1991 Low Light - Around The Web

Low Light became a classic Joe immediately upon his release.  The combination of sculpt, specialty and colors ingrained him into the psyche of the Joe community.  In 1991, Hasbro revisited the character.  And, while the trademark blonde hair was gone, the sculpt and design of the figure was easily on par with the original release.  This Low Light featured more gear and kept the dark color scheme that defined the character.  He remains a popular remake of a classic character.  Despite this, there isn't a ton of content on this version of the figure around the web.

1991 Low Light Profile

1991 Low Light at JoeADay.com

Low Light by JogunWarrior

Low Light at JoeBattleLines.com

Low Light by instachamp

Rarities - European Exclusive Firing Weapons Figures

Everyone is familiar with the European exclusive Action Force G.I. Joe repaints, the 6 European Tiger Force exclusive figures and even the more obscure European variants of Mutt and Spirit.  But, there were actually many more European exclusive figures.  Some are just minor color differences.  Some are date stamp discrepancies.  And, some are exclusive accessory variants.  It is the last category that is the focus of today's profile.  In the 1990's in Europe, Hasbro released 15 figures who featured exclusive accessories.  They are defined by the fact that the most identifiable characteristic is that most included spring loaded, firing weapons.  But, these are a lot of interesting tidbits hidden within these figures that we'll look at below.

The 15 figures are all 1990 and 1991 figure molds.  It should be noted that most, if not all of these figures were also released in Europe with their American accessories.  But, these altered releases were exclusive to the continent.  I'll start with my favorite of the bunch, the Rock Viper.

As you can see in the photo above, the Rock Viper now includes gear from the 1991 Snake Eyes figure.  The backpack is in an exclusive dark maroon color.  But, the thing that I really like is the neon green gun and missile.  The green is a nice color offset for the Rock Viper and I don't mind neon accessories in some cases.  But, this colored missile and gun are exclusive to this European version of the Rock Viper.

Next up is the Night Creeper you see below.

The main reason I like this version is because I like the Night Creeper in general.  This version, though, includes the backpack and launcher from the 1991 Mercer figure in a dark purple to match the Night Creeper figure.  He also includes an exclusive silver missile.

Next up is Ambush.

The obvious difference in Ambush is his accessories.  He now includes the backpack and missile launcher from the 1991 Snow Serpent in an exclusive light tan color.  He also have the Snow Serpent missile in red.  But, if you look closely, the figure itself is different.  Instead of dark brown cammo on his body, this Ambush features a brighter, lighter brown that has an orange-ish hue.  It is definitely a variant to Ambush.  Though, I'm not 100% certain that this cammo variance was exclusive to Europe or was also available elsewhere.  This European figure also features exclusive card artwork.

The 1991 jet pack General Hawk stands out because he does not include a spring loaded weapon.

As you see above, Hawk includes the launchers and missiles from the 1991 Crimson Guard Immortal figure.  They appear to be in the same color as the CGI weapons.

Next, we have Bullhorn.

Bullhorn is still the same great figure.  But, this version includes the 1991 Snow Serpent missile launcher in an exclusive maroon color.  He also has a neon green missile.

The most famous figure from this crop of missile launching figures is the 1991 Dusty.  This is because Dusty was also released in Asia with the same accessory configuration.  (There were some other figures in this series that also saw Asian releases with the alternate gear including Range Viper, Laser Viper and Desert Scorpion.)

You see Dusty includes the 1991 Red Star AK-47 and missile launcher.  The figure also features unique card artwork that showcases his alternate inclusions.

The 1991 Low Light follows the Dusty.

Low Light also includes the 1991 Red Star launcher and missile.

Up next is the Laser Viper.

This Laser Viper variant includes the missile launcher and missile from the 1991 Sci Fi figure.

Pathfinder shares a detail with Laser Viper:

Pathfinder also features the 1991 Sci Fi missile launcher.  These accessories appear to be unchanged from the American Sci Fi figure release.

Captain Grid Iron makes the Sci Fi launcher reuse a trifecta.

Captain Grid Iron, though, also features exclusive card artwork to help make him a little more interesting than just the reused launcher.

Metal Head brings us back to exclusive gear.

