Abutre Negro - Random Photos of the Day

My foray into Brazilian figures was entirely driven by the Cobra Flying Scorpion.  It was a figure that, once I was aware of its existence, I had to own.  And, in the 21 years since then, the Flying Scorpion has appeared time and time again on this site.  I get him out relatively often for a super fragile figure.  And, there's a lot of different photo shoots in which he plays a central part.  Lost in the personal appeal that the Flying Scorpion holds for me, though, is that his Cobra team mate in the Brazilian Sky Patrol might actually be a better figure.  And, while I've owned the Abutre Negro figure almost as long as I've had a Flying Scorpion, he is used infrequently and takes an undeserved back seat the primary Estrela figure in my collection.

The Abutre Negro is black, silver and red.  The color scheme works with classic Cobras as well as later Cobra releases.  Originally, I matched him up with the 1988 Destro and team.  As Iron Grenadiers have lost prominence in my collection, though, this figure finds himself more on his own.  As a kitbash, the figure is well done.  Cesspool's chest is one that should have had more uses in the Cobra ranks.  And, Dee Jay's head recolored not only gives the figure a completely different look but also gives a bit of disguising face covering that was common on most Cobras.  In short, if you found this figure in the 1990's, there is nothing about it that suggests anything other than these parts were meant to work together to create this character.

Oddly, though, this figure remains pretty obscure in my collection.  I've only photographed him once since 2012.  Which seems odd since the figure is so well done.  I just haven't had occasion to get him out and use him as often as his quality demands.  Part of that was that I rarely use aircraft in photos.  The other part is that I'm hesitant to attempt to pose him too much in fear of the brittle crotch and thumbs getting broken.  I opened my figure straight off the card back in 2002.  So, he's always been more of a collectible than a plaything.  Hopefully, I can get some more photos of him in the coming years.

One point of interest to me is that I refer to the Flying Scorpion by the English translation of his Brazilian name of Escorpiao Voador.  Yet, for the Abutre Negro, I refer to him by his Brazilian name instead of the translation of Black Vulture of Black Buzzard.  I assume it's just laziness since Escorpioa Voador is more of a mouthful than Abutre Negro.  But, also, in my collection the Flying Scorpion figure is a different character.  So, I really only ever refer to him by his proper name in collecting forums.

So, yeah, Abutre Negros are stupidly expensive.  Patrulha do Ar figures were among the first Brazilian figures to be readily available in the US.  But, they quickly disappeared by the early 2000's.  And, as wave after wave of Brazilian Python Patrol and Tiger Force figures showed up in the 2010's, the Estrela Sky Patrol figures remained relatively scarce.  As they were late releases, it's likely that the stock that was common in the late 1990's and early 2000's was overstock that was purchased by dealers and resellers and few of them were actually toys.  (Much like the 1994 figures in the US.)  So, now you'll pay well over $200 for a mint loose and complete Abutre Negro.  It's a lot and probably more than the pleasure of owning the figure is worth.

I hope that at some point the Pulse collection will move away from straight vintage homages and into more unique territory.  Producing a figure like this would be a strong way to get collectors something they wanted while not straying too far from purpose of the line.  I doubt it will happen, though, as releases have been too sparse so far for them to get into any deep cuts.

Abutre Negro (Brazilian Cobra Black Vulture) Card Artwork

The Abutre Negro (or Cobra Black Vulture) figure may be my favorite of the Brazilian releases.  His character is less important than the Flying Scorpion.  But, as a figure, he is incredibly well done and perfectly fits into any Cobra collection.

I acquired the Abutre Negro as a carded figure in the very early 2000's.  For collectors who are new to the game, this figure has always been difficult to find and extremely expensive.  But, 15 to 17 years ago, that was not case.  Collectors didn't really care about foreign releases and there were many avenues to acquire figures from Brazil as there were many Brazilian collectors eager to trade with American collectors so they could finish the U.S. run.  MOC, this was a $25 - $30 figure back then: with many going unsold at that price.

Below you see the Abutre Negro card artwork.  You'll note that the artwork is exclusive to the figure.  You see the silver parachute to also match the actual inclusion of the actual accessory.  You'll see that all my accessories are still attached to the package, too.  I opened the figure and got him out.  But, since the weapons kind of suck, I never bothered to remove them from the card.  One day I may.  But, I kind of like being able to slip the figure inside should I ever want to.

