Alado - Plastirama Crazylegs (Argentina)

Crazylegs is not a figure that mattered to me during my childhood.  In fact, I kind of hated the figure because, before I saw the figure in stores, I assumed that a new parachute figure would be even better than the 1984 Ripcord.  That didn't turn out to be the case.  Crazylegs was such a disappointment that I never used the figure at the time of his release.  A few years later, though, Crazylegs was one of a very figures available to me.  And, in this capacity, he found a new niche that suited the figure.  It was far from his airborne trooper roots and was something I made up to fill a need I had in my Joe world.  

One of the halllmarks of the Joe line was improvement.  Each year, Hasbro improved the quality of their figures or the innovation of their gear.  It's a weird concept because Hasbro wasn't really chasing anyone in the marketplace.  And, no toy lines were competing behind the Joe line, trying to unseat it, either.  (Transformers and He-Man occupied very different spaces than Joe.)  So, getting a figure like Crazylegs where he was a huge step down from a figure released 3 years earlier was a disappointment.  The weird parachute rigging didn't make for a useful figure when Crazylegs was fully accessories.  and, while you have to give Hasbro points for trying something different, the reality is that Crazylegs' parachute is light years behind the rig designed for Ripcord.  

So, Crazylegs wasn't used.  His gun, though, was.  To me, Crazylegs' rifle was the closest approximation of the Cobra weapon from the cartoon.  So, I used the weapon with various Cobras.  But, I never found it a good fit.  So, instead, the weapon found its way to other Joe figures whose gear had been lost or broken.  Even with the removable stock long lost to the sea of junk in our toy room, Crazylegs' rifle was useful to have around. In the late 1990's, I co-opted the rifle for Sneak Peek.  I viewed this figure as a "commander" who lead the nameless legions who supported the Joes.  For some reason, I liked the way the rifle looked with him.  And, to this day, you'll find photos or Sneak Peek with Crazylegs' rifle on this site.

Now, I do appreciate the Crazylegs sculpt for what it is.  He is a nicely detailed figure.  And, the Night Force version has given me a useful version of it to blend with other figures in my collection.  I did make up a character of a "Sessions Officer" that you can read about in my 1987 Crazylegs profile.  But, these days, I mostly use him as intended, just in the background of a helicopter or other aircraft photo.  The red is useful for photography.  And, since I didn't overuse him in my childhood, there are few legacy memories associated with the figure.

There were just two post 1985 figure molds released in Argentina.  Sgto. Slaughter is the first.  And, Alado is the second.  Alado uses a 1987 mold and is the latest mold to be used in Argentina.  It does appear that Plastirama had more figures planned.  Alado's cardback shows Flint and BBQ as upcoming releases.  Neither was ever released in Argentina.  Though, both figures did show up in Brazil.  There's no real explanation as to why Crazylegs and Sgt. Slaughter were the sole late run mold representatives in the Plastirama line.  When you look at the catalog of 1986 and 1987 molds that were produced by Estrela, it's robust.  While I, personally, would have preferred a cheap way to get a slightly repainted Sci Fi or BAT, you can't fault Plastirama for their mold selections.

Alado is 100% based on the 1987 Crazylegs figure.  He used the grey base with red highlights.  But, the Plastirama Alado has some drastic color differences that make him easy to spot.  They also, though, make him a less useful figure than the other Crazylegs colorings that exist.  Alado uses a darker grey as the base color for his pants and shirt.  His gloves are a darker shade of tan.  The overall paint details on the fine, black paint are softer.  And, his skin color is more peach than that of Crazylegs.  The biggest difference, though, is the overall red color that was used.  It is not glossy.  So, Crazylegs' helmet and chest are very dull.  It's a weird look as flat colors were rare in the vintage Joe line.  The red on Alado's torso is also different than that on his waist and arms.  It makes Alado look like his a custom rather than a real release.  The final photo below shows Alado alongside a Hasbro Crazylegs.  But, sadly, the photo doesn't do the differences in the red colorings real justice.  And, Alado is much more recognizable in hand than the photos in the profile suggest.

