When the Super Cop discovery was made, the figure became instantly available in the US. In short order, you could get them for about $12 or $13 from most US dealers of the day. But, the stock was limited. And, while collectors in late 2001 and early 2002 were easily able to get a Super Cop, the figure sold out and became a bit tougher to track down in fairly short order. Within a decade, you didn't see too many Super Cops for sale. And, now, they are a rare sight, indeed. Even with a large number of them in the hands of collectors, they haven't permeated the collecting aftermarket. This is likely due to the collectors who have them, deciding to keep them. The figure is odd while also being a near perfect rendition of what it set out to be.
This particular Super Cop was produced on February 14th, 1996. The card has a 1994 copyright. So, it's likely that Super Cop was manufactured for at least that duration. We know that most of the parts that were used for Super Cop were recalled by Hasbro for use in the 1997 G.I. Joe series. So, Super Cops were not made after those molds were returned to Hasbro. This release window is long enough that Super Cops should exist in decent numbers. But, we've also learned that Funskool figures produced in the 1990's have not become commonplace and remain substantially more difficult to track down that their production numbers would suggest.
The main point of interest on Super Cop's card is the unique artwork. Super Cop looks like he's kind of dancing. It's a weird pose, but not too far removed from many vintage Joes. The main difference is the quality. Funskool's later unique card artwork was less polished than Super Cop. So, this card better fits with the aesthetic of the time. You'll note the gun barrel peeking out behind the Cop on the title of the card. It's an unnecessary, but fun little detail. Super Cop is also drawn to match the figure parts that were used. You can see Iceberg's arms and Hawk's legs. The chest is a little different and isn't a perfect match for the figure parts. And, Super Cop's head is thinner than Sgt. Slaughter's. But, Slaughter's head is a perfect look for what Super Cop is supposed to represent.
While the figure's card art pretty closely matches the parts that were used, his weapon does not. Super Cop features a larger rifle on the card while he only included the tiny Chuckles pistol. The weapon looks like a cross between the rifle included with the Talking Battle Commander Cobra Commander and the rifle included with Crazylegs. We know Funskool had the Crazylegs rifle at the time. And, it was pretty unlikely they had the 1992 Cobra Commander figure. The figure does, prominently, have a pistol in his chest holster. So, this is likely the source of the smaller pistol actually being included.
Another point of note is the smaller bubble space on the card. This is because Super Cop was actually posed in the bubble. Instead of just standing like all other Joe figures, he was actually posed so that he was kneeling down. And, his arms were raised up with the pistol glued into his hand. This glue wasn't strong and seems to fall out of the hand rather easily. But, this was a completely new orientation and presentation for a Joe figure. It was a bit awkward, for sure. But, it's another thing that makes Super Cop stand apart from his Joe brethren.
One key point of Super Cop's card is that it has no mention of G.I. Joe. This is the likely reason that the figure was not found sooner than 2001. With other Funskool promos (like Streethawk), the G.I. Joe name was branded on the card. So, enterprising sellers in India knew where to market the figures. Super Cop lacked that Joe connection. So, it wasn't until people were scouring Indian warehouses, looking for older, more valuable Funskool releases to sell the growing ranks of American dealers that the figure was "discovered".
The cardback features the great little write up that Super Cop is a weapons expert who always gets his man. It's not much of a characterization. But, most people are going to use the figure either as a different Sgt. Slaughter or something completely new. The main tidbit on the cardback is the cross sell for the police jeep and Super Cop bike. Both of these were available in the 4 vehicle back that also included a Super Cop figure. The Police Jeep was available into at least 2020 and is one of the few Funskool vehicles that remains affordable today. Super Cop's bike may have a few variants and has gotten harder to find since it was mostly available in the boxed set.
This figure cost Rs48 in 1996. That's about the equivalent of Rs240 today. Or, a little over $3.00. During the Funskool import era, figures cost between Rs65 and Rs72 in India. So, the $4.00 we paid in the US was a substantial markup. (Especially since US dealers bought the figures for less than retail.) But, it was still a good deal when you consider shipping and loss during transit. It also shows how cheaply Joe figures could be made. It's tough to swallow a $20 price point for new figures when you know that most of that is just a collector tax that falls directly to Hasbro's bottom line.
In the two decades since this figure was discovered, made available and aged out of the collecting community's general conscience, he's gotten super expensive. Mint and complete figures will run in the hundreds of dollars these days. (Though, I think $450 is excessive.) and even the cardback will cost you more than $20. But, Super Cop's short supply from 2001 has caught up with him. And, it is hard to find a sample. I'm grateful to have been around and kept my figure from 2001 as I'd otherwise not own him. It's a great figure, though. And, it's unfortunate that he's priced out of the reach of many modern collectors.
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