2005 Crimson Shadow Guard - Random Photos of the Day

The Crimson Shadow Guard was a low effort release that Hasbro dropped at the end of the retail line.  It joined the HAS Set as the final sets Hasbro would give to Toys R Us as exclusives.  But, sometimes low effort is still OK.  And, in the case of the Shadow Guard, the black uniform take on the Crimson Guard worked out quite well.  We didn't need 6 of them in a single set, of course.  But, as an army builder, there were many worse releases in the repaint era.  

Of course, the Shadow Guard were flawed as they included terrible, non-sensical accessories that were mostly ninja weapons.  But, by 2005, Hasbro had all but given up when it came to the weapons included with figures.  The aftermarket had also stepped in and Marauder's Gun Runners was able to fully take advantage of Hasbro's lazy weapon complement.  

The real oddity was the inclusion of 6 identical figures.  Even the Cobra Infantry had made each figure unique.  And, later, the Viper Pit would break up the weapons and offer 1 exclusive figure among the identical soldiers.  But, this set was produced to be cheap.  So, 6 identical figures with easy to produce gear was the order.  Of course, that meant that army building collectors stopped at one or two sets since they were able to fill out obscure squads with small purchases.  But, even army building had become passe by 2005.  So, the Shadow Guard somewhat faded into obscurity.

Hasbro pretty much killed the online Joe collector community in 2005.  Their bizarre handling of the line drove away collectors en masse.  So, sets like this Shadow Guard got clearanced out.  And, when they dropped to $4 for a set, I bought way too many.  For under a buck per figure, it made sense to buy up more than I wanted.  Now, twenty years later, the Shadow Guard is still one of my most numerous army builders.  And, since they don't discolor and feature the pliable plastic of the 2000's, I actually use them way more than most figures I actually do like.

In the photos below, you'll see a version with a Fred head from the Comic Packs.  There's another with the Agent Faces head, too.  These two customs help break up the Shadow Guard.  And, with these "commanders", my Shadow Guard has a bit of characterization to it that has kept it somewhat relevant in recent years.  The Crimson Guard remains loyal to Cobra Commander.  But, the Shadow Guard is less certain in their allegiance.  If I ever want to work some intrigue within the Cobra ranks, the Shadow Guard are the first figures to come to mind.

The Shadow Guards remain pretty unloved.  While people will comment about how they like the design, the sales prices say that everyone has the figures they want.  Of the Toys R Us releases, Shadow Guards are among the cheapest figures to acquire.  And, while lots of dealers still cling to 2021 era pricing for repaint era Joe toys, they struggle to move any of them.  $15 is about the going rate for a figure.  But, you can get a carded set for under that price...indicating that the few sales are about frustrated collectors giving in to low demand.  The real price is probably half that.  But, you're going to grow grey waiting for them to come around in numbers.

1982 RAM

The RAM was my first G.I. Joe toy.  My younger brother had gotten most of the entire series for his birthday in October of 1982.  I desperately wanted some figures of my own.  I had to wait for two months before my birthday would come along and give me the chance.  However, I was to be mostly disappointed that day.  Instead of a full collection of Joe toys, I got just one: the RAM.  It was nice as we didn't actually have the RAM among my brother's birthday bonanza.  But, I also owned no figures to ride it.  Not really sure what to do with a motorcycle without a rider, I left the conundrum for another day.  That proved fortuitous, though.  The next day, after school, one friend who had been sick for my party the day before dropped by to give me my present.  It was a carded Breaker figure.  Now, I not only had a rider for my cycle, but I had THE rider for my cycle who appeared on the box artwork.  From that day one, I have been rather unable to separate Breaker and the RAM as a classic combo.

My childhood RAM suffered greatly.  This was due to the fact that it was well loved.  I played with it all the time.  This lead to it getting beat up.  The footpegs were the first to go.  Then, the kickstand was broken in half.  These were acceptable losses, though.  But, eventually, a catastrophic breakage occurred.  The sidecar pegs got broken off and the gatling cannon could no longer attach to the motorcycle.  With this loss, the RAM became less useful.  So, I tried to glue the pieces together.  I used rubber cement, though, and it melted the plastic together.  But, it wasn't strong enough and quickly broke again: now in an unrepairable fashion.

Sans weapon, the RAM kind of fell into disfavor.  When the Silver Mirage debuted in 1985, I brought out the ramshackle RAM as an accoutrement to the new cycle.  But, as the Silver Mirage proved to be a horrible piece of crap, the RAM was no longer needed.  It stuck around, though.  Mostly, the carcass lied in a pile of broken an unloved toys that made up our "debris field" where we'd have adventures.  We'd clean that mess up into a shallow box.  And, then, I'd dump it out on the floor the next time I wanted the debris to be available or I was looking for some obscure part that I thought might be in there.  (That box survived in my parents attic until the late 1990s when I finally pulled all the pieces out and added them to my personal collection.)  Sometimes, a lone assassin would ride it into a Joe base to shoot the place up.  Maybe, he'd have a bomb planted on it.  Usually, though, this rogue would get shot up well before he did real damage.  But, the RAM had moved from a key component of my main group of toys to an afterthought junk toy due to the breakage it had suffered.  I didn't really think much about that, though.  I had plenty of new Joe toys to take the RAM's place.  

Christmas of 1986, though, brought the RAM back to prominence.  Not due to its return to glory.  But, instead, due to a new, unexpected repaint that came to my collection: the Dreadnok Ground Assault RAM.  This new toy renewed the RAM and proved that its design had held up and was on par with later toy designs.  As the Dreadnok RAM was green, I adopted it for the Joes and it was never a Cobra vehicle.  This RAM remained a beloved part of my childhood play pattern until the end of 1987: when I packed all my toys away.  But, it made me realize that the RAM was something that was always going to be integral to my enjoyment of the Joe line.

Even today, in the display case next to my desk, Breaker rides the RAM.  It's just one of those images of childhood that I keep around.  As I've gotten older, I've grown to appreciate Joe toys are pneumonic devices moreso than playthings.  Mostly, that's due to the toys growing old and brittle.  But, just seeing Breaker on the RAM makes me 8 years old, again.  And, it is nice to have something around which can spark those feelings: especially when things are just a bit...too adult when bills are due, the school's calling and your boss decides he wants your role to change.  The RAM fills that need.

