lot of anti-Hasbro sentiment among the collecting world at this time. (Much more so than normal.) It is running high due to the perception that Hasbro has really treated collectors like the proverbial mud on their shoe. The problems with the army building wave, Wave 8 and the Crimson Guard 3 pack seen to indicate that collectors aren't high on Hasbro's priority list. As this has happened, though, there is little we can do at the present time. I think that this version of the Tele-Viper is one of the lower produced molds in the current new sculpt figures. As such, I think it is a certainty that we will see this mold again in some form in the next 6 months. It may be a repainted figure or this color scheme again. As Hasbro spent a lot of money developing this mold, though, there is no way they are going to let it collect dust when there is still collector demand for it.

What do you think of Hasbro's recent decisions regarding figure availability? Let me know.

2003 "Shaft" Destro

Destro has always been a problematic character for me. As such, he is probably the least often profiled major character on my site. In my earlier profile of him, I described him as a villain with honor. This, though, has intrinsic problems that make the character simply no longer work for me. In my view, Destro's honor does not free him from culpability for his evil deeds. Destro may be totally honest and above-the-board in his business dealings. However, he is still responsible for reprehensible actions and that makes him, at his heart, evil. This is somewhat of a different idea of the Destro character than appears in traditional Joe cannon. The interesting thing about it, though, is that this has freed Destro from many of the trappings that I felt held his character back. With my new sentiment in place, I am free to concoct a slightly different take on Destro. This figure gave me the catalyst to really explore Destro's origins. I'll be interested to hear what people think about them.

On first glance, this figure is a bit odd. It is not quite Destro as we have come to know him. Sure, the mask is there. (And it's actually shiny chrome! This is a very welcome addition that really makes the figure stand out.) The rest of Destro's outfit is a tad retro. While Destro has always been the most stylish Cobra villain, this look takes his fashion sense to a different level. The combination of maroon pants and a form fitted black shirt give the figure some color while not making him obnoxious. His trademark medallion is still there, though it is now over his shirt. The look is less regal and less combative and borders on leisurely. It also allows the figure to represent two different takes on the Destro character.

The first take on this Destro figure is that he is a new character. While we saw a very cliched version of Destro's son in the new comic, I can see the new Joe line as existing in a different time frame. As such, rather than having 30 years of back story, Destro is a young man just starting out. It allows for a fresh take on Joe that does not have the baggage of previous interpretations of the character. If this Destro is a new, younger version, his clothes match the style from the environment from which he came. This Destro would have been a product of the early 90's and his look would reflect a hipper crowd. He is still the arms dealer that we know him as. He just has a different origin where he made his reputation in Africa and the Middle East rather than in the U.S. and Europe. When I feel unencumbered in my Joe world, I can look to this new story as a way to breathe some life into old characters.

My preferred use for this figure, though, is as a historical look at Destro's past. In the original comic, we first saw Destro in the late '60's. At that time, he was a bit more interested in playing tennis than he was international arms. As Destro's father had lived through World War II, he may have seen his son as soft. What better way to toughen up a young European aristocrat than to send him to the U.S. in the early 1970's and have him make his way in the burgeoning American crime scene. I see this figure as Destro during his days of running guns for all types of lowlifes in San Francisco. This is the outfit he wore when he was helping neophyte American street gangs go national by supplying them with guns and money. I can see this Destro sitting in trendy nightclubs, hobnobbing with the starlets of the day. American socialites would fall for his European breeding and charm. Meanwhile, South American dictatorships were meeting working with him to procure weapons they would use against their own people. On the home front, this Destro was also solidifying his reputation by actually kicking down the doors of lowlifes who owed him money and personally beating their debts out of them. While I don't see this Destro as an actual drug runner, he certainly did help fund and arm the major dealers of his day. By the late '70's, Destro had done enough to convince his father that he was ready to succeed him. He then returned to Europe where he ran MARS for 5 or so years before Destro became affiliated with Cobra.

