Super 7 - October 2026 Figure Reveals

I've been saying that I need to do more posts like this just to keep track of the various Joe releases.  I did it during the Hasbro Pulse era.  But, I've been slack during the Super7 era.  Which is too bad because some of the fun details of each release are going to be lost to time...just like what has happened with all the community discussion during the early 2000's. 

Super7 has (finally!) announced their October 2026 wave of figures.  (So, these figures showed up in August.  Super7 said nothing.  So, I updated this draft post to a title of September Reveals.  Super7 still said nothing.  Now, we're in October.  Snake Eyes has been out for almost 2 months and 2 new Ninja Force figures have already hit retail.  Super 7 really dropped the PR ball on this wave.)  The wave includes a winter coat Baroness, winter coat Shipwreck, a SNAKE Armor and Flint.  Target will be getting an exclusive Tiger Force Jinx,  too.  This wave is an all cartoon wave as Baroness, Shipwreck and the SNAKE are all based on their cartoon outfits and Flint is in his cartoon coloring.  On some level, this is disappointing.  Not because these are bad figure choices.  But, because the last two comic figures have been excellent.  Flash and Deep Six were both excellent figures that filled major holes in the Joe line.  So, seeing a break in that line is unfortunate.  I do expect them to pick back up in future waves, though.

The figures themselves are pretty strong.  Super7's sculpting is improving.  And, the smooth textured figures from the earlier waves are looking more and more dated as their skillset grows.  The headsculpts are the most notable improvements.  Shipwreck is light years ahead of human heads from the first wave or two.  The colors are very nice.  And, the accessories...well...they're improving.  But, still have a long way to go.  

Super7 was planning to announce the figures and have them in stock the same day.  Which, they did.  However, the figures appeared in Asia ahead of the announcement and collectors got a full look at them about two months ahead of the planned release date.  This isn't bad.  But, it might get Super7 to go back to  their old model of announcing the figures a month or so ahead of their availability so that early markets don't spoil the surprise.

Shipwreck:

Shipwreck is the plum of the wave.  For as popular as he is, Shipwreck figures based on his sailor uniform are few and far between. You have the original, a weird Tiger Force figure from Brazil and the Flaming Moth figure.  That's it.  It's weird that it took Super7 almost two years to get to a character who was so integral to the cartoon.  But, by waiting, they delivered a figure that looks really nice. The peacoat is a great addition as it gives the figure some uniqueness while not detracting from the sailor motif.  He's got Polly and his anchor rope.  But, bafflingly, he doesn't include a pistol.  Even if he didn't use in the cartoon, Shipwreck should always include a old timey pirate inspired gun.

SNAKE:

The SNAKE is a weird choice.  It's not a collector favorite nor is it heavily associated with the cartoon or the comic.  This figure isn't an armor in which you insert another figure, though.  It is a figure.  And, that's a neat idea.  It's oversized and looks like a SNAKE.  It adds something you don't normally see in the line.  Hopefully, this is a precursor to oversized figures like the Monstro Viper, Bio Viper or even a Manimal appearing in the line.  But, as a release, it's an odd selection.

Baroness:

Like Shipwreck, it's weird that it's taken this long for Baroness to appear in the line.  But, again, the wait will give us much better  quality.  The winter coat works with the Baroness' colors.  Her head looks well  detailed and is a different approach to her countenance than we typically see.  She's a solid entry and has me regretting buying a pink Daina  figure since this Baroness fills the role of a winter themed villain much more effectively.

Tiger Force Jinx:

I don't care for Jinx.  Never have.  At first, the blurry photos made her look  strong enough. She's cast in black and orange with some green highlights.  She's a nice rendition of a Tiger Force version.  Then, I  noticed that, for some reason, Jinx includes Falcon's shotgun and backpack.  I don't know why, but that little detail now has me wanting the figure.  I've never done much with Jinx's character.  But, with this figure, I now have an evolution arc for her that I might explore.  Should I stumble upon her at a retail store, I'll pick one up.

(No promo image for her, yet.  But, she's been out for over two months.  You all know what she looks like.)

Comic #2 Snake Eyes:

Technically, this guy was announced In August.  He was a surprise.  And, within a week, was already being memory holed.  It's a decent rendition of the arctic Snake Eyes.  But, I think there's too much uninterrupted blue on him.  The figure also looks like it was sculpted early in the line and is very smooth.  It feels out of place and the comic packs seem like a dumping ground for some early figure designs that didn't fit into the regular carded wave of figures.  The upside is the weasel skull necklace.  But, if you're making Comic #2 in a collector themed release, why not Kwinn?!?  I'm hoping these bland comic packs are discontinued so they can focus on the main carded line.