You'll see some criticism of the RAM for the lack of handle bars.  Hasbro, though, really promoted this when they added handles to the updated versions of the RAM in the 2000's.  As a kid, I liked the weird hand holds on the sides of the cycle and inside the front hood.  Sure, they made little sense.  But, considering the cycle was designed for straight arm figures, they worked well enough.  And, it allows for solid posing on the toy, too.  I'd often have the rider be able to hold onto the controls while shooting behind them at a follower.  

After Christmas in 1982, I had three Joe vehicles and 4 Joe figures.  They were the RAM, VAMP and MMS along with Clutch, Hawk, Snake Eyes and Breaker.  This meant that I didn't really have space on three vehicles for all four figures.  I could put Snake Eyes on the RAM, behind Breaker.  But, I Breaker had to wear his pack.  So, that meant that Snake Eyes couldn't sit behind him.  I could have had Snake Eyes drive.  But, I didn't like that.  So, instead, I'd try to sit Snake Eyes on the back of the VAMP with his legs straddling the gun.  Since that didn't really work, Snake Eyes was the odd man out.  This exclusion helped reinforce the notion of Snake Eyes being a bad guy.  It also helped that we had three of them.  So, this little army of Snake Eyes figures were my bad guys in the era before Cobras were really available.  

The RAM got releases all around the world.  Palitoy, Funskool and Estrela all released versions.  (There's probably more.  But, I've pretty much given up trying to document all the worldly vehicle releases since the information is so scattered and mostly absent.)  Hasbro released it twice.  And, during the Anniversary era, Hasbro remade the cycle with updated handle bars and more details.  There's also a model kit that is sometimes mistaken for a RAM variant.  I believe it's slightly smaller than the actual RAM.  But, you'll still see those out there from time to time.

RAMs are cheap.  Even though it has lots of small and brittle parts, mint and complete versions remain easy to find.  You can get really high quality samples in the $25 range.  But, just a little wear will cut that price in half.  Dealers still think it's 2021 and price RAMs at exorbitantly high prices.  But, unlike some other lofty dealer expectations, these high priced RAMs don't move.  So, you can acquire a nice RAM for less than pretty much any figure from its release era.  Joe vehicles ebb and flow, though.  There are times when you can't give them away and other times when they out pace figures in terms of pricing.  But, it's nice that early items like this RAM are still attainable.

1989 Night Force Repeater - Random Photos of the Day

The 1988 Repeater is a pretty solid figure.  The only real downside is that he might be a little bland.  The Night Force version that was released the following year, though, rectifies this.  The Toys R Us exclusive figure brings some splashes of color to Repeater and is, in my opinion, an upgrade over the 1988 original.  The black and dark brown better offset the green torso.  The best part, to me, though, is that the figure isn't too "Night Force" and can be used in any context as a replacement for the original figure.

Back in my early collecting days, I tended to avoid Night Force figures.  They were always expensive.  Though, expensive in 1999 is laughably cheap in 2024.  I also avoided, them, though, because I didn't find them all that compelling.  In most cases, the original versions of the Night Force team were better and more interesting.  I have this Repeated from an acquisition of 1990's era figures.  Meaning that this one is, likely, from the Rapid Deployment Force mail away that was offered in 1993.  Really, all that means is that I didn't get any accessories with him.  But, the 1988 Repeater gear works well enough and allows me to enjoy this figure either with close enough facsimiles of the figure's intended gear or with some supplemental weapons from my collection.  

The photos below were taken over the past 8 or 9 years.  I don't get this Repeater out as often as I'd probably like to.  But, he does tend to get used at least once or twice per year as he's both a solid subject of a photo and an excellent and interesting background filler.  He appears more often than any other vintage Night Force figure on this site's photos.  So, he's definitely a figure I enjoy.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Night Force in the comments.  It's a set that, in my opinion, has always been overhyped.  In recent years, dealer types have been desperately trying to convince new collectors that vintage Night Force figures are as rare or rarer than many mail aways.  While they did have lower production numbers, Night Force figures were a staple of Toys R Us stores for most of the year.  So, they're not as rare as some of the nouveau sellers want you to believe.  Beyond that, though, I think they carry over the cachet of the late '90's when older collectors who had stopped buying Joes in 1987 discovered some of their favorites were available in "gritty, realistic" colors.  But, what are your thoughts?  Does Night Force deserve its venerated position in the hobby?  Or, are they a set you view with an air of indifference?  

1991 Super Sonic Fighters Rock and Roll - Around The Web

The Super Sonic Fighters Rock and Roll is one of those figures that, on the surface, seems bad.  But, upon a deeper review, it's a surprisingly good figure.  The base colors are amazing.  The orange is a lot of fun, too.  His gear is excellently sculpted and should be more popular.  In total, he's an underappreciated gem from later in the line.  Here's some of the best of him from around the web.

1991 Super Sonic Fighters Rock and Roll Profile

1991 Rock and Roll by corpscommandercody

1991 Rock and Roll by thedragonfortress

1991 Rock and Roll by ronnie_trickshot

1991 Rock and Roll by slipstream80

1991 Rock and Roll by thedustinmccoy

1991 Rock and Roll by 1990s_gi_joes

Funskool Rock and Roll - Rarities

1991 Rock and Roll by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

1991 Rock and Roll by sintechness

1991 Rock and Roll by relena_warcraft

1991 Rock and Roll by ptytoys2021

1991 Rock and Roll by 73larebear

2024 Ghostbusters O-ring Figures - In Package

This is a good product.  For $44, it's properly priced and the packaging is a perfect combo of collector friendly and space conscious.  I'm not a huge fan of the "retro weathering".  But, it's consistent with the retro offerings from Star Wars and gives a vibe...I guess.  Even if they never do another o-ring homage with a media property, it's awesome that these toys exist.

The figures are what they were supposed to be.  The price is right.  I can only image Joe 4 packs that had been done in this format and at this price.  Maybe they'd still be viable.  But, I hope this Ghostbusters set sells out and inspires Hasbro to take more chances like this.  Hell, they could reuse the Ramis and Murray heads in a Stripes 4 pack.  Until then, though, we can enjoy an o-ring set done right.

