Rarities - Unproduced Brazilian Figures

While Estrela produced around 150 total figures in their exclusive Comandos Em Acao line, they  had intended for there to be more.  In the 1990's, Estrela showcased 5 figures in various forms that ended up never getting released.  These figures not only appeared as cross sells on various cardbacks, but even appeared in catalogs used to sell the products.  The 5 figures were all 1991 releases from Hasbro.  The figures were: Grunt, Crimson Guard Immortal, Mercer, Tracker and Cobra Commander.  (Their names in Brazil would have been Arsenal, Flagelo, Desertor, Correnteza and Tirano.)

Hasbro's 1991 figures were one of the rare years that didn't see a second year of release.  This was due to Hasbro trying to reboot the line in 1992 with familiar characters.  So, 1991 molds became common sights in later repaint lines and international releases.  You'll note that all of the figures that appear in the Estrela promotional material shown below are Hasbro made figures and not the Estrela figures.  So, this marketing propaganda was made prior to Estrela having their own wares to photograph.  

You'll often find international guides that list these figures as being available in Brazil.  But, many of these were from the early days of collecting before it was determined that these figures never saw production.  One early guide even features a few Hasbro figures in the placeholders for these names.  And, one thing that's constant in the Joe line is that mistakes and errors from the early collecting years are often repeated and rarely corrected.

Below are two promo photos.  One features just the 5 cancelled figures.  The other shows them interspersed with some other figures that were released in Brazil.  Seeing them all in one shot suggests to me that they were planned as a new wave at one point.  But, the entire wave was halted.  Maybe Hasbro didn't send the molds for whatever reason.  Or, it could have just been that Estrela determined they didn't want another wave.  These figures would have appeared closer to the end of the Comandos Em Acao line.  And, this was the time when Estrela was starting to move away from the standard carded figures that had defined their line and towards the themed subsets of figures that featured bigger cards and more gimmicks.

It's interesting to note that all 5 of these unproduced figures from Estrela did, later, appear as exclusive Funskool releases.  So, Hasbro did recoup more of their cost as they moved the molds around the world.  And, the molds weren't in an unusable state for Esrela.  But, the reasons for these figures being cancelled in Brazil remain lost.  

1991 Mercer - Around The Web

I was very surprised to find this is the first content I've made on the 1991 Mercer figure in 20 years.  He's a figure I greatly enjoy.  And, I thought I used him quite a bit.  But, it turns out that he's mostly in the background of photos.  He's rarely the focal point.  I probably need to change that.  The figure's colors and mold are easy to match up with vehicles and other figures.  So, he can be used in a variety of ways.  I just need to explore it a little more.

The upside is that lots of other people use to great effect.  So, check out all the links below to see some fun stuff utilizing one of the better 1991 figure releases.

1991 Mercer Profile

1991 Mercer at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1991 Mercer by thedustinmccoy

1991 Mercer at JoeBattleLines.com

1991 Mercer by gi_joeisthere

1991 Mercer by andrey_collector

1991 Mercer by JoeADay.com

1991 Mercer by gijoe_pty

1991 Mercer by u.n.i.t._gijoe

1991 Mercer by yotothejoe

Rarities - Brazilian Mercer

While collectors focus on the Brazilian figures who feature drastically different paint jobs or new construction that was not available in the Hasbro line, the reality is that the majority of the releases in Brazil fall into a different category.  The bulk of the Estrela line features figures that are mostly based on their Hasbro paint job.  But, as the figures were made in Brazilian factories, there are always differences among them.  Most of these, though, are ignored by all but a subset of collectors.

Below is the Brazilian Mercer figure.  This release retains the Hasbro codename as well as the standard look for the character.  Side by side, you'd notice small differences on the Brazilian release vs. the Hasbro release.  But, that's about it.  He features the same blue pants, orange vest and black and silver highlights.  The only major variant is that his iconic weapon is now silver instead of the standard off-white for the Hasbro figure.

In the U.S., the Renegades were only released as a three pack.  However, in Europe, all three members of the set were released as single carded figures.  Then, this Mercer appeared in Brazil.  Red Dog made a surprise appearance in India in 2001.  And, it's likely that all the Renegade molds ended up there.  But, Funskool had no need for another Mercer figure since they had the character's 1991 mold still in production.  

