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

Funskool Barbecue - Around The Web

The Funskool BBQ is one of Funskool's better repaints.  The brighter colors work on the character and the Funskool color palette is very eye pleasing.  Of course, there's little on the figure out there since he's become a forgotten member of the early 2000's Funskool imports.  But, there's enough to realize that this figure is a solid release and can find a home in any collection.

Funskool BBQ Profile    

Funskool BBQ by DragonFortress

Funskool BBQ by Slipstream80

Funskool BBQ by MrMikeVinthePit

Russian Funskool BBQ By DragonFortress

Funskool BBQ At Nekoman's Viper Pit

The Zeros - Mark V

Once again, for your 4th of July boredom, I present the Zeros.  These are the least popular posts of the past year.  I see a bit of a theme this year.  And, seeing what's really popular kind of reinforces my theory.  Obscure releases and foreign figures seem to be waning a bit in popularity.  While simultaneously, stuff that's relatively common seems to get big traffic.  I suspect it's a function of the influx of new collectors who are drastically overpaying for the common stuff they remember from childhood.  They like stuff they're familiar with, but aren't yet going into the depths that Joe collecting offers.  We'll see how that trend holds up through the the rest of the year.

Without further ado, here are the least popular posts from the past 12 months:

Tocha - Brazilian Blowtorch

Everyone loves Blowtorch.  Estrela figures from Brazil tend to be very popular.  Put them together and you get a dud of a profile that no one cared about.  I think this figure is cool.  But, he's also pretty much indistinguishable from the US release.  

2002 Convention Exclusive Crimson Viper

A somewhat obscure and hard to find army builder who's repainted in a classic way?  Check.  A profile ignored?  Check.  Not sure why no one liked this write up.  But, it's overall engagement was very low.  Generally, classic Cobra army builders do well, regardless of the color scheme.  But, this high quality figure flew under the radar.

Rarities - Unproduced Yellow Gloves Steeler

As unproduced figs go, this one is pretty lame.  The yellow gloves make no sense.  And, the 2004 figure of Steeler is generally unloved, too.  So, I get this guy's low numbers.

1992 Eco Warriors BBQ

Neon 1990's figures have finally found their popularity in recent years.  The releases from this time have gotten harder to find, substantially more expensive and appear far more frequently in fan created content.  Despite that, this Eco Warriors BBQ figure was ignored.  Few people stopped by to read about him.  I guess not all brightly colored 1990's figs can be popular at the same time.

Funskool Buzzer

Dreadnoks tend to be popular.  And, Buzzer is probably the best done of the crew.  But, this Funskool repaint didn't garner any attention at all.  In some ways, early Dreadnoks have become passe.  And, common Funskool figures don't get much love these days.  So, this profile amounted to a big dud.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2020, I have a lot more in store.  

1992 Eco Warriors Barbecue

One of the earliest figures I looked at on this site was the 1993 Payload figure.  That release was one of my first collecting purchases in the mid 1990's and held a special place in my collection at the time.  The mold was good.  The colors were strong.  And, the figure just, generally, felt in tune with the figures from the '80's that had been part of my childhood.  As figure resources came online in the subsequent years, I learned that the 1993 Payload was actually a repaint of a 1992 release.  The original use of the mold was an update of a character I had loved as a kid.  He featured colors that worked for his specialty and also worked very well with the new sculpting.  On top of all that, he was a Eco Warrior: a subset I really enjoyed.  Despite all that, it's taken more than 20 years for the 1992 Eco Warriors Barbecue figure to show up as a profile subject.

As a kid, Barbecue filled a very specific purpose.  While the Joe team, generally, needed a firefighter around, I found the figure's best use was a required crew member on the Whale.  While Cutter and Shipwreck would, usually, man the cockpit, Barbecue would be seated behind them.  Here, he was would await a call when he might have to put out a fire that threatened the missile launchers, main controls, bridge or depth charges.  Barbecue's heroics saved the Whale more than a few times.  Though, there were situations where other firefighters (in more on off stories) would die after failing to control the fires that broke out.  Or, the firefighter would be killed by a skilled Moray gunner and then the Whale would explode after a fire got to the depth charges.

