1992 Eco Warriors Barbecue - Around The Web

While I really enjoy this Eco Warriors Barbecue figure, I've never been able to really capture his essence in a photograph.  You won't find that issue in many of the photos below, though.  Others are quite good at showing off this figure.  So, scroll through the links and leave a comment for the creators who are able to make this figure really work.

1992 Barbecue Profile

1992 Barbecue at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1992 Barbecue by Tituslester32

1992 Barbecue by the Dragon Fortress

1992 Barbecue by 73larebear

1992 Barbecue by gen_liederkranz

1992 Barbecue by Tituslester32

1992 Barbecue by viper_space

1992 Barbecue by boonsart_com

1992 Barbecue by 73larebear

1992 Barbecue by 1990s_gi_joes

1992 Eco Warriors Deep Six - Around The Web

The 1992 Deep Six is a figure that, once in hand, tends to captivate people.  Those who don't have one are not likely to be actively seeking him out.  But, those who do have one really like him.  And, because of that, you see more content on the figure that you do of many other of his contemporaries.  So, check out the content below to see more of the figure.

1992 Deep Six Profile

1992 Deep Six by evilface

1992 Deep Six by python.patrol_benny

1992 Deep Six by ptytoys2021

1992 Deep Six by thedustinmccoy

1992 Deep Six by g.i.joe_manila_ph

1992 Deep Six by joerizzo2025

1992 Deep Six by ptytoys2021

1992 Deep Six by gijoe_c4_panama

1992 Deep Six by elevatemetoahigherhumanform

Rarities - 1991 Pre Production Eco Warriors Flint (Commercial)

If you watch the toy commercials that aired during the vintage Joe days, you will find that they are chock full of pre-production and alternate paint job figures.  Usually, this was a function of the fact that the commercials had to be shot before the actual production figures were available.  

Below is the 1991 Eco Warriors Flint who appeared in the 1991 Eco Warriors commercial.  The figure is actually shown with the backpack and water gun that was included with Ozone.  The colors match Flint quite well.  It was not uncommon to see Joe figures with incorrect accessories in commercials or in catalog photography.  This was likely just a function of the producers having to make their best guesses as to which figures should have which gear.  

The most interesting feature of this pre-production figure, though, is that the visor on Flint's helmet is painted a light blue.  It's a small change that makes an incredible difference in the appearance of the figure.  Oddly, with the visor painted, Flint's head looks similar to the 1991 Snow Serpent.  But, it's almost certain that the missing paint application on the helmet was nothing more than a cost-cutting move.  

If you watch the Eco Warriors commercial closely, you'll notice that the Cesspool that is used is also a pre-production design.  It's still pretty similar to the production figure, though.  There is also, though, a weird Duke figure that is nothing like any production Duke.  The Duke also appeared in other contemporary commercials.  A few years ago, someone tried to fake the Duke and pass it off as the one used in the commercial.  But, it was sniffed out as a fraud by the community.  But, the fact that we didn't see a production Duke until 1992 which had similar coloring, it makes you wonder if Duke was planned for a 1991 release and got pushed back.  Or, if Hasbro just wanted to promote the Duke character even though they didn't have a figure of him available at retail.  (Hasbro has stated that, for their Star Wars line, they can not put any figure on a box that they haven't released to retail.  But, it's unclear if that's a general law or something specific to the Star Wars license.)  But, it's a weird Duke that stuck around for a while before the 1992 Duke figure became available.

The second image is from the 1991 Toy Fair catalog.  It also features Flint with the painted visor.  You'll also note that he is now pictured with his correctly colored pack that matches production.  But, he has a green version of his stand alone rifle.  This weapon was never actually released in green.  Which is too bad.  I think the green gear is a better fit.  But, it also didn't provide any contrast.  And, Flint decked out in all green and yellow gear makes the gear hard to spot.  The blue offsets his base colors better.  So, these updated colors likely made for better retail presentation on the shelves of the time. 

I'm a fan of the Eco Warriors Flint, in general.  Had the figure been released with the painted visor on his helmet, I would be even more of a fan.  That little paint application makes a huge difference in the appearance of the figure.  It's really a shame it didn't make to the production release.

Top 10 Spring Loaded Accessories

Starting in 1991, Hasbro began to move the standard Joe accessories in a different direction.  Instead of leaving them the static pieces from 1982, they began to incorporate more action into the toys.  At first, it was simple kid interaction where you could flick a missile.  But, soon, it evolved into a series of spring loaded action features that allowed for kids to have their figures interact through propulsion.  While I title this article spring loaded accessories, that's just because the spring loaded pieces dominate Hasbro's offerings.  But, there are a few other gimmicks in the 1990's that are worthy of inclusion as they added interactive elements to G.I. Joe action figures without forcing the figures to be something incompatible with what came before.