The card artwork is not good.  But, it is also unique to this release.  The European single carded figures use larger artwork based on the combined art that appears on the US packaging.  It features Mercer with a raised right fist instead of the two handed weapon pose you see below.

As collectibles, figures like this Mercer are a fun way to expand a collection.  But, as interesting pieces, they fall somewhat flat.  Most collectors wouldn't notice a Brazilian Mercer in a photo aside from the alternate gun color.  And, most would even gloss over that.  It's not a criticism, though.  This figure isn't all that special when taken against the original release.  But, for people who like small differences that aren't really noticeable upon first glance, Brazilian figures like this Mercer are a great way to keep collecting.

1987 Mercer

1987 is the year of the G.I. Joe Movie.  Not knowing that was going to be a thing, though, left the year with some oddball releases.  The weirdest was Cobra La.  The three figures simply made no sense in the context of G.I. Joe.  But, their case mates were more traditional.  The Slaughter's Renegades were three new characters who were supposedly aligned with Sgt. Slaughter.  They were a ragtag outfit cast with misfits.  When I found the set, I had to buy it right away.  Though, this was, probably, a function of the fact that I already had all of the 1987 carded figures.  Upon opening, I found Taurus and Red Dog difficult to use.  I wasn't overly fond of their figures.  But, Mercer had no such limitations.  For some reason, I gravitated to the figure.  And, quickly, Mercer became one of the most used figures in my collection.

Mercer features some odd design choices.  You can forgive the random silver armband on his right bicep.  But, some others are less so.  His pistol on his chest features a massive handle.  Yet, the rest of the weapon is comically small.  It's like a Looney Tunes mockery in reverse.  He's then also wearing two belts.  Now, often you can get away with this as one is a holster.  But, Mercer's are both around his waist and don't appear to have any function other than just adding a detail for detail's sake.  He features bare arms and bright blue pants.  His design is very emblematic of 1987 as that was a year where Joe was both traditional military and outlandish superhero/villain at the same time.  

Mercer's gear is solid.  He includes a black version of Footloose's backpack.  As a kid, I always gave him the brown Recondo pack.  I felt that pack was too contrasting to Taurus to actually be his gear.  Since the color better matched Mercer, I gave it to him.  In recent years, though, I've come to appreciate the black on Mercer.  It does blend well with him.  Mercer's gun was one of my childhood favorites.  It's a massively overlong pistol with a silencer.  I saw this as a super powerful weapon when I used Mercer in my final Joe playing days.  His weapon needed the silencer since it was so loud from the extra powder needed to generate the power of the weapon.  I often had Mercer use the weapon two-handed for this reason.

Mercer did not get much use.  He was released in the Renegades three pack.  Then, a short while later, he was released on a single card in Europe.  The upside is that this release proved the right gear for Mercer.  After that, Mercer never appeared again.  As Red Dog showed up in India in 2001, it's possible Mercer was there, too.  The club remolded a new Mercer head based on the 1987 figure in 2006.  It's not as nice as the original.  On one hand, it would have been cool to get a Mercer repaint.  But, at the same time, some of Mercer's charm is that he's an odd duck who's never appeared in any form other than this color scheme.  

1987 was a weird Joe year for me.  I knew I was starting to age out of buying toys.  But, at the same time, I was full bore into buying them as I had a lot of money from mowing lawns and free time to play with them.  When I found the Renegades in the summer, I had already bought all of the single carded figures for the year.  So, I didn't really hesitate in picking them up.  They had the Cobra La set, too.  But, I had no idea what the heck it was.  The G.I. Joe Movie didn't air in my market in early 1987.  In fact, it was only at Christmas time that year that the kids down the street said they had seen it and it included celebrity voices, etc.  They described Cobra La and I simply didn't believe them that there was a movie.  What they said was simply too ridiculous to be true.  At some point in 1988, though, I became aware of the movie either on a local station or through some other means.  All my friends had told me was true.  And, I was glad to have moved on from the cartoon for that reason.

