The Rankings - 1984

1984 is an interesting Joe year.  It's considered a classic with some of the best figures ever released.  But, the 1984 lineup is very transitional.  About half the figures are in line with 1983 releases while the other half take a leap forward and give us the precursors of what the line would become in 1985.  It's going to be a tough year to rank as it contains some of my personal favorites, consensus icons and, one of the worst releases Hasbro ever created.  So, we'll jump in 1984 and see where this ends up.

#20. Deep Six

Yeah, it couldn't be anyone else.  This Deep Six sucks.  But, to be fair, he features an original head (which was intended to be the Alpine Trooper head that was going to be used with the Scrap Iron body) and an ambitious action feature.  I'm not going to convince myself that Deep Six is a good figure or toy.  But, he has all the hallmarks of a G.I. Joe figure and had the same care put into his design as did Stormshadow.  He loses due to articulation.  But, there are elements of quality to him that keep him above some figures from later years.

#19. Clutch and Stinger Driver (tie)

It's unfair to really include these guys in the 1984 lineup since they were both repaints of earlier figures.  But, in the case of each figure, the repaint was amazing.  Both are substantially different from their original releases while still maintaining the overall quality of the earlier design.  You can argue that both the 1984 repaints are even better than the original paint jobs.  They appear this low, though, because they were earlier sculpts and the other 1984 figures also brought new colors to the line.  It's not fair they are so low.  But, that's a testament to the quality of the overall year.

#17. Duke

At his core, Duke is a 1983 figure design.  He uses the classic helmet, reuses gear from prior figures and even recycles parts from earlier releases.  Design wise, he fits with the 1983 Team.  Because of that, his overall rank suffers for 1984.  His release year contemporaries brought more to the table.  Duke seemed like a pure throwback instead of something new.  His colors are nice.  But, they were more muted when compared against the other 1984's.  Then, he's got the goofy head.  In reality, Duke works as a figure.  He's just not one of the stronger releases in his year.

#16. Hooded Cobra Commander

An iconic look ranked this low?  Well, yeah.  Cobra Commander suffers from a lot of what ails Duke, Clutch and the Stinger driver.  The new head and the darker blue color make for a fantastic figure.  He just didn't offer anything new or revolutionary to the 1984 lineup.  The low ranking is more a function of him being mostly a repaint instead of an all new figure. 

#15. Roadblock

Roadblock is another 1983 throwback.  His body is a little beefier.  And, the reused parts do limit him.  His accessories push him up the list.  The machine gun, tri-pod and backpack all work in concert to produce a great toy.  His colors are nice.  If taken against the line as a whole, Roadblock would perform well.  He just can't outperform his fellow class of 1984.

#14. Copperhead

I'm not really sure if Copperhead should be this high.  He gets solid marks for bringing so much color to the Joe line.  And, he features a bulkier sculpt to showcase his size, too.  The fact that the figure persevered and remains somewhat popular despite him not getting any characterization is a testament to this figure's overall design.  So, he gets ahead of Roadblock even though Roadblock is a lot more useful.

#13. Scrap Iron

Scrap Iron started his life as a Joe Alpine Trooper.  At some point, he was converted to Scrap Iron.  The colors are great.  But, the head is weak.  It really doesn't fit with the rest of the figure.  It being designed later in the process explains the difference.  He gets some higher marks, though, for his gear.  The missile table was inspired and gave Scrap Iron value over just his figure.

#12.Wild Weasel

I don't like the Wild Weasel figure.  The reason for that is that I saw the artistic rendition of him in the comics in the summer of 1984.  So, I had months of waiting for him and anticipating him before we got him in October of that year.  And, the figure just didn't live up.  I thought the helmet was too big and there was too much red.  But, in the 42 years since his release, he's grown on me.  And, the design as a pilot is pretty strong.  

#11.Cutter

So, this one photo from 2008 is the only time I can ever find that I used the 1984 Cutter.  Back in 2013, one of my sons crawled into a storage room and opened up a drawer of 1984 Joes and managed to break my Cutter's crotch.  So, I haven't had one to really use in more than a decade and a half.  Despite that, the original design is pretty good.  The life vest gave him added bulk without making him too big.  The sculpted baseball cap also worked really well and brought a new look to the Joe line.  His colors are strong and different.  So, he's right in the middle of the year's lineup.

#10. Firefly

The first controversy in the list.  How could Firefly, one  of the line's iconic figures, only be the 10th best figure from his release year?!?  The answer lies is two parts.  First, Firefly is another 1983 style figure.  His head is the perfect size for the classic helmets.  Secondly, though, is that Firefly doesn't get any paint details that accentuate the amazing sculpting that Hasbro did for his body.  While Firefly is still visually interesting, he also lacks something because his grenades, pouches and pistol all blend into a seamless see of two toned grey.  Firefly's cool as hell.  But, his overall design didn't do much to move the Joe line forwards.  

