1992 Big Bear

As I started collecting Joes in earnest in the late 1990's, I was enthralled by the years of figures I had missed.  While I had bought a smattering of 1992 figures, I didn't begin buying Joes at retail until 1994 and 1995.  So, the 1992 figures were mostly gone and unknown to me save for a couple of cardbacks I had saved.  So, as I began to buy collections online, I focused heavily on 1989 through 1992 as my focus.  I had all the '80's figures from my childhood and I had most of the 1993 and 1994 figures from retail.  So, this allowed me to buy lots that pretty much only included figures I did not own. 

However, at the time, finding collections from this time period was rather difficult.  There were few available.  But, since most collectors of that time hated anything made after 1987, the lots would sell for maybe a buck or two per mint, complete with filecard figure.  As I bought up these lots, I discovered a great many figures who were easily on par with the Joes of my youth.  But, in the mass accumulation of these collections, many gems slipped by my notice.  When I bought the Oktober Guard 3 figure pack at Toys R Us in late 1998, though, I discovered the Lt. Gorky mold.  This caused a re-examination of the figure on which he was based: the 1992 Big Bear.

For a brief time in the early 2000's, I army built Big Bear figures.  You can see them as Russian Troopers in one of my crappy dios from 2001.  To me, though, he perfectly fit this theme.  The character, to me, was completely blank.  The mold was good and he had really fun gear.  It all added up to a figure I wanted to use for something.  And, having a small army to back up the unfinished Oktober Guard team of that era was appealing.  But, that use ended as Hasbro released more and more figures in the 2000's that made for good Joe army builders.  There was no need to track down vintage figures when you could get an equally good figure at retail and have him include a Viper or Alley Viper.

So, Big Bear's use in my collection diminished.  So much so, that I ended up selling off my superfluous figures in my collection purge.  But, one version remained behind just because I decided at the last minute to retain a full set of 1992 figures.  Even with that, though, the figure was buried in his drawer, never to be seen.  It was only as I began to update photography on many of the oldest 1992 figure profiles that I stumbled across this figure and was again reminded of his quality. While Big Bear isn't the most intricate figure, his design works very well.  Hasbro was still designing figures with all new parts in 1992, so Big Bear has a cohesion to his mold that isn't overly complicated but still realistic.  The highlight is the figure's head.  Big Bear's face is well defined and unique.  Plus, the mold defining hat on his head really provides all the characterization that Big Bear will ever need.

The figure's coloring is both odd and good.  The green color that forms his base is unique and doesn't often appear elsewhere (if at all) in the line.  It's a bit bright.  But, not so much that it would render Big Bear useless.  He's not a straight cammo green figure.  But, the color allows him to stand our without being too over the top.  The mold details, though, are where the paint falls apart.  Many of the intricacies of the mold are left unpainted.  And, Big Bear features a red belt buckle and bright yellow grenade on his chest.  Those are out of left field in terms of color choices and are a bit detrimental to the figure.  The 1998 Lt. Gorky figure brought a plethora of new paint masks to the mold and helps define it in a way that this 1992 figure does not.

Big Bear got a decent complement of gear...to an extent.  My favorite feature of the figure, his gun, has become ubiquitous after the multitude of uses in the 2000's.  But, that just makes him easier to complete.  His pack was used just as much, if not more than, the gun in the same timeframe.  So, again, it's easy to find.  His spring loaded missile launcher and missiles are no better nor worse than any of the others from his era.  Though, in 1992, the launchers were getting larger and there wasn't even an attempt to make them anything other than a selling point for the figure.  With the gun and pack, the figure has an '80's vibe.  I could see him at home in the 1987 Joe lineup.  So, that helps explain his understated quality.

