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.

Super Cop - Funskool Exclusive Packaging

In late 2001, a large cache of unknown figures were uncovered in an Indian warehouse.  This included a set of vehicles in a box and a carded figure as well.  This single carded oddball which used parts from the 1986 Hawk, Iceberg and Sgt. Slaughter was named Super Cop.  Almost immediately, collectors enjoyed the figure and were willing to shell out 3 or 4 times the cost of a current Funskool figure to acquire Super Cop.  He was ubiquitous for a time.  But, slowly, he somewhat faded out of memory as collectors moved on.  Once he had been absent for a while, he came back as new collectors discovered both the figure's overall quality and relative scarcity.

When the Super Cop discovery was made, the figure became instantly available in the US.  In short order, you could get them for about $12 or $13 from most US dealers of the day.  But, the stock was limited.  And, while collectors in late 2001 and early 2002 were easily able to get a Super Cop, the figure sold out and became a bit tougher to track down in fairly short order.  Within a decade, you didn't see too many Super Cops for sale.  And, now, they are a rare sight, indeed.  Even with a large number of them in the hands of collectors, they haven't permeated the collecting aftermarket.  This is likely due to the collectors who have them, deciding to keep them.  The figure is odd while also being a near perfect rendition of what it set out to be.

This particular Super Cop was produced on February 14th, 1996.  The card has a 1994 copyright.  So, it's likely that Super Cop was manufactured for at least that duration.  We know that most of the parts that were used for Super Cop were recalled by Hasbro for use in the 1997 G.I. Joe series.  So, Super Cops were not made after those molds were returned to Hasbro.  This release window is long enough that Super Cops should exist in decent numbers.  But, we've also learned that Funskool figures produced in the 1990's have not become commonplace and remain substantially more difficult to track down that their production numbers would suggest.

The main point of interest on Super Cop's card is the unique artwork.  Super Cop looks like he's kind of dancing.  It's a weird pose, but not too far removed from many vintage Joes.  The main difference is the quality.  Funskool's later unique card artwork was less polished than Super Cop.  So, this card better fits with the aesthetic of the time.  You'll note the gun barrel peeking out behind the Cop on the title of the card.  It's an unnecessary, but fun little detail.  Super Cop is also drawn to match the figure parts that were used.  You can see Iceberg's arms and Hawk's legs.  The chest is a little different and isn't a perfect match for the figure parts.  And, Super Cop's head is thinner than Sgt. Slaughter's.  But, Slaughter's head is a perfect look for what Super Cop is supposed to represent.

While the figure's card art pretty closely matches the parts that were used, his weapon does not.  Super Cop features a larger rifle on the card while he only included the tiny Chuckles pistol.  The weapon looks like a cross between the rifle included with the Talking Battle Commander Cobra Commander and the rifle included with Crazylegs.  We know Funskool had the Crazylegs rifle at the time.  And, it was pretty unlikely they had the 1992 Cobra Commander figure.  The figure does, prominently, have a pistol in his chest holster.  So, this is likely the source of the smaller pistol actually being included.  

Another point of note is the smaller bubble space on the card.  This is because Super Cop was actually posed in the bubble.  Instead of just standing like all other Joe figures, he was actually posed so that he was kneeling down.  And, his arms were raised up with the pistol glued into his hand.  This glue wasn't strong and seems to fall out of the hand rather easily.  But, this was a completely new orientation and presentation for a Joe figure.  It was a bit awkward, for sure.  But, it's another thing that makes Super Cop stand apart from his Joe brethren.

One key point of Super Cop's card is that it has no mention of G.I. Joe.  This is the likely reason that the figure was not found sooner than 2001.  With other Funskool promos (like Streethawk), the G.I. Joe name was branded on the card.  So, enterprising sellers in India knew where to market the figures.  Super Cop lacked that Joe connection.  So, it wasn't until people were scouring Indian warehouses, looking for older, more valuable Funskool releases to sell the growing ranks of American dealers that the figure was "discovered".