Night Viper - Grey (Black Major Version)

We can argue whether the default Cobra color is blue, red or even purple.  (Seriously, there's more purple Cobras than other colors.)  But, everyone will agree that Cobra's principle color isn't green.  There were just two vintage green Cobras that both appeared in 1989: the Aero Viper and the Night Viper.  Both figures are highly regarded as the color can work in small doses.  The dark green palette works for the specialty of the Night Viper.  But, there are many other color schemes that would have also fit the mold.  Hasbro never saw fit to repaint the Night Viper and he remained one of the more desirable vintage army builders for many years.  In the late 2010s, factory custom maker the Black Major released several series of Night Viper repaints.  All showcased the untapped potential of the Night Viper mold.  The paint job I've found most useful, though, is a grey and black color combo.  The grey hearkens back to the Stinger Driver from the vintage line and fits with the iconic Cobra vehicles from the line's early years.

I've recounted my discovery of the Night Viper before.  He was, though, the only figure I purchased at retail between early 1988 and December of 1992.  His pristine cardback with bubble still attached sat inside a small Banana Republic brown paper shopping bag on the top shelf of the closet in my childhood room for nearly two decades.  While I never really got to use the figure, his top notch design kept him as someone that held more value to me than most of my post-childhood Joes.  As an adult, I acquired a nice squad of Funskool Night Vipers that were my core Cobra army for a few years while we waited on Hasbro to finally get some diverse army building molds into production.  

In time, though, that novelty waned.  I had less interest in a Night Viper army because I had other figures that became available.  But, when I liquidated a huge chunk of my collection in the early 2010's, I kept all the Night Vipers.  I saved my four vintage figures.  And, kept my entire Funskool army.  (It helped that Funskool figures were worthless at the time and I've have sold them for less than my $4/figure cost.)  So, even as the figure fell out of favor from a usage standpoint, it remained a viable army in my collection.  Every now and then again, I get the urge to get the old Night Vipers out and relive their heyday as the pre-eminent Cobras in my legions.  But, you'll see that Night Viper appearances are few and far between.  Heck, the photos in this profile are at least 3 years old and I don't have any newer ones to supplement them.

This figure is pretty basically colored.  His body is a silverish-grey with black highlights.  Aside from a small, silver belt buckle and the small green and yellow logo on his left arm, the figure is two tonal.  But, in this context, the figure works.  His paint masks match the vintage Night Viper and this figure very much feels like something Hasbro could have made during the vintage run.  While additional painted details would have been nice, they are less necessary for some repaints due to their ties to the vintage figure's appearance.  

For gear, the Black Major Night Vipers match with the vintage figures.  He includes the classic rifle: complete with strap to go over his arm and the weird holes to affix the rifle to the Night Viper's legs.  The Night Viper backpack is there, though it's kind of underwhelming due to the original design.  The figure features both the face shield and the monocle that attaches to it.  The face shields are the biggest source of consternation for these figures.  The shields are difficult to get on and can either break or snap off the pegs that are on the figure's helmet.  Some colors work better than others.  But, they are all tight fits and take a bit of patience to get onto the figure's head without breaking something.  

The result of all this is a really nice repaint of a classic figure.  I'd hesitate to say that this grey Night Viper is better than the green version.  It's just different.  The green has many uses.  But, this grey version does, too.  He fits well with the Stinger, Hiss Tank or even the Night Watch.  And, it is nice to have a a grey figure from some of the later years to fill in gaps on Cobra vehicles when you want to use other figures who were released after 1984.  More importantly, it's a sensical color for both the mold and the character's specialty.  Grey and black is about as classic "night" as the Joe line gets.  So, seeing it on this Night Viper mold makes this release feel like it could have been a vintage Hasbro design.  For me, that's a huge plus when it comes to factory customs.

At this point in my collection, knowing that this figure exists and that I have a couple is where the value in him lies.  I don't really see me taking this guy out and using him in extensive photo shoots.  And, it's hard to get proper night shots where the figure really makes sense.  I like to take him and mingle him with 1989 or Funskool Night Vipers.  But, I rarely find the occasion warrants any photos to commemorate it.  I do enjoy the Night Viper mold.  It's one that I've never been able to fully appreciate because I had the figure in my teenage years but couldn't really appreciate him.  That's carried over to today and I generally feel that the Night Viper is a figure that I really should use more often.

Hasbro released one vintage Night Viper.  Some of his parts were used on the 1992 Heli-Viper: but in very odd colors.  After that, the mold went to India.  Funskool released the Night Viper for many, many years.  The figure was colored in similar style to the American figure and was a staple of online Joe dealers during the Funskool heyday.  (Funskool Night Vipers would sell out routinely throughout 2001 and even into 2002.  Guys bought them by the dozens.)  There are a few minor coloring variants on the figure and accessories.  But, the figure's main design doesn't stray from Hasbro's vision.  Hasbro got the Night Viper back in April of 2003.  His parts were then used for the 2005 Iron Grenadier convention figure.  And, in 2006, the club released an exclusive "not an army builder" Night Viper that was...in green.  So, even the newly painted version didn't really bring anything new to the mold other than some painted details.  Due to the club's use, the Night Viper didn't get picked for any retail sets...even though he was a natural fit for the Night Watch set.  Factory Custom makers re-creating the mold, though, has finally brought about the Night Viper repaints we've always wanted.  You can now get them in grey, tan, red, gold, blue, black, python patrol and even colored like the Alley Viper.  At this point, every Night Viper you could ever want is available.  So, the mold finally got its due.

The Night Viper series debuted as a higher price point figure from Black Major.  And, it's never really come down.  These days, it's pretty easy to find the less desirable Night Viper colorways.  They don't really seem to sell.  The earlier figures with many of the more collector friendly colors are much harder to track down.  You'll end up paying between $25 and $30 if you can find one.  Which, is probably too much.  As the market cools down, figures like this will be less desirable and should come up, from time to time, at cheaper prices.  You just have to be ready to pounce when one appears.  Until then, there's lots of other Night Vipers that are just fine to tide you over. 

1993 Night Creeper Leader

There are terrible figures in the 1993 line.  And, then, there are really terrible figures in the 1993 line.  This orange Night Creeper Leader figure is, easily, the worst of the worst when it comes to Joe releases and may be the worst figure Hasbro released during the vintage years.  (Nah, it's still Big Boa.)  But, to be forthcoming, much of my personal hatred for this figure arose during his release window.  You'd often find him and only him resting on a peg at an otherwise sold out retailer.  And, all the false hope instilled in me when I'd see a few Joes on the shelves, only to find them being Night Creeper Leaders doesn't help my perception of this figure.