#09.  Ripcord

As a figure, Ripcord is kind of bland.  But, his cammo is more dramatic than Firefly's.  The rest of the figure doesn't have much going for it.  What it does have, though, is some of the best gear ever released.  No parachute rig that came after was able to live up to the innovation of Ripcord's parachute pack and airmask.  With his gear attached, he's an amazing figure.  I had mine wear his mask even on ground missions because it just looked so cool.  

#08. Thunder

Apparently, I'm a Thunder fan.  While he's very much a 1983 throwback, he works on many different levels.  He included new helmet gear that elevated the standard helmet.  The rest of him, though, is well sculpted.  I've always loved his chest sculpt.  They layers of brown, green and black work as a visual treat.  So, I find Thunder a better piece of design than some of the more iconic figures from this year.

#07. Recondo

Recondo isn't perfect.  But, he is a great looking jungle trooper.  His muted base color allows his painted details to stand out.  The green hat is a perfect topper, too.  Recondo features a strong face sculpt to boot.  He only includes two accessories.  His backpack is one of the better pieces from the line's early years.  It's big enough to showcase all the details while not being overbearing like many of the packs from 1987 and beyond.  His rifle can be tough to pose.  But, it does look really good with Recondo...to the point where Recondo looks weird with any other weapon.  Recondo showed what Hasbro could do now that they had a couple of years under their belt.

#06.  Spirit

Like Recondo, Spirit showed what the Joe line could be.  His stern face is an understated element of the figure that helps define his character.  The molded hair piece, though, was a leap forward in design.  It opened the doors to more variety for heads.  We wouldn't see it that often.  But, Spirit allowed the 1984 lineup to look quite different from the previous years.  On top of that, he included another new addition to 1984: an animal companion.  Freedom wasn't a terribly useful accessory.  But, he was an element that set the Joe line apart.  The rest of Spirit's gear really only works  for Spirit.  That's a double edged sword, for sure.  But, shows that accessory integration is essential for any successful action  figure line.

#05.Stormshadow

The top 5 is where it starts to get dicey.  It's very possible that, if I were to revisit these rankings in 2028, that Stormshadow might end up #2 on the list.  For now, though, he rests at number 5.  Really, though, that's only because those above him are so good.  As a figure, Stormshadow isn't all that groundbreaking.  Sure, he introduced the ninjas mythos to Joe.  But, his sculpt is somewhat basic and hearkens back to 1983.  He excels, though, in the accessory department.  His backpack is a masterclass of engineering.  It was, likely, the most intricate accessory that existed in the 3 3/4" scale at the time.  The complete package remains iconic.  

#04.Blowtorch

Blowtorch gets high marks for his striking colors and his amazing gear.  I've always kind of lumped Ripcord and Blowtorch together because they both had air masks.  But, it is Blowtorch's design, where his mask is integrated into the figure itself, that is more memorable to me.  It's a stronger feat of engineering and something that Hasbro hadn't fully worked out when they were taking promo photos of the 1984 figures.  In addition, Blowtorch proved that bright, vivid colors could work perfectly in the proper setting.  You can see the fiery yellow and red and instantly know Blowtorch's specialty.  On top of everything else, his flamethrower and backpack integrated, too.  His suit is full of small details.  He's just a figure that defines his year while expanding the look of Joe into new areas.

#03.Mutt

Mutt is overly high.  He's among my favorite figures and is a guy to whom I hold great deference.  But, as an action figure,  he's amazing.  Mutt showed that brighter, more powerful greens could still work on a G.I. Joe.  And, his accent colors give him visual depth.  He also brought the first, real animal character to the line.  Junkyard became a fan favorite.  And, there are still collectors who prefer the dog to the man.  The rest of Mutt's gear is also great.  He might have the best pistol Hasbro ever created.  And, his muzzle/helmet combo gave him a talking point.  Without the muzzle, Mutt features a riveting head sculpt...including unexplained scars: a rarity for a good guy.  Mutt is just a complete package of a figure and is one who's always going to rank high with me.

#02. Baroness

I'm surprised I ended up with Baroness this high.  But, she is light years ahead of Scarlett and, certainly, Cover Girl in terms of female sculpting.  Her separate hair piece was inspired and gave an excellent approximation of longer hair.  The eyeglasses were perfectly proportioned and gave her a distinct look.

The only bad thing about the Baroness is that Hasbro then went backwards in female figure design after her release.  Lady Jaye is a step down.  Zarana does an OK job of replicating the Baroness design aesthetic.  But, the bad face sculpts keep her lower than the Baroness.  Jinx didn't have a face at all.  And, then we didn't see another female figure until the 1993 Scarlett.

