G.I. Joe #36 - Marvel Comics

I had bought just 9 other G.I. Joe comic books when issue #36 came out.  And, even with that limited experience, my initial thoughts about #36 were pretty much, "what the heck is this?!?".  There was something off about the book.  From the different artwork and perspective on the cover to some of the artistic choices in the book itself, #36 stood out as something different.  In looking back at it, now, the differences are less obvious.  But, at the time, this issue was a departure from those that had come before it.  (Though, to be fair, the artwork in #35 also stands out as something different.)  Hidden inside the issue, though, is a plethora of toy introductions, foreshadowing of upcoming, major plotlines and some closure of the "Zartan" arc that began about a year earlier.

The issue's cover is distinctive as it heavily features a pale cranberry red background.  This color hadn't been seen on a G.I. Joe cover since #8.  It was a dramatic splash of color to offset the dark Cobra blue and olive drab of the Hovercraft.  The perspective of the cover flows from left to right.  It's reminiscent of the #29 cover which also featured the Hovercraft: just in a a different role.  There's a lot of action packed into just a few items.  And, the Rattler, Hovercraft and ASP all convey aspects of the story.  Comic covers were never meant to be 100% representations of what was inside the book.  Instead, they were a composite to give the feel of an issue.  And, the #36 cover delivers on that.

The book opens with a strong portrait of Cutter, Deep Six and Doc.  This version of Deep Six, wearing standard clothing instead of his bulky dive suit, is actually how I think of the character.  He appeared more in  the comic in this outfit than that of his actual "action" figure.  Yet, we never got a toy version of Deep Six that was anywhere close to this above water look.  It really seemed that Larry Hama liked the Deep Six character.  He played significant roles in several comic issues.  And, he got more comic time than many of the standard carded figures that were released through 1984.  And, while we got a nearly perfect update to the Deep Six undersea diver in 1989, we never did get a way to represent the character out of the water.  Topside is the closest representation.  And, the "crewman" Deep Six was a staple of late 1990's and early 2000's customizers.  It's one of the missing figures that I'd gladly buy in the ReAction+ line just because it's never been done.

This issue went on sale in March of 1985.  It has a few notable debuts.  It is the first time we see Cobra hydrofoils that were based on the Moray design.  They are Cobra blue, though.  At the end of the issue, we see the debut of the USS Flagg.  (Though, it's not really noted as being significant.)  The odd thing is that this also marks the debut of the MMS.  For some reason, the MMS didn't appear in G.I. Joe #1.  (I don't think the FLAK did, either.)  And, it wasn't until this issue, four years later, that the 1982 toy finally appeared in a comic panel.  It got to blow up a Rattler and was then destroyed in the fiery aftermath.  The most notable debut, though, is the notion of a "Sea Rattler" and their white-clad pilots.  In the early days of online collecting, the white Rattler pilot was an oft requested new figure should the Joe line return.  The line did return.  But, we never actually got this white Rattler pilot.  In an alternate reality, there would have been a #36 Comic Pack with the proper Deep Six, the Rattler Pilot and one of Fred's "thugs" or a "Rubber Mask" Snake Eyes.

This issue spins three central plots.  The two aquatic adventures are intertwined, but also separate.  The destruction of the G.I. Jane was done to pave the way for the USS Flagg to appear later that summer.  The land battle at the atoll was a somewhat self contained story that had no bearing on the overall except for a throwaway line as the Cobras watched the Joe triumphantly depart.  A Cobra Trooper mentions the larger Gulf operations as foreshadowing for that summer's primary plot.  The Snake Eyes/Scarlett plot, though, was another step forward in converting G.I.  Joe into the Snake Eyes story.  

The Hovercraft arc is interesting because the Joes pretty much decimate the Cobras.  But, the real takeaway is that the good guys are always smarter than the bad guys.  It's a trope that's all too easy.  But, as a kid, seeing the good guys blow up the capable, but not quite smart enough bad guys was a lot of fun.  The crew of Torpedo and Snow Job is kind of random.  It seems like this is a last ditch effort to show off some '83 characters as their figures would have been selling through for the last time.  Seeing Torpedo on the Whale triggered another memory for me.  I had a standard crew for my Whale.  Cutter and Shipwreck manned the helm.  BBQ sat behind them as the requisite firefighter.  But, Torpedo always manned the hidden recon sled underneath the Whale.  I never remembered he was there when I was a kid.  So, I had forgotten about his involvement on every Whale mission I undertook during my childhood heyday.  