The cardback features the great little write up that Super Cop is a weapons expert who always gets his man.  It's not much of a characterization.  But, most people are going to use the figure either as a different Sgt. Slaughter or something completely new.  The main tidbit on the cardback is the cross sell for the police jeep and Super Cop bike.  Both of these were available in the 4 vehicle back that also included a Super Cop figure.  The Police Jeep was available into at least 2020 and is one of the few Funskool vehicles that remains affordable today.  Super Cop's bike may have a few variants and has gotten harder to find since it was mostly available in the boxed set.  

This figure cost Rs48 in 1996.  That's about the equivalent of Rs240 today.  Or, a little over $3.00.  During the Funskool import era, figures cost between Rs65 and Rs72 in India.  So, the $4.00 we paid in the US was a substantial markup.  (Especially since US dealers bought the figures for less than retail.)  But, it was still a good deal when you consider shipping and loss during transit.  It also shows how cheaply Joe figures could be made.  It's tough to swallow a $20 price point for new figures when you know that most of that is just a collector tax that falls directly to Hasbro's bottom line.

In the two decades since this figure was discovered, made available and aged out of the collecting community's general conscience, he's gotten super expensive.  Mint and complete figures will run in the hundreds of dollars these days.  (Though, I think $450 is excessive.) and even the cardback will cost you more than $20.  But, Super Cop's short supply from 2001 has caught up with him.  And, it is hard to find a sample.  I'm grateful to have been around and kept my figure from 2001 as I'd otherwise not own him.  It's a great figure, though.  And, it's unfortunate that he's priced out of the reach of many modern collectors.

Rarities - 1984 JC Penney Catalog Cobra Set

Retail catalogs sold a lot of product in the 1980's.  Christmas was an especially lucrative time as the catalogs were widely distributed and a staple of gift giving.  To capitalize on this phenomenon, Hasbro teamed up with large retailers to offer G.I. Joe figures.  Vehicles were perfectly designed for the catalog model.  Figures, though, were problematic since they had large packaging and weren't priced for individual sale through a catalog.  So, Hasbro bagged up sets of figures and offered them as exclusive offerings through the catalog retailers.  One such set was the 1984 JC Penney's "Bad Guy" 6 figure bundle.

This figure set included the four new Cobra characters introduced as single carded figures in 1984 as well as Destro and the classic Cobra Soldier.  The set was sold for $17.99.  This was only a slight premium over retail price.  The figures did not include full cardbacks.  They were, instead, bagged up with their full complement of accessories and a filecard.  As with most red backed filecards, the bio cards have become highly desirable and sought after by collectors.

In the fall of 1984, Stormshadow was still hard to find.  My brother had been fortunate enough to get one for his birthday in October.  I would get one for my birthday in December, too.  But, my friend with whom I most frequently played with Joes was not so lucky.  He could not find the figure.  So, his mother ordered him this 6 figure set, even though he had all the other figures in the set already.  Even though she bought it for him for Christmas, she let him open all the figures early so he could have a Stormshadow to play with.  I remember noticing the filecards were different.  But, since the figures were the same, didn't much care after that. 

Years later, I realized how rare these items probably were: at least when compared to standard, carded Joes.  The six figures in this set have the draw of being Cobra and being pretty much all the Cobra bigwigs of that era.  Below you will see pics of the figures, except for Baroness.  I have yet to come across one of her.

Destro:

Firefly:

Stormshadow:

Stormshadow was probably the reason why so many kids actually got this set.  He was hard to find and a sure thing was probably enticing for many kids.  You'll note the figure is extremely discolored, even though it was never removed from the bag.  This shows that the white plastic used on the Stormshadow can get damaged even if it's never been touched by human hands.  Heat, sunlight and drastic temperature changes can all affect Stormshadows and yellow them, even if they are still carded or bagged.