Paint wise, this Barbecue is pretty basic.  The body is red, yellow and black.  That's it.  For a vintage figure, that's pretty basic.  Not even the pistol molded onto his right leg is painted black.  It's the same yellow as his holster.  In some ways, Barbecue seems like a figure where Hasbro cut some costs.  The basic three colors, though, really work.  There's enough color that Barbecue doesn't feel skimpy.  (Especially when compared to the 3 color figures that would debut in the 2000's.)  The less is more approach works for Barbecue.  The bright colors work, too.  Red and yellow are a natural fit for a firefighter.  And, while the 1985 release was a bit more muted, he was also bright for the time.

Barbecue's accessories are not great.  He carries over the squirting water gimmick from the 1991 Eco Warriors series.  This time, though, the pack is red and yellow with an bright yellow launcher.  For a firefighter, this gear can actually work and I find it more acceptable for Barbecue than I do any other figure which whom it is also included.  But, there's a cool little hack for giving this figure better gear.  The once ubiquitous Funskool Barbecue figure includes classic 1985 gear but in colors that exactly match this 1992 Eco Warrior figure.  So, you can slap a spare set of the famous firefighting gear on this 1992 figure for a much improved look.  In the days when Funskool Barbecues were $4, this was easier to do.  But, carded Funskool Barbecues remain available in the $20 range today and this additional use of the gear helps to justify that price.  I posted my first photo of this figure wearing the Funskool gear back in May of 2002.  17 years later, it's still my preferred way to use the 1992 Barbecue figure.

It was rare for G.I. Joe figures to feature accessories on the card artwork that didn't make their way into the actual figure release.  Mainframe's computer stand is probably the most famous.  Barbecue, though, is shown on his card artwork using a zip line.  I'm not aware of any real evidence that suggests that Barbecue was originally intended to include the rope and a zip handle.  But, he is the only Eco Warrior Joe who does not include any gear other than the water squirting pack.  (Toxo Zombie also got the shaft in 1992 and only included the water cannon with no other gear.)  I'm not sure of any reason why Barbecue would have gotten the rope.  But, I was a sucker for ropes as a kid and would have liked this figure to include a zip line accessory set just because I'd have found it fun.

Eco Warriors have a fun/irritating gimmick.  They change color when differently temperatured water is sprayed on them.  The color change was meant to denote "battle damage".  For a young kid in 1992, this was probably a neat feature that was used once or twice.  For a collector in current times, it's a blight upon the figure's veneer.  Most of the color change spots have now permanently changed color.  So, most Barbecue figures now feature dark spots all over the figure's torso.  It takes away from the figure's appearance.  So, finding a unblemished figure is worth the extra time (and, sometimes, extra expense) it takes to acquire one.

As Joe prices rose at unsustainable rates in 2018 and 2019, this Barbecue got caught up in the hype.  The 1992 Eco Warriors do not exist in the same numbers as standard 1992 carded figures.  But, even with the lower production run, they aren't as difficult to find as they sometimes appear.  After flirting with $30+ prices for a bit, this Barbecue is now more affordable.  We're starting to see Joe prices soften on many of the less popular, non army building figures of the 1990's.  And, Barbecue is an example.  While dealers will still sell a few figures for $25, you can get mint and complete with filecard versions for $15 or so without too much trouble.  That's probably a fair price for the figure.  Though, I would expect that to fall as Joe's popularity begins to sag.  If you sacrifice the filecard or the water cannon, the price falls further.

I find the price worth it for a figure of this Barbecue's quality.  But, the bright colors and late design year are off-putting to many old school collectors, too.  If I could only have one representation of the Barbecue character in my collection, I'd take the 1985 version and let this mold be Payload.  But, the overall quality of the sculpting means that some coloring of this figure mold belongs in every collection.