The Big Bear mold was used three times in the 1990's.  The first release was this full carded figure from 1992.  In 1993, Hasbro recolored the mold into a very distinctive and high quality brown color and released it in the International Action Force mail away set.  This set has gotten rather pricey and harder to find these days.  In 1998, the mold was colored in a great grey color and released as Lt. Gorky in the Toys R Us exclusive Oktober Guard 3 pack.  The 1992 figure remains the easiest to find.  But each of the three uses of the mold has its own charms.  It seems odd that Big Bear didn't return in the 2000's since the mold was used in 1998 and Hasbro of the '00's was keen on using both recent molds and releasing Oktober Guard members.  But, as the 2000's became the bastion of poorly painted molds with no gear, it's probably best that Big Bear remained an exclusive of the '90's.

If you're in the market for a Big Bear figure, he's not too expensive.  While dealers ask $12 to $15 for a mint and complete figure, you can get them for $8 without too much trouble.  In fact, you can usually get a carded Big Bear for around $15, too.  So, a little patience will get you a good figure for pretty cheap.  This version is usually the cheapest of the three uses of the mold. While I won't say he's the best, he's definitely worth current pricing.  I still find him a solid addition to the line and he's a good way to build out a collection.  He's one of those mid tier figures whose design is strong, but the lack of characterization keeps them from attaining any real popularity.  But, to me, that's the strength of the Joe line.  And, Big Bear is a perfect example of an off the cuff figure making the line stronger: even if you don't notice him.

1987 Hardtop - Around the Web

There was a time when Hardtop figures were easy to find and generally cheap.  But, that changed in the early 2000's as more collectors came online and his popularity started to increase.  Now, the figure is coveted and can get fairly pricey.  You don't see the figure all that often, but there's some content on him out there.  Here's the best on Hardtop from around the web.

Hardtop Profile

Hardtop at JoeDios.com 1

Hardtop at HalftheBattle

Hardtop Pre Production Figure at YoJoe.com

Hardtop at JoeDios.com 2

Hardtop at JoeDios.com 3

2017 Cobra Soldado - Factory Custom (Brazilian Cobra Trooper)

When the factory custom Cobra Troopers first appeared, there were a couple of standard colors for which every collector clamored: crimson, grey and black.  As such, those were the first colors to appear.  These were quickly followed by environmentally themed paint jobs and other subsets.  There was, though, one obvious repaint that I mentioned over and over again on any forum I could: a Cobra Trooper done in the light blue of the Brazilian release Cobra Soldado.  In early 2017, a Soldado inspired Cobra Trooper finally appeared.  It has since become one of my favorite factory custom army builders.

The Cobra Soldado has always been a popular character.  Even in the early 2000's when foreign Joes were mostly ignored, the Soldado rose above the obscurity.  The fan favorite mold coupled with the distinctive aqua blue color lead to a figure that was well known and somewhat popular.  During the army building hey-day of that era, a few collectors went down the road of army building the Soldados.  (There were actually relatively easy to acquire at the time.)  But, the straight arm construction started to limit the value of the character outside of a collectible oddity.  So, you would rarely see any Soldado appear in photos or stories.  Yet, the color scheme was known to the general collecting populace and it would come up from time to time in various discussions about what Hasbro could do for unique coloring back when they were making the Toys R Us army building sets.

There's quite a bit to like about this figure.  First off, this run of Soldados uses a newer Cobra Trooper mold that the figures from the early 2010's.  It is better sized and can use figure pegs on Hasbro molds.  On top of that, the quality issues that plagued some of my earlier acquisitions have been ironed out.  The torsos are well positioned on the waist.  The legs don't flay out.  And, the joints are relatively tight.  The figure is not of Hasbro quality.  But, it's a substantial upgrade over the 2010 era Cobra Troopers.  You can tell this new mold by a stamp on the figure's rear end that reads "Black Major 2017".  The uptick in quality made buying a small army far more palatable for me.  I had been turned off by some of the poorer construction quality figures from the early 2010's that had great color schemes.  So, with this figure, you get a high quality rendition of a that classic color combination.

