2004 Comic Pack Scarlett - Around The Web

Some figures are really good.  But, you will never have occasion to use them.  Such is the case of the 2004 Comic Pack Scarlett.  She is based on a single scene in G.I. Joe #2.  In that context, the figure works.  More broadly, though, how often do you need Scarlett in a white jumpsuit?  The answer is not often.  She looks good, fills her purpose well and is not all that useful.  

As Comic Pack figures go, you don't see this Scarlett all that often.  Snake Eyes and Kwinn appear with far more frequency.  Which speaks to the usefulness of this figure.  There are situations where she's a great addition to a scene.  Few Joe photographers seem to attempt that, though.  This is one of those figures where I wish the content that was produced around the time of her release still existed.  But, that's all been lost to time.  So, check out these reviews and photos (some over 20 years old, now!) before they fade away, too.

Comic Pack Scarlett Profile

Comic Pack Scarlett by gen_liederkranz

Comic Pack Scarlett by relena_warcraft

Comic Pack Scarlett at Generals Joe Reborn

Comic Pack Scarlett at JoeBattleLines.com

Comic Pack Scarlett at 16bit.com

Comic Pack Scarlett by armed_and_plastic

Comic Pack Scarlett by doksewage

Rarities - Unproduced 1997 Stars & Stripes Set

The 1997 Toys R Us G.I. Joe releases were a mess.  The extent to which they were botched is really difficult to comprehend.  Hasbro's plans for the line were both drastically different and more grandiose than what actually transpired.  But, all the signs of a looming iceberg were there.  And, it's never more evident than with the early images of what Hasbro intended for the Stars and Stripes set.

The Stars and Stripes set was supposed to be the flagship product in Joe's triumphant return to retail.  It was going to include 8 of the original 9 carded figures that had started the line just 15 years prior.  (Fun fact.  There's been almost twice as much time that's passed since the release of this set in 1997 as had passed between the Joe line's debut in 1982 and this set's production in 1997!)  The plan was to use all original molds of the figures.  But, to repaint them into a more "modern" interpretation.  Some of this was a response to the collectors of the day who claimed they wanted "gritty and realistic" figures.  But, really, it was a way for Hasbro to massively update the looks of the original Joes.

The idea was sound.  But, the execution was, well, a problem.  All of the Hasbro Joe team from the vintage days had been let go by Hasbro in 1994.  And, the brand had been taken over by former Kenner employees who had been placed in charge of the action figure division.  Their lack of experience with the Joe brand lead to a comedy of errors that just multiplied as the product got closer to production.  But, we'll start with the basics.

Below you will see two images of the original plans for the Stars & Stripes set.  You'll see some figures that look familiar to their production designs as well as some molds that were missing from the production set.  .  

The first image is the image that is actually on the back of the production Stars & Stripes box.  It is incredibly different from the figures inside the window when you turned the box over.  As someone whose first exposure to this product was when they found it on a Toys R Us shelf in 1997, this was weirdly confusing.  The two figures using the 1986 Hawk head (Breaker and Rock and Roll) were obviously out of place in the set.  Not only were they nothing like their vintage counterparts, they didn't fit the aesthetic of the set, at all.  Also missing from the set was Flash.  You can argue that Flash is the most interesting figure from the initial lineup of retail figures.  He was gone.  And, in  his stead, was a figure not shown on the box-back: Grunt.

The choice to originally exclude Grunt is a weird one.  While I'm not a Grunt fan, Grunt was the face of the Joe line for the first couple of years.  If you mention G.I. Joe to a non-fan who grew up in the early '80's, it's pretty likely that their first association with the name is Grunt's cardback image.  It was the brand's calling card.  There's no indication of why Grunt was the original odd man out in the set.  But, his inclusion was a far better choice than adding a 3rd oddball 1986 Hawk/Roadblock mashup repaint to the set.

Aside from the mold fiasco, just looking at this set, you see some other glaring issues that should have been above Hasbro in 1997.  The second photo below is from a 1997 Tomart's magazine where they announced G.I. Joe's return to retail.  It appears to be a different photo shoot of the Stars & Stripes set with a few, key differences from the production box back.  But, many of the figures are the same, too.  We'll go through each figure one by one and review all the chaos that's going on.

Scarlett

Scarlett is the least interesting figure in these images.  This is because she's pretty close to the production figure actually released in 1997.  The purple is more muted and darker.  And, her jumpsuit is more brown.  But, you see all the painted details on her mold.  She is still a repainted 1983 figure in this shot.  But, she's pretty close to the figure in the box.  

Breaker

Here, we have our first major deviation.  The Breaker in both photos isn't the classic figure.  But, it's a close-enough amalgamation.  The figure in both photos uses Clutch's head.  This is close as he and Breaker share the same head in 1982/1983.  But, the black hair makes it Clutch rather than Breaker.  The figure features a tan shirt.  This would have been a great addition to the set.  Adding a 3rd tan Joe to the original 13 would have been a nice homage to Clutch and Grunt.  The darker green pants offset him, nicely, too.  This color scheme would appear on some later figures and in factory customs.  Just on not on this parts configuration.  Breaker's gear shows his iconic headset.  But, for some reason, he doesn't have a helmet.  It's a terrible, aesthetic choice as it makes the figure look incomplete.  The production figure, that used 1986 Hawk and Roadblock parts, did include a helmet.  But, it didn't include the headset.  On top of that, this photographed figure includes Airborne's rifle while the production figure ended up including accessories from the 1982/83 Flash.

