1997 Scarlett - Random Photos of the Day

In 1997, the Stars and Stripes set was derided by the emerging collector community.  The plastic was weird, the colors didn't quite made sense and, some of the mold choices were downright bizarre.  In later years, we came to learn why some of the molds were chosen.  And, the softer plastic has now been in use far longer than the harder plastic from the vintage Joe era.  The colors, though, have kind of taken on a new life.  Some of the figures in set in the set now include the 1997 colors as part of their secondary appearances.  The best example is the Scarlett figure from the set.

At the time, this Scarlett was about as far as you could get from any other Scarlett appearance.  International Joes weren't well known in 1997.  So, there was no real chance for the mold to appear as Glenda or Quarrel.  So, Hasbro went with a completely new color scheme, purple and orange.  These colors had proven complementary on various Cobra figures through the years.  So, Hasbro knew they would be visually appealing.  And, they worked very nicely with Scarlett.

I've always thought the 1982 Scarlett colors are bland.  Sure, they're a nice contrast from the rest of the original 13.  But, even when juxtaposed against the black Snake Eyes, the tans kind of wash out.  So, having a Scarlett in more vibrant colors was a nice change of pace.  Paired with her silent beau, the 1997 Scarlett is far more dynamic looking.  Sure, not everyone (or, really, anyone!) will agree with me.  But, I far prefer this look for Scarlett over her original color scheme.

The 1997 figure, though, was surpassed in 2003.  The Toy Fare Scarlett is a perfect blend of the 1982 and 1997 color schemes.  It keeps the purple jumpsuit.  But, brings back the whites and tans of the original release.  Now, the 2003 is my preferred Scarlett figure and appears in far too many photos around the site.  But, I do like pulling out the 1997 version just because you don't see her too often and she's a nice alternative to the 2003.