The paint masks on the figure are very crisp.  At its core there are few paint masks on the figure.  The paint job, in general, matches up with the production Cobra Trooper's paint masks.  You have black highlights with the silver garrote and bullets on the figure's arms.  Inside the garrote, though, is a black fill in.  It's a little detail, but helps the silver around it pop out more.  I'm not sure when this detail was added to the paint masks.  But, it's a subtle difference that gives the mold more depth.  The eyes and skin are well done, too.  This can often be a sore spot on some factory custom figures.  But, all of mine have been fine.

The Soldado includes 4 accessories: a Dragunov sniped, AK-47, backpack and figure stand.  It's nice to get both the classic Cobra Trooper and Cobra Officer weapon.  The backpack is based on the 1986 Viper pack and also fits the Trooper mold.  The stand is a nice throw in.  In all the extra gear adds more value to the figure and gives them more versatility.  It always nice to have some spare AK-47's around to fill out the poorly accessorized Cobra army builders from the 2000's.  I would love for a custom maker to recreate the 1982 Rock and Roll M-60.  The Brazilian Soldado included this as his weapon.  It would be great to get a few cheap M-60 reproductions that could be used to augment the weaponry of my Soldado army.

My uses for the Soldado are many.  For me, the classic Cobra Trooper still forms the backbone of the Cobra army.  They man every installation, operate every turret and remain the cannon fodder that keeps Joe busy while the Commander escapes.  Having this color scheme gives me a nice cadre of enemies that can work well with my Brazilian Joes.  Many of the early Brazilian figures have slight color differences.  So, dropping them in with some Cobra Troopers with color differences works well.  Plus, the classic Steel Brigade figures that were released around the same have a color variance from the production figures that I see as being on par with an Estrela release.  I see them as Brazilian Steel Brigade troopers who make a perfect foil for the Soldado army.

For me, Cobra Troopers are still my preferred enemy figures.  They better match the classic Cobra vehicles.  And, the basic look of the figures more fits with the early '80's view of Cobra before they went super high tech.  I still use the standard Vipers, especially when mixing them with later figures.  But, Hasbro produced so many Viper flavors that I have less interest in them as an army builder than I do the classic Cobra Troopers.  Plus, this was the army builder of the early comic.  So, the appearance of this figure defines Cobra for me in a way that later figures did not.  I find myself more drawn to various Cobra Trooper repaints than I am of other molds for that reason.

In looking at what I have been able to catalog, there are over 45 variants of custom Cobra Troopers that have been released.  And, this doesn't scratch the surface of the many, many logo variants that exist on many of the earliest color variations.  This volume includes a rainbow of colors: some great and some just bizarre.  But, the number of different figures out there is massive.  For me, the Soldado coloring was the last missing piece.  There was a production figure out there in the color and it made perfect sense to visit the Brazilian design in a modern update.  Sure, you could create some color variants for the Plastirama and Auriken Cobra Trooper homages.  But, the Soldado is the boldest and most famous international repaint of the Cobra Trooper.  So, having them alongside Stinger Troopers, Crimson Troopers and some Desert Troopers completes the circle of figures I really want to see made.

In terms of availability, Soldados are still out there.  The initial assortments sold out relatively quickly in early 2017.  But, the figure is now available with either black or red logos.  There is even a small run of the figure using a 1982 "Mickey Mouse" inspired logo, too.  You can get the figures for $8-$10 right now, maybe less if you find a bulk deal.  History has shown that popular colors of factory custom army builders can double or triple in price as the supply is absorbed by the community.  The Soldados appear to be relatively popular as you often see them in photos around the various sites.  And, it's a very rare factory custom army builder that sells for less than its retail price.  So, what I'm saying is that the time to buy an army is now.  

