1997 Cobra Commander - Random Photos of the Day

A decade after the debut of the 1987 Cobra Commander, Hasbro released a repaint.  Originally, the figure in the 1997 Cobra Command set was supposed to be the 1983 Cobra Commander mold.  It was supposed to be a helmeted version of the classic character but in the color scheme of the 1984 Hooded mail away.  It would have finally gotten collectors a Cobra blue version of the faction's titular leader.  (A gap that still exists today!)  But, mold shenanigans reared their head and Hasbro could not locate the original Cobra Commander mold.  (It had been used as recently as 1994, even!)  So, they went with the less popular 1987 mold.  Instead of the metallic silver of the original, though, Hasbro kept the Cobra blue with gold highlight motif.  And, collectors were gifted the 1997 Cobra Commander.

I looked at this figure almost 8 years ago.  But, at the time, I really didn't have much to say about him.  The profile was a rush job as, I still hadn't really found a great use for the figure.  Since then, I've found value in the 1997 Cobra Commander.  The color scheme is classic.  And, between factory customs and the Pulse era releases, there are now more options for classically blue Cobras who can match up with a properly colored Cobra Commander.  So, I've had more occasion to use the 1997 figure in my photos.

The real story of this figure is the intricacy of the paint masks.  Against the dark blue, the figure features gold, red and black details.  The layering of gold and red on the chest is especially impressive.  Hasbro really worked hard to deliver high quality paint jobs on the 1997 and 1998 figures.  After that, the retail masks got more sparse while the finely detailed molds became the domain of premium priced convention figures.  The main reason the 1997 and 1998 series have held up so well is due to the complex paint masks that give even bland character designs and base colors tremendous additional depth.

It's amazing how much of a difference the air hose on the figure's head makes.  Sans this accessory, the head is bland and strikingly plain.  The hose adds a tremendous amount of detail.  But, the hose was not included with the 1997 figure.  So, you have to take one from a 1987 or 2001 figure to make the 1997 figure whole.  The mouth hole, though, is shortened on this version.  So, the hose is a precarious fit at best.  And, it isn't practical to actually use the figure with the hose attached as it will just fall off and get lost in the weeds, forever.

I miss the days when Hasbro would take weird chances with figures.  They missed way more than they hit.  But, when they did hit, like with this Cobra Commander, the results were spectacular.  The first couple of waves of the Super7 ReAction+ line were too staid and predictable for me.  I'm glad that they deviated a bit with some weird repaints as SDCC exclusives.  I assume the lack of previews of future waves was just due to the uncertainty of...everything.  I'm holding out hope that they start to get a little more daring and can come up with some weird combos of mold and parts that creates an unexpected classic like this 1997 release.

2022 Cobra Officer - Around The Web

It was great to get an updated Cobra Officer in 2022.  But, the figure really had some problems.  Aside from wonky eyes, the figure's knee won't bend all the way.  It's a sad fate for a figure that should have been a solid contender for one of the best updates of the Pulse era.  Today, you don't see this figure as often as you'd think.  You're still more likely to see a vintage Cobra Officer in various photos than you are this newer version.  Even today, you can buy all of these figures that you want for less than original retail.  It's one of those things you'd have never guessed: especially if you lived through the army builder craze of the early 2000's.  So, stop by and check out those who do use the 2022 Cobra Officer.

2022 Cobra Officer Profile

2022 Cobra Officer by gen_liederkranz

2022 Cobra Officer by atwooddan

2022 Cobra Officer by dashiellrfairborne

2022 Cobra Officer by viperwilson

2022 Cobra Officer at ToyHabits.com

2022 Cobra Officer by offc0ur5e

2022 Cobra Officer by viperwilson

2022 Cobra Officer by gijoe_guy

2022 Cobra Officer by viper_space

2022 Cobra Officer by toysorceress

2017 Sightline - Random Photos of the Day

Back in 2017, Red Laser Army produced the Sightline figure.  For quite a while, the figure was the toast of the collecting world.  The combination of being an homage to a well liked collector and also a visually distinctive figure added up to a release that skyrocketed on the secondary market...even though it wasn't supposed to be sold.  8 years later, the figure remains extremely high priced.  Some of the militancy around selling the figure has, sadly, subsided.  But, at the same time, Sightlines have gotten much more sporadic in their appearance.  

There was a time when Joe creators love the figure and used it whenever they could.  Slowly, though, Sightline has fallen in popularity.  These days, you rarely see Sightline used in any capacity.  Part of that is just that we're so far removed from the figure's release that many newer creators don't own the figure.  But, even for people who have had him for a while, Sightline remains a rare sight.  I don't use him nearly as often as I should.  He's a figure I see in the drawer, want to use, but can never think of the perfect scenario for him.  I may try to rectify that in the future.  But, I say it about many figures: few of whom ever return to their former glory.

The reality is that Sightline is one of the most popular figure profiles on this site.  He was widely viewed upon publication and, every so often, gets a nice bump in views.  Usually, this is due to someone else using the figure and having many newer collectors ask about Sightline and why the figure matters to so many.  It's a good way to gauge if there's discussion about the figure or character occurring, somewhere.

In recent years, many other classic Joe molds have been painted up in the "Sightline" color scheme of grey cammo and red accents.  None of them capture the pure joy of the original figure, though.  I don't think of 2017 as being that long ago.  But, in terms of the Joe world, it was an unrecognizable time.  Prices hadn't risen and there wasn't the professional dealer class who artificially inflates the market.  Figures were made for fun because Hasbro didn't care about the brand at all.  Really, it was a good time.  

Seeing Sightline out and about, though, helps bring some of that feeling back.  I don't think of this figure as a "rare collectible" that requires me to wear plastic gloves if I want to handle him.  No.  I think of a fellow collector (Wowboy) offering me his figure in the spirit of the Sightline project.  I think of all the fun I had talking about this figure with other collectors.  And, I remember old message boards full of great collectors who are long gone and all the awesome discoveries and discussions that could be had.  In that spirit, here's Sightline doing what Sightline was intended to do: be a fun and unique part of a Joe collection.