Short Fuse

Short Fuse is weird.  The figure in both photos actually features Grunt's torso instead of the classic Short Fuse design.  He has no cammo on his chest.  But, his legs are done in an intricate pattern.  The colors on his legs are very close to the production paint job that ended up on Stalker.  The production Short Fuse used the correct chest for the figure.  And, he didn't have any cammo pattern on him aside from a slight spray on his legs.  You'll note the figure used for the sample is a repainted straight arm Short Fuse.  The Tomart's photo features him wearing a 1985 Lady Jaye backpack.  While the box back shows him with the correct backpack.  

Snake Eyes

In the Tomart's photo, the Snake Eyes is actually an Action Force Stalker figure.  Hasbro had a ton of overstock Action Force figures and both Stalker and Quarrel were dumped as early '90's convention exclusives.  So, Hasbro had spare figures lying around.  His unaltered inclusion is an interesting choice.  It shows that Hasbro always had intention of adding painted details to the 1997 Snake Eyes figure.  Hasbro's original plan was that the 1982/83 Snake Eyes was going to be included in the boxed set and the 1985 Snake Eyes mold was going to be included in the 3 figure pack with Stormshadow and Lady Jaye.  When the '85 mold wasn't available, they went with two '82/'83 figures instead.  Both heavily used grey as the highlight color: reminiscent of the European Stalker figure.

On the box back, Snake Eyes is posed with is back to the photographer.  It's an odd pose for the most popular character in the set.  It doesn't appear that the figure in this photograph is the Action Force Stalker.  But, it's difficult to tell.  The figure is also wearing a backpack.  It's difficult for me to see.  But, it looks like a Zap/Short Fuse backpack painted all black.  It's just an odd choice to see Snake Eyes with a pack.  And, not featuring him prominently was an interesting design choice.

Zap

Zap appears to have been two very different figures in the different photos.  In the Tomart's photo, Zap is a swivel arm figure.  Instead of the solid color with some overspray paint job that ended up on the production figure, he features the paint job that was, eventually, used on Grunt.  His legs are not painted, though.  And, appear very close to the colors of the production figure.  He is wearing his backpack and is the only figure to be wearing a visor.

On the box back, the Zap figure is very different.  He's heavily obscured by the figures in front on him.  But, he's a repainted straight arm figure.  Worst of all, he has two broken thumbs!  Hasbro actually put a broken toy on the back of the packaging!  Aside from that, the figure features a helmet with cammo paint.  Hasbro never painted up an original helmet.  Zap's entire body, including his legs, are done in the same cammo pattern.  It is not a pattern that was actually used in the set.  But, most importantly, Zap has painted on facial hair.  It's at least a goatee and might be a full beard.  The facial hair would have been a new paint application and made for an interesting take on Zap.  Sadly, it was not to be.

Stalker

The Stalker figure in the two photos appears to be the same.  He's even in nearly the same pose between the two photos.  He's wearing a Zap/Short Fuse backpack in the Tomart's photo.  The production Stalker toned down the tan portion of the cammo.  And, it ended up using a darker green base.  The actual colors for Stalker's cammo are pretty close to what appears on Short Fuse's legs.  But, the figure in these early photos is a decent representation of what the production figure ended up being.  

Flash

Flash is the biggest what-if in this set.  Hasbro was never able to reproduce the classic Flash mold: despite collector calls for it to return for a decade after the Star & Stripes set's release.  Flash's entire character was pulled from the set and replaced with Grunt.  However, Flash's laser rifle was, baffingly, included with the Breaker figure in the set.  Flash is a repainted swivel arm figure and it appears it's the same figure in both photos.  The darker green base and yellow pads were a strong update for Flash's look.  I'm not sure they would have supplanted his original red pads as his iconic look.  But, it would have been nice to have another Flash version.  On  the box back, Flash is wearing the only visor.  Though, in the Tomart's photo, the visor is given to Zap.) The fact that factory customs have failed to deliver this Flash version  is another glaring omission.  It seems like such an easy win for a figure.  And, I'll opine that Flash's absence from this set is the greatest loss in the changes from concept to production.

Rock and Roll

The final figure in the set was Rock and Roll.  We all know that the terrible 1986 Roadblock/General Hawk mashup figure that was released as Rock and Roll in this set happens to have a very rare, race changing variant.  But, the real story is that Rock and Roll was supposed to use his original mold for the character.  The figure featured in both photos is a repainted straight arm.  He is armed with  the 1986 Roadblock's machine gun.  This gets weird because the production figure ended up using the 1986 Roadblock body but included the 1982/83 Rock and Roll's M-60 and bi-pod.  The figure is wearing the Lady Jaye backpack on the box back.  But, not in the Tomart's photo.  

Rock and Roll would have rivaled Stalker and Scarlett as the best repaint in the set.  His black shirt, cammo pants and updated bullet strap paint job would have made a striking figure.  Personally, I lament his absence the most just because Rock and Roll is a figure that I use way more often than Flash.  The upside is that the 2018 Hollowpoint figure from Red Laser Army is based on this 1997 Rock and Roll and is a good enough representation of the planned paint job.  

From the box back, you can see examples of all the shortcuts that Hasbro took when creating the 1997 lineup.  Granted, it was a low production run line that was sold only at Toys R Us.  But, the vintage Hasbro team would never have created such a lackluster presentation for their packaging.  It's sad that missing molds did in so much of the plans for 1997.  1983 Cobra Commander, Destro, Rock and Roll, Flash and Breaker would have been much more beloved than the figures we got.  And, a repainted 1985 Snake Eyes might have been the character's definitive appearance in toy form.  But, none of that happened.  Instead, we have ghosts of the plans that live on in early photos like these.

