Funskool Cutter

Throughout the vintage Joe run, Hasbro strived to keep existing characters refreshed and available.  This gave the line a continuity that helped bridge the gaps between different generations of kids.  It was possible for the youngest child to get the oldest's collection and then augment it with classic characters like Snake Eyes or Stalker who had new designs on the shelves.  In most of the cases of new takes on existing characters in the vintage line, Hasbro strayed far from the original design of the character.  (You could argue the 1985 Snake Eyes is a complete reimagination of the figure released in 1982.)  In some cases, though, Hasbro used their new take to simply update an existing character to a more modern take on their classic look.  There are few examples of this better than the 1992 Cutter.

The 1984 Cutter is not a bad figure.  I got him in December of 1984 and he quickly became an important part of my collection.  Even when the head construction changed in 1985, Cutter remained valuable because he was such a perfect fit for the Whale.  But, the reality is that Cutter did start to get a bit dated as the line progressed.  His look was perfect.  But, it was also bulky and he didn't really fit the notion of a combat commander.  The 1992 mold, though, solved this.  The DEF version was, at its essence, the same as the 1984 figure, just with a sleeker and more updated design.  Looking at the two figures, it's obvious they are same character.  And, that drives a lot of the 1992 Cutter's value.  He's a perfect update to the original Cutter figure.  But, he still works perfectly in the Whale.  But, he also works with an entirely new generation of figures without losing anything from the original.

In the early 2000's, though, it was actually kind of hard to find mint and complete figures from 1991 - 1994.  They were especially tough if you wanted to army build them in any numbers.  Funskool, though, offered a chance for collectors to get all the DEF Cutters they wanted for cheap.  Starting in 2001, dealers imported Cutters and sold them for around $4 each.  Collectors were quickly able to get a high quality rendition of the Cutter figure with ease.  For many, their first exposure to the mold was the Funskool release.  And, you'd see Funskool Cutters manning vehicles in photos and dios of the time.  The ubiquity of Funskool figures was somewhat taken for granted and collectors grew to feel the figures would always be available.  While I did buy a couple of extra Cutter figures, I never actually bought the army I sought.  

I have always loved the 1992 Cutter's accessories.  His weapon is the perfect combination of size and detail.  It's not too big.  And, it makes sense as the weapon that the commander of a ship would use since it would not be unwieldy in tight spaces aboard a Whale or Shark 9000.  The flashlight is an inspired choice of gear.  It's large and bulky and is a far cry from the Tunnel Rat or Outback flashlights from 5 years earlier.  The Funskool figures have the added value of being cast in black plastic instead of the white plastic of the American figure.  While the white works with the figure, it's really nice to get the weapon in black.  And, the Funskool release is the only option for an alternate color of this excellent weapon.  

There are three versions of the Cutter mold.  For sheer vintage homage appeal, the 1992 is the best.  The 1993 repaint that was released with the Shark 9000 is also very good and brings something different to the Cutter mold.  The white pants aren't great.  But, they work with the Shark.  And, the green is a great way to bring more environments into play for Cutter.  This Funskool version isn't too great a departure from the 1992 version.  But, the lighter blues and oranges are a near perfect match for the 1990 Topside figure.  And, in that vein, the two make for a great team.  So, each version has some value.  Hasbro had the chance to get this mold back from India in 2003.  It's not likely that they did so.  But, had they, the 2004 Moray and convention sets would have each been perfect venues for a new repaint.  That didn't happen.  And, the mold still has potential.  But, each of the three versions is good and that's more than many molds who debuted in the 1990's can say. 

Light blue Funskool plastic has always been a problem.  Figures that used it in the '80's and early '90's are notoriously prone to discoloration.  It's not uncommon to find gem mint examples of early and rare Funskool figures who have either entire body discoloration or singular pieces of the mold that have badly discolored while the rest of the figure is fine.  Most collectors assumed that proper storage for the figures released in the 2000's would solve this issue.   But, it seems that much of the plastic discoloring is a function of bad plastic and proper storage will only slow the decay, not prevent it.  As such, you see perfectly preserved Cutter figures that are starting to discolor.  But, these figures are now 20 years old.  The fact that Funskool light blue plastic figures may have a shelf life is disheartening.  But, all you can do is what you know is right and hope for the best.  Just know that even meticulously cared for figures will discolor through no fault of your own.

Funskool Cutter figures are not valuable to the average collector.  But, to dealers who can sit on them until someone desperate comes along, they can be.  Dealers will sell carded figures for $50.  Left to market pricing, though, it's a $25 carded figure.  Loose mint and complete versions of the figure are $7-$10 figures.  But, it might take you a year to find one.  New collectors are slowly getting it that most of the 2000's era Funskool figures are actually really common and exist in ample supply for both loose and carded figures.  That's creating the huge disparities between dealer and market pricing.  If you have more money than patience, you have overly expensive options.  But, if you like to maximize your collecting dollar, waiting out the market will usually give you a chance at figures like this for legitimate prices.