Flint:

I'll have lots more to say about this figure at some point in the future.  We all knew Flint would show up in the line.  And, he's here.  He's  pretty much how you expected it to go.  He's got really nice sculpting and includes vintage inspired gear.  Flint's tough for me because he's my favorite figure and I've overly critical of anything that treads upon his original design without improving it.  So, we'll explore that in more detail at a future date.

In sum, this is a good wave of figures.  Only the SNAKE is really a loser.  Generally, fandom seems pretty excited about the entire wave.  It will be interesting to see who ends up getting the most use.  My money's on Shipwreck just because there are so few other options for the character.  All in all, though, Super7's evolution is continuing and the figures are delivering more and more.  I'm happy with the release cadence and remain optimistic about the line's future.

The Rankings - 1984

1984 is an interesting Joe year.  It's considered a classic with some of the best figures ever released.  But, the 1984 lineup is very transitional.  About half the figures are in line with 1983 releases while the other half take a leap forward and give us the precursors of what the line would become in 1985.  It's going to be a tough year to rank as it contains some of my personal favorites, consensus icons and, one of the worst releases Hasbro ever created.  So, we'll jump in 1984 and see where this ends up.

#20. Deep Six

Yeah, it couldn't be anyone else.  This Deep Six sucks.  But, to be fair, he features an original head (which was intended to be the Alpine Trooper head that was going to be used with the Scrap Iron body) and an ambitious action feature.  I'm not going to convince myself that Deep Six is a good figure or toy.  But, he has all the hallmarks of a G.I. Joe figure and had the same care put into his design as did Stormshadow.  He loses due to articulation.  But, there are elements of quality to him that keep him above some figures from later years.

#19. Clutch and Stinger Driver (tie)

It's unfair to really include these guys in the 1984 lineup since they were both repaints of earlier figures.  But, in the case of each figure, the repaint was amazing.  Both are substantially different from their original releases while still maintaining the overall quality of the earlier design.  You can argue that both the 1984 repaints are even better than the original paint jobs.  They appear this low, though, because they were earlier sculpts and the other 1984 figures also brought new colors to the line.  It's not fair they are so low.  But, that's a testament to the quality of the overall year.

#17. Duke

At his core, Duke is a 1983 figure design.  He uses the classic helmet, reuses gear from prior figures and even recycles parts from earlier releases.  Design wise, he fits with the 1983 Team.  Because of that, his overall rank suffers for 1984.  His release year contemporaries brought more to the table.  Duke seemed like a pure throwback instead of something new.  His colors are nice.  But, they were more muted when compared against the other 1984's.  Then, he's got the goofy head.  In reality, Duke works as a figure.  He's just not one of the stronger releases in his year.

#16. Hooded Cobra Commander

An iconic look ranked this low?  Well, yeah.  Cobra Commander suffers from a lot of what ails Duke, Clutch and the Stinger driver.  The new head and the darker blue color make for a fantastic figure.  He just didn't offer anything new or revolutionary to the 1984 lineup.  The low ranking is more a function of him being mostly a repaint instead of an all new figure. 

#15. Roadblock

Roadblock is another 1983 throwback.  His body is a little beefier.  And, the reused parts do limit him.  His accessories push him up the list.  The machine gun, tri-pod and backpack all work in concert to produce a great toy.  His colors are nice.  If taken against the line as a whole, Roadblock would perform well.  He just can't outperform his fellow class of 1984.

#14. Copperhead

I'm not really sure if Copperhead should be this high.  He gets solid marks for bringing so much color to the Joe line.  And, he features a bulkier sculpt to showcase his size, too.  The fact that the figure persevered and remains somewhat popular despite him not getting any characterization is a testament to this figure's overall design.  So, he gets ahead of Roadblock even though Roadblock is a lot more useful.

#13. Scrap Iron

Scrap Iron started his life as a Joe Alpine Trooper.  At some point, he was converted to Scrap Iron.  The colors are great.  But, the head is weak.  It really doesn't fit with the rest of the figure.  It being designed later in the process explains the difference.  He gets some higher marks, though, for his gear.  The missile table was inspired and gave Scrap Iron value over just his figure.