The Rankings - 1983 Original 13

Everybody loves rankings, right?  There's no better way to start a pointless argument than to rank items that hold unique, special places to each collector.  Once upon a time, I tried to write up a completely objective ranking of the original 13 Joe figures.  But, even with the stated goal of erasing childhood nostalgia from the equation, the list was pretty much my personal favorites with a few guys bumped up a spot or two.  So, why bother with any of that pretext?  Instead, I'm going with a straight ranking of my favorite figures: starting with the original 13.  I'm only using swivel arm versions as I don't collect straight arms.  And, I'll do the "new" 1983 figures some other time.  I'm not sure I'll get to every year because I'll get bored of it long before I would ever endeavor to slog through all the 1993 releases.  But, I'm going to start with the year that's sure to elicit some opinions.  

The thing is, there are no wrong opinions about these figures.  If Short Fuse holds dear, core memories for you, that's a story worth telling in the comments.  The point of this isn't to challenge your beliefs.  Instead, it's to memorialize mine and prompt a modicum of discussion.  So, on with the show....

#13 - Short Fuse

I just can't get into Short Fuse.  He was never a player in my collection.  He didn't have much of a characterization in the comic other than being an annoying hot head.  And, his weapon wasn't conducive to childhood play.  But, really, he's kind of boring.  His chests harness isn't the greatest design.  But, he's also in a green that's similar to other figures.  So, you don't really feel like you're getting anything special with this figure.  Zap is a better use of the mold.  Hawk is a better use of the head.  I know we had one when I was a kid.  But, mostly, I remember him from the fact that I noticed his mortar mold changed and it was also knocked off by, I think, Galoob for some of their action figure lines.  That's not much of a legacy.

#12 - Grunt

I'm not a Grunt fan.  Never have been.  I've always found him to be boring.  To be fair, I missed the silver knife on his chest...a feature that captivated me when we got a Tan Grunt in 1983.  But, I still see this guy as just a basic infantryman.  His M-16 never clicked with me, either.  It broke thumbs in 1982.  I did love his backpack.  I gave it to Clutch so I didn't waste it on Grunt.  There's not much too him and he lacks the skills to really set himself apart from his more specialized team mates.  At some point in late 1982 or early 1983, we buried a bunch of Joes behind some bricks that lined the stairs up the hill in our front yard.  I remember pulling a well worn Grunt and Stalker out of the space a few years later.  That's about the extent of his use.  He and Short Fuse remain my least used figures of the original series of Joes.

#11 - Hawk

Let's face two facts.  Visually, Grunt is a better figure than Hawk.  And, the debut figure of Joe's leader kind of sucks.  But, I give Hawk the edge over Grunt due to the silver trim dominating the figure.  It gives him a more commanding presence.  And, the over abundance of silver does give Hawk a defining look.  There's not much else going on here, though.  So, he ranks pretty low.  I snapped the thumb of my 1982 Hawk when I tried to give him a Battle Gear M-16.  After that, the character disappeared until the amazing 1986 upgrade came around.  Hawk looks good.  But, if I want to use Hawk, I'll almost never choose this figure.

#10 - Grand Slam

Grand Slam and Flash  share the same mold.  The darker green on Grand Slam is a definite downgrade over the brighter green that Flash uses.  As a kid, we only had a straight arm Grand Slam.  The Silver Pads version was my Grand Slam.  I used him as a derivative of Flash, though.  The lack of accessories drops Grand Slam down a bit.  But, this figure does get a lot more use from me now.  Mostly, that's due to the fact that Grand Slam has remained pretty obscure over the years.  And, he's a guy who holds a certain, undeserved reputation for being rarer than other figures.  This is a function of the Silver Pads version.  But, photos with this original Grand Slam tend to do well since people don't see him all that often.  I definitely use this guy more than this low ranking would suggest.

#09 - Breaker

Breaker was my first Joe.  It pains me to rank him this low.  But, Breaker kind of marks a point in the line where every figure from here on out is pretty strong.  I ended up ranking him lower because there's not a lot of paint on him and he lacks a firearm.  That's made up for by his strong accessories, though.  His communications headset might be my favorite single accessory from the original 13.  And, it was a staple of my Joe world: even long after Breaker had fallen apart.  He's a mainstay in my HQ: helming the computer console.  And, I even use him as the second passenger in the VAMP.  Breaker remains a nostalgic favorite.  And, his low rank is just indicative of how strong the first wave of Joes was.

#08 - Snake Eyes

Yeah, I get it.  The "all black" was a design choice.  But, it's also limiting on this figure.  And, the 1997 and later repaints that added just one or two paint applications showed that just a little bit of color would break this guy up and make for a better figure.  But, Snake Eyes also features some unique parts.  The bomb on his leg is a feature that's really ignored and speaks to the figure's intentions of being a commando instead of a super human ninja.  His gear was also pretty strong.  The Uzi is synonymous with Snake Eyes and remains a mainstay of the character to this day.  There is something about the all black appearance of the original design that is lost when you paint up some details.  But, were this figure not super popular and somewhat expensive, he'd have little reason to be used over the later repaints of this mold.