When the Night Creepers were first introduced in the comic in the early 1990's, they were lead by a character named Aleph.  This figure is not that character, though.  It is, instead, a new character.  There's no explanation for this.  This character masks his eyes, though, to feign blindness and use his heightened senses.  The orange uniform appeared in the comics.  It was during the late run ninja madness, though.  I really need to re-read the comic from about #125 through #150 again to brush up on the end of the line lore.  But, the character was, pretty much, a throw away villain for Snake Eyes as the comic went deeper and deeper into his story.

The most famous appearances of this figure are actually on other custom figures.  The Night Creeper Leader's pants were often used in Tiger Force customs in the early 2000's.  You'd see them on European inspired Tiger Force ideas and most of them were used very effectively without even requiring any paint.  For a while, incomplete or slightly off condition figures were desirable in the customizing community for this reason.  And, if you can find any of the old customs sites from the early 2000's, it's likely you'll see this figure's legs appear rather frequently.  Even today, you'll see some kitbashes using Night Creeper Leader parts.

Normally, I adore orange figures.  The 1994 Star Brigade Roadblock remains one of my favorite figures ever released in the line.  But, for some reason, the color doesn't work for me on this figure.  I suspect a big part of that is the mold.  It just doesn't resonate with me.  I've never been a huge fan of bare chests.  Though, to be fair, the Night Creeper Leader's sculpting isn't bad.  But, that's one strike against him.  The second strike is that ninja figures didn't much matter to me back in the early '90's.  Without a firearm, the figure lost appeal.  The final strike, though, is that the figure just isn't what I envisioned a Night Creeper to be.

I was out of Joe toys in 1990.  My youngest brother got a Bullhorn.  That's the extent of the figures to enter our home.  I had no time or inclination to go to a toy store.  But, I did still  read the comic.  And, there, the Night Creepers looked badass.  I thought they had to be an  amazing figure.  So, seeing this Night Creeper leader that looked nothing like the amazing assassins from the early 90's era of the comic was a huge disappointment.  I wanted a figure that reminded me of the comic appearance.  And, this figure was about as far from that look as was possible.  And, that was enough to sink him.

I found the 1993 Night Creeper Leader several times as I chased the remnants of the Joe line in the mid 1990's.  And, I never bought him.  He joined Gristle as the only two standard carded figures from that era that I was able to find but decided to leave behind.  And, like Gristle, I've found that my original impressions of the figure were probably a bit too harsh.  While I doubt I'd have actually found a use for the Night Creeper Leader, the reality is that the figure isn't terrible.  The sculpting is strong, the proportions are nice and the colors are striking.  All of this adds up to a figure design that I should appreciate more than I do.  But, old perceptions are hard to shake.  And, when  I see this figure, I'm reminded of finding him and only him on various retail shelves and the seething disappointment I felt that another trip to a store had actually been in vain.   And, honestly, I don't really want to let all of that go because it reminds of when I was in my early 20's and evokes the feelings of the era that are getting harder and harder to recall as we get further away from them.  

The Night Creeper Leader's accessories are actually really nice.  While orange, his complement includes two well proportioned swords, the wicked knife that originated with the 1988 Hydro Viper, the crossbow from the 1990 Night Creeper (another great call back to the character's roots) and then the arm shield and wrist mounted crossbow from the 1988 Road Pig.  He's completed with the requisite spring loaded missile launcher, missiles and figure stand.  The Road Pig gear is especially nice as it's something that attaches to the figure and wasn't the type of thing seen all that often in the standard Battle Corps line of 1993 and 1994.  You can get the same tree in gold with the 1994 figure.  And, that's the way to go for better colors.  (The golden gear is also included with the Street Fighter Movie Edition Dhalsim.)  But, the entire complement feels rather close to the character in a way that few accessory trees of the era did.

The Night Creeper Leader was released twice.  (Technically, his legs first appeared on the 1990 Night Creeper and that bit of connection helps tie this figure to the original faction.)  The first is this orange 1993 version.  There is also an obscure 1994 variant that uses purple and gold.  It's, far and away the better of the two releases.  There's also an oddball Asian bootleg of the figure you can also track down.  For a crappy mold of a crappy character, that's more than enough variety for collectors to track down.  You do wonder what happened to the mold.  It didn't turn up in Brazil or India.  But, there's really no Funskool colors that would have been more ostentatious than this 1993 figure.

1993 Night Creeper Leader figures are sadly expensive....at least when compared to what you would think a terrible figure like this would cost.  You can get still get carded figures for under $15.  (Though, dealers price them as high as $30.)  But, high quality loose, mint and complete with filecard figures still sell for around $12.  That's barely any disparity for a figure that no one should really care about.  But, the 1993 series, in general, has finally found some collecting life and people are paying to fill those gaps in their collection, now.  In the long run, bad figures like Night Creeper Leader will soften while excellent figures like the Head Hunter Stormtrooper will rise in price.  That's starting to happen.  But, the weird disparity hasn't ironed itself out, yet.  

2018 Cobra Starduster - Black Major

When Starduster variants first showed up in 2017, I picked up a couple of them.  They made for great figures.  But, as more repaints appeared, I had less interest in them as I was rushing to catch up on the Steel Brigade, Cobra Trooper, Alley Viper and Night Viper repaints.  By the time I got around to chasing down the Stardusters, they seemed like old news.  In late 2020, though, Nekoman showcased a Red Shadows Starduster as part of his Laser Exterminator profile.  Not to be outdone, RTG at the Attica Gazette then showcased the figure in its full glory on his site.  With these, my interest in the figure was piqued.  And, at that time, you could still get a few of the late 2010's Black Major figures for cheap prices.  

When I thought about it, Starduster makes more sense as a villain.  His jet pack is very much a super villain weapon.  His visor hides his face well enough.  And, he's obscure enough that switching the affiliation of a repaint doesn't really hurt any Joe mythos.  Shortly after reading these other blogs about the figure, a red Starduster popped up for $12.  I quickly snagged it.  Mine, though, is not the Red Shadows version.  Instead, it's a Cobra version of Starduster cast in all red.  But, it still works for my intended purpose.  And, it's a damn fine example of the work Black Major can do.