Metal Head includes a golden launcher from the 1991 Cobra Commander figure.  He also includes the standard 1991 Cobra Commander gun.

The final four figures are all Cobra army builders.

Range Viper:

The Range Viper also features Red Star's AK-47 and missile launcher.  He includes an exclusive golden missile, though.

SAW Viper:

The SAW Viper includes the gear from the 1991 Incinerator figure.  He also features exclusive card artwork that showcases his different accessories.

Desert Scorpion:

The Desert Scorpion includes the backpack and missile from the 1991 Mercer figure.  The only exclusive part of the figure is the card artwork that shows an oddball configuration for the new gear.

Undertow:

The Undertow figure also uses the gear from the 1991 Snake Eyes figure.  But, it's in an exclusive red color meant to mimic the Undertow's colors.  He also features an exclusive grey missile.

As accessory variants don't tend to command great attention as opposed to figure variants, these European figures remain very obscure.  But, they are generally hard to find and carded figures can command a premium in the right setting.  I'd love to track down a few of them as the offbeat colors are right up my collecting alley.  But, the general rarity of them makes them another fun subset in foreign Joe collecting.  One final picture is from a European catalog that showcases several of the figures in their alternate accessory configurations.

Rarities - 2001 Pre-Production Laser Viper

It seems odd that the A Real American Hero Collection's success at retail caught Hasbro off guard.  But, it seemed to do so.  The first was only shipped in 2000 and Target did not carry it.  Wave 2 showed up quickly and then shipped for nearly six months.  The third wave was kept relatively quiet.  But, when blurry pics first surfaced of it, collectors went bananas over the possibility of a new Cobra Trooper.

Soon, though, it became evident the figure was not a Cobra Trooper but a newly created Laser Viper.  The first showcase of the figure, though, was drastically different from the production figure.  Below you can see how Hasbro originally envisioned the figure.

Of the 4 figures shown, the Laser Viper is most drastically different.  Instead of the solid blue figure with red vest, Hasbro went with a silver body that was more reminiscent of the Lamprey and Sub Viper.  Frankly, the look is more apropos for a laser trooper and I like the design better than the actual production figure.  It does't appear that the Fast Blast Viper was changed all that much beyond some lighter grey highlights.  You will see the early, prototype, head on Sure Fire.  Low Light appears to be nothing more than a 1991 figure.  So, they hadn't really done anything with him, yet.

The Laser Trooper was a retail success.  But, that was more based on the fact that he was an army builder released at a time when any army builder would sell out: no matter how ridiculous.  He wasn't hard to find, but was always the first figure to appear.  The figure was carried over into Wave IV as well.  It would have been awesome for the Wave IV to have been a repaint done in this originally proposed style.  Collectors would have welcomed the diversity and we would have gotten a decent repaint of a figure that was liked at the time.

The Laser Viper disappeared after his 2001 release.  By 2002, Hasbro had moved on to releasing Vipers and Alley Vipers as the base, vintage style Cobra troops.  The brought around BATs in 2003 and finally remade the Cobra Troopers every collector wanted in 2004.  Those later releases doomed the Laser Viper to obscurity and there was no call for another look for the figure.  That's too bad as these early samples show that the Laser Viper could have had at least one solid repaint that collectors would have enjoyed.

1986 Low Light - Around the Web

Low Light was a cool figure when I first got him and nothing has really changed.  He's had a lot of versions, but the original is still the best.  Here's the best of him from around the web.

Low Light Profile

Low Light at Now Back To G.I. Joe

Low Light at Icebreaker's HQ

Low Light Video Review 1

Low Light Video Review 2

Low Light Packaging at Joe A Day

Low Light by nightforcetunnelrat

Sgt. Slaughter's Marauders Low - Light - European Exclusive

Slaughter's Marauders as a subset is appreciated by collectors. But, in general, it doesn't get the respect similar to Tiger Force due to the fact that the colors aren't quite perfect and the U.S. releases of the figures are more brittle and prone to breakage since they were actually manufactured in Brazil. As such, it remains a subset that is rarely seen and is often overlooked by collectors when building displays or dioramas. (That is less true of the vehicles. But, the rarity and price of the vehicles is often prohibitive as well.)