The Baroness seems passe, now.  We got tons of repaints of her in the 2000's and even factory customs.  But, she remains Hasbro's best work for a female figure.  Her only detriment is her terrible rifle.  But, that's inconsequential when the rest of the figure design is so well done.  For her, the lack of color works as the all black ensemble conveys her affiliation and allows to match up with any of Cobra hierarchy where she may choose to lay her allegiance.

#01. Zartan

This should not be a surprise.  Zartan brings so much to the Joe line that he has to hold the top spot on this list.  The color changing gimmick is the least interesting thing about Zartan.  But, it's a big part of my kids loved him.  The character is just, generally, bizarre.  And, with little explanation as to why, kid's imaginations could run wild.  The oddball chest armor that held a heat sensing sticker added to the mystique.  And, his hood was an extension of the hair pieces used for Spirit and Baroness.  

To top it off, Zartan included great accessories.  His backpack held an alternate face.  Today, action figures include alternate heads for collectors.  But, in 1984, we got to play with a bearded weirdo who was disguising the most visually distinctive villain in the G.I. Joe line.  If that wasn't enough, his pistol rivals Mutt's for the top spot in terms of Hasbro's efforts.  

Zartan showed what the Joe line could be and firmly cemented it as military fantasy.  The illusion of the line being about green army guys was forever shattered and there was a full decade of future releases that were a function of that early decision.  

All in all, the 1984 line has a strong case for the best year of Joe releases.  There's just so much here and it's all packed into just 20 figures.  I'm sure everyone's list differs just based on your personal experiences.  But, I'd love to hear about your top figures from this year and why they are important to you.

Rarities - Unproduced 1988 Tiger Force Figures

Since the early days of online collecting, we've known that the Tiger Force team underwent drastic changes between the time of it's retail solicitation and actual production.  Tiger Force Ripcord was a staple of late 1990's and early 2000's customizers.  And, even Hasbro got in on the action when  they released a Wreckage figure in 2003 that was an homage to the unproduced Sabretooth.

The reasons for some of the changes are almost certainly just a function of available molds.  Ripcord and Recondo were both in production in South America around 1988.  So, it's unlikely that Hasbro had the parts to make them.  Recondo ended up being produced by Estrela simply because he and the Tiger Fly mold were both in Brazil at the time.  

We'll start with the original concept for the single carded figure team.

Only three of the six figures shown ended up being released in the production set.  (Dusty, Lifeline and Duke)  The retail set would end up including 7 figures.  Instead of Sabretooth, Recondo and Ripcord, the set included Tripwire, Roadblock, Flint and Bazooka.  The Toy Fair solicitation explicitly mentions it's a 6-man squad.  So, the change to a 7 figure team is odd.  Especially since 7 would not divide equally into a case assortment.  I can't find details on how the actual Tiger Force figure cases broke down.  But, a figure (or figures!) were either overpacked or shortpacked in order to fit the 7 man team into a case.

Another interesting aspect is the gear shown with the figures.  Since the figures are hand painted mock ups, the gear is all from original figures.  Duke's is correct.  But, everyone else is holding some gear from one of the other figures in the set.  This is likely just a photographer either having fun or simply not knowing which gear went with whom and doing their best to match it up.  The oddballs, though, are Dusty & Ripcord.  Ripcord is holding Frostbite's rifle.  While Frostbite did end up in Tiger Force, he wasn't shown (nor was the Tiger Cat) in this Toy Fair catalog.  For some reason, Dusty is using Falcon's gear.  Falcon never appeared in Tiger Force and wasn't part of these designs.  So, how his gear ended up in the photo is anyone's guess.

In looking at the figures, themselves, Duke, Lifeline and Dusty ended with production figures that are starkly close to these early mock ups.  I'll argue that the production Tiger Force Recondo is better than this planned carded release with the brown shirt.  Sabretooth and Ripcord are the two, though, that are most interesting to me.  

First is just the fact that both are solid paint jobs.  Sabretooth is remarkably detailed.  And, the colors used on him are rich and vibrant.  You realize what a pale imitation Wreckage actually was when you see this mock up in better detail.  I can't help but wonder how fans would view Sabretooth had he been released.  While we associate that mold only with Firefly today, that is largely a function of the fact that Hasbro released it as Firefly at least 8 times in the repaint era.  Had Sabretooth been released, an entire generation of Joe fans who came of age in the late 1980's would only associate that mold with Sabretooth.  

Ripcord features a rich brown lower body and what appears to be an olive upper body.  His helmet features the paint job that was, eventually, used on the Tiger Force Roadblock helmet.  Had this Ripcord been released, it would be interesting to see which was preferred among collectors.  While the original Ripcord is an iconic look, this Tiger Force version was less Tiger Force and more just an alternate look for the character that used more color.  I'm not sure which would be my preferred look for the character.  But, there's no doubt this Tiger Force version would have been well loved by collectors.  It's a shame Hasbro wasn't able to get a version of him into the Pulse assortment since they had already recast the Ripcord mold.