With this origin, you might think this figure would have few uses in my collection. However, I could see Destro donning this look again during his business trips in the U.S. It is not his preferred look, but one that he will use as it still inspires awe and fear into his long time customers. (It is also a bit less dated than his open shirt, high collar look.) Really, though, this figure is just too cool to not use in some capacity. The blend of colors combined with the simple sculpt create a powerful figure that really stands out. On top of that, he has great accessories that fit the figure perfectly. He includes a shotgun that would have been beneficial during his street days. However, the real coup on this figure is the holster and pistol set. The holsters are pliable plastic that wrap around Destro's waist. Into them, you can insert his two pistols. The result is a really nice toy that shows a remarkable level of detail and quality. The new line has made great strides in the past 18 months. While this figure is excellent, I think he will yet be dwarfed by future releases.

****12/2008 Update****

5 years of perspective brings a different take on this figure. While I still consider this to be the best Destro released during the New Sculpt era, those figures are now, largely, irrelevant. In most cases, this is a just fate for this figure style. But, in the case of figures like this Destro, it is unfortunate. For whatever reason, this version never really took off with collectors. While you actually don't see them all that often, they are still generally disregarded. Even the unproduced version of the figure with the red shirt that would have been in a Mission Disk is pretty much disregarded by collectors. But, the truth is that even I have sold off this figure in my collection. Even prior to the 25th anniversary figures, I realized that the New Sculpt era was a waste of my collecting resources. (Though, the anniversary junk is moreso....). So, I've long since liquidated these figures and replaced them with more vintage and international characters from which I derive more enjoyment.

****End 12/2008 Update

In the long run, this Destro is going to be incredibly easy to find. Aside from the fact that he will be the only Wave 7 figure to rival Big Brawler as his Wave's retail pegwarmer, Destro is also intended to be included in a later figure wave as well. If that figure is not repainted, it will ensure that this figure will remain available at retail well into next year. As this figure is of very high quality, I don't really have a problem with that. However, collectors tend to look unkindly upon pegwarmers and even good figures who languish at retail tend to become subjects of collector disdain. Hopefully, that will not happen with this figure. He is just too cool and does not deserve to suffer that fate.

As far as the new sculpts go, this is my favorite figure. Hopefully, this level of quality will continue as we progress with the new line.

2003 Black Out

So far, in my opinion, 2003 has been a stellar year for new figures. While 2002 had its highlights, this year has really started to show some of the magic that was the hallmark of the original line. The figure sculpts are starting to come into their own. Each figure is well accessoried and is having accessories other than guns included with them. The colors are strong and show the diversity necessary to keep the line fresh. We have gotten a nice combination of old favorites coupled with some well thought out new characters who are expanding the Joe universe. Among these is the new Black Out.

As a character, Black Out is rather interesting. You see, he is the brother of Barrell Roll; a new character introduced in Wave 5. They are both the brothers a now mysterious female character named Cadet Bombshell. (What is this, M.A.S.H.?!? How about a little subtlety!!) This little twist brings a new element to the Joe world. While Cobra has had a couple of siblings working for it in the past, this marks the first time that relatives have been on different sides of the conflict. (Remember, Stormshadow and Snake Eyes were not blood relatives.) This provides a point of conflict that could prove compelling should it be played out in canonical Joe media. The different levels on which the familial conflict can be portrayed brings some depth to these new characters and makes the prime candidates to become a more well-liked faction of the new Joe continuity.

As a figure, Black Out is remarkable well done. He is cast in a combination of black, silver and brown and looks like the type of night op sniper who could wreak havoc when left untamed. As is becoming standard on newer figures, Black Out is nicely detailed but with a purpose. He has web gear, small grenades, and other minimalist trappings that make the figure appear realistic without being overdone. He also includes very nice accessories. He has the now common plastic "holster" attached to his waist. While this looks decent, it doesn't serve much purpose as it can't be removed and does not serve as a working holster for his small pistol. He also includes a newly molded sniper rifle that has the interesting detail of having a working bi-pod being attached to the top of the rifle. Again, the weapon is well detailed and fits the figure well. Perhaps the best accessory included with Black Out, though, is his goggles. These fit snugly on his head, but are not so tight that they will damage the figure. With them on, Black Out looks like a Cobra villain and has the menacing look you would expect of someone in his profession. While a small accessory, they are really what makes Black Out. They just add that little something extra to a decent figure that pushes him over the edge and makes him something a little more special.

