Funskool Ripper

In the early 2000's, Funskool was churning out G.I. Joe figures.  The series was very popular in India.  And, American dealers had found a willing collecting audience in the U.S., Canada, Europe and other countries.  Alongside their standard releases, Funskool was producing 4 or 5 new figures each year.  In 2002, though, Funskool decided to bring back some out of production favorites.  Despite early lists featuring names like Firefly, the reality was that Flint, Buzzer, Scrap Iron, Beach Head, Airtight and Zarana were among the older releases who were given new life.  Naturally, collectors gobbled these up with gusto.  There was one oddball release, though.  While the other figures were widely available, the Funskool Ripper only showed up in smaller quantities.  This made him both somewhat desirable, but also a great insight into how Funskool produced their Joe figures.

Retailers in India could get pretty much any Funskool figure made if they ordered at least a day's worth of production.  At the time, that was around 3,500 figures.  So, if someone wanted a new run of Beach Head and was willing to pony up the cash for 3,500 of them, Beach Head was going to happen.  Supposedly, a retailer in India wanted Ripper to come back.  They commissioned the production run of him and he was almost exclusively sold by them in India.  However, there were a few leftover cases from the production run that select American dealers were able to acquire.  So, Ripper came over in smaller quantities, originally, than most other figures.  And, were it not for some sales and then the Russian overstock figures, Funskool Rippers would likely be much harder to find today.

The calling card of the Funskool Ripper is the vibrant blue colors that are used.  His pants are a much deeper blue than those on the Hasbro release.  And, the blue and green spots on his shirt are more appealing and bold than his original base.  Funskool blues, though, are very prone to discoloration.  And, most blue Funskool figures from the '80's and '90's are nearly impossible to find without some color degradation.  So far, though, the Russian Rippers and those made in 2002 have held up fairly well and the blue hues remain radiant.  We'll see how the next decade goes, though.  As the Hasbro figure is prone to discoloration, too, it's nice to get a vibrant Ripper but also a bit worrisome as the figure ages.

Like most Funskool figures, Ripper features his full complement of original accessories.  The Funskool versions, though, are flimsier than those made by Hasbro.  The pack and hose are difficult to attach together due to the quality of the materials.  But, as Ripper's gear is an integral part of his character, it's essential that Funskool included it.  As a kid, I always wanted more Ripper rifles to give to other figures.  But, as the Funskool figures started to make Ripper weapons more available, I realized that the bladed firearm is really iconic to Ripper and looks out of place with other figures.  It's perfect for Ripper, though.

For me, though, Ripper is kind of a bland character.  Ignorant thugs have their place.  And, in certain cases, can be useful.  But a moron who just likes to destroy things has limited uses.  You can't trust him on missions as was proven in Issue #30 when he wanted to destroy Skystrikers and thwarted Cobra Commander's plans.  Hired muscle is useful.  But, when they can't even control their most primal urges, those people become liabilities that I wouldn't see the Commander keeping around.  So, the figure got its most use as random street criminals or civilians who were caught in the crossfire between Joe and Cobra.

Funskool Ripper has dozens upon dozens of variants.  The most famous is the purple shirt and glasses version that was available on early Funskool cards.  Mint loose figures of this variant fetch amazingly high prices.  But, the real challenge is tracking down all the slight color variations that exist on the Ripper's who were based on the Hasbro colors.  There are variant hues of blue, green and red.  All of which appear randomly on figures.  Some weird combos were only available as vehicle drivers.  Others changed through the various productions of Ripper.  And, some are probably rarer than the purple version.  Funskool returned Ripper to Hasbro in 2003 and the club used it on a rather banal Ripper repaint in 2004 and then he was released with a new head in a comic pack in 2005.  Neither of these figures is as good as the original or the standard Funskool.  But, Ripper got more life from his mold than it probably deserved.