The Jane arc balances out the Whale story since Cutter, Deep Six and Doc lose.  While they destroy the Rattlers (it was still a bit jarring to see pilots and others die in the comic when I was 11), the Jane is also destroyed.  The Joes hadn't lost a piece of equipment of that size since the pre-fab HQ was blown to bits back in #19.  I suspect this was done to remove the Jane and bring in the USS Flagg whose toy would appear on retail shelves later in the year.  When taken in that context, the Jane's demise seems kind of cheap.  But, as a kid, the story was pretty intense.

The Snake Eyes/Scarlett story line is also pretty good.  It features Fred along with a group of Cobra goons.  These generic guys appeared a few times in the early issues.  This might have been their final comic appearance.  They are '30's mobster archetypes.  But, they work in conveying that they're bad guys and dangerous.  Scarlett and Snake Eyes dispatch them.  Seeing them all killed with impunity is, again, kind of jarring.  But, they were foils to show the capability of the protagonists.  The culmination is that Fred "dies" by falling off the ferry into the cold water.  (He lives, of course.)  But, the big reveal is that Snake Eyes's face is so horrid that Fred loses his mind upon seeing it.
 

One enduring memory associated with this issue is the carton that says "Snax" on it.  It appears in one of the integral panels to the Snake Eyes/Fred story.  It seems a silly thing to fixate upon.  But, my friend down street always thought this spelling of the word and its appearance in  the comic was hilarious.  Even when we were in high school, he'd mention Snax from time to time and we'd chuckle.  I remember this issue, specifically, for this reason.  It's that one weird thing that makes this issue matter to me.  We all have weird pneumonic devices that recall certain aspects of childhood.  For me, it's "Snax".

The main thing that bothered me about this issue, though, was some of the internal artwork.  Look at the faces and body positions in the panel posted below.  The grotesque mouth poses seemed out of place.  In looking at the creative team, the entire issue was penciled by 4 different people.  So, that may explain some of the oddities among the pages.  I did love the guns that were drawn in this issue, though.  Until the end of my childhood collecting days, I wanted weapons that matched up with those wielded by Fred and his minions in this issue.  

Early Joe comics aren't worth much.  They were printed in massive volumes.  And, many copies survived through to today.  In pretty good condition, this is a $5 or $6 book.  Of course, graded copies will cost more, especially the 9's and 10's.  But, just a couple of years ago, all the non-key Joe comics were about $1 or $2 purchases.  The pandemic pricing destroyed comics, too, I guess.  I'm not sure I'd pay $5 for this issue.  But, comics from the '80's seem like they should be cheap.  The fact that they're over 40 years old isn't as much of an issue as it was when looking at items from the 1940s back in the 1980's.  These '80s items were produced in unfathomable numbers and lack any real sense of rarity.  Even with a strong childhood connection to the comics, I haven't been compelled to finish my original Marvel run.  I'm not missing many.  (I was pretty thorough when I was a kid.)  But, maybe it will become a focus now that my desire to find any unowned figures is pretty much at a dead end, too.  Rereading these old issues is fun because you do find some new stuff when looking at it for the first time in 2 decades.  But, the real value is remembering stupid things like "Snax" and fondly recalling those bygone days when such things were fresh and funny.

1986 Dialtone - Random Photos of the Day

Dialtone remains a personal favorite of mine.  Ever since my younger brother found him sitting on a random shelf at Target and got our first 1986 figure, I've felt that Dialtone was a figure I missed out on.  I've never been able to overcome that initial disappointment.  So, to this day, I use the figure way more than I should.  And, it's nearly impossible for me to express how much I like the figure.  I can't have a rational discussion about him.

So, here's a bunch of 1986 Dialtone figures taken over the years.  My favorite is the last one where he's in the Hum-Vee.  I miss those cheapo, generic military toys you used to be able to find at Toys R Us and, for a short while, Amazon.  They were a great way to expand the Joe line.  After that non-sequitur, enjoy the photos below. 

1993 Iceberg

Sometimes, a simple little change can be all the difference between a figure that is loved and one that is ignored.  The 1993 Iceberg isn't a figure you see all that often.  He's a definite downgrade from the 1986 character debut.  And, the figure's calling card of bright yellow highlights definitely hurt his appeal.  But, when you look at the original card art, you see that Iceberg was originally meant to look a bit different.  And, had those original coloring choices been followed, this version of Iceberg would be much more accepted in the collecting world today.  

