1993 Outback - Around The Web

Do you ever accidentally learn something about yourself?  For instance, I've always liked the 1993 Outback figure.  He was part of my college era collection and was always a figure I found rather interesting.  Turns out, though, that I like this figure quite a bit.  I discovered that when I looked at how many different times I've taken him out for a photo shoot.  I use him way more often than the 1987 Outback.  And, he's even slightly ahead of the Tiger Force Outback.

I suspect it's the combination of vivid colors and his unique look.  There aren't too many hardhat wearing figures in the line.  So, it's a quirky fashion choice that makes the figure stand out even more than his orange suspenders do.  But, I also just like the total package that the figure offers.  I've always used him as a combat engineer rather than Outback the survivalist.  And, I often use as vehicular support.  But, the series of photos below, ranging back over the past 4 years, also feature him in his natural element.

I had to dig deep to find some of this content.  Outback is a popular photo choice.  But, it's always his 1987 or Tiger Force version that takes the spotlight.  But, the 1993 is easier to find than any photos of the 1988 Night Force version.  So, take some time and scroll through the pics to check out a figure who doesn't have any right to be as enjoyable as I, apparently, find him.

1993 Outback Profile

1993 Outback at Nekoman's Viper Pit

1993 Outback at atwooddan

1993 Outback by muaddibkwisatzhaderach

1993 Outback by bruxovigo

1993 Outback by thedustinmccoy

1993 Outback prototypes & pre-production at the Leaky Suit Brigade

1993 Outback at atwooddan

1993 Outback by ptytoys2021

1993 Outback by gen_liederkranz

1993 Outback by actionforcedk

1993 Outback by ronnie_trickshot

1987 Outback - Around The Web

The 1987 Outback is one of those figures in the G.I. Joe that, on its own, probably wouldn't merit the unrequited love it gets in the collecting community.  But, a solid run in the comic helped turn him into a cult hero.  And, Outback enjoys immense popularity today.  So much so that his original figure still outshines the much rare Night Force and Tiger Force versions of the character.

I've always struggled to get good photos of Outback.  That was heavily because I was reluctant to take any chances with the figure.  Others have no such qualms.  And, in the photos below, you'll find some great takes on the Outback photo and character.  

Outback Profile

Outback by strikeforce_codename

Outback by incrediblebulk

Outback by dashiellrfairborne

Outback by jeremiecapitaine

Outback by Relinquished1979

Outback by steelbrigade

Outback by gijoeggernaut

Outback by rutbullet

Outback by backyardjoes

Outback by Dashiell R. Fairborne

Outback by offc0ur5e

Rarities - Brazilian Marfim

The 1993 Outback is actually an excellent sculpt.  It was never, though, released in really nice colors...at least by Hasbro.  In a rare occurrence, the Brazilian release of the 1993 Outback mold is actually the best paint job ever used on it.  And, it has created a great figure: Marfim.

All of the other uses of this mold featured bright colors.  Marfim, though, is far more muted.  Gone is the orange and yellow.  And, it's replaced a by a nice hunter green that is offset with gold highlights.  The figures still features some blue on his pants.  But, it's not overly done and is a decent accent color.

With this different coloring and international name, you can use Marfim to overcome the greatest issue that collectors have with the 1993 Outback.  People just can't see this figure as Outback.  But, when given a new name, it becomes much easier to accept the quality of the sculpt for what it is and not have it saddled with the rose-colored glasses of 1987 nostalgia.

Marfim's gear features excusive coloring of some weapons that debuted with the DEF.  He includes red versions of the 1992 Mutt's pistol and the 1992 Headman's rifle.  Estrela loved DEF weapons.  And, Headman's rifle appeared twice.  Once in red with Marfim and once in a bright green Coronel Coragem.  It's odd that this weapon was available in Brazil when they never released either a Headman or a 1992 Mutt repaint.  (The two figures with whom the rifle was included by Hasbro.)  It's likely that Estrela had access to more molds than they actually produced, though.  And, that's how things like the original Alley Viper weapon ended up in Estrela releases, too.

Back in late 1997 or early 1998, a member of the G.I. Joe Usenet group managed to find the skeleton of the early Estrela Toys website.  Back then, search engines had limitations.  And, if you didn't speak Portuguese, there weren't website translators that were readily available.  Many of the pictures on the site returned the dreaded red X: meaning they were gone.  But, one image that remains burned in my mind was a photo of many of the final releases in the Estrela G.I. Joe line.  The one figure I remembered was the Headhunter repaint.  At the time, the Headhunter was a grail figure for me.  And, it wasn't common knowledge that he had been released in Brazil.  This Marfim would have been in the same image.  But, they were small and grainy.  So, the Marfim's quality didn't imprint upon my brain in the same way the Headhunter did.  I wish I could find the images from the old Estrela website.  They are likely to exist somewhere.  But, we have such better reference material now, though, that those old photos would be more nostalgic than informative.

