20th Anniversary - Key Moments 1990 Decimator

As part of my 20th Anniversary, I'm going to look at 12 key figures from the site's history.  Most are just important to me or they commemorate something that was occurring in the Joe world at that time.  The obvious place to start this discussion is with the very first figure that ever appeared here: the 1990 Decimator.

Now, the Decimator is a well known Cobra army builder who is somewhat frustrating to find and also rather expensive.  In 1999, though, he was a super obscure figure that most collectors didn't own.  Those who did really didn't pay any attention to him.  And, because of this, there was some confusion about the figure that erupted in the final months of the year.  At the time, the photo of the Decimator on YoJoe.com was of a fairly low quality.  In the photo, it appeared that Decimator had black pants.  Since no one really cared about the Decimator, though, it wasn't an issue.  Then, though, a Canadian collector noticed this when he went to identify figures in a lot he had acquired.  He noticed his Decimator's pants were a dark green.  And, rumors quickly went about that there might be a variant.  As few people had the figure, the fire was not quickly quelled.

I posted up a photo of my figure to better showcase the green pants.  Being 1999, my only option to get a photo of the figure was to lay him on top of a scanner and scan him in.  You can see the antiquated grey background of a scanner photo below.  So, I scanned the figure in and went to post it on some webspace I had lying around.  Around that time, Evilface's site ran a feature called Figure of the Week.  He posted a photo of a random figure and wrote a line or two about how the figure was "kewl".  I wanted something that gave more details on a figure and had more content to consume.  So, in addition to posting the photo of the Decimator, I also did a little write up.  And, with that, my first profile was born.

As I felt that having just one article up was too sparse, I also wrote up a profile of my unproduced 1995 Battle Corps Rangers Flint figure and posted it at the same time.  This was a hubris-filled move to brag about the figure.  But, I also wanted information about this figure out in the community.  At the time, most really rare Joe items were hoarded away and kept hidden from the collecting community.  (This sensibility still pervades the Joe collecting world and shows our utter lack of maturity.)  So, I wanted my rare figure to be out there for all to see.  Even today, I still get nasty messages from collectors who are genuinely pissed off that I posted something rare for the world to see.  They want this information only available to a select few. I don't get it.

From there, I kept on scanning and writing.  At the time, I was busy at a start up company and needed a way to release stress.  Writing a quick update on some Joe figure was a good way to blow off steam and have a creative outlet.  In short order, I had a full fledged website full of photos and figure write ups.  As 1999 turned to 2000, a few other fan run sites also started up.  By 2001, the Joe world was a vibrant community of content creators who churned out new stuff for the community to enjoy at a constant rate.  This was easily the most innocent time in the Joe collecting timeline.  Most guys were just starting out and the competition for desirable items didn't really show up until the army building crazy really took hold in 2001.

In looking back at my Decimator write up, I find that my use for the figure from back then is long gone.  Now, I see him as just another cool looking Cobra figure that I really don't get out and use often enough.  Maybe that will change in 2020.  In some ways, I hope it does.  Seeing the old photos brings back memories of a earlier time in my life where the future was so distant.  It's good to remind myself of those days as it helps put the hustle and bustle of my current life into perspective.  Much of what I dreamed of back then has come true.  Some things I never imagined have happened.  And, of course, there have been disappointments.  It's useful to look at the road traveled, though, to help guide you on the journey ahead.

Diorama - Helping Hand

I moved back to AZ in 2003 and had this pool for a bit.  It had a decent waterfall that didn't look too unnatural.  I had a chance to utilize two of my favorite Cobras: the Rock Viper and the Eel.  Usually, they'd be hard to use together.  But, the idea of a Rock Viper pulling Eels out of the water in an otherwise, improbable location was intriguing.  It was hard to get a good shot as the way to get close was for me to stand on the waterfall.

1990 Decimator

The Decimator is one of my favorite Cobra vehicle drivers. I don't think he ever appeared in the comic, and he is a relative no show in most discussions about Joe. As obscure Cobras go, this guy epitomizes their plight. He is a classic design done in a great color scheme that came with a high price point vehicle during the beginning of Joe's downturn in popularity. As such, very few collectors pay him any attention beyond checking him off of their list. However, I've found this figure to be a great addition to my collection and a figure worthy of some recognition.

This figure is just fun to have. The Tunic makes him look important, and the helmet is pretty cool as well. I use him as an officer over the minion Cobra troops. Like the Lamprey, the Decimator is just too cool to only use as a vehicle driver. I use him in all sorts of situations. The figure just looks good, either with the helmet, or without. He is one of those guys that doesn't look like much from a photo, but is very fun to own once you get him. I use him in just about every environment. He is the right hand man to many of my new Cobra generals. As I have retired many of the staple characters from the '80's, I've had to come up with new Cobra characters to keep the fight fresh. The Decimator serves as their underling. He often does the dirty work to keep the generals reputations untarnished. He's another figure that has earned a high spot in my collection because of what I have done with him. Once again, a little imagination can make even the most boring and mundane figure into a vital part of any collection.

For some reason, the figures wearing tunics, WORMS being the other one that comes to mind, are just appealing to me. Their uniforms make them look more important than their lot as vehicle drivers would suggest. Decimators are rarely mentioned by anyone other than the collector who just purchased a Hammerhead without one. No one seems to really care about vehicle drivers. I think this is due to their reduced exposure and lack of card art. The drivers that came with the larger vehicles, especially, are highly overlooked by collectors. While the figures from the big ticket items, like the Defiant, remain very desirable and rather pricey, many of the drivers from vehicles like this are actually harder to find. I believe that the rarest figures are always out there since they have a high price point. It's the other guys like the Decimator, Aero Viper, Steamroller, and Long Range that seem to be so hard to find since they are mostly just "commons" in the collecting community.

Decimators can be tough to find. If you look, though, you can find them in many lots. Often times, though, they will not be complete. Getting one with the helmet and gun can be a challenge. Beware, though, as these guys can get pricey if offered by themselves. In recent months, I've seen this figure out price even stalwarts like the Crimson Guard figures. It seems that complete specimens are missing from many people's collections and on the rare occasion that a complete one is made available, the price rises accordingly. I'm just glad that I go my Decimators early in my return to Joe. They remain important figures that I utilize in most of my Cobra battles. While most people may forget about him, I like this figure and have made him a vital part of my collection. With this profile, perhaps, this forgotten vehicle driver can now get some due.