My Favorite Accessories - Part 1

I look at my collection in distinct stages.  The first, of course, is my childhood.  This covered 1982 through 1987.  The second phase is the pre-internet days of adult collecting.  For me, this was 1992 through 1997, give or take.  And, then the final phase is my adult collecting years that have occurred since I found the Stars & Stripes set in December of 1997.

As a kid, it was nearly impossible to get extras of specific weapons.  Your only options were to buy another figure or two to get the gear.  Or, really hope that a friend of yours happened to hate that particular item and you could trade him something you didn't really care for in exchange for the item you did want.  The notion of having several extras lying around was pretty much a pipe dream and impossible for all but the richest kid.  

During the mid 1990's, it was also somewhat difficult to just buy accessories.  You'd often find guys with grocery bags or shoeboxes full of Joes.  And, they'd say something along the lines of "it's too much work to figure out who gets what gear"  (there was no YoJoe.com back then).  But, at the same time, none of them would sell individual gear.  They were too afraid that you'd buy the one super rare item and they'd miss out on 4 extra bucks in later years.  1990's scalp culture was weird.  The thing those guys would do, though, was sell you the whole bag or box of figures for what, now, seems a really stupidly low price.  Sure, there'd be no female figures or Snake Eyes in the lot.  But, that was fine because you'd end up paying a dollar or two per figure.  So, you could get extra gear, but you'd get the figures to go with it, too.

The early days of internet collecting were nice as guys would pretty much trade any accessory straight up for another that they needed.  So, for a few years, you could easily trade a spare Alpine rope gun to get a Shipwreck pistol.  But, as the 2000's dawned, things like that mostly disappeared.  By then, collectors had realized which gear was the most desirable and hardest to find.  And, as the 2000's turned into the 2010's, you had the rise of online dealers who would sell individual accessories and Ebay stores that did the same.  Sure, you'd pay a premium for a 1982 Uzi.  But, they'd often sell very nice stuff from later years for cheap prices.  You could still get the charcoal Recoil rifles from later editions of the Steel Brigade for under $5 up through this time.  

Since then, the price of gear has steadily gone up.  Certain weapons that were once desired (like Snake Eyes' Uzi) did see demand tempered a bit as repaint era options became readily available. I didn't need to seek out extra 1983 weapons to arm my terrorist contingent because I could easily get 2000's era accessories that worked just as well and were a fraction of the price.  But, other gear got stupidly expensive.  Things like Flint's shotgun (that, really, were never hard to find) got really pricey as dealers flocked to the market and marked things up in the post 2018 Joe world.  Now, I'm glad that I have a lot of extra gear.  Because there is no way I'd accumulate my armory at today's prices.

For today, I'm going to focus on my childhood favorites.  There is a lot to read here.  So, I'm going to break this walk down memory lane into different parts so they are more manageable.  Here is part 1:

My Childhood Favorites:

1. Flint's Shotgun

There's just something about this weapon that always spoke to me.  It was an original design and unlike anything that had come before it in the line.  The notion of a shotgun toting badass hearkened back to the Westerns you'd see on weekend afternoon TV.  

On a boy scout trip, some of the adults were shooting skeet.  I gathered up a dozen or so spent shells and cut slits in them so that I could affix them to suspenders or a belt like Flint.  When we'd play guns in the neighborhood, I'd wear the shells over a vest.  It's amazing to think we used to run around the neighborhood, toting very real looking toy guns with real spent ammo on my chest and no one batted an eye.  This is probably the one thing that's most changed between my childhood and that of my kids.

As a kid, I lost Flint's shotgun all the time.  My original figure's disappeared at some point during his run.  In 1986, I replaced my original with a new one so I'd have the rifle, again.  That winter, we went to visit my grandparents.  We'd play in their basement.  The floor was cold, hard concrete.  But, they had about a dozen carpet sample sized rugs that we'd arrange as islands or somesuch and structure our adventures around these.  We were playing down there one afternoon and my younger brother somehow kicked Flint's shotgun off of one of these carpets.  I frantically searched for it for hours.  I picked up every carpet, got a flashlight to look under the cabinets and swept the floor with my hands. But, that Flint shotgun was gone.

A while later, my grandmother told me over the phone she had found a green gun in her basement.  She put it in her room, thinking it might be important to us.  I was sure it was Flint's shotgun.  But, when we saw her again, I was disappointed to find it was not.  Instead, it was a broken machine gun from one of my dad's old, cheap plastic soldiers.  So, the remaining years of my childhood Flint's life were spent with him wielding the weapon from the Night Landing Craft, a Snow Serpent's AK-47 or the Ripcord rifle from the Tactical Battle Platform.

When I started collecting, getting a complete Flint was a priority.  As Flint was super popular, though, he'd be in a ton of the lots I was acquiring in the late 1990s.  Usually, I'd get his gun, too.  Over time, I bought a bunch of loose Flints from online and local sellers.  I had up to 8 of them at one point.  Even after my collection  purge, though, I still have 5 originals plus at least 5 loose and 5 more carded Funskool versions.  What I can not do, though, is give Flint's shotgun  to another figure.  It just doesn't look right.  So, while I love Flint's shotgun, it is reserved for Flint and Flint alone.  

2. Alpine's SMG

What's interesting is that many of the weapons on my childhood list feature stories about me losing the weapon.  The reason for this is that the experience was traumatic since I loved the accessories so much and I often would no longer use a figure once his original gear was lost.  For Alpine, the main story is one of loss.  But, there are also two stories of redemption.  

