1989 Recoil - Random Photos of the Day II

Recoil is a figure I've looked at a couple of times in the site's history.  In the early days, he was new to my collection and was among my favorite new acquisitions.  But, over time, his importance has waned.  He's not really a figure I think about all that often.  Despite that, though, I do seem to photograph him rather frequently.  In the photos below, you'll see a variety of shoots that have been taken over a couple of years.  He's often with the same cast of characters as I tend to shoot figures with their contemporaries.  This is function of how I store my figures as I keep them in plastic drawers by year and, in large years, by Joes or Cobras.  That makes it easy to grab the same figures time and time again when I'm thinking of a photo.

My thing with Recoil is that he should be awesome.  He fits all the classic criteria for a great figure.  He's just not quite there.  The powder blue accessories are the easiest mark against him.  But, with the plethora of factory custom options now available, that's an easy fix.  Maybe it's just that he unzips his tunic a bit boo much.  Or, he's wearing 1/2 of the Devo hat.  But, this guy just isn't someone for whom I've taken time to develop a character.  

Instead, he's a steady presence in photos as he works well with lots of figures and in many different environments.  He's not a guy I actively like, but one I use quite a bit.  Along with a similar realization about the 1983 Snake Eyes, it's made me re-evaluate what actually constitutes a figure I like.  While photos aren't the perfect way to gauge favoritism, they are a strong indicator.  (Some figures like the '85 Snake Eyes are just hard to photograph.)  I might spend a cold weekend looking at the figures who find themselves the subject of the most photos in my collection.  In fact, that might be a fun write up that exposes some truths about the figures I think I like the most.

2003 Snake Eyes - Toy Fare Exclusive

What does it mean for something to be the best?  It seems a simple exercise.  But, once you get a wide variety of options for a specific item, pinning down the "best" starts to become more subjective.  Such is the case with the original Snake Eyes sculpt.  Originally released in all black, collectors clamored for Hasbro to update the mold with some colored details.  Hasbro was happy to oblige with 2 updated paint job figures that were released in 1997.  That wasn't enough, though, and Hasbro continued to pump out new colorings on the original Snake Eyes figure through 2005.  Many of the figures featured very slight changes from previous releases.  After a while, they all blended together.  Which is to say, no one figure stood above the rest in terms of updated designs.  With 20 years of reflection, though, I do think one Snake Eyes release rises above the others.  It is the one version with the weirdest release vector.  But, the 2003 Toy Fare Snake Eyes offers the best package in terms of colors, accessories and quality.

Now, all of the above does need to be couched in terms of one other Snake Eyes release: the 2003 DVD Snake Eyes.  This purple version features the same paint masks as the Toy Fare version.  And, it's the best Snake Eyes released in the repaint era.  I'm excluding it, though, because the purple base allows it to serve a different purpose than any of the black base figures.  So, all of the discussion about Snake Eyes will view this DVD figure as a separate entity that is not in competition with Snake Eyes figures based on the 1982 design.

It's tough to fathom that, even in 2003, toy magazines were still powerful.  They were the first source of news for many fans.  And, despite the internet ruining their exclusive scoops in many instances, the magazines still delivered content that was difficult to acquire anywhere else.  But, the writing was on the wall.  And, Toy Fare decided to use their clout within the industry to start selling some exclusive toys directly to collectors over the internet.  This was still fairly novel at the time.  But, the magazine was able to partner with manufacturers to produce two highly desired exclusives: a Radioactive Homer Simpson and a Faker figure.  Upon the release of these figures, collectors instantly called shenanigans.  While Toy Fare "sold out" almost immediately, huge quantities showed up at dealers and resellers, often at 5x to 10x the original cost.  Toy Fare's reputation took a hit.  And, collectors viewed any offering of theirs with caution.  But, collecting is a strong high.  And, the market, while mad, didn't really vanish.  So, Toy Fare was free for their first Hasbro collaboration: a 2 pack with Scarlett and Snake Eyes.

This announcement was met with modest fanfare in the Joe community.  When it was announced, the Joe world was still 100% committed to army building.  Sets without army builders were simply ignored.  Snake Eyes was passe in the Joe world as he had been released multiple times and the character was ubiquitous.  Scarlett was a bit different.  She hadn't been seen since 1997.  And, that figure had gotten a bit pricey.  But, there were a multitude of JvC Scarlett figures available.  Collectors of the day didn't really distinguish between ARAH sculpts and JvC sculpts.  So, the character of Scarlett wasn't something that everyone was starved to acquire.  Most of the criticism, though, was around the fact that the set wasn't two army builders.  Outside the Joe world, though, there was more excitement.  For non-Joe collectors, the pack seemed an injection of pure nostalgia.  And, there was enough excitement around it that, when coupled with Toy Fare's seedy reputation, the fear of the pack selling out and getting expensive began.

Upon release, though, these fears proved unfounded.  The reasons are likely a combination of higher production numbers (necessitated by Hasbro), Joe collector malaise, non-Joe collector disinterest and the slow demise of the scalping community.  All of these factors lead to the set being available from Toy Fare for a long, long time.  The instant sell outs of the earlier exclusives didn't happen.  (Insert your favorite conspiracy theory as to why the first two items did sell out, though.)  And, Scarlett and Snake Eyes enjoyed a long availability window.  

