Rarities - Unproduced Brazilian Figures

While Estrela produced around 150 total figures in their exclusive Comandos Em Acao line, they  had intended for there to be more.  In the 1990's, Estrela showcased 5 figures in various forms that ended up never getting released.  These figures not only appeared as cross sells on various cardbacks, but even appeared in catalogs used to sell the products.  The 5 figures were all 1991 releases from Hasbro.  The figures were: Grunt, Crimson Guard Immortal, Mercer, Tracker and Cobra Commander.  (Their names in Brazil would have been Arsenal, Flagelo, Desertor, Correnteza and Tirano.)

Hasbro's 1991 figures were one of the rare years that didn't see a second year of release.  This was due to Hasbro trying to reboot the line in 1992 with familiar characters.  So, 1991 molds became common sights in later repaint lines and international releases.  You'll note that all of the figures that appear in the Estrela promotional material shown below are Hasbro made figures and not the Estrela figures.  So, this marketing propaganda was made prior to Estrela having their own wares to photograph.  

You'll often find international guides that list these figures as being available in Brazil.  But, many of these were from the early days of collecting before it was determined that these figures never saw production.  One early guide even features a few Hasbro figures in the placeholders for these names.  And, one thing that's constant in the Joe line is that mistakes and errors from the early collecting years are often repeated and rarely corrected.

Below are two promo photos.  One features just the 5 cancelled figures.  The other shows them interspersed with some other figures that were released in Brazil.  Seeing them all in one shot suggests to me that they were planned as a new wave at one point.  But, the entire wave was halted.  Maybe Hasbro didn't send the molds for whatever reason.  Or, it could have just been that Estrela determined they didn't want another wave.  These figures would have appeared closer to the end of the Comandos Em Acao line.  And, this was the time when Estrela was starting to move away from the standard carded figures that had defined their line and towards the themed subsets of figures that featured bigger cards and more gimmicks.

It's interesting to note that all 5 of these unproduced figures from Estrela did, later, appear as exclusive Funskool releases.  So, Hasbro did recoup more of their cost as they moved the molds around the world.  And, the molds weren't in an unusable state for Esrela.  But, the reasons for these figures being cancelled in Brazil remain lost.  

Gatilho - Brazilian Exclusive Python Patrol Airborne

Gatilho has been part of my collection for over 20 years.  In that time, he has been a major player, minor annoyance and, now, part of my core collection that defines my Joe experience.  I no longer really think of the figure as a foreign exclusive.  Instead, he's just another option when I'm looking to staff the villains in photos or displays.  He's more a part of the Python Patrol to me than even Copperhead or the Viper.  I just see him in this role as a major character whose origin in South America is one of the lesser aspects of his character.  And, as I've found Python Patrol to be a fun subset to build out, Gatilho takes on importance beyond being a foreign oddity and has become a key component of one of my favorite one-off sets in my collection.

At this point in my collecting life, foreign exclusives have been part of my Joe experience for so long that I really don't have the appreciation for them that they probably warrant. It is amazing that the world has changed to a point where acquiring decades old toys that were exclusively released on other continents is commonplace.  Figures like the Brazilian Gatilho were once nearly impossible find.  Now, they are relatively common and most collectors have easy access to the figure, though they may be priced somewhat higher.  We have knowledge of foreign releases and access to their home markets that allow anyone to add foreign figures like this to their collections.  That expansion of the Joe world has been a heavy driver of the brand's momentum for over 20 years, now.  Fan clubs, factory customs and licensed partners have all delved into the foreign Joe mythos.  And, it's been only possible because there is so much information about non-Hasbro releases available.  

Gatilho is pretty much what he's supposed to be.  He's a weird villain wearing a Python Patrol uniform.  His base is solidly military...a leftover from his Airborne roots.  But, the colors are non-sensical in any form aside from membership in Python Patrol.  The green, yellow and black is a visual treat, though.  And, I'd have enjoyed this figure quite a bit had I owned him as a kid.  As a collector, though, I appreciate that he brings the one element that was always missing from Python Patrol: named characters.  Python Patrol was an army builder's panacea.  But, a team with no leader didn't make sense.  And, in the pre-factory custom world, Gatilho was the perfect choice to lead teams of Python army builders into action.

Gatilho has some limitations, too.  His yellow waists makes him appear that he's wearing yellow underwear on the outside of his uniform.  It's somewhat distracting.  It does break up the figure's look.  But, not in a good way.  His kneepads are also unpainted.  A quick application of black paint here would really help set the figure out.  The busy camo pattern makes Gatilho's legs disappear.  Black kneepads would help to break this up and give you a visual resting point on the figure.  The rest of the colors are an odd mish-mash.  But, they are true to the Python Patrol visuals.  Really, it's amazing how well Gatilho and Relampago match up to the Hasbro Python Patrol figures.  It's this consistency that makes the Brazilian duo so useful.  They look like they are intended to match the Hasbro sub-team.