Alpine was one of the earlier 1985 figures I acquired.  I remember that I already owned him by the time I got Snake Eyes in April.  And, I have cold weather, early spring memories of playing with him and the Eel on the front steps of my parents' home.  Being an early arrival, though, meant that I was less careful with him than I should have been.  In short order, I lost his pistol and broke his grappling gun.  As the figure was cool, though, I replaced my original Alpine some time in 1986 so I once again had a complete figure.

In the fall of 1986, we were playing with our Joes outside with some kids down the street.  We rarely played in their backyard as it was small and didn't have a ton of great places.  But, their dad had recently cleared out a small thicket of trees near their back fence that bordered the alley.  So, on this day, we set up an adventure there.  Among the figures I had was Alpine.  At some point, I took his gun out of the figure's hand and set it down on the soft, dry dirt.  The gun instantly disappeared.  It was gone.  I searched for quite a while, moving dirt, etc. to no avail.  My Alpine's gun was gone.

About a year later, we were playing soccer in their yard.  The ball went back into this thicket.  I went to retrieve it.  And, as I went to pick up the ball, I saw my Alpine's gun in the dirt!  By this time, we had given up toys.  But, I did show it to everyone and asked if they remembered when I had lost the gun.  I put the pistol into my pocket and added it to my stash of Joes when I got home.  Over the years, my youngest brother broke into these stashes and removed key figures.  During these thefts, my Alpine was taken and his pistol disappeared again.

In 1997, I was working a job post college and living at my parents' house until I moved to Arizona.  During this time, I dug out all my childhood toys and started displaying them on the shelves in my childhood room.  One night, as I was heading to bed, I happened to notice something weird about the SnowCat.  It seemed there was an asymmetry in the open spaces on the black underbody beneath the lights.  Upon inspection, the difference was that my Alpine's gun was wedged into the part!  No idea how it got there.  But, I had a complete Alpine, once again.  It was the same gun from the dirt thicket because the grooves of the weapon were still filled with the fine dust from a decade earlier.  With this recovery, my Alpine was again, complete.

Over the years, I've picked up one or two extra Alpine pistols.  It looks good with a variety of figures.  And, I'll often use it with other 1985 releases as a way to bring some visual diversity to a photo.  It's a weapon I still enjoy.  I wouldn't mind if I had another four or five of them.  But, I'm very happy with the number in my collection, today.  Each time I see it, I'm reminded of finding that dusty gun in the back of our friends' yard.  It's a great connection to the past.

 

3. Hawk's Pistol

I view this pistol as Hawk's.  It actually debuted with  the 1985 Keel Haul, though.  But, since I never had a Keel Haul, I had no idea that he came with a gun.  So, I view this weapon as Hawk's and Hawk's alone.  Originally, this Hawk figure first belonged to my younger brother.  And, while I did use him quite a bit, my brother was hard on the figure and lost his pistol.  This hurt as I loved the weapon and often used it with other figures.  I gave Hawk the M-203 from Leatherneck and made him a younger leader, more akin to the role meant for Duke, instead of the grizzled general.  This made the Hawk figure much more useful and kept him a key player in my collection.

Sometime in late 1987, I went to a local toy shop in my neighborhood.  It was a small, independent store that was mostly a hobby/model shop who also sold toys.  They were expensive.  But, it was just a few hundred feet away from the comic book store where I spent many, many hours of my youth.  I stopped in one afternoon and found they had marked their Joes down to $2.99 instead of the usual $3.99.  I didn't like paying that extra dollar.  Their entire stock was 1986 figures...including Hawk.  I didn't buy the figure that day.  For some reason, I felt I needed parental permission to buy a figure, even though I spent my lawn mowing money with impunity at the comic book store.  When I got home, I mentioned something about the figures being on sale to my mother.  She made a flippant comment about how it was my money and she didn't care how I spent it.  So, on my next trip to the comic book store, I dropped by Ed Shrock's Toy and Hobby and bought myself a new Hawk.

I kept this figure, though, as the younger character from before.  And, Hawk, once again, got the M-203.  I had 2 of these weapons.  (It's next on the list!)  So, that freed up Hawk's pistol to be used by other figures or in other situations.  Crankcase was the main recipient of the pistol.  But, I would also use it in specific scenarios.  So, if a Joe got caught without his weapon at the end of a firefight and he had a sculpted pistol on his leg or chest, Hawks' pistol would stand in for the sculpted weapon.  The Joe would just use it that once.  But, it allowed for me to finally put to practical use some of the sculpted details on my favorite figures.

Today, the weapon remains a favorite.  I have a couple.  I never felt the Hawk pistol was all that hard to get.  But, when I liquidated all my extra Hawks, I sold them complete with the pistol.  I think I kept one or two extras that are available.  Though, one is always with Crankcase.  Hasbro had the mold for the weapon in the 2000's.  It was included with the Convention Hardtop.  But, it never appeared again.  Instead, we got crappy new sculpt pistols in the Comic Packs that the figures couldn't hold and that were just too stubby to be any fun.  I only imagine what it would have been like to get a dozen or more extra Hawk pistols in that era.  I'd have kept them all.