2003 was the pinnacle of the repaint era.  As the year began,  we didn't know that.  But, by the end of the year, Joe was seeing a popularity it hadn't experienced since the vintage days.  As 2004 dawned, though, the line instantly started to decline.  And, despite a strong slate of releases in '04, the line limped towards the end of the year and was cancelled in 2005.  One thing that defined this era, though, was that Hasbro was very interested in exploring alternate release vectors for G.I. Joe figures.  Aside from retail saturation that got to stores that hadn't really stocked toys in decades, Joe also experimented with CD-ROM figures, huge boxed sets sold at a warehouse store, single carded figures, bonus figure packs, mail aways and even boxed sets like this Snake Eyes and Scarlett.  Not every product was a success.  Some failed before they even got released.  But, Hasbro was able to produce massive amounts of different figures by utilizing all these different packaging options.  Being an in house brand using existing molds allowed Hasbro financial leeway to experiment.  And, were it not for some of these products, we'd have lost out on dozens upon dozens of figures.

As a figure, this Snake Eyes introduces a new secondary color: brown.  The Action Force Stalker used grey highlights.  The Funskool figures brought us silver details.  The 1997 repaints combined both colors to make some new figures.  This 2003 figures colors the web gear in a rich, leathery brown.  It's a solid color and works well with the black base color.  The holstered knife on his chest is painted silver.  The grenade is green...except for the silver handle.  It's a little detail.  But, one that really amps up the visual appeal of his detailing.  He has a brown belt and pants pockets and is wearing slightly differently colored shoes.  The only skimp is that only the top of the bomb on his leg is painted.  There are other versions where the whole design features paint applications.  But, overall, this Toy Fare figures features the best application of paint details that offers some new colors to highlight Snake Eyes.  This is, as far as I can tell, the most intricately painted 1982 torso that was ever released.  

It's these details that make this the "best" Snake Eyes, in my eyes.  He has the most accents of any Snake Eyes figure.  And, he builds from the other historical releases.  Thing is, if you're not a fan of the brown, you might not like this version.  So, if grey is your preference, there's other figures that better use that hue.  Which leads us to the real crux of this figure.  Yes, he's great.  But, he's not really great enough to vastly surpass other Snake Eyes figures from the repaint era.  So, while this figure has all the features to rise above the rest of the Snake Eyes figures, he doesn't rise high enough to justify spending lots of time and effort to track him down over figures like the 1997 or 2004 figures.  

Superficially, I like Snake Eyes figures painted details.  But, practically, that's just not the case.  I only use the 1997 figures within the context of other 1997 figures.  The Comic Pack figure might show up from time to time.  But, mostly, I take his grappling hook and rope.  My spare Action Force Stalker doesn't see much use, either.  Usually, I just use the 1983 figure.  The all black just works.  And, his higher quality plastic make him my go to choice when I want to use a Snake Eyes figure.  In fact, I find that the 1983 is actually my preferred Snake Eyes, overall.  I use it way more than my "favorite": the 1985.  This might be convenience.  But, I find it an interesting aspect of my collection.  And, it's probable that I actually like the original look for Snake Eyes the most of all his incarnations.

This Snake Eyes included the requisite Snake Eyes gear from the era with one exception: the classic 1982 Uzi.  The figure has a 1992 Gung Ho backpack, the classic Snake Eyes ammo back and a sword from the 1989 Snake Eyes mold.  Instead of his standard firearm, he includes a silver version of the 1986 Low Light Uzi.  It's close enough for Snake Eyes.  But, the figure looks somewhat off when not paired with his classic weapon.  Fortunately, the classic Uzi returned with later Snake Eyes figures.  So, it's pretty easy to "fix" this guy should you want to.

Sadly, the quality on this figure isn't the best.  I've always felt the paint application on both figures in this set was a bit "soft".  And, it's very easy to rub and chip away the paint.  I suspect it's just a function  of the softer plastic used on the figures.  But, I'm very wary of Scarlett's paint wearing away just from putting her crossbow in her hand.  On top of that, Snake Eyes legs have a bow to them.  This is from either a bad t-hook or o-ring.  It makes his leg flair out.  It's a common affliction with earlier factory custom figures.  But, this Snake Eyes is subject to it, too.  It makes him hard to stand up.  So, again, this is a limitation for the figure that makes him less necessary.  Though, it should be noted that most of the other repaint era Snake Eyes figures also have similar quality issues.  It just seems this guy is a little bit worse than them.

It's difficult to list all the various variants of Snake Eyes.  The 1982 straight arm was released by Hasbro, Estrela, Plastirama and Auriken.  (Maybe, Rubiplas, too.)  There are some with Cobra logos as well as the Invasor or Mortal and his head was used on the De Aco.  The swivel arm version was released by Hasbro, as a European exclusive and in various colors over in India by Funskool.  Funskool was actually the first company to really paint up details on the Snake Eyes mold.  Hasbro got the mold back in 1997 and released two versions of him that year, though with some slight parts changes.  (The Roadblock waist making it's debut.)  This figure and the purple version appeared in 2003 and the figure appeared again in 2004.  The head was used on a 2004 arctic Snake Eyes and the body appeared for a final time in 2005 in another comic pack.  But, this figure included a new head.  If that's not enough, Black Major made Snake Eyes repaints in the early 2010s and another batch in the mid 2020's.  And, finally, Hasbro made an all new swivel arm mold that was released in 2022.  It's all enough to drive you mad, trying to track them all down.

The Snake Eyes/Scarlett set was a retail dud.  It was available from Toy Fare for a long time.  After a while, though, the sets were liquidated to other outlets.  Into the 2010's, you could get a set on Amazon for under the original price.  As those dried up, prices rose.  During the height of the collecting boom, these were $70+ sets.  Now, though, the prices have stabilized and you can get a boxed set in the $40 range.  Like a lot of plastic from the early 2000's, the windows and plastic inserts on the set do tend to yellow.  So, the display value of a boxed version diminishes, accordingly.  It's kind of hard to find this Snake Eyes on his own.  And, dealers will ask $40 for him or Scarlett if they are loose.  So, buying the boxed set is the only way to go.  At best, this is a $20 figure.  And, the real value is, likely, lower than that.  There's just too many options for Snake Eyes that are close enough.  The Scarlett from the set is the real plum.  So, while this is, arguably, the "best" Snake Eyes, it's not different enough from any of the others released in the repaint era to really warrant a price premium or substantial effort to add to your collection.