Funskool Rippers remain cheap when compared to their contemporary releases.  Lots of them were available.  And, his appearance in the Russian sets helps ease the supply of Rippers to this day.  You can still get carded versions for $20-$25.  And, that's probably overpriced.  But, there's few non-dealer options to acquire one for the going market rate.  The price is still pretty ridiculous when you consider how many Funskool Rippers were imported and concentrated in the collector market.  But, modern collectors have forgotten cheap Funskool and have no idea that these figures were available all over the internet for $4 each not that long ago.  As high quality Hasbro Ripper's still only sell for around $20, too, it's up to each person to determine where there money is better spent.  Funskool blue plastic is notorious for discoloring.  But, so is the Hasbro plastic from 1985.  At the end of the day, it's a toss up.  But, personally, I'm fond of the brighter colors on this Ripper and find him useful.  He pops in photos, even if the character is somewhat dim.  In this market, you can do a lot worse than a $20 Dreadnok.  So, the Funskool Ripper is probably a decent value, even at his inflated prices.

G.I. Joe #30 - Marvel Comics

I bought my first Joe comic at a drug store in June of 1984.  I immediately sent away for a yearly subscription to the book.  My first issue received through the mail, #29, arrived in August of 1984, a few days after it had shown up on the comic rack at said drug store.  As September arrived, school started again.  I hadn't seen much of my friends that summer as we lived fairly far from my school and pretty far away (in kid terms) from any of the kids in my class.  So, it was great to be back in class and have recess and down time to discuss the latest Joe comics with friends: both good and casual.  The first comic to arrive for that school year was #30: Darkness.

Darkness starts with the cover of the Dreadnok Buzzer slicing the tail off of a Skystriker while Ripper and Torch do additional damage on the ground.  It's a striking cover, full of action.  And, it shows the bad guys actually "winning" in that they are destroying the good guys' equipment with no Joes in sight.  The story inside actually pertained to the cover, too.  As a kid, it annoyed me when the cover was a tease and unrelated to the events of the comic behind it.  So, it was cool to see the Dreadnoks in action inside.  (The beat up version you see if my original copy I got in the mail back in 1984.  It hadd a good life.)

The basic plot is that Zartan and the Dreadnoks convince Cobra Commander that the secret Joe base is on McGuire Air Force Base.  Learning his lesson from the failed frontal attack in G.I. Joe #19, the Commander opts for a small strike force to carry out a sneak attack.  The premise is rather weak, but it helps contain the action.  The memorable item from the early pages is Zartan turning himself into Hawk and interacting with the Joes.  The scene was somewhat recreated in a convention exclusive 3-pack of figures in 2004.  It was an imperfect homage.  But, those figures were meant to invoke this early use of Zartan's disguise capabilities.

There's a couple of things of note in this issue.  First and foremost was the introduction of the Hiss Driver.  For some reason, the comic never showcased the unique driver of Cobra's iconic tank: despite the fact it had been in the comic for year at this point in 1984.  And, they weren't Hiss Drivers.  Instead, they piloted the SNAP helicopters.  The SNAP choppers are actually FANGs.  This, again, is odd since the FANG had appeared in lots of issues on the comic in the previous 18 months and there was really no reason for them to get the vernacular wrong.  But, here you have Hiss Drivers flying misnamed helicopters.  Nothing is more Cobra than that.

Billy also makes an appearance in this issue.  He is caught by Major Bludd and the Baroness as he rifles through Cobra records.  This begins the Billy assassination attempt on Cobra Commander plotline that would culminate a couple of months later with the revelation that Cobra Commander is Billy's father.  As a kid, I didn't much care for the Billy storyline.  While I liked some of the intrigue within Cobra, I didn't care for the Billy character.  In G.I. Joe #10, he worked as a plot device.  But, I'd have much rather that Kwinn or Dr. Venom had survived into the later issues rather than Billy.

Of course, the Dreadnoks muck up the attack by alerting the authorities after they destroy a Skystriker.  This brings the Joes running and they quickly defeat the small Cobra force.  Cobra Commander returns to lick his wounds and the story deverts back to Snake Eyes for the next couple of issues.  One point that sticks with me, though, is how well the story between the early comics moved along.  There were elements of the issue that would come back later and loose threads from prior (and later) issues would come together as the year ended.  This was why I found G.I. Joe such compelling reading.  There was always an open plot to get you to come back.