So, back in the late 1990's, Marfims were pretty easy to find.  He was one of a few select Brazilian figures that was available to new collectors.  There were always a couple of them available (usually carded) for really cheap prices.  But, as the 2000's dawned, the figure simply disappeared.  For about the next decade, it was really difficult to find a Marfim in any condition.  And, the prices skyrocketed.

Now, you can find Marfims again.  But, the prices haven't fallen to levels are that indicative of his availability and desirability.  This is too bad as this is a great release of a solid mold.  Toy dealers have become less and less interested in letting the market set prices for collectible figures.  That may change at some point in the future.  But, the circumstances of any change like that aren't likely to be good.  When they do, figures like Marfim will become more affordable.  But, you'll have to act quickly to add figures like this to your collection.

1993 Outback

Outback was a popular character from 1987.  He got a great run in the comic.  His figure, though, got just one repaint in the Toys R Us exclusive Night Force set.  Six years after his original release, Hasbro resurrected the character.   At first glance, the new Outback design was a radical departure from the minimalist survival expert from 6 years prior.  But, at his core, this new Outback reflected an alternate look for the character and a gave kids and collectors a way to use Outback in more diverse ways.  The figure still retains some of the survival aspects of the original.  But, he now has more trappings.  And, he features some design elements that rarely appeared in the Joe line.

At some point in 1995 or 1996, I found one of these Outbacks at retail.  While the figure didn't match the Outback I knew from 1987, the look was solid enough to warrant purchase.  Once in my collection, though, I did not use the figure as Outback.  Instead, this figure became an army builder of combat engineers.  It was a role I felt was missing from the Joe line.  And, it served a purpose in my collection at the time.  These characters would be part of a convoy and would be called upon to fix damaged vehicles, solution a way to cross a river or gorge and might even have to improvise a weapon that was capable of defeating an unforeseen enemy.  The characters were part soldiers and part Mr. Fix-Its.  But, that was a perfect way to create tension and conflict within the Joe team.

Often, the engineers were only mildly trained soldiers.  Sure, they had been through basic training and could use weapons.  But, after that, they were almost exclusively focused on technical expertise.  As such, they weren't much use in a firefight.  But, they took up valuable space in the convoy that might have been better utilized with another machine gunner or hand held artillery trooper.  On the occasion where engineering expertise was needed, though, the script flipped.  Here, the engineers would bark orders at the combat troops, asking them to do basic tasks.  Tasks that they often didn't understand.  This would frustrate the engineers and they'd often end up accidentally exposing themselves to enemy fire when they went to do something themselves.  Once the engineer was dead, the Joes had to figure a way out of a situation without their technology.

In the years since, though, this Outback hasn't been all that important.  From time to time, I'd break him out to join some other more brightly colored 1993 releases in a photo shoot.  Though, I'd often reach for the Eco Warriors variant instead.  But, I still only see this figure as an engineer.  I don't consider him Outback.  The 1987 sculpt is just too iconic.  But, at the same time, this 1993 figure is just too strong to ignore.  So, even after 25+ years, this figure remains, primarily, in the specialty I set for him when I first acquired him at retail.  There's some value in that consistency.  And, as this figure looks good with a variety of vehicles, he also remains relevant as a vital part of any motor pool.  

The 1993 Outback mold is well sculpted.  He has a canteen and knife on his chest.  And, the figure has a bit more bulk than those from the '80's.  He has some odd wrappings on his forearms and blue trim on the top of his boots.  (According to the filecard, these are Outback's personalized wool hiking socks.)  To me, these things make him unique.  To others, they make him weird.  Neither is right nor wrong.  It's just how you perceive the figure.  (And, I'd wager that most collectors who grew up in the '80's view them as weird while those who came of age in the '90's find they give Outback character.)  The cargo pants aren't overdone, but are nicely detailed.  The main calling card of the figure is the head.  The black hard hat is a feature rarely seen on Joes.  (Hardtop and Tollbooth are the only other two who come to mind.)  So, it's appearance gives this Outback a distinct look.  The face is well sculpted and the bright orange beard that was Outback's calling card is still there.  It's just a bit better trimmed this time around.

Outback's weapons are red.  Sadly, he was given a decent accessory tree.  But, all the weapons were red instead of something more useful.  (In the 1993 Toy Fair Catalog, though, Outback was featured with purple weapons.  The hue that appears in the photo was never released with any figure.  You'll note the weapons on Outback's card art are a light purple instead of the deep red included with the figure.)  While I wasn't a huge fan of alternatively colored weapons in the 1990's, I was able to find a use for them and my Outback used the red Hit and Run rifle right from the minute I opened him off the card.  The red Big Ben rifle would occasionally see use.  But, often, I'd give it to a spare 1994 Viper if I didn't have a second 1994 Flint black version of Ambush's rifle for him.  Outback also had a red version of the Ambush rifle.  But, for some reason, I never really used it.  He was rounded out with a red battle stand and the requisite blue spring loaded missile launcher with two missiles.