Back in 2003, I wrote up a whole backstory for this figure.  And, had I not written it down, I'd have no recollection of it.  I have less need for a complex and intricate origin for every character these days.  Now, I just see Gatilho as a guy who leads some similarly dressed Cobras into battle.  There's not much thought put into him beyond that.  He might ride a motorcycle or a helicopter.  But, those are just tools and not part of his character.  I like the figure because he looks cool and is a perfect match for one of my favorite Cobra Trooper recolors.  And, 20 years after his acquisition, that's enough.  I like using him and I take advantage of that when I can.  

Gatilho includes two accessories, but both are unique to this figure. The helmet is a yellow version of Airborne's original helmet, but with the molded goggles painted black. This additional splash of color helps to mute the bright yellow and gives the helmet far more character than was exhibited on the American Airborne. The figure also includes a charcoal colored version of Ripcord's rifle. This coloring is similar to the weapon included with the Tactical Battle Platform in the U.S. But, it has a glossier finish. Due to the figure's brittle thumbs and the rifle's large handle, though, I have never actually placed the weapon in the figure's hands. Instead, I use other, smaller handled weapons or have Gatilho posed like he appears in the photos below where he holds the rifle by the barrel or handle in a resting position rather than being ready to fire. The accessories fit the figure, but are not all that great. Having the helmet is worthwhile as the helmetless figure is a bit boring. But, there are other alternatives to Gatilho's weapon that allow for the budget conscious collector to skip that unique accessory and outfit him with something from the spare guns bin.

The Airborne mold was released several times.  Hasbro released Airborne in 1983.  He was available on a card and bagged as well.  His torso and accessories were then used for the first version of the Steel Brigade figure.  Then, the mold went to South America.  (This is why the Steel Brigade was changed to the Duke torso and also why Starduster was switched to Duke's torso since Recondo was also sent away.)  Airborne was released in colors based off his US figure in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.  The final release of the mold appears to have been this Gatilho.  But, foreign timelines are fuzzy.  In the early 2000's, there were people in Argentina who claimed to have access to the Airborne mold and could make exclusive figures.  No one took them up on the offer.  (Which, was probably wise!)  But, it implied that the Airborne mold existed at that time.  It was just not in Hasbro's control.  If this was true or if the mold might still exist are unknown.  Factory Custom maker Black Major released an Airborne torso on his Steel Brigade figures in 2017.  But, he never used the torso on another figure, despite the possibilities.  Airborne remains an underrepresented figure in terms of untapped potential for repaints of the mold.  But, it's unlikely to ever come to be.

While the Airborne mold was used quite a bit, I feel it was never really fully exploited.  The Argentine, Mexican and Brazilian versions of the character all have nuances from the Hasbro figure.  But, at their core, they are the same central theme based on the character's original appearance.  The Steel Brigade usage of the torso was good.  But, you have to find what is now one of the rarest Hasbro figures in the line's history to use on a custom to make use of the solid green color.  Fail Safe brought back the Airborne helmet in 2023.  And, it would have been awesome to have seen a drastic Airborne recolor to accompany Ripcord released some time after the Skystriker dropped.  I feel there's a lot of potential left in the Airborne mold that could be used for a definitive version of the character.  I don't think we'll ever see it, though.

In the grand scheme of things, this figure is rare. The brittle Brazilian plastic, lower overall production numbers and language barriers to its native release country all add up to a figure that does not exist in great quantities. But, despite all that, the figure is still very much available from South American Joe sellers and can even be found from American dealers with some frequency. Gatilho is still, though, a $80 - $100 figure if you want a mint, complete with filecard version. (You can get them cheaper if you can find an American seller with the figure, but that takes quite a bit of patience.)  That's pricey for the Joe line. It is up to each collector to determine if this figure brings that kind of value to their collection. Personally, I find Gatilho and Relampago necessary members of my collection due to the holes they fill in the Python Patrol subset.  But, if Python Patrol isn't a division of interest, then the value each figure brings to a collection diminishes.

 

Rarities - B.A. Baracus (Glasslite - Brazil)

We all know about the Estrela toy company from Brazil.  They were Hasbro's partner to release licensed G.I. Joe figures in their native market.  But, if you are a Star Wars collector, you are more likely to be familiar with another Brazilian toy company of the era: Glasslite.  

Most famously, Glasslite made the only production Vlix figure from the Droids line.  While not as rare as they once were, Vlixes are still holy grails among vintage Star Wars collectors.  But, Glasslite also made action figures under other licenses.  Among them were MacGyver, Airwolf and the A-Team.

Below you will see some images of the Glasslite B.A. Baracus figure that was based on the breakout character from the TV show who was played by Mr. T.  The card artwork is gorgeous.  And, the figure is drastically different from the B.A. figures released in the U.S.  

The U.S. BA is wearing a green jumpsuit.  While there are a few variant figures depending upon whether the figure was carded, boxed or a vehicle pack in, I'm not aware of any U.S. A-Team figure using the double bandolier chest that the Glasslite figures use.  (There are, though, plenty of uses of it in other knock off lines.)  The red color of the Brazilian release is more eye-catching.  And, while not anywhere near Mr. T's signature look from the show, is more flamboyant and in line with the B.A. Baracus character.