I find this figure a perfect example of a foreign repaint.  Black Major took a popular figure that's both rare and expensive and made a cheaper version of it available.  But, instead of just recreating a figure: flaws and all, Black Major improved the character by giving him the swivel arms and a plethora of accessories.  Collectors could now army build a cool variant of the character and have it work with their better articulated armies.  I appreciate that and am grateful to have access to a cool repaint of a Trooper I never thought I'd be able to army build.  In many ways this figure completes my Cobra Trooper want list.  Sure, there might another cool repaint that I will own at some point in the future.  But, for now, there are no other must haves when it comes to this figure mold.

1991 Interrogator - Around the Web

The Cobra characters of the late 1980's were not great.  Oddballs like Dr. Mindbender, Crystal Ball, Big Boa and Road Pig all had their charms.  But, the toys could be goofy or terrible.  As the 1990's dawned, though, named Cobras got a bit more impressive in their appearance.  Among the solid Cobra releases of the day was the Interrogator figure.  Sure, he has a bit of Darth Vader in him.  But, the figure conveys they type of fear a person of his specialty requires.  He's become a fan favorite over the years due to the solid design and great colors.  Here's the best of him from around the web.

1991 Interrogator Profile

Interrogator at the Dragon Fortress

Interrogator Video Review

Interrogator Dio 1

Interrogator at Half The Battle

Interrogator at 3DJoes.com

Interrogator Dio 2

Interrogator at JoeWiki

Interrogator at Toys From the Past

Interrogator Dio 3

General M Bison - Street Fighter Movie (Shadowloo HQ)

What is a G.I. Joe and what is not a G.I. Joe figure?  The answer depends greatly by collector and even within an individual collector's personal timeline.  I, personally, fall somewhere in the middle.  I love factory customs and anything that uses actual Joe parts.  I don't go for knock off lines with similar construction, though.  The Street Fighter Movie and Mortal Kombat lines that Hasbro produced in the mid 1990's definitely fall into the "collect" category for me.  There are many designs in the lines that mesh well with Joes and help provide some fun additions to a collection.  There are some bad figures in there, though, that I find too far detached from Joe.  (Oddly, I'm fine with a four armed space alien in Joe, but not a four armed pit fighter.  Go figure.)  In the case of the M Bison character, though, I can find a niche for him within my Joe world.  Though, it is his incarnations from the Street Fighter Movie line that I find most interesting.

From the very beginning of my collecting days, the M Bison figures have been heavily integrated into Joe collections.  The most common usage is as a new, named Cobra: usually a high ranking military official.  The general vibe of the character is "general".  So, it was natural that collectors took to him in this manner.  In the days before Hasbro brought the line back with any zeal, collectors had few alternatives for Cobra characters.  M Bison could fill that role and you often saw him leading squads of Crimson Guards.  In this capacity, though, it was mostly the limitations of the more common Street Fighter version of M Bison that came through.  The newly sculpted head looked too large for the body that had been created years earlier.  So, while the intention of using the figure was good, the execution suffered due to the quality of the most common M Bison.  Fortunately, though, Hasbro made several other versions of the character.

This version of M Bison uses the basic silver and black color scheme.  For something so effective, it was rarely used in the vintage Joe line.  (I'd say it probably had to do with not infringing too much on Snake Eyes' iconic looks.)  As such, figures like this M Bison stand out since they look good, integrate with Cobra and aren't in a scheme that's too common.  At the same time, this guy definitely follows the Hasbro cost cutting theme of that time period.  There are few paint applications, making him a generally cheaper figure to produce than one with multiple paint masks.  The newly constructed parts are also far larger than those of the previous version.  They likely go too far in the opposite direction as the figure is now somewhat blocky and clunky. 

I'll grant you that the cape on this figure makes him look like a super hero knock off.  Some capes give off a malevolent vibe.  Others make the wearer look like the Man of Steel.  M Bison's cape falls into the latter category and somewhat diminishes the figure.  I suspect part of this is the figure's very broad shoulders and large torso.  What is interesting, though, is the way in which Hasbro affixed the cape to the figure.  Gone was the removable cape from the 1980's.  M Bison's cape is permanently attached via two points on the figure's shoulders.  This makes the cape hang lower but also help ensure that it's not separated from the figure.

