2001 Wetdown

I should love the Torpedo mold.  It was one of the most interesting designs of the first two years of the Joe line.  He had memorable and iconic accessories.  And, he was really hard to find until the fall of 1983 ushered in the holidays.  But, for some reason, the figure has never really clicked with me.  Even as a kid, Torpedo often found himself as the operator of the Whale's hidden little sled under the troop door.  Here he'd sit, forgotten and rarely used.  Mostly, this was because Cobra had no divers against whom Torpedo could fight.  But, as the Cobra maritime force grew, my interest in Torpedo did not.  This carried over to my adult collection and Torpedo has never been a figure that's been overly important to me.  These blase feelings towards the mold carried over to a now obscure 2001 release.  While the figure used the entire Torpedo mold and accessories, he now had a new name: Wetdown.

Wetdown is emblematic of the flaws that somewhat doomed the ARAHC line.  This figure is, essentially, the same as the 1983 Torpedo.  In 2026, collectors love new versions of older, decaying figures that have gotten expensive.  In 2001, though, vintage Joes were plentiful, still in solid shape and very affordable...provided the figure wasn't an army builder.  So, the need for barely repaints was much less than what we desire today.  So, interest in figures like Wetdown was tepid.  He lacked the freshness of the first wave of the ARAHC from 2000.  Wetdown's wave with Double Blast, Cobra Commander, Destro and Sure Fire was laden figures that just felt like they were low effort releases.  Even the Wet Suit with whom Wetdown was packed lacked any panache as he was a downgrade over every other Wet Suit that Hasbro had released to that point.  

For some reason, the ARAHC ran out of steam.  Shortly after Wetdown's release, collectors would learn the reason why.  Hasbro had started up work on a new Joe line that was going to use new construction and feature a new story and characters that were interspersed with the classics.  The JvC line sucked up all the resources and creativity and left the ARAHC as a hollowed out shell of its potential.  While the JvC line didn't end up being my cup of tea, it did feature much of the flair that defined the vintage Joe designs.  Bright, bold colors, updated characters, new specialties and a gaggle of new gear all made for much better toys that were more exciting than the drab figures that defined the ARAHC line that immediately preceded it.  

It is that drabness, though, that defines Wetdown and helps him stand apart from a vintage Torpedo.  While the black and grey palette is identical to the 1983 figure, the actual hues on the grey are much darker and more flat.  It makes the figure appear dark.  On his own, Wetdown isn't that bad.  He's just...Torpedo.  In making him a new character, I wish Hasbro had taken some color changes to set him apart from Torpedo.  By using such similar colors, Wetdown gets an imposter vibe that's tough to shake.  You can't use him and Torpedo together as they appear too similar.  (He might work with the '97 Torpedo.)  But, there's really no reason to have both a Torpedo and a Wetdown.

The new code names that were used in the 2000's are just bad.  There's no getting around it.  The most uncreative people in the world named the figures.  Most of them have two words.  And, the result is just dumb.  What worse, by 2000, there was a vibrant Joe customizing community that was already full of hundreds of fan created code names that were actually decent.  So, even the dullards could have plagiarized something better than Wetdown.  (Actually, it might be spelled Wet Down, as two words.  I don't care enough to go back and change it, though.)  But, they didn't.  Adding up the banal code names, uninspired paint jobs and repetitive mold choices, the ARAHC was kind of doomed right from the beginning.

With all this working against him, it's no surprise that Wetdown has never much mattered in my collection.  Were it not for the fact that I was an ardent completist in those days, I doubt I'd even have him in my collection.  And, it was his pure worthlessness on the secondary market that kept him in my collection when I purged it off.  If I didn't have, I'd forget he exists.  Not because he's bad.  Just because he's not interesting.  I'd just use the original Torpedo if I wanted a figure that looks like this.  But, I rarely do.  As I said before, Torpedo just didn't hit the right notes for me.  I loved all the later divers, though.  Both versions of the 1986 Wet Suit were vital to my childhood collection.  The '94 Shipwreck remains one of my favorite figures.  So, it's not divers that are the issue, it's just Torpedo.