#07 - Zap

My youngest brother got a Zap when he went to visit my grandparents in early 1983.  Before the figure came home, both Zap's thumbs were broken.  So, Zap wasn't a part of our childhood collection.  But, he's a figure whose importance grew as an adult collector.  Very early on in my collecting journey, I got obsessed over Zap.  So, he was among the only early figures I sought out to add to my collection in 1999-2000.  He didn't disappoint.  His unique color and strong gear add up to a fun figure.  Were mine not suffering from a snapped o-ring and stuck back screw, I'd use him in photos much more often.  No later homage to this original Zap was able to live up to this original version. (Though, the Super Sonic Fighters Zap is among the better character upgrades Hasbro ever did.)  The swivel arm version remains expensive due to the ubiquity of snapped thumbs.  But, he's worth having around.

#06 - Steeler

If you were missing just one of the original 13 figures back in 1982 and 1983, it was probably Steeler.  Being the driver of the line's most expensive vehicle meant he was often absent from otherwise complete collections.  Steeler features a unique chest piece.  That alone makes him useful.  But, he's also a great match for the Mauler and Slugger, giving him some versatility among later vehicles that was often lacking from his contemporaries.  His binocular helmet attachment was neat and gave him more visual distinction.  And, he even included an Uzi, something also unique to him as a vehicle driver.  I use Steeler more than most of the other original 13 figures.  Though, that's also because I have a spare that's easily accessible.  But, he's deserving of his spot.

#05 - Scarlett

Scarlett's a tough one.  From a sheer design standpoint, she might be the second best figure in the original lineup.  Her sculpt is amazingly detailed.  And, that's often glossed over.  Her unique color really stood out among the sea of Green that was the original wave.  And, it allowed her to evolve with the line and remain complementary with figures that were released years later.  It's tough to find a Scarlett that hasn't discolored.  And, that really limits her.  And, the 2003 repaint of this mold was better.  Even the 1997 is strong, though, it's very different from the 1982 coloring.  So, her lower ranking here is a function of those later figures being more interesting than the first design.

#04 - Clutch

Clutch was my favorite Joe right from the get go.  His unique chest with the holstered pistol was a drawing point.  I gave him a visor, Stalker's gun and Grunt's backpack to make him the most badass fighter the Joes would ever see.  Years later, even a straight arm Clutch retained relevance in my collection because he was so well done.  He's at home when he's behind the wheel of any early Joe vehicle.  And, you can use him sans vehicle as well.  I still refer to this head sculpt as the "Clutch" head as I feel he owned the design the best and made it his own.

#03 - Stalker

Stalker stands out due to his cammo pattern.  It was a unique look among the original figures.  And, it gave him depth beyond the reuse of the standard grenade and knife torso.  His head also featured a sculpted head covering with his green beret.  It made the figure a quick favorite.  The prominence of the character in the comic helped hold him over and made Stalker among the more popular characters in the line.  Stalker had a ton of great character updates.  (I'll maintain the '89 Stalker is one of the best updates any character ever got.)  But, none of them treaded over this original version.  Even today, an original Stalker can intermingle with figures from all years and not look out of place.  I wish the Comic Pack versions had been better.  But, we have the 1997 figure, which might be even better than the 1983.  Any way you look at it, though, the combo of figure and character puts Stalker near the top.

#02 - Flash

Flash is the best designed figure of the original 13.  He features a nice shade of green on his base layer.  He is then accentuated by a brilliant red chest, leg and arm pads.  These give him a startling appearance among his peers.  Were that not enough, though, the entirety of the red is outlined by a silver trim.  All of these colors carry over to his back, too.  In short, the sculpting was miles ahead of what other toy lines were doing.  And, then, Hasbro gave us the real kicker: his accessories.  Flash got the standard helmet.  But, you really get the impression that the standard clear visor was actually designed for Flash first and then ported to other figures.  His backpack is an intricate mess of technology.  And, it all culminates in a laser rifle that can plug into the pack.  The combo of sculpting, color and gear makes Flash tough to beat.  In fact, he should be number 1.  But, he's beat out for one simple reason that you'll see next.

#01 - Rock and Roll

Rock and Roll isn't the best figure among the original 13.  But, he's the one I use the most.  Part of it is that his simplicity works for his specialty.  But, he also features a unique torso and an amazing weapon.  I happen like the character, too.  I remember Rock and Roll as the crazed madman from "Hot Potato" in the first issue of the comic.  But, he later became a bit more mellow.  And, this made him interesting.  He was supposed to be "replaced" by Roadblock.  But, he stayed on the team and remained an integral part of the story until the very end.  The gold bullets really make Rock and Roll stand out.  And, it gives him more bulk, even if he's the same size as the rest of his friends.  I use this figure constantly.  I bought a spare just so I could use him more often.  It happened to the mail away version, which was a nice surprise.  (Things like that used to happen all the time.)  So, Rock and Roll gets my top spot just because he's a guy who resonates with me and gets used all the time.  It's no more complicated than that.

So, there you have it.  That's my ranking of the first 13 G.I. Joe figures.  What are you thoughts?  The great theme of the Joe line is that was designed to appeal to every kid.  So, different parts grabbed then attention of different kids as the time.  I have plans to continue this series.  It won't be chronological.  But, you'll see them pop up and we can discuss some of the different years and how the figures stack up.

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett - Around The Web

Were it not for the alternate construction style of the Ninja Force figures, they'd be among the greatest figures of the 1990's.  But, they were given spring action gimmicks that eliminated the o-ring and back screw construction that defined the line.  So, instead of the only updated figure for the Scarlett character being a late line icon, it is left to the scrap heap of Joe history.  It's a testament to what could have been.