Crazylegs traveled the world.  The timing of his appearances is odd, too.  Hasbro used the mold in 1987 and 1988.  Along with the original red version, Hasbro produced an exclusive Night Force version in 1988.  Shortly after that, the figure appeared in both Brazil and Argentina.  Both of the South American figures are named Alado.  And, both are very similar to the 1987 Crazylegs figure.  These figures had to start production after the Night Force run of figures.  So, they are, likely, 1989 releases at the earliest.  If that weren't enough, the Crazylegs mold then showed up in India.  Funskool produced a red suited Crazylegs whose real calling card is his red parachute.  They also used his head on the Skydiver figure.  So, Crazylegs fans have a lot to track down.  

Crazylegs was not among the molds that Funskool returned to Hasbro in 2003.  He was not among the 2009 Funskool update figures, either, though.  So, it's likely that Funskool had the mold but chose not to release Crazylegs when they tried to drum up interest in the Joe brand when the movie debuted in India.  The character was forgotten in the early 2000's.  But, eventually, he did appear in the Anniversary sculpt era.  And, he's even been ported over to the Classified scale in the 2020's.  Crazylegs is one of those guys who had no place in the community for the first 10 years or so of online Joe discussion.  But, he was able to move up the ladder and become a solid 3rd tier character.  And, I'm still not sure how that happened.

You can acquire an Alado figure in three ways.  The first is the standard carded figure.  You can also find Alado in a C.O.P.S. box.  There's no guarantee you'll get his accessories inside the box, though.  C.O.P.S. boxes are full of random parts and it's common to get Battlefield Accessories or Pac-Rats in them in lieu of the figure's gear.  You can also find Alados on Jhony Quest cards.  He will be packaged with the Jhony Quest figure...which uses parts from the Power Commandos.  Jhony Quest Alados are likely to have his full complement of gear, though.  Both the C.O.P.S. and Jhony Quest items tend to have collectability that is only partially related to the G.I. Joe figure that's included.  So, you'll pay a premium for these alternate packaging releases versus a standard, MOC Alado figure.

Once upon a time, Alado figures were easy to find and wouldn't cost you $5 for a MOC figure.  Now, you don't see the figures all that often.  And, dealers are able to get high prices for them.  You'll see figures sell in  the $70+ range for a carded figure.  You'll probably pay about $30 for a mint and complete figure.  But, that's an even tougher find.  Of the Crazylegs figures available, the Plastirama Alado is the weakest.  And, if you're not a huge fan of the character or the figure, is worth skipping.  Just get a 1987 or a Night Force figure to experience the mold.  It's a shame that Crazylegs only really exists in the two color schemes.  The Night Force figure, though, might be the perfect rendition of the character.  So, any new paint jobs would be vying for second place.  I'd still have loved to have seen something more on the Crazylegs sculpt...just since it's do well done.  But, that never happened.

The Plastirama Alado figure on the left vs. the Hasbro 1987 Crazylegs figure on the right.

2004 Unproduced White Pants Night Force Flint

You all know that Flint is my favorite figure in the Joe line.  I spend way too much time trying to find little, nuanced releases of Flint that I can add to my collection.  And, while there are a lot of figures that are based on the 1985 coloring, there aren't too many Flints that fall outside his main motif.  You have the 1988 Tiger Force version.  And, then the 2004 Night Force version.  And, that's it.  Well, almost.  There is one more main variant of Flint.  And, that is this unproduced version of the 2004 Night Force figure.  It's not materially different from the production figure with the exception of the figure's pants color.  Instead of the retail version's black pants, this pre-production figure features white pants.  This should create a lesser figure.  But, in a lot of ways, the white pants version of Flint is more interesting than the production figure and offers one of the few alternatives for a Flint figure in the vintage line.