Somehow, Hasbro was able to create brand new body molds for many of the Street Fighter Movie figures.  There were lots of repaints, too.  But, the economics of the day allowed them to drop a nice selection of new parts into the various toy lines.  The Street Fighter Movie M Bison figures were a great example.  The basic design uses the head created for the 1993 Street Fighter figure that was part of the Joe line.  But, the chest, arms, waist and legs are all new.  This is somewhat great as there are new parts.  But, as these lines came out in 1994 and 1995, the bodies are generally more bulky than most vintage Joes.  M Bison's new chest and arms fit in with 1994 and the figures planned for 1995 very nicely.  But, they look overly large when compared with '80's Joes.  They do, though, solve the main issue I have with the 1993 M Bison figure: the head is no longer too large for the figure's body.

There are five different M Bison figures: two in the G.I. Joe line that use mostly Joes molds and a new head and three in the Street Fighter Movie line that use the existing head and an all new body.  The Movie figures, in my opinion, are better colored and can be better integrated with Cobra than the figures from 1993.  This black body version from the Shadowloo Headquarters is very nice just due to the simple black and silver theme.  There is a blue version that was available as a carded 2 pack that is a bit more complex.  I like it a bit better.  The single carded red version isn't great, but he includes excellent silver versions of both Interrogator's and the Flak Viper's weapons.  But, the black version best fits into a Joe collection.  (And is a nice companion piece to both the Funskool Streethawk and the Convention Firefly, too.)

Ostensibly, this figure should be pretty rare and somewhat expensive.  The Shadowloo Headquarters was big and pricey and not produced in huge numbers.  But, it seems that like many of the later vehicle pack in figures, this M Bison was later made available via overstock sales.  As such, even today you get bagged versions of this figure for under $15.  For a figure that is so easily integrated into the Joe line, that seems under-priced.  But, Street Fighter Movie and Mortal Combat figures ebb and flow in terms of popularity quite a bit.  There was a time when every figure in this line was more expensive than '86 Vipers.  Then, they crashed and you could get most of them for under $15 for a MOC figure.  Savvy collectors can take advantage of these fluctuations and acquire figures like this M Bison in down times.  For a reasonable price, this figure is a worthy addition to any collection.

1992 Bulletproof - Around the Web

In 1993, I was barely into toys.  I had forayed into a small Joe purchase in December of 1992.  But, aside from that, pretty much kept my collecting habits to sports cards.  Over Christmas of 1993, though, I decided to buy a couple more Joe figures.  Among the bright spots at Toys R Us that day was a neon yellow Bulletproof figure.  I wasn't overly keen on the bright color.  But, he had a cool helmet, amazing gun and great backpack.  So, I bought him and never looked back.  When I discovered that the same, basic figure was available in 1992, only with better colors, I had to have him.  So, I sought him out at a time when finding loose figures from the '90's was rather hard to do.  Once in hand, he was a substantial upgrade from the neon 1993 figure.  There is surprisingly more info about the character available than I would have thought.  Here's the best of Bulletproof from around the web.