There's another fun little appearance on the photo for the Tiger Shark.  While the Dusty figure appears in the turret, you'll see what appears to be a yellow painted Torpedo driving the vehicle.  This is the figure's only appearance.  The catalog is clear that "Figure sold separately."  So, there's barely even a reference to the figure's existence in his own time.  It's doubtful Torpedo made it this far in the process for Tiger Force.  But, it's possible that the Tiger Shark was, in its infancy, planned to include a figure just like the Water Moccasin from four years prior.  The appearance is one of those oddball cameos that would occur more frequently in later toy commercials but was very rare in pre-production solicitation and marketing material.

Here's a different angle of the original Recondo.  Flint ended up getting a color scheme that was reminiscent of this Recondo.  Though, the Flint uses a darker brown and a lighter green for his torso and legs, respectively.  I still prefer the production Recondo to this version.  But, the brown would have been an interesting take on a desert Recondo.  So, I wouldn't have hated this version had it come to be.

Next up is the Tiger Rat.  You can kind of see the figure that would become Skystriker in the cockpit.  It's notable that the accompanying text to the Tiger Rat says that it includes the pilot "Thunder".  Skystriker would use the Thunder head, helmet and headgear.  So, the original intent, at least, was not to create a new character for the Tiger Rat.

Lastly, we have the Tiger Fly.  Here, you can see the unproduced Tiger Force Wild Bill.  Wild Bill's omission is a function  of reverse mold availability.  While Ripcord was stuck in Brazil and couldn't be added to the carded assortment cases, Wild Bill was likely in Asia, unable to be packaged with the Brazilian made Tiger Fly.  So, the logistics dictated that Recondo become the Tiger Fly pilot.  (I guess both he and Wild Bill have mustaches and wear hats....)  The original color scheme for Recondo was changed to match up the color scheme that was planned for this Wild Bill.  

Aside from all the changes to this set and the various fun it's sparked from all the unproduced elements of it, Tiger Force also caused a fundamental change in how Joes were made in Brazil.  As my friend Attica Gazette points out, prior to the release of the Tiger Force Recondo, all the figures made in Brazil featured a more sunburnt skin tone.  It's a hallmark of the early Estrela line and makes the figures recognizable.  However, after Estrela had to make a Recondo with a skin tone that matched that of the other figures in the Tiger Force set, all of their subsequent figures used the skin tone that was more in line with Hasbro's colors.  It sucked one of the unique elements of the Estrela line away.  We don't know if Hasbro mandated this change on all new figures going forward.  Or, if Estrela simply went with it because the color was now readily available.  Regardless, that's one of the unintended legacies of Tiger Force.

2005 Comic Pack Firefly

I'm at a point where revisiting figures is more necessary.  Mostly because I'm running out of figures to profile.  But, also, there are some figures whose status in the collecting community has drastically changed in the time since I first looked at them.  Back in 2008, the Comic Pack Firefly was still considered a peg warmer.  It had been heavily clearanced.  And, the Joe market of the time was saturated with them.  You could get them for a couple bucks with no issue.  In the time since then, though, the Comic Pack figures have taken on a new life.  Figures like this Firefly no longer seem such retail duds.  And, collectors have started to appreciate them for the quality releases they can be.

I'll just say it: this is the best vintage Firefly figure.  He's better than the 1984.  The new head is extremely well done and fits on the body. The updated digital pattern is a better look than the spottled 1984.  And, the grey color is lighter, allowing for more visual contrast.  The original Firefly has no painted details.  This version allows you to see all the things that made Firefly the second coolest Cobra released 21 years prior.  Upon this figure's release, no one wanted another Firefly.  But, Hasbro delivered the best take on the character, ever.  So, that carried the figure into a place of prominence.

It took a while.  Early 2000's collectors were still beholden to their beloved original figure.  Slowly, though, the pull of this 2005 Firefly was just too strong.  And, you began to see this 2005 figure appear among even other 1983 and 1984 Cobras.  More and more collectors found the value in having a great looking figure who also didn't have fragile thumbs or an easily breakable crotch.  And, this figure began to appear in more and more photos.  Slowly, the 1984 figure faded into the background.  If collectors wanted an offbeat Firefly, there were several options.  But, if they wanted to represent Firefly in his original incarnation, they were turning more and more to the 2005 figure instead of the original.

And, why not?  This Firefly has a pretty strong argument for being the best Comic Pack figure.  (The 2005 Stalker is my personal favorite, though.)  Hasbro was finally starting to dial in their heads...just in time for the entire Joe line to get cancelled.  It's weird that a figure that ranks so high would be a character who was entirely played out among collectors and also a direct homage to the figure's original look.  Rarely did these tributes surpass the originals.  But, this Firefly did so with such aplomb that the 1984 now looks quaint when posed against the sterner and more grizzled head.