So, you will not see Ninja Force on this list as those features were limited to the figures.  You won't see Sky Patrol, either, as the parachutes only worked with proper preparation and was designed as a stand alone toy that was commandeered for Sky Patrol.  This list covers 1991 through 1994 as those were the years when the action feature accessories were dominate.  And, while older collectors tend to revile this gear, the reality is that there are some amazing toys in here that are both tons of fun to play with while also being in line with the look and feel of the Joe line from the decade prior.

10. 1994 Lifeline Grappling Hook

I'm a sucker for grappling hooks.  As a kid, I loved them.  But, I never got any that actually worked.  So, things like Alpine's grappling gun were left to imagination.  Which, was fine.  But, there were times it would have been cool to have actual hooks that could shoot up and grip something.  Enter the 1994 Lifeline.  His grappling launcher is huge and his two pronged hook is, too.  But, you can tie a rope to it and shoot it at rocks, walls or plants and it might actually stick: just like the real thing.  That's  enough for me to view it as an essential accessory.

09. 1991 Eco Warriors Squirt Guns

Among the first of the action feature weapons are the Eco Warriors squirt packs and guns.  Instead of using a spring for their action, these packs can draw up and hold water that is then expelled from the nozzle of the gun when you press on the soft plastic container that is held in place by a harder plastic frame.  For Eco Warriors, this made perfect sense.  And, the water was used in conjunction with the figures as they would change colors when water of hot or cold temperature hit the special paint on the bodies.  The self contained squirt gun was a solid design.  The guns are pretty large, but not so much that they aren't usable.  But, the weapons are very useful and a lot of fun to have around.

08. 1992 Duke Bronco Launcher

So, this toy is dumb, stupid, lame and incredibly fun for any kid in 1992.  Who wouldn't want a missile launcher that a figure can ride?!?  This piece is an integral part of the 1992 Duke's card artwork.  And, it translates very well into the actual toy.  The only downside is that the brown tripod is made of plastic that has turned to glass.  I literally had one crumble to dust, yes, dust, in a box of other launcher parts.  I didn't know what all the dirt was until I found one intact foot.  The one in the photo below spidered all those while lines just from me gently trying to insert the peg into it.  So, using it today isn't overly practical.  But, man, this is just a stupid idea that made for an iconic piece for Duke.

07. 1992 Destro Disc Launcher

The 1992 Destro disc launcher is another one of those ideas that actually kind of works as a toy.  It's similar to Scrap Iron's missile table.  But, this one shoots discs.  The fact that they actually shoot, though, helps sell the idea of the weapon.  The disc launcher looks like something a comic book supervillain would use.  And, Destro is as close to that trope as the G.I. Joe line tends to get.  So, it's a perfect match of character and weapon.

06. 1992 Firefly Top Spinner

This spinner is also ridiculous.  But, as a toy, it works well.  You can set up a bunch of figures on a hard floor and let the ripcord fly.  The top can then knock over the figures.  Hours of fun!

05. 1991 Cobra Commander Drone

So, this thing is either a radio controlled surveillance drone or a buzz bomb depending on which part of the card you read.  But, any way you look at it, this is a little drone with a spring loaded launcher.  The drone is laminated plastic with cardboard pieces.  It's a neat little idea that worked out.  The launcher features a powerful spring.  It is mounted on a bi-pod and is meant as a stationary weapon.  The idea of a drone was rather innovative back in 1991.  So, it's inclusion is akin to things like the JUMP showing up in 1982.  

04. 1992 Eel Robo Shark

Full disclosure: I don't much care for the robo-shark.  In general, I think robots are dumb.  And these things are a pain in the ass for anyone who, like me, tends to army build 1992 or Funskool Eels.  The sharks are huge, sharp and just a pain to store away.  With that Andy Rooney moment past me, though, what kid in 1992 would not have loved a robot shark with a moving tail that shoots a missile out of its mouth?!?  This is the exact type of over the top ridiculousness that Cobra would have created in their descent into super-villainy.  

And, to top it off, the toy is amazing.  It's full of detail.  The tail moves and the mouth opens.  And, it can then shoot a spring loaded missile out of the creature's mouth.  To top it all off, the shark is also a backpack that affixes to the Eel to be used underwater!  Really, this has a case to be number 1.  But, what's a list without some controversy?  And, personally, I find the Flak Viper's missile backpack to be much more useful than the robo-shark.  But, I'm an adult who was in college when this came out.  If I'd have gotten it when I was 9, there's a good chance this is my favorite toy ever created.  So, if you're going to refute me in the placement of this piece, come with some good anecdotes of how it fit into your play and was a major part of your childhood. :)

03. 1992 Cutter Grappling Hook

I'm kind of cheating as there are two grappling hooks on this list.  But, as I said for Lifeline, I'm a sucker for grappling hooks.  As a kid, I used them not just as tools used to scale mountains, walls or buildings.  They were also Batarang type weapons that could be used to apprehend and tie up villains.  I'd use them between vehicles to either tether boats or even just capture an enemy vehicle that was about to outrun the good guys.  For me, the grappling hook was my irrational childhood dream toy because I got one when I was about 9 and it locked in the idea of a hook on a rope that could be used as a tool in most any situation.