#12.Wild Weasel

I don't like the Wild Weasel figure.  The reason for that is that I saw the artistic rendition of him in the comics in the summer of 1984.  So, I had months of waiting for him and anticipating him before we got him in October of that year.  And, the figure just didn't live up.  I thought the helmet was too big and there was too much red.  But, in the 42 years since his release, he's grown on me.  And, the design as a pilot is pretty strong.  

#11.Cutter

So, this one photo from 2008 is the only time I can ever find that I used the 1984 Cutter.  Back in 2013, one of my sons crawled into a storage room and opened up a drawer of 1984 Joes and managed to break my Cutter's crotch.  So, I haven't had one to really use in more than a decade and a half.  Despite that, the original design is pretty good.  The life vest gave him added bulk without making him too big.  The sculpted baseball cap also worked really well and brought a new look to the Joe line.  His colors are strong and different.  So, he's right in the middle of the year's lineup.

#10. Firefly

The first controversy in the list.  How could Firefly, one  of the line's iconic figures, only be the 10th best figure from his release year?!?  The answer lies is two parts.  First, Firefly is another 1983 style figure.  His head is the perfect size for the classic helmets.  Secondly, though, is that Firefly doesn't get any paint details that accentuate the amazing sculpting that Hasbro did for his body.  While Firefly is still visually interesting, he also lacks something because his grenades, pouches and pistol all blend into a seamless see of two toned grey.  Firefly's cool as hell.  But, his overall design didn't do much to move the Joe line forwards.  

#09.  Ripcord

As a figure, Ripcord is kind of bland.  But, his cammo is more dramatic than Firefly's.  The rest of the figure doesn't have much going for it.  What it does have, though, is some of the best gear ever released.  No parachute rig that came after was able to live up to the innovation of Ripcord's parachute pack and airmask.  With his gear attached, he's an amazing figure.  I had mine wear his mask even on ground missions because it just looked so cool.  

#08. Thunder

Apparently, I'm a Thunder fan.  While he's very much a 1983 throwback, he works on many different levels.  He included new helmet gear that elevated the standard helmet.  The rest of him, though, is well sculpted.  I've always loved his chest sculpt.  They layers of brown, green and black work as a visual treat.  So, I find Thunder a better piece of design than some of the more iconic figures from this year.

#07. Recondo

Recondo isn't perfect.  But, he is a great looking jungle trooper.  His muted base color allows his painted details to stand out.  The green hat is a perfect topper, too.  Recondo features a strong face sculpt to boot.  He only includes two accessories.  His backpack is one of the better pieces from the line's early years.  It's big enough to showcase all the details while not being overbearing like many of the packs from 1987 and beyond.  His rifle can be tough to pose.  But, it does look really good with Recondo...to the point where Recondo looks weird with any other weapon.  Recondo showed what Hasbro could do now that they had a couple of years under their belt.

#06.  Spirit

Like Recondo, Spirit showed what the Joe line could be.  His stern face is an understated element of the figure that helps define his character.  The molded hair piece, though, was a leap forward in design.  It opened the doors to more variety for heads.  We wouldn't see it that often.  But, Spirit allowed the 1984 lineup to look quite different from the previous years.  On top of that, he included another new addition to 1984: an animal companion.  Freedom wasn't a terribly useful accessory.  But, he was an element that set the Joe line apart.  The rest of Spirit's gear really only works  for Spirit.  That's a double edged sword, for sure.  But, shows that accessory integration is essential for any successful action  figure line.

#05.Stormshadow

The top 5 is where it starts to get dicey.  It's very possible that, if I were to revisit these rankings in 2028, that Stormshadow might end up #2 on the list.  For now, though, he rests at number 5.  Really, though, that's only because those above him are so good.  As a figure, Stormshadow isn't all that groundbreaking.  Sure, he introduced the ninjas mythos to Joe.  But, his sculpt is somewhat basic and hearkens back to 1983.  He excels, though, in the accessory department.  His backpack is a masterclass of engineering.  It was, likely, the most intricate accessory that existed in the 3 3/4" scale at the time.  The complete package remains iconic.  

#04.Blowtorch

Blowtorch gets high marks for his striking colors and his amazing gear.  I've always kind of lumped Ripcord and Blowtorch together because they both had air masks.  But, it is Blowtorch's design, where his mask is integrated into the figure itself, that is more memorable to me.  It's a stronger feat of engineering and something that Hasbro hadn't fully worked out when they were taking promo photos of the 1984 figures.  In addition, Blowtorch proved that bright, vivid colors could work perfectly in the proper setting.  You can see the fiery yellow and red and instantly know Blowtorch's specialty.  On top of everything else, his flamethrower and backpack integrated, too.  His suit is full of small details.  He's just a figure that defines his year while expanding the look of Joe into new areas.