Outback was used three times.  The first release was intended to be part of the Eco Warriors sub team.  But, when that concept was cancelled for 1993, the rainbow colored figure found its way into the standard Battle Corps line.  Hasbro quickly changed the paint job, though, and released this more subdued Outback later in the year.  Around 1995, the best version of the mold was released in Brazil.  The Marfim figure is a great combo of green and gold and lacks many of the more distracting colors.  In the late 1990's, carded Marfim's were an Ebay staple and you could get them cheap.  Then, the figure disappeared for about a decade.  When new ones started popping up in the 2010's, the $30 price tag was now over $100.  And, Marfim figures have not fallen in the decade since.  It's too bad as Marfim shows this mold's value.  It's also sad that Marfim was released in Brazil with the Headhunter and Gristle molds.  So, Hasbro had it available for a convention set in the 2000's.  But, they never delivered the mold again.  Just think how great it would have been to get Outback in ARAH form during that time!  Even this mold would have been welcome.  But, it was not to be.

Like all 1993 figures, Outbacks have gotten a bit harder to find and a bit more expensive in the last two years.  While dealers will ask $20 or more for a mint and complete with filecard Outback, the reality is that carded versions can be had for $25 and you can get the loose, mint and complete figures for around $12 without too much trouble.  Just the figure will cost about half that.  There's enough supply that you don't have to wait too long to get a version of this figure.  So, that helps make the decision to acquire one.  I have long found this mold to be of value: whether you use it as Outback or a new character.  For older collectors who grew up with Outback's scraggly mountain man look, seeing this figure as Outback might be a harder sell.  But, the mold is strong and the price is still right for this figure.  So, it probably doesn't hurt to pick one up regardless of your feelings about this new look.

20th Anniversary - Key Moments Tiger Force Outback

On September 8th of 2000, this site took a major step.  On that day, I profiled the very first foreign figure to appear on the site: the European exclusive Tiger Force Outback.  In looking back at my thoughts on the figure at the time, my approach to foreign figures is almost laughable.  My naivete shone through and I had no idea that foreign Joe collecting was going to come to dominate not only the most popular posts on the site, but also the near entirety of my collecting focus for the next four or five years.

In reality, the Tiger Force Outback was my second foreign figure that I acquired.  The Chinese Major Bludd had arrived into my collection a few weeks earlier.  But, there was something about the Outback that spoke to me.  The look of the figure was so different from the American offerings of the character that it captured my attention in a way that few figures ever had.  Even after acquiring a vast amount of other foreign figures, Tiger Force Outback remains one of my favorite foreign releases.

I acquired this figure from a European collector in a trade for a V1 Sgt. Slaughter figure.  In the late 1990's/early 2000's, many European exclusive figures were rather common among the European based collector set.  And, at the time, there were still many figures that had never been released in Europe that were very desirable for continental based collectors.  Trading an incomplete Sgt. Slaughter straight up for a Tiger Force Outback seems outrageous today.  But, in 2000, it was an even trade that left both of us extremely happy.

In 2000, it was unheard of for most American collectors to own foreign Joes.  Some of the Action Force exclusives such as Quarrel and Red Laser appeared most often.  But, most of the other figures that were exclusive to Europe remained over there.  Less than six months after I profiled this figure, though, two avenues of foreign Joes became more available and opened the floodgates of American collector interest in items released outside the United States.  The first, and less obvious, event was the discovery of a horde of Plastirama figures in Argentina.  This brought tons of MOC figures to the U.S.  Even the now desired Ninja Ku and Satan could be bought for $15 each for a time.  Others were even less.  Just as those started to saturate Ebay of that era, the first mass imports of Funskool Joes began at the YoJoe Depot and, later, SmallJoes.com and other dealers.  These cheap figures offered collectors a chance to expand their collections in new ways.  And, by 2002, foreign Joes were a staple of pretty much everyone who participated in the online Joe community.

Today, foreign figures remain highly desirable and many have exploded in popularity and price.  Everyone knows Tiger Force Outback.  But, nearly 20 years ago, he was a novelty that few collectors cared about.  In some ways, those days were more fun since there was so much to be discovered.  Now, though, it's a lot easier to find guys like this.  You'll just pay a WHOLE lot more than you would have in the early days of collecting.  But, this figure is the one that started my fascination with foreign Joes and it's an area of collecting that I still overly enjoy today.

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

Rarities - 1998 "Chocolate Chip" Unproduced Figures (Pathfinder, Outback & Dial Tone)

In 1998, Hasbro planned to release a desert repaint of the 1983 G.I. Joe HQ.  This would have been the flagship toy of the 1998 Joe line and was planned to include an amazing 5 figures: Outback, Dusty, Pathfinder, Law and Dial Tone.