It's no secret that Hasbro got lazy with accessories on ARAH style Joe repaints.  While the figure's original gear was a staple of 1997 through 2001 releases, Hasbro had mostly abandoned this by 2005 and mostly just released a large volume of random gear with their vintage redos.  Fortunately, Firefly was one of the figures who was not affected by this.  Hasbro released every Firefly mold usage with at least some of his original gear with the exception of the Gift Set Firefly.  This Comic Pack figure includes the classic machine gun, walkie talkie, backpack and socket wrench cover that is necessary for any Firefly figure.  They are all cast in black.  The upside being that Firefly's gear in black got very common in the 2000's so it's easy to find today.  And, the black looks great against the brighter grey base of the figure.  The green, 1984 weapons work well enough with the Comic Pack version.  But, they somewhat wash out with the lighter base.  You can now get Firefly's gun and walkie talkie in a variety of colors from various factory custom makers.  So, you can find a color combo that works if you have some spare time.

It's simply baffling as to what Hasbro would spend money to develop back in the 2000's.  They had a perfectly good Firefly mold available.  Though, it was starting to show signs of wear.  But, Hasbro created a brand new head when the original was beloved by collectors.  It's likely that the body is either an entirely new mold based on the original or it was substantially cleaned up to sharpen the details.  Hasbro paid more to do this.  They resculpted Scrap Iron, Mutt and Lady Jaye.  But, they never bothered to recreate the 1985 Snake Eyes or the 1983 Cobra Commander.  Hasbro would spend on the mundane or the unnecessary while leaving gaping holes of super desirable figures.  They never explained themselves.  So, we have half a dozen amazing Firefly repaints.  But, there was not a single helmeted Cobra Commander figure until 2022.

Comic Pack figures discolor.  This is just a truism at this point.  Hasbro's early 2000's plastics isn't holding up among Joes, Star Wars or Transformers.  This Firefly, though, has tended to do pretty well.  While his pack mate, Scrap Iron, is guaranteed to discolor, this Firefly has held out.  You'll see some tinges of yellow on a few figures.  And, you may see some slight upper arm discoloration.  In the realm of Comic Pack figures, that's pretty good.  And, keeps this Firefly relevant when other figures from his series have fallen off the popularity cliff due to their propensity for discoloration.  

The Firefly mold was used to death.  After the 1984 figure finished it's production  run, it disappeared for a little over a decade.  The mold was planned for use as the 1988 Tiger Force Sabretooth figure.  (More on him in Rarities Month in June!)  But, he was never released.  Instead, the mold spent some time in  India.  Firefly was among the figures released by Funskool and had a production window of a couple of years.  His body was used for a Complan Commandos figure, too.  Hasbro got the mold back ahead of the 1997 series as Firefly was painted up as a possible 1997 release.  That figure didn't make the cut, though.  And, it wasn't until 1998 that Firefly returned to the Hasbro line.  

The return was overkill, though.  Hasbro released the arctic Firefly in 1998.  A woodlands version was included in the first wave of the ARAHC in 2000.  In 2002, the figure appeared in the BJ's Gift Set. (There is also an unproduced version of this figure that's green instead of red.)  2003 was a banner year.  The mold was used for Wreckage in the 2003 Tiger Force set.  And, then, the club released two convention exclusive figures in  the summer of that year.  If that weren't enough, the amazing Urban Strike Firefly debuted in 2004.  Then, 2005 brought us a Crimson repaint of the mold in the Crimson Guard sets.  And, finally, this Comic Pack figure followed close on the Crimson figure's heels.  In short, there are MORE than enough Fireflies to keep you interested should you simply love the character or his design.

Pricing on this figure is way down over a couple of years ago.  For a while, this was a $25 to $40 figure.  And, you'd see carded samples sell between $50 and $70.  Now, though, the carded sets have settled into the $35-$40 range.  It's a pain to find loose figures, though.  The Serpentor has become the most desirable figure in the set.  So, a carded set is probably the best way to go if you want to acquire this Firefly.  As original Fireflies sell for way more, this figure is a cheaper alternative to a classic character.  Since he's also better, you get a double win for your collection.  

2002 Gift Set Firefly - Random Photos of the Day

 Between 1998 and 2005, there were too many Fireflies.  Hasbro repainted the mold every chance they got.  The thing is, though, most of the repaints were pretty good.  And, 20+ years later, it's nice to have a rainbow of Firefly figures to choose from.  Among all the Cobra blue, grey, black and unproduced homage Firefly figures, we also got something completely weird: the 2002 Gift Set Firefly.

There's no reason for this figure to exist.  But, I'm glad it does.  We get Firefly in a red color that isn't crimson and, really, isn't even all that Cobra.  It's bright and vibrant.  He's offset by a greyish-blue hue that's used to color in his details.  If that weren't enough, he's wearing gold boots.  But, the best part is that his head is a poo-brown mask.  If this sounds a bit ridiculous, that's because it is. 