I rank Cutter's hook higher for a couple of reasons.  It came first.  So, it has that going for it.  But, more importantly, Cutter's hook has four prongs.  This made it much more likely to actually catch onto something.  I have memories of being a kid and tossing Alpine's grappling hooks into a pile of rocks.  When the figure went to use it, the hook wouldn't catch anything and it would slip out, sending Alpine to his doom.  I had weird rules where if a rope didn't catch, then the Joes couldn't use it.  (I actually had a little, metal four pronged hook that was attached to a long length of white string.  I used this since it worked more often than the Hasbro toys.)  Cutter's hook is comically large.  But, that's what makes it fun.  If the hook hit anyone, it would kill them.  But, honestly, that's a plus in my book.  

In doing this article, I noticed that the tripod for Cutter's launcher looks the same as that included with the 1992 Duke.  The white plastic isn't nearly as brittle as the brown, though.  

02. 1994 Star Brigade Cobra Commander Suction Cup Walker

The 1994 Star Brigade Cobra Commander includes this oddball harness that's attached to a suction cup walker.  It actually works, though.  And, that alone makes it the 2nd best action accessory in the line.  It's a marvel of engineering and also a fun toy.  It's like those old wall walkers you got for birthday prizes except that it's high quality and a lot of fun.  Everyone should have one of these.

01. 1992 DEF Mutt Net Launcher

You really can't go wrong with this contraption.  It is a massive net launcher.  The launcher is fairly large.  But, it stands by itself and looks like something that would launch nets.  The best part is that the included net is massive.  It's large enough to cover an entire figure with plenty left over.  The four corners of the net are anchored.  The top two are attached to the firing missiles and the bottom two corners have weighted balls to hold down the net.  The net is perfect as a stand alone toy and the launcher just adds more play value.  The only downside is that the weight of the four anchors limits how far the launcher can shoot the net.  But, of all the action play features that Hasbro released, this is the best.

Here is a video from corpscommandercody showing the net in action.

This list is my own.  And, while all of these have their merits, I'm sure you have opinions of ones I overlooked, deliberately omitted or just plain ignored.  So, please let me know your favorites.  These were not the toys of my childhood.  So, my appreciation of them is based on what I think I would have liked as a kid and, more importantly, what I really like now.  So, seeing how kids of the day actually felt about them and which were their favorites is definitely something I'd like to hear about.  

1991 Eco Warriors Cesspool

Eco Warriors are a series whose time has finally come.  Through the late 1990's and early 2000's, Eco Warriors were generally loathed and often found themselves as the butt of jokes.  As the 2010's started, though, younger collectors started to come online.  And, with their addition to the Joe collecting ranks, brightly colored figures from the 1990's started to gain a bit of popularity.  In the 2020's, there are strong contingents of collectors who focus on the 1990's and appreciate figures like the Eco Warriors to a greater degree than the Joes who preceded them.  Some characters have even become essential parts of a collection.  One example is the Eco Warriors Cesspool figure from 1991.

My introduction to Cesspool was in the comic.  Here, Larry Hama started out using Cesspool as an archetype of the corrupt CEO.  Basically, he was Cobra Commander with an army of corporate sycophants instead of assault troopers.  But, he was decidedly evil.  Then, he had an accident with his toxic waste and was turned into a caricature of himself.  In this role, he thought he was Cobra Commander and acted like him in various scenarios.  Eventually, he got his comeuppance.  But, he served a major role for a few comic issues to promote the new line of Eco Warrior toys.

Once you get to 1987, the named Cobras really start to lose their media presence.  The non-army building Cobras who came later struggled to find a place in the comic as Larry Hama always went back to his mainstays.  There's nothing wrong with this.  And, the nice side effect has been that collectors have had relatively blank slate figures from the line's later years with which they can create their own Cobra characters.  Some figures have found solid life among the collector set.  And, Cesspool is one of them.  He's now a staple of most collections and even die hards from the 1980's see the value in his design and character.