Hasbro, though, discovered that the HQ mold was gone or unusable very early in the process.  And, as such, the HQ was cancelled.  Three figures that were rumored in the set, though, did turn up in very small quantities from Hasbro sources.  Pathfinder, Dial Tone and Outback are all available as full production figures in the 1998 color scheme.  It is possible that they were saved from the HQ and planned for a 5th three pack in 1998.  But, that did not come to be.

Below, you can see the figures planned.  They feature intricate paint masks that were the hallmark of the 1998 releases.  There are several points of note:

1. Dial Tone includes the gear that later turned up in his 2000 release.
2. Outback has the same gear that later appeared on the 2001 Big Brawler figure
3. Pathfinder's full gear did show up in 2004 in the same colors and the figure first reappeared in 2001.
4. Outback featured white/grey hair reminiscent of the European exclusive Tiger Force Outback rather than his traditional orange flock.

Why these figures were cancelled and the paint masks never used makes no sense.  Hasbro never did release an Outback figure in the repaint era and he remained one of the most requested figures until his mold was shipped to India in 2003.  While both Pathfinder and Dial Tone were released multiple times in the 2000's, none of those figures featured the wealth of paint applications and details that you see in these figures below.  Hasbro incurred the expense of developing these intricate paint masks.  And, as those are, usually, one of the priciest parts of the figure creation process, Hasbro letting them die without a full production use seems very odd.  Not even Master Collector resurrected the paint masks and they ignored the Outback character in the repaint era as well.

These three figures are likely the rarest G.I. Joe figures in the world.  They have been confirmed to exist in quantities between 4 and 12 each.  Dial Tone appears to be rarer than the other two, but this just may be due to the secretive nature of these figures.  Usually, the figures price out at over $2,000 each.  The limited supply and fact that they originated with Hasbro sources rather than Asian resellers will keep them at the top of the rarity ranking for some time.  

These figures are very busy, but also very detailed.  Had they been released, they would have been the standard bearers for all future desert themed figures.  This is definitely a case of collector regret.  I'd have gladly traded both the 1998 Oktober Guard or Navy Seal 3 pack to get this desert set at retail.  Neither of those have the cachet you see demonstrated on these figures.  Due to the rarity and expense it takes to get these figures, it's likely that photos like these are the only way collectors will ever get to see what they missed in 1998.  That's really too bad as these figures are definitely something that collectors would have enjoyed had they seen release.

Rarities - Forca Electronica Figures - Brazilian Exclusives

Estrela produced around 150 unique figures for its Comandos Em Acao line.  Those range from completely new characters and figure combinations to straight up matches of American released figures.  The Forca Electronica subset of figures featured one brand new character in Letal, a repaint of a European exclusive Tiger Force Outback as Forasteiro as well as minor Brazilian repaints the HEAT Viper, Muskrat, Repeater and the Toxo Viper.

The Forca Electronica set featured 6 initial members:

Letal:

This neon green Frag Viper repaint is the most famous member of the set.  His striking appearance and general rarity have lead him to become very popular among collectors.  His golden weapons only add to the figure's mystique.  Letal is the most expensive, but also most often found member of the set.  His popularity makes him available, but his pricing remains consistently high.

Retaguarda:

This darker version of Repeater is one of the rarer members of the Forca Electronica series.  He was not publicly shown until the early 2000's.  Even today, the figure is very hard to find and you will pay a premium for him.  The darker colors are a cool take on the mold, though.  And, they bring something new to the Repeater character.

Forasteiro:

Really, this is the oddest figure of the bunch.  Forasteiro is slightly brighter version of the European exclusive Tiger Force Outback figure.  How this paint mask ended up in Brazil is a mystery.  But, it means that the most common appearance of the Outback mold is a paint application that was never released in the U.S.  We all know Outback's tend to be brittle.  The easier to snap Brazilian plastic exacerbates this and finding mint Forasteiro's is not easy.  Again, you pay a premium for an unbroken figure with no paint wear.

Estilhaco:

Estilhaco is a straight and slight repaint of the 1989 HEAT Viper figure.  The purple is a bit brighter.  He's the cheapest of the 6 figures in the set, mostly due to the fact that he was fairly common in the 1990's and he only has slight differences from a very common and rather unpopular American figure.

Explorador:

This slightly brighter green Muskrat exclusive is fairly elusive.  While he doesn't really offer anything you don't get in either the highly common American or Funskool versions of the figures, he's still different enough to drive you mad.  The fact that he's fairly rare props up the price, too.

Maligno:

This brighter purple Toxo Viper repaint is the bright end of the spectrum for this mold.  The American figure is a base purple color.  The Funskool version is a few shades darker than the American.  Maligno is a few shades brighter than the American.  He also features the golden weapons that increase his eye catching properties.  Again, Maligno isn't easy to find and high quality, complete versions fetch decent prices.