Black Major released a massive amount of Starduster repaints.  Some were Starduster.  Others were marketed as Cobras.  And, there were Red Shadows versions, too.  Quickly, collectors who were pigeonholed into Starduster's intended role were freed to actually do something with the character.  I've never really clicked with Starduster as a character.  To me, the most interesting thing about him is that he was named Hedge-Hopper in a preview issue of Marvel Age.  That's not much on which to base a character, though.  So, having the figure in a definitely Cobra color and Cobra markings was an interesting way to re-envision the character.  

The calling card of the figure is the red color.  It is a deep and vibrant red: fitting for a Cobra.  The camo pants are in oddball choice that shouldn't matter.  But, they add depth to the look of the figure and give him some visual interest.  The black details and silver highlights stand out against the red backdrop.  Really, there's not a ton of paint applications.  But, when you have a powerful base against which accent colors can pop, small amounts of paint can go a long way.  And, with this Starduster, they do.

I'm not really sure what to do with a Cobra Starduster.  Just having a jetpack guy isn't all that much fun after a few interactions.  It's why I had jetpack troopers when I was a kid.  They were useful in spurts.  But, not enough upon which to base a character.  But, every villainous organization requires some B-level bad guys who can be beaten by the good guys but not be so important that their capture would compromise the bad guys or their plans.  So, this Starduster fits that role well enough.  He'll show up from time to time.  But, usually, it's for a short time and a limited role.  But, with thousands of figures now available in the vintage Joe style, some have to be intended for bit parts.  

The Starduster era Black Major figures are very well done.  From a quality perspective, the joints are solid, they will hold a pose and the paint masks are vibrant and sharp.  You'll see some paint wear on the figure's visor in the photo below.  The translucent plastic of the visor doesn't hold paint all that well.  But, some other colors seem to better maintain their paint.  The grenade launcher is also painted.  So, it can wear if you use it frequently.  Beyond that, though, the jetpack is awesome: equal of a Hasbro release.  And, the helmet fits nicely onto the head.  You'll note the reversed rivets in the figure below.  A function of the time when these figures were released.  You can find them with proper rivets, too.  So, there's plenty of little things to look out for when chasing this figure.  

Depending upon when you bought this figure, you got a variety of different pieces.  Early figures included both a Duke chest and a Recondo chest so you could make an imitation of either major Starduster variant figures.  The figure should always have a helmet, visor, jetpack and grenade launcher.  Some will have the weapon and hose from the JUMP, too.  As time has gone on, many of the figures made available have become separated from some of the superfluous pieces.  But, you'll see variants of the chest and weapons among various figures that you can acquire.  

This Starduster is tough to price.  You see them offered at $40 or $50.  But, they don't seem to sell at that point.  You'll see some sell around $30.  But, those seem to be outliers, too.  Contemporary Starduster variants that were released at the same time as this Cobra version seem to run between $20 and $30.  So, that's probably the sweet spot.  There's a lot of people who try to oversell this figure just due to the association with Starduster.  But, the original, Hasbro Starduster is one of the most over-hyped figures in all of collectordom and isn't nearly as popular or rare as his price suggests.  So, don't overpay for the Black Major figures just due to a false sense of rarity associated with the Hasbro release.

1991 Mercer - Around The Web

I was very surprised to find this is the first content I've made on the 1991 Mercer figure in 20 years.  He's a figure I greatly enjoy.  And, I thought I used him quite a bit.  But, it turns out that he's mostly in the background of photos.  He's rarely the focal point.  I probably need to change that.  The figure's colors and mold are easy to match up with vehicles and other figures.  So, he can be used in a variety of ways.  I just need to explore it a little more.

The upside is that lots of other people use to great effect.  So, check out all the links below to see some fun stuff utilizing one of the better 1991 figure releases.

1991 Mercer Profile

1991 Mercer at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1991 Mercer by thedustinmccoy

1991 Mercer at JoeBattleLines.com

1991 Mercer by gi_joeisthere

1991 Mercer by andrey_collector

1991 Mercer by JoeADay.com

1991 Mercer by gijoe_pty

1991 Mercer by u.n.i.t._gijoe

1991 Mercer by yotothejoe

1985 Snake Eyes

How do you approach a figure that is generally regarded as the most popular and most important figure in the entire Joe line?  The figure isn't "forgotten" by any means.  It is also a mold that is personal and dear to collectors of multiple generations.  While there are admitted flaws in the figure's design, they are forgivable due to the overall quality of the the release.  I've avoided writing about this figure for 25 years.  Yes, officially, this Snake Eyes marks the 25th anniversary of me profiling G.I. Joe figures.  And, really, the only choice for such an occasion is the most popular figure in the history of the Joe line: the 1985 Snake Eyes.

In very early 1985, a kid in my class heard rumors of new G.I. Joe figures showing up at the local KB Toys store.  Since the Dreadnoks had come out early, pretty much everyone was aware of who would be part of the 1985 line.  And, the cartoon from the prior fall had made Flint, Lady Jaye and Shipwreck early front runners to be the favorites.  Everyone, though, was also highly curious about the new Commando figure.  We all knew it was a new Snake Eyes and were desperate to add him to our collection as a foil to the then brand new 1984 Stormshadow figure.  I finally got my mother to take me to the local KB on a Friday after we got mid term grades.  Sure enough, 1985 Joes were falling off the pegs.  My young mind could barely take in all the various newness that was strewn about the pegs.  I found a Flint.  But, I put him back because his head drooped and I thought he was broken in the package.  (I didn't know about the new head articulation.)  I ended up buying Footloose and Airtight.  My youngest brother got a Crimson Guard.  While I looked over the figures, a clerk came over and remarked about how they had gotten a couple of the "Commando" figures and they had sold out right away.  On one level, I was disappointed I had missed out on this figure.  But, on the other hand, there was so many other amazing new releases that any disappointment was washed away.

Over the next few weeks, my two best friends and I had a friendly competition over who could find the most new figures.  At the time, we didn't know the code-names for the Tele Viper or Snow Serpent.  And, my one friend was oddly bothered by the fact that no one had found a Lady Jaye figure.  None of us really pined over Snake Eyes, though.  Stormshadow, from the year prior, had not really become available at retail until the Fall and my friend had ended up ordering exta figures from JC Penny's to get a Stormshadow figure after being frustrated at retail for a year.  We assumed Snake Eyes would be similar and we'd not see hide nor hair of him until the leaves began to turn.  