No look at a comic from 1984 would be complete without the ads.  The most notable entry in this issue was a full two page spread from NBC showcasing their Saturday morning lineup that would have started airing the month this comic was released.  You see the classics such as Smurfs, Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Amazing Spider Man.  But, there are also completely forgotten shows like Kidd Video, Pink Panther and Sons and Going Bananas.  As a kid, I'd flip between the three channels on Saturday morning to find the shows I liked.  I watched some Mr. T, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Spider Man and His Amazing Friends.  The notion of a kid friendly cartoon lineup being a weekly event is so antiquated that my kids can't even understand the concept that we didn't really have a way to watch a show whenever we wanted.  It's completely foreign to them to not have whatever entertainment they want at their fingertips.

Like pretty much all comics released by major publishers in the 1980's, G.I. Joe #30 is worthless.  You can get a mint copy for a couple of bucks.  The issue was reprinted through the years and you can find those with relative ease for even cheaper.  It's too bad that Hasbro never looked at this issue for a comic pack.  While it would have been a way to get the Dreadnoks out (they appeared with a later issue comic) it would have also been a good way to release an updated Hiss Driver (whose mold they had at the time) or another Joe character.  I'd have preferred either of these offerings to the Thrasher figure that was included in the later pack.

This issue really is the harbinger of the year to come for me.  As I was back in school, all the events of the comic were points of discussion and the basis for many Joe adventures.  The fall of 1984 was an awesome Joe time as some new kids had just moved in down the block and I had someone nearby to play with every day.  It was through them that I first saw the Dreadnoks in December of that year and was blown away by the amazing offerings coming in 1985.  The Joe mini series cartoon aired this month and introduced Shipwreck, Lady Jaye and Flint, too.  So, while I was enjoying Stormshadow, the Whale and even new Dreadnoks, I had great anticipation for what 1985 would bring.

I've completely lost that season wonder as an adult.  Now, I'm happy when school starts since it's a much easier routine with my boys.  But, the fall and holidays bring work and planning instead of overwhelming anticipation.  I don't see a unifying set of toys that resonate with kids today.  Even among my three boys, each has a specific toy interest that bears little in common with their brothers.  The idea of a one or two toy lines dominating a generation is pretty much gone.  In some ways, that's too bad since you could pretty much bond with any kid over Joe or Transformers in 1984.  But, my kids are also exposed to a much broader array of items and have a greater spectrum of toys than I ever did.

Diorama - Busted

This dio was taken in Indiana in either December or January.  It was a clear, dry and sunny day: as you can see in the pics.  But, it was freezing cold.  By the time the whole thing was set up, the vintage thumbs started getting brittle and my camera kept shutting off as the battery was too cold.  I liked the idea of a large group of law enforcement capturing the Dreadnoks and the show of force it would take to do so.


You'll see the CORPS! Hummer in the pics. At the time, it was about the best Hummer you get for Joes.  But, it was cheap and brittle.  But, it also cost like $10 with three figures.  So, you get what you pay for.  Just off camera was my relatively new Funskool Super Cop capturing my relatively new Funskool Red Dog.  They were the main reason I got all this out.  But, the rest of the scene was pretty fun to work out.

Rarities - Funskool Ripper Vehicle Driver Variant

Everyone is aware of the rare and valuable purple Funskool Ripper that was released in India.  But, there are more variants of this figure as well.  Here is an example of a neon green vehicle driver Ripper who is also missing the gold paint on his arm band.  As variants go, it's about on par with some of the Funskool we've seen.  But, the neon works for the Ripper character and is a cool interpretation of the mold.