1992 Bulletproof Profile

1992 DEF Toy Fare Catalog at JoeADay.com

Bulletproof at Icebreaker's HQ

Bulletproof Dio

Tiro Certo - the Brazilian Release of Bulletproof

Bulletproof Pre Production at YoJoe.com

Bulletproof at JoeADay.com

Bulletproof Dio 2

Bulletproof at ComicsVine

1986 Monkeywrench

I am not a huge Dreadnok fan.  While Buzzer, Ripper and Torch were very nice figures with amazing gear, they never really resonated with me as a kid.  I'd use them as villains from time to time.  But, my Cobra was mostly a military organization who battled Joe in more traditional ways.  Mainly, though, my childhood Joe experience took a decidedly different turn in late 1985 as I turned more towards collecting nice samples of figures and establishing large, elaborate story lines.  As I had acquired the original three Dreadnoks in late 1984, their figures were mostly beat up and all of them had some lost gear.  This also played into the degraded role.  As 1986 rolled along, though, my Cobra forces needed a boost.  It was great to have Joe beat out Vipers and Crimson Guards.  But, Joe needed some named Cobras against whom they could battle.  As such, characters like Zandar became important named Cobras who could hold their own against the Joes, even if the figure wasn't great.  In this same vein, Monkeywrench became more important to me than his figure would ever warrant.

As a figure, Monkeywrench is fairly well done.  While he lacks some of the intricacy of the 1985 series, the mold is still rife with little details.  He has a chain around his left shoulder and his jeans are scattered with patches.  (Hasbro really wanted the Dreadnoks to wear jeans.  Which sucks now since the blue plastic they used is extremely vulnerable to heat and sun discoloration.)  Monkeywrench wears a detailed necklace and his side arm is a revolver.  All of this, though, is obscured by the five huge grenades strapped across the figure's chest.  These, of course, are meant to define the figure as an explosives expert who likes loud noises.  In that context, they work.  His countenance is dominated by the silver aviator glasses.  These convey a sense of anonymity which not requiring a full face mask or disguise. 

The Guy Fawkes reference on Monkeywrench's filecard actually spearheaded me to spend some time reading up on Fawkes at my local library.  One of the great things about both the Joe comic and the filecards were the obscure little references that were tossed into either stories or biographies.  Leon Trotsky being mysteriously stabbed on a train, the Potemkin, Guy Fawkes Day and many other throw away lines lead to copious hours searching a card catalog and then reading through books to learn more about these flippant events.  It's so much easier today.  But, that intellectual curiosity set in motion from the Joe canon is just another reason why the line still resonates with me today.

There's really only one reason for me to profile the Monkeywrench figure.  It was not his addition to my collection.  Nor his role in my Joe world.  It is his demise that holds the story.  As a kid, I didn't intentionally destroy many toys.  I had learned about collecting from my Grandfather and always had a sense that I'd regret intentionally ruining something about which I cared.  Which is why Monkeywrench's destruction sticks out in my memory.

Around 1986, my Dad decided to build a loft in our garage.  The garage was a 1940's era massive cinder block structure with a pointed, shingled roof that was easily as tall as our two story house.  Inside the garage was only the shelves my Dad had affixed to the walls.  On the wooden apex of the building, there were old glass windows to allow in some light.  As my brothers and I got older and accumulated more bikes, lawnmowers and other gadgets, we needed space.  So, my Dad bought some wood and built a huge loft over the car bays.  One side faced our neighbor's yard.  The other faced our backyard where we played all our sports.  The loft on this side became a fun place to play.  It was only accessible by a step ladder, which made the spot that much cooler.  Here, I had a few adventures with Joes.  (You may remember by story of how the 1986 Mission to Brazil Dialtone was crushed by the garage door when I forgot his sniper position on one such play session.)  As storage boxes were added, I had a little city in which my Joes could battle Cobra.

In 1987, my Joe playing days were ending.  At some point over the summer, we had managed to break out one of the window panes on the second story garage window that was accessible to the loft.  One fall day, while playing, the Joes decided to hang a captured Monkeywrench.  I affixed him to a long string and he was tossed through the hole on the broken glass to hang out in the elements against the cinder block wall several feet below.  I had left him there for a couple of days when the kids down the street came over to play soccer or football in our backyard.  They saw Monkeywrench hanging by the wall.  They also saw the ripe, felled walnuts from the walnut trees in the yard, too.  Someone thought they could hit the figure with a walnut.  They threw and missed.  So, the four of us, myself, my brother and the two kids down the block all threw walnuts at Monkeywrench.  Finally, he was hit.  The string went flailing and Monkeywrench swung like a pendulum in front of the wall.  I don't know how many hits he took, but it was a few.  When we were done, I inspected the figure to find a broken crotch, lost leg and broken hand.  Really, he was heartier than I expected.  But, Monkeywrench's days as a part of my collection were over.