I can't really argue that the white pants on these pre-production Night Force figures are better than the black pants that were used on the production versions.  They aren't.  The black is a better match for the hunter green of the upper bodies and is more true to the vision of Night Force than the white pants would have been.  What the white pants variants do offer, though, is a visual contrast.  As a production figure, they would not have worked.  But, as pre-production variants, they do.  These aren't supposed to be better than the production samples.  And, the white pants bring a different visual to this Flint while also not making any sense within the context of his release.  So, you can see why Hasbro changed them from white to black.  

For me, I just like having alternate looks for Flint.  From the waist up, the production and pre-production figures are essentially identical.  But, when the figures are out and about, the white pants and black pants differences are enough to make both useful.  The golden belt buckle really pops on the white pants figure.  And, that sticks out, to me.  As such, you'll see the white pants figure appear more often in the background of photos here than you do the production figure.  Much of that is the element of scarcity and the fact that you don't often see the alternate figures used these days.  The white pants get people to double take and question why the figure looks different.  It's a petty use.  But, it's one of the reasons I enjoy the figure.  And, were the white pants version  the production release and the black pants the pre-production figure, I'm sure I'd use the black pants version in a similar vein.

The Night Force set was one of the more intricate retail releases of the early 2000's.  The figures featured convention level paint masks and color combos.  These features would be stripped away as the sets matured and Hasbro tried to squeeze every last penny out of them.  And, the poor accessory complement included with the Night Force set was also a harbinger of the cheapness to come.  But, as just figures, the Night Force set features convention quality paint masks.  This Flint features at least 8 different colors.  That's more than most vintage figures would receive.  And, it shows that Hasbro invested money when they developed the Night Force set.

Night Force gear was bad.  And, Flint's accessories from the set were no exception.  He included a hodge-podge of common weapons that would appear over and over again during his era.  For some reason, Flint got a near complete set of Firefly's gear...missing only the backpack cover.  The upside is that this gear is easy to find.  So, equipping one of the pre-production figures with it isn't difficult or expensive.  But, the weapons make no sense and are so tied to Firefly that it's tough to see anyone, especially an iconic Joe character, using them.  Funskool had the full array of Flint accessories.  But, those never saw another Hasbro release.  So, there's no telling what happened to them between the end of the Funskool production run in 2003 and the appearance of this figure in 2004.  

So, that leaves you searching for proper gear for Flint.  In the photos below, you'll see some different options.  As I often lost Flint's shotgun back in my childhood days, I often had to find alternate gear for even the vintage figure.  My two go-to's were the sub machine gun from the 1985 Night Landing and the charcoal Ripcord rifle from the Tactical Battle Platform.  But, I've tried many other weapons with this Flint and found that many look really nice with him.  When a figure is as nicely done as Flint, the accessories are just an adornment that enhances an already amazing design.

The alternate, Asian figures that dominated discussion forums in late 2004 and early 2005 have faded into the obscure recesses of the Joe world.  Many of those who bought up every variant as it appeared are no longer active in the community.  Newer collectors who came aboard during the Anniversary era have no real recollection of these figures or their widespread and cheap availability.  Now, most of the alternate, Asian figures are stupidly expensive and seldom seen.  It's too bad.  As, the alternate looks were often a fun way to differentiate a photo or spark conversation in a forum.  Now, they are the domain of well-heeled collectors who have financial interest in downplaying just how common the figures actually are.  

With the Toys R Us exclusive sets, Hasbro started out by offering new looks for classic sub teams.  The first three sets were Tiger Force, Python Patrol and Night Force.  None of the TRU sets featured figures in color schemes that were homages or even matches for the original members of those sub teams.  Instead, Hasbro tried something different.  The Tiger Force featured some European inspired blues and oranges.  Python Patrol offered figures that were better matches for Python Patrol vehicles.  Night Force just went in an entirely new direction.  The figures didn't match vintage Night Force figures.  Nor did they match Night Force vehicles.  And, this was good.  The original Night Force figures are bland and mostly two tone in green and black.  The 2004 set offered a more complex look for some figures.  You can't really make this Flint the leader of a faction of 1988 and 1989 Night Force figures.  But, he does look great as a stand alone figure when mixed with other 1997-2010 releases.  