But, somehow, this figure works.  It works because Hasbro didn't do enough offbeat stuff during the repaint era.  And, it works because, after tons of great repaints, good molds also need to exist in far out colors that are non-sensical for the character.  It gives the line some life when it everyone wanted it to be "super duper pooper scooper serious".  

I really enjoy using this figure.  He's an interesting substitute for the multitudes of Firefly figures you normally see.  If I had to rank Firefly figures, this one would be in the bottom two: maybe even the worst Firefly.  Despite that, it's a fun figure to have around, if only to brighten up a collection that may take itself too seriously.

2000 Firefly - Around The Web

This was an emergency replacement of another post.  That one will go up in two weeks.  I searched for an antithesis to that, planned figure post and came up with this 2000 Firefly.  It's a classic mold done up in very traditional (though, not Cobra) colors.  In general, it's a strong version of Firefly.  In the fall of 2000, you could make the case it was the best Firefly.  Or, at least on par with the vintage version since it had all the cool accessories along with softer plastic hands.  But, no collector of that era actually made that argument.  The two main reasons were the paint wipes and the altered face mask.  For me, it was the ungloved hands that superseded the mask changes.  But, I was in the minority on that point.  

Fun fact: no two versions of this Firefly are the same.  The marbelized plastic that debuted in 2000 ensured that every figure had slight nuances.  And, you can even find major changes where a figure may have a brown head, green head or a balance of the two.  The same is true of the rest of the mold.  If you like the green, you can find a figure that features a lot of it.  The brown is similar.  If you're really ambitious, you could kitbash a nearly all green or all brown figure from a plethora of figures.  But, no one's really done that.

This Firefly is among the most used ARAHC figures from 2000 and 2001.  Since he's Firefly, you see him more often than other characters.  The colors and gear work to make a figure that fits into scenes just like the original, grey figure.  But, is also a better match for outdoor shots among the plants and trees.  So, check out the content below and let the creators know you stopped by.

2000 Firefly Profile

2000 Firefly by fosilru

2000 Firefly by themexicangriswolds

2000 Firefly  by Yo Valley Joe

2000 Firefly by instachampa

2000 Firefly by thedustinmccoy

2000 Firefly by thebackyardcommando

2000 Firefly by R.T.G.

2000 Firefly by thedustinmccoy

2000 Firefly by thebackyardcommando

2000 Firefly by toy_haven_aka_patch

2000 Firefly by mikesjoetography

2000 Firefly by strikeforce_codename

1992 Firefly - Around The Web

I bought this figure in December of 1992 because it was Firefly and I wanted a new version of one of my favorite characters from childhood.  I found a figure that was actually a lot of fun and very visually interesting.  His rifle was cool.  His uniform worked well. His grey accents hearkened back to the 1984 original.  And, even the bright green was cool.

Now, not everyone agrees on the last point in the above paragraph.  Despite that, the 1992 Firefly appears often enough in people's photos to suggest that it's a figure that collectors find useful.  So, check out the content below.

1992 Firefly Profile

1992 Firefly by yojoe_collectibles

1992 Firefly by gen_liederkranz

1992 Firefly by thedustinmccoy

1992 Firefly by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

1992 Firefly by fosilru

1992 Firefly by 73larebear

1992 Firefly by yorktownjoe

1992 Firefly by aka_patch

1992 Firefly by gen_liederkranz

1992 Firefly by yojoeonline

1992 Firefly by fun_time_at_serpentorslair

2005 Crimson Firefly - Around the Web

This 2005 Firefly has no reason to exist.  It occupies this weird space between the excellent 2004 Urban Strike Firefly and the even better 2005 Comic Pack Firefly.  It's not better than either of those figures.  And, with them in such close proximity of this Crimson figure's release window, the Toys R Us exclusive should be overlooked.  But, surprisingly, I found a lot of good content on this figure out there.  He looks great in photos and, did not the better paint jobs exist, he might have been the best Firefly ever released.  

There's lots of fun content below.  It ranges from articles written upon the figure's release: nearly two decades ago, to more recent uses.  All this shows the figure's popularity remains strong.  