Cesspool was one of the earlier figures I acquired during my early collecting years.  I picked one up in a lot of 1990 and 1991 figures that were all mint and complete with filecard.  I paid under $2 per figure for the lot as no one liked 1990's figures at that time and the competition for these later collections was minimal.  Once in hand, I found various uses for the figure.  He piloted the Hurricane for a bit.  Then, he was a close advisor of the Commander.  Then, he just became a stand alone villain.  There are enough Eco Warrior Cobras for Cesspool to have his own little army.  He's then one of many Cobra generals who are responsible for various parts of Cobra's empire.  He's not a guy to cross.  But, he's also someone who lacks the power to actually challenge the Commander's authority in any meaningful way.

Cesspool's gear is also part of his appeal.  His helmet includes a separate breather piece that is often missing.  But, when included, it adds a solid dimension to Cesspool's helmeted appearance.  He then includes a golden chainsaw.  I'm not sure of the practicality of this weapon.  But, it looks cool and is something that an outlandish villain like Cesspool would carry.  The figure is rounded out by the requisite water squirting weapon, hose and tank backpack that were released with all the Eco Warriors in various colors.  The gear fits the character and the figure.  While the water squirting apparatus isn't a great visual offering, it has great practicality is was a pretty nifty idea to include as an enticement to spend more for an Eco Warriors figure.

Cesspool's mold got some use.  The original release was just produced by Hasbro.  They quickly shipped the mold to Brazil.  There, Estrela released a Cesspool repaint in brighter blue named Poluicao.  Then, the used the parts for two different figures in the Patrulha Do Ar subset.  Cesspool's body was used for the Abutre Negro (Black Vulture) figure.  Then, his head was famously used for the Escorpiao Voador (Flying Scorpion) figure.  The head is cast with black skin and has become a fan favorite character.  The mold never appeared again.  I'd have loved a Funskool version.  But, it was not to be.  Cesspool is the type of character that would even work in the 2020's Hasbro o-ring releases as most fans accept the character and would gladly buy up a new version.

As Cesspool's popularity has increased, so has his pricing.  The helmet breather is often missing and complete figures tend to command a premium.  There's not a ton of selection available at any given time.  So, you'll pay between $35 and $50 for a mint and complete Cesspool.  Figures missing just the breather, though, will still fetch $25-$30.  You can get a figure alone for around $10.  So, Cesspool will cost you in pretty much any form.  The upside is that the figure's head is amazing and you can get use from him sans helmet.  So, a budget minded figure isn't a terrible option.  Cesspool would be high on my list of post 1987 figures to appear in Hasbro's new line.  He's a great villain, a cool sculpt and a character who is far more popular than he was even a decade ago.  I don't know if it will ever happen.  But, Cesspool is a figure from the 1990's who could pull off a popular, current and successful re-release.

1991 Eco Warriors Flint - Around The Web

So, not much was going on for me personally in relation to Joe in 1991.  I was buying the comic.  But, that was more out of habit.  My focus was on sports cards and action figures didn't really play into my interests.  As such, I have few anecdotes about 1991 releases that actually relate to 1991.  As I tried to write a new profile, I realized that.  So, I'm just going to post up this Around The Web on the 1991 Eco Warriors Flint and move to 1992 next week.

Love them or hate them, Eco Warriors are well known.  Collectors love them or are at least aware of them to use as the butt of jokes.  But, all the figures in the set are extremely well done.  And, the head on this Flint is fantastic.  I'd have really enjoyed more Eco Warriors mold repaints in the 2000's.  But, that never happened beyond trying to make this figure into a desert vehicle driver and then using his body on a ill-designed Red Shadows character.

1991 Eco Warriors Flint Profile

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by thedustinmccoy

1991 Eco Warriors Flint at the Attica Gazette

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by purple_cobra75

1991 Eco Warriors Flint at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1991 Eco Warriors Flint at JoeADay.com

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by jogunwarrior

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by Slipstream80

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by purple_cobra75

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by Pegwarmers

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by nostalkid

1991 Eco Warriors Flint by thedustinmccoy

Chinese Toxo Zombie

Eco Warriors are awesome.  They have been awesome since 1991 and the fact that it took nearly 30 years for the rest of the Joe community to come around on them shows how little taste Joe collectors tend to have.  Zombies were never awesome.  They were kind of interesting.  Then, they got stupidly overexposed and are more cliche than scare-vehicle these days.  But, the intersection of the two from 1992 is awesome.  It's awesome because the Eco Warriors neon purple outweighs overdone zombies.  But, it's also awesome because the character isn't an undead.  Instead, it's a toxic mutated Toxo Viper who has lost his humanity due to a rotting body and mind.  Sure, it's a bit out into the sci-fi realm.  But, Joe has always been sci-fi, despite the best efforts of military purists to re-define it.  And, the notion of the Toxo Zombie works quite well in the context of the super-villain like Cobra.