4. Leatherneck's M-203

Leatherneck's rifle had a lot going for it.  It was a bit bigger than the weapons from prior years.  But, I liked that about it since it made the weapon appear more deadly.  The main  calling card, though, was the affixed grenade launcher under the barrel.  This gave the weapon more utilization possibilities and made Leatherneck effective against both infantry and Cobra vehicles.  I always wanted more of the weapons.  In the summer of 1986, though, I lost my original Leatherneck in the bushes in front of grandfather's house.  My cousin, who lived next door, never found the figure.  And, I went months with no Leatherneck.  At some point before the end of the year, I bought another Leatherneck figure.  My main reasoning was that when I returned to Buffalo and found my original figure, I'd have a spare gun to give to other figures.

When I went back to my grandfather's in the summer of 1987, though, my Leatherneck was no where to be found.  I know the bushes were evergreen.  But, the volume of snow they received could have left him shoveled away.  So, I wasn't to get that spare rifle.  But, fortunately, the end of 1986 and early 1987 gave me another avenue.  For Christmas of 1986, I got the Mission to Brazil set.  This included a desert themed Leatherneck with the same rifle as the original.  Naturally, I kept that accessory with the figure.  But, when I really wanted the 1986 Hawk to have the rifle, I'd equip the desert Leatherneck (now a Marine army builder) with the 1984 Battle Gear Zap Bazooka.  But, then, in 1987, a new Battle Gear set was released.  Frankly, this set sucked like the earlier sets with poor colors and missing gear.  But, it did include a brown version of the Leatherneck rifle...a color that perfectly matched the Mission to Brazil figure.  So, the army builder was given the Battle Gear accessory and I had a spare M-203 to give to other figures.

As an adult collector, I discovered that the weapon was later released in black, too.  But, I also found the weapon had fallen out of favor.  I didn't see it as a team standard any longer.  I did give a black one to Recoil for a bit.  But, once I had a charcoal Steel Brigade rifle, Recoil didn't need the M-203 any longer.  And, by the time superfluous weapons were included with repaint era figures in the 2000's, I ended up with a baggie full of extra M-203s that I don't use at all.  It's a precipitous fall for one of the top weapons of my childhood.  But, Hasbro made too many better weapons in subsequent years.

5. Mutt's Mac 11

Mutt belonged to my younger brother.  And, he didn't take care of him.  In short order we lost the mask, nightstick and pistol.  At one point, I found the Mutt figure in the bottom of an antique wardrobe that was in my brothers' room.  Since I had pulled the figure out when it was fairly dark, I always thought that Mutt's pistol must have been  lost in the bottom of that piece of furniture.  I searched it many times.  In fact, I searched it as recently as 2013 when my mother finally moved out of the house and was giving the piece away.  No Mutt's pistol.  There were a bunch of old Legos, though.

Having lost such a cool gun always made the weapon mythical to me.  Add to that the weapon's silencer and it was a perfect accessory for Dreadnoks, Cobra leaders or even just Snake Eyes.  In 1985, I finally got a bright green Mutt's pistol in the Battle Gear.  And, despite the color, I used this weapon extensively.  I'd give it to Zartan.  Or, some nameless bad guys would use it to assassinate Hawk.  I'd place the weapon in the cockpit of the Whale where either Cutter or Shipwreck could grab it as a backup to shoot boarding Eels. It had a ton of uses.

But, I never got another black version of the gun until I was an adult collector.  While I upgraded pretty much my entire 1985 figure collection, I didn't do the same with the 1984's.  Mostly, this was due to the fact that the '84's were pretty sparse at the retailers I frequented in 1986 when I was spending to upgrade my figures.  But, also, the '84's were somewhat old news by then.  I was more interested in getting some of the newer characters back into my collection since they were the staples of the comic and cartoon.  So, a complete Mutt didn't rejoin my collection for over a decade.

Now, I have just two Mutts: both with the pistol.  But, I also have Mutts from Europe and Brazil.  So, I've got several of the pistols.  I think I have a spare or two still hanging around.  You'll find photos of the pistol being used by Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Headman and others.  It's a fun weapon to use as an alternative pistol.  I still think the silencer adds a sinister element to the weapon.  

So, that's a look at the weapons that drove my childhood.  While I liked most Joe weapons of that era, these were the ones that most spoke to me.  They were the ones that were the subject of daydreams of bins of gear being available to me.  Now that I can do that, I've found that I still flock to many of these weapons and never pass them if they're offered cheaply.  (Which doesn't really happen any longer.)

I'll continue this series at some point.  It won't be next week.  But, probably this year.  This was a fun jog into the bowels of my formative Joe years.  It's good to dig into that well of memories every now and then as it helps keep some of the feelings fresh.  Let me know your childhood favorites in the comments below.

2024 Sgt. Slaughter & Leatherneck Transformer

 Sgt. Slaughter himself posted this photo today.  It shows the long rumored Sgt. Slaughter and Leatherneck Triple T that is also a Transformer.  We all knew it was coming.  We all knew what it would look like.  And, now that it's here, it's exactly what we knew it would be.  Which is to say, this breaks no new ground.  

If you have a 1986 Leatherneck (which is a cheap and easy to acquire figure), you don't need this one.  It's nice to have access to a Slaughter baton.  But, this thing will run between $80 and $100.  You can easily get any version  of Slaughter, complete with a vintage baton, for under this price.  Triple T vehicles remain cheap and easy to find.  Some discolor, especially on the engine cover.  But, they're still not a difficult thing to acquire.  

So, really, what purpose does this serve?  It's great that Sgt. Slaughter remains involved in the brand.  But, there's nothing here that really speaks to collectors.  And, with the, arguably, more collectible Thunder Machine with Zartan and Zarana rotting at every online retailer, I really wonder who the audience for this product actually is.  Joe fans leave these behind.  Transformers fans do, too.  If Hasbro got weird, these wouldn't do any worse.  A green and purple Megatron that turned in the Cobra Bugg might actually sell out.  This...won't.