2005 Crimson Firefly Profile

2005 Crimson Firefly at the Attica Gazette

2005 Crimson Firefly by relena_warcraft

2005 Crimson Firefly by instachampa

2005 Crimson Firefly at JoeBattleLines.com

2005 Crimson Firefly by elevatemetoahigherhumanform

2005 Crimson Firefly by gen_liederkranz

2005 Crimson Firefly by mikesjoetography

2005 Crimson Firefly by instachampa

2005 Crimson Firefly by slaughters_free_time

2005 Crimson Firefly at Generals Joes Reborn

2005 Crimson Firefly by relena_warcraft

2005 Crimson Firefly by instachampa

2005 Crimson Firefly by elevatemetoahigherhumanform

2005 Crimson Firefly by mikesjoetography

2005 Crimson Firefly by yojoe_collectibles

2005 Crimson Firefly by gen_liederkranz

2005 Crimson Firefly by viper space

2005 Crimson Firefly by yotothejoe

1993 Firefly - Around The Web

So, remember last week, when I said "maybe"?  Yeah, maybe a new profile turned into more Around the Web content.  I've got a ton of profiles that are like 70% done.  I need a few photos and to finish some writing.  But, weather's been shitty and I've just not been home during daylight hours.  So, I just haven't completed any of them.  Part of it is just malaise.  I can't get motivated to wrap up some of the thoughts.  And, frankly, instead of taking quiet time to finish a profile at the end of the day, I've been watching TV.  That laziness isn't great.  But, mentally, it's where I am right now until the weather improves.  

So, instead, enjoy some content featuring the 1993 Firefly figure.  Yeah, this isn't the classic 1984 version.  But, the mold is strong in its own right.  And, the neon green set against the black highlights make for a visually appealing toy.  I was lucky to find this guy at retail back in the '90's.  It was from him that I first realized that there were many repaints among the 1993 releases and it was worth it to check characters that I already had since any new find might be a repaint that would be new to my collection.

It's a shame this mold didn't get a repaint in the 2000's.  Hasbro likely had the mold and we got the 1984 Firefly mold in like 10 different paint jobs.  So, just seeing one version of the character in his later garb would have been a refreshing change.  

1993 Firefly Profile - 2016

1993 Firefly Profile - 2000

1993 Firefly in the Woods

1993 Firefly by atticagazette

1993 Firefly by gen_liederkranz

1993 Firefly at JoeADay.com

1993 Firefly by Pit Viper V2

1993 Firefly by ronnie_trickshot

1993 Firefly by HCC788

1993 Firefly by gen_liederkranz

1993 Firefly by thedustinmccoy

2000 Firefly

In 1997, Hasbro brought back a collector series of G.I. Joe figures as Toys R Us exclusives.  These figures went through several design stages before they were finally brought to retail.  Hasbro's intent for the series was to use many of their most popular molds of the most popular characters.  One of the original products that was considered included a repaint of the highly loved 1984 Firefly figure.  The hand painted designs showed a figure with a grey base but some green highlights.  But, by the time the 1997 figures came out, Firefly had long been removed from the assortment.  In 1998, though, the Firefly mold returned.  Instead of the forest theme, though, Hasbro repainted him into an excellent winter theme.  It is one of the highlights of the repaint era for sure.  The Toys R Us sets, though, ended in 1998 as Hasbro geared up for a broader return of Joe to retail.  When the first wave of 2000 figures showed up, collectors were finally greeted by a woodland Firefly.  The ARAHC release was both much maligned by collectors and also very welcomed.  It was an odd juxtaposition.  But, it perfectly fits this figure's legacy.

Upon this Firefly's release, collectors rejoiced at another paint job of a hugely popular character becoming available.  At the same time, they maligned some of the design choices that Hasbro made with the figure.  All of the 2000 series figures were given "PAINT-WIPES" in an attempt to add the "gritty realism" that Hasbro thought fans of the time really wanted.  The result is that many of the figures look like they fell into the tar pits.  For Firefly, though, the effect is somewhat lost on the dark green and brown body.  There is really only one area where they are apparent: the figure's hands.  This Firefly is bare-handed and not wearing gloves.  Every other version of Firefly using his mold has gloves.  (The Wreckage figure, who is a Joe, though, does also feature bare hands.)  It's kind of an off-putting image to see Firefly with bare skin.  And, the choice to not glove Firefly's hands is made all the worse by the paint wipes that just make it seem like he's been making mud pies all day.  The hands were most criticized aspect of this figure and, even today, can be a contentious point with many collectors adamant that the hands ruin an otherwise excellent figure.

Really, though, this Firefly isn't all that well done.  Hasbro let the marbelized plastic body handle most of Firefly's colors.  Aside from that, he only has red explosives and black grenades on his chest.  The did give him a black undershirt and boots to provide a little color.  But, this figure is a far cry from the Firefly repaints of 2004 and 2005 that fully showcased the mold's details and gave the figure remarkable life with 6 or 7 different colors.  Also, it should be noted that the green and brown marbelized plastic on Firefly is not consistent.  This means that every single Firefly is really a unique figure.  But, some versions have more green plastic while some have more brown.  It's possible to find figures that appear to be green with brown accents and others that appear brown with green accents and still more that are right in the middle.  This offers modern collectors choices since they can find a Firefly that best fits their aesthetic preferences.  But, it can also leave you bewildered at the fact that photos of the figure you find online do not match the figure you have in hand.