In the mid 1990's, Hasbro produced Joe figures for release in China.  Most collectors know these figures from the Chinese Major Bludd, Flint and Duke variants.  But, there are also several other figures: some common and some really rare that were produced.  The series of figures produced in 1994 are the most common and remain easy to find to this day.  This is due to the fact that many were sold to American discount retailers in the 1990s and were actually available in the US.  There are other series, though, that are harder to find and didn't see the same US distribution.  Among these is the Toxo Zombie figure.

As a figure, the Toxo Zombie is pretty good.  The entire premise is that a Toxo Viper was mutated into something less than human.  As such, the Zombie uses the Toxo Viper's uniform and replaces parts with worn away pieces that show the rotting flesh beneath the compromised suit.  The pinkish color with light green highlights make the figure look like a bleached out Toxo Zombie who fell into terrible chemicals.  Grisly grey flesh is exposed on the figure's left arm and foot.  Some of the armor is worn away and the pants are pock-marked.  The face shield is cracked to reveal a dismal visage with pink flesh, a sunken eye and a permanent grimace of pain.  For 1992, the sculpting is amazing.  But, must of the detail is lost by lack of paint applications.  This was also common in 1992.  With a differently colored face, blackened teeth and more hollow eyes, this figure could have been a work of art.

I've long been an Eco Warriors fan.  And, the 1991 Toxo Viper is among my preferred later Cobra army builders.  It was fun to have a single Toxo Zombie around to enhance photos.  But, I never really found a lot of use in an army of them.  With a few in hand now, though, there is some fun in having a Joe or two flee from a horde of brain dead monsters who only have evil intent.  But, it's also something that has little substance.  The idea of Dr. Mindbender or Cesspool having a few of these creatures in the basement of some warehouse is fun enough.  But, making them an essential part of a Cobra army doesn't work.  With no cranial capacity left, the Zombies are just listless masses that meander around the battlefield.  You could drop one or two into a Joe base for some chaos.  But, they would also be quickly dispatched since they don't really have any abilities beyond the scare factor.

It's here that my interest in the Toxo Zombie kind of ends.  I have no real story built around them.  Instead, the purely visual treat that is the pink and green help bring some photos to life.  So, I do tend to use them with some frequency as they bring much needed life to many displays and photos.  And, for that reason alone, the figures are very valuable to me.  It's always nice to bring color to a photo and the Toxo Zombie works for that end.  Maybe if they were $10 figures, I might be inclined to pick up a few more and find something to do with them.  But, the zombie craze made all Toxo Zombies desirable and the relative scarcity of the figure has helped his inflation outlive the fad.

There are a few noteworthy features about this figure and his card.  The first is the most obvious.  This Toxo Zombie includes a gun and backpack.  They are the same weapons that were included with the Sludge Viper and Toxo Viper from 1991.  It never made sense to me that the Toxo Zombie didn't include accessories.  So, seeing them here seems more correct.  The next noteworthy detail is that the card is printed in Chinese.  In many cases, foreign cards feature stickers placed over American carded figures.  That is not so in this case.  The card is printed in Chinese, just like the more common figures that were released in 1994.  This brings up the final point.  The cardback features a 1995 copyright.  So, this figure was produced by Hasbro in 1995.  Now, we don't know if the figures were leftover stock from the 1992 run or a new production run altogether.  But, this late date is very interesting since the line had been cancelled in the US by then.

American Toxo Zombie figures have never been easy to find.  But, they have gotten much more desirable in the past couple of years.  Carded American figures sell in the $40-$60 range.  Loose figures are offered by dealers in the $30-$40 and an appalling amount of them sell for that price.  Left to their own devices, Toxo Zombies are around $25 figures on the open market, though.  This Chinese version is both somewhat common and also obscure.  You can get carded figures in the $75-$100 range.  Though, the price will ebb and flow based on the number in the market.  The figures are the same and loose versions are, supposedly, indiscernible from the American releases.  So, loose, the only real differentiating factor is that this figure would have gear (that could have been pilfered from a Toxo or Sludge Viper) and the unique filecard/cardback.  It's doubtful anyone would pay an extreme premium for that.

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.  

1991 Eco Warriors Clean Sweep Around The Web

The Eco Warriors figures feature some of Hasbro's best work of the 1990's.  They are detailed and feature incredible head sculpts.  They also have great helmets to obfuscate that fact.  Clean Sweep, though, is the best of the bunch.  He just fits together and works in several capacities.  I'd have loved a red/yellow or silver repaint as a firefighter.  But, such thinking never appealed to Hasbro even though they likely had the mold available to them in the 2000's.  Once upon a time, this was an obscure figure that no one really owned.  Now, there's some good content on him out there.  Enjoy the best of Clean Sweep from around the web.