Wetdown included the standard Torpedo gear.  He includes a silver spear gun.  At first, this weapon was unique to Wetdown.  And, it's kind of cool as the silver shows off the sculpting on the weapon that can be lost on black plastic.  The weapon later appeared with JvC Wet Suits and is much more common than Wetdown is.  The same is true of Wetdown's backpack.  Wetdown's version lacked any paint...a cost savings measure.  But, again, the same pack appeared multiple times in the JvC line.  He also included the standard black display stand that was required for all figures in this era.  Finally, he has a pair of black fins.  These are similar to the 1997 Torpedo's.  Though, there are slight plastic differences between the two.  The Torpedo mold needs Torpedo's gear.  The early Joe team got it right when it came to matching a figure sculpt to accessories.  And, one of the ARAHC's strengths was that many of the figures included their vintage gear to accentuate the overall value of their new, retail release.  So, that definitely works in Wetdown's favor.

After Torpedo's debut in 1983, he wasn't seen again in the vintage line.  He didn't even get another version.  (Wet Suit took over the SEAL character role and got all the updated sculpts.)  But, the mold was sent to India where Torpedo was a staple of early Funskool releases.  The most famous is a yellow Torpedo figure.  It's relatively hard to find.  Though, a few cases of them were unearthed in the 2010's.  The mold was returned to Hasbro for the 1997 releases.  Hasbro got some quick mileage out of the Torpedo mold.  First, he was released in 1997.  Then, this 2001 use for Wetdown was released.  But, then, the mold disappeared.  On one hand, it would have been good to see another Torpedo mold appear in 2004 or 2005 as part of a Comic Pack.  On the other hand, there wasn't much left to do with Torpedo and we didn't need another black and grey use of the mold.

Wave III of the ARAHC probably saw a truncated production run.  At least relative to Waves II and IV.  Wave III never really popped up in the clearance and discount stores of 2001 while those other waves were ubiquitous through 2002 and beyond.  But, that hasn't really translated to reduced availability or higher prices.  You can find Wetdown's relatively easily.  Dealers try to sell the figure in the $15-$20 range.  They don't sell.  He's, at best, an $8 figure.  Carded versions with Wet Suit sell in the $20 range.  That's the direction to take if you want the figure in your collection.  

With figures like this, don't take my cynicism as a reason to not own him.  Twenty Five years have passed since Wetdown was released.  And, he's holding up much better than 1983 Torpedo figures.  So, that has some value.  And, there are collectors who love to have newer versions of vintage Joes that have the softer plastic and that are less brittle than the originals.  I'm not sure why Torpedo never did it for me.  But, if you love the look of the the original, then there's value in this Wetdown for you, too.  He's definitely a figure where individual collector's mileage may vary.  Mine's just very, very short.

1992 Cutter - Around the Web

The Whale is one of the top three most iconic vehicles in the Joe line.  It was released in 1984 and included a cool pilot named Cutter.  The Cutter figure was fine.  He fit the aesthetic of the time period.  8 years later, Cutter would get an upgrade.  This time, as a member of the DEF, the figure got a sleeker and more detailed look.  But, the underlying design was strikingly similar to the 1984.  The baseball cap, orange vest and dark blue pants were all carried over.  And, you if you were familiar with the 1984 figure, you'd instantly recognize the 1992 figure as Cutter.

As this updated version was released in 1992, it's often overlooked in discussions about the best character update in the line.  But, Cutter's massive improvements are right there with the 1985 Snake Eyes, 1989 Stalker and 1986 Hawk.  The 1992 looks just as home in the cockpit of the Whale as the 1984 version.  That's a tough trick to pull.  Hasbro did it, though.

Sadly, Cutter's not enough of a main character to really have his update shine through.  He remains fairly obscure and isn't a character that gets a lot of press.  I had to dig deep to find some good content on him.  But, much of what's below shows off not only his traditional gear like his weapon and the amazing flashlight.  But, also his spring loaded grappling hook that's one of my favorite spring loaded weapons.  So, take some time and check out the links, below.  There's some great content featuring one of the more unheralded character updates in the vintage Joe line.

1992 Cutter Profile 2002

1992 Cutter Profile 2014

1992 Cutter by evilface

1992 Cutter by Gen_Liederkranz

1992 Cutter by thedustinmccoy

1992 Cutter by hobieshinobi

1992 Cutter by ronnie_trickshot

1992 Cutter by actionforcedk

1992 Cutter by gijoe_c4_panama

1992 Cutter by thedustinmccoy

1992 Cutter by gen_liederkranz

1986 Viper - Random Photos of the Day

I've never found the 1986 Viper to be the figure that most collectors see him as.  It wasn't a mold for whose return I was clamoring.  But, we got lots and lots of Viper repaints.  And, there's no denying the figure's place in Cobra history.  And, he photographs well.  So, it was worth having a few lying around.