If you look at Iceberg's card artwork, the figure should be amazing.  The details on the mold really pop.  His bullets are golden instead of yellow and all of his details are clearly visible.  The most important difference, though, is that the character's mask and gloves and details are green instead of bright yellow.  We can argue about whether green really works in the arctic.  But, the green highlights really look much better than the bright yellow. The figure on the card art would have some vehement fans.  The released figure, though, does not.  Many 1993 and 1994 figures seemed to have changes like this from the art colors.  Some may have been due to cost cutting and others may have been choices to brighten up a retail assortment.  But, in almost every case, the card art showcases a figures superior to the actual toy.

This is a shame as the yellow obfuscates a fairly decent Iceberg sculpt.  The chest has some heft to showcase the bulk of the cold weather coat and gear.  But, the sculpting of the ammo belt, powder horn, grenades, hoodie collar and fur accents on the gloves all show that Hasbro was still more than capable of making great toys in 1993.  Sadly, the yellow is a tough sell and really takes away from the quality of the mold.  It takes a figure that might be among the better 1993 releases and relegates him to near the bottom of that year's popularity.  Despite the classic character, solid gear and great sculpt, Iceberg languishes in obscurity: overshadowed by not only his original figure, but other cold weather figures like Snow Storm and Frostbite who were his contemporaries.  

My only real memory associated with this version of Iceberg comes from a random lot of figures I bought off Ebay back in 1999 or so.  In it was a figure with this Iceberg's head painted olive green atop a 1990 Big Ben body.  As lazy customs go, it wasn't bad.  My main takeaway, though, was how well the head was painted.  It was only after scratching at it a bit that I could tell the painting was done by a steady handed person instead of a factory.  I bought the lot because it was dirt cheap and included a bunch of accessories as well as a full Night Viper body with a Laser Viper head.  Back in those early collecting days, you could find lots like that no one wanted because they were "ruined" figures from later molds.  I still have the parts sitting in a box buried in a basement closet.  Someday, I might put the head to a different use.  

Aside from the yellow highlights, Iceberg also features some brown painted snowflake designs that are meant as cammo or just eye-filler.  I get the idea of snowflakes.  And, really, they kind of work as a means of breaking up the otherwise very brightly colored body.  They look, though, like the bullet hole stickers you'd see on model kits of the era.  So, when I look at the figure, I think he got shot up in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.  It makes me chuckle and prevents me from taking the figure too seriously.  But, if I put that association out of my head, you can see what the designers were going for.  And, they did succeed in making the figure more visually interesting than he would otherwise be.

Iceberg's gear is about as good as it gets for 1993.  As far as I know, Iceberg's weapon tree was unique to him.  It included resculpted versions of the 1988 Blizzard's rifle and pistol.  These were great throwbacks to earlier arctic themed figures.  Iceberg also included a machete from Muskrat and a knife from Hit and Run.  There is the requisite missile launcher, missiles and battle stand.  Iceberg also includes a snowboard.  This unique accessory puts him over the top for 1993 figures because Iceberg has something to interact with.  The "jet-powered" snowboard was an idea that Hasbro used often.  There's jet powered skis, missiles and snowboards throughout the line.  The absolute bonkers notion of such an item wasn't important to kids.  It was just fun.  The snowboard also has a variant where the G.I. Joe logon on the underside can be printed in both directions.  It's small, but something to look for. 

This Iceberg was also released in Brazil.  The Estrela made figure is named Pantano and is a nearly identical paint job to the Hasbro release.  Pantano is noteworthy for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, Pantano was also the name of the Python Patrol Copperhead that was released in Brazil.  The characters aren't related.  But, seeing the same name twice is fun.  Secondly, Pantano is a Cobra.  The masked face made for an easy affiliation swap.  And, Pantano joins many late run Brazilian figures who switched allegiances for their Estrela debuts.  Finally, Pantano's card artwork removes the green coloring from the figures's head and replaces it with yellow to more closely match the actual toy.  The artwork was also updated to remove the snowboard that wasn't included with Pantano.  The mold wasn't used again.  It's pretty likely that Hasbro had access to the mold in the 2000's.  And, while I'd have loved to have seen it in the Winter Operations set in 2005, the reality is that we're probably better off with the mold just having been used the two times.

Dealers will ask anywhere between $10 and $25 for mint and complete versions of this figure.  With the full set of accessories and filecard, the figure seems to be worth about $10.  Carded versions are higher priced than I would have thought, though.  They top out around $35...which seems high for an unliked figure from a late run year.  But, the once plentiful carded 1993 and 1994 Joes have heavily dried up.  So, you're paying a premium for low supply.  I'm not sure I'd drop $10 on this guy.  He's a neat look at what Hasbro was still capable of doing in 1993.  But, he's also a showcase of some wrong decisions from that era, too.  I've gotten out into the snow for some pics.  But, really, I'd much rather use the other cold weather figures from that era instead.  They just work better than the yellow highlights you see on this Iceberg.