1997 Snake Eyes, 2003 Toy Fare Snake Eyes, The Other 1997 Snake Eyes

2001 Double Blast - Around the Web

I'm working on 2 profiles right now.  Both are arout 85% done.  But, we got a foot of snow and had a pipe burst.  So, didn't get them done.  Did manage to get the photos, though.  So, I'm hoping to drop one on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.  I want them both to fully flesh out the full story of the figure, though.  Otherwise, I'd probably just publish as is.  

In the meantime, here's a quick Around the Web showcase of the 2001 Double Blast.  Like most of the more obscure A Real American Hero releases, he's tough to find much content on.  Some of the figures just aren't different enough from their originals to warrant usage.  If you want a realistically colored 1984 Roadblock figure for a photo, you use the 1984 Roadblock.  The only thing Double Blast offers is that he's cheaper and less prone to breakage.  But, you want a Roadblock.  You settle for a Double Blast.  

Which isn't to say he's a bad figure.  25 years ago, when he was released (yes, that's right, this figure is 25 years old!) the swarm of bland, drab figures allowed him to be swallowed in banality.  Now, though, you can find value in him.  He looks like Roadblock.  He has all of Roadblock's gear.  And, the quality has held up fairly well.  So, it's not terrible to have a Double Blast lying around for when you need something just a little different for a Roadblock photo.

2001 Double Blast Profile

2001 Double Blast by jonita_rodriguin

2001 Double Blast by idealisticcrusader

2001 Double Blast by corpscommandercody

2001 Double Blast by offc0ur5e

2001 Double Blast by thedustinmccoy

Muralha (Brazilian Exclusive Flint) - Around The Web

Muralha is, basically, Flint.  Without context, a photo of Muralha would easily be mistaken for a standard Flint.  Some people might think that something seemed a little "off" about the figure.  But, at his core, Muralha and Flint are pretty much the same.  The green colors are a little darker.  The skin tone has a slightly different tint to it.  And, the accessories are that rich, deep green color that North American collectors are most familiar with from the Tiger Force Recondo.  Its a nice package for Flint that's true to his roots while being just different enough to bother you.

For me, there's not a way to get enough Flint figures.  I'd continue to buy them if Hasbro had squeezed him into their Pulse line.  And, I'll give any Super7 Flint a long, hard look.  (the headsculpt will be key)  Being able to track down at least one more international variant was a fun exercise.  It makes me wish the Plastirama Flint had been released in Argentina.  He would have been as cheap as Funskool Flints were back in the early 2000's and I'd probably have 3 or 4 of him.  

I'm always careful when taking photos of this figure.  Brazilian figures tend to have brittle thumbs and crotches.  So, breakage is always on my mind.  And, the days of finding cheap replacement parts for a release like Muralha are long gone.  That's always limited my creativity when trying to showcase this guy.  I'd like to use him more often.  But, it just doesn't happen.  I've got 3 or 4 spare Funskool Flints that are still carded in my basement.  So, those aren't as worrisome and that makes them far more likely to be my go to for an alternate Flint appearance.

Muralha doesn't appear all that often from non-Brazilian collectors.  So, you don't see him all that frequently.  And, while I really enjoy the figure for being something different, you don't need him if you have a nice 1985 Flint.  So, take a look at the Muralha content below.  You'll see lots of other Brazilian figures showcased with him in a lot of the content.  

Muralha Profile

Flint - Around the World

Muralha - MOC Rarities Post

Muralha by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Muralha by lucianoverso

Muralha by colection.toys

Muralha by jonasgodoy_

Muralha by relinquished1979

Muralha by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Muralha by lucianoverso

Muralha by geekcollector_

Muralha by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Muralha by jundiaijoes

Muralha by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

To Be Clear

To make this crystal clear to everyone.  If you're a bigot, this blog isn't for you.  Leave and don't come back.  You are not welcome here.

If you can't take the mildest of critiques of failed policy and see the societal harm they caused, you really need to look in the mirror and ask yourself why.  The answer is going to scare you.  But, it might allow you to become a better person.

The world has taken a dark turn in the last decade.  And, you all know the reason why.  Rather than fight it, a vocal third of this country has allowed themselves to embrace the hatred.  It's easy.  And, it makes it so you don't have to face your own shortcomings and failures that kept you from reaching your dreams.

Beating up on marginalized communities might make you feel better.  But, it makes you a bad person.  No rationalizations that you've adopted in your mind take away from the fact that you are just terrible.  

The time for "rational discourse" is long over.  The ideas of fascism and white supremacy were defeated in 1865, 1945 and many other times in history.  They will lose again and you will have to face up to the reality that you were duped by people who don't care about you.

Losers who use language like "woke" as a pejorative are only calling out that I said something that made them uncomfortable in their bigotry and hatred.  GOOD!  You should be uncomfortable.  And, I'm not going to avoid saying things that make you feel that way.

So, go back to your AI-slop memes on Facebook where you belong.  The rest of us are going to continue to have a good time and enjoy ourselves...while occasionally laughing at your pathetic existence. 