I've never waited for clearance for any Joe o-ring product.  I've regretted that decision terribly.  I've found almost no value in the Pulse era releases of vintage inspired Joes.  And, this product does nothing to alter that.  So, I think I have my first item where I will wait for clearance.  And, should this be the one item that sells out and I can't get for 1/3 the retail price, I'm OK with that.  I don't need to be a completist any longer.  And, I'm not convinced that these modern remakes will deteriorate at a slower rate than the already 40 year old originals.  

So, I'm left with what feels like the end.  Hasbro has finally released enough sub-par o-ring products that I've lost any interest in what they've done.  I'm OK with simply letting them go.  And, I'm one of the biggest marks for vintage style Joe figures that is still left in the community.  I've never even bothered to open the Zartan/Zarana.  Not even the scathing profile on the worst Joe figure ever released is enough to get me to pry open the box that's collecting dust in the bottom of a tucked away, basement closet.  Even at a steep discount, this Sgt. Slaughter/Leatherneck product will face the same fate.

1993 Leatherneck - Around The Web

I found this Leatherneck at a local Big Lots for $2 in the fall of 1995.  When I went back a week or two later, all the figures were gone.  I was bummed about the sell out.  But, I was very happy that I had snagged this Leatherneck.  I chose him because he included black weapons that I had never seen before.  I opened him up and would, from time to time, find him in various poses after my room mates had played with him.  

That's my enduring memory of this Leatherneck.  But, as a figure, he's not terrible.  This mold would have been awesome in 1986 colors.  Or, really, any other repaint.  But, the banana pants are fun in a 1993 way.  And, people have come around on the figure moreso than in the past.  There's some good content showcasing the figure out there.  So, take some time and check the links below.

1993 Leatherneck Profile

1993 Leatherneck Asian Bootleg

1993 Leatherneck at JoeADay.com

1993 Leatherneck by ronnie_trickshot

1993 Leatherneck by jogunwarrior

1993 Leatherneck by Slipstream80

1993 Leatherneck by Nekoman

1993 Leatherneck by G.I.*Jock

1993 Leatherneck by 73larebear

1993 Leatherneck by yojoeonline

1993 Leatherneck by gijoebarcelona

1993 Leatherneck by ToneGunsRevisited

1993 Leatherneck at Half The Battle

1993 Leatherneck by 73larebear

1993 Leatherneck by TitusLester

1986 Mission to Brazil Leatherneck - Around The Web

The Mission to Brazil set is a mixed bag.  Dialtone and Mainframe feature some weird colors.  Claymore is OK, but still looks like a cartoon giraffe.  Then, you have Wet Suit and Leatherneck.  Both figures have a case of being better than their original releases.  G.I. Joe didn't get too many environmentally themed repaints in the vintage line and this Mission to Brazil Leatherneck shows that might have been a bad thing.  The colors work well with the mold.  All that's missing is a backpack in a better color.  (That would be solved in 1989.)  Here's the best of the Mission to Brazil Leatherneck from around the web.

Mission to Brazil Leatherneck Profile

Mission to Brazil Leatherneck by specialmissionforce

Mission to Brazil Leatherneck by WigramJoe

Mission to Brazil Leatherneck by nwargo44

Mission to Brazil Leatherneck Custom by atticagazette

Missison to Brazil Leatherneck by PurpleCobra75

Mission to Brazil Leatherneck by WigramJoe

1986 Leatherneck - Around The Web

1986 introduced even more new characters who featured redundant specialties of the earlier Joe team.  Leatherneck was the new marine, meant as a supplement/enhancement/replacement for Gung Ho.  Quickly, though, Leatherneck began to stand on his own.  He retained some of the gruff characteristics of a marine.  But, the figure and his gear were different enough make him unique from Gung Ho.  Here's the best of his original paint job from around the web.

1986 Leatherneck Profile

1986 Leatherneck by specialmissionforce

1986 Leatherneck at JoeBattleLines.com

1986 Leatherneck by steelbrigade

1986 Leatherneck by wigramjoe

1986 Leatherneck by HCC788

1986 Leatherneck at JoeADay.com

1986 Leatherneck by Scarrviper

1986 Leatherneck by Hit and Run

1986 Leatherneck by Otto The Otter

Rarities - Asian Bootleg 1992 and 1993 G.I. Joe Figures

I've saved the oddest item of all for last.  In the late 2000's/early 2010's, carded bootleg examples of 1992 and 1993 G.I. Joe figures started showing up in Asia.  They were on cards mimicking the vintage carded look for G.I. Joe.

The figures sometimes attempt to be similar to the colors shown on the card artwork.  In other cases, they are very off.  But, the figures are spectacularly bad.  They are definitive bootlegs if only for their horrendous quality and garish design.

Below you will see ten of the figures offered.  There may be more.  I'm not sure of the origin.  But, some figures, like Cobra Commander can be interesting due to the different paint jobs.  I own the Iceberg figure, but have never gotten around to opening him.

These figs were dirt cheap when the first appeared, often selling in the $5 MOC range.  Today, they are still relatively cheap with the most popular figures running around $20 for a MOC figure.  As an interesting display piece, the figures have some value.  But, they are really, really awful in terms of quality.