In the cartoon, the Slaughter's Marauders figures appeared in different, and better, colors. If you look online, there are many customs of the figures showcasing what could have been. Despite the en potentia improvements, though, the general color palette for the Marauders was fairly decent. The greens, dark blues and browns created a, generally, solid group of figures. Unfortunately, the main difference for this Low-Light figure is that the bright green is even brighter than that of the American figure. So, the value of the color scheme is lessened since this figure is brighter than his other incarnations.

What the figure loses due to brightness, though, it makes up in construction quality. The reason for this is that the European exclusive Low Light was actually produced by Hasbro in Asian factories rather than by Estrela in Brazil. This Low Light is of the same quality as vintage American figures and doesn't have the issues with thumb breakage that are so common for Estrela made Slaughter's Marauders figures. The figure also has a Made in China stamp that was absent from the Brazilian made version. SO, there are three major differences between this figure and the one available in the US. They are subtle and probably not important enough to make this figure a must have, but they are there as differentiation between the versions.

Following the pattern of mold released for the vintage Joe line can be frustrating. In many cases, the trail runs cold once a mold appeared in South America. However, it does appear that Hasbro re-acquired most, if not all, of the Slaughter's Marauders molds after they were given to Estrela. Mutt and Spirit both appeared in the Marauders, but then also appeared as European exclusives right around the same time as this Low Light. Both Sgt. Slaughter and BBQ later appeared in India where Funskool released them for many years. (It is likely that they passed to India via Hasbro rather than Estrela, so Hasbro had those molds in their possession, at least for a short time.) The one missing link is poor Footloose. The figure that could so have excelled as a repaint was the one that never appeared again. Maybe it went to India. Maybe it was used by Hasbro Europe and was lost by them. Maybe it died in Brazil. But, the entire line of molds from this subset has one of the more interesting timelines in all of vintage Joedom.

This figure is not easy, but also not hard to find. He is easier to track down than the European exclusive Tiger Force and Spirit and Mutt repaints. But, that is mostly due to demand rather than actual production numbers. This is a variant of which many collectors are not aware. So, you don't see the demand or pricing of the other, more popular European exclusives. However, the figure is still more pricey than some of the other, more obscure European variants. Mint and complete, this figure tends to run in the $25 - $40 range. Really, the improved plastic quality isn't really an offset to the brighter colors. So, the American release of the Slaughter's Marauders Low-Light is probably still a better buy. But, this is an interesting variant that can bring some diversity to a collection. It is a way to spice up a Slaughter's Marauders display and can be a conversation piece. It is different enough that collectors can immediately spot it as a variant. So, it can be a fun addition to a collection: especially if you've already completed the American or more popular foreign variants.

Unproduced Sky Patrol Low Light (Wal Mart Exclusive)

At the 2003 Toy Fair, Hasbro showcased a set of 6 figures that were slated to be Wal Mart exclusives. They were based on the Sky Patrol concept and each of the 3 Joes and 3 Cobras would have included a working parachute. The paint jobs that were showcased were enough to get collectors interested in the figures. But, as the year wore on, there was no additional information regarding the release date. As the year wore down, it was finally announced that due to safety concerns over the parachutes, the Sky Patrol figures had been cancelled. Instead, Wal Mart carried an exclusive series of Urban Cobras and Desert Joes. But, the saga of the Sky Patrol figs was not quite done. In late 2003/early 2004, a Storm Shadow appeared on Ebay. It was blue and red and unlike anything collectors had seen. Shortly thereafter, large quantities of the unproduced Sky Patrol figures appeared all over Ebay. It seemed that Hasbro had actually produced a small production run of the figures and they had become available to Asian Joe sellers. In the ensuing year, many collectors had occasion to add the figures to their collections for varying prices. Naturally, I finally decided it was time for me to do so as well. As Low Light was the only newly minted mold offered in the series, I felt he was most deserving of a closer look.