1993 Mace

What's in a name?  You can argue that a name is your most valuable asset.  But, in some cases, it has no value, at all.  Take Mace.  As a character, he's a forgettable 1993 release who lacks any media to support his personality.  When you look at Mace, though, and consider his specialty, you can't help but wonder how the figure would have been received had it been a second version of Chuckles.  While it would not have had much of an impact on sales of the figure back then, it is likely that a simple change like that would have lead to this figure being much more accepted in 2026.  It doesn't change the fact that Mace isn't nearly the terrible figure his reputation suggests.  Instead, he's a more nuanced release that is indicative of the 1993 line.

Mace was the 9th figure I profiled back in 1999.  At the time, this figure was only 6 years old.  I had bought him at retail just under 4 years prior.  Taking photos of a "neon" figure simply wasn't done in 1999.  Much less, taking the time to write about him.  One of the things that's been, thankfully, lost in the Joe community was that definitive sense of age.  Guys who grew up with 1982 through 1985 figures were adamant theirs was the "true G.I. Joe".  But, those who came of age in the cartoon years of 1985 through 1987 also staked a claim to this mantle.  Those younger...well...they didn't matter.  Now, though, those schisms are gone.  And, the only real criticism you see of the later years of the Joe line are from people outside the hobby who try to comment on it with no knowledge that their dated opinion was drummed out of the hobby over a decade ago.  

Mace was originally intended to be included in a second series of DEF figures.  There are carded samples of the figure with DEF markings on the cardbacks.  He was included in a case with other new for 1993 characters that would have been members of DEF as well as repaints of 1992 DEF figures.  Mace was even released in Australia with DEF badges on his card.  I'm not sure of the reasons why DEF was cancelled for 1993.  The 1993 figures lacked the light up weapons that raised the prices of the 1992 figures.  Ostensibly, there was no reason to remove the added denotation from the cards except to streamline the overall carded line and provide a cleaner, retail presentation.  While carded samples of 1993 DEF exist, the '93 Toy Fair catalog clearly marks them as a Battle Corps assortment.  As they have their own page, though, it's apparent that this was still a last minute change.  (The Shark 9000 is still named the Shark BC-1 in the catalog and it clearly has DEF stickers on it.)  As the figures were unchanged, though, it's really a footnote to Mace, overall.

My original Mace write up was brief and somewhat positive.  This stems from the fact that I've always kind of liked the Mace figure.  I acquired him as an adult collector.  At first, his head mounted missile launcher was as ridiculous as it sounds.  But, with that removed, the figure had some merit.  He fits the law enforcement motif.  His sculpt is very strong.  He has a lot of features that I would have loved as a kid.  The sculpted holster across his chest is among my favorite looks for Joe figures.  He has a radio sculpted on the opposite side.  It's a neat feature that balances out his appearance.  And, as a kid, a detail that would have made Mace extremely useful as I viewed small communication devices like this on a figure to be of great importance.

The sculpted gear sitting atop Mace's cool, black jacket works very well.  I don't think his arms needed any additional details.  His hands being molded, black plastic works, too.  Sure, it was a cheap way for Hasbro to save paint.  But, in Mace's case, it works.  His tan pants match his upper torso and the colors work together very well.  The real shortcoming is that he's highlighted in yellow.  Yellow's a tough color to pull off.  In neon green or blue, Mace could have worked better.  His series of 9 figures in case, though, were already awash in oranges, blues, greens and reds.  So, Mace using yellow as his primary color was just luck of the draw.  It is striking against his black background.  And, it allows the excellent sculpted details to pop off his jacket.  I wonder if he'd be more accepted were his radio, wire and pistol grip done in grey.  They'd still offset the black and would allow the yellow to make Mace visually distinctive.  I don't want to erase the yellow.  But, adding an additional paint color would go a long way towards making Mace almost perfect.

We can't talk about Mace without spending time on the headsculpt.  By 1993, Hasbro had gotten much better at sculpting heads.  The faces were more detailed and featured more expressions.  Mace has a prominent chin and nose that are light years ahead of those figures from 1982.   Heads were slightly larger than those from the '80's.  And, this allowed for more texture on the hair and eyes.  At first glance, you'd think he's sporting a pre-Beavis blonde coif.  But, it's really a tight pull on Mace's long hair that culminates in a glorious man-bun.  You can see Mace's hair better expressed on the box art for the Shark 9000.  But, the figure pulls off the idea without treading into the territory of the plastic string hair that was used for the Ninja Force Scarlett.  It was a daring choice for Hasbro.  And, when paired with Gristle and Bulletproof, you can see that Hasbro was trying to emulate hair styles of the era with their "hip" line of drug-busting or drug-dealing figures.

It's tough to reconcile the drug related fervor of the late 1980's and early 1990's.  The disastrous "war on drugs" was just a pretext for law enforcement to terrorize urban, black communities.  G.I. Joe getting involved probably seemed like a good idea in 1992.  But, let's face it, even back then, the Joes would have been used to break down the doors of poor, downtrodden drug users rather than breaking up an international smuggling ring.  So, Hasbro moving away from the concept in 1993 helps this figure's legacy.  He's a strong enough design that he can be incorporated into other ideas.  But, I think back to the pure fear campaign that I was subjected to during my junior high and high school years about drugs (and  AIDS, too, but we'll leave that for another time....) and wonder how it affected me and my generation at large.  Gen X used to be a generation defined by their best.  The '90s were a hopeful time full of promise of a better world.  But, we turned out rotten.  And, you can't help but think that our constant exposure to propaganda like the anti-drug messaging helped condition most of us to blindly accept the propaganda machines of the 2000's.

