1993 Robo Joe

Some figures should just never have been made.  Raptor, Big Boa, Golobulus, Windmill and other, terrible figures should have been scrapped and collectors would be better off, even if their slots for release had not been replaced.  In 1993, this infamous club of figures welcomed a new member to their pantheon of awfulness: Robo Joe.  Not only was Robo Joe a terrible idea and character, he was also created in a new articulation style that completely obliterated all the great things about G.I. Joe toys.  Collectors have strong opinions about 1993.  There are some bad toys that were released that year.  But, none better encapsulates and represents the awfulness like Robo Joe.

In 1995 and into 1996, I scoured the dregs of stores around Central Indiana and Southern Ohio in search of any and all remaining G.I. Joe figures.  But, some things were simply too much.  And, Armor Tech was the final line I just couldn't cross.  I even bought a lone Ninja Force Night Creeper just to buy something at retail when all else was gone.  But, I could never muster the moxie to stomach an Armor Tech figure.  Despite the familiar characters and useful accessories, the general design of the figures and the higher price point was just too much.  So, I left Armor Tech behind.  In fact the final vintage Joes I ever found at retail occurred in the fall of 1997 shortly after the Arizona Mills mall opened in Tempe, AZ.  A small toy shop there (it was, basically, a non-branded KB with all the same merchandise and prices) had several full pegs of Armor Tech figures hanging on the shelves.  Again, I left them behind.  I just couldn't find a way to justify figures like that.  And, just a few short weeks later, the 1997 Joes surprised me on a Toys R Us shelf and I didn't think of the Armor Tech again.  More than two decades later, I have no regrets over leaving them behind.

Robo Joe has pretty much every strike against him.  He's bright orange, but not in a fun way.  He has this black overspray that makes it look like he's wearing bad '90's workout clothes and not other paint applications.  He's a new character with no nostalgia to tread upon.  And, his gear is relatively non-descript.  However, the character of Robo Joe could have some usefulness.  Hasbro flipped the script and had a lab attack not turn Robo Joe evil, but use his experimental technology for good.  It's an old trope.  But, it could work as something in the Joe world.  Joe didn't have a lot of scientists, Cobra did.  So, a Joe scientist kept alive by his own creations could have found some use in Joe media.  He was also a natural enemy for Destro.  Had Star Brigade been more unified, you could see a science fiction story line where Destro's technology battles that of Robo Joe for supremacy in space.  It wouldn't have been for everyone.  But, it would have been more than the Oktober Guard in space mini-arc in the comics.

The upside to the Armor Tech figures is that they included helmets.  I have been a sucker for removable helmets since Lando Calrissian in Skiff Guard disguise from the Kenner Return of the Jedi line in 1983.  In this vein, Robo Joe is decent.  His black helmet covers his head well and is a cool looking design.  With a couple of paint applications, it would be downright excellent.  His golden weapons are the exact same tree as was available with the Star Brigade Roadblock figure.  Even in the mid 1990's, golden weapons didn't do much for me.  Had the weapon tree been black, there's a very small possibility I'd have bought the figure.  But, since I had the weapons in black already, it's a very, very small chance.  The figure also has a requisite spring loaded launcher.

Armor Tech died with their 1993 release.  The figures failed and were available at toy liquidator and discount stores for many years after their initial release.  The alternate construction and figure theme were abandoned in 1994 and the molds never appeared in any exclusive international releases.  This isn't a bad thing since the figs were terrible and really only have one redeeming quality: their heads.  Each of the heads featured the skill and improvements that came from 11 years of Joe design and are all well designed and sculpted.  Customizers have successfully used Armor Tech heads on standard figures for many years.  Since the heads are obscure, their appearance is unique and they help create some memorable custom interpretations of classic characters.  

Twenty five years after this figure's release, he remains worthless.  You can get MOC figures for $10 without even trying.  If you can find someone selling a carded figure to market prices, Robo Joe would probably fetch half of that.  The figure is simply worthless and he is never going to have any collector interest.  A decade ago, you could find carded Armor Tech lots all over online markets.  They would sit unsold for average prices of $5 to $7 per figure but you had to buy 4 to 6 figures at a time.  Now, though, a lot of that stock has dried up and you don't see carded Robo Joe's with the regularity that you used to.  That hasn't really driven demand, though, as the figures are still, generally, unpopular and cheap.