And, this works.  Within just a few months of the Night Force set's release, I was already noting how the figures worked very well as, well, figures.  The Night Force theme was less important to the overall, long term success of set.  It was more of a marketing term to get Joe fans interested than it was a continuation of a team from 15 years prior.  And, that's part of the reason that Night Force (and, really, all of the 2003 and 2004 Toys R Us sets) has held up so well.  It was about as big a chance as the Hasbro of the early 2000's was willing to take.  It was enough to make the set memorable and allowed the figures to find lives of their own.  

You can't discuss the 2000's era repaints without touching upon how crappy the plastic is and how likely it is to discolor.  The Night Force figures, with their dark hues, have been mostly immune from those plights.  These white pants figures, though, are susceptible to discoloration.  The white will take on a yellow hue, even on properly stored figures.  There's nothing you can do to stop it.  You can just slow it down a bit.  It's a sad legacy of early 2000's Hasbro that their plastics were so poor.  All of the toy lines from this time suffer from easy discoloration.  And, that would discourage me from splurging on a mint piece.  Eventually, time catches up with the materials and they will decay.  Yellowing figures are a personal pet peeve.  They bother me over other afflictions.  I'll take paint wear and loose joints every time over an otherwise mint figure that features a tinge of yellow.  Others have different tolerances.  And, for many Joe figures, discoloration is so common that newer collectors don't really know what a mint figure is supposed to look like.  It's something to be aware of with figures like this Flint.

It's time to break some hearts.  Between 2005 and 2007, this figure was pretty easy to find.  He'd go unsold on Ebay for under $5.  You could buy a complete set of 6 alternate Night Force figures (including the Night Force Tracker!) for $60.  And, they sat and sat and sat.  You could get one whenever you wanted.  Slowly, though, the stock got absorbed.  Once it was gone, no one cared for a while.  Around 2015/2016, you started to see old timers talking about how the once common alternate Asian figures had turned scarce.  Then, in 2018 or so, prices started spiking.  In 2020, these Flint figures sold between $75 and $100.  Really, that's way too much.  And, for such an uninteresting variant, there's really no bang for that kind of scratch.  But, the market is stupid and filled with new collectors who don't really understand how common figures like this really are.  It will correct soon enough.  Until then, I'm glad I was able to get figures like this when they were cheap.  And, I'm sad that this figure is one of the few that I have remaining.  

1986 Beach Head - Random Photos of the Day

Beach Head is who he is.  The original figure is a classic with a super fragile crotch.  Hasbro made a few repaints of him in the 2000's.  Now, there's factory customs featuring the mold.  And, they proved there was a lot of life in the Beach Head mold.  The real version of Beach Head, though, is the lime green Funskool version.  To this day, this 1986 figure seems bland to me because I view the Funskool figure as the default version of the character.

This doesn't take away from the original paint job's quality.  Beach Head remains one of the line's better overall figures.  The different aqua green color that is offset by the black vest and brown, camo pants works way better than the words describing it would indicate.  And, the figure's intricate details and perfect accessory complement complete the package for one of the highlights of the class of 1986.

Due to the ubiquity of the Funskool version in my collection, though, I rarely get this original figure out for photos.  When I want Beach Head, I'll go with the brighter version.  So, my usage of the Hasbro figure is deliberate.  And, you'll see that in the photos below where Beach Head is paired with his contemporaries for a specific look.