Sadly, the Galoob molds used for the A-Team figures were bad.  The heads all feature poor paint applications and creepy smiles that were likely a way to soften the fact that you were buying figures of vigilante terrorists who were wanted criminals.  And, the team's signature weapons were replaced with standard weapons that were recycled from other lines.  The Glasslite figure suffers the same fate.  While the colors and mold are better than the Galoob figures, they still are poor representations of the characters from the show.  You wonder what a company like Hasbro could have done with them.  

As a kid, we had the A-Team figures.  We watched the A-Team every week, at least for the first couple of seasons.  We had the van.  We also had one of the big boxed sets that included the repainted General Patch tank as well as a plethora of crappy accessories.  It was this gear, though, where I found value.  The A-Team figures were straight arms that were released in a swivel arm world.  They never had a chance.  But, the vehicles were relatively compatible with Joe.  And, for many years, my 1984 Copperhead figure wore one of the red backpacks from the A-Team set.  Stuck into the straps of the pack was the holster from the Endor Princess Leia figure.  And, Copperhead used her pistol for a long time.  I miss that type of imagination.  I was able to make Copperhead very important to my childhood play since he had that extra gear.  Now, I only use him as a color match when showcasing new Black Major figures.  

As an aside, a random memory I have of the A-Team is actually from the summer of 1993.  At the time, I was in Barcelona for a few weeks.  Every night, a TV station in the city played A-Team reruns, dubbed in Spanish, during prime time.  It was weird to see a nearly decade old show playing in such premium time in another country.  I watched an episode, just for nostalgia.  But, the shows are bad and even in 1993, they didn't hold up well at all.  I haven't watched an episode since.  I'd rather remember the cool factor of the original airing during my childhood than confirm the cheesiness of '80's TV that the series actually is.

Hasbro has recently announced a 4 figure pack of Ghostbusters characters that are made in vintage Joe format.  The absolute dreamer in me sees something like that and starts a reverie about Hasbro dropping oddball o-ring releases of things like Indiana Jones, the West Coast Avengers and, even, the A-Team.  The A-Team is the one most certain to not ever exist.  But, it's also the one that has the most potential cross over with Joe.  It was contemporary to Joe.  And, both Mr. T and Sgt. Slaughter were professional wrestlers.  But, things like that won't ever happen.  I'm left with silly musings about how my childhood would have been better had things like that existed in the 1980's.  

In the early 2000's, many Brazilian G.I. Joe sellers would also have A-Team, MacGuyver and Airwolf toys available.  But, they'd try to sell them for the same premiums that figures like the Cobra De-Aco would command.  So, few people bit on them.  Now, you don't see the toys all that often.  But, that's likely a function of the brands lacking enough cachet to bring high prices.  As a collectible, though, the Glasslite A-Team figures are a small and cool subset to collect.  I think they're better than the Galoob figures.  Just, good luck finding them.

Rarities - Brazilian Marfim

The 1993 Outback is actually an excellent sculpt.  It was never, though, released in really nice colors...at least by Hasbro.  In a rare occurrence, the Brazilian release of the 1993 Outback mold is actually the best paint job ever used on it.  And, it has created a great figure: Marfim.

All of the other uses of this mold featured bright colors.  Marfim, though, is far more muted.  Gone is the orange and yellow.  And, it's replaced a by a nice hunter green that is offset with gold highlights.  The figures still features some blue on his pants.  But, it's not overly done and is a decent accent color.

With this different coloring and international name, you can use Marfim to overcome the greatest issue that collectors have with the 1993 Outback.  People just can't see this figure as Outback.  But, when given a new name, it becomes much easier to accept the quality of the sculpt for what it is and not have it saddled with the rose-colored glasses of 1987 nostalgia.

Marfim's gear features excusive coloring of some weapons that debuted with the DEF.  He includes red versions of the 1992 Mutt's pistol and the 1992 Headman's rifle.  Estrela loved DEF weapons.  And, Headman's rifle appeared twice.  Once in red with Marfim and once in a bright green Coronel Coragem.  It's odd that this weapon was available in Brazil when they never released either a Headman or a 1992 Mutt repaint.  (The two figures with whom the rifle was included by Hasbro.)  It's likely that Estrela had access to more molds than they actually produced, though.  And, that's how things like the original Alley Viper weapon ended up in Estrela releases, too.

Back in late 1997 or early 1998, a member of the G.I. Joe Usenet group managed to find the skeleton of the early Estrela Toys website.  Back then, search engines had limitations.  And, if you didn't speak Portuguese, there weren't website translators that were readily available.  Many of the pictures on the site returned the dreaded red X: meaning they were gone.  But, one image that remains burned in my mind was a photo of many of the final releases in the Estrela G.I. Joe line.  The one figure I remembered was the Headhunter repaint.  At the time, the Headhunter was a grail figure for me.  And, it wasn't common knowledge that he had been released in Brazil.  This Marfim would have been in the same image.  But, they were small and grainy.  So, the Marfim's quality didn't imprint upon my brain in the same way the Headhunter did.  I wish I could find the images from the old Estrela website.  They are likely to exist somewhere.  But, we have such better reference material now, though, that those old photos would be more nostalgic than informative.