Scrap Iron:

Cobra Trooper:

You'll note that the Cobra Trooper's filecard has the original text and not the text from the 1982 JC Penney mail away set.

Baroness:

Each figure included a red back filecard that had a flag point printed in the cut away area.

Here is the box in which the set was shipped:

Of course, these figures are extremely hard to find.  Uncut filecards will command a substantial premium.  Still bagged figures will fetch a couple of hundred dollars each, depending upon the character.  The figures are no different than retail releases.  But, proof that the figure originated from this set will attract great interest and substantial prices.

Rarities - Carded Rubiplas Topson From Venezuela

We all know about the second series of Plastirama figures released in Argentina.  The six figures are stuff of legend and remain among the rarest and most expensive figures released anywhere in the world.  But, there are even rarer versions.  The Rubiplas toy company in Venezuela also produced the figures from this series.  Most of the figures have slight differences.  They are even rarer than the Argentine versions of the characters.  Below, though, is a carded sample of a Rubliplas Topson figure.

There is an obvious difference with this figure: the Recondo rifle.  This is interesting for a couple of reasons.  The Plastirama Topson (as far as we know) came with a version of Grunt's M-16.  We know that Recondo was sent to Brazil for release there around 1987 or 1988.  Recondo appeared on the cardbacks of Plastirama figures: but was never released in Argentina.  So, it's possible that Plastirama had the mold and Rubiplas got ahold of it.  But, why use the gun for this Topson?  Was the Grunt M-16 separated from theses figures and not available?  You'll also note he has a helmet mold originally from Blowtorch.  The Plastirama version has been found with the classic 1982 helmet, molded in grey instead of this Blowtorch version.  But, it's possible that both helmet combos were released in Argentina, too.

The card artwork for this figure is a combination of classic Joe excellence with a bit of foreign silliness.  We see Topson clearly holding the ammo pack originally included with Snake Eyes.  But, it has an added antenna to it to make it appear as a radio.  This Topson figure includes an unaltered ammo pack.  There is some disagreement as to what the Plastirama version of Topson includes in regards to the radio.  We'll have to find a carded version from Argentina to be sure.  But, the different Recondo rifle opens up the door that other accessories were changed between the countries, too.

Rarities - Sears Red Back Straight Arm Cobra Commander and Snake Eyes

From the beginning, Hasbro had a good relationship with Sears.  And, why not?  In the early 1980's, Sears was America's largest retailer.  No company who made retail products could get large without selling their wares through Sears.  And, the backbone of Sears's retail might was it's catalog business.

Long before the internet, if you didn't live in a place with retail stores, you had to resort to shopping and ordering goods from catalogs.  This wasn't just for hermits and those who were heavily isolated.  Even into the early 1980's, towns of 20,000 to 50,000 people would have limited retail options.  So, stores like Sears had huge swaths of the American population who were dependent upon them for ordering many items.

So, Hasbro got into bed with Sears rather quickly.  The downside to the catalog business, though, was shipping and handling.  The extra space for full figure cardbacks were a detriment for the shipping costs.  So, Hasbro and Sears came up with a solution.  Instead of putting the figures on full cardbacks, they packaged them into bubbles that were affixed to a reproduction of the figure's filecard.  This smaller size lent itself to mailing.  It also created a subset of collecting that contains some of the hardest to find items in the entire Joe line.

Below you will Sears catalog figures for the 1982 Snake Eyes and 1982 Cobra Commander.  The Commander is noteworthy because he is not the Mickey Mouse version.  But, he is the straight arm version.  This configuration of figure was available from Sears in the Missile Command set and this mail away.  I got two of them from the mail away offer in early 1983, as well.

You'll also note that the accessories are package right with the figure.  This was the standard for vehicle drivers and would appear again with JC Penny's catalog figures as well as bubbled overstock vehicle drivers from the Action Force line in Europe.

The figures were attached to a filecard that included a flagpoint.  It was a way to keep the characterization with the figure and still give the recipient of the toy an idea of the card art without incurring the additional hassle of superfluous packaging.