It's too bad the Pulse line sputtered out before it could get to fun stuff like this Scarlett.  Frankly, a new take on her in this color scheme with  standard construction could be a really nice figure.  Super7 is about our only hope for that to happen.  But, they have not shown any inclination to look to the comic book for obscure designs that can't be repained ad naseum.  And, they have avoided 1990's paint jobs and characters like the plague.  So, it will probably be quite a while before a figure like this Scarlett could even be considered for another design.

Until then, enjoy what's out there that features the original, but limited 1993 figure:

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett Profile

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by ronnie_trickshot

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by ptytoys2021

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by gen_liederkranz

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett at The Figure in Question

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by gen_liederkranz

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by ratface44_james

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by gijoe_c4_panama

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by camelography

1993 Ninja Force Scarlett by toysandtomfoolery

2003 Toy Fare Scarlett - Random Photos Of The Day

The Toy Fair Scarlett and Snake Eyes set was an absolute dud.  It hung around for about retail price for nearly a decade.  In the malaise, collectors missed out that the two figures in the set were actually very well done.  In fact, the Scarlett figure might be the best Scarlett ever released.  She's a great combo of the 1982 and 1997 designs.  She features amazingly detailed paint applications and a nice complement of accessories.  In short, she's anything and everything you'd want from a Scarlett figure.

In the second decade of this figure's existence, though, collectors have come around on her.  And, now, most people will acknowledge that this Scarlett release is amazing and a definite must have for any collection.  You'll see her appear with some frequency.  But, more often, she's seen as a showcase piece: something a new collector can proudly show off as something cool that's recently been added to their collections.  

For me, this Scarlett is about the only one I use.  She appears in tons of photos because Scarlett is a memorable character and this figure is always appreciated.  And, her color scheme works well both with vintage and repaint era figures.  So, you'll see her across eras in the set of photos below.

1997 Scarlett - Random Photos of the Day

In 1997, the Stars and Stripes set was derided by the emerging collector community.  The plastic was weird, the colors didn't quite made sense and, some of the mold choices were downright bizarre.  In later years, we came to learn why some of the molds were chosen.  And, the softer plastic has now been in use far longer than the harder plastic from the vintage Joe era.  The colors, though, have kind of taken on a new life.  Some of the figures in set in the set now include the 1997 colors as part of their secondary appearances.  The best example is the Scarlett figure from the set.

At the time, this Scarlett was about as far as you could get from any other Scarlett appearance.  International Joes weren't well known in 1997.  So, there was no real chance for the mold to appear as Glenda or Quarrel.  So, Hasbro went with a completely new color scheme, purple and orange.  These colors had proven complementary on various Cobra figures through the years.  So, Hasbro knew they would be visually appealing.  And, they worked very nicely with Scarlett.

I've always thought the 1982 Scarlett colors are bland.  Sure, they're a nice contrast from the rest of the original 13.  But, even when juxtaposed against the black Snake Eyes, the tans kind of wash out.  So, having a Scarlett in more vibrant colors was a nice change of pace.  Paired with her silent beau, the 1997 Scarlett is far more dynamic looking.  Sure, not everyone (or, really, anyone!) will agree with me.  But, I far prefer this look for Scarlett over her original color scheme.

The 1997 figure, though, was surpassed in 2003.  The Toy Fare Scarlett is a perfect blend of the 1982 and 1997 color schemes.  It keeps the purple jumpsuit.  But, brings back the whites and tans of the original release.  Now, the 2003 is my preferred Scarlett figure and appears in far too many photos around the site.  But, I do like pulling out the 1997 version just because you don't see her too often and she's a nice alternative to the 2003.

2023 Pilot Scarlett

Everyone now has an opinion on the Haslab Skystriker.  They've been in people's hands for about three weeks.  There's lots of kvetching about it from a vocal minority...many of whom did not even back the project.  But, there's also been a lot of positives about it.  My plan was to write a full on screed about the Skystriker: it's failures and successes.  But, I don't want to.  Instead, I'm going to look at the one figure from the set that I thought wasn't going to be great.  But, has turned out to be nicer and more interesting than the rest of the figures from the set: the Pilot Scarlett.  And, as an added bonus, both the Dragon Fortress and the Attica Gazette are looking at the same figure today.  (Can you believe it's been 5 years since our last collaboration?)

When the Skystriker was announced, the Pilot Scarlett was among the revealed tiers.  Her figure was just a repaint of the standard Ace body that was recreated for this set.  It featured a new Scarlett head, though, to create a missing specialty for a major character.  At the time of her reveal, I mentioned that her coloring wasn't something you saw very often in the Joe line.  And, it is that coloring that really made the figure stand out once I had the entire Skystriker set in hand.

Really, the Skystriker figures are kind of bland.  The colors are dark and muted.  They're not bad figures.  They're just not anything that stands out.  If you mixed them with a lot of vintage figures, you'd miss them at first glance.  Figures like this are a valuable part of a collection.  But, it's nice to get something to spice up the monotony.  And, that's where this Scarlett comes in.  Her flightsuit is in light blue with white accents offset by a dark blue torso.  Usually, when you see an all blue figure, they look too much like a Cobra.  But, this Scarlett doesn't suffer from that.  It might be the distinctiveness of her flight suit.  But, the color scheme is different and visually vibrant.  