So, back in the late 1990's, Marfims were pretty easy to find.  He was one of a few select Brazilian figures that was available to new collectors.  There were always a couple of them available (usually carded) for really cheap prices.  But, as the 2000's dawned, the figure simply disappeared.  For about the next decade, it was really difficult to find a Marfim in any condition.  And, the prices skyrocketed.

Now, you can find Marfims again.  But, the prices haven't fallen to levels are that indicative of his availability and desirability.  This is too bad as this is a great release of a solid mold.  Toy dealers have become less and less interested in letting the market set prices for collectible figures.  That may change at some point in the future.  But, the circumstances of any change like that aren't likely to be good.  When they do, figures like Marfim will become more affordable.  But, you'll have to act quickly to add figures like this to your collection.

Rarities - Flash (Estrela Version from Brazil)

Today marks the beginning of a few days of Flash.  Flash was released around the world.  So, I'm going to showcase each of his releases.  First up is the Estrela release from Brazil.  You'll note that this Flash is a much darker green color.  The greens used on the early Brazilian figures are much richer and more vibrant than those used by Hasbro.  And, the set of early Brazilian figures has much more visual distinction between the characters than Hasbro's original 13 figures.  I would have loved for this color to appear among the factory customs...especially when the Flash mold was available.

Rarities - Estrela Reaktor - Brazilian Exclusive Fastdraw

Estrela released about 150 unique figures in Brazil.  Most of them were very similar to the Hasbro figures.  But, every figure had subtle differences.  (With the exception of the figures that Estrela made for release in North America like the Slaughters Marauders and some mail aways.)  In the old days, these differences were often ignored.  But, in the past two or so decades, collectors have come to appreciate the subtle color nuances that exist between Hasbro and Estrela made figures.

The biggest difference is often the Brazilian green color.  It is a richer and deeper green color.  It appears on many Brazilian figures from the earliest years through the end of the Estrela line in 1995 or so.  

Below, you can see the Brazilian release of Fast Draw that's named Reaktor.  First, Reaktor is a great name...even if it would seem at home on a He-Man character.  Secondly, you'll note that Reaktor was a member of the Brazilian Battle Force 2000 subset.  He replaces Dodger, whose mold was retained by Hasbro for use in the Sonic Fighters line.  

The most notable difference on the figure is the Brazilian  green on both the figure and his accessories.  There are other color modifications, too, especially the hue of red on his accents.  Overall, though, the figure is darker than the Hasbro made figure.  It allows for easy visual distinction between the versions.

Rarities - Brazilian Hydro Viper (Estrela)

Estrela produced about 140 unique figures in their Comandos Em Acao line.  While collectors really focus on the amalgamations and drastic repaints, the bulk of the Brazilian line was figures that were produced in colors very similar to their Hasbro counterparts.  In general, it seems that the figures were meant to copy the original Hasbro colors.  But, nuances in plastic coloring between China and Brazil lead to slight differences in all of the figures that Estrela produced.

At first glance, you might not notice that this Brazilian Hydro Viper is different from the Hasbro version.  But, put side to side, the figure's brighter colors stand out.  Aside from that, there aren't many other differences.  What is interesting is that the Hydro Viper and Toxo Viper both were produced by Hasbro, Estrela and Funskool.  And, both figures remain very similarly colored across all three countries.  The Brazilian Toxo and Hydro Vipers are brighter colored.  The Hasbro figures are in the middle.  And, the Funskool figures are much darker purple.  So, there's a level of consistency there.

To me, the slight nuance of Estrela figures makes them collectible.  And, in recent years, the more mundane Estrela figures have become much more common and available.  Sadly, though, they haven't come down in price and the heyday of cheap Brazilian figures from the early 2010's is just a fond memory.

Rarities - Muralha (Brazilian Exclusive Flint) MOC

The 1985 Flint is my favorite figure in the Joe line.  Fortunately for me, very similar figures were also released in India and Brazil.  The Comandos em Acao version from Brazil features darker greens and a slightly different skin tone.  In short, it's Flint.  But, it's just different enough to be interesting.

Below is a carded Muralha.  You can see the carry over of the American card art.  You'll notice from the cardback that Muralha was mostly released with other class of 1985 figures.  But, there are a couple of oddballs like Crystal Ball that joined him.  

I've had a loose Muralha for a long time.  He's a nice contrast to the Funskool Flint.  But, he's also a figure I'm loathe to use due to fear of breakage.  That's the main issue with the Brazilian figures: fragility.  The harder plastic is more brittle and thumbs and crotches shatter with little effort.  It's unfortunate as it renders some great figures moot.  But, as a collector, I'm less concerned these days as I simply display the figures instead.

Rarities - Estrela Homem Bala (Bazooka) - Brazil

Brazil released nearly 140 figures in their line.  While the Brazilian exclusive figures get most of the attention from collectors, the vast majority of the Estrela line is actually figures that are based on the Hasbro paint jobs.  But, each of them has slight variances.  The plastic tends to be far harder and more brittle.  (Broken thumbs and crotches are hallmarks of Brazilian figures.)  But, the colors also tend to be different from the Hasbro releases.  Below is the Brazilian release of Bazooka where you can see some of these subtle differences.