Figures still attached to their bubbles on these filecards are extremely rare and expensive.  Even the filecards alone (with the bubble marks on the red side) can command hundreds of dollars.  While Sears ordered enough product to make it worth Hasbro's while to create alternate packaging, the production numbers would have been substantially smaller than the standard carded figures.  Loose, the figures are indistinguishable from their retail counterparts.  But, the cards and evidence of the catalog origins remain grail type items for many collectors.

Rarities - Coming Soon Explosion Back Cardbacks

1980's toy marketing was completely different than anything we know today.  Then, there were few ways to get information to your customer.  You could take out expensive TV advertising either on local channel weekday afternoons or on the national networks' Saturday morning cartoon blocks.  You could team up with a food promotion.  You could advertise in comic books.  Or, you could use your sales packaging as marketing cross promotion.  Kenner achieved this with great success with their Star Wars line.  And, Hasbro emulated it with G.I. Joe.  On the back of every figure package was a visual representation of pretty much every figure that should have been available at retail in that given year.  It was a great way to let kids know that there was a whole lot more to the line than the one figure they might get as a present.  At various times, though, Hasbro blocked out some upcoming characters with a 'Coming Soon' explosion.

These explosion backs occurred in two different years, 1983 and 1987.  In 1983, the characters of Trip Wire, Torpedo, Major Bludd and Destro were exploded out.  I recall that both Trip Wire and Torpedo figures were almost non existent until the late summer of 1983.  So, they might have been a case where Hasbro didn't want kids looking for them until they were released.  Destro and Major Bludd are, likely, the same thing.  Destro's look was some of secret until his full appearance in the comic.  They hinted at him, but didn't show him for a few months.  Bludd, though, was a mail away.  So, any kid who collected Joe was aware of him.  But, his carded figure may have been delayed until the mail away was done, so he was blocked out, too.

The reasoning behind the coming soon explosions isn't fully known.  In the case of Kenner's Star Wars line, Lucasfilm specifically didn't want anyone to see the Ewoks (or Jabba the Hutt) prior to the release of Return of the Jedi.  So, they were blacked out on the earliest cardbacks.  (I got a Chief Chirpa figure that had him still blacked out on the back.)  But, G.I. Joe didn't have a movie to spoil.  (Well, it kind of did in 1987.  But, the most prominent movie characters like Falcon and Jinx are showcased while other, more obscure characters are not.)  It could have been that the artwork wasn't ready at the time when the cardbacks were done.  But, this seems like an unnecessary rush.

In December of 1986, my mother took me to Toys R Us.  While I always looked at the Joes, I didn't figure I'd find anything really new.  But, among the carded figures were newly released 1987 characters.  I bought Falcon and Cobra Commander.  I have no memory of who else they might have had on the shelves.  It is likely, though, that because the 1987 figures were seeing a slightly early release for the 1986 Christmas season, Hasbro saw an opportunity to bring back the explosion backs.

Explosion backs are rare.  MOC examples are very pricey and can be ridiculously expensive if you find a highly desirable character on one.  Even loose explosion back cardbacks can be tough to find.  But, once you have one, you kind of have them all for a given year.  To me, the interesting part is the inconsistency of Hasbro's usage of them.  Why just those two years?  Maybe they didn't test well either time and were never brought back.  Regardless the reason, they are a footnote in Joe's retail history.

Ninja Ku - Argentina Black Ninja

The Plastirama Ninja Ku figure, released in Argentina, is one of the most famous foreign exclusives ever created.  He and his even more famous cohort, Satan, have been collector favorites since they first became readily available in late 2000/early 2001.  Since then, the supply of both figures has heavily dried up and pricing has increased dramatically.  The characters were so popular that Hasbro co-opted them twice.  The first time was for the Black Dragon Ninja and Red Ninja Viper in the 2004 Ninja Strike set that was exclusive to Toys R Us.  In the anniversary line, though, Hasbro took their theft to a new level when they used the exclusive Plastirama card artwork for two figures released in their retail line.  But, this just shows that collectors desire these characters and welcome opportunities to add them to their collection in multiple ways.