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the figure, though.  Scarlett has never been known as a pilot.  Though, she was somewhat retconned into the role based on the Glenda appearance.  But, as the Joes tended to be able to specialize in multiple things, it's fine that Scarlett is now a pilot.  And, it makes sense that she'd wear a high altitude flight suit just like Ace.  Or else she'd run the risk of blacking out and dying at high altitudes.  The bulk of the flightsuit would obscure some of Scarlett's female form.  So, that detail is also something you can accept.  But, I didn't even unbox my Skystriker plane.  And, I'm not going to.  So, this Scarlett is going to somewhat disappear into the storage drawer for 2023 figures.

In some ways, though, that's good.  The reality is that the Skystriker figures were not meant to be opened and used for photos, etc.  The plastic is soft.  But, the paint is even softer.  Ripcord's gear is so soft that you can't put it on him.  Scarlett's glove paint will chip if you put her helmet in her hand.  And, that's a thin accessory.  The painted heads and hands will strip easily.  The paint feels like the soft application that existed on the alternate Asian figures where it was like the paint was never sealed.  Hasbro means for these figures to be carded display pieces.  Which really is unfortunate as Joe figures have always been toys and not carded collectibles like Star Wars figures.  It's especially problematic since these are premium priced figures that are supposed to be of decent quality.

There is one glaring issue with the figure: her hair.  Scarlett is known for her red hair.  It's been her calling card since 1982.  In looking back at the promo mock ups of this figure, though, the hair color has been pretty consistent.  It's just still jarring to see Scarlett with such a brown colored hair.  It should have been a simple fix.  But, it's another odd choice made for this figure.  Sadly, as this is an all new head, no vintage or repaint era Scarlett heads will fit this mold and still allow the helmet to work.  So, painting her is about the only option to get Scarlett in her real hair color.

Scarlett includes two accessories: a helmet and a crossbow.  The helmet is the same as Ace's, just in a different color.  It is, though, extremely difficult to remove once you get it in place.  Dok Sewage has a video with tips to get it off without damaging it.  The second piece is her iconic crossbow.  However, I guess the crossbow isn't that iconic because Hasbro remade the mold without the handle!  So, there is no natural way that Scarlett can hold her classic weapon.  Hasbro has made a prior mistake in a similar vein when the Bazooka with the Cobra Trooper/Officer set was missing the sight.  This handle, though, is more egregious.  It elevates to scandalous, though, because Hasbro has gone the extra mile to pretend this design was intentional.  Hasbro Customer Service even sends out photos of how she can "hold" her weapon.  In one of them, her thumb is stretched out so far that not even the softer plastic used to make the figure looks like it will not last long.

The bottom line is that Hasbro made a mistake.  Instead of bullshitting collectors, they should have owned up to it.  They could have said it was an error, they're sorry, and they will work to ensure that no future releases have similar misses.  But, they didn't.  And, they way they handled it was reminiscent of the early 2000's Hasbro and their step child, the collector's club.  They'd have done a similar take where they didn't make an error and collectors were stupid for trying to point out that they did.  I was hoping that collector themed products would at least lead to a modicum of respect for their customers.  But, Hasbro is what they are.  And, their lack of culpability is completely in character for them.

I do not know how this figure will hold up.  We know that light blue figures from the early 2000's discolor without even being removed from the package or exposed to sunlight.  It would sure suck to find this figure an ugly yellowing, blue color in 15 years.  But, it's definitely possible.  I'm making it a point to get good photographs of all the 2020's figures so it's easier for me to spot discoloration in future decades.  I hope I'll be surprised and Scarlett holds her intended colors as the hues are so nice.  

When this figure was announced, I speculated that she'd be $80+ within a year of her release.  Early indications were that all the Skystriker figures were going to be pricey.  But, a lot of people are underselling these figures right now, especially Scarlett and the Cobra Commander.  So, buy now.  In 2024, despite the fact that the market will be a lot cooler than it is now, the deals on the Skystriker figures will be gone.  And, we'll lament $40 Scarletts the way we lament $4 Funskool Night Vipers today.

1983 Battle Gear #1

After Christmas of 1982, I owned four G.I. Joe figures.  But, between Snake Eyes, Clutch, Hawk and Breaker, I had just one gun.  Three of the four figures did not include weapons.  This greatly limited my play options.  I went so far as to find an HO-scale coupler for train cars that kind of looked like a pistol and used it for Breaker.  I desperately wanted additional accessories so that all my figures could not only have at least one weapon, but even a choice of some of my favorite weapon designs.  My wishes came true one day when we were in Buffalo, visiting my grandparents.  We were there for a short trip early in the year.  We hadn't taken many toys, confirming the trip was shorter than our normal week.  But, when out shopping, I found a new pack of G.I. Joe accessories at a local store.  It was the original Battle Gear pack.

The pack was cheap enough that my mother bought one for both my younger brother and I.  With these weapons, I now had the ability to give Clutch a visor as well as offering a spare Uzi to Breaker.  I could choose any weapons I wanted for Hawk and Clutch, too.  Of course, Clutch got Stalker's M-32.  But, I also added some accessories to the VAMP.  The new Breaker headset would fit behind the seat with the wire tucked into the seam between the seat and the bottom of the vehicle.  So, this allowed for anyone riding shotgun in the VAMP to be able to communicate with the rest of the team.  I also placed a spare Uzi on the same spot.  This way, the VAMP had a backup small arm if it crashed or just ran out of gas.  Hawk, well, I learned a hard lesson with him.  I tried to get Grunt's M-16 into his hands and it immediately snapped his thumb.  That was the end of that Hawk figure.  And, it's part of what pushed me back to Star Wars figures as 1983 crept on.  