1983 Doc - Around The Web

Doc is one of those figures who is really good, especially for his purpose.  For the life of me, though, I can't ever come up with something interesting to say about him.  Maybe it's because he's kind of bland.  But, that banality works in Doc's favor since he's supposed to be a doctor.  His gear is awesome and his stretcher was always an important part of my childhood play.  At least lots of other people have been able to use him to great effect.  So, check out the 1983 Doc content that's out there.  

1983 Doc Profile

Doc by thedustinmccoy

Doc by steelbrigade

Doc by thedragonfortress

Doc by specialmissionforce

Doc by steelbrigade

Doc by Backyard Battles

Doc by nostalkid

Doc by u.n.i.t_gijoe

Doc by steelbrigade

Doc by thedustinmccoy

Doc by ussflagg

Doc by Evilface

Doc by 3rd_wave_sabotage

Doc by gi_jokers

Doc by thedustinmccoy

Doc by weregoblin

Doc by 73larebear

Doc by dawghaus_

2025 Walrus Man (Star Wars Retro)

One thing I always look for from modern toy companies are items that are just good products.  These require a combination of the right price, the right volume and the right innovation.  Often, these toys aren't something I even collect or have any interest in.  But, you can still see the appeal and understand that something is well done, even if it's not for you.  The 3.75" Ghostbusters o-rings are an example.  Maybe not my cup of tea.  But, they are a great product.  The most recent one, though, is the 6 figure Star Wars Retro Pack that is a Target exclusive.  This release is a perfect product.  The figures average out to $10 each.  There are 5 figures in the set that everyone has always wanted in vintage Star Wars format.  And, there are lots of new parts in the set that really add to the vintage aesthetic.  It's the type of thing that really should be a big hit among collectors and casual buyers alike.  

The Star Wars Retro line has been a fun line for me to casually collect.  Originally, it was just straight homages of existing figures with a "new" figure here and there, usually released with an expensive board game.  Then, the line began to tackle characters from Star Wars TV shows and the prequels.  Some of these were great figures.  Others were just forgotten.  The TV show figures, though, proved to be a tough retail sell.  To this day, you can find massive overstock of them at Ollie's stores around the country.  So, Hasbro pivoted away from single carded figures at retail to 6 figure boxed sets that were themed.  This was the purview of the prequel figures and those from the Acolyte.  Eventually, Hasbro got back around to what made the line's name: redos of existing figures.  The Return of the Jedi pack was only available in a box and included 4 classic remakes, a highly desired American release of Yak Face and a brand new Mon Mothma.  The set sold out quickly and tripled in price on the aftermarket.  It's now getting a second production run to fill demand.  

This background lead to the latest Retro product, a 6 figure pack of "Star Wars" figures from the first movie.  The difference, though, is that this set included 5 brand new figures with just a single remake.  It is that remake, though, that drives the focus of this profile.  Walrus Man actually holds quite a few memories for me.  From the original that my Grandmother bought my brother to the anticipation of a real "Ponda Baba" in the mid 1990's, to a super articulated version only sold at Wal Mart in the aftermath of "Rogue One", Walrus Man sparks the nostalgia like few other figures.  

In the spring of 1978, my dad took me to the local Children's Palace.  My youngest brother had just been born and was in the hospital with medical issues.  Relatives came to take care of my younger brother and I.  And, I'd see my parents for maybe a couple of hours per week.  My dad was home on a Saturday, though, and wanted to get me a treat.  We wandered the toy store, looking for something I would enjoy.  Among the multitude of toys, one thing really stood out: a golden robot action figure.  My dad bought it for me and C-3PO became the first Star Wars figure to enter my life.  I hadn't see the Star Wars movie.  But, there was something magical about this toy that just spoke to me.  At some point thereafter, my dad took me to see Star Wars.  And, I was hooked.  On Christmas day of 1978, I had 11 of original 12 figures.  My grandmother decided I needed the final figure: Obi-Wan Kenobi.  We went out shopping on the day after Christmas.  But, we couldn't find a Kenobi anywhere.  Every department store in the mall stocked Star Wars figures that year.  So, we hit several stores with no luck.  My grandmother and mother, though, split from the rest of us to shop for themselves.  At one of the department stores, my grandmother found a single Kenobi, at the back of a peg.  My dad, grandfather and brothers had actually been to that same store and didn't find a Kenobi.  But, that was because my grandmother had just been there and bought the final figure I needed for my early run.

At some point in the first half of 1979, I learned there were new Star Wars figures available.  My mother took me to a small, independent toy store that was near our house.  They had just two, new figures.  They were on a spinning rack on the check out counter.  The figures were the Death Star Droid, given to my younger brother, and Hammerhead, who was the figure I chose.  Hammerhead exploded the Star Wars world even more.  With him, there was a new world of aliens to battle against Han, Luke and Chewie.  They could even fight against Darth Vader and the rest of the bad guys.  On top of that, these new figures introduced bright, new colors to the toys.  Not only were the weird creatures exciting, they used eye-popping colors to drive home their appeal.  

Shortly before the end of my spring pre-school, my friend named Walker brought in a plastic bag full of his Star Wars figures.  Among them were all the newly released aliens.  He also had a Luke in X-Wing pilot gear.  (The timeline is murky, but I remember seeing the Luke X-Wing pilot at the front of a display box that was on sale at a toy store at the Glendale mall.  It might have been before or after Walker brought his loose one to school.)  And, weirdly, a giant, blue Snaggletooth figure that was different from the small, red one I had seen on the cardback of my Hammerhead.  I could not comprehend how cool all these items were.  I never saw Walker again as we went to different schools for kindergarten.  But, I still remember him due to the association with those amazing Star Wars figures.

As we moved into summer, I went to spend a couple of weeks with my grandparents.  Naturally, my grandmother spoiled me rotten.  And, we spent time every day going to various stores where she would fill out my Star Wars collection.  She bought me many figures during this time.  I don't recall which ones, specifically, she bought for me.  But, one day, she did feel that we should get something for my younger brother so he wasn't jealous when I went home with so many new toys.  The figure we chose was Walrus Man.  I don't know why I chose this figure for him.  And, I'm sure I got a new figure that day, too.  I don't remember who it was, though.  But, that Walrus Man called to me.  