The cardback is kind of boring.  You see the other Patrulha Do Ar members as well as some of ther figures who were available at the time.  For some reason, Estrela blotted out the full artwork on the card front with yellow to highlight the accessories that were included.  So, the cardback is the only place you can see the full, unfettered artwork, however small it may be.

Brazilian Abutre Negro - Cobra Black Vulture - Around the Web

The Brazilian Abutre Negro, or Cobra Black Vulture, is one the great Estrela exclusive figures.  I first brought him out in late 2001 and he's been a mainstay of my collection ever since.  What was a cheap and easy figure to find in the early 2000's has become a very expensive addition to any collection.  Here's some of the top content around the web on the character:

Abutre Negro Profile

Review of a Carded Estrela Figure Featuring Black Vulture

Black Vulture at JoeCustoms.com

Abutre Negro at YoJoe.com

Abutre Negro at JoeDios.com

Brazilian (Estrela) Carded Figures:

I figured I would do something a little different here. I haven't profiled a carded version of a loose figure in quite some time and thought I could use this opportunity to showcase a little information about Brazilian cardbacks.

First off, Estrela Brazilian cardbacks are not of the same quality as the American cardbacks. They are stronger than the sturdy writing paper that Funskool passes off as G.I. Joe cardbacks, but they are not as sturdy as even those from the currently released figures. When you purchase MOC Brazilian figures, this is something to keep in mind.

Second, the unique card art that was produced in Brazil is easily on par with that of American figures. Again, most of us have seen Funskool's attempts at card art. While well intentioned, they don't live up to the American art that most of us are most familiar with. That is not the case in Brazil. Some of the earlier art, like Sparta, Tan Grunt, Airborne, Ripcord, and the infamous Cobra De-Aco is rougher, but these later Patrulha do Ar figures have cart art of exceptional quality. By the 90's, Estrela was producing some Joes for Hasbro to distribute in the U.S. Guys like Rampage, Slaughter's Marauders, and the Arctic Commando Dee-Jay were all made by Estrela for U.S. consumption. The high commitment to quality shows not only in the figures, but the detail that went into the package art as well.

Third, Estrela cards are made of a darker cardboard than the glossy American cards. This is most noticeable in most scans you see of Brazilian cardbacks and filecards. Most scans look like they were taken with a low quality scanner that could not produce enough light to properly illuminate the image. This is not the case. The cardbacks are made of darker cardboard that is not nearly as sharp as the gloss coated American figures. This, I think, is part of the problem with the flimsier cards. Without the coating, the printing colors are not as bright and are somewhat difficult to see. The cardboard certainly doesn't hold details like the more glossy backings. Of all the features, this was the most striking when I first acquired a carded Brazilian figure.

There is one other little note I feel I should mention. I've opened several Brazilian carded figures. One thing I've noticed is that figures with helmets, like the Patrula do Ar and the Forca Eco, tend to have a little problem. It seems the plastic of which the helmets are made is starting to degrade. Both figures I've opened that came with helmets (from different sources) have had helmets that have become tacky and soft. In fact, they are even starting to seep into the cardback. I haven't seen the problem on any figures, or accessories other than helmets. I don't have any loose figures that have been loose for longer than this year, so I don't know if the degradation is an effect of the helmet still being in the bubble and not being able to breathe, or if all the helmets will eventually succumb to this. I know many vintage Star Wars figures have had this problem. I just offer this as many people who have some Brazilian figures tucked away with the hopes that they will one day retire from their sale may be surprised to find a puddle of orange goo that has seeped through a cardback and ruined a great part of their collection. Just something to think about.

All in all, the carded Brazilian figures are very nice. They display well and mesh with a diverse Joe collection. Personally, I prefer to have the figures loose, but not many people seem to agree with me. As more people are exposed to these foreign figures, and complete their American collections, perhaps that will change. Until then, I enjoy having guys like this in my collection and think you will as well.

This guy rocks! Who is your favorite foreign figure? Let me know.