Ninja Ku himself is very interesting for a few reasons.  First, he is a fairly straightforward Stormshadow repaint using black and gold.  The fig has two paint masks and that's pretty much it.  But, the color differential is striking.  Secondly, he is the first black Cobra villain released anywhere in the world.  Finally, he is a new character who is, at his core, an assassin.  These all add up to someone that collectors desire and want to see more of.

Streethawk - Funskool Exclusive Cardback

Starting in the 1990's, Funskool occasionally made something odd out of the G.I. Joe molds they had available.  For many years, the "Super Hero" figure was the most famous.  But, as Funskool invaded American shores in the early 2000's, he was supplanted by the high quality Street Hawk figure.

Street Hawk was based on a forgettable TV show that was airing in India.  The figure was a multiple marketing opportunity as they used the show to cross sell and introduce G.I. Joe.  You will also notice the highly prominent MRF brand on the tires, MRF being one of the owners of the Funskool toy company.

The card art itself is bigger than normal.  But, that's to accommodate both the figure and the repainted RAM that makes up the duo.  You'll note the rider looks a lot like Snake Eyes.  This is because the first Street Hawk figure released was actually a Snake Eyes repaint with a black helmet.  It's a highly desirable variant and a very nice Snake Eyes version.  By 2001, Funskool was on at least the third version of the figure, this one mostly using parts from TARGAT.  There are a few waist variants among these figures, adding more complexity for Funskool collectors to hunt down.

The cardback is interesting with the marketing blurb about G.I. Joe.  You'll also notice that it features the earliest Funskool releases on the back.  Street Hawk was a holdover from the earliest days of the Funskool line.  So, it features many figures who had been out of circulation for years on the back.

For the vehicles, you will notice the MOBAT.  Funskool MOBATs are notoriously hard to find and can be pricey.  While the stock photography you see showcased on the cardback is from vintage Hasbro days, Funskool did release all of the vehicles shown.  All save the MOBAT were available well into the 2000's, too.

Funskool Wild Bill Card Artwork

In 2001, Funskool figures started to be regularly available through U.S. dealers.  A byproduct of this is that collectors were able to follow the Funskool line's new released just like they did for Hasbro releases of the day.  The year started with the Desert Scorpion and General Flagg.  General Hawk debuted in the late spring.  And, in the summer, the hugely anticipated Crimson Guard Immortal became a staple of every good army builders' collections.  The final figure of 2001, though, was a bit disappointing to American collectors.  Wild Bill did feature the classic mold that collectors would have appreciated.  But, recolored in bright orange, the figure was an eyesore that quickly fell into obscurity among a collecting corps that was more interested in anything Cobra and Joes who weren't neon.

The figure itself, though, was a bit different from the card artwork.  Wild Bill's art was obviously taken from the 1992 Wild Bill figure, even while the release was from the 1983 mold.  Ostensibly, this may seem like a good bit of planning.  But, it could be more than that.  In 2000, Hasbro released Wild Bill as part of the first wave of the A Real American Hero Collection as the Locust pilot.  In this timeline, there were a few molds that moved back and forth between Hasbro and Funskool.  Hasbro recalled many molds for the 1997 and 1998 releases.  But, we know that Hasbro also shuffled off some molds to Funskool right after their use in 2000/2001.

As such, it is very possible that Funskool had planned to release the 1992 Wild Bill mold in the orange color scheme.  But, Hasbro recalled the mold and left Funskool with the original mold as their only option for Wild Bill.  It's also known that Funskool's molds were not well labeled at times.  So, it's also possible that Hasbro intended the 2000 Wild Bill to be the classic 1983 mold.  But, when Funskool returned it to them, they sent the 1992 mold by mistake.

