2009 Undertow

In 2005, the club had their first real "hit" with a convention set.  Even today, the Iron Grenadier set from that year receives high marks and is one of the most popular themes that was ever done.  So, it made sense that the club would try to cash in on that success with other figures in the updated Iron Grenadier color scheme.  Unfortunately, the mold they ultimately chose for that update didn't really make a lot of sense to appear in the Iron Grenadiers colors.  Sure, the original Undertow was "Destro's Frogman".  But, that figure was done in colors to match their specialty.  Seeing a diver done in the red, gold and black seemed a bit out of place.  But, the figure was a perfect match for the 2005 convention set.  Timing is everything, though.  And, in 2009, collectors weren't feeling all that nostalgic and the figure's flaws outweighed his value.  This alone, though, makes the 2009 Undertow worth another look.

The 1990 Undertow is a solid figure.  I'd argue that he's not as good as the 1985 Eel.  But, the original Eel is also a near perfect figure.  So, that's a high bar.  Undertow, though, stole coloring elements from the 1985 Eel figure.  And, even on the second usage, the colors worked.  The 2000 and 2002 uses of the Undertow mold were done in mostly solid colors.  They worked for what they were intended to be.  The club took the basis of previous Undertows and added some additional colors to call attention to the sculpt's details.  This 2009 release shows that, sometimes, less is more.  The overabundance of colors seems like overkill.  While the overall paint apps aren't bad, the colors chosen seem like a lot.   And, the figure doesn't make much sense as a diver in these colors.  But, this figure wasn't meant as an army builder or, even, a figure you'd take outside for photos.  It was always meant as a companion display piece to the 2005 convention set.  And, in that regard, it succeeds spectacularly.

I quit playing with G.I. Joe in 1987.  I was aware of the introduction of Destro's Iron Grenadiers in 1988 as my younger brother had the original Iron Grenadier figure and I was still an avid reader of the comic book.  I liked the idea of Destro having his own army.  But, it was never a concept that carried over to my collection.  I liked Destro as a character who pulled strings behind the scenes.  He was brave in battle.  But, he wasn't a guy who put himself out at the forefront.  So, the idea of the Iron Grenadiers as a separate and nearly equal faction to Cobra was never something that manifested in my toy collection.  

Seeing the 2005 convention set of all Iron Grenadiers didn't really move me all that much.  I thought the execution of the Iron Anvils and the overall color palette was top notch.  It was great to see some molds that hadn't appeared anywhere else get some use.  But, Iron Grenadiers were not a concept that mattered to me.  Had the set been Eco Warriors or Star Brigade, I'd have jumped all over it.  Instead, I was cool to the theme.  The figures were neat.  And, I picked up most of them.  But, I then sold almost all of them shortly thereafter.  I didn't use them and had no desire to ever develop them.  I kept a couple of Iron Anvils due to my love of the 1994 Viper mold.  But, Iron Grenadiers were just one of those concepts with whose absence I was fine.

This is, 100%, a result of timing.  IG's came out when I had outgrown Joe.  And, they were gone by the time I returned to Joe in the early '90's.  Those early '90's days were full of wonder for all I'd missed.  And, the IG's didn't match that description because we had owned one of the figures and they came during my period of malaise that had culminated from my leaving toys behind.  I fully appreciate the quality of the Iron Grenadier concept as well as the execution of the figures and vehicles.  In a different world, they would be the centerpiece of my childhood storyline.  But, I was a year or two too early for that to manifest.

All of which is a long way of saying that I want to really like the 2005 Iron Grenadier color scheme.  I want to have this Undertow be the missing piece to a fully formed enemy faction.  But, it simply doesn't happen for me.  I appreciate this Undertow for what he succeeds in doing.  But, it doesn't make for a figure that captures my attention.  It's not this figure's fault, though.  Instead, it's due to my personal timing and the manner in which Iron Grenadiers entered into the Joe mythos.  For most other collectors, the 2005 Iron Grenadier coloring is among the highlights of the repaint era and remains their overall favorite convention set.

Which is why it's somewhat odd that this Undertow is not only forgotten today, but was completely unappreciated in his time.  The figure landed with a thud when it was announced.  Not because it was bad.  But, collectors just weren't interested.  2009 was a very different time in the Joe world.  Hasbro had burned many collector bridges with the way the line was handled as it was cancelled at retail in 2005.  The switch the anniversary style in 2007 also spurned many of the vintage collectors.  And, the influx of new action figure collectors further drove many of the remaining casual vintage collectors from the hobby.  On top of that, the times were making collecting more of a luxury.  And, forums were filled with guys who were desperate to get whatever they could for a collection that, just two or three years earlier, would have been in a contentious bidding war.  It didn't help that this Undertow was released as the "Membership Figure" for 2009.  Previously, membership figures had heavily been JvC style figures that collectors tossed aside.  By 2009, club membership was skewing towards anniversary style collectors who found an o-ring Joe to be passe.  

All of this added up to this Undertow going a bit under the radar.  The people who were still serious about vintage Joes were aware of it.  But, the figure didn't end up as a popular subject of the Joe photographers of the era.  He didn't end up as a brag worthy army builder for guys who were wont to buy up expensive figures for clout.  Instead, he mostly ended up on Ebay, selling for $10 or less for a bagged figure.  While the reviews from that time about this Undertow were laudatory, it didn't translate into actual popularity among the collecting community.  Undertow was swept away and remains a figure whose existence is often a surprise to newer collectors.  