1985 Barbecue - Around the Web

Barbecue is the G.I. Joe team's only firefighter.  But, what a release he was!  The 1985 mold is excellent and features superb accessories.  Here's the best content on him around the web.

Barbecue Profile

Barbecue Video Review

Barbecue Dio 1

Barbecue at HalftheBattle

Barbecue Dio 2

Barbecue at JoeADay.com

Barbecue Dio 3

Funskool Barbecue

In late 2000, Funskool figures were not overly common in the U.S.  You'd see them online from time to time.  The typical prices, though, were in the $15 range.  At the time, that was a ridiculous sum when you consider you could buy loose, mint and complete with cardback Satan's and Ninja-Ku's for that price.  At that time, I found a dealer in Malaysia who was selling several 1993 and 1994 American figures that I needed for very reasonable prices.  His shipping was expensive, but didn't add too much to the cost of the figures if you bought a lot of items.  In perusing his offerings, I found a Funskool section for the minuscule price of $8 each.  I decided to take the plunge and bought several figures.  Among them was my first Funskool Barbecue.

The Barbecue mold is a classic from 1985. It features tremendous sculpting on the body as well as awesome accessories designed to implement perfectly with the figure mold. The figure's foam gun attaches to Barbeque's leg so he doesn't have to hold it all the time. The same features exist on the Funskool figure and make him a perfect homage to the classic Barbecue. This Funskool variant has bright yellow and blue highlights. The body is not the subdued orange of the American figure and is much brighter. It's definitely a gaudy Barbecue variant, but that's what makes the figure fun.

Funskool figures have an innocence around them. They were not created for any collector market. These figures were designed to be sold to the millions of Indian children of the time. As such, the bright colors are designed to catch their eyes. As such, American collectors get an insight into the marketing of a foreign action figure line but also get the opportunity to acquire some figures that were designed more closely in line with the vintage figures than the repaints Hasbro was releasing during the same time period.

This is the reason why I enjoy Funskool figures so much. They are bizarre and obscure. But, they bring something that was missing from the modern era American Joes. Sure, the Funskool quality can be spotty. But, Barbecue figures tend to be a bit better than some other characters. Regardless, Funskool opens up a tremendous new world for American collectors. Aside from the super rare figures, these more common modern figures bring collectors some great new characters as well as some great updates to classic American molds. Figures like Barbecue are odd, but the bright colors are an interesting way to expand the Barbecue character and use him in more varied displays.

There are several variants to the Funskool Barbecue figure: mostly regarding the mask color.  Some figures have a bright yellow mask while others are slightly pinkish. Being Funskool, there are likely dozens of slight color variants. So, modern collectors have many different options if you want to track down Funskool Barbecues. The differences are extremely subtle, but they are there.

The Barbecue mold was quite a world traveler. After it was released in the U.S. in 1985 and 1986, it was sent to Brazil. There, Estrela released the figure in colors very similar to the American version. In 1989, Estrela produced the Slaughter's Marauders Barbecue for both the U.S. and Brazil. After that, the mold went to India for Funskool's long production run. Barbecue may have been returned to Hasbro in the early 2000's or he may not have. Regardless, the mold has not appeared since the Funskool release. The mold probably still has some potential for more repaints. (Especially as a Cobra!) But, that is unlikely to ever happen.

Funskool Barbecue figures are fairly common.  Thousands of them were imported to the U.S. between 2001 and 2004 and sold for around $4 each.  Today, carded versions don't cost much more than that.  The Funskool demand was sated and most of the figures remain cheap today.  So, the modern collector really has no reason to not acquire this figure.  For fans of the classic Joes, figures like this Barbecue are a great way to augment a collection and have some variety to classic characters. Sure, the colors are bright, but the figure still retains a solid camp value due to its foreign origins. For under $10, that's worth acquiring the figure.