The Low Light figure has a historically solid mold and his reuse would have been a welcome addition to a line of ARAH re-releases that had become all too stale in terms of mold choice. Low Light also came as quite a surprise. The Low Light mold had been last seen in Brazil and it did not seem likely that he would appear in the modern line. As such, I speculated that the ultimate Wal Mart Low Light would simply be a rehash of the '91 Low Light that had just been used in 2001. When this figure actually appeared, it was was greeted with joy at the mold's existence, but dismay that it's use was relegated to relatively hard to find unreleased figure. That sentiment still exists today as collectors are still waiting for this mold to make its next appearance.

Low Light was originally released in the U.S. After that, he was sent to Brazil where the figure was released in colors similar to the American version. In 1989, Estrela actually produced the Slaughter's Marauders Low Light that was sold in the U.S. The repainted Low Light was also released in Brazil and is one of the few figures who saw multiple releases in South America. The mold, though, never resurfaced. A few of the Slaughter's Marauders molds did, eventually, show up in India. But many others did not and were presumed lost. When this figure appeared, it showed that Hasbro had re-acquired the Low Light mold. It was a welcome addition to a stable of ARAH-style molds that was becoming too predictable. An interesting aspect of this Wal Mart Low Light, though, is that he uses the exact same paint mask as the Slaughter's Marauders Low Light. This is significant as the SM paint mask was used in Brazil. However, subsequent to the Brazil release, an exclusive SM Low Light appeared in Europe. This showed that a Hasbro subsidiary had re-acquired the mold and the paint mask which is why it was available for this figure. It would also suggest that, with a little digging, Hasbro probably also has access to the V1 Spirit and V1 Mutt molds. Why the Low Light mold has not been used in the three years since this figure first appeared, though, remains a mystery.

In my collection, Low Light remains true to his intended purpose. He is a sniper and a sniper only. He rarely goes along on infantry missions unless their job is to get Low Light to a target. I also see Low Light as an infiltration specialist who is capable of sneaking into enemy compounds to get the best shot at his target. However, as I thought more about Low Light, I took a deeper look at the type of character he would have to be. While his filecard suggests a great inner strength that originated in him conquering his childhood fears, I felt that the character would have had to grow beyond that to handle his role as a sniper.   When I look at Low Light's character, I see a man with great responsibility. As a sniper, Low Light has the duty of, basically, playing God to his targets. He holds their lives in his hands. How would a man deal such pressure? My take is that Low Light is a righteous man. At his core, if he believes someone to be truly evil, he can reconcile his taking of their life. Unfortunately, such evilness is rarely so black and white. While it is easy for Low Light to eliminate a murderer or rapist, it becomes more difficult when his target is an individual whose deeds Low Light is unsure of. It becomes incredibly difficult to kill a man who, while he may have done some bad things, could also be a husband and father to people whom he has not victimized. This puts Low Light in a great moral quandary. While he has a job to do and his killings could save many lives, he is still the man who must deal with the knowledge that he took another's life in a way that prevented his quarry from even knowing his life was about to end. While some may be able to simply shrug off this responsibility by not thinking about it or drowning it in inebriants, others would have to find a way to reconcile their duty. This is how I see Low Light dealing with it. And, as such, it then stands to reason that Low Light would simply not be able to kill indiscriminately. I see him taking shots that seriously wound his targets and saving his fatal shots for those whom Low Light feels are truly evil. It still makes him effective at his job, but allows him the moral leeway to live with his actions.

While Wal Mart Low Light's aren't too terribly tough to find, I would suggest simply buying a V1 Low Light if you are just after a good representation of the character. Tons of these unproduced Sky Patrol figures made their way into collector hands. While most of the attention was on the army builders, though, the Low Light held his own and was usually the most expensive Joe figure. It was tough to get him delivered for under $20. As of the writing of this profile, that is probably a lowball price. Until Hasbro re-uses the Low Light mold for a new version of the character, it is unlikely that the collecting community will see a large drop in interest in this version of the character. That isn't to say that a huge quantity of these could suddenly show up and kill all demand and aftermarket pricing for this figure. But, it isn't likely that this unreleased version will ever become a retail figure with this paint scheme. My take is that this isn't a bad thing. I remain of the opinion that the Joe line as a whole needs to have a few rare pieces. If everything is common and expensive, then nothing in the line is special. As such, I like to see some unreleased figures, rare variants, or obscure releases and hate straight reissues or "new" figures with paint schemes heavily based on an already existing figure. It gives collectors something to shoot for. As a kid, the items I enjoyed the most were the ones that other kids did not have. It was not an elitist thing. Instead, it was an appreciation of owning something a little different that wasn't the same thing everyone else had. That attitude continues to this day and I remain of the opinion that having rarities and items that are difficult to acquire is what makes this hobby enduring.