The only reason I own this figure is because I happened across one at a local shop back in 2019 or so.  He was in a bin of unloved figures and I bought him for a song.  Had he been even slightly more expensive, I wouldn't own him.  The only real reason I was compelled to pick him up was because it was such an oddity to find him in this box that was full of figures from the 1980's with Undertow being the lone representative of the repaint era.  I got him home, appreciated the design and, promptly stuck him in a container where he's rarely moved from in the years since.  I see him all the time when I'm getting other figures from their slots in the containers.  But, I never have any idea of how to use him and you'll see the photography for the figure in this profile doesn't really do much to showcase his abilities.  I have plenty of water available and still never think to get this figure out into it.  Nothing encapsulates the collecting sentiment on this 2009 Undertow better than that.

One level, the quality of this figure is top notch.  On another level, though, it has some flaws that should be noted.  Just in terms of paint applications, the figure is great.  Convention level figures featured intricate paint masks that were few and far between on retail figures.  The plastic quality is the same as the other figures of the era.  So, it's a bit softer and less susceptible to broken thumbs and crotches.  The issue with the softer plastic, though, is that paint can rub off.  And, as this Undertow has painted hands, the softness of the paint and plastic are a deadly combination.  Any tight fitting accessories will rub the grey glove paint off the figure's hands.  But, this figure was meant to be kept in the baggie.  And, even loose, he'd only hold a small, smooth handled spear.  So, you can see why the paint doesn't bother too many collectors...they simply never had occasion for it to be an issue.  

Undertow includes the gear from the original figure.  He's got a red mask with gold paint.  This is a solid match for the 2002 Undertow.  But, too scarce for anyone to really consider it as an option.  He has the underwater sled with a gold missile, hose, flippers and barracuda.  His weapon is the bizarre spear from the original version.  The tip is painted gold.  It's one of those things that looks great.  And, for collectors, works, since you won't be taking this figure down to the creek.  The gear, though, is limiting.  That's an artifact from the original design as Undertow's gear never lived up to that of the Eel.  So, while the accessories included with this 2009 version are perfect, they inherit the issues from their origin and make for a figure where the idea of the gear is much better than the practical application of it.

Undertow got a lot of use.  In the vintage line, there's just the one coloring that debuted in 1990.  There is a European exclusive accessory variant, though.  In 2000, Hasbro reused the mold for the first time.  This blue figure was hugely popular at the time of his release.  About half way through the production run of the 2000 figures, Hasbro altered the mold.  The peg used to affix the air hose to the figure's chest was removed and replaced by a hold into which you forced the tube.  There's really no reason why the change was made.  2000 Undertows are about 50/50 on peg or hole.  In 2002, the mold was used again in the BJ's exclusive set.  This figure was colored all red and didn't include any accessories that matched to the frogman specialty.  (He included a chainsaw!)  There is an unproduced BJ's figure that is white with a pinkish hue.  It's rare.  The final use was this 2009 figure.  All of the Undertows work in specific formats.  None of them are bad paint jobs.  But, the original is the best with the 2000 following closely behind.  Hasbro got their money out of this mold and collectors have a small subset of nice figures to collect.

Pricing on this figure is tough.  Even just five years ago, you could get bagged figures for under $25 without too much trouble.  Now, the dealer class tries to cash in on low availability and charges upwards of seven times that amount.  Those figures don't sell, though and there is plenty of stock available.  Which really proves out this figure's lack of popularity among the collecting community.  For a low production run, high quality figure that is relatively obscure and has little collector cachet, though, $40 is probably the sweet spot if you want to buy one.  Less is better.  But, any more and you're overpaying for something that collectors generally passed by.  For me, the value in the figure is as a companion to the 2005 Convention set.  But, as that set holds little value for me, personally, the figure is more of a novelty and not something I ever consider when it comes time to select aquatic Cobras for a photo shoot.  Had I not gotten him when I stumbled upon a super cheap version, he'd not only be absent from my collection, but I'd also have no compunction to ever track him down.

2002 Convention Paratrooper Dusty - Random Photos of the Day

In 2002, the collectors club surprised the Joe community with an exclusive set of Cobra figures that would be available at that year's convention.  Naively, many people thought the sets might price out at $5 or $6 per figure...a substantial mark up over retail.  When the real price was revealed, the community was apoplectic.  But, in fairly short order, the desire to army build every Viper overtook the price shock and the sets became very popular.  At the event itself, everyone was ga-ga over their new, Crimson Vipers.  So much so, that another, unannounced surprise at the convention slipped under the radar.  The convention was going to feature a parachute drop.  And, everyone got a figure to drop off the hotel's roof.  Instead of being some random overstock or a recently released retail figure, though, the club dropped their first exclusive G.I. Joe team member: the Paratrooper Dusty.

In the aftermath of the convention, this Dusty was relegated into obscurity.  And, he remains one of the most unheralded convention figures ever made.  The truth was, though, that Hasbro had made up an amazingly solid version of Dusty.  Sure, it wasn't his traditional desert garb.  But, the two toned shades of green that was offset by intricate paint details left us with one of the better convention figures that was ever released.  The figure featured 6 colors and a nice blend of familiar hues that hadn't, yet, been overdone.  The figure even got painted bootlaces to make his footwear stand out.  He is one of the detailed Joes of the time.  And, is a perfect example of giving a figure great accents without overdoing it and making him too busy.