This figure is not named Bazooka.  Instead, he is the Homem Bala.  This loosely translates as "Bullet Man".  But, in the end, he's the same guy wearing a red shirt with a number on it.  He has the same gear as the Hasbro figure.  But, if you like the Bazooka character, there's just enough difference on this version to be worthwhile.  And, the green is a great blend with other Brazilian figures so he really fits in with his cohorts.

The biggest difference between this figure and the Hasbro Bazooka is the green color of the pants and accessories.  Estrela used a deeper, richer green for their figures.  And, Homem Bala features this color on his pants and also his helmet and backpack.  The figure has also had all the COO information removed from it.  Like many other figures, the differences between this Brazilian release and the Hasbro release are small.  And, if you have one version of the character, the other doesn't bring anything other than subtle diversity to your collection.  But, I find those little things to be quite a bit of fun

Rarities - Brazilian Mercer

While collectors focus on the Brazilian figures who feature drastically different paint jobs or new construction that was not available in the Hasbro line, the reality is that the majority of the releases in Brazil fall into a different category.  The bulk of the Estrela line features figures that are mostly based on their Hasbro paint job.  But, as the figures were made in Brazilian factories, there are always differences among them.  Most of these, though, are ignored by all but a subset of collectors.

Below is the Brazilian Mercer figure.  This release retains the Hasbro codename as well as the standard look for the character.  Side by side, you'd notice small differences on the Brazilian release vs. the Hasbro release.  But, that's about it.  He features the same blue pants, orange vest and black and silver highlights.  The only major variant is that his iconic weapon is now silver instead of the standard off-white for the Hasbro figure.

In the U.S., the Renegades were only released as a three pack.  However, in Europe, all three members of the set were released as single carded figures.  Then, this Mercer appeared in Brazil.  Red Dog made a surprise appearance in India in 2001.  And, it's likely that all the Renegade molds ended up there.  But, Funskool had no need for another Mercer figure since they had the character's 1991 mold still in production.  

The card artwork is not good.  But, it is also unique to this release.  The European single carded figures use larger artwork based on the combined art that appears on the US packaging.  It features Mercer with a raised right fist instead of the two handed weapon pose you see below.

As collectibles, figures like this Mercer are a fun way to expand a collection.  But, as interesting pieces, they fall somewhat flat.  Most collectors wouldn't notice a Brazilian Mercer in a photo aside from the alternate gun color.  And, most would even gloss over that.  It's not a criticism, though.  This figure isn't all that special when taken against the original release.  But, for people who like small differences that aren't really noticeable upon first glance, Brazilian figures like this Mercer are a great way to keep collecting.

Olhos de Fenix - Brazilian Exlusive Spirit Iron Knife - Around The Web

The 1984 Spirit is a classic figure.  He has a major issue, though, in that the light blue shirt and sleeves tend to discolor very badly.  Even properly stored figures are starting to go.  And, as the color fades and yellows, it ruins the aesthetic of a great toy.  For some reason, though, the blue plastic used on the Brazilian release of Spirit (Olhos de Fenix) does not fade.  And, it is a brighter, more brilliant blue than even the Hasbro figure had in 1984.  

This creates a great version of Spirit.  And, there's actually a good amount of content featuring the figure.  The upside is that you can still get quality Olhos de Fenix figures with relative ease.  The downside is that you'll now pay triple digits for the privilege.  But, if you love the Spirit character and are tired of faded blues, this might be the way to go.

Olhos de Fenix Profile

Olhos de Fenix by atticagazette

Olhos de Fenix by vintagebraziltoys

Olhos de Fenix by Relinquished1979

Olhos de Fenix by specialmissionforce

Olhos de Fenix by gladiousbrazil

Olhos de Fenix by andrey_collector

Olhos de Fenix by vintagebraziltoys

Olhos de Fenix by Reliquished1979

Olhos de Fenix by RTG

Comandos Em Acoa Review

Olhos de Fenix by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Olhos de Fenix by Relinquished1979

Olhos de Fenix by indio_iwa

Olhos de Fenix by Relinqueshed 1979

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.

Leopardo - Brazilian Exclusive Recondo - Around The Web

Everyone knows the major Brazilian exclusives.  They are either major repaints or completely new amalgamations that have captured the attention of the collecting world for over 25 years.  Lesser known, though, are the figures that are more similar to their Hasbro counterparts.  At first glance, a casual collector might not notice a difference.  But, every figure produced in Brazil is a unique release that has differences from its Hasbro ancestor.

Leopardo is the Brazilian version of Recondo.  Recondo is an iconic figure, so having a slightly different look for him from Brazil isn't a terrible thing.  The two main differences are the skin tone and the deeper shades of green on his hat and gear.  (It should be noted that there are variants in Leopardo's cammo pattern on his legs, too.  Just like the American Recondo.)  The slight differences make for a different look for Recondo.  

I was pleasantly surprised to find a good amount of content featuring Leopardo.  There are a lot of Brazilian creators who feature the figure.  But, he also appears elsewhere, showcasing that the figure was relatively easy to acquire in the 2010's for sane prices.  Now, that's less easy to do as Brazilian figures have drastically risen in price.  For a few bucks, this figure is a must own.  But, when you spend nearly $100 for one, the differences aren't really worth the premium over a Hasbro Recondo.