#03.Mutt

Mutt is overly high.  He's among my favorite figures and is a guy to whom I hold great deference.  But, as an action figure,  he's amazing.  Mutt showed that brighter, more powerful greens could still work on a G.I. Joe.  And, his accent colors give him visual depth.  He also brought the first, real animal character to the line.  Junkyard became a fan favorite.  And, there are still collectors who prefer the dog to the man.  The rest of Mutt's gear is also great.  He might have the best pistol Hasbro ever created.  And, his muzzle/helmet combo gave him a talking point.  Without the muzzle, Mutt features a riveting head sculpt...including unexplained scars: a rarity for a good guy.  Mutt is just a complete package of a figure and is one who's always going to rank high with me.

#02. Baroness

I'm surprised I ended up with Baroness this high.  But, she is light years ahead of Scarlett and, certainly, Cover Girl in terms of female sculpting.  Her separate hair piece was inspired and gave an excellent approximation of longer hair.  The eyeglasses were perfectly proportioned and gave her a distinct look.

The only bad thing about the Baroness is that Hasbro then went backwards in female figure design after her release.  Lady Jaye is a step down.  Zarana does an OK job of replicating the Baroness design aesthetic.  But, the bad face sculpts keep her lower than the Baroness.  Jinx didn't have a face at all.  And, then we didn't see another female figure until the 1993 Scarlett.

The Baroness seems passe, now.  We got tons of repaints of her in the 2000's and even factory customs.  But, she remains Hasbro's best work for a female figure.  Her only detriment is her terrible rifle.  But, that's inconsequential when the rest of the figure design is so well done.  For her, the lack of color works as the all black ensemble conveys her affiliation and allows to match up with any of Cobra hierarchy where she may choose to lay her allegiance.

#01. Zartan

This should not be a surprise.  Zartan brings so much to the Joe line that he has to hold the top spot on this list.  The color changing gimmick is the least interesting thing about Zartan.  But, it's a big part of my kids loved him.  The character is just, generally, bizarre.  And, with little explanation as to why, kid's imaginations could run wild.  The oddball chest armor that held a heat sensing sticker added to the mystique.  And, his hood was an extension of the hair pieces used for Spirit and Baroness.  

To top it off, Zartan included great accessories.  His backpack held an alternate face.  Today, action figures include alternate heads for collectors.  But, in 1984, we got to play with a bearded weirdo who was disguising the most visually distinctive villain in the G.I. Joe line.  If that wasn't enough, his pistol rivals Mutt's for the top spot in terms of Hasbro's efforts.  

Zartan showed what the Joe line could be and firmly cemented it as military fantasy.  The illusion of the line being about green army guys was forever shattered and there was a full decade of future releases that were a function of that early decision.  

All in all, the 1984 line has a strong case for the best year of Joe releases.  There's just so much here and it's all packed into just 20 figures.  I'm sure everyone's list differs just based on your personal experiences.  But, I'd love to hear about your top figures from this year and why they are important to you.

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness - Around the Web

The 2005 Imperial Processional set is just weird.  It's got a bizarre amalgamation figure who operates as an army builder, offbeat colors and throne that's barely enough to lift a figure off the floor.  But, it kind of works.  2000's Joe was so banal that anything that took even a remote chance remains a bit more interesting, today.  

This Baroness figure used to be the most unique look for the mold.  But, Lady Jaye Toys rendered this figure moot with their dozens of Baroness mold repaints in the past two years.  This figure does have the alternate head.  But, I'm not sure it's better.  

Regardless, check out the content on her, below.  You'll  find a nice mix of items written upon her release as well as more modern takes on the figure.  I have a real profile that will drop on Halloween.  It should be pretty easy to guess which figure it is.

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness Profile

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by atwooddan

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by yovalleyjoe

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by gen_liederkranz

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by gi_joe_y2k

2005 Imperial Procession Set Review at General's Joes Reborn

2005 Imperial Procession Set Review at Joe Battle Lines

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by gi_joe_y2k

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by rexglewis1982

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness by yovalleyjoe

1984 Baroness - Around The Web

Back in the mid 1990's, dealers convinced everyone that female figures were super rare and valuable.  Fortunately, Ebay proved that she was no more difficult to find than any other 1984 figure.  The market corrected and Baroness figures have never been hard to get.  But, Hasbro bought into the Baroness hype and produced nearly half a dozen versions of her over the years.  Some were good.  Some were bad.  Now, we have factory custom Baroness figures available, too.  So, if you're a Baroness fan, there's more than you could ever want from this original mold.

