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.  

2017 Sightline - Around The Web

The Sightline figure was one of the last great moments of the Joe collecting community before the values of figures exploded and the gates were overrun by fly by night collectors, pickers and other urchins who exploited the community solely for their own personal gain.  The idea behind the figure was an homage to an adored collector who passed away far too soon.  The figure was given for free to collectors at the show.  Kids, especially, were targeted for receipt as a way to get them interested in the brand.  Collectors who didn't want their Sightline were supposed to give it away.  Few did.  (Though, I did get mine from one selfless collector who followed in the spirit of the figure.)  And, fewer still tried to sell them.  For a bit, public shame kept the number of figures being sold very low.  Now, though, the allure of the almighty dollar has lead even seasoned collectors who knew Gary and know better to profit off of Sightline.  He's now a $200+ figure.  His color scheme and look has been co-opted to other factory custom figures.  But, none have captured the attention of the community like Sightline.  Sadly, the joy of collecting that the figure was supposed to encapsulate is now gone.

The figure itself, though, remains top notch.  Sightline is one of Red Laser Army's best figures.  The helmet, visor, rifle and pack made him feel like a fully formed figure worthy of any collection.  The colors worked well.  And, the parts felt fresh.  For a time, Sightline was the darling of the Joe photo crowd and he appeared frequently.  In the years since, though, Sightline has become a less common photo subject as we move further away from his release date.  The upside is that he causes good feedback when he does appear.  But, it's a shame the figure has dropped out of the collective mind of the Joe world.

Sightline Profile

Sightline by dreaknokdread

Sightline by satanic_supremacy_87

Sightline at JoeADay.com

Sightline by nightforcetunnelrat

Sightline by generalsjoes

Sightline by plasticnukes

Sightline by jogunwarrior

Sightline by GigaMach

Sightline by DreadnokDread

2008 Headhunter BAT - Around The Web

The 2008 convention set is one that promised a lot but delivered a little.  The Headhunter Stormtroopers were pretty bad.  The Headhunters were weird colors.  And, the BATs had some issues.  For many years afterwards, all of these figures were cheap.  You could get BATs for about original cost for quite a while.  Now, though, some of the stink of the set has dissolved and you see figures from it commanding a premium, again.  This Headhunter BAT has nice colors, perfect gear and matches up quite well with just about any faction you desire.  There's not a ton of content on him out there.  But, here's what I could find.

2008 Headhunter BAT Profile

2008 Convention Set Review at GeneralsJoesReborn

Headhunter BAT at Action-Force.dk

2008 Convention Set Review at Basement Toys

Headhunter BAT At Hisstank.com

2008 Headhunter BAT by the.faceless.master

2003 Convention Major Storm - Around the Web

Collectors anticipated the 2003 Convention set reveal with great zeal.  It was just assumed that the set would be a massive cadre of classic army builders in excellent colors.  The, the reveal came.  First, the army builders were not the Vipers, BATS or Cobra Troopers that collectors demanded.  But, even worse, the set included 3 G.I. Joe figures!  3 slots that could have been the Cobras collectors demanded were wasted!

The above is a bit facetious.  But, it was also representative of collector sentiment of the time.  The most baffling release in Operation Anacondo, though, was Major Storm.  At the time, he was an unknown in the community.  And, even his relative rarity due to his inclusion with the General wasn't a selling point.  17 years later, this guy stands as one of the great oddities of the convention set era.  He's not a figure anyone really cares about or spends time chasing down.  But, he exists and it was good that at least one oddball Joe got released in the 2000's.  Of course, there's little content on this guy out there.  But, here's the oldies but goodies on the Convention Major Storm.

2003 Major Storm Profile

2003 Pre Production Major Storm

2003 Major Storm at JoeADay.com

2003 Major Storm by Slipstream80

Operation Anaconda review at Generals Joes Reborn

The Zeros - Mark V

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

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

Tocha - Brazilian Blowtorch

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

2002 Convention Exclusive Crimson Viper

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

Rarities - Unproduced Yellow Gloves Steeler

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

1992 Eco Warriors BBQ

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

Funskool Buzzer

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

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

2002 Crimson Viper - Convention Exclusive

2002 was a banner year for the G.I. Joe brand.  While the A Real American Hero line had fizzled out at retail in 2001, it was also a harbinger of greatness to come.  2002 brought a new style of G.I. Joe figure to the market that was better competition to other toy lines of the age.  Hasbro didn't forsake collectors, though.  2002 also introduced the first wave of toys released by a major manufacturer only to online vendors.  The year saw the return of vehicles to toy shelves.  And, there were some special collector themed sets and variants as well.  The biggest surprise of 2002, though, was the release of an exclusive set of figures for the 2002 G.I. Joe convention.  The set came out of the blue and blindsided many collectors.  When the set's contents were revealed, it was a wet dream for the collecting community of the time.  Tomax, Xamot, the Baroness and a full dozen Cobra Vipers painted in a crimson color scheme was about the most amazing item Hasbro could have sold.

I've spent lots of time talking about how army builder crazed collectors of 2001-2005 were.  I can't understate how the notion of army building dominated the hobby.  Pretty much everything else wasn't secondary, it was far down the list.  Collectors seriously talked about how waves should be army builders only.  The derided any Joe figure, no matter how well done and wondered why Vipers, Cobra Troopers and BATs weren't released in every single wave.  So, seeing a set with a full 12 army builders was something collectors never considered that Hasbro would release.  The fact that the figures were collector favorite Viper molds painted in an theretofore unseen and collector favorite crimson color just made them even more desirable.