Upon seeing him, I was immediately enthralled by the figure.  I quickly acquired one. (From a dealer who used to sell Plastirama overstock.  Her only items were cheap figures and vehicles from Argentina.  When you pay $800 for a carded Satan, remember that she had thousands of them that sold for under $30 each.  You're buying a popular figure.  Not a rare one.)  Upon his addition to my collection, Dusty became one of my most used figures.  You'll find him in photos from the early 2000's all the way through this past year.  He fits with so many different eras of figures that he's easy to integrate into any scene.  And, the fact that he's obscure helps to make photos more interesting.  Few people use this Dusty.  So, his appearance is always something that provides an extra layer to a photo.

In recent years, I've grown to appreciate this figure even more.  That's partially due to the fact that few figures from the repaint era can live up to the level of paint applications and quality that was imparted upon this figure.  His colors work together and they used splashes of color to make him stand out.  In a lot of ways, this Dusty feels more vintage than most figures from the 2000's.  Even convention figures tended to overthink themselves and ended up being more busy and overdone than looking like a vintage Joe.  For that reason, this figure still resonates with me and remains one of my personal favorites.

This Dusty mold got three full releases.  His original release in 1991.  A full repaint of the figure was released in 2000.  And, then this convention figure in 2002.  However, if you really want to get into it, he appeared more frequently. There is an exclusive European and Chinese release that includes different weapons.  (The figure is the same, though.)  In 1995, the whole body was used (with a new head) for the Paratrooper Guile figure.  His head, waist and legs were used on the 2002 Night Rhino Dusty.  (With Dial Tone's torso.)  The figure was planned to be released in a chocolate chip camo pattern and included with the 2001 Desert Striker.  But, he was replaced with Flint at the last minute.  And, even this Paratrooper Dusty has a pre-production variant with a painted zipper around his open shirt collar.  There might be more part usages as the 2000's dragged on.  But, that's enough for now.

Dusty even got unique accessories.  He was given a silver parachute from which he could fall to his death from the top of the hotel.  It was attached to an exclusive green colored version of the 1987 Jinx backpack.  As an approximation of a parachute rig, this setup worked just fine.  The parachute strings were tied to the sword loops on the backpack.  This, supposedly, would hold the chute in place.  And,it really did.  In the aftermath of the convention, you'd find a ton of figures who included a backpack where the parachute strings had been cut off.  The parachute had been discarded and the seller was offering just the figure and backpack.

While the parachute was secured to the backpack, the backpack wasn't all that secure to the figure.  And, hundreds of Dusty's plummeted several stories and were dashed into broken parts after their backpack came out and the figure had nothing to slow its velocity.  For a few months after the convention, you could buy lots of broken parts that enterprising scavengers had swept from the parking lot.  You couldn't really piece together a mint figure from them.  But, it was a good way to get some extra parts for customs.

The real legacy of the figure, though, is that no one really remembers him.  Collectors of the era were fixated on army builders.  And, the 1991 Dusty mold was passe.  So, the figure disappeared from collecting discourse.  It wasn't until 2007 that convention attendee exclusives started getting popular and appreciating on the aftermarket.  Slowly, these pulled in many of the early exclusives that had been selling for under their original price for many years.  The Paratrooper Dusty, though, wasn't one of them.  You could get bagged figures for under $20 well into the late 2010's.  Even today, while other convention attendee figures approach $1000 for a single release, the Paratrooper Dusty sells for under $40 with regularity.  Between the very low production run and the fact that so many were destroyed in the fall, this seems like a very low price for a high quality figure.  But, the modern collecting market makes no sense.

The end result is that you can get a high quality figure for a very attractive price.  And, as you can see from the photos below, he works very well in a variety of settings.  Dusty doesn't always need to be wearing desert camo.  There are deserts around the world that are very green.  So, having an alternate look for one of the secondary popularity characters in the line seems like it would be popular.  But, it's not.  And, that leave opportunity for you to scoop up a Paratrooper Dusty and discover his quality for yourself.

2010 Convention Flint - Around The Web

The 2010 Convention Flint is a weird figure.  The coloring is amazing and gives him a look that's fun, unique and interesting.  Sadly, the parts aren't a perfect match with the larger 1993 body feeling a bit out of scale with the head that was based on the 1985 figure.  

Back in the days closer to this figure's release, content featuring him was a lot more common.  These days, you just never see the figure.  He's fallen into that realm of figures that's too far removed from their release to be popular and a bit too scarce for others to really showcase him.  When he does appear, you notice him.  It's just not as common as it used to be.  So, enjoy the content below and check one of the more distinctive figure of the repaint era.

Convention Flint Profile

Convention Flint Random Photos of the Day

Convention Flint by andrewcf1992

Convention Flint by Cobra Freak

Convention Flint by adamanttoys

Convention Flint by gen_liederkranz

Convention Flint by alpha1creative

Convention Flint by gen_liederkranz

2006 Operation Flaming Moth Range Viper - Around The Web

After nearly 20 years, the stain of the old club is wearing off of figures like this Range Viper.  It's always been a quality release.  Maybe, even, the best paint job ever offered on the mold.  But, the entire "not an army builder" shenanigans have tainted the legacy of this figure since its release.  Newer collectors are unaware of how the club's hubris divided the Joe community and contributed to the demise of line.  It might be good that we're moving on from the nonsense of the early 2000's.  But, it's also important to not forget.  Lest, we see the mistakes of the club repeated.  (Which, they kind of were with the Pulse releases....)