The real reason I remember all of this vividly is because of what was next.  I was bugging my grandmother for the figure.  She decided that it would be OK if we just slipped the figure out of the packaging for a little bit and then put him back to give to my brother.  So, she took a butter knife and slit open the bubble so we could remove Walrus Man.  I then got to play with him for a while.  When done, we'd slide him back into his bubble: almost good as new.  This subterfuge implanted the figure into my mind.  When I went home and gave the figure to my brother, my mother was livid.  She was mad that my grandparents had bought me so much stuff.  But, was even madder that the one thing they got for my younger brother had been opened and played with.  My mother and grandmother had a weird and sometimes strained relationship.  Even as a little kid, I recognized this.  Much of it stemmed from the unequal treatment I received in relation to my younger siblings.  Now, my mother does the exact same thing with her grandchildren...favoring some in lieu of others.  

After that, Walrus Man became just another figure in our collection.  In time, we got duplicates.  You'd often find him in the bathtub after someone was playing with him in the water.  But, no other adventures stick out in my mind.  As I outgrew Star Wars figures and focused on G.I. Joe toys, I actually became more of a fan of the Star Wars movie.  One of my dad's friends had taped it off of HBO in the very early '80's.  So, we could watch it whenever we wanted.  I viewed it dozens and maybe even 100 times in the ensuing years.  I memorized the dialogue from the repeat viewings.  And, it became a comfort movie I'd watch whenever I had nothing else to do.  From these showings, I drew a deep appreciation for the characters in the film who never got action figures.  Sandtroopers, Rebel Troops, various cantina aliens and the doomed Rebel pilots all resonated with me and I wondered what it would have been like had those figures been released when I was a kid.

In 1995, Hasbro brought back the Star Wars line.  I was in college.  And, I could justify collecting toys that were really brought back to retail for nostalgic purposes.  The early figures were the same characters that had been part of the vintage line.  But, slowly, Hasbro began to fill out the missing pieces from the original films.  While any Star Wars figures were kind of tough to find until the fall of 1996, I found myself a dedicated collector who spent many summer evenings traipsing through stores in a vain attempt to find a newly stocked case or a forgotten scalper stash under the shelves.  As 1997 dawned, I spent more time looking up Star Wars information online.  Usually, it was in newsgroups.  But, you could find smatterings of info here and there.  Through this, I learned there was a new Walrus Man figure coming that year.  He was now under his "correct" name of Ponda Baba.  And, in addition to his single carded figure, he'd also be in a boxed set with the first Dr. Evazan figure ever released.

I don't know why the idea of a new Walrus Man appealed to me, so.  But, he did.  And, once I heard he was out, I scoured stores until I found one.  The loose figure stood in a prominent place on my desk for over a year.  The Cantina Showdown set with Dr. Evazan, though, proved harder to find.  I found it at a local Wal Mart in 1998.  With it in hand, though, I finally had the pieces of the pivotal Cantina scene in my collection.  The Evazan, though, wasn't a good figure.  And, while it was awesome to finally own all the missing pieces of my childhood, there was still something missing from the toys as the action poses really limited the figures outside of a single pose.

Ponda Baba made one final appearance in my collection.  While "Rogue One" was an amazing movie, it also lead to some pegwarming figures all over the country.  At the time, super articulated figures were sold in smaller, black boxes than the 6" figures.  They were tough to parse through.  And, many stores would stash them on shelves around the toy aisle since they took up a lot of space and, frankly, weren't selling all that well.  As I had been re-bitten by the Star Wars bug, I set out to find any original trilogy figures I could track down.  In 2017, Wal Mart got an exclusive wave of figures that included a re-release of a Ponda Baba mold.  But, my local store was knee deep in unsold figures from later films.  Fortunately, I was able to order the figure online and have him shipped to my local store.  I had to go to the back of the store to pick up the box with my figures inside.  Again, though, there was something about this new Ponda Baba figure that spoke to something inside me.  I have always had a soft spot for cantina figures.  And, once again, I thought it useful to pick up new ones when they were available.  I still have this Ponda Baba figure sitting in a case with a select few, other Star Wars figures.  I have given most of my collection to my sons.  But, this newer, more movie accurate Walrus Man remains among my small retained set of figures.

Back to the vintage figure, though, and this retro representation of him.  Why does this figure have flipper feet?  It's a wholly dumb and illogical leap to add these to the character design.  But, it was also an ingenious bit of toy design on Kenner's part.  They made Walrus Man an underwater monster.  Suddenly, you didn't need a stupid, clear plastic octopus from the Fisher Price Adventure People line to fight divers.  You had Walrus Man.  And, he was way cooler than reality based toy.  The flippers gave him that credibility and made him a good toy.  And, in the end, Star Wars figures exploded not just due to the movie's popularity, but from the fact that they were amazing playthings.  The bright colors made them appealing to kids who hadn't even seen the movie.  This made them a ubiquitous part of any childhood experience for kids of the late '70's and early '80's. 

For a hot minute, it looked like this Retro boxed set might end up as very expensive.  The Target website sold out and it seemed that the sparse allotment sent to brick and mortar stores sold out almost immediately.  Prices on the aftermarket more than doubled.  But, then, more stock appeared on the website.  And, after popping in and out of stock for about a week, the set became readily available.  It's been nearly a month, now, and the set is available to ship tomorrow.  So, that's quelled demand.  Long term?  Who knows?  Hasbro has proven that they're willing to do a second production run to meet pent up demand.  So, that bodes well should this set find good aftermarket life.  Personally, I've found that if I open them up, they'll end up a hot collectible.  And, if I keep them carded, they'll be worth less than retail.  With these figures, though, I don't really care.  The retail price was right and I've gotten my full money's worth of enjoyment out of them already.  These figures scratch a collecting itch I've been ignoring for decades.  And, while it's too late to really collect vintage Star Wars in earnest, sets like this allow me to have a few figures that I always wanted when I was a kid.  So, I hope Hasbro continues to pop a couple of these out every year.