1986 Low Light

I have already examined the Lowlight character twice before. While this original Lowlight sculpt is more widely regarded by collectors as the definitive Lowlight look, I've always preferred his second mold that was released in 1991. (I examined the Dino-Hunters version as more of an example of a rarity than a true figure I might use.) However, the original Low Light mold remains a very nice figure that has a decent collector following.

I can still remember the day I got my first Lowlight figure. My parents had taken my brothers and I to a park for the day. On our way home, we stopped at an out-of-the-way Children's Palace store. (Sadly, while that CP has been closed for nearly a decade now, the building still sits there, vacant and decaying. You can still see the outline of the Children's Palace sign on the building's facade. It's very much a ghost of the past.) As this was the late spring of 1986, when I went into the store, I had a choice of just about every figure who was released that year. At this point in the year, though, I already had the majority of the cooler figures and was looking for someone I still needed. While I had previously passed Lowlight by for other figures, the time seemed right for me to add him to my collection.

Once I had the Lowlight figure, though, I found using him somewhat difficult. His specialty made him useful on certain missions, but I found it limited his effectiveness on an infantry mission. Many was the time when I would strategically place Lowlight into a tree or bush with the intention of having him snipe away some Cobras during a battle. Inevitably, though, I would forget about Lowlight and not remember him straddling a branch until it was time to go inside and my count of figures was off by one. As such, I've long felt that the idea of Lowlight was actually a lot more fun than using the actual figure. Sure, I had some one on one sniper battles and some scenarios where Lowlight had to take out a Cobra leader and then escape with his life. However, these were more one-off situations that were undertaken due to time constraints rather than full-blown parts of my childhood continuity. This left me with the notion that the Lowlight figure just wasn't very useful.

Now, not much has changed on that front. However, I do appreciate the figure more. His high quality sculpt that utilizes only a few colors to create an aesthetically pleasing figure full of detail is a perfect combination with his excellently done accessories and leaves us with a figure that has only one real shortcoming. That, of course, is the figure's head. I've just never felt that Lowlight's head fit with the rest of his body. It seems disproportionately large for his body and the shock of blond hair just doesn't go with Lowlight's overall night motif. Yes. That means I'm in the definite minority where I feel that Lowlight is better represented by his dark haired molds rather than his blonde coif. Aside from this, though, the figure is one that I would consider a must have for anyone whose collection stretches beyond the most basic characters.

This mold of Lowlight has been around. After his initial release in 1986, the mold went off to Brazil. There, Lowlight was issued in colors very similar to his American release. In 1989, Estrela produced a series of figures for Hasbro called the Slaughter's Marauders. While the colors have left a sour taste in many modern collector's mouths, the mold selections have not as the Marauders featured a host of characters that had been out of production for some time. As those figures were produced in Brazil, though, there are some quality issues with them and many SM figures to this day suffer from broken thumbs and crotches. After this American release, Estrela released Lowlight again, though in his Slaughter's Marauders colors. This leaves 2 distinct versions of each of Lowlight's color schemes for collectors to track down. From there, this mold was not seen for over a decade. However, in 2003, it was shown as part of a planned exclusive figure set that eventually morphed into a Wal-Mart exclusive paratrooper themed venture. However, this set has now been cancelled and the return of this mold is left in doubt. I know that many would like to see the original Lowlight at least one more time. If the mold is in Hasbro's possession, hopefully they will consider that.
One other thing of note. Lowlight's gun has a variation. Early Lowlight's had a gun with a very thick handle. This lead to lots of broken thumbs. In their efforts to improve the figure line, Hasbro fixed the gun and later versions have a thinner handle that isn't so hard on the figure's hands. Neither version seems particularly harder than another to find, but it is something to keep an eye out for.