Through the years, more and more older, unopened Funskool vehicle stock came to the U.S.  In it, collectors have found some rather odd and interesting figures.  Everything from the "Disguise Force" set to a Gung Ho colored in olive drab have been found.  This Ripper is another example.  It seems that Funskool often did vehicle driver figure runs separately from some of their carded figure runs.  So, you see variants that range from missing paint applications to new parts (usually waists and upper arms) to significant color variations.  Of course, to find many of these items, you'd have to open dozens, if not hundreds of Funskool vehicles.  There was a time when finding that many over a diverse production date range was possible.  But now, it is not only significantly more difficult, it is also significantly more expensive.

Ripper had a long life in India and was produced in many different production runs.  As such, minor color variants are common.  While it was great to get a chance at any Ripper from Funskool in 2002, it would have been better had it been one of the more interesting variations.  Funksool created a pretty good assortment of odd Dreadnoks.  But, the ones that were most accessible to American collectors were just slightly brighter versions of the common, American figures.

Few of these Rippers are known to exist, though there are likely many more in India.  But, it's just another example of the rare and cool oddities you can find in the boxes of old, unopened Funskool vehicles.

1985 Ripper

Buzzer, Ripper, Torch.  Tom, Dick and Harry.  Winken, Blinken and Nod.  Any way you look at it, the original three Dreadnoks can not really be discussed individually without also including them as a group.  They are just so tied together in character and even figure design that they really have to be discussed in both contexts.  As a group, they are one of the most famous sub-teams in the line's history.  Collectors continue to enjoy them today.  But, as individuals, the Dreadnoks run the gamut from a fully developed character like Buzzer to someone like Ripper who was little more than an illiterate thug.

The Ripper mold is exceptionally detailed for a 30 year old action figure.  The designers really approached the Joe line with a degree of professionalism, love and attention to detail that translated into the classic figures that are still being derived from today.  Ripper is no exception.  From the Mohawk to the teeth of his necklace, the entire mold shows a remarkable attention to detail.  Ripper has a bulk to him the other Dreadnoks are missing which helps provide some diversity in their physical builds.  It's not so much as to make the figure unusable with vehicles from the time.  But, it is a visual difference in the three figures.  The half shirt and sunglasses are a bit dated.  But, taken ironically, Ripper could be considered a hipster in the modern Joe line.

Ripper's accessories are nothing short of exceptional.  His gun has the basic body of the 1983 Snow Job rifle.  But, Hasbro added on a scope, clip and a monster cutting blade that took a basic weapon and made it something signature.  Once you get past that, the Jaws of Life are a great accessory for someone hell bent on destruction.  (I only wished they had actually opened when I was a kid!)  The plug from the jaws to the generator on Ripper's pack was just a wonderful plus.  But, the great play feature was that the jaws could be hung from the prongs on Ripper's pack.  Or, it had a small clip that allowed it to attach to the pack's frame.  The result is a self contained accessory set with magnificent detail that defines Ripper as a character.

I have told the story of find the Dreadnoks prior to Christmas of 1984 many times.  Of the three Dreadnoks, though, Ripper was the one who I never, technically, owned.  While I got Torch and Buzzer for my birthday and Christmas, Ripper was actually given to my younger brother.  Since the figure was not actually mine, I didn't have as much of a chance to develop the character to the extent that I did for the other two Dreadnoks.  Even as Ripper lost my brother's attention and was integrated into my use rotation, I always used him more as a one off character than anyone who was actually part of my overall Cobra hierarchy.  My only real memory of the figure is that in the early of months of 1985, I took all the Dreadnoks out in the snow to play.  As I was carrying the figures back into the house, Ripper's gun fell out of his hand and into the snow.  I could not find the silver weapon against the white backdrop.  A few weeks later, we had a warm day with heavy rain.  This melted off the snow and created a thick fog over my entire neighborhood.  Naturally, all the kids got together to play in the haze as it made our "war games" that much more fun.  As I ran across my front yard, I spotted a flash of silver and resurrected Ripper's gun from oblivion.  I stuffed it into my pocket and have, basically, the only specific memory of Ripper as a figure from my childhood.

