The 1985 Dusty figure is one of the line's iconic looks. When Hasbro revisited the character in 1991, they created another strong entry to the line's desert forces. But, the obscure release year and general ignorance of the release by early collectors has doomed the later version to a lifetime of being forgotten. In recent years, more collectors have found value in the mold, though. Here's the best of him from around the web.
Dusty Profile
Dusty by toysandtomfoolery
Dusty by thedustinmccoy
Dusty by funtimeatserpentorslair
Dusty by thedustinmccoy 02
This figure falls apart with the bright red hair. There were too many red-heads in GI JOE already, and to give Dusty am unsubtle crayon color for hair was not a good move (the cartoon made his hair black, then light brown, so Dusty is one of those ill-defined characters when it comes to hair color). Of course, a fair skinned ginger as a desert fighter baring his arms and face is laughable.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad the mold wasn't used for the Desert 6-pack, instead we got that, that thing...the unholy union of white-face Stretcher and Lowlight V3.
I addition to the red hair being wrong for his character, the red eyes themselves are a bit unsettling. Usually they gave redheads black or brown pupils (see Scarlett or Outback).
ReplyDeleteI like a lot about this figure though. The head and leg sculpts are great, and the accessories are amazing.
But I find the deep-v sleeveless shirt questionable. And the cool submachine gun lost a bit of its identity when was included with every Viper in 1998.
Dusty loved French guns so much, he swapped his modern (for the 80's) FAMAS for an old MAT-49 smg. If they had made another Dusty in the vintage line he'd have used a Chauchat light machine gun from WW1.
DeleteGreat observation! That dedication to detail and character, down to their accessories, is what made ARAH so great!
DeleteThe Chauchat was a piece of crap machine gun. At least the FAMAS worked well, and the bullpup design is still in use.
DeleteLove this figure! He isn't Dusty to me though. I call him Dune.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you always have him captured or dead lol??
He's gotten a shoddy o-ring in recent years. So, I have to pose him dead or in otherwise specific ways since he won't pose upright all that well anymore. Need to replace it. But, haven't done it as I always forget his is bad. Though, that doesn't explain the earlier photos before the piece went bad....
Delete