Being relatively popular leaves Baroness with a large amount of content out there.  So, check out the links below for your 1984 Baroness fix.

Baroness Profile

Baroness by thevintagetoylife

Baroness by strikeforce_codename

Baroness at JoeADay.com

Baroness by gi_joeisthere

Baroness by jonita_rodriguin

Baroness by steelbrigade

Baroness by yojoeonline

Baroness by gi_joeisthere

Baroness by incrediblebulk

Baroness by nostalkid

Baroness by viper_space

Baroness by u.n.i.t._gijoe

Baroness by viper_space

1997 Baroness - Around The Web

 The 1997 Joes have actually fairly well.  Despite their unpopularity at the time of their release, the general color schemes and original accessories have lead to a series of figures that are held in much higher regard today.  One of the main reasons is that several of the figures who appeared in the 1997 series never got another repaint that surpassed the 1997 release.  One such figure is the Baroness.  Her 1997 figure offered a nice shade of blue that allowed the Baroness to seamlessly blend with other early Cobras.  

1997 Baroness Profile

1997 Baroness by Nekoman

1997 Baroness at the Dragon Fortress

1997 Baroness by gen_liederkranz

1997 Baroness at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1997 Baroness by bruxovigo

1997 Baroness by Nekoman

1997 Baroness by bruxovigo

February 2022 Hasbro Pulse Reveals (Cobra Army Builders and the Baroness)

It's hard to believe that we now get some new G.I. Joe news about once per month.  Today revealed a whole bunch of new 6 inch figures.  But, those aren't anything in which I have interest.  So, instead, I'll focus on the meat of the new info today: the ARAH anniversary homages.

The first new reveal was additional images of the upcoming Cobra Trooper and Cobra Officer 2 pack.  There's really not much unexpected here.  It's the same Trooper and Officer we all know and love on the cardback inspired by their vintage design.  The set is now $41.99 and goes up for pre-order today.  The only real reveal is that they will include a mortar, stand and green bazooka so you can kind of recreate the JC Penny Cobra 3 pack that very few kids actually owned and few collectors actually care about.  

In this case, the homage part actually gets in the way of something useful.  The bazooka would be MUCH better in black or blue plastic.  In green, it just looks like you stole the bazooka from a Zap because you lost the Cobra Trooper's rifle.  The club used to do this type of stuff where they'd sacrifice quality so that something would be a "proper" homage.  I'd rather have a weapon that looks better and is more useful than something that references a release so obscure that it wasn't properly documented until like 2015.  Maybe we'll get lucky and get another darker green, A-1 bazooka, too.

Next up is the reveal of the filecard and code-name for Ace's co-pilot in the Skystriker.  The new character is named Fail-Safe.  As names go, it's better than what Hasbro cooked up in the early 2000's.  And, the filecard isn't bad as it's focused on his specialty.  It's more believable that someone is an expert in one aspect of training than also believing he's perfect at everything.  

The final reveal is the one I struggle with.  I don't really care for the Transformers.  But, they had a bunch of G.I. Joe crossovers, so I understand the fascination with them.  And, as Transformers is a much larger brand than G.I. Joe, combining the two helps bring in some additional fans to buy Joe toys.  But, in this case, if you want a brand new Baroness figure, you have to spend $89.99 and also get a transforming Megatron.  Sure, he turns into a full sized Hiss Tank that can hold figures.  But, it's not a toy in which I have interest.  And, you can be sure there are a ton of Transformers fans out there who have no interest in paying an additional $20 for a Baroness figure.  

But, there's lots of interest in stuff like this.  While I don't, personally, care for it.  This will sell a lot better than a Baroness and a Retro Hiss Tank mold for $50.  And, I ended up buying one.  You'll note that Baroness will come carded in the box.  So, you'll have to get one for a full carded collection.  This isn't scheduled to ship until January of 2023.  Maybe it will come earlier.  But, it will be a while before we see it in hand.  