That aside, this Range Viper is excellently done.  The desert motif actually befits the character.  And, desert Cobras were rare in the line.  So, having one available is nice.  And, while this figure was clearance fodder for years (even sitting unsold at 50% off...) it's now gotten expensive as newer collectors try to track them down.  There's some good stuff using this figure out there.  So, check him out!

2006 Range Viper Profile

2006 Range Viper by fosilru

2006 Range Viper by yovalleyjoe

2006 Range Vier by instachampa

2006 Range Viper by blast_gijoe

2006 Range Viper by plasticbattles

2006 Range Viper by LTCLAYMORE

2006 Range Viper by kushviper

2006 Range Viper by blast_gijoe

2006 Range Viper by instachampa

2006 Range Viper by yovalleyjoe

2007 Convention Zap (Raphael "Zap" Melendez)

Zap is an iconic figure.  You can argue the point.  But, everyone recognizes the original shoulder strap torso from 1982 as Zap's.  It is referred to as the "Zap" torso.  It's the least favorite of everyone when it comes to the original torsos.  But, it's Zap's: first and foremost.  Scrap Iron is also an iconic figure.  His overalls are a unique look from a classically colored villain from the line's formative years.  So, the combination of the two characters shouldn't make a figure that is able to stand on its own.  Yet, in 2007, there was a convention release of the Zap character that did just that.  And, it actually managed to pull off a pretty nifty new look for a classic character that also didn't tread on the torso's original use on Scrap Iron.

2007 featured the most ambitious convention set.  As it was the ARAH theme's 25th anniversary, the club forewent their mostly army builder formula and produced a set that was almost 1/2 Joes.  And, they used mostly unique parts.  (Though, the parts were relatively familiar as most had appeared on Comic Pack figures or in Toys R Us exclusive sets in the few years prior.)  It was a risky strategy.  But, it proved out as the set sold better than most of its predecessors.  And, within a few weeks of the convention, select characters from the set were selling for premiums.  It helped that most of the figures were fairly well done.  They featured thoughtful parts selection along with solid paint applications.  For many, the Joe side of the set was their personal favorite set the club produced.  

One of the reasons was that the colors used for the set weren't ones that were overly common in the vintage or repaint era.  This Zap perfectly showcases that with his leathery brown jacket and greyish-green pants.  These were visually interesting color palettes that didn't have precedence in the line.  The uniqueness made the figures stand out.  As the set was classic characters, many of whom were the only other use of Comic Pack era heads, collectors felt they weren't treading on beaten tropes like many prior sets.  Zap features a tamed cammo pattern that works due to the sparseness.  Rock and Roll and Grunt both had cammo patterns that were overkill.  And, they contrast the earnest simplicity of Zap's less ostentatious design.

At one point, I had multiples of all the figures in the 2007 convention set.  But, when it was time to purge my collection, few of them were able to make the cut as the best uses of their parts, mold or character.  I regret getting rid of figures like Sgt. Clay More and Doc.  They were very good figures.  And, I can't really explain why they didn't cut the mustard during that dark time in my collecting life.  This Zap, though, did survive.  And, again, I'm not really sure why.  I suspect it was because he was selling so cheaply that it simply wasn't worth my time to try and liquidate him.  But, I'm glad he was able to outlast the cull.  I still enjoy his colors.  And, I've always like Zap as a character.  This figure is a nice way to be able to use him with other early molds and not have be out of place like his 1991 Super Sonic Fighters release.  

I don't mind the Scrap Iron torso.  I think the overalls work for the Zap character.  They seem like something an antiquated bazooka man would wear.  It helps that they are nicely colored and even feature gold painted buckles.  Zap's torso, alone, features five distinct colors.  And, they are all done in a way that work with each other and the rest of the figure.  I'm sure this is personal preference.  But, I do find the colors to be eye-pleasing.  And, they work well on the chosen parts, too.

But, I've also found that when I go to use this figure, he's often still out of place.  The complexity of the convention paint jobs is too much of a stark contrast with the simplicity of many early vintage figures.  So, the later releases really only good among their peers.  This isn't bad since Hasbro remade so many swivel head figures during the Repaint Era.  And, this Zap even pairs well with the Pulse era figures from the 2020's.  So, that gives him more options for use.  I often see this guy sitting in his case with many other figures from the early 2000's.  And, I think to get him out for a photo shoot.  But, I then end up not doing it as I can't come up with any ideas for him.  I'll have to work on that as we go forward as this is a figure that I should showcase more often.  He's very well done and worthy of more use.

One of the sad realities of Joe in the 2000's was copyrights had lapsed.  So, this figure isn't, actually, Zap.  It's Raphael "Zap" Melendez.  It's one of the many silly convolutions Hasbro had to take to keep the characters in circulation.  But, almost 20 years removed from this figure's release and he's known by the more colloquial Zap name.  You know it's Zap.  I know it's Zap.  But, the lawyers can argue that it's not a copyright infringement on whatever IP squatter hoarded up expired names.  These names were more of an issue during the release years with some collectors becoming legitimately worked up that they had to appear in this manner.  That childishness seems to have dissipated in the ensuing decades.  But, it's a reminder that Joe collectors of the early 2000's could be petulant children over very stupid trivialities.  

This Zap is a hodge-podge of parts.  The head is from the 2004 Comic Pack Zap.  It's among the better Comic Pack heads and definitely looks more like Zap than his head from 1982.  The torso is from Scrap Iron.  His arms are from Thunder.  Many people aren't fans of these arms.  But, I'm quite fond of them as they look decent and provide some heft on older molds.  The legs are from Snow Job.  And, the waist is from Mutt.  The Mutt and Scrap Iron parts are from the 2004 era recasts that Hasbro made to release those figures in Toys R Us sets.  But, the overall parts combo works pretty well.  And, the different waist and legs really help Zap stand on his own and separate from the legacy of Scrap Iron.  