The odd thing about the Battle Gear pack was that the accessories were colored differently from those included with figures.  The weapons themselves are a lighter grey color than the original gear.  Even in 1983, I could easily tell the difference between the Battle Gear and original weapons.  But, the weapons are close enough in color to be useful.  The visors are identical to the originals, though.  The helmets and backpacks, though, were very different.  The helmets were dark brown and did not match any figure.  The packs, though, were worse.  They were a tan color.  Again, they matched no figures until the 1983 Falcon Glider Grunt was released.  There was no explanation for the color changes.  In fact, the 1983 promo catalog showed original gear in the set.  So, the color change was a later decision that was never explained.  

The 1983 Battle Gear set includes every accessory from the 1982 line.  There are 4 visors, two Uzis and even Snake Eyes' ammo pack.  There were three exceptions, though.  Short Fuze's mortar and stand were omitted as was Zap's bazooka.  These three pieces would later show up in white in the 1984 Battle Gear set.  But, again, there was no explanation as to why they weren't included.  It was made weirder by the fact that their shared backpack was included with the 1983 set.  The fact that both those accessories underwent design changes could explain it.  But, both the 1982 Snake Eyes Uzi and Stalker M-32 are different from the 1983 releases of both accessories.  So, other weapons were modified, too.  The exclusion of these weapons remains a mystery nearly 40 years later.

The biggest new feature of the Battle Gear set is the battle stands.  These little rectangles of plastic brought a whole new element to Joe collecting.  The stands allowed kids to pose their figures and stand them up in any pose they desired.  The Battle Gear included two stands.  Starting in 1984, differently colored stands would be included with several small playsets.  By 1993, every figure included a stand on their weapon tree.  This ingenious idea allowed kids to display figures.  But, it also allowed them to put their toys away on a shelf using vertical space and keeping their gear on.  

In the early days of Joe collecting, the ubiquity of 1983 Battle Gear weapons allowed customizers to accessorize their creations with great aplomb.  They were free to paint, slice up and otherwise modify the Battle Gear weapons without worrying about their original accessories.  For dealers, though, the 1983 Battle Gear provided a great way to bilk unsuspecting collectors out of their hard earned money by offering them as original gear with original 13 figures.  Even today, you'll see many seller "mistake" Battle Gear weapons for the original.  But, the colors are blatantly different and there's no excuse for any mistakes by a seller.  

The value to a collector today is that this Battle Gear is an excellent option to properly outfit factory custom figures.  Many of Red Laser Army's figures are obvious homages to various foreign and unproduced characters from the Joe line's earliest days.  They, though, lacked gear that was a perfect match for them.  Battle Gear allows you to give these characters the weapons they deserve.  And, while the 1983 helmets and packs aren't great for many figures, the weapons are a great way to update the homages.  Having some cheap alternatives for that purpose is a definite plus.

Back in the early 2000's, before people got stupid with Joe prices, it was relatively easy to put together a small team of original 13 figures in a tan style.  With Grunt, Clutch and Doc bodies, you could make a tan Breaker, Hawk and Stalker.  If you were handy with a little paint, you could put together a decent Snake Eyes, too.  And, the Battle Gear weapons are a perfect match for this set.  To this day, I store my Tan Grunt with the Battle Gear backpack and M-16 since they are so closely aligned in color to the figure.  The tan works with Scarlett, too, as a way to better accessorize her.

For me, the real value of the Battle Gear came many years after its initial release.  In 1986 and 1987, I often had third faction terrorists or freedom fighters (really, they're the same thing just with different marketing depending upon which side they battle against) who would interject into the Joe vs. Cobra conflict.  My favorite was having them drive up to a ceremony in the A-Team van, open the door and pop out with small sub machine guns and mow down the dignitaries in attendance.  As small weapons were not overly common in the Joe line (and, most of the ones that did exist were in use by their original owners!) the Battle Gear Uzis were a great means of making these civilian fighters a more formidable force.  I'd toss in some of the larger rifles, too, as part of their getaway plan.  

My other random memory of the Battle Gear weapons comes on a cold winter's day, probably in either 1984 or 1985.  It was a Sunday and I had been playing with my Joes in the garage.  (It was warmer in there than outside, but still counted as outside play.)  I picked them all up and took them in.  A few hours later, right before dinner, I went back out to put away some bikes or balls and happened to find a Battle Gear M-60 on the floor.  It wasn't part of my team that had been in the garage that day.  And, it was a neat find as we didn't have a regular Rock and Roll and this Battle Gear version was the only copy of his weapon in our possession.  I took the weapon inside.  Really, though, it's not finding the weapon that was memorable.  Instead, it was the feeling I had as I picked it up off the floor.  For some reason, I got an overwhelming feeling of sadness that it was Sunday night and I was back to school on Monday.  To this day, I get the same feeling on some Sunday afternoons as the sun goes down.  Every time I do, I think back to that day in the garage, finding Rock and Roll's gun and then being saddened by the fact that my fun was over and it was back to work early the following morning.

You'll see some dealers command premiums for various accessories in this set.  The Uzi tends to command the highest price and sells for around $7, even as dealers ask double that.  But, the real value in the set is the visors.  As such, you'll usually find sets that are sold sans visors.  A whole loose set with no visors will run about $20.  On their own, though, visors sell for around $20.  So, getting the visors, too, will be expensive.  You can get carded sets in the $85 range.  Which, with 4 visors is a little lower than the loose price.  For just the weapons, the price is probably decent.  Original Uzis aren't easy to find and this is a cheap way to get them.  My only real lament is that the other Battle Gear packs in subsequent years didn't follow the close coloring of the originals like this first attempt at additional accessories did.