1987 was also my final year playing with toys as a kid.  I bought 3 figures in early 1988 and was done.  I probably hung on too long.  While most every kid in my class played with Joes in 1985, it was down to myself and about four others in 1986.  By the end of the year, they were all gone, moved on to other things.  So, I spent many lonely afternoons in my room, listening to the radio while I came up with complex stories for my figures.  (To this day, I'll hear some deep cut of 1987 pop on an oldies station and it will trigger old memories of that room and the adventures I had.)  Really, the year of 1987 is one long soap opera that lead to a massive battle.  In the fall of that year, I put my toys away.  A few key figures would stay under my bed for a bit.  But, after some of my friends happened to see the shoebox in which they were stored, I was done with Joe.  My figures went into plastic baggies and were stuffed into a solid, red Lego container that we had.  I then buried that in my closet.  I then focused on more "acceptable" collectibles like sports cards.  I approached that with the same gusto as G.I. Joe.  But, Joe wouldn't leave.  I still bought the comic.  And, I'd sneak a glance at the toy aisle to see the new Joes every now and again.  But, I wouldn't actively collect G.I. Joe again for another 6 years.

When I started up again, though, I had my original Mercer available.  He was one of a handful of figures stored in a shoebox.  As he was complete, though, I found him useful.  And, I paired him with the 1992 Wild Bill as well as a beat up 1990 Stretcher I found for $1 at the Trader's World flea market in Dayton, Ohio around 1995.  This trio made up a crime force that was wanted by both Cobra and the Joes.  In the end, only poor Mercer wasn't actually working for the Joes.  So, he got the shaft while his partners in crime ended up working with the Joes on their most lucrative assignments for many years.  As these were my early collecting years, I have nearly forgotten that Mercer was part of the trio.  And, the value of having just a handful of figures has been lost as my collection has grown.  It's nice to look back to simpler times and the fun you could have with limited resources.

Mercer figures are not rare.  And, as he's the only Renegade to not feature gold paint, he's less prone to wear than his packmates.  Still, though, you often find him with scuffs on the massive silver pistol handle as well as wear to his hair and silver elements.  Dealers sell mint and complete with filecard figures in the $30 range.  If you are willing to sacrifice the filecard and wait a bit, though, you can actually buy all three Renegades for about the same price.  Left to the market, Mercer is about a $15 figure.  But, again, you can often buy sets of all the Renegades for less.  So, shop around.  1987 was a massive Joe year and figures were produced in huge quantities.  So, there are lots of options to acquire a Mercer before you spend double his value from a dealer.

Mercer - Around the Web

Mercer was a character who didn't appear in the comics, but who found a strong afterlife in the fan fiction and early dio story community.  Fans took to the potential of the character, even if Hasbro didn't.  Here's some of the best Mercer stuff on the web.

1987 Mercer Profile

1991 Mercer Profile

2006 Mercer Profile

Mercer at Joedios.com

Mercer at JoeaDay.com

Mercer at Half the Battle

Mercer at JoeBattleLines.com

1991 Mercer at JoeADay.com

2006 Mercer at JoeADay.com

Mercer at GeneralsJoes.com

Mercer at the G.I.Joe Comics Home Page

2006 Mercer - Convention Exclusive

There are some characters in the Joe mythos who have taken on greater significance far after their vintage media days were over.  In some cases, this the result of their figure being rare.  Other times, it is due to some modern Joe media outlet culling obscure recesses of the Joe world for something new.  And, some times, it is just a hidden little filecard gem that modern collectors latch onto.  It is this final scenario that has made the character of Mercer into much more than he ever was in the vintage line.

1987 was really the last year I collected Joes as a child.  I was heading towards high school and collecting Joes was not something I wanted to move along with me.  The fact that the 1987 G.I. Joe figure lineup included some real stinkers for figures certainly helped mature me.  Still, most of the 1987 Joes became part of my collection and were featured members for a short time.  Some, like Falcon and Outback, became icons and have remained relevant even today.  Others, like Fast Draw, were fun for a week and then became background fodder.  The Slaughter's Renegades set was both.  Almost immediately, I had no use for Red Dog or Taurus.  Both were quickly relegated away.  The Mercer figure, though, resonated with me.  I liked the design, the colors, the accessories and the look of the character.  As such, Mercer quickly joined the Tunnel Rats and Flints of the world in the main rotation of my Joe world.