The Forca Electronica figures have gotten expensive.  While both Letal and Estilhaco were relatively easy to find in the late 1990's and early 2000's, the other figures were, basically, impossible to find and a few of them had never been seen until the early 2000's.  Today, all of the figures in the subset go for a premium.  They are extremely well done repaints and the rarity has lead collectors to appreciate them more than many, more interesting Brazilian subsets.

Estrela released a 2nd series of the Forca Electronica with 2 figures: General Ataque (a Scoop repaint) and Annihilator.  These two figures were released later, and on their own.  They are MUCH easier to find than the first series and are nowhere near as expensive.

Collectors long ignored the Brazilian figures that were similar to their American counterparts.  The last decade, though, has seen this trend reverse.  Subsets like Forca Electronica show that even the slight repaints can be interesting and have merit.  Unfortunately, so many have discovered this that the figure are not nearly as cheap as they used to be.

Tiger Force Outback - Around the Web

Tiger Force Outback was one of the first foreign figures I ever owned.  I traded a Sgt. Slaughter for him.  (That's the late '90's for you!)  The gaudy orange shirt with the tiger face imprinted is nothing short of outlandishly fun.  Here's some solid content on the figure from around the web:

Tiger Force Outback Profile

Tiger Force Outback at JoeDios.com

Tiger Force Outback at JoeaDay.com

Toysfromthepast Tiger Force Outback

1993 Outback - Eco Warriors Variant

Outback remains of one the vintage line's most collector friendly characters.  He is widely liked by collectors and his initial design is appreciated in all it's releases.  There was, though, another Outback design in the vintage Joe line.  In 1993, Hasbro revisited the character.  This figure is not well liked by collectors and is rarely remembered when discussing the Outback character.  The reason for the indifference to this mold is that is does not have a decent coloring and is a remarkable departure from Outback's classic appearance.  But, the 1993 Outback figure actually has a better mold than most people realize and can find a niche in a collection.

Eco Warriors seems like a failure to the modern collector.  However, it must have been a good enough seller for Hasbro in the early '90's as it featured figures in both 1991 and 1992.  In 1993, Hasbro planned for series 3 of the Eco Warriors figures.  However, the idea was either played out, or Hasbro had enough other subsets to sell.  As such, the subset was cancelled.  However, Hasbro had already drawn up two new figures for the line: Snow Storm and Outback.  Instead of scrapping the brightly colored figures, Hasbro put them into the main Battle Corps line.  Rumored to be limited to 10,000 pieces, though, the figures were quickly replaced at retail by differently colored Battle Corps versions.  As such, the Eco Warriors versions of Outback and Snow Storm can be somewhat difficult to track down.

As a mold, this figure is excellent.  Take off the sunglasses needed to see through all the bright colors and you find that the figure is intricately detailed.  The face sculpt easily could be Outback and is true to the character.  The molded helmet is in scale with the head and is features molded electronics on one side.  The figure's chest follows the survival motif and showcases a large knife, canteen and grenade.  The pants are somewhat non-descript, but include molded pouches for some detail.  The figure's forearms are wrapped in cloth with gloved hands.  Properly painted, this could have been a really excellent update to Outback.

Accessory wise, this figure is no better off than the base mold's paint colors.  While the weapon molds are strong, they are colored bright red.  There is no playing off red guns.  The result is that the figure suffers as the red (if you can believe it) clashes with the other bright colors and just makes the figure appear worse than it is.  Replacing the red weapons with black versions that were available with other 1993 figures, though, makes a large difference and can salvage the figure to a degree.  Outback also includes the requisite spring loaded weapon from that time period.  The poor quality of the accessories, though, makes it easier to just pick up a loose figure and outfit him with better colored weapons from other figures.

I first acquired the '93 Outback in either 1994 or 1995.  At that time, it was relatively easy to find Battle Corps figures hanging around in most stores that sold toys.  I couldn't use the figure as Outback since the Version 1 was that character.  At the time, though, I was more into converting Joe figures into nameless army builders who could fight Cobra.  The named Joes were still around.  But, they had huge support squads who aided them against the Cobra legions.  Using this model, I often pigeon-holed figures into specialties...much like the many flavors of Vipers.  Outback became a combat engineer.  The mold and helmet reminded me of a construction worker and I found a need for battlefield engineers who could build emplacements or even repair vehicles all while under heavy fire.

For a few years, the figure saw use in that capacity.  I could get past the gaudy colors since so many other figures from the time had similar constraints.  By the late 1990's, though, my collection was growing with figures from 1988 through 1991 that I had never previously owned.  The superior colors and accessories on these figures slowly pushed the brightly colored 1993's and 1994's out of my display rotation.  Outback fell into disfavor and has never really come back.  (In looking through 15 years worth of Joe photos, I can only find the figure in two pictures I've taken.  That's a small amount for something that, at one time, saw some decent use.)  For Outback, there are better choices using the original mold.  And, the figure's colors don't lend themselves to display in many of the classic vehicles and playsets.  So, the Outback has become a forgotten stepchild of my Joe collection who gets this last moment in the sun.

