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 by jonita_rodriguin
2001 Double Blast by idealisticcrusader
2001 Double Blast by corpscommandercody
2001 Double Blast by offc0ur5e
2001 Double Blast by thedustinmccoy
It took me a long time to get over the “Double Blast” name, but once I did, it became a fairly valuable figure.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a nice take on the Roadblock v1 mold, and the plain green tank top is one of those changes that really makes a difference
There sure was a lot of "blasting" going on in the world of G.I. Joe in 2001. If Double Blast had defected to Cobra, I can only assume he would have been tasked with starting up an elite squad of Double Fast Blast Vipers. :)
ReplyDeleteAs a standalone figure, he's fine. He works as an alternative for people who don't have the original Roadblock (or want a bit of a change). I feel like Hasbro knew everyone would just use this guy as Roadblock. Otherwise, I can't help but feel they would have given him a newly-sculpted head to try and promote him as more of a unique character.
He's a better Roadblock than Roadblock v2, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThat's fair to say. I wish the v2 Roadblock had gotten a proper repaint at some point (the Stars & Stripes Rock & Roll doesn't count :) ). It would be interesting to see if he made for a more appealing figure in a better color scheme. The basic sculpt is solid enough (aside from the head...I don't mind it, but I can definitely see why some people might not prefer it).
DeleteI don't know that it's accurate to say he's less prone to breakage than the 1984 original. The plastic Hasbro used for figures in the early 2000s was pretty crappy. Many of my figures from that era have cracked or broken just from standing or sitting on display, without even being moved in years.
ReplyDeleteyep. it's really toss up. I've had the same kind of breakage on both. and I hate the choice between hard plastic hands and stretched out one.
Deletewhy do they Crack down the chest or arms? mine literally cracked inside a plastic bag. the whole classified comic book set. sucks cus I'm never paying 250$ or whatever for a new set.
DeleteSomeone with a stronger background in chemistry, etc. could speak more competently about this than I can. But it seems to be primarily due to the plastic used in these 2000-era figures.
DeleteI believe that, relative to the 80's, there was way more of an emphasis being placed on the use of recycled plastic for toys being produced in the 2000's (which may or may not contribute to the brittleness, I'm not certain).
The regulations regarding chemical additives in plastics are always changing as well (for example, the additives that are used to make plastics more resistant to heat/flame). I'm sure the regulations in the 80's were much different than the regulations from the 2000's (and, in turn, I'm sure these additives must have SOME effect on the plastic's durability).
Also, it's possible that the 2000's figures simply used a lower grade of plastic that is less-resistant to breakage over time. I would compare it to the relatively stronger plastic used on 80's Joes versus the cheaper plastic used in similar 80's figures (such as Galoob's A-Team figures or Remco's various G.I. Joe knockoff lines). Like everyone else, I certainly have occasional instances of 80's Joes in my collection breaking. But same-era figures from Galoob and Remco seem FAR more delicate and prone to breakage (in my personal experience). A similarly-low grade of plastic was probably getting used on 2000-era Joes.
But, again, I'm no chemist. That's all just speculation on my part based on various bits of information I've gathered over the years (and from personal experience). I'd welcome the opinion of someone with a bit more knowledge/authority about the nature of these plastics.
The bummer is, all plastic will eventually break down over time (in our lifetime). It's just one of those very unfortunate things that toy collectors have to make peace with. It sucks, but there's no way to keep it at bay forever
I just had a 2003 Viper leg break when I tried to bend it to pose earlier this week. Left me a little bummed out and also questioning how much I should be investing in the any o-ring joes moving forward. My conclusion of course is just to add more Cobra Troopers from the Haslab/O-ring sets from a few years back LOL. All kidding aside I have been going through my collection these past few weeks and coming across a lot of figures with busted o-rings. The maintenance of a collection is certainly a labor of love and the inevitable breakdown of the plastics kind of have me at a collecting crossroads. Seems almost like a waste of money to invest in a toyline I have a heavy nostalgic connection to knowing that the breakdown of the toys is an inevitable thing. I probably ponder these pieces of plastic more than I should.
DeleteVery good figure, he was always just Roadblock to me.
ReplyDeletewhy do they Crack down the chest or arms? mine literally cracked inside a plastic bag. the whole classified comic book set. sucks cus I'm never paying 250$ or whatever for a new set.
ReplyDeleteThat Classified set is terrible. If you look at carded sets, many of the Stalkers have the chest crack still in the package.
I suspect some of those types of figure specific defects are related to the mold age and wear and tear. But, as others have said, the plastic Hasbro used during that era was garbage. Even Star Wars figures from that time will melt and heavily discolor. In a few more years I'm not sure there will be any all white clones left from that era.
The big cause of torso cracks, is the newly sculpted heads, where the neck post is likely the wrong diameter, putting significant pressure on the thin torso.
DeleteIt’s common on figures swivel neck figures with new heads, but seldom seen on the likes of Comic Pack Trooper or Officer, or The issue 2 or 4 Snake Eyes figures