2001 Manimal Iguanus

So, back in 2016, I said that Iguanus would be up for a profile in 2019.  It was three years between Slythor and Warwolf's profile.  So, why not wait another three years for Iguanus?  Well, it's been 9 years, now.  Which,...damn.  But, I had occasion to take out the Manimals when it snowed in early January.  And, upon getting out Iguanus, I discovered, again, that the Manimals are really not bad toys at all.  They might be bad G.I. Joe concepts.  But, as toys and design pieces of engineering, they are quite something.

In his helmeted mode, Iguanus is pretty cool looking.  He's kind of like a space knight with a weird snake face on his chest.  His bulk and build denote he's an alien.  When he transforms, though, the reptilian head is quite amazing.  It has a tongue hidden inside.  (The Manimal designers were big on tongues.)  With the head and teeth exposed, Iguanus looks like a mutated experiment for Croc Master to tame.  The alligator inspired head is full of cracks and crevices and features raised nostrils and sunken eyes.  It's a monster that's familiar enough to rise primal fear in humans.  

The rest of the figure follows suit with lots of sculpted details.  The coloring is basic with just two shades of blue that are offset by silver highlights.  But, the look really works.  The 2001 Manimal color schemes were changed from the planned 1994 figures: ostensibly to preserve the value of the few 1994 Manimal samples that exist.  In Iguanus's case, the 1994 figure was a very dark blue/black base color with more gray highlights.  The 2001 color scheme is an improvement with one exception: the 1994 figure had yellow eyes.  (Well, some production figures did.  But, the Toy Fair spread sample did not.)  They are a creepy feature that would have worked on the 2001 repaint.  But, the red is scary enough that it's not a feature worth lamenting for too long.

My main takeaway from Iguanus and his Manimal brethren is that they are good toys.  They're really fun.  And, if you're not hung up on a make believe vision of what G.I. Joe actually is, you can find some use for the figures.  They're really fun to pose and photograph.  The quality is excellent and the transforming features are cheesy entertainment.  I'll never really tire of seeing a Manimal "eating" a Joe or Cobra.  It's difficult to pull off in any convincing manner in a photo.  But, the larger size of the Manimals makes it work.  They're never going to be among my favorite figures.  But, they are something worth owning and can really add a kooky element of fun  to anyone's collection.

The Manimals use construction more similar to that of Sgt. Savage than to the vintage Joe line.  Their legs are cut joints that were coming en vogue in the mid 1990's.  This makes them hard to pose, especially in seated positions.  But, the joints move fluidly and the figure has a strong amount of articulation.  Iguanus's hands are similar to those of vintage Joes.  Other Manimals have enclosed hands so their weapons must be inserted from above.  Iguanus does not, though.  And, his approach to accessories is more in line with vintage Joe figures: meaning he can use a wider array of existing gear should you want to take that route.  

My one beef with Warwolf and Iguanus is that they both feature a mouthful of brilliant white teeth.  I don't take umbrage with the notion of the design.  In fact, the gaping mouths are one of the most compelling selling points of these figures.  But, when two of the three characters in the subset feature the same, basic design element, the overall impact of the innovation is lessened.  On some level, it would have made sense for one of the other three Manimal molds to have been substituted for either Warwolf of Iguanus to make each figure in the individual waves more unique.  When posed together, you really notice the similarity between the two figures.  And, I would have appreciated a ZigZag or Vortex with his bird-flipping alien much more.  At this point, I'll take what we got.  But, it makes you wonder how the figures were apportioned to each wave and what thought process went into the choices.

If you really want to get to brass tacks, the Manimals failed three times.  A fourth time, they never even got started.  But, any way you slice it, Manimals were retail poison.  The original wave was cancelled in 1994 before it got off the ground.  This KB wave sat around for years and, even at clearance prices, was tough to move in a time when every Joe was flying off the shelves.  The second wave of 3 figures for KB were cancelled and never released.  A couple of years later, Funskool looked at the Manimal molds and thought about using them.  But, determined the figures were too "devilish" for them to proceed.  Some guy tried to bootleg the Manimals from the Funskool acquired molds.  An American dealer even solicited them on their website.  There are samples out there.  But, the figures were never produced.