I've always viewed the Viper and Cobra Trooper as interchangeable.  Viper armor is impractical to wear when lounging around the base.  So, the more standard blue Cobra jumpsuit is the alternate look for the backbone of Cobra's legions.  This allows the figures to co-exist and even appear together without convoluted backstory.  

Other than that, not much to say about this guy.  I still find him over rated.  But, not nearly as much as the BAT.  Enjoy the photos below as I hope I can finish up a profile for next week.

1985 Airtight - Random Photos of the Day

Airtight was the first 1985 figure I purchased that year.  (Well, I got him and Footloose at the same time.)  I've never regretted choosing him first.  His uniform is cool.  His colors are great.  And, his accessories are top notch.  He's a great photo subject for all those reasons.  Sadly, the hose that plugs into his helmet has gotten stiff.  So, I don't fully accessorize him like I used to.  But, he remains one of those figures that I've just always enjoyed.

These days, I mostly use him in the context of his contemporaries.  Most of these photos feature him with the same other figures.  He looks great when posed with them.  But, I should diversify my usage.  Until then, enjoy the photos.

1983 Clutch

It's really difficult to comprehend just how innovative the original Joe line was as a retail product.  It's not just the quality of the toys that stands out.  But, the manner in which the design team packaged and priced the toys was nothing short of novel.  One of the most compelling innovations was the inclusion of exclusive vehicle drivers in their vehicles.  I'm not sure if G.I. Joe was the first brand to do such a thing.  But, Kenner had not done it for Star Wars...instead opting to sell all figures individually.  Hasbro, though, created a slew of exclusive figures to operate their vehicles.  And, if you wanted Hawk, Grand Slam, Steeler or Clutch, you had to buy a vehicle to get them.  While the figures shared parts with carded figures it was Steeler and Clutch who featured original chest pieces that were not available anywhere other than on the vehicle drivers.

My affinity for Clutch began on the very first day that I saw a G.I. Joe figure in hand.  It was my younger brother's birthday in October of 1982.  On that day, he got an amazing amount of figures and vehicles...including some doubles.  On that day, I learned that Joe gear was compatible across figures.  And, very quickly, I took Grunt's backpack, Stalker's gun and a visor from, probably, Grand Slam and gave it all to Clutch.  I now had the ultimate figure.  I used this supercharged Clutch as my go-to figure for several weeks.  Finally, at Christmas, I opened my very own VAMP that was under the tree and I had a Clutch to call my own.  

That figure, though, didn't last too long.  Not because of breakage.  But, because Return of the Jedi toys appeared in the spring of 1983.  Joe was dropped in favor of my long running Star War obsession.  In July of 1983, though, I discovered the new addition of swivel arm battle grip.  This opened a whole new world to me.  And, with that one little change, Star Wars was forever second fiddle to Joe in our house.  But, this also meant that any straight armed Joes were relegated to a junk box.  But, this didn't really hold true for Clutch.  Since he was a vehicle driver, I could still make him work as the driver of the VAMP.  So, he was the only straight arm to remain viable.  In fact, he still got use as late as 1987 as my childhood Joe days ended.  

One thing I didn't have, though, was a swivel arm Clutch.  If you read my first write up on this guy from January of 2000, I note that I still didn't have a swivel arm Clutch.  In all my acquisitions of the late 1990's, a swivel Clutch was never among the scores of other original 13 figures I acquired.  It was not until 2004 that one came my way.  At the time, I had joined a start up company.  There were just two of us.  We were squatting in some office space of my boss's old colleague.  As part of our agreement, I'd help out their IT guy with some issues.  He was my age and we shared many interests.  He had a Star Wars figure in his office and it opened up conversations about toys we still had.  One day, he brought in a bag full of G.I. Joe figures and playsets.  He wanted to raise a bit of cash.  So, I sold most of them for him on JoeCustoms.com.  In this baggie was a near perfect swivel arm Clutch.  I told him I was interested in it and would buy it from him.  He set it aside as I awaited some money from items I was also selling.  When, the money for his items arrived, though, he gifted me the Clutch for helping him sell the other parts.  It is the very Clutch you see in the photos below and the only one I still own today.  