The Friday that Spring Break began, though, my mother took us grocery shopping to stock up on food while we were home for the week.  Both of my friends and their families were going to Florida for the time off.  The local Cub Foods in Indianapolis was very close to the Toys R Us.  And, as a quid pro quo for us going shopping and bagging all the groceries, my mom would stop at TRU and let us browse before we'd go to the supermarket.  When we arrived, nothing seemed all that different.  I made my way to the Joe aisle where I saw a box on the floor.  This box turned out to be a yet to be stocked case of 1985 Joes.  I slowly peeled back the flaps that hid the contents inside.  I scanned the exposed accessory bubbles for anything of interest.  My eyes immediately fixated on a grey wolf.  I yanked the figure out of the case and held the 1985 Snake Eyes figure in my hand for the first time.  I was trembling at my luck.  My mother, though, failed to see the significance of the find and refused to buy me or my brothers anything.  Fortunately, I had my own money and took my prize to the front where he became mine.  In the hullaballoo, I'm sure I bypassed not only my missing Flint, but also Lady Jaye and the yet to be named Tele Viper and Snow Serpent.  But, I only had enough to buy one figure and it was going to be Snake Eyes.

I got Snake Eyes home and opened him up.  Immediately, I posed him with my other new 1985 figures on top of the Bridge Layer.  The new Snake Eyes was just so cool that I didn't do much more than admire him for that first afternoon and evening.  I can still recall turning on the light in my room after bedtime, just to make sure that Snake Eyes was still sitting there, next to Alpine, Airtight and Footloose.  I still wasn't sure that finding him had been a dream.  But, it wasn't. And, in the ensuing days of having no friends to play with, Snake Eyes became the focal point of my adventures.  He battled Stormshadow, would kill scores of Cobras and even just do mundane things around my Joe base.  But, mostly I just admired him.  I found the sculpt and design enthralling.  And, I'd try to dream up adventures for the figure where I felt all aspects of the figure could be used.

In the zeal of youth, I called my friends when I got home.  They, though, were both already gone.  I let each of their phones ring more than 20 times (it was the days before answering machines were common) but did not connect with them.  When we returned to school around 10 days later, neither believed my luck until I brought my new Snake Eyes over to their respective houses.  It was months before either of them found a Snake Eyes.  And, in that time, I was pretty much a dick who wouldn't let anyone play with mine.  In fact, there were times I didn't play with mine as I didn't want to break him.  But, having the figure provided more value than the actual character did.

This revelation, though, proved pivotal in my long term evaluation of this 1985 Snake Eyes figure.  While I did, eventually, play my original to death and broke his thumb, I also found that this version of Snake Eyes was almost too cool to use.  Many times, I would take the figure along, but never actually use him.  It was tough to integrate Snake Eyes into my play.  A big part of this was that my adventures of that era were heavy on dialogue to move the plot along.  Snake Eyes being mute made it difficult for him to be an integral player aside from carrying out a specific task or objective.  This lead to Snake Eyes often being set out of the way, waiting for his time in the spotlight.  This backfired on me, too.

After my original Snake Eyes broke, I got another one at some point in 1986.  This figure was better cared for and continued to tag along on great missions.  He was always included in the "away" force that traveled with me to may grandparents' or aunt and uncle's homes.  It was in my grandparents' backyard in Dayton, Ohio that my second Snake Eyes disappeared.  My grandparents had a great backyard in which to play.  It was terraced into three levels by limestone walls full of ledges, pipes and ivy.  Years later, Hit and Run would be hidden among this ivy for months after I forgot him due to his excellent camouflage.  I do not, though, know where my Snake Eyes went.  The stairway to the third terrace in the yard was lined with fresh potting soil and newly planted geraniums.  It's likely that I left Snake Eyes here and he was tilled under before I could find him.  So, Snake Eyes disappeared from my collection once again.  In late 1987, I paid a classmate $10 for both his 1985 Snake Eyes and a complete with microphone Heavy Metal.  (This seems like a deal, now, just due to Heavy Metal.  But, it seemed a princely sum in 1987.)  This Snake Eyes survived for many years.  Around 1996, he and my childhood Stormshadow were set in a permanent duel on a shelf in my room.  When I moved to AZ, then ended up in a Crown Royal bag for the move and stayed there until 2001.  At that point, he was incorporated into my general collection and is, to the best of my knowledge, one of the three or four 1985 Snake Eyes figures I still own today.

Snake Eyes did take on another life in my collection.  The unbroken parts of my original figure were used to make a new, custom character.  This individual was a "mystic warrior" who was trained in martial arts, but also fantasy magic.  He could speak, giving him a tremendous advantage over Snake Eyes.  He also, though, was torn between the world of military discipline and devout practice of his chosen arts.  As I grew into a 1990's jaded Gen X-er, this character turned his back on the Joes and went off to study in the Rocky Mountains.  Cobra, though, managed to train an assassin who would go insane and then started killing world politicians: setting the stage for a post Cold War World War III.  The Snake Eyes character was pulled out of retirement and sent to find and kill the maniacal assassin.  In the end, he was successful in doing so.  But, then also viewed his debt to G.I. Joe fully paid.  Though, he had one final use.  As an old man, he helped to arrange the killing of General Hawk, forcing G.I. Joe to face the realities of the world in the late 2010's.  If he's ever found out, he will die in prison.  But, the stakes were too high and his final, horrible act is also the one that saves the team and allows them to grow before the world passed them by.

Snake Eyes' accessories are damn near perfection.  The weak link, for me, is one of the aspects of the figure that most other collectors hold as the highlight: the inclusion of Timber.  Timber is well sculpted and commands a premium by himself.  I've never really gotten this as I don't much care for animal companions in general.  But, the wolf is a key element of the figure.  Hasbro sculpted a new Uzi for this Snake Eyes version.  It is nearly identical to the original from 1982/1983.  But, it has a thicker barrel and is jet black in lieu of the charcoal colored original.  The figure then includes a well detailed black backpack.  Into this pack fits the character's sword.  The sword is the highlight for me as it's well detailed and a huge step forwards in terms of toy making from both the 1984 Stormshadow katanas and the contemporary 1985 Quick Kick sword.  Something about the shape of the sword just added to the overall mystique of the figure and it remains my favorite sword in the line.