When I returned to Joe collecting as a adult, I found the 1991 Mercer figure.  Another solid mold, that take showed a more mature Mercer who was not the lost soul that the 1987 version seemed to represent.  The 1991 character, though, also had a different file name.  What was likely just a copy editor error on Hasbro's part in the early '90's, though, became the impetus for collectors in fledgling online Joe world of the late 1990's to create elaborate backstories around the Mercer character.  Mercer then became much more popular as collectors realized the character's potential.  In time, some of this popularity dimmed.  (It always does.)  But, Mercer was much more popular than he had ever been in 1987.

As a mold, this Mercer has great potential.  The chest, waist and legs are from the Mega Marines Clutch figure.  The Mega Marines have always been a subset of figures that collectors have felt were under appreciated due to the poor color choices of the original releases.  That is true.  Unfortunately, Master Collector did not choose to capitalize on this mold's potential.  Instead of finding decent colors, they used a base of cream and blue.  The blue, along with the orange around the figure's neck, are an homage to the vintage Mercer figure.  But, for a character like this, I would have preferred a figure that was not bound to prior looks and used colors that were more flattering to the mold.  The bare arms from the 1992 Gung Ho figure are muscular enough to work for the character.  But, again, they were also likely a shout out to the vintage mold's bare arms as well.  The head is all new.  It is based on the vintage figure, but is a new mold with some nuance.  It is true to the character, though, and shows the young Mercer visage that is more in line with the character I used as a kid.

While the choice of colors for this figure is suspect, the paint applications are not.  Master Collector does go all out on their convention releases in terms of color differences to bring out the details of the mold.  Mercer is no exception.  The figure features flesh, brown hair, eye whites, cream, light brown, black, gold, blue, dark brown, olive green and, just for good measure, a red anti-Cobra tattoo on the figure's left arm.  No less than 11 different colors appear on the figure.  The aesthetic of cream over blue may not be the most useful motif.  But, the overall figure quality is far above just about anything seen in the vintage line.  One limiting factor of the color scheme, though, was that it appeared on all three Renegade figures as well as the Sgt. Slaughter released at the convention.  The theory was a unified uniform.  The reality is banality.  Stand alone, Mercer can work.  But, with the other 3 member of his sub set, the limitations of the color scheme become too apparent.

Mercer's accessories are neither memorable nor terrible.  He includes a cream colored version of Big Bear's backpack.  It fits the figure, even if the color is odd were it not matched to the figure's body.  Along with the requisite clear collector stand, Mercer includes two weapons that were molded during the repaint era for use with the Joe vs. Cobra style figures.  One is larger weapon with no stock.  Frankly, I despise the mold.  I didn't like it when it was first released and don't like it now.  It's well detailed and in scale with ARAH style figures.  But, it just does not click with me.  His other weapon is a smaller sub machine gun.  It is a much better weapon and is my gun of choice with the figure.  It is not as unique as Mercer's vintage silenced pistol.  But, it works for the character.

Alas, Mercer's days as a prominent member of my collection are largely gone.  I'm not even sure if I have a vintage version in my collection any more.  This Mercer, though, is a good enough replacement.  Without Red Dog and Taurus from the set to give cream and blue overkill, this Mercer works as a way to break up the monotony of much of the modern Joe line.  From time to time, I may display him with other figures from the 1987 era.  But, Mercer was always more of a loner to me.  He wasn't really ingrained with the traditional Joes.  So, having him by himself seems like a waste.  One thing I've learned about my collecting habits, though, is that whatever is old becomes new again.  So, at some point, I'll be nostalgic for Mercer and you'll start to see him in the background of various photos around the site.  I just don't know when that time will come.