The Outback mold was used for the two variant figures in 1993.  It was not repainted in 1994.  However, the mold was shipped to Brazil and released there by Estrela as Marfim.  This is notable as the Marfim figure is far and away the best version of this mold.  Colored in a muted green, Marfim is superior in every way to the two American releases.  Alas, Marfim figures have all but disappeared from the market.  Easy to find in the late 1990's and into the early 2000's, Marfims seem to have vanished into thin air.  There used to be carded and even loose Marfim figures available from Brazilian and American sellers.  (Col. Coragem was the same way.)  But, they have dried up and I have not seen a Marfim figure for sale in years.  If you can find one, though, it is the best version of the mold and definitely worth acquiring as a new, different version of Outback.

It is likely that this figure is rather rare for the vintage line.  There are probably fewer of him than there are extremely expensive figures like Star Duster or AVAC.  But, the late release date, poor colors and unpopular mold drive down demand.  So, even today, the figure is very inexpensive when you can find one.  As an oddity, the figure is useful.  He actually fits with the Eco Warriors subset and can work as a member of their team.  The marbleized pants are an interesting anomaly and are something that definitely ties the figure to his era.  Beyond that, though, the Battle Corps version of the figure is substantially better and more worth tracking down.  But, if you want something bright and obscure to dominate a photo, this Eco Warriors Outback is as good a choice as any.

1987 Outback

Outback remains a fan favorite and is a figure that collectors have clamoured for since Joe first returned to retail. However, for whatever reasons, Hasbro has largely failed to deliver the character in a format that has been widely available to collectors. As such, the character remains one of the holes from the vintage line that could desperately use an update of some sort. This isn't to say that the original figure is bad. Not at all. But, Outback remains one of the few highly popular characters who has not appeared in the modern line. Even a full year into the Anniversary figures has yet to produce an Outback. Despite this, or because of it..., Outback has remained one of the figures that fans have most requested for nearly a decade now.

1987 was really the last year I bought Joes as a kid. But, that year was one of the bigger years for me in terms of figures and characterization. At the time, I was engrossed in the Joe comic and used it as a guideline for my personal collection. Simultaneously, I was old enough to take of my toys and build a complex Joe world that lead to my continued interest in the hobby. This lead to my most lasting memories of Joe from my childhood largely centering around the figures who were important to me in 1987. This isn't just relegated to figures released in 1987, but all the figures who were important parts of my collection at that time. When I returned to Joe, I focused my buying efforts not on these figures from my last years. I still had all of those in decent condition. Instead, I spent my energy on figures that I had never previously owned. I spent many of the early years of my adult collecting life enjoying many of these post '87 figures for the first time. As I slowly absorbed most of those later figures, though, I saw my collecting focus returning to the items to which I had the greatest childhood connection. The classic figures from the line's first 6 years are the ones that have recently become the center of my collecting attention.

As a figure, though, Outback never lived up to my expections. Sure, he had an amazing gun with a strap, the cool web gear, the removable flashlight and the awesomely oversized survival pack. But, he also had a white shirt. And, at the end of the day, that was tough to get past. When I had my patrol of Joes moving through the grass, Falcon, Tunnel Rat and Beach Head were all hard to spot. Outback, though, stuck out like a bright beacon. Even the web gear wasn't enough to mute the figure's appearance and it was difficult for me to see a survival expert living in the wilderness wearing a garment that would make him so easy for the enemy to spot. But, in a nod to the figure's characterizations, these limitations weren't enough to sour the figure for me, entirely. In fact, as a kid, Outback was one of my more used Joes during the last days of my childhood. It was as an adult that I began to feel his limitations a bit more. I always felt that Outback should have been a perfect complement to Falcon in terms of coloring. However, in retrospect, I can see why Hasbro went the way they did. The beginning of Joe's great success came when Hasbro moved away from coloring all the figures the same and gave each figure a distinct look. Had Outback been cammo'ed up, he would have been too similar to Falcon and he likely would have faded into the background. By going with the tee shirt, Hasbro gave Outback an identity. Because of this, the figure has transcended other, more realistically colored figures like Recoil and Hit and Run in the collector conscience.