Leopardo Profile

Leopardo by comandos_em_acoa_gijoe

Leopardo by cobra_florence

Leopardo by 334inch_figures

Leopardo at the Attica Gazette

Leopardo by brazilvintagetoys

Leopardo by comandos_em_acoa_gijoe

Comandos Em Acoa Review

Leopardo by comandos_em_acoa_gijoe

Leopardo by cobra_florence

Leopardo by relinquished1979

Leopardo by action_1982

Leopardo by andrey_collector

Something, Something...Cobra Flying Scorpion

So, I had plans for a new profile today.  But, work got busy, the kids started school and suddenly, it's late on Monday night and I have nothing ready to go.  I wanted to showcase a figure that ties into the Brazilian Flying Scorpion figure, though.  You see, it was 20 years ago this week that I first profiled that figure.  At the time, he was known to about two dozen collectors who got into obscure foreign figures.  Now, he's an essential part of many collections.  So, instead of showing off some other obscure release, I'll take another shallow dive on the Brazilian Flying Scorpion figure.

I've had the figure out, recently.  Partly because this anniversary was coming.  But, also because Black Major and Zica Toys have both released figures in color schemes that complement the Flying Scorpion figure.  The Riot Commandos are a bit darker than Escorpiao Voador.  But, they still work nicely as his personal troops.  The Black Major figures are a bit lighter.  But, again, they work well enough with the figure and give him some complementary figures with whom he can be posed.

You will note in the 2nd photo below how I have the figures posed.  Ignore the fact that they are on a box on top of a shelf.  I took that photo in August of 2001.  We've come a long way since then.  But, you can clearly see my Cobra hierarchy and how my version of Cobra split into various factions.  (RTG at the Attica Gazette recently reminded me of these old photos.  And, it's interesting to see how things have changed in 20 years.)  The Sea Slug is not the figure who represents the new Cobra any longer.  I've taken on various versions of Cobra Commander for him.  The Decimator is now an army builder instead of a character.  And, many of the generals standing behind the Flying Scorpion are dead or have moved on.  It's a testament that my collection keeps evolving over the years.  But, it's fun to look back at how I used to see things.

What I like about this figure is that he's different.  Right away, you can spot the figure as a Cobra.  But, he doesn't mix with the figures from whom he draws his parts.  Escorpiao Voador posed next to Cesspool is perfectly fine because the figures are so different.  The colors are relatively unique to the character.  And, the Flying Scorpion remains the only vintage Cobra who is not white.  

What I don't like about this figure is that carded versions will run you hundreds of dollars and loose, mint and complete figures will run $250 or more.  That sucks as it prevents many collectors from experiencing the fun of a new Cobra villain.  There are anniversary style convention figures of the character.  But, the lack the charm and subtlety of the original.  Sadly, the days of cheap and available Brazilian figures are behind us.  Two decades ago, I paid $30 for a MOC figure.  At that price, I opened it.  No one would ever do that now due to the value.  But, that keeps some collectors from being able to enjoy the figure as the toy he was meant to be instead of the collectible he has become.

In total, the past 20 years have seen international Joes change from a niche area of collecting into something that pretty much every collector enjoys.  Foreign Joes are so ubiquitous that most people have a few, even if they are just Funskool.  But, seeing modern collectors thinking that all foreign figures have always been hard to find is tough.  There was a time when Brazilian figures like the Patrulha Do Ar figures were available and affordable.  Dealers used to sit on tons of carded Estrela figures that would go unsold for $20 each.  Of course, those are gone, now.  But, old timers remember how much more available figures like this used to be.  They might not have been common.  But, few were worth spending triple digits to acquire.

So, maybe I'll be more prepared next week and have a profile to go.  I have a bunch of them saved for after Labor Day that will take us into the holidays.  Some have tangential relations to the Flying Scorpion, too.  Until then, thanks for stopping by!

Rarities - Estrela Volanter (Blocker) Weapon Variants

Collectors have know about the Brazilian Comandos Em Acao line for years.  Most of the knowledge, though, was focused around the Brazilian exclusive figures.  In time, people realized that every figure from Brazil had some unique trait.  But, the figures that were close to their Hasbro counterparts were still relatively ignored.  Even people who did care about them usually only got a single sample for their collection.  This has lead to a number of Estrela variants not being well documented.  There are some subtle differences between many Brazilian releases.  One variant, though, seems like it would have gotten a bit more play in the collecting community: the weapons variants on Volanter.

Volanter is the Brazilian version of Blocker.  The colors are slightly different.  But, for some reason, there is a weapon variant on the figure.  One release has the standard weapon mold that was included with the 1987 Blocker figure.  The other, though, includes an exclusive silver version of the 1988 Iron Grenadier Uzi.

Volanter appears with the same gun as the US figure.  You can see the slight color and skin tone differences on the figure itself.

Then, you see him with a silver Iron Grenadier Uzi.  There's no real explanation as to why the figure has one weapon or the other.  