One of the things I like most about the newer Cobra is that they are coming with exposed faces. Scalpel showcased this feature nicely and Black Out continues in this new tradition. While one of the hallmarks of Cobra was that they were a faceless enemy, having the new characters openly flaunting their countenances implies a little more air of arrogance among the new breed Cobras. It's almost a catch me if you can attitude where these new villains feel no need to keep the ability to hide among the masses. To me, this makes them more dangerous. An unknown enemy can cause problems as you never know who you can trust. An enemy you know, though, can be much more desperate as he has absolutely nothing to loose. If he's caught, there are no denying his crimes. This leads to a much more ruthless opponent and gives Cobra that little hint of danger that it's characters had been missing for some time. While I don't think that every new Cobra character should have an exposed face (in fact, it is necessary for the nameless troop builder figs to be masked) having one every wave or two gives Cobra back a little of the attitude and swagger they have been lacking in recent years. I like that.

In my collection, Black Out is an up and coming younger Cobra who still has something to prove. The fact that his brother is a Joe only makes him more suspect in the eyes of the Cobra hierarchy. As he completes more dangerous and challenging missions, the level of trust held in him will grow. Until then, though, he is a lone operative who does not command Cobra troops and is assigned a small, though often somewhat important, task that is part of a larger operation. In time, I could see this character having more responsibility. However, while his family ties give him some depth at this point in his young fictional life, I see them holding back his characterization at some point. The main reason is that once you've had your climatic scene with the brothers, there is no where left to go. You can either end it once and for all or simply repeat it ad naseum until it simply becomes a parody of the original story line that was compelling. As such, I can see me either killing off Barrell Roll or Black Out at some time. Their feud will grow tiresome and neither character will be able to grow without the monkey of the other off of his back. As we go forward and see what sort of roles these characters will play in other Joe media, I will decide their ultimate fate in my Joe world.

While Blackout is probably the coolest figure offered in Wave 6, he is also the most plentiful. In some of the Wave 5.75 cases that shipped sans the Sand Viper, Blackouts replaced the missing army builder pack. Of course, Wave 5.75 wasn't all that plentiful, so the total overproduction of Blackout figures is probably under 10% of the total production run. What this means, though, is that if you want a Blackout, you can find him. Wave 6 is just shipping to retail en masse right now. As Wave 7 is still a ways off, we should see Wave 6 cases ship for a long enough time that everyone will be able to get their fill of these figures. (And to make the Dart/Dr. Minbender pack a tremendous pegwarmer.) As with all new releases, though, I would recommend not putting off a Black Out purchase. After the Sand Viper, I can see this figure being the second fastest seller out of the case. While I don't think they will ever be scarce (and we are certain to see at least 1 more Black Out repaint at some point in the future), if you pass them by now, finding one later can be a hassle that is best avoided. To me, this is a nice figure that shows the remarkable improvements the line has seen in the past year. At this point, Black Out is one of the best new sculpt figures released. As Hasbro will continue to improve these figures, though, that distinction may not last. For now, though, Black Out is a nicely done figure and one that I am happy to own.

Blackout is a cool figure and one I'd like to see repainted at some point in the more distant future. In what color scheme do you think he would look best? Let me know.

2003 Scalpel

As far as the toy line goes, Cobra has always been missing something. While the nameless ranks of Cobras have grown to dozens of specialties, there was always one figure who was missing. This specialist was represented in the Joe line all the way back in 1983 and is so important that it is hard to believe it is still missing. While Cobra is often portrayed a heartless organization that has little care for its soldiers, the sheer financial investment in a Viper alone would be enough to warrant the creation of a medical Viper of some sort. While that highly desired figure is still missing from the line, 2003 has finally given us a true Cobra doctor. He is not a mad scientist, but a real, true medical doctor whose purpose is to heal wounded Cobras. The best part about this figure is that he has a characterization on par with those of the line's glory days. Not cliched and very needed, Scalpel is quickly becoming my favorite figure of Wave 5.

As a character, Scalpel is well conceived. He is a medical hack: a doctor with a farcical education and an elicit past. However, his character avoids being overly cliched. The fact is, his filecard suggests that Scalpel is a very good doctor. It is in this point where I was a made a fan of this character. The evil doctor who does bad work has been done to death in pulp fiction. Having a medical mercenary who is actually competent, maybe even gifted, is a notion a little different from what one would expect. It is that freshness of character that is breathing new life into the Joe line. While the older characters were well done and deserve continued existence, well done new characters, like Scalpel, show that even a toy line with a legacy like Joe can still show ingenuity. Bright spots like Scalpel are just further proof that the new line has a place in the Joe pantheon and is very capable of sustaining another long retail run.