Zap's gear isn't great.  His only rifle is a grey version of a JvC era compact rifle.  It's actually a pretty good weapon.  It just doesn't really go with Zap.  The club tried to approximate Zap's necessary bazooka with a Sgt. Savage era spring loaded launcher.  The club tried to make Sgt. Savage accessories happen in 2007 and 2008.  The success was...mixed.  Some worked well enough.  But, most seemed out of place.  Even the Savage weapons that were originally intended for inclusion with the unproduced 1995 figures were designed with much larger parts in mind than the pre 1985 parts used on this Zap.  So, you have some really expensive accessories that didn't mesh with their figures.  And, Zap's overall accessory complement is pretty weak.  Fortunately, 1997 Zap or Short Fuze accessories work on this figure very well.  And, if you can get past the missing eye piece, the 2022 Duke Bazooka is another nice match for this Zap.  It sucks to have to go to the aftermarket to get meaningful accessories for a premium figure.  But, at least there are some nice options available for Zap.

As 2007 convention figures go, this Zap is pretty cheap.  While other figures from this set have crossed $300, Zap can be had for about $60.  Dealers still try to get $120 or more.  But, the time of this figure has passed.  The 2007 convention set had a moment in the sun.  And, some figures have remained very popular and still command stupid prices.  But, Zap is among the least popular members of this set...even if he's among the best figures.  So, you can get him cheaper if you have the patience to wait out the market.  I don't know if I'll go so far as to say this is the best swivel head Zap.  It's tough to beat the original.  And, the Funskool variants are all so much better.  But, this is a good figure.  Sadly, he's just not a $10, casual acquisition these days to find out.

2007 Convention Clutch - Around The Web

The 2007 convention set took a big chance by including a large contingent of Joe characters instead of being army builder focused.  This seemed to be a minor hit at the time.  But, shortly after release, all of the Joe characters from the main set were readily available for under their per figure cost if you had bought a complete set from the club.  It remained that way for a while.  But, slowly, the Joes started to dry up.  And, certain characters began to climb the price charts.  After the explosion that began in 2018 and had rocket fuel thrown upon it by the 2020 collectibles bubble, all the 2007 convention figures have gotten stupidly expensive.

That's made this Clutch out of reach for many collectors.  That's kind of too bad as it's a great rendition of Clutch.  But, this figure also has some deficiencies that would make me hesitant to spend $100 or more on him.  

While it took me a while to track down some decent content on this guy, there is some cool stuff to see in the links below.  You'll find some reviews written upon the figure's release as well as some photos just published this year.  

2007 Clutch Profile

2007 Clutch by gijoeamericanhero

2007 Clutch by Scarrviper

2007 Convention set review at General's Joes Reborn

2007 Clutch by thedustinmccoy

2007 Clutch by gijoeamericanhero

2007 Clutch at Action Force.dk

2007 Clutch by gen_liederkranz

2007 Clutch by thedustinmccoy

2007 Clutch by gijoeamericanhero

2007 Clutch by alpha1creative

2007 Clutch by thedustinmccoy

2003 Black Dragon Trooper - Convention Exclusive

If you collect ARAH style Joe figures, 2003 is kind of the lost year.  In 2002, Hasbro produced 2 full waves of ARAH style figures.  Plus, there was a gift set as well as army builders and oddball characters that were included in the standard retail line.  2004 saw the proliferation of the Toys R Us 6 figure sets, vehicle/figure combos and the arrival of the Comic Pack figures.  2003, though, was actually somewhat sparse when it came to classic style Joe figures.  There were the two, initial, Toys R Us sets.  And, TRU got quite a collection of exclusive vehicles that also included classically styled figures.  There were a bunch of mail away and online figures.  But, retail saw just two figures included in standard waves.  And, due to the massive upswing in the line's popularity in late 2003, those weren't around for very long.  Also lost in the year is the 2003 Convention set.  While the 2002 set was lauded for it's for it army building centric design, the 2003 was condemned for it's focus on characters and more obscure mold reuses.  And, even today, it remains the most obscure Convention set.  Which is easy to see when one of the best figures released that year is a repaint of the 1988 Ferret figure that was repurposed into the Black Dragon Trooper.

The 1988 Ferret figure is weird.  The mold is bizarre. And, the colors are banal.  You'd be hard pressed to find it in any photos on my site.  And, I don't even own one any longer.  But, seeing it repurposed for a new army builder in 2003 wasn't terrible.  Collectors weren't sick of the mold.  But, when the figure was first shown, many collectors couldn't even place the original figure who had used the mold: such was the obscurity of the original Ferret.  But, this was also where the figure failed.  In 2003, collectors were not aware of the sea of army builders that would be debuted at the 2003 convention.  And, as such, the collecting community was still full throated shouting that they wanted more of the classic army builders like the Vipers, BATS and Cobra Troopers.  So, seeing a figure in classic Cobra colors but using a mold that most couldn't even place was a disappointment.  After getting classic Vipers in 2002, there was an expectation that convention sets would always be excellently colored uses of staple army building molds.  When the script shifted, collectors weren't pleased.  And, there simply wasn't much excitement over the 2003 sets as an army in the box that collectors felt they deserved.