From watching this figure for years, both variants seem about equal.  But, when you base that off of, maybe, 15 samples, even one or two oversamples throws off the whole observation.  But, if you collect Comandos Em Acao, this is a variant to watch for as the silver Uzi is exclusive to this figure.

Mastim (Brazilian Exclusive Mutt) - Around The Web

I'm a sucker for classic Joe figures that had very slight repaints in other countries.  Mutt is no exception.  This Brazilian Mastim features darker greens than the US Mutt and a more sunburned skin tone.  The most notable change, though, is that this Mutt is missing his trademark badge on his chest.  Estrela removed this feature of the Mutt mold and forever altered the appearance of every subsequent release of Mutt.  I was able to tap into a vibrant community of Brazilian Comandos Em Acao collectors and found some solid content on Mastim out there.  It was nice to see the figure gets love in his native land.  Here's the best of the Brazilian Mastim from around the web.

Mastim Profile

Mutt Around The World

Mastim by the atticagazette

Mastim by LimaFettVinicius

Mastim by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Mastim by dennis.rodrigooliveira

Mastim by brincango_com_meus_joe

Mastim by viniciusfettlima77

Mastim by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Mastim by octaviopessao_

Comandos Em Acoa Review

Mastim by comandos_em_acao_gijoe

Cobra De Aco - Black Major Version

There was a time in the Joe world where information was scarce.  We now know that the reason for this is that many collectors like to hoard information and keep it to themselves.  This gives them "credibility" in the Joe community.  The side effect of this is that bad information can quickly take on a lift of it's own.  And, in some cases, left unchecked, the bad information is perpetuated by an "official" release.  In the case of the Brazilian Cobra De Aco, bad information lead to a perception that the figure was among the rarest in the world.  Time has proven that false.  But, the damage was done as the figure remains far pricier than many of his harder to find contemporaries.  Fortunately, the Black Major dropped a version of the De Aco about a decade ago so that every collector would have a shot at the character.

So, as I held this figure for the first time, something dawned on me.  One of the reasons that the De Aco is so out of place is because of his color scheme.  Yellow isn't, traditionally, a Cobra color.  So, he's very distinctive when viewed through the lens of early Joe releases.  However, the Cobra De Aco was likely released in 1986.  If you look at the 1986 American releases, there is a figure that is very similar to De Aco's color scheme: the 1986 BAT.  It seems an unlikely coincidence that Brazil would release a figure with a chrome head and a color scheme to match the American android in the same year as that figure's debut.  Is the De Aco based on early renditions of the BAT?  Or, was the color scheme adopted in an attempt to have a release in Brazil that matched the American BAT?

International exclusive characters remain one of the great mysteries of the Joe world.  How did exclusives like the De Aco, Manleh, or even the European Mutt come to be?  Seeing the De Aco's similarity to the BAT, though, makes me think that the foreign companies had access to either abandoned Hasbro designs or to successful color palettes that were being introduced simultaneously in the U.S.  We have gotten a lot of great stories about the origins of the American line from some of the Joe creators.  But, we have not heard much of any collaboration with foreign Joe licensees (assuming such communication even occurred).  

Harsh reality time.  The Cobra De Aco isn't a good figure.  (The Cobra Mortal isn't, either.)  Were this an American release, collectors would deride it.  Were this an American release from the 1990's, the figure would be a joke.  But, because the De Aco was an exotic oddity, a mystique built up around it.  That aura was augmented with the 30th Anniversary card set released in 1994.  Here, the De Aco made his most famous debut with the tagline that "no mint samples have been identified thus far".  This made many collectors think the figure simply didn't exist.  But, the explosion of the internet proved that wrong.  By 1998, it was well known that the De Aco was very obtainable from Brazil and that another figure featuring a chrome Snake Eyes, the Cobra Mortal from Argentina, was both rarer and more interesting than the De Aco.  

If you were around online Joedome in the late 1990's, the De Aco vs. Mortal was a common thread where people would argue vehemently about the rarity of one of the other.  As photos were much harder to take, scan, post and send in those days, there was little proof.  But, as digital cameras and broadband permeated the collector base, it was quickly shown that the De Aco was, really, a common Brazilian release that was readily available.  The popularity of the figure and the aura built around it in the years prior, though, kept the price high.  But, as the economic crisis in Argentina in the early 2000's brought a decent amount of the rare 2nd series Plastirama figures (the 6 (SIX!!!!) figure wave that included the Mortal) to the market, it was proven out that the Argentine figures were rarer, more desirable and would forever be more expensive than the once mighty De Aco.

For me, this figure is useless, though.  Sure, he has visual appear.  But, he's straight arm.  I don't collect straight arm Joes.  I don't collect them because the simple addition of swivel arm battle grip was the difference between G.I. Joe being a few month fad in 1982 and being a nearly 40 year long obsession.  I don't own Joes for collectibility.  I own them for the toys they are.  And, straight arm figures are bad toys.  