1992 Eco Warriors Barbecue - Around The Web

While I really enjoy this Eco Warriors Barbecue figure, I've never been able to really capture his essence in a photograph.  You won't find that issue in many of the photos below, though.  Others are quite good at showing off this figure.  So, scroll through the links and leave a comment for the creators who are able to make this figure really work.

1992 Barbecue Profile

1992 Barbecue at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1992 Barbecue by Tituslester32

1992 Barbecue by the Dragon Fortress

1992 Barbecue by 73larebear

1992 Barbecue by gen_liederkranz

1992 Barbecue by Tituslester32

1992 Barbecue by viper_space

1992 Barbecue by boonsart_com

1992 Barbecue by 73larebear

1992 Barbecue by 1990s_gi_joes

1991 Snow Serpent

There is a very valid argument to be made that the 1985 Snow Serpent is the single best G.I. Joe figure that Hasbro ever made.  6 years later, Hasbro revisited the Snow Serpent character and produced a second version.  Behind the legacy of the 1985, this new Snow Serpent had a tough path to collector acceptance.  But, Hasbro really did come through with the design.  And, they gave us something completely different than the heavily equipped '85.  This new Snow Serpent was sleeker, faster and more nimble.  His gear was more high tech.  But, he included the weapons of destruction that rivaled the original.  The long shadow of the version 1 Snow Serpent, though, remains hard for this later update to escape.  And, while I find the 1991 Snow Serpent to be an excellent figure in its own right, sometimes you just can't overcome your predecessors.

I should start with a couple of caveats.  First, I'm a big fan of the 1991 Snow Serpent mold and actually prefer it to the 1985.  But, secondly, the 1991 coloring of this mold is the worst of its three uses.  Both the 1993 repaint and the 1998 Toys R Us exclusive figures are superior to this 1991 palette.  The 1993 mail away is striking in its bold use of color.  The 1998 goes the opposite way and makes for a perfect arctic figure by using colors that blend into a snowy environment.  This 1991 is somewhere in the middle.  He's got enough color to be noticeable.  But, he's still too muted to be a "realistic" (whatever that means) figure.  

My preference for the 1991 design is rooted in practicality.  Even as a kid, I saw the 1985 Snow Serpents as "long siege" troopers.  They were equipped to dig in and take a while to achieve their objective.  As a kid, I built stories around this.  Now, though, the reality of Cobra being a terrorist organization  makes the sleeker design of the 1991 more practical.  These guys could swoop in fast, cripple or destroy a location and jet out before any reinforcements could arrive.  Their speed meant that smaller numbers could inflict the necessary amount of damage.  And, they could escape before anyone really could understand what had happened.

The figure's design showcases this.  He doesn't appear as bulky as the 1985.  But, the 1991 still has amazing sculpting.  The figure's head has goggles that realistically protrude away from the covered face.  They separate a hat on his head and the facemask that protect anonymity.  The figure's chest, though, has a deep pattern to denote a heavy jacket: necessary in the cold temperatures.  His gloves feature the same texturing.  This helps tie the whole package together.  The figure looks like a cold weather operative.  But, he doesn't appear to be as weighed down as the original design.  This newer version has more freedom to move in his uniform and can handle the deft maneuvering required for his snowboard.

One little detail I love about this figure are the two scarf ends that are tied behind the figure's back.  These flowing pieces of cloth are specifically detailed on the card art.  While their movement is lost on the actual figure, the sculpting is still there.  Both strands are etched on the figure's back.  It's a dumb little detail that really doesn't matter all that much or add anything to the figure.  But, Hasbro took the time to add it as a way to distinguish the Snow Serpent.  Little things like this were the difference between Hasbro figures and everyone who has come since.  They cared about little things like this and took the time and expense to add them to figures.  It didn't goose the sales of Snow Serpents.  But, it did affect the perception of the line's overall quality.  Parents felt better about spending money on Joe toys because they were high quality and worth the price.

1991 figures are decked out in gear.  Hasbro upped the accessory complements of the 1990 and 1991 assortments: likely in an attempt to make the toys feel like a really good value.  In 1992, the accessory count dropped.  And, the spring loaded missile launcher became a requirement for all retail figures.  The Snow Serpent, though, got the best of both worlds.  He includes a ton of gear.  But, he also got a spring loaded missile launcher that mounted on his backpack.  Snow Serpent was one of the transitional figures from 1991 that got the earliest spring mounted accessories.  Being among the first meant that the weapon is far less ostentatious than the spring loaded gear would later become.  You can see it being an integrated part of the more traditional gear instead of an add on.  And, because of this, the spring loaded launcher works for the Snow Serpent.

The engineering showcased on Snow Serpent's gear, though, is the real story of the figure.  The backpack is the focal point.  It features tabs to which the hoses that attach to the weapons affix.  There is the attachment of the missile launcher to the pack via a hole on the top.  This allows the launcher to swivel as far around as you want it to.  And, finally, the coup de gras: the Snow Serpent includes a rocket powered snowboard.  This piece is big enough to hold the figure and has some nice details.  It also attaches to the backpack so the Snow Serpent can carry all of his gear on his pack...just like the 1985 original.  

I can, reliably, sort out G.I. Joe weapons by vintage or repaint era without error with just two exceptions: the 1991 Snow Serpent rifle and pistol and the 1998 versions of the same.  The white plastic makes it difficult to differentiate them.  I believe there is a plastic difference you can feel when you have both in hand.  But, I'm loathe to rely upon it for weapons I've acquired outside of figures.  As I once had a mighty army of 1993 Snow Serpents, I spend decades acquiring rifles and pistols from the other releases to outfit the 1993s.  I succeeded in doing so.  But, I really have no idea how many of the weapons are 1991 vs. 1998.  At some point, I should just work it out and find the actual tell of the difference between the two.  But, as the 1998s are likely to exist in much lower numbers than the 1991, I'm not sure the exercise is really worth it.