The one thing you can say about the 2003 Convention set is that it, probably, leaned too hard into the obscure aspect for the mold choices.  And, instead of making just good figures, the set ended up with an abundance of unappreciated molds that collectors really didn't care for.  While the 2002 Convention set quickly appreciated on the second hand market right after its release, the 2003 did not.  In fact, you could even get many figures in from the set for less than their original cost for a bit.  In time, the Falcon and Lady Jaye found some appreciation.  But, generally, the set was just discarded.  Collectors put it away in their closets and just left it there.  Even today, about the only content that exists on this are the remnants of the 2003 Joe community that you can find on a select few remaining fan sites.  People just don't use the figures.  And, for the newer collectors who don't own the figures, there's little desire to track them down.

I don't really have a specific purpose for the Black Dragon Trooper.  He's, pretty much, just a figure that I use as a humble brag in the background of photos of other, blue Cobras from that era.  He can be heavily armored.  And, with 2001 Fast Blast Viper gear, he might make for an interesting take on a HEAT Viper.  But, I think his best use is with a 2001 Shadow Viper backpack so you can pigeon hole the figure into Star Brigade.  In this capacity, the oddball chest piece works as space survival gear.  And, the weird helmet is more forgivable.  But, really, I've never seen the figure as anything other than a checkbox to complete my collection.  I had one back at the time of his release.  But, ended up selling it.  It was only through a random (and cheap!) find at a local shop that I bothered to re-add him to my collection.  And, really, the only reason I did so was because convention figures were starting to rise in price and I figured I could at least use him in a profile.

The figure's true purpose is one I've never bothered to explore.  Convention filecards were laughably bad. They weren't bad in the over-produced way that adults tend to write filecards, now.  No, they were just terrible.  The Black Dragon faction was the first stand alone idea that the club put together.  For some reason, a ninja had to have a force of heavily armored troopers.  It made no sense.  And, as the Black Dragon Ninja didn't really jive with fans of the era, the entire concept was mothballed away.  While we got a retail Black Dragon Ninja in late 2004, it had no relevance to the 2003 convention figures.  Maybe the convention filecards try to make a story of all this mess.  But, in the end, there's two out of place figures in really nice coloring that collectors can use however they please.

The paint applications on the Black Dragon Trooper are well done.  The blue color is rich and vibrant.  It is offset by strong gold accents that break up the black base.  The figure even features grey boots: adding another color to the palette and making this figure feel more substantial than retail releases of ARAH  molds from the same time period.  But, really, while the colors are great, they also allow the mold's weakness to show through.  1988 tends to be a weird villain year with lots of figures who have oddball and unexplainable details.  And, the Ferret is the poster child for the silliness that 1988 sometimes offered.  The welder's mask beneath a a bouffant helmet is still just that.  It's mystifying but indifferent.  And, that sums the figure up as a whole.  He looks fine.  But, he's still just so obscure and bizarre that you aren't compelled to own one.

The Black Dragon Trooper's weapons are just a recycled 1993 weapon tree.  However, since collectors of 2003 were still VERY anti-'90's, the club actually took the step to remove all the weapons from the tree and only offer them as loose accessories.  This is too bad because weapon trees are awesome.  But, it was also nice because it ensured that every weapon was already loose and we don't see hundreds of these figures with an unused weapon tree behind them as the default sales mode.  The chosen weapons are one of the stronger "Cobra" trees from that era.  It features the 1991 Incinerator flamethrower (a personal favorite), a 1988 Voltar rifle, a 1988 Toxo Viper weapon and a 1990 Rock Viper rifle.  I don't care for the last three weapons.  But, I like the Incinerator weapon well enough to call the accessories good enough.  2003 was the final year that black weapons were included with convention figures.  The club switched to grey in 2004 under the false pretext that "people" were worried about mistaking the much, much rarer convention accessories for the easy to find originals.  The figure also includes a 1992 Gung Ho backpack and a clear figure stand.  This was the last set that ever tried to use weapon tree molds with a figure.  And, the sets were better for it since the trees didn't really match the aesthetic of the later convention figures.

The 2003 Convention figures were very affordable...up until the latest boom in Joe prices.  And, while the 2003 figures lagged their peers in value for a while, you'll now only find these figures at premium pricing.  Black Dragon Troopers seem to sell in the $40-$45 range.  But, you'll more often find dealers trying to still get $70.  For a Convention figure, that's actually not too bad of a price these days.  But, it's a far cry from the $15-$18 this guy would have cost you just 5 years ago.  The general malaise towards the 2003 set and the specific disinterest in the Ferret mold combine for one of, if not the, cheapest Convention army builders that's left.  I can't say, though, that he's worth it.  The Black Dragon Trooper is a fine figure.  But, you don't need it.  He's a great companion piece to an army.  But, a squad of 12 of them seems like overkill.  He's just one of those figures who exists but everyone seems to have completely forgotten.

2010 Convention Flint - Random Photos of the Day

About a decade ago, convention figures were just ignored.  Even the now sought after characters were cheap and unimportant.  Joe characters would sell for under $20.  I even missed the green version  of the 2010 Convention Flint that sold for about $4.  But, the stupid market of 2020 impacted convention figures more than pretty much any other group of Joe toys.  Now, even common, unliked army builders are $50 figures.  And, named characters can run over $700!  That's just ridiculous.  But, guys are hoarding figures, especially those with low production runs and there just aren't any in the market.  They're going to come in the next couple of years, though.  Until then, I'll just watch the insanity.