Clean Sweep Profile

Clean Sweep by thedustinmccoy

Clean Sweep by xxteam_cobraxx

Clean Sweep by ScarrViper

Clean Sweep by Total_Madness_Customs

Clean Sweep by g.i. ussr

Clean Sweep by toysandtomfoolery

Clean Sweep by nostalkid

Clean Sweep by strikeforce_codename

Clean Sweep by ToneGunsRevisited

Clean Sweep by thedustinmccoy

Clean Sweep by nostalkid

1992 Eco Warriors Barbecue

One of the earliest figures I looked at on this site was the 1993 Payload figure.  That release was one of my first collecting purchases in the mid 1990's and held a special place in my collection at the time.  The mold was good.  The colors were strong.  And, the figure just, generally, felt in tune with the figures from the '80's that had been part of my childhood.  As figure resources came online in the subsequent years, I learned that the 1993 Payload was actually a repaint of a 1992 release.  The original use of the mold was an update of a character I had loved as a kid.  He featured colors that worked for his specialty and also worked very well with the new sculpting.  On top of all that, he was a Eco Warrior: a subset I really enjoyed.  Despite all that, it's taken more than 20 years for the 1992 Eco Warriors Barbecue figure to show up as a profile subject.

As a kid, Barbecue filled a very specific purpose.  While the Joe team, generally, needed a firefighter around, I found the figure's best use was a required crew member on the Whale.  While Cutter and Shipwreck would, usually, man the cockpit, Barbecue would be seated behind them.  Here, he was would await a call when he might have to put out a fire that threatened the missile launchers, main controls, bridge or depth charges.  Barbecue's heroics saved the Whale more than a few times.  Though, there were situations where other firefighters (in more on off stories) would die after failing to control the fires that broke out.  Or, the firefighter would be killed by a skilled Moray gunner and then the Whale would explode after a fire got to the depth charges.

Paint wise, this Barbecue is pretty basic.  The body is red, yellow and black.  That's it.  For a vintage figure, that's pretty basic.  Not even the pistol molded onto his right leg is painted black.  It's the same yellow as his holster.  In some ways, Barbecue seems like a figure where Hasbro cut some costs.  The basic three colors, though, really work.  There's enough color that Barbecue doesn't feel skimpy.  (Especially when compared to the 3 color figures that would debut in the 2000's.)  The less is more approach works for Barbecue.  The bright colors work, too.  Red and yellow are a natural fit for a firefighter.  And, while the 1985 release was a bit more muted, he was also bright for the time.

Barbecue's accessories are not great.  He carries over the squirting water gimmick from the 1991 Eco Warriors series.  This time, though, the pack is red and yellow with an bright yellow launcher.  For a firefighter, this gear can actually work and I find it more acceptable for Barbecue than I do any other figure which whom it is also included.  But, there's a cool little hack for giving this figure better gear.  The once ubiquitous Funskool Barbecue figure includes classic 1985 gear but in colors that exactly match this 1992 Eco Warrior figure.  So, you can slap a spare set of the famous firefighting gear on this 1992 figure for a much improved look.  In the days when Funskool Barbecues were $4, this was easier to do.  But, carded Funskool Barbecues remain available in the $20 range today and this additional use of the gear helps to justify that price.  I posted my first photo of this figure wearing the Funskool gear back in May of 2002.  17 years later, it's still my preferred way to use the 1992 Barbecue figure.

It was rare for G.I. Joe figures to feature accessories on the card artwork that didn't make their way into the actual figure release.  Mainframe's computer stand is probably the most famous.  Barbecue, though, is shown on his card artwork using a zip line.  I'm not aware of any real evidence that suggests that Barbecue was originally intended to include the rope and a zip handle.  But, he is the only Eco Warrior Joe who does not include any gear other than the water squirting pack.  (Toxo Zombie also got the shaft in 1992 and only included the water cannon with no other gear.)  I'm not sure of any reason why Barbecue would have gotten the rope.  But, I was a sucker for ropes as a kid and would have liked this figure to include a zip line accessory set just because I'd have found it fun.

Eco Warriors have a fun/irritating gimmick.  They change color when differently temperatured water is sprayed on them.  The color change was meant to denote "battle damage".  For a young kid in 1992, this was probably a neat feature that was used once or twice.  For a collector in current times, it's a blight upon the figure's veneer.  Most of the color change spots have now permanently changed color.  So, most Barbecue figures now feature dark spots all over the figure's torso.  It takes away from the figure's appearance.  So, finding a unblemished figure is worth the extra time (and, sometimes, extra expense) it takes to acquire one.