The availability of 1991 figures is something I'd like to know more about.  It seems there were different assortments and some figures from the year were more difficult to find than others.  This Snow Serpent seems one of the easier figures to find.  In the late 1990's, he was about the only 1991 figure you could find in abundance.  And, even today, he is much more available than a figure like the Desert Scorpion.  The 1991 assortment only shipped for one year before the line got a soft reboot in 1992.  So, the production was truncated.  (This is one reason why so many 1991 molds ended up being released in other countries, too.)  If you have more info or even anecdotes from the time about the way the 1991 figures shipped, please drop it into the comments.

The Snow Serpent mold was used just the three times.  The 1991 original, the 1993 mail away and the 1998 remake were the only appearances of the mold.  There was a planned use in 1995.  A new Snow Serpent was going to be included with the Battle Station.  It was a weird mish-mash of the 1993 and 1998 designs.  Really, it would be the worst of the Snow Serpents, were it released.  But, it would also be the priciest as inclusion in a high priced 1995 playset would have meant low production numbers and limited collector penetration.  About half of the 1991 assortment appeared in other countries.  But, the Snow Serpent was not among them. You can argue that more uses of this mold would have created strong figures.  But, the 1998 was about as close to a perfect repaint as we saw in the 1998-2006 timeframe.  So, you can't fault Hasbro for not using it more.  

You can get all the mint and complete 1991 Snow Serpents you want for slightly under $20.  If you drop even one of the accessories, the price starts to plummet.  High quality figures with no gear can be had for $8 with ease.  As 1991 army builders go, that's a pretty good price.  And, as Joe figures go, in general, that's a pretty good price.  The 1991 Snow Serpent just doesn't have the cachet of the 1985.  Or, really, even his later repaints.  So, it's a good figure to acquire and, maybe, even army build a little bit.  But, let's be frank.  If you wanted to army build this figure, you would have.  And, the fact that you haven't isn't a function of his obscurity.  It's a function of the fact that this is the worst version of the Snow Serpent ever produced.  But, the worst Snow Serpent is still better than the best of several Joe years.  So, you do owe it to yourself to have at least one of these guys.  They're fun to have around.  Even if all of the other versions of the character are better.

The Zeroes - Mark IX

When I started to write this Zeroes post, I thought I must have made an error.  Last year was Mark VIII...meaning this would be the 9th year I posted something like this.  There was simply no way that could be true.  But, I didn't skip any numbers and this really is the 9th year I've looked at the site's least popular posts.  

The past year has been interesting.  I get lots of daily traffic.  But, individual posts don't get nearly the attention they used to.  Before, 600 or more hits were common within a few days of a new post going up.  Now, it's well under 200.  Despite that, overall site traffic is up.  The massive archive on a currently active blog seems to help drive search results.  And, in turn, funnel some visitors to the site.  

The upside, though, is that engagement is higher.  Posts tend to get more comments.  I'd rather have a smaller, more engaged audience than a broader one who is passe.  I love seeing discussions and the points made in the comments.  (I appreciate the corrections, too.)  So, I'll take that over some fire and forget moment on a crappy social media site.

With no further adieu, here's the worsts performing new posts of the past year:

Cobra Trooper Driver (Red Laser Army) - 284 Views

The days of Red Laser Army profiles getting big views has passed.  A few years ago, they were surefire hits.  But, as it's been 7 years since he last produced figures, the popularity of his releases has faded into memory.  You rarely see the Red Laser figures used in photos.  And, those who do appear tend to be the same 5 or 6 figures.  And, this Cobra Driver isn't among them.  Which is too bad since this is a decent release.  It doesn't do all that much.  But, it doesn't have to.  You now have a driver that looks like every custom Cobra Driver that was kitbashed and painted up back in the 1990's.  But, that's OK.  This guy was supposed to fill a niche.  And, he does that admirably.

Grey Night Viper (Black Major) - 255 Views

People like the Night Viper.  And, generally, they also like Black Major figures.  But, this one was an older figure.  And, for many long time collectors, these types of throwbacks can be passe.  This is a great color scheme for the Night Viper  mold, though.  And, it deserved a better fate.

1984 Copperhead - 249 Views

This was my second look at Copperhead, the first being more than 20 years ago.  The figure has held up quite well.  But, he didn't seem to capture anyone's attention.  Copperhead appears to retain about the same level of popularity that he's always had.  Which is to say that people appreciate him.  But, they're not going out of their way to make him their favorite.

1982 RAM - 229 Views

Usually, 1982 items do fairly well.  The RAM did not, though.  Part of that may have been the time of year.  For an iconic part of the line, the RAM didn't garner much attention.  Maybe it will take on more interest the 2nd time around.

Gatilho - Python Patrol Airborne - 213 Views

I'd been trying to write an updated Gatilho profile for about 7 years.  I had to proofread it a bunch of times to make sure I got all the historical math correct as I'd talk about the original profile like it was 15 years old instead of 20.  Regardless, the days of figures like Gatilho making a splash seem to be gone.  The figure is common enough that many collectors own it.  And, the character has appeared a few times in other sculpting styles.  So, he's not as unique as he once was.  

G.I. Joe #36 - 201 Views

With my figure reserves running low, the vintage comics are an area I'll expand into more and more.  They are a treasure trove of alternate looks for many characters.  And, re-reading them is proving to be a soothsaying exercise due to Hama's writing.  As for this issue, it didn't do great numbers.  But, I still have fond memories of it.  So, comics will be a thing you see more in the next 12 months.

So, that wraps up last year's duds.  This year's Rarities Month did pretty well.  I was happy with the content.  I've got some profiles mostly ready to round out the summer.  But, I still haven't acquired any new Joe figures in over 18 months.  I don't really miss it, to be honest.  And, as I find more and more figures starting to discolor, my desire to expand my vintage collection is really waning every day.  I'm finding more interest in ephemera and looking at oddball coincidences I can find in the line.  Those are fun to work out.  Hopefully,  I'll get the photos for them before my collection goes back into storage...again.  Hopefully, that will be settled by the fall and I'll be able to get some photos before all the leaves are gone.

Until then, continue stopping by to check out new features, photos and profiles.