The parachute drop figures at the conventions were, at best, a mixed bag.  Some were great.  But, many were just outright bad.  The 2010 Convention Flint is somewhere in the middle.  If you have a liking to the character and great colors, he's great.  But, if you hate fun, you also probably hate this figure.  Which is why so few Joe collectors actually use him in any photos.

Content using this figure is pretty sparse.  There was a time when  this Flint appeared frequently enough.  But, that was 12 to 13 years ago.  Now, I can't even find enough content featuring him to fill an Around the Web post.  So, instead, I'll just drop some random photos of this Flint.  I've found he's a great complement to the under-rated 2002 Paratrooper Dusty.  And, he works well with many figures of the repaint era.  

2006 Operation Flaming Moth Flak Viper - Around The Web

Back in 2015 and 2016, you could buy large lots of these figures from  Asia for a couple of bucks each.  As those sold out, you could get plenty of complete versions or $12 each.  Since then, the prices on these figures have gotten ridiculous.  Which makes little sense since these figures were hugely unpopular, were heavily clearanced and had overstock available for nearly a decade.  But, many of today's collectors have no concept of the line's history and can't imagine there are guys with dozens of these figures sitting a bucket, still thinking they are unwanted, cheap acquisitions.

There's little content on this Flak Viper any more.  Most of the items you'll see below have aged quite a bit.  Which is more about the changing nature of the collecting community than the quality of the figure itself.  So, check out all the content below for a glimpse of the past when the community was more vibrant.

2006 Flak Viper Profile

2006 Flak Viper by gen_liederkranz

2006 Flak Viper by fireflyed

2006 Flak Viper by yovalleyjoe

2006 Flak Viper by nightforcetunnelrat

2006 Flak Viper by plasticbattles

2006 Flak Viper by scarrviper

2006 Flak Viper by kushviper

2006 Flak Viper by LTCLAYMORE

2006 Flak Viper by Scarrviper

2006 Flak Viper by gen_liederkranz

2006 Flak Viper by blast_gijoe

2005 Convention Metal Head

Metal Head is one of my favorite Cobra characters from the 1990's.  I first became aware of him when a kid down the street had one.  I thought the figure was really cool.  Then, I came across him in the comic and the character was interesting enough.  As I hunted down the remainder of the Joe line at retail, I discovered that Metal Head had returned in a new version.  I quickly bought him and he became a key component of my first foray into collecting.  Once I acquired a 1990 Metal Head, though, I found that I actually appreciated the 1994 design much more.  

When Joe returned in the early 2000's, I was hoping that the 1994 Metal Head would return with a nice, new repaint.  That never happened at retail.  But, he did appear in the 2005 convention set.  This figure returned my favorite look for Metal Head.  But, the figure didn't resonate with me.  While it was great to see a late mold return, the overall colors for the figure weren't spectacular.  And, I wasn't really a fan of tying him to closely to the Iron Grenadiers.

The Iron Grenadier set is generally considered the best overall convention set.  While others may have individual figures that surpass any in the 2005 release, the Iron Grenadiers tend to win out when taken top to bottom in terms of each individual figure.  But, at the same time, this Metal Head is generally regarded as the bottom figure in the 2005 set.  The army builders are well liked.  And, both Destro and General Mayhem have found stupid aftermarket interest in recent years.  Metal Head, though, has not.  He's one of the most neglected convention Cobra characters.  

The figure is flawed for many reasons.  While the Iron Anvil and Iron Grenadier figures are really nice repaints that feature Iron Grenadier adjacent colors, Metal Head seems more of a mess.  First, he was given a bright red shirt.  And, this gives him a base color that is difficult to offset.  It's especially difficult when the color covering it is gold.  Gold paint is notoriously brittle.  And, slathering the figure in that base color, especially on the chest is a recipe for disaster.  The final piece is the asymmetrical arms.  Sure, this exists on the 1994 figure, too.  But, the 1994 keeps the left arm in all black.  So, the differences are less noticeable.  But, the extra paint on the arms showcases the unexplained differing details on each.  And, it calls out some of the limitations of the mold.  I find the head problematic.  But, that's more personal preference as I feel Metal Head's beard should be fuller and the sunburnt skin tone that was so common in the 2000's always feels off to me, especially when you have a figure using red as one of the primary body colors.

Personally, I don't like Metal Head being so bogged down as a member of the Iron Grenadiers.  But, that is heavily a function of the fact that I had the original Metal Head figure in the mid-1990's and used him as one of the many "new" Cobras that I had created.  The 1994 coloring allowed Metal Head to be independent.  So, seeing the sculpt with an Iron Grenadiers logo on it is somewhat off-putting to me.  But, this is a function of my own, personal, experiences with the figure mold and character.  For others, seeing Metal Head as an Iron Grenadier and in colors that perfectly match army builders and characters from the same set would have been welcomed.

Metal Head's accessories are typical of the 2000's era.  They are random weapons assigned to the figure with no real purpose.  I guess the same could be said of the 1994 Metal Head's weapon tree, though.  Convention figures included grey accessories and clear figure stands.  This was, supposedly, done to prevent the new weapons from being mistaken for the originals.  I do think, though, that the club also wanted the special gear so that it wasn't possible to stock the figures with indistinguishable weapons from the cheap retail fodder of the era.  It helped to justify the exorbitant pricing on their sets.  Metal Head includes a JvC era machine pistol.  It's small and just OK.  Then, he has a redone 1992 Duke weapon.  This gun looks good until you put it into a figure's hand.  Then, the imbalance of the handle placement and oversized sculpt become obvious.  The upside is that lots of overstock convention weapons were sold over the years.  So, it's not impossible to complete a figure like Metal Head if you can find an incomplete one for cheap.