1985 Barbeque

Just about all Joe collectors agree on one thing: 1985 was the single best year for Joe figures in the entire run of the line. While I'm not sure I agree with the figures being the best, 1985 is certainly the most important year in Joe history. While 1984 was full of great characters like Firefly, Zartan, and Storm Shadow and was the year that Joe really started to enter the mainstream, it was the flurry of the 1985 figures and characters that really ushered in Joe's golden age.

While certainly not one of the stars of the '85 line, Barbecue is one of the supporting role players from that year, the same as figures like Airtight and Alpine. He was not a major character and didn't play a huge role in any of the Joe media. What he was, though, was a figure that really was a necessity in the line. Some people don't think of a need for a firefighter in a combat unit. (Most notably, Shipwreck from issue #40 of the Joe comic.) Without the firefighter, though, who would put out the burning Skystriker and save Ace after he crash landed on the deck of the U.S.S. Flagg? Barbecue is the type of figure that any line with the diversity of Joe needs.

In 1986 and 1987, the Hovercraft was my favorite Joe vehicle. Just about every mission I created occurred at sea. I used my bed as an aircraft carrier, since I couldn't con my parents into paying just 69.99 for a Flagg at TRU, and had my Hydrofoil attack it. Naturally, the Hovercrafts went out into the fray after the Hydrofoils. On one mission, I had the Hydrofoil hit the depth charges on the Hovercraft. As the crew couldn't put out the flames, the craft exploded and most of the crew was killed. (As I've said before, I have army builders for my Joes as well. It was very easy for me to sink a hovercraft crew without breaking from major continuity by killing major characters.) After that incident, a firefighter was assigned to every hovercraft crew. He was such a vital position, that I went out and bought myself a new Barbecue right before he disappeared from retail just for this purpose. I wanted a figure that would be able to hold up to the new duties I had assigned to him. While that figure is still around, though in much poorer condition than I would like, the figure you see below is an upgrade from earlier this year. You may have heard of the great lot of figures I acquired earlier this year from some other profiles. This Barbecue figure is among the many treasures that I found when I opened that box.

As time went on, Barbecue found himself being a standard on not only hovercrafts, but the Tactical Battle Platform, in the Joe headquarters, and at any airfield. He became a figure that was called upon in time of emergency, usually after the combat had ended. He continues in the capacity to this day. Now, I've got 6 Barbecues. While I acquired this many during a short stint where I used him as a prison guard and executioner, I'm now glad that I've got them. I can keep one in the hovercraft and in the headquarters and still have a few in reserve. He is a figure that I use fairly frequently, though pay little attention to. He is also a figure that I tend to forget about until the last moment. When I finally brought my Hovercraft out to Arizona, Barbecue was only added at the last minute to the inaugural voyage out into the pool. After I put this figure out there, though, I decided to use his second Eco-Warriors version from 1992 for any more dips in the pool. While this original version is lots of fun, the second version fit what I was doing at the time as he looks more like a diver (the figure is the basis for the mold of the 1993 Payload) and doesn't have small accessories that can easily be sucked down the drain. Now, this version of Barbecue is always used when I use my hovercraft indoors. When they actually go into the pool, the 1992 is called upon for duty.

Barbecues aren't too tough to find. Of the '85's, he is among the most common. Finding one complete with no paint wear on his face, though, is a bit more of a challenge. Barbeque's gun is among the smallest in the line. Since it was attached to a hose, that reduced the possibility of loss. For my friends and I, though, that hose was just in the way of a really cool guy that actually attached to the figure's leg. As such, the gun is most often missing piece on Barbecues you find today. Still, though, even mint, complete Barbecues can be had for next to nothing. He is a figure well worth adding to your collection, though, as he plays an important role that needs to be filled. I can't imagine any airfield without at least 2 Barbecues present to handle fires. As such, I expect Barbeque's will never get any press, but will remain in people's collections for realism reasons. On that level, the figure definitely works. Beyond that, I'm not sure the collecting community at large will ever go for this guy. That's okay, though, as it allows those who do appreciate Barbecue to quietly add them to their collections.

There are people who have no use for firefighters in a combat unit. Personally, I think this figure a necessity to the line. How do you feel?