Outback's accessories have always made the figure. His huge backpack is the type of thing, as a kid, that I felt a suvivalist would need. (Now, the reality is that a true survivor would likely take less into the wild with him.) His web gear was a great addition that built upon the figure. With it, Outback was more complex and seemed to have more happening as a toy. Without it, the white tee shirt was all too noticable. His Hekler and Koch machine gun was also a great addition. It was big, but easy for him to hold and pose. It had the strap that was large enough to fit over the figure when you had him climbing a vine or wading through a river. Plus, it was well detailed and looked like the menacing type of weapon that a character like Outback would carry. And, to top things off, you had the little flashlight that could be removed from a peg in the figure's leg. It was this little detail that allowed me to pair Outback with Tunnel Rat on many missions. (In fact, when I wanted Tunnel Rat to hold one of the flashlights from his pack in a dark place, I would give him Outback's accessory as a placeholder for his own so that the large Tunnel Rat flashlights didn't risk breaking the figure's thumbs.) It was these little details that make many of the '87 figures better than even their high quality molds and color schemes would indicate.

To this day, I am awaiting a perfect Outback figure. The Night Force version is decent. But, I've never liked the way the orange hair worked with the dark colors. The Tiger Force version is cool, but suffers from the same issues as this original figure in terms of coloring. (Though, the white hair is a cool addition to the character and makes for more of a conversation piece.) The Big Brawler mold is decently colored, though somewhat bland. But, it still needs the classic Outback gear and head to make the figure really work. If this mold is available to Hasbro, it is surprising that it has not been used. But, as it was last seen in a late Funskool release, it is likely that this mold is either not available or is no longer in a state where it can be fully utilized. That's too bad as any full blown Outback figure will likely see great collector interest. Maybe the head will show up on a new body in a future convention set. These days, that's about the only hope we have.

The thing that kept Outback a prominent member of my collection, though, was his characterization in the comic. From his initial appearance, Outback had that rogue quality that made him more than a cookie cutter Joe. However, it was his use in the first Borovian arc that really sold me on Outback being a bit darker than you might otherwise believe. While he had great loyalty to his team-mates, Outback still had to go out on his own and fight his way out of Borovia. It was this grit (with the pressure of knowing that his friends' only hope for rescue rested on his shoulders) that really cemented the Outback character for me. As such, Outback was able to transcend the shortcomings of his figure and remain a vital part of my collection long after many of his contemporaries had faded into obscurity. It is this comic vision of Outback that has largely fueled his long term popularity. Few of the '87 Joes say as much use as Outback in the comic during that time. So, that showcase was the ticket to lasting popularity for the character.

In my collection, Outback saw a good deal of use...even though the figure was really only part of my collection for about a year before I packed all my Joes into a box in my closet. The figure you see pictured below is my original and he exhibits a good amount of wear when you consider his late date of addition to my Joe world. But, that is evidence of the importance I gave to the figure. Outback was always one of the first figures I grabbed whenever it was time to take the Joes outside, into the yard. His gear and specialty made him someone that I always felt any mission could use. He worked great as a stand alone fighter, a member of a team or as vehicular support. He was perfect as the guy who could rescue Joes stranded behind enemy lines or he could be a member of a patrol, keeping watch on the flank as the Joes moved on a Cobra position. In either capacity, the figure blends well with others from all years of the line but still stands apart enough to give a photo or dio a bit more character.   Today, Outback has seen a resurgance of appreciation in my collection. While you still don't see him in photography to the extent you might see Flint, Recoil or Beach Head, he is still a figure that sits at the front of his drawer, always ready to be pulled out for appearance in some dio. Something about the wild nature of his appearance has always made Outback less of a by the books soldier and someone whose maverick attitude would be best utilized in an elite unit like the Joes. I saw Outback as somewhat of a rogue who would rather be on his own for extended periods of time. But, by the end of his isolation, desperately craved intervention with other people. It was these extremes that drove Outback's other traits and was how he was able to be so ruthless when he needed to be. It drove an independent spirit that seemed to resonate with me and helped make Outback a more memorable part of my early collecting years.

The Outback mold saw a decent amount of use over the years. It was used twice in the US and then in Europe. After the Euro Tiger Force Outback was released, the mold went down to Brazil where it was released in colors similar to the European figure as Forastiero. After that, the mold made its way back to the US. In 1998, Hasbro intended to release Outback in desert colors and white hair and include him as part of the planned G.I. Joe Headquarters. However, this never came to fruition and the figure was scrapped. A few of them are available in the collecting world and are among the rarest figures in the history of the line. (They'll fetch over $2,000 each when one appears for sale.) In 2001, Hasbro released the Outback body with a new head as Big Brawler. This tease was made all that much worse when Hasbro sent the mold to Funskool in 2002 and it was used for the laughable Funskool Big Brawler. Now, it is likely that Hasbro has the Outback mold. But, they still have yet to use it. Were a new Outback to appear in a convention or other exclusive set, collectors would embrace it. But, for now, Outback remains one of the glaring holes in the modern era or ARAH-style Joe releases.