Finding a Lowlight figure isn't too hard. He was produced in ample quantities during the height of Joe's popularity. Even the fact that he has very brittle paint and lots of places where it wears poorly doesn't make it difficult to find a mint figure. His accessories are a bit harder. Actually, just one accessory is hard, the bi-pod to his gun. While no where near as difficult to track down as Dusty's bi-pod, this little piece that attaches to the end of his gun barrel can be problematic. The good news, though, is that Lowlight was released twice in the U.S. and that helps the overall availability of his accessories. As such, mint, complete Lowlights shouldn't cost more than around $10 or so. For a figure like this, though, I'd still recommend finding a nice '91 version to represent the character. He is cheaper, cooler (at least in my opinion) and has better accessories. Still, as this original version is still very affordable, there aren't any compelling reasons not to add him to your collection. While I still appreciate the mold, I just don't use this guy anymore. I think I'm still in the minority on this point.

While I prefer the '91 Lowlight mold, I wouldn't mind this figure seeing another repaint. Would you? Let me know.

1993 Dino Hunters Low-Light

In the late spring of 1993, I headed off to England. I left three days after I got home from school and wouldn't come back for almost 3 months. While I was overseas, I picked up an occasional USA Today and saw articles talking about this new movie that was causing waves back in the States: Jurassic Park. It was not released in Europe while I was there, though, so there was no international hype surrounding it. Also, these were the days before graphics capable browsers, cheap PCs and the ubiquitous internet. I knew little about the movie. When I returned to the States, the phenomenon was over. Shortly after my return, a friend and I went to see Jurassic Park at the dollar theatre. Frankly, I felt I paid $1.00 too much for that piece of tripe. I thought the movie awful. Somewhere, there is a computer wallpaper done by someone at Lucas studios saying "Plot does matter." in the same style as the Godzilla posters. While I'll leave it up to you to decide if the saying should have applied to Episode I, it certainly did apply to Jurassic Park. Had the movie a good story behind it, characters you could actually care about or were interesting, or anything other than some poorly contrived computer generated dinosaurs, I might have felt differently. The point of all this is that dinosaurs were hot. Kids wanted them in any form they could get. How did Hasbro respond? By making the truly terrible Dino Hunters playset.

This playset is terrible. Apparently, Cobra has created some dinosaurs to use as weapons or some other lame concept. It appears that Cobra, though, only managed to create color blind dinosaurs, as the two figures the Joes sent to capture the mighty beasts were decked out in a nice array of bright, neon colors. (Just what you'd want to wear as you go traipsing through the jungle.) The worst part about this whole debacle is that they bastardized two figure molds that were actually very nice to begin with: the 1991 Low Light and the 1990 Ambush. In my profile of the 1991 Low Light, you can tell that he is one of my favorite figures. I use him in just about every scenario. This Dino Hunters version, though, will probably never be released from his baggie prison. He is just too awful a figure for which to ever have any use. Had they kept Low Light's features dark, and recolored the neon yellow chest and arms into a nice cammo pattern, this figure could actually be a very nice update to the original. Alas, in 1993, sound decisions were not being made in regards to the Joe line. Instead of nice combat troops, we got neon colored dinosaur hunters.

There really isn't too much to say about this guy. He is one of the less often seen Joe figures, but that's only because his color scheme is so bad. Normally, I like neon figures. This guy, though, just doesn't do it for me. His specialty requires the dark colors of his original version. If he were an astronaut, I'd think the color scheme nice. I think Hasbro had a surplus of this colored neon yellow plastic. They recast Deep Six in it. They also gave it to this guy. In 1993, there was no rationale behind Hasbro's treatment of the Joe line. Truthfully, I think it was the 1993 fares that killed the line off. 1994 was a last ditch attempt to save it, but the Hasbro-Kenner merger put an end to what could have been a Joe Renaissance. Alas, what might have been....