Of course, this desire also lead to anxiety about pricing.  Many collectors of the time were freaked out at their initial ideas that the figures might cost as much as $5 or $6 each, bring a set total to a range of $75 to $90.  This price seemed exorbitant.  And, many collectors balked at the thought of having to spend nearly $100 at one time to get some army builders.  But, then, the real pricing came out.  The first set was $210: $14 per figure!!!  This would buy you four figures at retail at the time.  And, you could buy pretty much any army builder other than an '86 Viper, original BAT, 83 Cobra Trooper or '83 Cobra Officer for less than that.  There was a kicker, though.  If you bought a boxed set, you could get another bagged set for $90.  This was only $6 for an additional figure (which tells you how much profit was built into the boxed set...), but the total package was 30 figures for $300, or $10 per figure.  This was an amount that collectors nearly revolted over.  Even die hard army builders threw up their hands at the pricing and resigned themselves to never owning the set.

But, upon the set's release, many songs changed.  The figures were cool.  The characters could be sold to recoup nearly the full cost of the bagged set and Hasbro never released a retail Viper with either the color scheme or the upgraded paint masks again.  Army builders relented as they simply couldn't let a modern release elude them and quickly absorbed the leftover sets after the convention.  In short order, real Crimson Vipers climbed in value, even surpassing the 1986 original figure.  Before wave after wave of "secret" Fuchsia Vipers came into the market, the desire for real Crimson figures intensified.  By late 2003, it wasn't unheard of for Crimson Vipers to fetch $40 per figure...making it one of the most expensive figures in the line.

As for the figure itself, the Crimson Viper is great for what it is.  The figure uses the exact same parts combination and paint masks from the 1998 Cobra Troopers/Officers.  The '98 paint masks were excellent.  (Hasbro didn't start skimping on the masks until 2001.)  These figures, though, got the added benefit of a Cobra logo.  They also included the original Viper backpack (missing since 1989) and got a better rifle, Red Star's AK-47.  The package is a well built figure that looks amazing and has the quality to stand with even vintage Joes.  (There are some issues with the head/chest combo, though, that leads to odd head positioning.  But, that's afflicted every Viper since 1997.)

There's another fun little story with this figure.  Originally, the A Real American Hero collection was to have five waves of figures in 2001 and early 2002.  However, the spectacular failure of Wave II at retail changed those plans (Big Ben and Whiteout forever doomed another arctic themed set.) and the failure of Wave IV cemented them.  While we did get a fifth wave as an Internet exclusive, that release was pared down.  However, early solicitation lists from Hasbro did leak out.  Among the figures listed as a release was a Crimson Viper.  Of course, collectors focused on that name and anticipated his release.  But, as the line started to fail and Hasbro's approach changed, the figure fell out production.  It is likely, however, that the convention figure started out, conceptually, as a retail figure with the other parts later added in.

A certain fan website, though, began to mock the lists of unreleased figure names.  In a move of consistent dickery that continues to this day, these "fans" gloated that the figure would never be released and then offered 1000 (or some such ridiculous number) to everyone if they happened.  Then, when the figure showed up in the convention set, this contentious group played semantics (you'll notice the beginning of several patterns, here...) saying that they didn't have to pay up since the names weren't exact and the convention figures weren't "released to retail" or some such nonsense.  Those of us who called this out were shouted down and ignored as collectors allowed themselves to be degraded as long as they got a couple of army builders.  But, I don't forget because I'm a bitter old collector who firmly believes that had this crap not been allowed, we'd have gotten a lot more good stuff in the repaint era instead of so much garbage that Hasbro foisted upon us.

So, a few things happened with this set.  At first, the convention sets didn't sell out.  After the convention, Master Collector still had sets available.  However, right after the convention, a set sold on Ebay for double the price from Master Collector.  Within days, the remaining sets sold out.  By the end of 2003, Crimson Vipers were $40 figures.  It looked like they might become the most expensive army builder out there.  But, Master Collector also lied about the numbers of Fuchsia Vipers that were made.  And, tons of secret Fuchsia sets were quietly sold to dealers who could then dump them into the community.  With Fuchsia Vipers available for $12-$15 each, collectors lost interest in the Crimson sets.  Why buy 4 figures for $120 when that same money would get you 10 figures that were, basically, indiscernible in dios and displays at the time?  Prices of Crimson Vipers plummeted and were below $20 until the price spike that started in early 2018 set in.

Even now, though, Crimson Vipers aren't as expensive as many other convention figures.  Most of the sets that collectors bought to display or hold have been broken up as collectors have begun to maximize space.  Rows of 20-50 of the same figure seem passe, now.  But, the general increase in Joe prices has lead to dealers getting $50 for Crimson Vipers with open market figures selling between $30 and $40.  That's a lot for a mold that was so frequently used between 1997 and 2006.  But, the Crimson Viper is the equal of the 1998 Cobra Trooper in every way and is an excellent paint scheme that everyone should have.  The need to build an army of two dozen of them is a relic of their release era.  But, a small squad both makes sense and works within the confines of Cobra.