Back in 2001, a mint complete Outback would easily cost you over $20. At that time, most of the major characters from 1985-1987 were fetching similar prices as the Joe market exploded. Within a few years, though, the aftermarket for these figures cooled considerably and prices fell into the $12-$15 range. These days, that's about what you'll pay for a high end, with filecard version of the figure. If you're willing to give up a little condition or even the gun strap, though, you can get Outbacks for half that. Personally, that's not too bad a price for a figure that is hard to find in mint condition, has many easily breakable or losable accessories and that is still, very popular with collectors. For my money, though, this Outback version has never lived up to the hype. As such, the Outback character remains very under-developed in my collection and will likely remain that way until someone comes along and re-imagines this mold in more usable colors.

Tiger Force Outback - European Exclusive

Normally, I don't go for foreign figures. The few differences there are between their American counterparts usually aren't enough to warrant the high price tag foreign releases tend to have. Lately, though, I haven't found American figures to be all that exciting. There are, roughly, 550 different figures that were released in the U.S. Of these, I have 413. The remaining figures, though, really don't grab my attention. I'm mostly missing figures like the Shadow Ninjas, the armor tech Star Brigade figures, and other lame subsets from the final years of the line. My collecting dollar is stretched pretty thin right now, and I really don't want to blow what little I have on figures I really don't want. The nice thing about this, though, is that my horizons are broadened. A year ago, I wouldn't have even considered foreign release Joes as a viable avenue. Now, I've found a couple of foreign figures that are very cool and have earned a nice spot in my collection. The first of these is the European Tiger Force Outback.

I don't know what it is about this figure. It might be the white hair or the cool looking tiger face painted on his shirt. Whatever it is, this guy is just plain awesome. I've always liked the original Outback, and have been half heartedly looking for a Night Force Outback for about a year. This figure, though, seems to combine the best of both. He has the basic cammo pattern of the first, but adds the depth of color like the second. Some people may not go for the orange, but I have always liked that color (See the Nitro Viper or the1994 Star Brigade Roadblock.) and think that its use here is highly justified. I think this figure is so appealing because it is so unusual. The only figure that comes close to the white hair is Hot Seat. On that figure, it doesn't work so well. On this guy, though, it is perfect.

There were 6 European exclusive Tiger Force figures: Outback, Psyche Out, Hit and Run, Tunnel Rat, Sneek Peek, and Blizzard. They are all extremely unique figures, visually, and are quite different from any American versions offered. All of them utilize different colors that work very well together. Of all these figures, I think that Outback works the best. (A case could be made for Blizzard. His color scheme is very cool, until you remember that he is an arctic trooper. On that level, the figure fails.) Outback's specialty allows him some leeway in dress. While the orange would stick out in the wilderness, it would also provide a good reference point if he is waiting for extraction or rescue. The huge tiger on his chest, while a bit of overkill, is a nice tough that you won't find on any American release figure. I think that is the single reason why I am so enthralled with this figure. He is drastically different from anything released here. If I did not know anything about foreign released Joes, I would have originally thought this figure a well done custom. It showcases originality that was simply not seen in the American line much past 1987.

The Outback mold has had an interesting life. After it was used twice in the US, the mold was then used for this figure. After that, it was sent to Brazil. There, the mold was released as Forestiero. He is very similar to the Tiger Force Outback in appearance, but has some slight differences. After that, it seems that Hasbro got the mold back. Outback was slated to be a member of the 1998 Desert HQ set. A few of those figures exist and they are among the rarest Joes in the whole world. In 2001, Hasbro put out the entire mold but with a new head as Big Brawler. Fans cried foul over Outback not being released, but Hasbro balked at releasing the character for whatever reason. Around 2003, the mold was sent to India where it was used on the Funskool Big Brawler. But, once again, Outback's head was missing. Now, the mold's whereabouts are unknown. It is likely that Hasbro has access to it and could easily reissue a classic Outback in a new paint scheme. However, this hasn't happened and ARAH style Joe fans are left only with the dim hope that the original Outback mold might appear in a future convention set. If that happens, though, I think it would end up being one of the more popular convention figures in recent memory.

The European Tiger Force figures vary in degrees of difficulty when you are trying to acquire them. The Psyche Out is everwhere and can be had for nothing. This guy and Blizzard are next in line. After that, I think I've only seen three or four Hit and Runs and don't think I've seen the other two offered for sale. As such, some people think all the European figures are hard to get. While this guy isn't cheap, he is available. You usually see half a dozen or so hit Ebay over the course of a year. While they are a bit pricey, this guy isn't nearly as expensive as you might think. He is, though, a great figure. I still don't know how I'm going to use him, but the figure is sitting out in a place of prominence. The figure is just so aesthetically striking that I can't put him away. If you have the opportunity to add this guy to your collection, I wouldn't pass it up. This guy is the first figure I've acquired since the Headhunter that has grabbed my attention so profoundly. I think he could also have that affect on you.

All of the European Tiger Force figures are pretty cool. I would really like a Hit and Run. If you can help, let me know.