I've long used Mace as a prison guard.  It helps that I acquired multiples of him very early in my collecting days.  And, I had a small army of him at one time.  These guards ranged from sadistic sickos who would beat and torture prisoners to incompetent cannon fodder for Cobra to mow down when they freed their comrades from confinement.  His late acquisition year prevented Mace from ever developing as a character.  And, I don't see that changing.  These days, he appears in my photos as an individual.  But, that's a result of conformity to a Joe community that sees all Joe figures as the individuals they were designed as.  I've lost some of the originality that separated my view of Joe from others.  I used to get inquiring into why certain figures were doing things "out of character" in my photos.  But, those have died off as I've become more conventional in my usage of most figures.  It's something that's starting to bug me and has gotten me thinking about how I should be approaching my collection and if I was happier with in the days before I knew how other collectors handled their Joes.

This leads us to the idea of Mace being Chuckles 2.0.  Chuckles is a throw away character who was meant to be a Magnum P.I. ripoff.  Instead, he found life as an ambiguous spy whose loyalties were unknown.  Larry Hama started this with his filecard and first comic appearance.  And, later comic writers have taken Chuckles to new, though somewhat cliched places.  But, Chuckles has found a solid second life and become a more popular character than his origins suggest.  Seeing Mace as an alternate look for Chuckles works, too.  The undercover hair and more tactical gear allows you to use Chuckles in a different way.  While I'm not sure that being Chuckles would make this figure any better, it would have certainly given it an inroads to the collecting world that was cut off due to it being a new, bland character.

Mace's accessories were fine and preposterous.  His weapon tree was perfectly acceptable. While the weapons were yellow, the designs were good.  He included a 1992 Shockwave rifle (not to be confused with a Hit and Run rifle that is similar), a 1990 Updraft pistol, a 1990 Ambush rifle and a knife from the 1991 Low Light.  It's one of Hasbro's better weapon trees and the accessories work well with Mace.  In addition, Mace included a bizarre helmet that covered one eye and left the other exposed.  To this affixed his spring loaded missile launcher.  It's just silly to attach the missile launcher to Mace's helmet.  But, it can be done and you get a totally 1990's action figure as the result.  Mace is rounded out with the requisite battle stand and yellow missiles that fired from his launcher. 

Mace had a short life.  After his Hasbro production run was complete, the mold went to Brazil.  There, Brazil released a figure in nearly identical colors to Mace as Cerebro.  Cerebro features grey pants instead of tan.  And, he includes a yellow version of the rifle that was included with Bulletproof.  Then, in 2004, Mace's chest, legs and waist appeared on the Comic Pack Double Clutch figure.  It was a surprise to see molds that were supposedly "lost in Brazil" return in such a fashion.  But, that was the end of Mace's life.  For a 1993 sculpt, that's not a terrible legacy.  Cerebro figures are pretty common.  Though, they aren't the $10 MOC purchase they were a few years ago.  So, getting all of Mace's uses isn't difficult.  

Mace has never been and is not, now, popular.  You'll see dealers clinging to 2021 optimism as they ask $30 for a loose figure.  You will see some carded figures sell in that range, just due to low supply.  But, open market carded prices remain under $20 and loose, mint and complete figures can be had for around $12...on the rare occasion that they are offered for sale.  Prices remain propped up by limited supply and massive hoarding by many who are still hoping that pandemic pricing prevails.  We'll see what gives first: their desire to store a ton of stuff in their basements or the need to liquidate for some quick cash.  Until then, Mace is a figure you can wait out.  He's cool.  But, he's not necessary.  For cheap, he's a great acquisition.  But, once the price rises, his value is quickly exhausted.  

1985 Quick Kick - Around The Web

I'm not a huge Quick Kick fan.  I've never really liked the figure.  Nor, have I found him all that useful.  But, lots of people do like him. And, in the right setting, he does look good in photos.  So, check out all the content below to see some great Quick Kick photos.

1985 Quick Kick Profile

1985 Quick Kick at the Attica Gazette

1985 Quick Kick be General Liederkranz

1985 Quick Kick by R.T.G.

1985 Quick Kick by Nekoman

1985 Quick Kick by R.T.G.

1985 Quick Kick by General Liederkranz

1985 Quick Kick by R.T.G.

1985 Quick Kick by formbx257

1985 Quick Kick at Half the Battle

1985 Quick Kick by HCC788

1985 Quick Kick by backyardjoes

1991 BAT - Random Photos of the Day

Last week, I pulled out my drawer of 1991 Cobras.  I wanted to get some photos of the Crimson Guard Immortal.  But, all 7 of my figures had a bad o-ring.  When looking through the 1991 Cobra drawer, I found that most of the army builders had loose o-rings.  My collection is from multiple sources and spans three decades of acquisitions.  So, finding such a concentration of bad o-rings made me wonder if there was something about 1991 figures.  It's weird, though, in that my Joes from that year are all still good.  And, the Cobra characters stored in the same drawer seemed to be OK.  It was just the army builders.  So, I spent an hour or so changing out all the bad o-rings and that got me on a 1991 Cobra kick.

The BAT has been a long favorite of mine.  When I got my first one back in the late 1990's, I viewed him as the new generation of named Cobra pilot who made his name flying the Firebat.  Slowly, this idea faded away and the BAT just became the robot he was meant to be.  All of this, though, is odd as I am NOT a fan of the BAT character.  I think they are a poor replacement for the horrors of war.  The notion of replacing humans with robots was just a way to sanitize the Joe cartoon.  Plus, I never found the 1986 BAT all that cool of a figure.

The 1991, though, is a different story.  The sleeker design and amazing orange and green color combo make for a striking figure.  From the minute I saw him, I was hooked.  And, I slowly built up a small army of the figure just due to the great colors.  Bizarrely, though, I'm not a huge fan of this color on other figures.  I was greatly looking forward to a 1986 BAT using the 1991 colors.  But, when a factory custom of this became available, I was underwhelmed.  Turns out, it's the combo of colors and mold that make the 1991 BAT so compelling.  