Funskool Quick Kick

I'm not a Quick Kick fan.  I never have been.  Even back in 1985, I didn't find much use for the figure.  I had Snake Eyes to engage in epic sword fights with Stormshadow.  So, I had no need for another guy who wasn't part of the story and really didn't fit the ninja aesthetic of the time.  This was not the case for my peers, though.  They loved Quick Kick.  One of them loved him a bit too much and overused him to a great extent. But, to me, the character never really mattered all that much.  He simply wasn't someone around whom I could build adventures.  And, his only real use was as a generic civilian type militant who would get wasted by the Joes or Cobras when they tried to attack.

Much of my malaise towards the figure, though, was due to simple timing and luck.  For me, it was good luck.  For Quick Kick, it was bad luck.  Back in 1985, I found the new Snake Eyes figure very early in the year.  He was among the first 6 or 7 figures I acquired that year.  This was an anomaly as I had been very lucky to find an unstocked case of Joes on the floor of our local Toys R Us.  Inside was a Snake Eyes.  With Snake Eyes in hand, there was no way that Quick Kick was ever going to matter.  For my friends, though, this wasn't the case.  One of them had to wait until nearly Christmas to get his Snake Eyes figure.  With no other foil to his Stormshadow, Quick Kick became an integral figure to his collection.  Had I not found Snake Eyes on that fateful spring day 40 years ago, I might have found the same importance for Quick Kick.  Fate's cruel hand, though, dealt Quick Kick a fatal blow from which he hasn't recovered.

As I came online, though, I learned that many collectors view Quick Kick in a manner that's closer to that of my childhood friend than they do to me.  For many, Quick Kick was the only option to battle against Stormshadow.  And, he may have even been their only figure who carried edged weapons.  And, in this context, Quick Kick would be a vital childhood memory.  I, still, could not find much value in the figure.  He's among the least photographed figures from my childhood sweet spot of 1984-1987.  That doesn't mean, though, that he's a bad figure.  Quick Kick features all of the quality that was evident on other members of the 1985 figure class.  He is a cohesive design that creates a memorable character.  He just wasn't one that resonated with me.

But, seeing other collectors enjoy the character has, at least, gotten me to examine him on more than one occasion.  I feel it worthwhile to challenge my pre-conceived notions about figures...especially those from childhood.  Maybe I missed something.  And, as I've collected for over 3 decades, now, it's worth going back and trying to uncover an aspect of a toy that I may have overlooked or simply not appreciated as a child.  I find this a valuable exercise since it leads to self discovery as well as identifying items I've owned for years that can feel new and exciting again as they capture my attention.

With that in mind, I decided to take another look at Quick Kick.  He was the subject of a theme month at ARAHGallery.com and that gave me an opportunity to photograph his various versions.  I had a bit of fun with the various releases that I own.  As Quick Kick isn't an often participant in my photoshoots, I thought of a few ideas for him.  While R.T.G. has found success foiling Quick Kick against 1987 Cobra villains, I didn't find such a pairing.  Due to his release year, I see Quick Kick as more a pairing with more of the traditional Joes instead of the martial artists.  But, Quick Kick doesn't really match up with the missions on which Flint and Footloose would lead.  So, this still left the character with no real purpose and no real home.  In a couple of years, I'll try again and see if he captures my attention, then.

Quick Kick was a world traveler.  After Hasbro was done with the mold,  he was released in both Brazil and Argentina.  Both of these figures have coloring variants to the Hasbro and Indian figures.  Brazil even produced a large number of Quick Kick figures that were then available from Hasbro Direct as a mail away offer in the early 1990's.  These figures are identical to the Estrela figure released in Brazil.  But, they are fairly common and cheap, today.  Finally, Quick Kick went to India where Funskool released him for a long time.  An oddball figure using Quick Kick's body and Budo's head was even released as a Funskool promotional figure.  Hasbro never bothered to ask for the mold back.  And, Quick Kick was even among the Funskool figures who got a re-release in 2009.  The mold is, likely, still in India.  Maybe someone will resurrect it one day.  But, we probably have all the Quick Kick figures we need at this point.

At his core, the Funskool Quick Kick isn't all that much different from the Hasbro version.  The skin tone is more pink.  The pants are a shinier black.  And, in general, the accent colors of red and blue are more vibrant on the Indian figure.  The paint applications tend to be a little sloppier than Hasbro's.  So, there's really nothing that this Funskool release offers that you don't also get with the Hasbro version.  So, it's really just a bragging point or international Joe collectors and a figure to cross off a list.  

The Funskool version includes the same accessories as the Hasbro version.  The nunchuks are more flimsy than the Hasbro versions and feature a very thin chain that breaks easily.  The sword isn't as hefty as the Hasbro release, either.  It's noticeable when you have them both together.  His backpack is a dark black instead of the grey from the Hasbro release.  It's the most visually distinctive difference.  I'm loathe to use the nunchuks due to the fragility.  And, if the plastic dries out, they'll likely snap even if I've never used them.  I do like giving Quick Kick's sword to Budo as an alternative look for him.  That's about the most use I've ever gotten from the weapons.

There are many variants of the Funskool Quick Kick figure.  As he was in production for a long time, color nuances became the norm.  Generally, figures with very pink sashes are the rarest and most desirable.  Excellently conditioned samples can run upwards of $500.  Those variants, though, were not among the widely imported Funskool figures from 2001 and onwards.  All Funskool figure pricing on common figures from that era is stupid right now.  Quick Kick was available from American dealers for years and years.  Which makes sense that people trying to sell the figure in the $40-$50 range don't tend to do well.  But, supply is still very low.  So, you see carded figures sell for upwards of $50 all too often.  Left to market pricing, Quick Kick is about a $30 MOC figure...which is still way too  much for a figure of this stature and supply.

You can get a mint and complete Hasbro Quick Kick for about the same price as a carded Funskool version.  While a loose Funskool Quick Kick will be a lot cheaper, they are also harder to find.  So, it's probably worth it to just solve your Quick Kick needs with a Hasbro figure and call it a day.  I have this figure because he was $4: like every other Funskool figure that you overpay for today.  He was worth that price to me.  But, he wouldn't be worth much more.  But, it's also likely that my take on Quick Kick was forged by experiences that few others share.  So, to them, this figure has much more value.  And, if the character is important to you, having the option of another international variant makes collecting him much more fun and interesting. 