2005 Imperial Processional Baroness

 In 2004, Hasbro created the concept of Comic Book packs.  This product feature three classic G.I. Joe figures along with a comic for the low, low price of $9.99.  The main selling point of the comic packs, though, was the figures included would be updated to reflect their comic book appearance.  For the initial wave of figures, this meant almost all new heads were used on the figures.  Among the newly sculpted heads was an updated Baroness.  This design featured longer, flowing hair, an improved face sculpt and, most importantly, the ability to wear removable glasses.  Despite the ambitious attempt at re-doing a collector favorite figure, Hasbro fell a bit short with the design.  Collectors didn't really warm to it and the Baroness/Cobra Commander/Cobra Trooper packs quickly backed up around the country...even though they included a popular army builder.  As the Joe line died in 2005, Hasbro attempted to reduce costs of their Toys R Us exclusive offerings.  The figure mold choices included in the final four sets was not inspired and the accessory complement was even worse.  In the Cobra Imperial Processional set, the new Baroness head appeared again.  This time, it was atop an oddly colored body that was a shade between red and copper.  Once again, collectors ignored this Baroness design and this 2005 has fallen into the abyss of figures that have been left behind by today's collecting world.

One of the things we know about the Hasbro designers of the Joe line in the early 2000's is that they somewhat resented vintage Joe figures.  They couldn't build their resumes in the industry working on two decade old toy designs.  This was why there was far more effort spent on the JvC figures and, later, the anniversary figures than the vintage repaints could have ever imagined.  This is a big reason why the repaints of that time aren't very inspired.  At times, though, the designers got to do something new on vintage figures.  One of those items was the removable glasses for the 2004 Baroness.  In theory, this was an amazing idea.  Taking one of the character's hallmarks and turning it into a changeable part of the figure was somewhat ingenious.  But, just because you can do something doesn't always mean that you should.  And, while the idea behind removable glasses is good, the actual execution left much to be desired.  The glasses are bulky, cloudy and generally ruin the aesthetic of the Baroness's new head sculpt.  Another example is the Baroness' hair.  While her updated hair is more detailed than the 1984, compare it to the 2005 Cover Girl who was released the same year.  It's a night and day difference in what the designers were capable of creating.

The Processional set was another idea that was probably pretty good.  But, the execution wasn't great.  The figures feature and odd copperish-red color that doesn't match with any other Cobra figures in the line.  Cobra Commander and the Baroness made sense for figure inclusion.  The idea of 4 guards wasn't bad.  But, the molds combined for the guards were just a bit too offbeat.  Had this set included a Serpentor and been done in green and gold, it probably would have been substantially more popular.  Were the figures even in a more classic red, they'd better fit with other figures and be more key to collections.  As a stand alone figure, this Baroness isn't that great.  The 2002 Convention figures are substantially better and work well with more figures.  This figure can work as a cheap alternative.  But, that's about the extent of her value.  The new head isn't a perfect match for the body and I prefer the original Baroness head in every release.

Baroness' gear is crap.  The glasses are small and easily lost.  But, since most of the figures are in collector hands, they are not hard to find.  But, they really look bad on the figure and there's no real need to have them.  They are difficult to affix to her head.  And, once on, the glasses look far more like goggles than corrective eyewear.  Again, a good idea whose resources should have been spent on better weapons for the figure.  Aside from that, she includes a crappy silver pistol that was originally released with Ambush.  She can't really hold it well and it appears oversized with the figure.  Baroness never really had any great accessories.  And, this release is no different.  The entire set lacked accessories.  And, Baroness included the only firearm among the 6 figures.

The Baroness mold has a short and long history.  In the vintage line, she was released just once: in her classic black outfit in 1984.  This same figure saw packaging in European and Japanese markets, too.  In the mid 1990's, Funskool acquired the Baroness mold.  They released a figure that was a direct homage to the American Baroness for a few years.  (Funskool Baroness figures are relatively easy to find in comparison to her Funskool contemporaries.)  As some point, Funskool released Rednok in the Complan Commandos line.  This was a low quality red Baroness that is exceedingly rare.  Hasbro got the mold back in 1997.  That year, they released a nicely done blue Baroness figure.  She wasn't quite cartoon colors.  Nor was she quite Cobra blue.  But, it's a nice repaint.  In 2000, the mold was redone in black and red but released as Chameleon.  Again, this is a solid figure and the color scheme was based on the unreleased 1995 Baroness that was planned for Battle Corps Rangers.  In 2002, a crimson Baroness was released in the initial convention set.  This, and her fuchsia variant, are excellent releases.  After that, the quality dropped off.  This new head debuted in the 2004 comic pack.  This figure was also blue.  But, generally, didn't stand up to the 1997-2002 figures.  The mold died with this 2005 Processional figure.  Hasbro never gave us a true cartoon colored Baroness.  Nor did they give us a grey and black version.  In short, we got two poor Baroness figures instead of something collectors would have enjoyed.  And, the new head really shortchanged the 2004 and 2005 figures even more.