I don't use these figures as much as I should.  There was a short time where I paired them with Flak Vipers.  I really liked that combo.  But, I stopped doing it after just a couple of integrated photo shoots.  I need to get some ideas for the BAT going now that my contingent have good o-rings and will stand up to be posed.  Until then, here's some random photos of the BAT to tide us all over.

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes - Around The Web

The 1993 Ninja Force  Snake Eyes is actually a solid figure.  He has a strong design and great colors.  And, he has the best Snake Eyes head that Hasbro ever produced.  It's just a great look for Snake Eyes that gives him the aura of commando badass as well as fiery ninja.  Sadly, the entire figure is hindered by poor articulation.  And, that ruins the figure as he can't be posed like a standard Joe.  

It's too bad as this Snake Eyes is a great match for other 1992 through 1994 figures.  He allows you to use the character in a form that is complementary to his contemporaries.  You can really see the care that went into his creation when you pose him among other 1993 figures.  His colors blend, accentuate and pop.  It's a rare feat and proves that, sometimes, bad action figures can still be really fun collectibles.  Check out all the great content on this figure form around the web for more.

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes Profile

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by thedustinmccoy

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by gen_liederkrantz

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by HCC788

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by toysandtomfoolery

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by codename.steve

1993 Ninja Force Snake Eyes by gijoe_c4_panama

2021 Blue Worm - Black Major

Worms were never a popular figure.  They got an oversized bit of attention for their helmet antenna that was often missing.  But, even as this piece started to get pricey, no one really cared much about the Worm.  For most collectors, he was a checkmark on a list.  A few guys might have had three or four to man their Maggot.  But, even a setup like this was somewhat rare.  Hasbro had the mold for the Worms in the 2000's and used it on the 2005 Convention General Mayhem figure.  And, while this figure was well regarded in its day, the mold's use didn't lead to calls for a new Worms figure repaint.  The Worm was just one of those unheralded gems from the line's middle years of whom most collectors were aware, but few cared about in any material way.

This made it all the more surprising when, in the early 2020's, Black Major announced the Worms figure was going to be one of his next releases.  The choice to use the Worm wasn't met with disdain.  For most collectors, it was an interesting idea that might have some merit.  And, by this time, Cobra Troopers, Vipers,  Crimson Guards, Alley Vipers, Night Vipers, Snow Serpents and Eels had all been made by factory custom producers.  With the heavy hitters mostly covered, looking to more obscure molds made sense.  The colors were announced, the figures were produced and, with little initial fanfare, Black Major made what are likely his best overall figures, ever.

Factory custom makers have struggled to get good color matches with vintage figures.  The Cobra Blue colors don't match up.  The Action Force greens are always a bit too light or a bit too dark.  The red and crimson used for Red Shadows and Crimson Guard figures is always just a little off.  But, the blue on this Worm figure is spot on.  It is a deep, rich color.  While not a perfect match for the 1982 Cobra figures, it's a color that matches up with Cobra in a way the lighter blues you often see on factory customs doe not.  The most noticeable aspect of the color, though,  is that this figure is done in a dull, flat tone of plastic.  It's a stark difference from the glossier plastic you see on most factory customs.  It allows this Worm to blend in with vintage figures in a more seamless way.  

When I was a kid, the Worms figure became a high ranking Cobra who was just below a named official.  He was above all the various Troopers and Vipers and would confer directly with the named Cobras.  He's assist them in planning and then convey the orders to the troops.  I don't recall if he was loyal to the militaristic Cobras or the conniving character portrayed by the Sea Slug.  (I suspect the Sea Slug.  The only evidence I have is a photo from 2001 on the Flying Scorpion figure where I set up my Cobra hierarchy and the Worm stands behind the Sea Slug.)  But, the Worms figure took on more prominence than the simply commander of a mid run Cobra vehicle should have.

One think I've realized of late is that I've lost a lot of the characters that I made up during my various Joe runs.  30 years of seeing photos and stories arranged with "canonical" toy appearances has stripped away some of the uniqueness of my Cobra setup.  Another part, though, is that army building turned once essential figures like this Worm into just another nameless, faceless Cobra whose sole duty was a singular task.  Even the vaunted Sea Slug is now just an army builder who often wears Techno Viper gear.  

I suppose this is a function  of age.  And, it was always difficult to explain why I had certain figures in distinct scenarios as their appearance made no sense without the years of context from my childhood play.  On some level, I feel I've lost some of the wonder around the toys.  Their value came form the stories they could tell, the emotions they could express and the pure wonder of exploring the human condition that could offer.  Now, I don't spend my time attaching such functions to my Joes.  They are collectibles that I take outside for photographs.  I'm not sure I would even be able to piece together a play session.  And, that loss is something I do lament.  While the horrible reality that is today's world plays out, it would be good to hold on to a piece of innocence.

While I love this blue Worm, the truth is that he makes for a much better army builder than I could justify turning into a character.  Despite having just the one version, I can only see him as an artillery or vehicle commander.  It's not a bad role.  And, it does allow the Worm to be used on a multitude of Cobra vehicles.  I just can't see him as that ambitious character, any longer.  Now, he's one of many Cobra specialists who wear uniforms colored to their environment or to match their vehicle of choice.  It makes for better photos.  But, I'm not sure it's a better story.