As a figure, Scalpel has many high points a few low ones. First off, his is brightly colored. While this may be considered a detriment to many, Scalpel is actually colored in the same manner as you would find medical personnel in a real hospital. As such, for him, the color is not only realistic, but it works. The red and white details only accentuate the primary blue color and showcase the mold's details. As a mold, Scalpel is modestly detailed, but they are all done with purpose. As such, the figure looks as someone with his specialty would be expected. Unlike many of the Wave 5 figures, Scalpel is also well proportioned. He looks very much like a classic Joe figure and does not have the exaggerated limbs or appendages that were prevalent on earlier figure waves. His face is well done and shows an intensity that you would hope to see on your own surgeon's face. He still has the youth, though, that separates this character from more well established Cobra characters.

Scalpel's accessories are both nice and bad. He has a small saw attachment on his right wrist. Aesthetically, it is perfect. It folds up nicely when Scalpel does not need it, but provides a neat little feature that adds to the character. He also has a helmet with a visor. With it on, Scalpel looks cool, but, in my opinion, no more so than when he is bare-headed. He also includes a knife. The most interesting, and maddening, accessory, though, is his shoulder pads. On the back of the pads are two hooks. Apparently, these hooks are for carrying wounded out of harm's way. In form, they look neat. In function, they are totally useless. Instead of utilizing the traditional backpack hole on the figure, Scalpel has another small hole above his screw slot. You insert a peg on his shoulder pads into this slot. However, this is not adequate to keep the pads on. Just moving the figure causes them to fall off. Don't even try to use the hooks for their intended purpose and this would not only move the hooks around (they are on ball joints and move rather freely) but knock the pads off of the figure altogether. As an idea, this feature was neat. As a real accessory, though, it did not work and will be the source of many a child's frustration as he tries to play with the figure.

There is one little detail on the Scalpel figure that grabbed my attention. He has a very slight pink scar around his left eye. It is not as pronounced as Xamot or the Flying Scorpion's, but it is there. To me, it suggests that Scalpel's Aryan appearance may be less the result of genetics and more the result of identity altering surgery. My characterization of Scalpel has him as an understudy of Dr. Mindbender. Mindbender's character has been defined by his penchant for appearance changing surgery and is known to push the envelope of what is medically acceptable. Going from the old sculpt Joe history, Mindbender ran into a little problem as he changed his countenance, though. He could not make himself look totally human. He was always left with grotesque scars that would have made him a pariah. Scalpel, though, changed all that. With his medical skill and Mindbender's lack of professional ethics, Scalpel is the doctor who made Mindbender look human again. I explain away Scalpel's slight scar as his first attempt. Mindbender, his vanity making him ever wary of further attempts to save his face, wanted to see proof of Scalpel's work. In order to ensure that he was capable of performing the complex operations Mindbender would need, Scalpel altered his own appearance. Mindbender, though, ensured that there was one slight little problem. This would leave the scar on Scalpel's face and remain a constant reminder to Scalpel that his medical skill was no match for Mindbender's ruthlessness. How this will play out in time will be a nice way for me to keep the Scalpel character near the front of my collection.

There are two versions of Scalpel. The first version of him has a painted flesh head. He also only comes with one of the spikes that attaches to his shoulder pads. The later version has a molded flesh head and both spikes. It appears that the first version will be the lesser produced variation. However, both of them are ample enough that there shouldn't ever be too much of a premium ever attached to one head over the other. Aside from that, Scalpels are readily available for retail prices right now. Going forward, I do not see Scalpel being a heavily sought after figure. While cool, he just isn't that major of player in the Cobra world for people to flock to him heavily. (Of course, were a new Joe cartoon to come out and Scalpel play a major role in that, his popularity could change dramatically.) This isn't a bad thing and it does not detract from the overall quality of the figure. Instead it just shows that it will still be possible for collectors to acquire nicely done figures like this one for some time. I do not want every Cobra figure released to either be a faceless army builder or a rehash of an established character. New blood like Scalpel is a great way to keep the Cobra ranks fresh without sacrificing the evil organization's legacy.

Scalpel is a great figure. I know some are using him as a Medi-Viper. I, though, will continue to use him as a new character. How will you use him? Let me know.