Snake Eyes was released by Hasbro in 1985 and 1986.  The Hasbro figure was available in Europe and Japan.  Estrela got the figure around the early 1990's and produced a nearly identical figure to this Snake Eyes named Lobisomem (Werewolf).  Thus ends the life of this mold.  Yup, that's it.  What is, arguably, the best and most desirable mold in the entire vintage Joe line was used just twice in nearly identical paint schemes.  It was never repainted in any meaningful way.  Hasbro planned the mold for a 1997 release.  The painted mock up is, basically, the 1985 figure with more details.  It would have been a hugely popular release.  But, Hasbro couldn't find the mold.  So, it was replaced with a V1 Snake Eyes hybrid.  Hasbro remade molds for the vintage Crimson Guard, Cobra Trooper, Cobra Officer, Lady Jaye, Mutt and Scrap Iron.  Yet, they never bothered to remake the iconic 1985 Snake Eyes.

This, though, is likely a factor of Snake Eyes' general success.  Hasbro had no incentive to make a new Snake Eyes in the vein of the 1985 because they had access to the 1982, 1989 and 1991 molds.  Those fulfilled the demand for Snake Eyes well enough that it made no sense for them to incur extra expense to make something new for the character.  Had they chosen to re-do this 1985 mold, though, they probably could have repainted it 4 times before collectors tired of it.  So, there is simply an untold amount of untapped potential in the mold.  

In the late 2010's, though, Black Major released waves of 1985 Snake Eyes repaints.  There were nearly 30 of them in the first three waves.  I'm unsure of the final number of repaints that Black Major eventually released.  Most of them were Cobras and sold as flavors of the Cobra Mortal or Cobra Invasor.  But, there are some great versions that can be used as Snake Eyes.  In 2022, Hasbro brought back o-ring Joes.  The first set was Snake Eyes and Stormshadow.  The box artwork showed the 1985 Snake Eyes.  But, the actual figure was based on the 1983 design.  So, as of this writing, Hasbro has never redone one of the most popular figures in the line's entire history.

One thing that the Black Major repaints showcased, though, was that the 1985 Snake Eyes mold has some flaws.  Collectors were willing to forgive the oddly sculpted mouth behind the mask and, even, the slight pot belly that adorns Snake Eyes' stomach.  But, with all the repaints you could ever want now available, those design flaws in the mold became more pronounced.  The black plastic hid the flaws in a much better way than the lighter colors used one some Black Major designs did.  And, it shows that this Snake Eyes mold isn't perfect.  But, collectors can overlook that because this 1985 update is such an improvement over the 1983 Snake Eyes.  

For me, though, the 1985 Snake Eyes is, entirely, seen through the eyes of 11 year old me who found him months before anyone else on that Toys R Us floor.  The figure holds a mystique because it was the single item that every kid my age wanted.  I used him on adventure after adventure.  And, despite all that, I still feel that I didn't use him enough.  I don't have specific memories of him because I could never quite get a story that was as cool as his figure.  So, I still feel that this figure is underutilized in my collection.  I've found it difficult to photograph him in a way that I feel showcases the awesomeness of the figure.  So, to this day, I can't seem to capture the essence of how awesome I've always felt this figure actually was.

The 1985 Snake Eyes has always been expensive.  Back in the early 2000's, they were among the first figures to climb over $30.  Then, slowly, the went over $50.  But, in the doldrums of the early 2010's, the figures settled into that $30 range.  But, when the Joe world went nuts in 2018, this Snake Eyes was among the most affected.  For a time, mint and complete with filecard figures would flirt with $200.  They found a steady price in the $125 - $150 range, though.  As the market has softened, this Snake Eyes has gotten more affordable.  There are just too many of them out there to really remain among the more expensive figures.  Now, you can find nicely conditioned and complete figures in the $80 range.  And, if you're patient, can probably put a complete one together from different sources for less than that.  Dealers will still get $100+ from impatient and uninformed buyers.  You do need to watch for wear on the silver wrist dart as it's the most common place for paint loss.  And, unscrupulous dealers will equip him with a 2000's era Hasbro Uzi.  (It has a different mold and is very easy to spot from a trained eye.)  But, common, loose figures aren't the plum they were in the last hurrah of Joe pricing.  And, we're starting to see them fall into more normal ranges.  Carded figures, though, are a different story as they remain pricey.

And, with that, 25 years of writing about a toy line that lasted for only 13 is complete.  I've come to realize that my continued fascination with Joe is 100% rooted in my frustrated creative juices.  I've ignored my life long pangings to be a writer due to a crippling fear of failure.  So, instead, I've talked about the toys that were the ignition for that creative spark that still ripples through my mind.  I can't really wrap my head around the notion of 25 years, though.  It seems an impossibly long time and also a chronological flash that has raced by.  Collecting has been fun, frustrating and a hassle.  I've met a lot of great people.  And, had a lot of fun.  I have no idea what the next 25 years will hold.  But,if it's like the journey from 1999 through 2024, it will be an interesting ride.

2024 BAT - Super7 ReAction+

About a year ago, Super7 attempted a crowd funding for an ambitious Cobra Mothership.  The campaign included a set of figures that, instead of the standard Super7 five points of articulation, would feature the classic o-ring construction of Hasbro G.I. Joes.  These figures proved more popular than the ship.  At some point during this process, it was announced that Super7 would be creating a full line of classically styled G.I. Joe figures.  This was somewhat remarkable: for Hasbro to abandon on in-house brand.  But, o-ring Joes had been a monumental failure for Hasbro.  (So much so that the stock is still lingering over 2 years later.)  And, Super7 had found success with  their ReAction branded Joe figures.  Hasbro wanted to, rightfully, put all their resources behind the Joe Classified brand.  So, licensing out the 3 3/4 license to a partner who was both willing and competent was a natural match.  In the summer of 2024, the first photos of the newly branded ReAction+ line surfaced.  They were met with cautious excitement.  As more images surfaced, the sentiment remained about the same.  People were excited for the figures.  But, at the same time, there were some doubts as to the final product.  Now, though, the figures are in hand.  And, the verdict on the figures remains, largely, the same.