While the Dreadnoks should be tethered to Zartan, I never really saw them as his minions.  While I may have used the 3 bikers in conjunction with the shape shifter for a few months after my initial acquisition, I quickly found the Dreadnoks being more of their own subgroup.  Mostly, this was due to issue #30 of the G.I. Joe Marvel comic where the Dreadnoks simply couldn't resist destroying Joe Skystrikers.  This lead me to use the Dreadnoks as more of a rogue group.  They would work for Cobra from time to time.  But, they would also attack the Joes out of general spite with no help from Zartan or the Cobra organization.  In time, though, this played itself out.  With the exception of Buzzer, the Dreadnoks simply didn't have the strength of character to remain prominent players in my collection.  By the end of 1985, they were mostly gone from my play rotation.

Ripper's jaws of life found more use, though, as I commandeered them for various rescue teams that would save Joes trapped in burning aircraft or the hull of Whale.  The silver color worked well with a variety of Joes.  The Ripper figure slowly became more of a generic bad guy who would often get killed as he undertook some nefarious, criminal endeavor.  He was not Ripper, per se, but a nameless criminal the Joes could kill or imprison without affecting the character.  Eventually, my main Ripper figure was taken apart and his legs and arms used for various custom figures in my collection.  I distinctly recall an accessory pack M-60 wielding heavy machine gunner using Buzzer's torso and lower body, Ripper's arm and Duke's head.  That was basically the end of Ripper in my collection until I reacquired one as a adult.

The Ripper mold has an interesting history.  After his use in the U.S., the mold was sent down to India.  In the mid 1990's, Funskool started producing the figure.  The most famous variant is the extremely rare purple Ripper figure that features a purple shirt and glasses.  This figure was then replaced with a version that is very similar to the American figure.  Funskool stopped producing Ripper prior to 2000.  As such, no version was readily available for many years.  In 2002, though, a major retailer in India commissioned Funskool to run another batch of Ripper figures.  Some American dealers were able to tack on to the overstock and brought a nice batch of Funskool Ripper figures to the U.S.

The reality, though, is that over the years that Funskool produced the Ripper figure, they made several major and minor variants.  Many of the more obscure Ripper figures that feature color differences were put into vehicles as bagged pack ins.  As such, there are probably 6 to 12 major Ripper variants out there for OCD collectors to track down.  In 2003, the Ripper mold was one of the first 18 molds that Funskool returned to Hasbro.  Master Collector quickly swooped in and released a version of Ripper in the 2004 Dreadnok Convention set.  This red and blue figure is something different for Ripper.  But, it's not, necessarily, an improvement upon the original.  In 2005, Hasbro released Ripper in a Dreadnok themed comic pack.  This figure featured a new head and colors similar to the original release.  While the figure gets points for including the original accessories, the reality is that the pack was a colossal flop that was clearanced for as low as $3 each.  The Ripper mold doesn't really lend itself to great repaints.  (Though, a black version to simulate biker leather might work.  But, it's likely the mold would appear more Village People and less Sons of Anarchy.)  But, collectors have quite a gamut of figures based on this original mold to track down.

Ripper was a popular figure released as part of a popular subset at the height of Joe's retail power.  As such, the figures exist in huge quantities and are rather easy to find.  However, Ripper features four points that make a mint figure problematic.  First, the blue plastic used on the figure's legs is very prone to sun fading and discoloration.  Second, the smallest details on the figure are done in highly fragile gold paint.  Finding a Ripper with perfect gold on his armband, knife, necklace and, especially, rings is very difficult.  Third, the mohawk and beard on his head have a number of angular points that make them very susceptible to paint chips.  Finally, the black paint on the figure's belt, holster and boots is also prone to wear.  If you can find a truly mint Ripper, though, he still won't cost you much.  The figures tend to max out around $12 if the figure is gem mint and has the filecard.  But, even slight wear can cut that price in half or more.  Every collector owes it to themselves to have the original three Dreadnoks.  Even if the overall theme went too far, the original three are a great way to both remember the '80's and appreciate the Joe line's heyday.