All of this leads to the baffling question as to why this figure features straight arms.  At the time, many customers clamored for a swivel arm version.  But, for the sake of authenticity, those calls were resisted.  And, we got a straight arm figure.  As repaints of the figure became available (some of them amazing updates that are way better than the original....) they began to include alternate heads.  Modeled on the Gas Mask Trooper, these heads allowed the De Aco bodies to be used for troop builders.  Had they come with an alternate pair of swivel arms instead, these figures would have sold out far more quickly than they did.  With the straight arms, the various repaints of this mold were available for years...often at or below the original prices.  It's only been since 2018 that they have dried up.  Red Laser also make a version of the De Aco.  It was meant to have swivel arms to fill the gap left by this Black Major original.  However, a factory mix up resulted in Red Laser's figure also having straight arms.  Today, there is no version of the De Aco available with swivel arms.  There are Cobra Mortals with swivel arms.  But, no De Acos.  It remains a huge hole in the collecting world.  But, as we've had two homages released with straight arms, it doesn't seem likely that a swivel arm De Aco will ever be a thing.

And, that's a shame.  I love having new characters in pre-1985 construction to mesh with my early Cobras.  The early Black Major Cobra Invasors and Mortals are excellent ways to augment the sparse early Cobra field leaders.  Having De Aco would further expand their ranks in excellent ways.  And, I suppose, standing this figure among Cobra hierarchy would work.  But, that's not where I find value in figures.  I enjoy posing them, photographing them and letting them appear as toys.  With a straight arm De Aco, I can't do that.  So, the character has died on the vine and has no relevance to me.

Collectors still think that 2007 was the heyday of modern collecting.  Some will even argue that it's happening right now, in 2020 with the Classified figures.  But, the real pinnacle of the online Joe collecting era began in 2001, expanded through 2003 and didn't really die off until after the 2005 G.I. Joe convention.  As Joe started to become something that had collecting buzz around it, dealers took notice.  Quickly, they jumped into the Joe world, thinking it was going to be Star Wars or Hot Wheels.  And, for a short time, it was.  Back then, you could still find large collections at garage sales, thrift stores and even comic shops for paltry sums.  So, dealers could get stock.  But, those trying to get ill-informed toy show prices for figures soon learned the perils of the cheap Joe collectors.  Nonetheless, some dealers tried to buy their way into the market by leading with rare figures.  But, as these dealers knew little about Joe, they'd make gaffes along the way.

Starting in late 2001, I and other collectors started getting emails from various toy dealers.  They were almost always peddling Cobra De Aco figures.  They'd repeat the no known mint versions line in an attempt to sell the figures.  One major toy dealer (he's still around, today) reached out to try to sell me a De Aco for $1,000.  I told him, at best, his figure was a $200 example.  He dropped the no mint figures line.  At which point, I sent him a link to Ebay listings with five or six De Acos, all sold for less than my quoted price.  The dealer never contacted me again and the De Aco sat on his website for many, many years.  Many of my friends reported the same.  Along with these dealer inquiries, we'd get unsolicited offers from Brazilian Joe sellers all the time.  Funnily enough, they'd lead with the De Aco.  But, then, you could get '90's era Brazilian exclusives (many MOC) from them for absurdly cheap prices.  It was through one such interaction that I acquired several of my now expensive Brazilian figures for peanuts.

You would think that the guys who fancy themselves the "Guardians of Joe" would have been up in arms about this De Aco.  They weren't.  Why?  Simple, none of them own enough De Acos to worry about the impact these Black Major and Red Laser figures would have on the market.  Besides, it's been proven again and again that factory customs tend to increase the values of the original figures upon which they are based.  But, all the anti-Black Major guys were silent on this figure.  Only Starduster upset them.  That should tell you all you need to know about their true intentions.  The upside is that a lot of collectors got a chance to own both a cheap version of De Aco, but also a version that could be used for photos, dios and other activities.  That's always good for the community.  And, this figure has given the De Aco a chance to grow out of his status as a rare oddity and into something that has some value to the Joe world.  If he only had swivel arms....

Fun fact, the mold used for this De Aco is the same chest mold used on the Sightline figure.  The De Aco has an extraordinarily large backpack hole.  This feature carried over to Sightline and is why Sightline can't wear his backpack without some modifications to make the backpack peg bigger.  This larger hole is also the obvious tell on the factory custom De Acos over those made by Estrela.  Aside from that, the yellow is different, the Cobra logos are a dead giveaway, there's a tag on the figure's leg and the entire mold feels very different from an Estrela figure.  In short, there's no mistaking this figure for an original.

20 years ago, a real Cobra De Aco would have cost you $300.  Now, a real Cobra De Aco will still run you around $300.  It's a pretty steep fall from grace for a figure going from one of the most expensive Joes in the world to not even the most expensive figure from Brazil.  If you want a Factory Custom version, you can get them in the $20-$25 range.  Most of the figures that are currently available, though, are the Red Laser's Army version of the De Aco instead of this older Black Major figure.  I have not owned a Red Laser version, so I can't speak to the differences between the two.  But, the later releases will keep prices of the Black Major version in the same ballpark.  If you don't mind straight arms, that's not a terrible price to get something like De Aco.  But, for me, the limiting construction also limits his value and it's unlikely you'll see this figure appear in many photos going forward.