1985 Torch - Around The Web

It's pretty non-controversial to say that Torch is the least popular of the original 3 Dreadnoks.  And, you'll see that played out in the content below.  Instead of seeing Torch as the main focus in many of the photos, you'll actually see him in the background.  He's integral to the theme of the 3 Dreadnoks.  But, he's rarely the focal point of the action.  He's just kind of there.  But, he's also conspicuous in his absence.

Some of Torch's obscurity is elevated by the fact that he did not appear in the repaint era.  Buzzer, Ripper and Road Pig were available from Funskool during the early 2000's.  And, starting in 2004, Buzzer and Ripper became available as convention figures and, eventually, a retail release. Zanzibar, Road Pig and even Thrasher would get releases during this time.  And, there were convention figures meant to emulate Gnawgahyde.  Torch, though, was left behind.  It's likely because his mold was gone.  He did get one of the better figures in the JvC style of releases, though.  But, as everyone has forgotten that those figures even exist, it didn't help his popularity.

Torch did get 4 distinct figures, overall.  He has variants released in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.  But, all three figures are pretty much the same as his Hasbro release.  So, there's no even the cachet of a rare foreign coloring (like the Red Buzzer or Purple Ripper from India) to bump his status among collectors.  

So, he remains the lost Dreadnok.  But, because the full set of original 3 Dreadnoks remains so popular, there's tons of content on him out there.  He's just rarely the full subject of the photo.  But, you can clearly see the value of the figure within the context of his original team.

1985 Torch Profile

Comic #30 Profile

1985 Torch at the Attica Gazette

1985 Torch by thedustinmccoy

1985 Torch by joesandtoys

1985 Torch by 73larebear

1985 Torch by u.n.i.t._gijoe

1985 Torch at Joe A Day.com

1985 Torch by cobra_rules_cybertron

1985 Torch by themexicangriswolds

1985 Torch by viper_space

1985 Torch by gi_joeisthere

1985 Torch by gijoe_c4_panama

1985 Torch by powervsdreams2000

1985 Torch by mrmikevinthepit

1985 Torch by Evilface

1985 Torch by thedustinmccoy

Gatilho - Brazilian Exclusive Python Patrol Airborne

Gatilho has been part of my collection for over 20 years.  In that time, he has been a major player, minor annoyance and, now, part of my core collection that defines my Joe experience.  I no longer really think of the figure as a foreign exclusive.  Instead, he's just another option when I'm looking to staff the villains in photos or displays.  He's more a part of the Python Patrol to me than even Copperhead or the Viper.  I just see him in this role as a major character whose origin in South America is one of the lesser aspects of his character.  And, as I've found Python Patrol to be a fun subset to build out, Gatilho takes on importance beyond being a foreign oddity and has become a key component of one of my favorite one-off sets in my collection.

At this point in my collecting life, foreign exclusives have been part of my Joe experience for so long that I really don't have the appreciation for them that they probably warrant. It is amazing that the world has changed to a point where acquiring decades old toys that were exclusively released on other continents is commonplace.  Figures like the Brazilian Gatilho were once nearly impossible find.  Now, they are relatively common and most collectors have easy access to the figure, though they may be priced somewhat higher.  We have knowledge of foreign releases and access to their home markets that allow anyone to add foreign figures like this to their collections.  That expansion of the Joe world has been a heavy driver of the brand's momentum for over 20 years, now.  Fan clubs, factory customs and licensed partners have all delved into the foreign Joe mythos.  And, it's been only possible because there is so much information about non-Hasbro releases available.  

Gatilho is pretty much what he's supposed to be.  He's a weird villain wearing a Python Patrol uniform.  His base is solidly military...a leftover from his Airborne roots.  But, the colors are non-sensical in any form aside from membership in Python Patrol.  The green, yellow and black is a visual treat, though.  And, I'd have enjoyed this figure quite a bit had I owned him as a kid.  As a collector, though, I appreciate that he brings the one element that was always missing from Python Patrol: named characters.  Python Patrol was an army builder's panacea.  But, a team with no leader didn't make sense.  And, in the pre-factory custom world, Gatilho was the perfect choice to lead teams of Python army builders into action.