The Imperial Processional Set was a dud.  It was a dud in retail stores.  It was a dud online.  It was a dud with collectors.  And, it was a dud with kids.  It sat and sat and sat.  Eventually, sets were sold at Amazon.com for around $6 each.  Even at that price, it took them quite a while to finally sell out.  Even today, these sets are relatively easy to find and Baroness remains cheap.  Because the market is crazy and many buyers are dumb, you see dealers, from time to time, get between $15-$21 for a mint and complete with filecard figure.  Left to her own devices, though, the same figure will sell between $5 and $7.  If you want a Processional set, you can get a complete one for around $30 and that's probably the way to go.  Outside of the matching figures, this Baroness has little value.  For a figure that Hasbro used quite frequently in the repaint era, the quality of Baroness releases diminished after 2002.  That's too bad as the mold has potential and cartoon fans are left without a definitive version.  This figure remains just another reminder that Hasbro of that time simply couldn't get it together when it came to collector themed releases.

2000 Chameleon - Around the Web

As a character, I'm not big on Chameleon.  But, as a solid Baroness repaint, this 2000 Chameleon is top notch.  It might be the best version of the Baroness mold that Hasbro ever released.  She was a bit of a pegwarmer upon release and remains relatively cheap to this day.  Which is a good thing since collectors can get a rock solid Baroness without breaking the bank.  There's less on her out there than I remember.  But, much of the Joe fan content from the early 2000's that featured her has been lost to time.  Here's the best of what I could find on the 2000 Chameleon around the web.

2000 Chameleon Profile

2000 Chameleon by R.T.G.

2000 Chameleon by G.I.Joe4Life

2000 Chameleon at GeneralsJoesReborn

2000 Chameleon by yotothejoe

2000 Chameleon by Slipstream80

2000 Chameleon by G.I.Joe4Life

1985 Battle Gear #3

In very early 1983, I found the first G.I. Joe Battle Gear on a peg at a toy store in Buffalo, New York.  The weapons were similarly colored to the guns included with the carded figures.  But, the helmets and backpacks were drastically different.  In 1984, a new set was released.  This filled in the gaps from the prior year with the inclusion of Zap's bazooka and Short Fuse's mortar.  As 1985 dawned, I was excited for the Battle Gear pack that would surely be released.  The 1984 series of figures were amazing.  And, through heavy play, I had lost gear to Mutt, Firefly, Scrap Iron and Blowtorch, broken gear for Roadblock and simply wanted more Ripcord parachute packs and masks.  The Battle Gear would solve many of my desires for a reasonable price.  Then, though, I found the actual pack that was released.  Looking at the list of figures above, you can imagine my disappointment.  None of the gear I actually needed or wanted was included.  Despite this, we had at least three of the sets in my childhood collection.  And, when reviewed outside the context of my childhood disappointment, this set has some redeeming factors.

The 1985 Battle Gear includes a lot of 1984 gear.  It is also missing quite a bit.  The first Battle Gear pack did not include three pieces: Zap's bazooka and Short Fuse's mortar and stand.  The 1984 release was missing Tripwire's mine detector and all of Torpedo's gear.  1985, though, omitted quite a few pieces of gear.  Included in the set was red versions of: Baroness' rifle, Firefly's rifle and walkie talkie and Scrap Iron's pistol.  There were tan versions of Recondo's backpack and rifle, Spirit's rifle and pack, Roadblock's pack and ammo box as well as Blowtorch's backpack.  There were 4 grey helmets: Mutt's, Blowtorch's, Ripcord's and a standard 1982 style helmet for use with Duke or Roadblock.  There were 2 green battle stands.  And, finally, a deep, rich green array of weapons and gear that include Mutt's pistol, Torpedo's spear gun, Blowtorch's flamethrower, Ripcord's rifle, Zartan's pistol, Duke's binoculars, Thunder's monocular and two new visors.  The visors were not opaque versions of the classic 1982 release.  They featured a nose notch like the goggles included with Thunder.  But, Thunder's piece required his earmuffs and their elongated pegs to affix the visor to the helmet.  These visors were stand alone.  The black version of them is similar to the one included with Starduster.  But, the design debuted in this 1985 Battle Gear set and never appeared again.