It's hard to believe that these figures came out in 2001.  I remember buying them from KB Toys online arm.  At $9.99 per figure, they were a tough pill to swallow.  You could still buy 1998 3-packs of figures at Toys R Us stores for the same price.  But, a KB executive was a big G.I. Joe and wanted something special for an exclusive.  The Manimals fit the bill.  I want to believe that the 1995 Battle Corps Rangers figure molds did not exist in a state that was capable of sustaining a production run.  And, that would explain why they were not considered for the promotion.  At the time, the Manimals felt like a wasted slot for a Joe release.  Nearly 25 years later, I'm glad we got them.  

I think the failure of the KB Manimals, though, was simply timing.  Collectors weren't ready for Manimals or other, less traditional subsets of the Joe line.  Back in 2001, even something like Ninja Force would have failed.  And, Eco Warriors were nearly a slur in the community.  But, things have changed.  And, I think the Manimals would find a much more welcoming consumer base would they have re-emerged in the 2020's.  Collectors are more mature.  And, interesting ideas that are good toys would be a welcome deviation from much of what passes for collector oriented items in this decade.  We'll never know, though.  Manimals aren't going to return in their transforming state.  And, without that detail, there's no real reason for them to exist.

Iguanus includes two accessories.  One, a bladed weapon, is unique to him.  The other uses the same mold as one of the weapons included with Warwolf.  Iguanus' weapons, though, are silver.  He's the only of the three to feature silver accessories.  It's likely a way to simply differentiate the reused accessory mold between the 2 figures who included it.  But, it's a nice way to make the figure seem a bit more unique.  The gear isn't great.  And, were I to stumble across some loose pieces of it sitting in shoe box at a garage sale, I wouldn't even identify it as a G.I. Joe accessory.  With the Manimals, though, the gear looks good.  But, it's not a great fit for other figures.

The KB Manimals got caught in the pricing surge that the Joe line experienced since 2018.  What were, once, below retail price figures have now become somewhat pricey.  But, a lot of that is just due to the limited supply of them available.  You'll pay between $50 and $70 for a carded Manimal.  If you can find a loose figure, they'll run you about $30.  But, the only people selling them are dealers who are waiting out impatient collectors.  In reality, these figures don't have that type of value.  And, you'll find deals if you have the patience to wait them out.  But, you could be waiting a long time.  I've been saying for several years now that Joe prices are artificially high due to limited supply.  Nothing has compelled collectors to sell.  So, maybe they just...won't?  I don't think that will happen.  But, it's now going to take a 2008 type event to put the supply back into the market.  So, every collector has to make choices as to what they're willing to overpay for and what they're willing to skip.  It's a tough call each time.  A figure like Iguanus is harder than it should be.  You don't need Manimal figures in your Joe collection.  But, man, is this figure worth owning should you want to go that route.

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness - Around the Web

The 2005 Imperial Processional set is just weird.  It's got a bizarre amalgamation figure who operates as an army builder, offbeat colors and throne that's barely enough to lift a figure off the floor.  But, it kind of works.  2000's Joe was so banal that anything that took even a remote chance remains a bit more interesting, today.  

This Baroness figure used to be the most unique look for the mold.  But, Lady Jaye Toys rendered this figure moot with their dozens of Baroness mold repaints in the past two years.  This figure does have the alternate head.  But, I'm not sure it's better.  

Regardless, check out the content on her, below.  You'll  find a nice mix of items written upon her release as well as more modern takes on the figure.  I have a real profile that will drop on Halloween.  It should be pretty easy to guess which figure it is.

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness Profile

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by atwooddan

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by yovalleyjoe

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by gen_liederkranz

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by gi_joe_y2k

2005 Imperial Procession Set Review at General's Joes Reborn

2005 Imperial Procession Set Review at Joe Battle Lines

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by gi_joe_y2k

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by rexglewis1982

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by yovalleyjoe