Diorama - Viper Attack

I was setting up a photo shoot for my Sgt. Slaughter profile.  I got a bunch of '86 figures out and showcased some Vipers, too.  Several of the photos were better as larger sets in lieu of the more focused Slaughter profile.  So, I put these photos together in a mini dio.  This was taken in early spring just as my garden was coming in.  It was fun to get several of these figures together: even if the photo style seems horribly dated now.

2001 Leatherneck

When 2001 started, it was an amazing time to be a Joe fan.  The first wave of the A Real American Hero collection was both widely available and well received.  The second wave, with 6 top notch figures was just trickling out and collectors were excited for what the year would hold.  Vintage Joes were starting to get more expensive, but you could still find a lot of deals: especially on larger collections.  A warehouse find in Argentina flooded the market with tons of cheap Plastirama figures and vehicles.  On top of that, American Joe dealers began carrying cheap Funskool imports.  Basically, if you had some money to spend, it was about the best time imaginable to be a Joe collector.  While collector exuberance continued through the year, retail enthusiasm for the Joe line did not.  It took Hasbro nearly 6 months to get the third wave of the A Real American Hero collection to stores.  Instead of shipping more of Wave 1, which had risen in after market value by 5 to 10 times, they kept shipping Wave 2.

Unsold pegwarmers quickly clogged the shelves.  When Wave 3 finally hit, it was slow to reach retail due to the backlog.  Collector interest in the wave was cool as the figures weren't up to the standards of the first two waves.  At the end of the year, Hasbro dumped out Wave 4 of the line.  It was the swan song as retailers had already de-committed to Joe and forced Hasbro to create an all new construction style for 2002.  Wave 4 featured even less inspired designs than Wave 3 and was relegated to discounters and close out stores in very short order.  A decade and a half later, the wave is still uninspiring.  But, with time comes re-evaluation. When taken in quick succession, many of the figures of the A Real American Hero collection were a sea of similar mold, same color banality.  But, when taken in context of the hundreds of figures released in the 2000's, some of the figures are worthy of a bit more appreciation.  The Leatherneck figure is one.

When the Leatherneck name first popped up as a potential figure in the next wave of releases, collectors were ecstatic.  2001 was before the reality of lost molds, broken pieces and separated accessories had become in ingrained.  Most imagined a repaint of the highly appreciated 1986 figure. (At the time, mint and complete Leatherneck figures routinely sold in the $12 range, which was rather pricey in comparison to his contemporaries.)  When the figure appeared, though, disappointment set in.  The figure didn't incorporate any of the hallmarks of the Leatherneck character.  Instead, the figure used the 1992 Duke Torso, a new head (that was a cross between a young Richard Nixon and Duke) and the growing to be hated 1984 Roadblock legs.  The skinnier legs beneath the bulky Duke arms and legs makes the marine look like a body builder.  In short, it Leatherneck looks nothing like the iconic character so many people had desired.

The worst part was, the colors made the figure look like a cheap custom.  The torso and arms had been released in nearly identical colors on the 2001 Duke figure only a few months prior.  (And that figure was readily available when Leatherneck hit the shelves.)  The legs were available in nearly the same color on Double Blast that had been released the wave prior.  The saving grace, though, were the accessories.  Leatherneck featured a knife, helmet and backpack (based on the '84 Roadblock's pack) that were good, but not really interesting.  The highlight, though, was the return of the 1992 Duke rifle that has been missing from the 2001 Duke figure.  The rifle was at least something new for the figure that allowed you to distinguish him from the other figures with whom he was so similar.

As Leatherneck, though, this figure failed.  As a nameless army builder, he works and a repaint of the figure would have been a huge improvement over the terrible 2005 Greenshirt set.  For many, seeing a popular character reduced to such an awful figure release was very disheartening.  The figure quickly faded from memory and many collectors will not even recall that a Leatherneck figure was made in this era.  In 2003, Hasbro released the figure again as the driver of the MCC that was a Toys R Us exclusive.  The figure was unchanged from the original release, but included fewer accessories.  But, even this duplicate release did little to spark collector interest.  In 2004 and 2005, you could still find Leatherneck/Gung Ho figure packs in various retail pockets around the country.  When the figures were finally reduced to $1 per pack, collectors were able to absorb the overstock.

As 2001 wound down, my Joe budget was shot.  I had little to no means of figure acquisition and what little trade fodder I had was spent acquiring Brazilian and European exclusives.  (Which turned out to be a fortuitous choice.)  I got one pack of the Gung Ho/Leatherneck, opened it up and packed it away with the other figures from that year.  He was simply an item to check off a list.  There was no excitement at finding him nor enthusiasm for owning him.  In the mid 2000's, though, I acquired a couple of spare Leathernecks from someone who had found them clearanced.  With a few years between the sameness of the 2001 figures, I looked at the figure again.  I thought that it had potential.  But, again, he was packed away in bins, never to really be used.  Not much has changed in the ensuing decade.  The figure still sits in bins.  But, as I look to display more and more of my collection, I have found that figures like this Leatherneck can make for good background fodder.  The colors work with a variety of other figures and vehicles and having him in the background helps to fill out a display without wasting a good figure on an obscure position.  That's about the best this figure can hope for.

But, I do see more potential in Leatherneck than I did 15 years ago.  The black pants with grey highlights are far more interesting than some of his contemporaries.  The leather brown gloves and belt bring a splash of color to the mold and show that there was more here than just releasing Duke all over again.  It's likely that Hasbro spent all their development on this figure for the head.  Of the new heads from the 2001 and 2002 series, Leatherneck's is the closest to vintage quality.  (Sure Fire's is a pin head.  Big Brawler is, well, Big Brawler and the other heads for Crossfire and Side Track were just bad.)  Leatherneck's new head fits on the torso and wears the helmet well.  Had Hasbro taken a little different approach in his base coloring (maybe desert or a brighter green) the additional differentiation would have likely lead to wider acceptance of the figure.