What's missing from the set, though, is more notable.  Thunder's earmuff's and visor are absent.  There are no Cobra backpacks at all.  So, Baroness, Firefly, Scrap Iron and Zartan are left unaccessorized.  No animals were included: nixing Freedom and Junkyard.  None of Duke's gear aside from the binoculars (and helmet) is included.  None of the masks included with Mutt, Ripcord or Blowtorch are present.  Roadblock's machine and tri-pod are absent: despite the inclusion of his backpack.  Ripcord's parachute pack is a no-show, as is Mutt's nightstick.  But, the most glaring omission is that there is no repainted Stormshadow gear in the entire set.  In 1985, edged weapons for Joes were nearly impossible to track down.  Getting a repainted Stormshadow sword or two would have been great.  Everyone lost or broke Stormshadow's bow.  But, it's not here.  (It's my guess that Stormshadow was popular enough that kids would get parents to replace that figure entirely so his accessories weren't wanted in Battle Gear that might blow another figure sale.)  It's an appalling amount of missing gear for a set and it started a trend that would continue through the rest of the Battle Gear's retail life.  This was a likely function of the fact that 1984 figures started including more gear and many pieces that were far more intricate than anything that had come before.  But, it was an unfortunate shift for kids of the time.

As 1985 began, I had lost my Zartan's pistol.  Firefly's walkie talkie and backpack cover were long gone.  Mutt's mask and night stick were distant memories.  Roadblock's pack peg was broken, a stand was broken away from his tri-pod and his machine gun had been snapped in two.  A friend I was outgrowing had stolen my Scrap Iron's missile table.  And, Blowtorch's air mask had ripped and was no longer usable.  Of the 10 items I needed to rehabilitate my 1984 Joes, this Battle Gear pack included just 3.

What was great, though, was that the set did include some pieces that were useful.  I loved Recondo's backpack.  I wanted more of my figures to wear packs that carried more supplies.  The neutral color of the pack make it more useful for many other figures.  (It's also still commonly mistaken for Recondo's real gear by dealers who aren't Joe specific since the colors of the pack and the Recondo figure match up.)  Having a few additional walkie talkies was fun since it gave all my figures ways to communicate.  The long range sight devices were another useful inclusion since advance teams always needed them.  (The binoculars also became standard issue in the cockpit of the Whale for Cutter to use at any time.)  Additional Mutt and Zartan pistols were also nice since the color wasn't terrible and small pistols were always getting lost.

The biggest value of this set, though, was realized when I started to take apart my old, broken Joes and frankenstein together some new figures.  At first, Battle Gear helped to simply flesh out figures who had no other gear.  But, as 1985 moved into the summer, I began to paint many of my creations into new designs.  Along with this, I painted accessories.  I didn't want to waste "real" gear on this endeavor.  So, Battle Gear was the logical choice.  My favorite was a Ripcord helmet painted blue with white "fur" lining the edges.  As I used cheap paint, the helmet quickly chipped.  But, this became part of the character of the commander who wore it.  Slowly, that character turned into the leader of the Joes and became the character that is represented by the General Flagg figure today.  I actually still have 2 pieces that I painted as a kid, including that Ripcord helmet that you can see below.

In the days when slightly off condition Joe figures were cheap and plentiful, Battle Gear weapons were far more useful.  Customizers abounded and they were always in search of cheap gear they could paint, cut apart or combine into new pieces.  Battle Gear was a cheap and easy way for the customizers of the early 2000's to build out and re-accessorize their creations.  Now, they are weird colored items that take up space and cross an item off a list.  In this era of factory custom figures, though, things like the helmets, visors and even weapons will match up with some of the figures we've seen.  That has given these sets a new niche in which they have value.  But, there's still so many of them that even new uses does little to move the large surplus of these items that are still out there.

While some individual items from this Battle Gear pack are more desirable than others, the truth is that the entire set is not overly expensive.  You can still get complete sets for around $10.  Duke's binoculars, Zartan's pistol and the green visors are, far and away, the most expensive and desirable items.  And, they are often the pieces most often missing from sets.  But, the non-standard colors and general ubiquity of the gear has left it an undesired piece of Joe collecting.  If you bought collections of figures at any time in the past twenty years, you have plenty of Battle Gear weapons lying around.  I still find the deep green a fun visual treat.  But, they don't really work with any figures.  The childhood disappointment still clouds my vision of this set: 35 years later.  But, you have to give Hasbro credit for understanding that kids lost gear and trying to give them a way to fix that.