If you've been around this site enough, you know I am not a fan of the collector club that existed in the 2000's.  Their utter disdain and disrespect for their customers irreparably harmed the entire G.I. Joe brand.  And, their entire tenure is just a series of one fiasco and public relations disaster after another.  If you ever want to study how a nepotistic monopoly still managed to run itself out of the business, the club is the prime example.  But, I have to be fair to them when it comes to the 2005 convention set.  In either late 2004 or early 2005, the worst kept secret in Joe fandom was the list of proposed 2005 convention figures.  

This list laid out the Iron Grenadier theme.  If mentioned the Iron Grenadiers using the original 1988 mold.  Desto was there.  And, the convention vehicle was going to be the Cobra Condor.  People who could discuss the list in private showcased excitement.  But, as the club was know for pettiness, the list wasn't shared publicly for quite a while.  And, when it was, the club denied it 100%.  Then, when the convention set ended up being about 90% correct, the club got self inflicted egg on their face.  But, the fact that the list was wrong wasn't their issue.  In 2004, they would have been seeing if molds could be found or utilized.  It is known that a mold labelled 1988 Iron Grenadier was found.  But, it actually ended up being the 1988 Destro.  So, the fact that they had to improvise for the Iron Grenadier and swap out the Condor for something different isn't really an issue when you look at a proposed list generated so far before a production date.  The list itself wasn't the problem.  But, the club's consistent bungling of their messaging ended up with their best set being met with a bit of malaise.

Pricing on this figure is weird.  In just 2021, you could get mint and complete versions for under $30.  Now, you see dealers trying to get $150-$250 for him just because he's a convention release.  You can occasionally find one for $75.  But, that's rare and hard to do right now.  In another year or two, I expect this figure will back down into more normal pricing realms.  He's not popular and the Iron Grenadier set seems to exist in more than ample enough quantities to satisfy the demand from a dwindling collector base.  Most importantly, though, this isn't a figure that gives you enough satisfaction to demand premium pricing.  He doesn't stand out on his own.  And, I'd argue the original version is better.  So, he's a definite figure to avoid in the current market.

Flak Viper - Where in the World

There are figures of which I am an irrational fan.  The Flak Viper is one such figure.  In the early and mid 1990's, the Flak Viper mocked me from the cardback of every figure I was able to find at retail.  I could not find him anywhere.  As Joe disappeared, I figured my chances of ever owning the figure were gone.  Fortunately, that was not the case and I was able to build a nice army of Flak Vipers as a collector.  But, the figure still fascinates me.  I can't get enough of the mold and love all his color combinations.  The two vintage releases and the two repaint era releases offer two very different takes on the mold.

The Flak Viper mold debuted in 1992.  It and the 1993 repaint are well done.  But, they are also identifiable as originating in the 1990's.  The two 2000's repaints, though, avoided many of the trappings of army builder repaints from that time.  Usually, Hasbro overdid it and the repaints were good, but had some minor issues that prevented them from becoming iconic.  But, with the Flak Viper repaints, Hasbro kept it simple and there's a Cobra blue and black repaint along with a desert themed figure.  They are well done.  

The first release of the Flak Viper is the 1992.  The debut of the sculpt showcased solid design and decent gear.  The primary colors are a bright blue and green.  They are offset with a grey sash and pants.  

The following year, Hasbro repainted the figure.  The base of the figure is the same.  However, the blue highlights have been replaced with orange. While the figure is bright, the orange is kind of fun.  This is my favorite version of the figure just because it's odd, bright and unique.  

The Flak Viper had another use in 1993.  Toys R Us got an exclusive set of Dino Hunters figures.  It was an absurd idea but capitalized on Jurassic Park. The Flak Viper's contribution is that his backpack was modified with holes that allowed it to be held by a mount.  The pack was colored in light grey.  You can still find the packs matched up with Flak Vipers from time to time.  Though, it was much more common a few years ago.  

In late 1994 or early 1995, Hasbro used parts of the Flak Viper again.  This time, the Street Fighter Movie Edition M. Bison figure included a silver version of the Flak Viper's rifle.  The silver was a cool look and a great color for the weapon.  It wasn't really a nice match for the 1992 or 1993 figures.  But, it turned out to be a great match for the later uses of the mold.

The Flak Viper mold then disappeared for a decade.  In 2004, the entire Flak Viper mold appeared in the Cobra Urban Strike set: this time under the name of Nullifier.  This figure is colored in Cobra blue with black and brown leather highlights.  It's the best paint job on this mold.  It's only drawback was the lame accessories.  The figure didn't include any of his original gear and only came with generic weapons from the 2000's.

In 2006, the final version of the Flak Viper appeared in an Operation Flaming Moth set.  This desert version was a nicely done update to the Flak Viper and was the type of repaint that made sense for Hasbro to do.  While not as nice as the 2004 release, the desert version is useful in it's own right.  The best thing about this version was the return of the full complement of Flak Viper accessories.  The black rifle and pack are also great since they work with the 2004 version, too.

The Flak Viper never got exclusive use anywhere else in the world.  The 1992 Flak Viper was released in Europe on exclusive cardbacks.  The figure is the same, though.  The Flak Viper mold is relatively unique in that it's a mold whose potential was fulfilled.