Initial retail reports of the ReAction+ figures have suggested that Snake Eyes is the most popular.  Among collectors, the Snake Eyes was the least regarded figure.  We all have dozens of high quality Snake Eyes figures already.  Collectors were interested in Cover Girl and this BAT.  But, the BAT seems to be one of the most easily found figures.  This suggests that many of the retail buyers of these figures are casual fans who find interest in the major characters.  This is good since it will  leave the more obscure, collector oriented figures as something you can find at retail and, maybe, even army build.  And, it will sell out the less interesting figures of major characters that we all own in excess.

The presentation of the Super7 figures is geared towards collectors.  Unlike vintage figures that were meant to show off the toy, these modern releases are meant to be kept carded.  The layout of the figure and accessories are all geared for in package display on a shelf or in a case.  The figures are locked in place by a molded plastic tray to that the figure will still look great 100 years from now, long after the o-ring has dried up.  So, that's a nice feature for carded collectors and an added expense for loose collectors.

Accessory wise, the BAT is excellent.  You get two removable hands: one left and one right.  Then, there's the backpack that holds the additional three classic BAT attachments: the claw, laser and flame thrower.  The attachments are all new and feature updated detailing from their vintage inspiration.  The BAT includes one final piece: an oversized rifle.  As a Joe accessory, it isn't great.  But, when you look at the comic panels on which this figure is based, the rifle is a pretty nice match.  It's certainly better than the Hasbro accessories from the repaint era Comic Packs.  The Super7 weapons have been the weak point on the figures, so far.  It will be interesting to see how these evolve over time.  But, the gear has a precision fit to the figure in a way we haven't seen since about 1992.  So, that is a nice feature of these figures, so far.

I am also impressed with the quality of the figure.  The paint masks are sharp.  But, the real surprise was the joints.  All my ReAction figures had relatively stiff joints and would creak when you moved them.  Out of the package, this BAT has no such flaws.  The joints move freely with no sticking or catching.  But, they are also very tight and the figure can hold a variety of poses.  The removable attachments fit onto the pegs even better than those from the 1986 BAT do.  And, the figure could hold his accessories.  I could never get the ReAction figures to do that without fear of stripping paint or plastic off the weapon handle.  In short, they are very nice.  It's different plastic than vintage Joes and it's not the rubbery stuff that's rotting away from the 2000's.

So, my thoughts on the figure.  Since the beginning, I've felt something looked "off" about all the Super7 designs.  The most glaring design feature that drove this is the figure's heads.  The more cartoon inspired heads look very out of place on ARAH bodies.  And, the human heads, in particular are egregiously out of proportion to the older style body pieces.  But, even the masked and helmeted heads are a bit too detailed for the bodies.  The other thing that was noticeable is that the figures are smooth.  ARAH figures have just the right blend of folds, creases and pockets to give the legs and torsos some heft.  They are more realistic looks of how clothes hang on a human body.  The Super7 figures remain overly straight, though.  And, this gives them a bit of a knock off feel.  Remco and even Lanard skimped on sculpting and design elements like the detailed fit of clothing.  Super7 went the same route and it makes the figures stand out from vintage Joes and appear more in line with the cheap imitators who dominated the discount stores of the '80's.  

The last thing, though, was not something I really recognized until I got the figures in hand.  This BAT features a ton of sculpted details on his chest and legs.  But, they are all flat to the figure's body.  There's barely any elevation at all from the base sculpt.  In the vintage Joe line, the sculpted details protruded quite a bit from the body.  Pouches, holsters, knifes and even superfluous details like zippers extend out from the pants, chest and arms in realistic proportions.  When looking at this BAT, his sculpted details are flush with his body.  This accentuates the smoothness issue because you don't have the visual break of extended details.  It also takes away some of the realism of the figure.  Things seem out of proportion because they don't have the necessary width.  It's not a design choice that, alone, makes the figures bad.  But, it contributes to these figures being very different from Hasbro figures and, to me, makes them more Joe-adjacent than actual Joes.

Where the ReAction Joe line succeeded was mining the depths of the Joe cartoon for obscure characters and offbeat paint jobs.  It was the most diverse Joe line released since the vintage days.  So far, the ReAction+ line seems to be following that formula.  Cover Girl, Tomax and Xamot are all cartoon icons.  Supposedly, this BAT was from the comic.  Upon first glance, I would have guessed it a cartoon paint job.  But, the this is the BAT coloring from its first appearance in G.I. Joe #44.  So, technically, it's a comic figure.  (I'm going to have to write about G.I. Joe #44 at some point because it's been mined so deep for figures that have actually seen release even though some of the best ideas from the issue have yet to be considered.)  If Super7 continues a mix of comic and cartoon figures, they'll do well.  And, to be sure, I'm invested in the line if only for the possibility of both a Dr. Venom and a proper Kwinn figure in both his cold weather gear and the khaki shorts.  I assume we'll get at least one of these in the line: along with a multitude of other figures that will exist in no other form.

ReAction+ figures are $20.  That's a lot for what you get.  But, it's a boutique line with low production numbers.  So, you're going to pay for that.  Historically, the first wave of figures of a new line is overproduced and, eventually, ends up on clearance.  This isn't an indicator of success or failure, it's just the nature of an exuberant launch.  So, I fully expect you'll be able to get this BAT for a discount at some point in the next few months, especially as future waves roll  out.  Like the ReAction Joe line, these o-ring figures are available at all online retailers as well as Target's brick and mortar stores.  It's nice to be able to buy a figure on the pegs.  And, were it not for this retail presence, I would not ever have purchased one of these figures.  Target was pretty committed to the ReAction line.  So, I hope that partnership will not only continue, but also bring us weird foreign repaints that are exclusive to the retailer.

I have no real prognosis on the future collectability of these figures.  I never thought the Toys R Us repaint figures would be anything more than late line oddities.  But, now, some of them command substantial premiums.  And, it's pretty likely that these Super7 figures will have similar or lower production runs.  So, in time, they'll disappear.  It's just a question of whether collectors disappear at a faster rate.  If they do, it won't matter.  But, if they don't, there might be some future interest in these figures.  For me, my interest in these will be as a supplement to my collection.  I'm not going all in on them as they still aren't a close enough integration with classic Joes for me to do so.  But, you can be sure I'll pick up some characters who appear in unique paint jobs or have never been otherwise released in ARAH Joe form.