To call this figure worthless is an understatement.  Left to sell on his own, a mint and complete with filecard figure routinely sells for $1 or $2.  Dealers won't touch him for that price, so you see lots of unsold figures with an $8 price tag that makes him more worthy of dealer time.  You can get carded figures for $5 or $6.  So, basically, this figure isn't worth his retail price, before you take inflation into consideration.  It's probably a fitting fate for this figure.  He showed minimal effort by Hasbro and has become completely forgotten by the collecting community.  But, as a diorama filler or general soldier, the figure has some value.  The 2001 Duke is among my favorite figures of the 2000's.  Using this Leatherneck just as a way to properly accessorize that figure is worth the $1 price tag.

Ultimately, this is the type of figure that will be found at thrift stores and garage sales.  And, for many who do find him, he will be left behind as even those discounted prices are unattractive for anything less than a mint and complete specimen.  Fortunately, through the years, collectors have responded to poor G.I. Joe products by not buying them and leaving them behind.  It frustrates both Hasbro and the club since we can't be counted on to buy anything with the logo on it.  The result is that what little product we get now seems to have a bit more thought put into it.  (We may not agree with the thought, but at least it was there.)  Unfortunately, many, many figure slots in the heyday of collecting were wasted by Hasbro before they learned that lesson.  This Leatherneck is simply a poor reminder of that.

1986 Mission to Brazil Leatherneck

I have often chronicled my Mission to Brazil figures.  In fact, with the addition of this Leatherneck figure, I have now profiled all five figures that were included with the set.  The reason for this is that the Mission to Brazil figures were among the most important items in my collection during my final year of playing with toys in 1987.  They hold a special spot with me for that reason.  The sentimentality likely obscures the fact that this set is mostly less than stellar repaints.  Had this set been released in 2006, I would likely have lambasted it for the terrible color choices.  (Though it would have gotten points for the molds.)  But, vintage paints a different picture for me and the fact that these figures were an important part of the tail end of my childhood Joe experience forever makes them important to me.

The Mission to Brazil set featured 5 figures (Leatherneck, Wet Suit, Dial Tone, Mainframe and Claymore) and a cassette tape all boxed together in a nice presentation for retail shelves.  My local Toys R Us store stacked them on the front endcap of the Joe aisle during the holiday season in 1986.  There were stacks and stacks of the sets sitting there.  I would pick up the set and look at each time I was at the store.  And, each time, I would notice the stacks getting smaller and smaller.  I never, specifically, asked for the set.  But, 1986 was an odd year.  Usually, I got a large G.I. Joe toy for my birthday.  In 1983, it was the Skystriker.  In 1984, it was the Whale.  In 1985, it was the Moray.  But, I didn't get such a present in 1986.  The Terrordrome was out.  And, while it was more expensive than the other toys, it was not outlandishly so.  But, I have no recollection of even wanting a Terrordrome.  (I had bought myself a Tomahawk in the fall when I got $50 for house sitting for a neighbor while they wintered in Arizona.)  Something else must have occupied my time in the fall of 1986 to take my focus off of Joe.  I can't recall what it was.  But, on Christmas morning, I found the Mission to Brazil set under the tree.

1986 was a huge Joe year for me.  I had tons of lawn mowing money and bought up each and every figure I found.  I completed the full run of '86 figures by summer and then focused on vehicles.  (I got both the Havoc and Stun by calling local toy stores to ensure their stock.  The local Children's Palace said they had Stuns in stock, but couldn't guarantee how long they'd be there.  I went a few days later and found them, literally, stacked half way to the ceiling.  I guess they overestimated short term demand.)  I spent my time developing a rich alternate world in which I could immerse myself for hours.  Each and every figure I owned had a more than superficial characterization.  And, the newer figures all got the largest roles.  As such, getting repainted versions of characters I already owned didn't really excite me.  What did excite me, though, was that I now had figures who could be used as representations of Joe army builders.

I needed Joes who could die.  But, I didn't want to kill off major characters as I had a long going continuity and killing someone meant the figure would then be useless.  (I would kill off Joes whose figures broke or wore out, though.  When I got newer versions of those figures, though, I was left with a conundrum of how to bring the character back.)  The Mission to Brazil set gave me four new army building figures.  Wet Suit was a nameless diver who could die at the hands of Eels.  Mainframe was a scientific trooper builder who would man command posts, gunnery stations or missile units.  Dial Tone was a hybrid.  I liked the figure and made him more of a character.  But, he broke early and didn't get the attention the other figures did.  This Leatherneck became my de facto special forces trooper.  Armed with the excellent M-203, these troopers were the equivalent of the Cobra Snow Serpent (the best trained troopers in Cobra!) and were nearly Joes.  Many of the later characters of my own creation had their roots in these special forces units.

In this capacity, the Mission to Brazil figures saw great amounts of use.  This Leatherneck was often the final wave of reinforcements who would arrive to save the Joes.  There were times when he was a lone commando who was paired with Joes.  He would then fail to impress and die, or become someone whom the Joes would watch for eventual membership.  Somewhere along the line, I assigned the Leatherneck figure the grey Zap bazooka from the Battle Gear pack.  This made the special forces more deadly as they carried assault rifles, grenade launchers and the bazookas.  When the brown version of Leatherneck's rifle was released in a later Battle Pack, I gave that to this figure.  This allowed me to give the grey version to the 1986 General Hawk figure.  Hawk then became a younger, combatant General rather than an older, figurehead type character.

