2005 Heavy Assault Squad Snake Eyes - Around The Web

The HAS set has largely disappeared from the collecting conscience.  Part of that is just due to the late release date and collector malaise at the time.  That left the set as a clearanced out dud.  Few collectors bothered to stockpile extras...even at closeout prices.  So, today, few people have the figures from the set.  And, it's kind of pain to find loose samples when you're out and about.  Despite the set being one of Hasbro's worst efforts, the reality is that Snake Eyes and Roadblock are pretty good figures.  It might be blasphemous to suggest that this is the best paint job on the 1991 Snake Eyes mold.  But, I'll argue that point.

I often use the figure just because he's so obscure.  But, he's also solid and tends to get people talking a bit about him.  There isn't a lot of content on him out there, though.  Even back in 2005, few people bother to really review the entire HAS set because the Joe world was so dead after the "Hiatus" announcement.  So, check out what little I could find on the figure and enjoy one of those weird "end of the line" oddities who's a surprisingly quality release.

2005 HAS Snake Eyes Profile

2005 HAS Snake Eyes by General Liederkranz

2005 HAS Snake Eyes by corpscommandercody

2005 HAS Snake Eyes by Gen_Liederkranz

2005 HAS Set at Joe Battle Lines.com

2005 HAS Snake Eyes by Gen_Liederkranz

2005 HAS Snake Eyes by twindigtoys

2005 HAS Snake Eyes by Gen_Liederkranz

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes - Around the Web

Hasbro probably made way too many homages to the 1983 Snake Eyes figure.  None of them really make fundamental changes to the way you can view the Snake Eyes character or figure.  But, each of them is slightly different and can bring a bit of depth to any photo that otherwise features the classic version of Joe's most popular character.  This 2005 Comic Pack version, though, did bring about a new head to update Snake Eyes.  It's a neat upgrade for Snake Eyes and gives the figure a different look.

There's a nice cross section of looks at this figure from the time of his release, a few years later and then more modern looks.  So, take some time to check out the content on the 2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes from the creators below.

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes Profile

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes at Joe Battle Lines

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes by corpscommandercody

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes by joesandtoys

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes by gijoe_for_fun

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes at JoeADay.com

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes by joesandtoys

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes by mrmikevinthepit

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes at Generals Joes Reborn

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes by gijoe_for_fun

2005 Comic Pack Snake Eyes by Flatline

1985 Snake Eyes

How do you approach a figure that is generally regarded as the most popular and most important figure in the entire Joe line?  The figure isn't "forgotten" by any means.  It is also a mold that is personal and dear to collectors of multiple generations.  While there are admitted flaws in the figure's design, they are forgivable due to the overall quality of the the release.  I've avoided writing about this figure for 25 years.  Yes, officially, this Snake Eyes marks the 25th anniversary of me profiling G.I. Joe figures.  And, really, the only choice for such an occasion is the most popular figure in the history of the Joe line: the 1985 Snake Eyes.

In very early 1985, a kid in my class heard rumors of new G.I. Joe figures showing up at the local KB Toys store.  Since the Dreadnoks had come out early, pretty much everyone was aware of who would be part of the 1985 line.  And, the cartoon from the prior fall had made Flint, Lady Jaye and Shipwreck early front runners to be the favorites.  Everyone, though, was also highly curious about the new Commando figure.  We all knew it was a new Snake Eyes and were desperate to add him to our collection as a foil to the then brand new 1984 Stormshadow figure.  I finally got my mother to take me to the local KB on a Friday after we got mid term grades.  Sure enough, 1985 Joes were falling off the pegs.  My young mind could barely take in all the various newness that was strewn about the pegs.  I found a Flint.  But, I put him back because his head drooped and I thought he was broken in the package.  (I didn't know about the new head articulation.)  I ended up buying Footloose and Airtight.  My youngest brother got a Crimson Guard.  While I looked over the figures, a clerk came over and remarked about how they had gotten a couple of the "Commando" figures and they had sold out right away.  On one level, I was disappointed I had missed out on this figure.  But, on the other hand, there was so many other amazing new releases that any disappointment was washed away.