2022 SDCC Carded Skystriker Figures

I was really hoping these figures would be released on the old resealable bubble cards that were used for convention figures.  You'll have to tear up the cards to get a set of loose figures, which is what I'm after.  So, that kind of sucks for loose collectors.  

The artwork on the never before carded figures looks pretty weak, though.  It's similar to the fan art inspired stuff we see on Super7 cards.  It's definitely lost the feel of the vintage work.  It's just a bunch of guys (and one girl) standing around.  Meh.  These will definitely look out of place among either vintage carded figures and even the 2022 releases that were based on the standard vintage artwork.

But, these will resell for stupid amounts.  I'm guessing over $300 easy for the Cobra Commander, maybe higher if the vintage market hasn't cratered by the time this is released.  But, man, is his artwork weak.  It's really amazing how much the Ripcord artwork (which is based on the vintage) stands out among the rest of the statues.

HasLab Skystriker

I will preface with the fact that I am not a big fan of HasLab.  In general, it's a way for Hasbro to overcharge for a toy and assume absolutely minimal risk.  They take our money, sit on it for a year or more and then ship out an overpriced toy.  The upside to it is that you do get some offerings that would never be supported at retail.  But, paying $250 for an item that would sell for under $100 at a retail store is a tough pill to swallow.  The collectible toy market, though, is in a place where people are both willing and able to overspend for items that they want.  Hasbro realized this and is capitalizing on it.  I can't blame them.  I don't like it.  Yet, I'm about to drop $230 for the latest HasLab offering, the Skystriker.

I'm not a huge Skystriker fan.  While the plane looks great, the reality is that it's large, difficult to play with and takes up a huge footprint on display.  Despite all that, it does look amazing on display.  And, this new version (to ship in 2023!!!!) is only meant as a display piece.  It includes a stand.  But, everything about it is meant not as a toy but a piece of decor for an office, rec room or other such place in a collector's home.  Again, I'm not big on that.  I love Joe because they are toys.  

For me, though, the real value is in the figures.  The initial backing includes two figures: a rehash of the 1983 Ace and an all new co-pilot figure.

Ace figures are neither hard to find nor expensive.  So, I would have liked something on his paint apps to set him apart from the original.  But, as an homage piece, anything other than the original Ace coloring would have seemed out of place.  It's certain that these figures will be all new sculpts, likely based on the originals.  The real gem, though, is the co-pilot figure.  Not yet named, this mold is light years ahead of the new ARAH-style pieces Hasbro tried to scupt in the 2000's.  He has Ripcord's head.  So, it's tough to see him as anyone except Ripcord.  But, the chest looks pretty good.  I do not like the painted faces.  They look weird and are easy to chip and rub, even just in storage.  And, helmets, like the co-pilots, wreak havoc on painted faces.  So, I do hope that's something that changes prior to production.

Hasbro has to sell 10,000 of these for the Skystriker and the 2 figures to happen.  That is all but a certainty to happen.  Beyond that, though, Hasbro went ahead and revealed three other tiers right off the bat.  And, I will say that it's good that they did.  With just the plane and 2 figures, I would have been hesitant.  But, the possibility of 6 figures makes me all in.

The first tier figure is a flight suit Scarlett.  Coming available at 13,000 units, she is also all but guaranteed to be released.  It's an odd figure, Scarlett in Ace's flightsuit.  But, it's something different and the coloring isn't something you've really seen in the Joe line.  And, she'll be $80+ within a year of this thing's release.

The next tier brings us Ripcord.  At 16,000 backers, I'd put Ripcord at about 90% certainty to happen.  This is supposed to be a "Night Force" Ripcord.  As my friend RTG said, this figure looks like an early 2000's custom figure.  But, it is Ripcord.  And, fans have been clamoring for a new Ripcord since the early 2000's.  The figure is relatively bland.  But, the parachute rig really helps him.  Not being Duke also really helps him.  And, again, this is going to be an expensive aftermarket purchase.

The final tier brings us the army builders of this project.  For the first time ever, Hasbro is making flight crew.  The yellow and red figures are nothing special.  But, also something that every USS Flagg owner will love.  You see the re-use of the Ripcord legs and arms.  But, they appear to have new chests and heads.  The digital renderings kind of make them look like CORPS! figures.  But, I suspect they'll be decent enough.  And, considering their role, will fit perfectly for their intended purpose.

The Skystriker also includes a re-fueling and ammo vehicle.  Again, this is a little something extra that's sure to spur rumours of a HasLab Flagg is the Skystriker does well.  The vehicles are pretty cool.  Joe has always needed a missile rack to carry around re-loads for aircraft.  And the fuel vehicle is also something that's useful outside of the deck of an aircraft carrier.  For the money, that's a nice add on.

Below are more pictures of the Skystriker from the Hasbro promo images.  For $230, this thing is expensive.  But, it's also a reseller's dream.  The vehicles will recoup some money.  But, the figures alone are guaranteed to be at least $300 or more on the aftermarket.  And, the plane itself will sell for a premium.  That's why I think this will reach the 18,000 backers without issue.  While there aren't a ton of Joe fans, there are enough.  And, many people will buy two of these.  The resellers will pounce, too.  And, speculators know that HasLab's like this tend to appreciate pretty well.

In the end, this Skystriker was a surprise.  It's a low risk offering that's sure to find a market.  While not my choice, it's also fine and something I'm going to buy.  That's the first time I've said that about a high dollar Hasbro item in decades.  Let me know your thoughts on the Skystriker in the comments.