As a convention exclusive attendee release, this figure had a very low production run.  Historically, low run, attendee only convention items have appreciated greatly on the secondary market.  Many often trade for 3 to 5 times their original price within weeks of the convention.  Initially, the Renegades set looked like it would go that way.  But, the interest in the set quickly fell due to the poor design and, generally, unpopular characters.  For a long time, sets would sit unsold at their original price.  These days, interest has dropped even further.  Mint and complete, Mercer figures can be purchased for under $7.  Red Dog and Taurus sell for even less.  It can take a while to find them, though, since so few collectors who dropped nearly $15 per figure at the convention are so eager to take that kind of loss on them.  For those prices, the figures can be a nice break from the sea of sameness that heavily defined the repaint era.  And, having a new take on the young Mercer is always nice.  But, this figure has definite shortcomings and is, in my opinion, inferior to the original.  Since vintage Mercers aren't exactly lighting up the price charts these days, either, I'd simply buy the vintage version and call it good for the character.

1991 Mercer

A long time ago, I profiled the 1987 Mercer figure. In that profile I mentioned how that figure was a mainstay in my collection for many years. To this day, he is more representative of the Mercer character. However, the 1991 version of Mercer is, while different, a very nice figure. His look is conducive to many uses and I have found that it is this mold's versatility that makes him worth another, closer look.

The thing I like most about this Mercer mold is that he looks like a Cobra. His uniform style and his basic color scheme make him look more like a Cobra villain promoted from the Viper ranks rather than a Joe. As such, I've often used this figure as a new, named Cobra villain. His bearded countenance gives can be construed as a villainous device and Mercer's overall look allows him to transcend the basic uses that limit most Joe figures. In that regard, Mercer also works well as a double agent. His look could be Cobra. Therefore, he is easily used a Joe spy who has infiltrated Cobra and is slowly leaking intelligence to the Joe team. In this role, I have found the greatest depth for this character. Aside from him being a spy, he also serves the larger purpose of moving my Joe world along. With Mercer in place inside Cobra, my Joe leaders feel more at ease with Cobra's operations. As my Joe leaders are much younger than those used by most other collectors (I've had people like General Hawk retire in order to make way for newer characters.) they tend to be somewhat reckless in their appraisals of a situation. While they are proud that they have a spy inside the Cobra inner sanctum, they will not consider the possibility that Cobra may have spy inside the Joe leadership cabal. I haven't decided where this plot point is going to go, yet, but my Joes have been taking a beating in recent years and I think this is going to be another object lesson for them.

This Mercer figure was released around the world. Aside from the US release, this figure was also planned for release in Brazil (though it never was actually released) and is currently available in India. The 1991 figures were only released for 1 year at retail in the US. This explains there relative scarcity when compared to other figure years. It also explains why just about every figure from 1991 has been re-released in other parts of the world over the years. Hasbro had to recoup the costs of these molds. The single year retail release in the US may not have been enough to do it. As such, most of the '91 figures were released in Asia in Asian packaging and were then shipped off to Brazil. There, many were released again. From Brazil, many of the molds made their way to India. In looking over the 40-some-odd Funskool figures currently available, you see that a lot of them (Desert Scorpion, Crimson Guard Immortal, Incinerator, Cobra Commander, Grunt, etc.) are from 1991 molds. Most of these figures, though, were released in colors very similar to the original American releases. As such, you don't see a high demand for many of the foreign versions as they aren't something too terribly different from the American figure. The world wide availability of these figures, though, has helped to keep the American figures from getting too expensive or hard to find.

A few years ago Mercer figures, along with the rest of the '91 figures, were pretty hard to find. They were cheap when you did come across them, but you had to do some searching to track them down. Now, though, it seems that these figures are out there in ample quantities. As such, it doesn't take much to track a Mercer figure down. And, if you do have trouble, it's easy just to jaunt over to an online Joe dealer and pick up a Funskool Mercer or two. Either way, the figure is one that can add needed depth to a Joe collection. He is not a major character and never will be one much beyond what has been done with him in fan fiction. That's a nice role for him, though, as it leaves the Mercer character open to interpretation and he can become just about anything in any collection. Naturally, this is one of the primary reasons I like this figure.

I'm well set for Mercer figures. I would like, though, to see the original Mercer mold return to retail. I think he could be an interesting take on an old character. Do you?