Throughout 1987, the Mission to Brazil Leatherneck figure was an essential part of my collection.  He went with me to my Grandparents' homes.  I actually created an entire storyline for the character around a huge, underground Cobra prison that was defined by the limestone terraced walls of my Dayton Grandparent's home.  As 1988 began, though, my Joes were put away.  I was too old to be playing with them.  Leatherneck was among the last figures to be packed into sandwich baggies inside some old shoe boxes in my closet.  He retained his relevance for quite some time.  But, once the figure was packed away, his importance slipped.  When I restarted my Joe collection in the mid 1990's, the special forces army builders were trumped by a new series of special commissions troopers.  These characters relegated special forces to 2nd class status and this Leatherneck figure has never again gained the popularity he enjoyed in my youth.

The Leatherneck mold was used just three times.  The first for for the original figure.  This Mission to Brazil repaint followed in the same year.  The final release came in Brazil.  There, around 1991, the figure was released in colors based on the version 1 figure, but using a little brighter green base color.  That figure (Oficial De Reconhecimento) is also named Leatherneck  The mold disappeared from there.  Most of the figures released contemporarily with the Leatherneck in Brazil have also never reappeared.  Hasbro might have had the mold, or they might not have.  Either way, collectors only have two distinctive appearances for the character with a third, derivative, variant from the International marketplace.

Mission to Brazil figures are more expensive than their retail release counterparts.  There was a time when they were $30 figures with some going as high as $50.  But, the fact that they include the same accessories as the retail release helps keep the prices tempered.  These days, you can get them between $12 and $18 depending on the people in the market.  Most dealers still try to get $30 or more.  And, those do sell from time to time to impatient collectors.  The distinctive filecards for the set are the harder find and tend to raise prices up.  But, if you just want the figure, they are much more affordable than they were a few years ago.  I have a sentimental attachment to the Mission to Brazil set.  Without that, it's doubtful I'd have all the figures, or maybe any of the figures.  But, the set is worthwhile.  It's nice to have an environmentally themed Leatherneck figure and it's nice that some of these great molds say at least one vintage repaint.  In this day and age, many collectors have space as a premium.  If I'm making cuts, only the Mission to Brazil Wet Suit would beat out his original paint job for a spot in my collection.  But, that's an imperfect argument.  I'd keep this Leatherneck figure over many other figures released both before and after him.  It was nice to have him out to remind myself of younger days.  The value in that is immeasurable.

1993 Leatherneck

I've long felt that the later years of the original Joe line held a few quiet gems. Many of them are poorly colored, yet of high quality molds. A very few are actually well done figures who can stand against counterparts from every year. The third subset is the figures who have good molds, and mediocre colors. They aren't so far gone as to be useless, but not done well enough to be considered a great figure. These figures have really fallen by the wayside as they are liked enough to get any press nor hated enough to get any criticism. The 1993 Leatherneck is one such figure.

For most collectors, this figure simply can't be Leatherneck. The 1986 Leatherneck figure is simply too iconic for them to ever consider another mold as the character. However, while this mold is substantially different from the classic '86 figure, it does share some characteristics with the original mold and could, with a little tweaking, be a perfect update to the first figure. This version's design is not bad and does have some similarities with the original. The poor coloring, though, pretty much ensures that this 1993 version will never hold a high place among collectors.

If you look at this figure's mold, it is actually quite detailed. The vest full of ammunition and grenades coupled with the distinctive hat and trademark mustache are a nice combination of details that show a great deal of thought went into this figure's design. It is the colors, though, that are the issue. From the waist up, Leatherneck is somewhat acceptable. The blue highlights can be explained away as it being 1993 and he had to have something that was an atrocious color. The brown vest with the yellow inlays is not overbearing and would work...were it not for the pants. The bright yellow pants on this figure are simply overpowering and make the entire figure simply too bright to effectively use. The yellow is simply too strong and drowns the rest of the figure in a bright, all-too-happy way. This alone sinks the figure.

I've always used this version of Leatherneck as the desert version. While his colors are bright, he can work better in a desert setting than pretty much any other. But, even here, his use is limited. The bright colors simply don't mesh well with other desert figures and he really sticks out among them. I have found some use for this Leatherneck in bases or on vehicles, but even that is limited. The one redeeming factor about this figure is his accessories. Leatherneck was one of the few 1993 figures to actually include black accessories. His tree also featured lesser seen weapons such as the '91 Low Light's rifle (which is actually slightly different that Low Light's. It is based on the same mold, but the two are substantially different when compared.) the 1991 Mercer's grenade launcher and 1990 Airwave's rifle. For many of these weapons, this was the only time they were released in black. In the days before Hasbro packed so many accessories with their sets, a figure like Leatherneck was a welcome addition to a collection as you could outfit two or three other figures who had included neon weapons with something a little more realistic.