Gatilho has some limitations, too.  His yellow waists makes him appear that he's wearing yellow underwear on the outside of his uniform.  It's somewhat distracting.  It does break up the figure's look.  But, not in a good way.  His kneepads are also unpainted.  A quick application of black paint here would really help set the figure out.  The busy camo pattern makes Gatilho's legs disappear.  Black kneepads would help to break this up and give you a visual resting point on the figure.  The rest of the colors are an odd mish-mash.  But, they are true to the Python Patrol visuals.  Really, it's amazing how well Gatilho and Relampago match up to the Hasbro Python Patrol figures.  It's this consistency that makes the Brazilian duo so useful.  They look like they are intended to match the Hasbro sub-team.

Back in 2003, I wrote up a whole backstory for this figure.  And, had I not written it down, I'd have no recollection of it.  I have less need for a complex and intricate origin for every character these days.  Now, I just see Gatilho as a guy who leads some similarly dressed Cobras into battle.  There's not much thought put into him beyond that.  He might ride a motorcycle or a helicopter.  But, those are just tools and not part of his character.  I like the figure because he looks cool and is a perfect match for one of my favorite Cobra Trooper recolors.  And, 20 years after his acquisition, that's enough.  I like using him and I take advantage of that when I can.  

Gatilho includes two accessories, but both are unique to this figure. The helmet is a yellow version of Airborne's original helmet, but with the molded goggles painted black. This additional splash of color helps to mute the bright yellow and gives the helmet far more character than was exhibited on the American Airborne. The figure also includes a charcoal colored version of Ripcord's rifle. This coloring is similar to the weapon included with the Tactical Battle Platform in the U.S. But, it has a glossier finish. Due to the figure's brittle thumbs and the rifle's large handle, though, I have never actually placed the weapon in the figure's hands. Instead, I use other, smaller handled weapons or have Gatilho posed like he appears in the photos below where he holds the rifle by the barrel or handle in a resting position rather than being ready to fire. The accessories fit the figure, but are not all that great. Having the helmet is worthwhile as the helmetless figure is a bit boring. But, there are other alternatives to Gatilho's weapon that allow for the budget conscious collector to skip that unique accessory and outfit him with something from the spare guns bin.

The Airborne mold was released several times.  Hasbro released Airborne in 1983.  He was available on a card and bagged as well.  His torso and accessories were then used for the first version of the Steel Brigade figure.  Then, the mold went to South America.  (This is why the Steel Brigade was changed to the Duke torso and also why Starduster was switched to Duke's torso since Recondo was also sent away.)  Airborne was released in colors based off his US figure in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.  The final release of the mold appears to have been this Gatilho.  But, foreign timelines are fuzzy.  In the early 2000's, there were people in Argentina who claimed to have access to the Airborne mold and could make exclusive figures.  No one took them up on the offer.  (Which, was probably wise!)  But, it implied that the Airborne mold existed at that time.  It was just not in Hasbro's control.  If this was true or if the mold might still exist are unknown.  Factory Custom maker Black Major released an Airborne torso on his Steel Brigade figures in 2017.  But, he never used the torso on another figure, despite the possibilities.  Airborne remains an underrepresented figure in terms of untapped potential for repaints of the mold.  But, it's unlikely to ever come to be.

While the Airborne mold was used quite a bit, I feel it was never really fully exploited.  The Argentine, Mexican and Brazilian versions of the character all have nuances from the Hasbro figure.  But, at their core, they are the same central theme based on the character's original appearance.  The Steel Brigade usage of the torso was good.  But, you have to find what is now one of the rarest Hasbro figures in the line's history to use on a custom to make use of the solid green color.  Fail Safe brought back the Airborne helmet in 2023.  And, it would have been awesome to have seen a drastic Airborne recolor to accompany Ripcord released some time after the Skystriker dropped.  I feel there's a lot of potential left in the Airborne mold that could be used for a definitive version of the character.  I don't think we'll ever see it, though.

In the grand scheme of things, this figure is rare. The brittle Brazilian plastic, lower overall production numbers and language barriers to its native release country all add up to a figure that does not exist in great quantities. But, despite all that, the figure is still very much available from South American Joe sellers and can even be found from American dealers with some frequency. Gatilho is still, though, a $80 - $100 figure if you want a mint, complete with filecard version. (You can get them cheaper if you can find an American seller with the figure, but that takes quite a bit of patience.)  That's pricey for the Joe line. It is up to each collector to determine if this figure brings that kind of value to their collection. Personally, I find Gatilho and Relampago necessary members of my collection due to the holes they fill in the Python Patrol subset.  But, if Python Patrol isn't a division of interest, then the value each figure brings to a collection diminishes.