As Joe prices rose at unsustainable rates in 2018 and 2019, this Barbecue got caught up in the hype.  The 1992 Eco Warriors do not exist in the same numbers as standard 1992 carded figures.  But, even with the lower production run, they aren't as difficult to find as they sometimes appear.  After flirting with $30+ prices for a bit, this Barbecue is now more affordable.  We're starting to see Joe prices soften on many of the less popular, non army building figures of the 1990's.  And, Barbecue is an example.  While dealers will still sell a few figures for $25, you can get mint and complete with filecard versions for $15 or so without too much trouble.  That's probably a fair price for the figure.  Though, I would expect that to fall as Joe's popularity begins to sag.  If you sacrifice the filecard or the water cannon, the price falls further.

I find the price worth it for a figure of this Barbecue's quality.  But, the bright colors and late design year are off-putting to many old school collectors, too.  If I could only have one representation of the Barbecue character in my collection, I'd take the 1985 version and let this mold be Payload.  But, the overall quality of the sculpting means that some coloring of this figure mold belongs in every collection.

1991 Sludge Viper - Around the Web

The Sludge Viper lacks spectacular colors.  Even someone like me, who can forgive bright hues can find this figure less than stellar just because of the soft pastels.  But, the mold is actually quite good and definitely on par with Hasbro's best work.  Surprisingly, there's a lot out there on this obscure Cobra.  Here's the best of the Sludge Viper from around the web.

1991 Sludge Viper Profile

Sludge Viper by ScarrViper 1

Sludge Viper on Instagram

Sludge Viper Pre Production at YoJoe.com

Sludge Viper at 3DJoes.com

Sludge Viper by Nekoman

Sludge Viper by ScarrViper 2

Swamp Base Dio

1992 Eco Warriors Deep Six

It's finally fashionable in the collecting world to like the Eco Warriors.  The neon colored darlings that attracted all the collector hate in the 2000's have finally come of age where a good portion of the collecting world appreciates them for what they were.  But, despite this newfound status, the 1991 figures remain worthless, even if the designs are cool.  In 1992, though, Hasbro continued the series.  This newer wave of Eco Warrior members were just as brightly colored and equally well designed as the first series.  In recent years, zombie-mania has afflicted popular culture.  With that, the Joe world has seen great interest in the 1992 Toxo Zombie figure: despite his bright colors.  But, in a case where it appears that a rising tide lifts all boats, the other 1992 Eco Warriors figures have found themselves both harder to find and more expensive in recent years.  The 1992 Eco Warriors Deep Six is a prime example.

Absent of any packaging or media to tell me otherwise, I could see this Deep Six as a Cobra.  He wears deep blue with highlights similar to the Toxo Zombie and his face is covered by a full mask.  In short, he fits Cobra's motif.  But, this is simply a new color scheme for a Joe.  The 1992 Eco Warriors featured bright highlights, but more muted base colors.  This leads to a much more subdued look for the team and helps make the 1992 characters more useful outside of their Eco Warrior motif.  This Deep Six is darker and more detailed than even the 1989 figure.  But, he does feature an odd array of colors in addition to the dark blue.  The lime green highlights are a different choice for a figure.  But, the color works in juxtaposition to the dark blue.  It's the final color that is the most problematic.  The figure also features bright pink/purple highlights.  I'll call them pink for descriptive purposes.  Though, the color is not quite pink and has some purplish hues.  Absent this color, Deep Six is a perfectly acceptable figure.  But, with it, he has been the source of collector ridicule for two and a half decades.

Deep Six has always been a deep sea diver.  The 1984 and 1989 versions both retained this specialty.  With the 1984 figure sucks, the 1989 is one of the best redesigns of an existing character that Hasbro ever pulled off.  This 1992 Eco Warriors figure, though, doesn't fit the character's original skill set.  I see this figure as more of a shallow water/landing type figure.  The sleek suit and less bulky survival gear suggest this is a way for Deep Six to take part in the action that takes place above 5,000 fathoms under the sea.  The fact that the figure lacks an air pack or sculpted air tanks also suggests that he's not destined to remain under water for long periods of time.  (The filecard states that Deep Six wears a liquid oxygen vest to supply his breathing air.  I suppose this works.  But, it leaves the figure still too self contained to see him a long term diver who spends hours under water at a time.)

Deep Six included terrible accessories.  He features bright pink flippers.  While they can work as a part of this figure, they are also ridiculous.  For a weapon, he only includes a repainted version of the 1989 Deep Six gun: now in black.  There is a battle stand, which was a welcome addition in 1992.  The final accessory is a huge, grey dolphin.  The gimmick is that it squirts water.  So, instead of the ubiquitous water firing packs that were staples of the other Eco Warriors figures, Deep Six gets a spitting dolphin.  For a figure and character like Deep Six, I guess the gear complement isn't terrible.  But, a pack and better gun could have gone a long way towards improving the figure overall.