Rarities - 1984 Blowtorch Pre-Production Images

The 1984 Blowtorch is one of my favorite figures.  His gear just made him so much fun to play with.  Sadly, my childhood figure quickly fell apart from overuse.  So, I've long lived with the lament of not being able to use him to his full potential when I was a kid.  I've attempted to compensate by tracking down all the Blowtorch variants from around the world.  But, even that won't solve the disappointment from the mid 1980's when Blowtorch's mask and flamethrower ripped apart.

That being said, the real story of Blowtorch is how the figure changed from his marketing designs to the production figure.  Originally, Blowtorch's accessories were going to be a bit different.  And, they give some insight into Hasbro's evolution from wires that were simply part of the accessory's design (like Flash's laser rifle) to the separate black hose pieces that would debut with the Dreadnoks in late 1984.  

Here is the best image I can get of an early Blowtorch.  You'll see what appears to be some parts differences on the arms.  The biggest difference, though, is the mask.  You'll note that this early version has open eye holes.  And, then, instead of a yellow wire to plug into the figure's body, you'll see a black hose.  This is very different from the solid piece mask that was released on the production figure.  The final difference is the black hose that is attached to the flamethrower.  The production figure has the hose molded as part of the weapon as one, solid piece.  Here, it's a separate hose to run between the weapon and the backpack.  This image, below, is a screenshot from a 1984 toy commercial.

But, the same figure was also showcased in the 1984 marketing catalog that was included with every vehicle and playset.  You can see Blowtorch still has the open eyes and the black hoses.  More interestingly, though, you can see that the hoses were intended to attach to Blowtorch's backpack instead of having the air mask hose plug into his body.  

Hasbro changed the hoses, though, to be solid pieces that were part of the mask and weapon.  In late 1984, though, Ripper would be the first figure released to include black hoses that connected two accessories.  These black hoses would remain the Joe staple for the remainder of the line until they were phased out after 1991.  It's likely that Hasbro realized the limitations of attaching plastic hoses that were part of an accessory mold to a backpack.  Even back in 1983, it was common for Flash's laser rifle or Breaker's headset to have broken wires.  In their quest to always be improving, the separate hoses were a novel way to solve this problem.  While they may have explored the idea on the 1984 Blowtorch, they must not have been ready to get it into production.  So, they made Blowtorch in a more traditional format and delayed the black hoses until the 1985 series.

The eye holes on the mask, though, make more sense.  I can see these being problematic.  They would have been a likely source of plastic flashing.  So, many pieces would have been opaque, anyways, as excess plastic leeched into the small spaces.  And, the top part of the eyes would have been extremely thin.  It would have easily ripped and torn; especially as kids stretched it out when they affixed the mask to the figure's helmet.  Hasbro was concerned about making quality toys back in 1984.  So, making a solid piece that was more sturdy made sense.

Personally, I'm a bit torn on this.  I do like the color continuity between the flamethrower and mask and their hoses.  But, at the same time, the addition of the black coloring adds a new dimension to Blowtorch's look.  I'd have loved for my childhood Blowtorch to have not torn.  But, the hoses would have only solved for the flamethrower as it was the connection pieces that wrapped the mask around Blowtorch's helmet that ripped on my childhood figure.  I'd have likely gotten frustrated that the hoses got lost, too.

Still, it's interesting to see how the figure evolved prior to release.  And, it shows how methodical the Hasbro team was in getting things right before they moved them into production.  But, when you know you have a hit toy that's going to run for years, you can be a bit more cautious in your approach to innovation.  I'll leave you with a final commercial screenshot.  You can see the the figure more clearly since he's not wearing all his gear.  He looks like more of a kitbash.  But, really, I'm putting it out there because I have idea what's going on with Cutter's head in this photo.  But, that's probably something to dig into in a future Rarities post.

Rarities - 2005 Red Ninja Viper Pre Production Color Variant

Back in the mid and late 2000's, there were tons of alternate figures coming from Asian sources.  Some were unpainted prototypes.  Others were color tests.  Some were early paint samples.  Some featured slightly different colors in specific areas.  And, others featured entirely different paint masks or parts from the production figure.  There were so many of them coming out, though, that documentation was sparse.  And, the fact that there was so much misinformation about the figures contributed to many people not wanting what was known about them to be published.  Lost in the Tiger Force Steel Brigade and Night Force Tracker figures, though, are obscure and often missed variants like this Red Ninja Viper.

Released in 2005 as part of a Comic Pack, the Red Ninja Viper used the 1988 Stormshadow mold that had been recently returned to Hasbro by Funskool.  Hasbro painted it red and meant it to represent the fan favorite Red Ninja who appeared in the infamous G.I.  Joe #21 issue.  The figure worked well enough.  But, the Joe world was so jaded by the time of its release that the figure didn't really make a splash in the collecting world.  The production figure features a pale, brown coloring on the mask and boots.  But, some of the early figures from Asia changed that color to black.  It's a small change.  But, it's probably better than then production brown.  You'll also note that the pre-production figure has a painted sash on his waist.  Again, this is a substantial upgrade over the production figure where this was left unpainted.  

It's an odd juxtaposition.  And, it suggests that Hasbro was cost cutting on paint applications for the 2005 figures.  (There is a pre-production variant of the Stormshadow from the pack that has painted sleeves instead of bare arms, too.)  But, Hasbro knew the line was in trouble by the time this pack debuted.  It saw a solid production run.  But, much of that run went to clearance and discount outlets where you could buy the retail pack for $5 for over a year after its release.

Most collectors missed this pre-production figure because the change was so slight and there were so many better and more drastic pre-production figures available from Asia at the time.  It's pretty likely that, if you bought cheap army builders from Asian sellers in the early 2000's, you could have some of these pre-production color variants interspersed among your production figures.  These more minor paint changes often went unnoticed and were overlooked in many cheap lots of the day.  And, since the black paint seems like a logical production choice over a light brown, you might not even realize that you're missing the production version since you have this one available.