This version of Leatherneck was only released by Hasbro. It is difficult to say for sure where his mold is, though. Many of his contemporaries were sent down to Brazil. However, as this figure was never released, there, it is simply not possible to pin down the mold's whereabouts. One point of note, though. In 2003, Master Collector released a Falcon figure in their convention exclusive set. This figure did not feature the original Falcon legs. The reason is that those legs are also used on this version of Leatherneck. (What a difference some proper coloring makes!) In the '90's, Hasbro reused many figure parts as a way to cut costs on their new molds. Those existing parts were matched up with the new parts, though, and removed from their original molds. That is why the original Falcon legs were missing from the Falcon mold. Had someone tracked down the '93 Leatherneck mold, the complete V1 Falcon could have been reunited.

The nice thing about this figure is that he's readily available. Most of the 1993 Battle Corps series figures were heavily clearanced and discounted. I found my Leatherneck at the Oxford, Ohio Big Lots for $2 in late 1995. He wasn't leftover, Hasbro was still dumping overstock to anyone who would buy it at that time. As such, many dealers and speculators were able to pick up large lots of Battle Corps figures for cheap and simply hold onto them. Now, it's almost as easy to find a Leatherneck MOC as it is to find a loose, complete version. All things considered, you should be able to find even a MOC 1993 Leatherneck for well under $10. At that price, he's a good pick up. The figure is decent, while not great. His accessories do help him (a rarity among the '93's) and he is a figure that can add some depth to any collection. I do use this figure as part of my default Desert units and have found him to be one of those figures in a collection who is nice for diversity, even if, by himself, he isn't that spectacular.

1986 Leatherneck

Some Joe collectors consider Leatherneck a cheap imitation of Gung-Ho. Like many '86 figures, he just seemed too eerily similar to an earlier, now discontinued at retail, character. As such, Leatherneck is often given the short shrift in the collecting world. Personally, I always felt the figure was a nice concept that wasn't quite properly executed in plastic. His uniform and overall design was intended to make him a more standard marine soldier than Gung-Ho was. In effect, they took Gung-Ho's specialty and stripped it of his personality. The result was a character that was uninspired but a figure that is decent.

Leatherneck's mold is fairly solid. He is cast in realistic military colors and sports a nifty cammo pattern. Where Leatherneck really shines, though, is in his accessories. He sports an amazing rifle/grenade launcher combo that was tops on many people's favorite weapons list. Aside from the nice mold, the weapon actually looked good with Leatherneck and added to his overall appearance. As a youngster, this weapon alone made Leatherneck worth having. Where the figure is less appealing, though, is in his torso. Instead of making this match the cammo pattern of the rest of the figure, Leatherneck's torso is solid brown. It's OK, but kind of takes away from the figure's overall appearance. I think this is one reason why this figure is never mentioned among the all time great realistic Joe molds.

My original Leatherneck figure disappeared into a black hole. Back in '86, I spent a week in the summer at my grandparent's home in South Buffalo. They had a neat front stairway made of limestone that was surrounded by gardens that was a perfect place to play with my Joes. Every day, I went out there and had some sort of fantastic adventure. When I returned home, though, my Leatherneck figure was gone. There was simply no trace of the figure or his accessories. I didn't buy another one until I returned to Buffalo to ensure the figure was not buried in the dirt or hidden in the bushes. After I was sure the figure was not still there, I went and bought a replacement Leatherneck. However, by this time, the '87 figures were coming out and my new Leatherneck was quickly replaced by the new characters who were appearing in the shelves.

As such, Leatherneck has mostly remained a nameless, faceless soldier in my collection. I just never got into his character and my own circumstances kind of relegated him to the background. Now, I rarely pull him out and he only gets any use in period designed dioramas or as expendable cannon-fodder. In re-examining this figure, though, I think that, had things gone differently way back when, I could have liked the Leatherneck figure. I don't think he would have ever been a major player in my collection, but I think he could have occupied the role now taken by Recoil. (A guy who goes on every mission and supports it rather than leads it.) For now, though, I'm able to use this figure a little more. Perhaps, in time, Leatherneck will regain a place of more prominence. I'm slowly running through most of the Joe characters who are out there. Finding guys like Leatherneck allows me to keep going a little while longer without the franchise going stale.

Leatherneck's mold was sent down to Brazil and was released there in colors nearly identical to the American figure. Whether his mold made it back to the U.S. or not is undetermined. However, just about every figure who was released contemporarily (BBQ, Croc Master, Crazylegs) has re-appeared in India in the past decade. As such, it is probably not too much of a stretch to guess that Funskool might have possession of this mold. We do know that his gun mold is still available, though, as the '02 Dusty figures included it. In the grand scheme of things, that's not too bad. I wouldn't mind a Funskool Leatherneck, but would rather that Hasbro not re-acquire this mold as I don't think there is a whole lot they could do to it that would make it more compelling.

Time was, not too long ago, that a mint, complete Leatherneck figure was going to set you back $10-$12. Now, you can get them for half that. It seems that a lot of collectors out there have finished their '82-'87 collections. As such, the regular release Joes from those years have significantly dropped in price. (However, the Cobra army builders from those years remain as hot as ever!) This has made it substantially cheaper to finish off a nice collection of these early Joes. It's also allowed a lot of people to pick up an extra figure or two that they can customize, use, or just get dirty. While some people have really lamented the rising price of Joes, those meteoric rises are really isolated. Aside from Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, rarities and classic army builders, most Joes are actually more affordable now than they were in the recent past. This has allowed many people to expand their ideas of a Joe collection and look to different years and different characters as they take advantage of some of the cheaper prices. For me, guys like Leatherneck are part of what made Joe great. He was a good concept who filled a need but who lacked overall staying power.

I've got all the Leatherneck figures I need. However, if you have any information as to whether the '93 Leatherneck mold made it to Brazil, please email me.