Originally, Deep Six's dolphin was going to be black.  A few black dolphins were carded and leaked into the market.  These "Killer Whale Deep Six" figures can fetch a pretty penny: easily over $1,000.  Really, though, the black dolphin isn't a variant: it's a pre-production piece.  But, dealers hear "variant" and instantly jump to the conclusions that any version of this figure is rare and desirable.  That's not the case.  The standard figure was fully released and is very available.  But, in the extremely unlikely event you stumble across a carded Deep Six with a black dolphin, be aware that such an item exists and is highly desirable.

While the 1989 Deep Six figure mold saw a nice run of reuses, this 1992 version never reappeared.  The Eco Warriors are a mixed bag of reuse.  Ozone and BBQ both found themselves used multiple more times in the Star Brigade subset.  The rest of the figures, though, did not reappear.  And, while a couple of Eco Warrior molds did show up again in the 2000's repaint era, this Deep Six was not among them.  It's likely that Hasbro had the mold.  But, collector disdain for Eco Warriors and the fact that both Torpedo and Wet Suit were more popular diver molds that were available likely killed any chance of a Deep Six redux.  It's too bad since the mold has a lot of potential and could have been reused in Star Brigade or as a more appropriately colored combat diver.  We'll never get to see any takes on the mold, though, and we're left with this lone example of Deep Six.

Pricing on this figure is tough.  Dealers really try to play him like it's a rare figure and you'll see complete figures offered in the $50 - $60 range all the time.  But, very few of them sell.  It seems, the real value of the figure is the dolphin.  A mint with filecard figure that's only missing the dolphin will only sell in the $5-$7 range on the open market.  That's a far cry from the dealer price.  But, a complete figure will sell in the $25 - $30 range.  So, you're basically paying $20 for a stupid plastic dolphin.  (You should note that carded figures sell around $40 and they are surprisingly easy to find, too.)  The problem is that it might take a few months to find the figure on the open market.  If money's no object, then spending big from a dealer will get you the figure today.  I prefer to wait as patience usually yields much better deals.

Personally, I don't give two craps about the dolphin.  I find the value in the figure: neon pink highlights and all.  But, seeing as how this figure has so gaudy, non traditional colors, few collectors will join me in my sentiment.  For most, he's simply a box to check once a complete figure is acquired.  I see him as a product of his era.  And, I'm far more forgiving of bright colors on characters whose specialities are underwater, piloting aircraft or astronauts.  So, this version of Deep Six works for me.  He's a sleeker version of the character who is useful in different situations than the 1989 figure.  I actually like this Deep Six better as a crewman on the Whale than I do the earlier Deep Six releases.  But, I'm often alone in this sentiment.  If you can find a cheap Deep Six, though, I recommend picking him up.  It's a fun release that offers something different that's not often found in the vintage line.  So, that's worth the acquisition alone.

1993 Eco Warriors Outback - Around the Web

The Eco Warriors were popular enough to get two years of releases.  There was a third year of Eco Warriors figures planned, too.  But, Hasbro decided to end the sub set and they moved the figures into the standard Battle Corps line.  Both Snow Storm and Outback were originally released in their Eco Warriors colors before being changed to their Battle Corps incarnations.  This version of Outback is bright and tough to use.  He doesn't really fit the Eco Warriors theme and would have been the only member of the team to not have his face covered by some sort of helmet.  He works as a vehicle driver, though.  Here's the little I could find of him from around the web.

Eco Warriors Outback Profile

Outback Pre-Production at YoJoe.com

Outback at JoeADay.com

Outback at 3DJoe.com

Outback Dio

JogunWarrior's Outback Custom

1992 Toxo Zombie Around the Web

So, it turns out that people seem to like Zombies these days.  Caught up in that cultural zeitgeist is the 1992 Toxo Zombie figure.  Back in the late 1990's and early 2000's, this figure was pretty much a joke.  Collectors hated the fact that it even existed.  Now, though, the Toxo Zombie figure is rather popular.  Just looking at the sheer volume of content below, you can see that the figure has become a staple of many people's collections.  It is a favorite of photographers and the Toxo Zombie often appears on various online communities.  Here's some of my favorite content on the Toxo Zombie from around the web:

Toxo Zombie Profile

Toxo Zombie at ARAH Gallery

Toxo Zombie Pre Production at YoJoe.com

Toxo Zombie at JoeADay.com

Toxo Zombie by OldBaldysToyChest

Toxo Zombie by JamietheTeleViper

Toxo Zombie by ScarrViper

Toxo Zombie at 3DJoes.com

Toxo Zombie Halloween at JoeADay.com

Secret of the Ooze Dio

Toxo Zombie by Outrider

Toxo Zombie at Half The Battle

Toxo Zombies at JoeDios

Toxo Zombie by b33jb

Toxo Zombie Returns at JoeADay.com (He really likes the Toxo Zombie!)

Toxo Zombie by kaboomtoys

Toxo Zombies by total_madness_customs