Sadly, both the swarm of cheap army builder lots and stream of alternately colored figures have dried up.  While it's likely that there are still a lot of them in Asia, they're not readily available.  And, modern collectors who snatched up the bulk of them back in the mid 2000's are holding onto them.  You see some of the big hitters switch hands and even go on public sale with a bit of frequency.  But, the more obscure figures like this Red Ninja Viper are often ignored and are nearly impossible to find outside of a few, enterprising collectors of the day who managed to buy them in bulk when they were just a couple of bucks each.

Rarities - Remco Captain Impermeable

The various Remco action figure lines are full of lower quality toys that were meant to mimic more popular, and expensive, brands of the '80's.  They were a cheap alternative for the media driven icons of the decade.  Despite the poor quality, their 3 3/4 military inspired lines actually featured some really interesting ideas.  The pinnacle was their S.I.T. series of figures.  But, earlier Remco lines also featured some very interesting character designs that created figures with some merit.  As an example, we look at Captain Impermeable.

First off, Captain Impermeable is a fantastic name.  It's both an unheard of level of superhero cheesiness and a great moniker for a one off villain.  (Though, to be fair, this guy has no character.  So, him being a good guy or a bad guy was entirely up to the kid who owned him.)  The figure is black and silver and dons a full hazmat suit.  The figure's look is a weird combo of '80's fear mongering and World War II nostalgia.  The suit looks modern.  But, the ancient gas mask combo mish-mashes the look into something right out of a comic book.

To my knowledge, this figure is the first hazmat suit wearing 3 3/4" figure.  His 1986 release year predates anything Hasbro would do in G.I. Joe.  (The Toxo Viper wouldn't appear until 1988.)  And, appears to have beaten Lanard's hazmat themed figures to market, too.  The black and silver color scheme is also rather unique.  It wouldn't appear in the Joe line until the 1989 Snake Eyes.  The Hasbro team would have been knowledgeable of other competition in the marketplace.  But, we'll look at some other ideas they "borrowed" from Remco in next year's Rarities posts.

One aspect of play that Remco leaned into in their various military themed 3 3/4" lines was horror.  This isn't all that surprising since Remco released the classic 3 3/4", 5 POA monster figures at the start of the 1980's.  They had the classics of Wolf Man, Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon (among others.).  Remco later created their own Wolf Man character with a two-faced head for kids to mimic the transformation into the creature.  But, I see figures like Captain Impermeable in that same vein.  This guy looks like he crawled out of a crappy '80s slasher flick.  And, paired with some of the other Remco figures would have formed a creepy contingent of monsters and nightmares for the good guys to battle.  

Being a Remco figure, Captain Impermeable exists in a few different forms.  You can find his parts on other figures.  And, there are full repaints of the mold that are available.  I've seen them in both bright and olive green color schemes.  (This character was also sold under the name of Smokescreen.)  I'm not sure under which banners the repaints were released.  Remco is sparsely documented.  Which, makes it difficult to fully track down all uses of a figure's parts or even the universe of all the times the mold was repainted.

Back in the early days of online collecting, you'd often find lots of Joe figures that also included Remco and Lanard figures.  They were just mixed in because you were buying some kids' childhood toys.  Slowly, though, the knock-offs and discount lines were filtered out.  For many collectors, they all just went into a box or were sold off in large lots of non-Joe figures.  But, now, high quality Remco figures are pretty tough to find and they will cost you.  The poor quality of the original figures is part of this.  You'll often find Remco figures with broken parts (especially thumbs), heavily worn paint or missing accessories.  So, you'll pay a premium for mint specimens, especially if they happen to be interesting figures like this Captain Impermeable.

Rarities - European Action Force Taurus

Taurus is a boring figure.  He's the least popular of the Renegades and is the one you least often see in action.  The only really interesting thing about his figureis that, in Europe, he was released on a single card with new artwork.  All of the Renegades were released as single carded figures in various European markets.  There's no real explanation as to why this was.  Cobra La didn't receive similar treatment.  And, there were plenty of other '87 figures to fill out an international line.  

The card features unique artwork for Taurus. You can find the carded Taurus figures from various European markets that will feature different languages, too.  You'll note that G.I. Joe is the marketing focus for the toy.  But, there is still an Action Force subheader to tie the figure to the established European brand.

More than 20 years ago, a collector friend of mine who specialized in foreign variants believed that the European Renegades figures had slight coloring differences from their U.S. released counterparts.  He was unable to confirm this, though, as he didn't have known samples of the Euro figures in his possession at the time.  It's something I'd love to finally put to rest.  We know that many European figure releases did have slight variances from their North American counterparts...mostly just due to the fact that they were released in later years and not part of the initial run.  You'll see slight color variants all the way up to different dates stamps on some European versions of figures that, otherwise, are identical to the North American release.  Most of these are not documented and can be tough to verify.  So, if you have known samples of both releases of Taurus and see any differences, please post them up as I'd love to confirm/deny the rumors from the turn of the century.

The one thing about these figures that was of note to me is that they clearly showed which accessories were intended for which Renegade.  As a kid, I always put the black Footloose backpack on Taurus since it was a better color match.  The brown Recondo pack went to Mercer for the same reason.  While I've come around on the black Footloose pack belonging to Mercer, I can't reconcile this Recondo pack on Taurus.  Mostly, it's because I don't care about Taurus all that much.  But, seeing him with his correct backpack still looks odd to me.

There was a short time when these single carded figures were very desirable.  But, that ebbed away rather quickly.  The Renegades are rarely anyone's favorite figures.  And, Taurus and Red Dog are among the most obscure '80's figure releases.  Maybe they were dropped into the assortments to help recoup mold costs.  (The '87 Mercer was later released in Brazil and Red Dog has a famous, race changing Funskool release.)  Sadly, documentation on how European releases came to be is mostly non-existent.  Which is too bad as some of those decisions would be more interesting than getting made up stories from fading memories of the Hasbro line.