The other major change to Firefly's look is his mask.  Hasbro treated collectors a a giant, black Cobra sigil on Firefly's forehead.  In red, this would have been too much.  But, the black blends with the figure and prevents the logo from being too over the top.  The bigger change, though, is that Firefly's eye slit is now broken into two, separate eye holes.  (Insert Rick and Morty joke here....)  The mask now has a painted barrier between the eyes.  For some, this was not a well liked update.  Personally, I don't mind it.  When the only real exposure collectors had to the Firefly was the 1984 version, this update seemed bigger than it was.  Now, it's as much part of the figure as the open mask of the 1984 is.  I like the update since it gives some differentiation to this Firefly.  But, it's not really a huge enhancement or detriment.

This Firefly struggles to find a niche.  The green and brown base help make him a woodlands version.  And, he is a nice match for the 2002 green Vipers.  If you want an outdoors Firefly, this is probably the version for you.  Over the years, I've found him a good option for outdoor photography.  At the same, time, though, I usually end up opting for other figures.  They work well enough and have the iconic coloring that seems to attract people's attention.  But, the original Firefly is surely better.  And, the 2004 Urban Assault release as well as the 2005 Comic Pack versions are, easily, superior figures.  This version works in that he's different and having options for a character as important as Firefly is useful.  But, if you are economizing a collection, this is an easy version to pass over since there are so many better options for the mold.

Firefly's gear is iconic.  Getting it back in 1998 was a treat.  And, getting it in 2000 was even better.  The black version of the rifle was something collectors had always wanted.  No one knew we'd be sick of the gun in just a few years.  So, these early versions of Firefly were a treat.  I had quickly lost the cover to Firefly's pack when I was a kid.  So, that's a piece that I've always held in high regard.  This figure includes a unique coloring of the pack: again using the marbelized green and brown plastic.  So, once again, you can find versions that are drastically different in primary colors from each other.  Missing, though, was Firefly's walkie talkie.  (Sorry, I'm hard pressed to call it a phone since it was released in 1984....)  The upside is that a black version of it appeared with other 2000 figures and many others since.  But, it was an odd omission.  Firefly's original card artwork showed him with a pistol.  I've always wondered if the figure was originally going to include two weapons before Hasbro either removed the gun or simply replaced it with the radio.

Hasbro got all they could from the Firefly mold.  After the US release, Hasbro also released Firefly in Europe and Japan.  The mold then showed up in India.  Funskool released a Firefly that was nearly identical to the 1984 coloring for a few years in the 1990's.  During that time, the mold was colored light blue and yellow and also used in the Complan Commandos line as Rocker.  Hasbro got the mold back around 1997 and released Firefly in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003 (2 Convention repaints and a repainted Joe named Tiger Force Wreckage), 2004 and 2005.  And, in 2005, the body was released again but with a new head.  Firefly's chest was going to be used on the "Tiger Force Steel Brigade" figure, but it was never released.  There is also an unproduced green body 2002 Firefly as well as an alternate Urban Assault figure that were widely available to collectors.  Hasbro made Firefly in grey, green, red, black, blue, crimson and even a weird orange and green variant.  There's something for everyone if you collect Firefly.

This Firefly had a very odd pricing history.  In the fall of 2000, you could buy all of this figure you wanted for $8 at Toys R Us or KB Toys or $5.84 at Wal Mart.  I bought half a dozen or more and left many multiples of that number behind.  Everyone had the figure and didn't think anything of finding him.  That all changed in January of 2001, though.  Firefly was discontinued from the Joe case assortments right as the line's popularity took off.  Hordes of new collectors came online in early 2001: only to discover they had just missed the first wave of retail Joes.  Firefly quickly rose in price.  MOC versions of him and Undertow were $30 purchases by the summer.  And, by the fall, you could sell MOC sets for $75.  (At the same time, a mint and complete with filecard Starduster was $30 and MOC Satans were $50!)  Then, though, Hasbro started releasing the Firefly mold in what seemed like every wave.  By 2005, this Firefly had fallen from grace and you could get MOC figures for around $20.  From there, the figure went into a freefall, with MOC figures running $10 well into the 2010's.

Now, left to the open market, this Firefly is pretty cheap.  Mint, loose and complete figures run in the $6-$10 range depending on timing and the filecard.  Dealers, though, routinely get $16-$20 for the figure, mostly just due to having the figure available at any given time.  You can still get carded versions for around $20.  And, since you get the excellent Undertow figure in the same pack, it's probably the way to go.  The 2000 Firefly certainly isn't the worst release of the mold.  But, it's close to the bottom...only because so many subsequent figures were excellently done.  For cheap, this guy is a valuable pick up.  But, the figure has limitations and the color scheme really doesn't offer anything drastically different enough from better releases to be a must buy.