When I examine why G.I. Joe toys matter so much to me, it is stories like this stand out.  The toys are a pneumonic device for me to recall events of my life.  I have great recall from my childhood.  A big part of that is because I'm able to associate memories with Joe toys.  For other people, it may be music, TV or other pop culture influences that remind them of bygone days.  For me, it's G.I. Joe toys.  Those memories also extend into my adulthood.  I don't remember sitting in that hot server room with a wire storage rack on the back wall because the networking error of the day was so compelling.  I remember it because my friend and I would talk about old toys, cartoons and comic books.  I used to get Amazon deliveries at the office.  (Amazon sold inventory for Toys R Us, back then.)  With each box, we'd look at the items and recall childhood memories from the various repainted figures.  That was over 20 years ago.  But, the memories are vivid because of their association with Joe and Star Wars.

Among my childhood friend group, Clutch was the most memorable character.  I have a friend who can still recite the final stanza of Clutch's filecard.  It was that impactful.  Clutch's popularity was a function of him being the driver of the most popular and coolest vehicle from 1982, the most distinctive figure and a really fun character from the comic.  Clutch is also the closest of the vintage figures to the iconic "G.I. Joe" from the '60's.  The bearded head was an obvious homage to the guy who started it all.  But, Clutch's black hair really cemented the tribute to the line's origins.

Aside from his uniquely sculpted torso, Clutch also features some extra color on his chest.  7 of the original 13 figures featured three colors on their torso.  Clutch was one.  Aside from the black holster and green base, Clutch also has brown padding near his shoulders and protecting the zipper on his jacket.  It adds a nice layer of depth to Clutch's appearance and helps him stand out from his peers.  The color also accentuates Clutch's collar.  Most of the original Joes were wearing slight turtlenecks.  Clutch appears to be wearing a hoodie: just without the hood on the back.  It raises up to and you can see it protecting his neck since the VAMP doesn't have a windshield.  

Clutch is criminally underutilized.  He and Steeler feature the least used chest pieces of the original 13 figures.  Clutch was released in his original form in 1982 with the swivel arm update coming in 1983.  While he was originally only packaged with the VAMP, Clutch would become a mail away in later years.  Hasbro repainted him in tan as the driver of the VAMP Mark II in 1984. And, then, the mold was done as far as Hasbro was concerned.  While the VAMP travelled all over the world for exclusive uses in Europe, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and India, Clutch didn't really travel with it.  A Tan Clutch was included with the Takara VAMP.  But, there was no exclusive Clutch to accompany the South American or European VAMP releases.  In the 1990's, Clutch did appear in India, though.  He is one of the most obscure figures to get a full Funskool release.  But, he and Hawk are also the only Funskool characters to be exclusive to vehicle releases.  (All other Funskool vehicle drivers were random figures inserted into the box and not meant to be specific to their vehicle.)  There are tons of Funskool Clutch variants.  Some are great and others are pretty close to the Hasbro figure.  Clutch didn't appear after his early Funskool years, though.

This left Clutch as a forgotten mold.  And, as I'd argue that his chest piece was the best of the original figures, that seemed a shame.  For years, customizers used Clutch's chest to great effect on original designs for both Joes and Cobras.  It was not until 2018, though, that Clutch's chest would finally reappear.  Red Laser Army recreated the piece and used it on a variety of figures.  In some ways, the uses didn't create great figures.  But, in other ways, we finally got some variety that showed the piece's potential.  What we didn't get, though, was a Clutch to match all the various VAMP colors that are available.  You could have credibly created half a dozen Clutch repaints before even stealing his chest for other characters.  (Like a repainted General using his torso to match up with Hawk's appearance in G.I. Joe #16.)  Not getting a Clutch is an omission that couldn't get corrected as Red Laser lost the molds after the 2018 series and wasn't able to continue his work. 

As original 13 figures go, Clutch is surprisingly affordable.  High quality loose figures can be had for under $15.  And, mint and complete with filecard figures sell for around $25.  Clutch not having a visor or exclusive weapon really helps keep the price down.  And, the ubiquity of the figure shows just how many VAMPs Hasbro produced in the line's infancy.  The production numbers that show the volume of vehicles versus carded figures for at least the 1982 line is out there, somewhere.  It would be interesting to see how Clutch's production numbers compare to, say, Stalker or Scarlett.  But, for a major character who didn't get an iconic sculpting upgrade for a decade, it's surprising to see Clutch remain an acquirable piece for any collection.