With this figure in hand, it become more apparent that Hasbro's inability to ever repaint the Maggot in a meaningful way (that terrible Night Force version doesn't really count...) was a mistake.  It's likely Hasbro had the mold in the 2000's.  But, cheap vintage Maggots and collector disinterest killed any calls for a repaint.  But, in Cobra blue, grey, black or white, the Maggot would have been an amazing update to the line.  Had it included a driver, that might have cost the chance at these Black Major Worms.  But, with the new colorways in hand, I find myself really wanting a matching colored Maggot to augment these figures and really showcase their panache.

The original selling point on the Worms figures is that they were, actually, three figures in one.  Each Worm included an alternate Torso and heads.  One head was based on the 1993 Cobra Commander.  The Worms has always had a bit of a regal look.  And, the medals and formality of the mold are a perfect match for Cobra Commander's character.  So, including the Commander head was a smart move.  The other pieces included were a Wild Weasel torso and a caucasian Doc head.  This setup also included an Aero Viper helmet and creates an interesting Air Viper figure.  I might hold the Air Viper configuration in the highest regard of the three possible combos.  It's a weird parts combination that you really don't see used at all, any more.  But, it really works.  At some point, I'll do a write up on that, specific, character, though.

The Worms accessory complement was weird.  There's no other way to say it.  The good part is that each figure included the Worms helmet with an antennae.  On this figure, the helmet is blue and the antennae is black.  The two tone color really adds to the overall look of the figure.  It makes the antennae more prominent and showcases it's addition to the helmet.  The helmet is a perfect fit and is one of better add on pieces you'll find in all the factory custom libraries.  Where the figure gets bizarre is the weapon choices.  The best piece is a 1988 Iron Grenadier Uzi.  This weapon is overly large.  But, it's the only piece that makes any sense for the figure.  

He also includes a knife.  It's a solid sculpt, but has a large, round handle that makes it tough for any figure to hold.  There is a small pistol.  I am not aware of the origin of the knife or pistol molds.  They might be from Anniversary era figures.  This small  pistol lacks details.  It's...fine for the Worm.  But, it's small and not that cool.  The final, most offbeat weapon is the main body of the 1983 Airborne Rifle.  Gone, though, are the stock and the muzzle with bayonet.  The weapon looks like a toy M-16 you got when you were 7 and promptly broke into three pieces.  Beyond the absurdity of the weapon choice, it doesn't really fit in the figure's hands.  If you find a figure with just the helmet and antennae, it's worth picking up because the rest of the gear isn't great.

The upside is that, in addition to this blue figure, there are a variety of Worms colors to track down.  There are arctic Worms that are a perfect match for the Wolf.  There is an all black version that is the only figure in that color scheme that's worth owning.  Really, it's amazing.  Then, there's Crimson, Red Shadows, Python Patrol (which, again, is better than it has any right to be), Desert, for some reason...Tiger Force, a grey cammo version and an Air Viper color scheme.  There might be more, too.  But, you have Worms for all seasons and all of them are of high quality in terms of tight joints, paint applications and overall construction.  And, you can now have a Worms commanding every vehicle in your Cobra armory, should you so choose.

The Worms figures have gotten a lot harder to track down, these days.  Either their production run was shorter than more traditional army builders or, more collectors simply held on to the figures due to their overall quality.  If you can find the figures, the various colors will run you between $15 and $35 with the more desirable colors going at the top end.  Usually, these figures will also not include the parts for the Air Viper or the Cobra Commander.  So, you're not even getting the complete package.  I'll argue that this figure is worth it.  The quality is excellent and the colors just pop.  This blue Worms gives you a chance to upgrade your Cobra command structure with a new figure.  Or, just build out your mechanized army.  Either way, it's a solid figure and one of those under the radar releases that has no business being this good.

2004 Anti Venom Duke - Around The Web

I've had this Around the Web feature sitting in my drafts for a while.  I don't much like this Duke figure.  So, it wasn't a feature I was really looking to finish up.  Last week, though, Gen Liederkranz posted a photo (it's the 2nd link below!) of this Duke with a set of his gear from various sources.  It was amazing how much the proper gear enhanced this figure.  That set me to take the 1st photo in this post.  And, it prompted the same realization.  Duke just looks better with his real gear.

Sadly, the resculpted head is too large for any vintage helmets.  So, Duke is relegated to carrying an old Battle Gear helmet around.  But, there are now a variety of colors in which you can find Duke's M-32.  So, it's easy to find a nice match with a weapon that isn't so tied to Stalker or the original Duke.  And, both the tan and brown versions of Duke's backpack can work with this color scheme.  I'm not to the point where I like this figure.  But, I can see him appearing more frequently now that I have a good way to accessorize him.

So, check out the photos and write ups on the figure below.  There's some stuff written about him from back in 2004 so you can see how contemporary collectors viewed the figure upon his release. And, there's newer photos to see how people use him, now.

2004 Anti Venom Duke Profile

2004 Anti Venom Duke at General Liederkranz

2004 Anti Venom Duke by yo_joe_it

2004 Anti Venom Duke by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

2004 Anti Venom Set review at Generals Joes Reborn

2004 Anti Venom Duke by yovalleyjoe

2004 Anti Venom Duke by ftwten

2004 Anti Venom Set review at JoeBattleLines.com

2004 Anti Venom Duke by thejacshobby

2004 Anti Venom Duke by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

2004 Anti Venom Duke by gavinhignight

The Top 10 - 2025

This is my 10th Top 10.  We look back at an interesting year in Joe.  Hasbro abandoned 3 3/4" figures entirely.  But, Super7 picked up the mantle and delivered the largest contingent of figures we've seen since the heyday of the repaint era.  Sadly, the ReAction+ figures are expensive.  And, their heavy cartoon focus falls outside of my main interest.  So, while they are the real story of 2025 from a Joe perspective, they have little bearing on my past year.  The same is true of Black Major and Lady Jaye Toys.  They've done some amazing stuff this year, really upping their game.  But, for many reasons, they're products haven't spoken to me.  And, I've avoided new acquisitions from them.  And, lastly, kickstarters have come and gone.  Many haven't been funded.  And, some that have continue to underwhelm when the final product is in hand.  Again, I'm not interested in tacti-cool self insert characters that use Joe articulation but have no other connection to the Joe brand.  