Cobra Black Vulture (Abutre Negro) - Brazilian Exclusive Sky Patrol

Most of you now know that I've become a foreign Joe junkie. That is the area in which I've most grown my collection in the past months, but is also the one area where there is really no other avenue in which the figures are showcased. Sure YoJoe.com shows all the awesome (and rare!) foreign variations, but no one out there seems to make these guys a vital part of their usable collection. Lots of people have these figures. They just keep them out of sight and out of mind so that the mint specimens aren't damaged. This is great. However, I've decided that some of these figures deserve to be used in the manner for which they were intended. Like earlier profiles of foreign figures, the Abutre Negro, or Cobra Black Vulture, has become an integral part of my Joe world.

By now, you know that in my Joe world, Cobra is focusing on South America. The operations down there are lead by the Cobra Flying Scorpion. He has a cadre of younger Cobras that I have assembled from '90's remakes of classic Cobra characters. This group has been flying high. However, the old guard (all of my Cobra figures from the '80's) is starting to get a little antsy and wants in on some of the success. Naturally, the new generals think the old guard will bring their history of defeat and will bog down the operations in South America. In order to help prevent this, Destro, a silent ally of the new Cobras, approached the Flying Scorpion character with an idea. He proposed that an old, lesser Cobra named operative become secret allies with the Flying Scorpion's character. The idea is that this old Cobra is friends with all the other old Cobras who want to usurp the Flying Scorpion's power. He will act as a buffer and keep the Flying Scorpion informed of any impending actions by the old Cobras that could jeopardize the South American operations. In return, the Flying Scorpion will train this older Cobra in his combat techniques and allow him to win some major successes in North America. The end result is that the older Cobra gains power and allies himself with the new Cobras while still maintaining his ties to the old guard. It also builds in a layer of internal protection for the Flying Scorpion and keeps his vision for Cobra South America intact. Of course, all that holds the relationship together is that this old Cobra is loyal to Destro and Destro is allied with the Flying Scorpion. Complicated? Yes. Fun? You betcha!

Of course, I had a dilemma. Who would be this old, lesser Cobra that Destro would bring aboard? I thought about Scrap Iron, but decided that he was still needed as an ally of Cobra Commander. I needed a new figure to be this character. Someone that didn't have a back story. Like other times I have faces this same problem, I looked to foreign exclusive figures. More specifically; Brazil. The Abutre Negro had what I was looking for in this character. First, he is a totally new interpretation of classic molds. He utilizes the head of the G.I. Joe figure Dee Jay, though cast as a Caucasian instead of African-American, the chest and arms of Cesspool, and the legs and waist of Dee Jay. He has a look of a more grizzled, older character who fit the criteria for which I was searching. His black, red, and silver color scheme also matched the Iron Grenadiers with whom he was first assigned.

I will admit that the translation of this figure's name was something I did on my own. Several translators that I found all translated Abutre to Vulture. As such, I call this figure Black Vulture. Others out there may have different names for this figure based upon different translations of his name. At any rate, I like both his Portuguese and English names. Both are nice, somewhat complex, and different from many other traditional Cobra names. I have decided that in my collection, this guy will go by both names. His younger years were spent under one appellation while his older years were spent under another. He will not deny either name, but it is enough to keep unprepared enemies confused. It also adds an element of depth to this character.

I've also got a carded version of this figure. Along with that, I've written up a short description of the Estrela Brazilian cardbacks so that you can get an idea of what they are like.

Are Black Vultures hard to find? Yes, they are. Are they unattainable? No. Like most of the later release Brazilian exclusive figures, Abutre Negro can be had with a little searching. Carded samples are the easiest to find, but they are still affordable and are at a price point where it would not be unheard of to actually open one. Any way you look at it, though, he is another excellent addition to any collection. I have found foreign Joes to be the most fun way to grow my collection over the past year. Army builders and lame American figures just don't hold the same level of fascination that many of these non-U.S. releases inspire. Granted, not every collector shares my feelings. However, I've found that figures like this guy allow for more imagination and leeway in the conventional Joe story lines. They are not bogged down in nearly 20 years of history and characterizations like most of the most popular originally U.S. released characters are. That is a great appeal to me and makes guys like the Abutre Negro the type of figure I want to keep adding to my collection. I think, that given the chance, you would find him and his brethren awesome additions to your collection as well.

I don't need any more Abutre Negro figures, but would like an Albatroz, Aguia Commando, Ar Puro, Marujo, Letal, Corrosoa, Biosfera, Marfim, and Biologico. If you have any of them that you are willing to trade, let me know.