As this guy is in a laughable playset that was only available at Toys R Us for a limited time, he is tough, tough, tough to find. Beware, as his visor, unlike the 1991 version's, does not have red paint on it. His weapon tree was also available with a few other figures. Needless to say, an unsuspecting collector can be easily duped into spending quite a bit of money for a figure that is not complete with his original accessories. That being said, this guy does command a premium. However, I picked up this MIB specimen for under $15.00 shipped. Many kids had this figure, as toys with dinosaurs did sell well, but that is why so many specimens on the second hand market are broken, loose, incomplete, and have extensive play wear. This is one of those figures that many collectors put off buying. He is hard to find, expensive to get complete, and not very cool. Were I not a completist, there is no way I would have ever purchased this figure. As it stands now, the only use I will ever get from him is this page. I have never found most of the expensive Joes to be worth the money. You get the ability to say you have these hard to find figures, but they are so expensive that you are almost afraid to play with them. When I break a $2.50 figure, I don't feel bad. When I break one that will cost $15.00-$20.00 to replace, I'm a little more upset. This guy: he's an interesting figure that speaks much for the pop culture of the time in which he was released. Is he worth the money? I'd have to say, no.

Do you have a Dino Hunters Ambush for trade? If so,email me.

1991 Low-Light

Few characters that were lucky enough to have more than one incarnation were ever improvements. The 1991 Low Light is a notable exception. While the original 1986 version is an excellent figure, this guy takes the character to another level. I sincerely doubt, though, that Hasbro originally intended this to be the same character as the '86. That figure has blonde hair, this one dark. (This figure came out before it was fashionable for males to dye their hair.) I think that Hasbro came up with a great mold that was going to be a night fighter of some sort. Rather than swell the Joe ranks even more, they recycled an old character that had never really been heavily utilized. The result is this figure.

Frankly, this guy rocks. His mold, colors and accessories are all awesome. (The helmet is a bit big, but looks very good with the visor down.) He is just a fun figure to have. His range of use is completely remarkable. The other nice thing is that you don't have to have him complete in order to enjoy him. While the accessories are great and make the figure one of the best produced in the '90's, they are not necessary to enjoy and use this figure. However, the accessories are awesome. His gun is fantastic. While many people are fond of his original sniper rifle, if you take this figure as a different specialty, the weapon works great. The pack with the light is also a cool touch. The helmet and the night vision visor also give this guy a great look. The goatee and painted cammo face also make him perfect for "commando" missions as well as night operations.

When I first got a 1991 Low Light, I thought he was cool, but didn't take him to be anything great. As I started using him, though, he quickly grew on me and became one of my favorite figures. I've used him for S.W.A.T. missions, commando raids, night operations, security forces, and a variety of other things. This is a figure I consider to be "free". He was never used much in the comic, though I don't know about the cartoon. As such, his personality is all my own. It's figures like this that make the line so much fun to play with. You can use the pre-built characterizations, or you can make your own. It's amazing the success you have with a line that actually allows kids to use their imaginations. It's no wonder G.I. Joe lasted for 13 years. (It is also why today's toy lines have a lifespan of about 15 minutes. But, I digress.)

This Low Light mold got a lot of use. After this release, it was repainted in neon for the 1993 Dino Hunters Low Light. It was then released in the ARAHC in 2001, in more subtle blue tones. The head was then used various times for Big Brawler and the arms and chest were used in the Desert Patrol set. Despite all these uses, though, we could still use another, differently colored, version of this Low Light. Done up in a desert or arctic theme, this mold would be welcomed by collectors. It is unlikely to happen at this point, but would be something that was fun to see should the opportunity ever arise.

1991 Low Light's, like many of the other '91's, can be troublesome to find. He came with many small accessories that were easily lost. I've managed to put a complete one together, but only by combining three different figures I bought at three different times in the past year. I don't know why 1991 is such a tough year. Hasbro didn't produce that many different figures in 1991. Plus, those they did produce were of very high quality. There are very few 1991's that are poor or worse. The nice thing, though, is that other 1991's steal the spotlight and help keep this figure at affordable price levels. When you can find them, they won't kill your budget. Mint, complete specimens that are offered for sale by themselves, though, can get pricey. The best way to get this figure is also the best way to get all the '91's, buy them in big lots. You can usually get a large quantity of near, or fully complete figures for about $2.00 - $2.50 per figure if you buy this way. If you're just starting out, this is the only way to go.