I remain in a Joe acquisition moratorium.  It's just pure lack of interest.  I haven't bought anything in two years.  And, that's lead to some isolation.  If you're not talking about the newest and upcoming, you're just shouting into the void.  I don't really see my collection growing in 2026, either.  I'm just at a point where nothing's compelling enough to get me to buy it.

The most popular items on the site in 2025 was kind of weird.  It seems that unappreciated figures did really well.  You'll see from the list that some of the figures aren't the type of thing that you'd think people would want to read about.  But, I suspect that their relatively low place in the Joe world actually makes them interesting these days.  Everyone's read about Snake Eyes and see his figures everywhere.  But, Skidmark?  Only a special kind of sadist would write a few hundred words about him.  And, that drew people in.

So, here's the top 10 for 2025:

10. 2018 Red Laser Army Redmack - 654 page views

Factory Customs tend to do well.  Though, they aren't the guaranteed hits they used to be.  Redmack has the cachet of being a rare character that's now attainable.  He's visually interesting and still not all that common to see in the Joe content of the day.

09.  1990 Laser Viper - 663 page views

I've really struggled to find words for the 1990 Laser Viper.  My first profile on him wasn't great.  And, this 2nd one still wasn't quite where I wanted it to be.  But, I had fun taking photos of him out in the ice and snow.  And, he ended up in the top 10.  So, that's not too bad.  

08.  Swampmasher - 665 page views

I wish I had more Joe vehicles.  But, then, I have to pack up my collection and I see all the boxes and I think I should sell 2/3 of the ones I do have.  Some day, I'm going to get settled into a house that I live in for more than 3 or 4 years.  Maybe, then, I'll be able to get all my vehicles out and expand my collection a bit.  Vehicle prices have come down in recent years.  But, it's getting harder to find mint and complete versions as the plastic ages.  So, no guarantees, even if I have grandiose plans.

07. 1986 Stun - 679 page views

Vehicles always do well.  While figures are documented to death, Joe vehicles remain something that is less often seen.  They're big, bulky and a pain to get out.  But, they add so much to a photo.  The STUN was a childhood favorite.  And, it was fun to reminisce about it.

06. 2005 Winter Operations Frostbite - 687 page views

Snow photos did really well in 2025.  The 1993 Iceberg came in at #11 on the list.  And, some other profiles that featured photos in the snow also did well.  We got a massive snowfall early in the year and it lingered for quite some time.  So, I got hundreds of photos out in it to replenish my well of content.  On top of that, the Winter Operations is an obscure 2005 release.  (We'll see that theme appear again, later.)  Not many collectors pay it much mind.  So, this figure was a curiosity for many who couldn't place the figure without a visual reminder.

05. 1993 Alley Viper - 751 page views

This was a profile I did in conjunction with the Attica Gazette.  This bumblebee colored Alley Viper is more popular than it should be.  He's a fun army builder and is true to the Alley Viper character.  It all added up to a solid showing for a major character in one of his less famous color schemes.

04. 2025 Pythona - 798 page views

I don't know if I'll get a Pythona figure.  My local Target stopped stocking ReAction+ Joes over the summer.  She's the type of release that Super7 does well.  But, $25 is a lot to swallow for a character to whom I have no attachment.  But, she's, exactly, the type of figure that should appear in the ReAction+ line.  Super7's been mediocre with their figure assortments this year.  I hope they move away from the cartoon heavy influence.  But, I suspect they wanted to ensure that the owner got every figure he wanted as a kid before the line gets cancelled.  Now that they've hit the main characters, I'm hoping they delve into more ephemera like they did in the 5 POA line. 

03. 2005 Heavy Assault Set Duke - 811 page views

Ummm...I have no idea?  This is not a good figure.  But, the circumstances around the HAS set's release have been mostly forgotten.  You simply don't see the HAS figures used at all these days.  I suspect that obscurity lead to curiosity as it's not a figure you see all that often.  And, hard as it is to believe, this Duke is also 20 years old, now.  I'd have never guessed this was a top 3 profile of the year.  But, still not the biggest surprise on the list.

02. 1988 Skidmark - 834 page views

The biggest surprise goes to Skidmark.  He's the number 2 most viewed post of the year.  Which, makes little sense.  As mentioned above, though, I suspect that Skidmark's lack of popularity actually makes him more click-worthy.  You always see the big characters and rare figures out there.  You don't see Skidmark.  He's something new.  And, that brought in the eyeballs.

01. My Favorite Accessories Part 1 - 855 page views

This was my personal favorite piece of the year.  It gave me a chance to talk about some of the key weapons from my childhood and the stories associated with them.  Later installments of this series also did very well and fell in the top 20.  So, it's a subject that resonated with people.  I'll have some more of these coming in 2026, too.

So, that wraps up 2025.  I hope your year was good.  2026 will be fun.  I'm going to revisit some of the earliest figures profiled on the site and see how my views have changed in 25 years.  I've got more essays about some of the aspects of the line that really appealed to me back when I was a kid.  Rarities Month will be back with some obscure and interesting stuff, too.  I'm holding out hope that Super7 will reach bottom of the cartoon well and we might finally see a Dr. Venom or the khaki Kwinn figure.  Until then, have a great year!