It is that memory that forever haunts Monkeywrench.  (Well, that and the fact that I thought he looked a bit like my uncle, only with brown hair.)  The figure has never mattered to me since then and it's only been in recent years I've actually acquired a new one: just to complete my collection.  It's not that Monkeywrench is bad.  The fig is one of the less outlandish Dreadnoks.  But, I'm not a Dreadnok fan and seeing Monkeywrench just recalls that fall day in 1987.  And, that's unlikely to change.  I don't see this figure joining in on a great deal of photos.  He's nice to have to complete my 1986 series.  But, that's about the extent of his value to my collection these days.

The '85 Dreadnoks were famous for their gear.  As such, it was quite a disappointment to see Monkeywrench with just a single weapon.  And, the gun really wasn't that great.  Monkeywrench includes a harpoon gun.  As an idea, it could be useful.  But, since the harpoon doesn't come apart and the winch doesn't work, it's a fairly lame piece of equipment.  As a kid, though, I saw Monkeywrench's harpoon more like Neptune's trident.  It could shoot blasts of energy and was a somewhat effective weapon on the battlefield.  It made Monkeywrench a bit more useful to me.  The weapon, sadly, kept appearing in neon colors with 1993 and 1994 figures, too.  So, it's a rather ubiquitous look for Joe accessories.  I'd love to know why Hasbro chose this weapon, from their entire catalog of guns, to remake into '90's neon weapon trees.  There were so many other weapons that were better sculpted.  So, was this someone's favorite?  Or, was it just the right size for a tree?  It's little details like this that I'd love to unearth about the line and to see how some items came to be reused time and again while others that I consider far better were never touched upon again.

Monkeywrench didn't see much use.  The American figure completed his retail run in 1987 and then disappeared.  A few years later, Monkeywrench was released by Estrela toys in Brazil.  This figure, a Cobra explosives expert, is also named Monkeywrench.  He has a bright red vest and is very distinct from the American figure.  Most of Monkeywrench's Brazilian contemporaries were later released by Funskool.  But, Monkeywrench never appeared anywhere after the Brazilian release.  It's somewhat surprising that the bright red Estrela version doesn't get more press since Dreadnok variants tend to be somewhat popular.  It's an obscure but somewhat affordable figure if you can find it and is at least one alternative look for Monkeywrench.

Monkeywrench, for some reason, is fairly popular.  Mint and complete with filecard figures routinely sell in the $12-$15 range.  You can get them a little cheaper with some luck (and, if you don't want the filecard).  But, for a figure that no one really cares about and who has just one, rarely lost, accessory, he's rather pricey.  But, being a Dreadnok definitely plays in Mondeywrench's favor.  There are tons of collectors who specialize in Dreadnoks and who acquire every member of the gang, regardless of their other collecting focus.  For me, this figure isn't worth that kind of money.  His nostalgic bent is limited and he's not otherwise cool enough to justify that kind of money.

1997 Lady Jaye - Around the Web

The 1997 Lady Jaye figure is an example of a repaint done right.  Hasbro took a popular mold of the era and recolored it in a collector friendly way.  The result is a different take on the Lady Jaye character.  The problem, though, is that the 1997 figure quality doesn't really mesh well with the Lady Jaye mold.  So, many of the figures have issues that limit an otherwise solid repaint.  There's not a lot about her out there due to the late release date.  But, here's the best of her from around the web.

1997 Lady Jaye Profile

Lady Jaye Pre Production at YoJoe.com

1997 Lady Jaye Dio 1

1997 Lady Jaye Custom at OreoBuilder's Blog

1997 Lady Jaye Dio 2