In 1997, the idea of a Snake Eyes figure with painted details was one of the great missing links from the vintage Joe line. Hasbro was quick to fill that gap with an updated Snake Eyes figure in the Stars & Stripes set. But, the best laid plans were quickly foiled when the 1985 Snake Eyes mold was not found. Hasbro was then left with an open slot in one of the three figure packs that were going to supplement the 8 figure boxed set. So, rather than nixing Snake Eyes altogether, they released a second repaint of the 1983 figure. These two figures had subtle details to differentiate them. But, in the end, it was a harbinger of things to come when it came to the Joe Team's favorite Commando.
Over the next few years, Hasbro would release a take on the original Snake Eyes 4 additional times. All offered something slightly different. But, with the overuse, the mold became passe. And, even today, most collectors are tired of Snake Eyes' classic look. But, these early repaints of Snake Eyes do have value. And, they are one of the few figures from the repaint era that can be stood among original 13 figures from 1983 and not look completely out of place.
Sadly, this version also introduced the 1986 Roadblock waist to the Snake Eyes mold. It's never really looked or felt right with the rest of the figure parts. You can see both versions of the figure in the photos below. I have no idea which figure is from the Stars & Stripes and which is from the 3 pack. On some level, I don't care. But, the three pack includes much better gear. So, that's worthwhile. Both figures are nice. And, at the time of their release, both were the best 1983 derived Snake Eyes figures that Hasbro had ever made. Really, they still could be. The differences between all the various incarnations of this mold are subtle and really boil down to whether you like one particular detail on one particular release.
The 1997 series has held up very well over the years. And, it's a shame that the paint mask and overall design quality of the 1997 and 1998 figures didn't carry over into the 2000's. But, the weird bridge between the vintage line and Joe's return to retail in 2000 remain one of the highlights of the repaint era.
1997 is one of my favorite years but man what a shame they never found 1985 Snake Eyes mold!
ReplyDeleteThe one with the gray feet is from the Stars and Stripes set, the one without but with brown highlights is from the 3-pack (though this is all according to yojoe.com).
ReplyDeleteI wasn’t actively collecting Joe in 1997. I was deep into POTF2 by then, and unfortunately gave Joe a pass. Its a shame because as much hate as these figures got, Id have liked to have them. I did finally start buying in 1998, and am glad I did. Those figures are still favorites of mine.
ReplyDeleteSnake Eyes here does indeed suffer from the Roadblock waist. It’s a shame they couldn’t come up with a better alternative. I have the one with the brown straps (I think he came paired with Scarlett).
What baffles me even more is how they executed the 97+ releases. Only three years removed from the end of RAH, they should have had such a wealth of recent molds available and somehow didn’t. One would think they’d have used the opportunity to recover some of the sunk costs from the Battle Rangers or Ninja Commandos, but it wasn’t meant to be.