1987 Mercer

In 1987, Hasbro was using the professional wrestler Sgt. Slaughter as a spokesman for the G.I. Joe line. I won't go into how many collectors feel about his presence in G.I. Joe, but he did leave a lasting legacy. In 1987, Hasbro released a three pack of figures called Sgt. Slaughters Renegades. In later literature, after the relationship with the old Sarge had been broken, they were just referred to as the Renegades. At any rate, they were a group of outsiders who operated for G.I. Joe, but had no official status. They were supposed to do the dirty work. Alas, they were never utilized as such. They never appeared in the comic, though there were many situations where they could have been useful. Because of their lack of appearances, these guys kind of fell by the wayside. The three figures that made up the pack were supposed to be a "Circus strongman, an ex-football star, and an ex-Cobra Viper". It was this last figure that has endeared itself to collectors.

The Renegades were a pretty useless 3 pack. (Not as bad as Cobra-La, but don't get me started!) Red Dog tried to capitalize on the lack of fame held by a Samoan NFL player at the time. Taurus was the perfect Eastern European stereotype. Mercer, though, was actually a good figure. He had a nice mold, a unique gun, and a perfect background story. He was the only Cobra to ever successfully defect to the Joes. Why this story's potential was never explored is far beyond me. Still, it made for a great figure with lots of play potential. Mercer is an awesome mold. He just looks cool. Many people prefer his 1991 incarnation, but I am more partial to this one. The 1991 is a nice figure and does make for some great custom fodder, but, to me, this figure is now and will always be Mercer. I just can't overcome the differences in appearance between the two figures. I think the personality I made for this figure just wouldn't fit the 1991 version. As such, I am left with another figure with which I can do anything I want.

This version of Mercer looks like the type of guy Cobra would recruit; young, angry, lost, and mean. The later version appears as a much more mature figure. This guy seems like an impetuous hot head who would have joined Cobra for the promise of riches, plus the chance to shoot at people. I think part of the figure's evolution between the 4 years that separate his versions is that the young, fiery man who joined Cobra became disenfranchised with what Cobra espoused. He finally mustered up the courage to leave. After he did, he was still the hot head, but, over time, matured into the figure that was released in 1991. The drive that made him a great Viper, and allowed him to escape, would haunt him for a few years as he tried to fit into the more regimented G.I. Joe team. That explains why he was an off the books type of guy who later became part of the team.

Mercer has always been a large part of my collection. One look at the wear on this specimen you see pictured will testify to his extensive use. I used him as the ex-Viper, a malevolent bounty hunter, or a turncoat traitor. He was a figure that had all sorts of potential. Since he was never used in any capacity in any official Joe continuity, I could do whatever I wanted with him. One of the more elaborate plots I ever undertook had Mercer defecting to the Joes, killing a major Cobra big wig (Serpentor), and then turning on the Joes in the end. It was all a plot by Cobra Commander to assassinate one of his rivals by having the Joes, lead by a "defector", do the deed. Mercer can lead to all sorts of great plots. That is why he is a mainstay in many works of fan fiction. People just like to flesh him out. He is one of the deeper characters that was never explained in any element of Joedom. Because of this oversight, we are left with a cool figure that can be used any way we want.

Mercers, like the other 1987 3 pack figures, aren't all that easy to get. Of all of them, though, Mercer is far and away the most popular. Since his new version was released on a regular card in 1991, though, many collectors use that figure to represent the Mercer character. That keeps this figure from getting too expensive. He will, though, cost you a bit more than other '87's that were available on their own, individual cards. He can also be tough to find complete. The Renegades three pack did not separate the weapons meant for each figure. From the card art, you could figure out the correct gun to apply to each figure, but the packs are a different story. I always used the pack you see in the photo. Other guides have different packs as being the ones associated with Mercer. At any rate, he should come with a pack. Which one you feel he should have will be left as an exercise to the reader. This guy is a nice figure that should be a part of anyone's collection, regardless of your feelings about his association with Sgt. Slaughter. Once you have him, you will learn all sorts of great uses for this guy.

Lots of people use Mercer in their fan fictions. I use the figure, but not the character. What's your opinion? Email me.