At this point, it's unlikely that we'll ever know the true story of what happened with this figure.  But, we have a definite legacy where the card art does not match the figure that was released.  You will notice that Funskool modified the artwork to showcase the Funskool accessories.  This artwork also shows blue pants, which would have greatly broken up the Funskool Wild Bill's brightness.

Brazilian Vibora Card Art Vs. Python Officer

The Python Patrol Officer was released in the U.S. in 1989.  This repainted Cobra Trooper utilized the card artwork from the original release.  But, Hasbro updated the colors to match their new subset of figures that were brought to retail as Python Patrol.  Around 1993 or so, the Cobra Trooper mold showed up in Brazil.  Here, he was released in Python Patrol colors as Vibora.  While the toy mold remained the same as an American release, Vibora was given brand new card artwork.

Vibora Card Art

Vibora features the classic Python Patrol coloring from the 1989 U.S. figure.  So, Hasbro sent those paint masks to Brazil for the swivel arm trooper mold.  But, this is the only connection to the U.S. release.  Vibora is in a completely different pose.  He also features his Brazilian exclusive weapons (a remake of Hit and Run's rifle and the Range Viper's grenade launcher) drawn into his hands.

Oddly, Vibor's name translates as Viper.  G.I. Joe fans know the Viper as the building block of the Cobra army and their successor to the original Cobra upon which Vibora is based.

1989 Python Officer Card Art

The biggest difference I see in the two artworks are the characters eyes.  Vibora's eyes are wide and somewhat crazy.  He looks worried and overwhelmed by his station.  The Python Officer's eyes, though, look very, very evil.  He has the hardened face of a career mercenary.  Each of them is cool in their own way.  But, the eyes seem to be the biggest characterization difference between the two releases.

Vibora Cardback and Filecard

Here is rough translation of Vibora's filecard:

He is extremely vengeful. And fast in your actions. Perfect for being the commander of the Cobra attack jets. His thirst for vengeance leads him to despise danger. And when it lands, its speed leaves the inmates unreacted.

Once, at school, Vibora needed to take ten to not be disapproved. He had no doubts: he took the test from the most intelligent colleague, put his name and called the teacher. For what? To accuse the unfortunate of wanting to take his test.

Vibora and Python Officer Card Artwork Comparison

Abutre Negro (Brazilian Cobra Black Vulture) Card Artwork

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

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

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

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

Chinese Major Bludd Card Artwork

The Chinese Major Bludd figure is one of the most common foreign figures to appear in Joe collections.  This is a combination of his great availability and low price.  These make the figure attractive to potential buyers.  But, the quality of the figure is the real calling card.  This version of Major Bludd uses parts from the General Flagg, Lamprey and Super Sonic Fighters Major Bludd figures.

The card art itself is taken from the 1983 Major Bludd figure.  So, neither the mold nor accessories match what was actually included with the figure.  You see some English and non some non-English text combined on the cardfront.  The safety warning being in English is odd.  But, that warning mentions children under 36 months old while additional safety text at the bottom mentions the boy being suitable for kids 5+ years old.  It's a constant contradiction.  You will note the Hasbro logo on the bottom, indicating the figure was Hasbro made and is comparable to other, vintage Joes in terms of quality.

The cardback shows the Chinese line.  Again, you have an eclectic mix of figures with 1983 molds right alongside those from the 1990's.  However, in the case of Destro and this Major Bludd, the molds used were from later figures.  Duke and Cobra Commander used their classic molds.  (With slight modifications on Duke.) While Roadblock was actually the Tiger Force version of the original mold.  

Over the years, I've tried to translate Major Bludd's filecard a few times.  However, I have yet to be successful.  So, if anyone can translate it, please leave the info in the comments.

Through the years, there's been lots of speculation as to the audience for these figures.  However, large quantities of overstock Chinese figures were sold in U.S. liquidation and close out stores in the mid 1990's.  That is the source for the vast majority of the figures that populate collections today and is responsible for the cheap availability of the figure.