Over the next few weeks, my two best friends and I had a friendly competition over who could find the most new figures.  At the time, we didn't know the code-names for the Tele Viper or Snow Serpent.  And, my one friend was oddly bothered by the fact that no one had found a Lady Jaye figure.  None of us really pined over Snake Eyes, though.  Stormshadow, from the year prior, had not really become available at retail until the Fall and my friend had ended up ordering exta figures from JC Penny's to get a Stormshadow figure after being frustrated at retail for a year.  We assumed Snake Eyes would be similar and we'd not see hide nor hair of him until the leaves began to turn.  

The Friday that Spring Break began, though, my mother took us grocery shopping to stock up on food while we were home for the week.  Both of my friends and their families were going to Florida for the time off.  The local Cub Foods in Indianapolis was very close to the Toys R Us.  And, as a quid pro quo for us going shopping and bagging all the groceries, my mom would stop at TRU and let us browse before we'd go to the supermarket.  When we arrived, nothing seemed all that different.  I made my way to the Joe aisle where I saw a box on the floor.  This box turned out to be a yet to be stocked case of 1985 Joes.  I slowly peeled back the flaps that hid the contents inside.  I scanned the exposed accessory bubbles for anything of interest.  My eyes immediately fixated on a grey wolf.  I yanked the figure out of the case and held the 1985 Snake Eyes figure in my hand for the first time.  I was trembling at my luck.  My mother, though, failed to see the significance of the find and refused to buy me or my brothers anything.  Fortunately, I had my own money and took my prize to the front where he became mine.  In the hullaballoo, I'm sure I bypassed not only my missing Flint, but also Lady Jaye and the yet to be named Tele Viper and Snow Serpent.  But, I only had enough to buy one figure and it was going to be Snake Eyes.

I got Snake Eyes home and opened him up.  Immediately, I posed him with my other new 1985 figures on top of the Bridge Layer.  The new Snake Eyes was just so cool that I didn't do much more than admire him for that first afternoon and evening.  I can still recall turning on the light in my room after bedtime, just to make sure that Snake Eyes was still sitting there, next to Alpine, Airtight and Footloose.  I still wasn't sure that finding him had been a dream.  But, it wasn't. And, in the ensuing days of having no friends to play with, Snake Eyes became the focal point of my adventures.  He battled Stormshadow, would kill scores of Cobras and even just do mundane things around my Joe base.  But, mostly I just admired him.  I found the sculpt and design enthralling.  And, I'd try to dream up adventures for the figure where I felt all aspects of the figure could be used.

In the zeal of youth, I called my friends when I got home.  They, though, were both already gone.  I let each of their phones ring more than 20 times (it was the days before answering machines were common) but did not connect with them.  When we returned to school around 10 days later, neither believed my luck until I brought my new Snake Eyes over to their respective houses.  It was months before either of them found a Snake Eyes.  And, in that time, I was pretty much a dick who wouldn't let anyone play with mine.  In fact, there were times I didn't play with mine as I didn't want to break him.  But, having the figure provided more value than the actual character did.

This revelation, though, proved pivotal in my long term evaluation of this 1985 Snake Eyes figure.  While I did, eventually, play my original to death and broke his thumb, I also found that this version of Snake Eyes was almost too cool to use.  Many times, I would take the figure along, but never actually use him.  It was tough to integrate Snake Eyes into my play.  A big part of this was that my adventures of that era were heavy on dialogue to move the plot along.  Snake Eyes being mute made it difficult for him to be an integral player aside from carrying out a specific task or objective.  This lead to Snake Eyes often being set out of the way, waiting for his time in the spotlight.  This backfired on me, too.

After my original Snake Eyes broke, I got another one at some point in 1986.  This figure was better cared for and continued to tag along on great missions.  He was always included in the "away" force that traveled with me to may grandparents' or aunt and uncle's homes.  It was in my grandparents' backyard in Dayton, Ohio that my second Snake Eyes disappeared.  My grandparents had a great backyard in which to play.  It was terraced into three levels by limestone walls full of ledges, pipes and ivy.  Years later, Hit and Run would be hidden among this ivy for months after I forgot him due to his excellent camouflage.  I do not, though, know where my Snake Eyes went.  The stairway to the third terrace in the yard was lined with fresh potting soil and newly planted geraniums.  It's likely that I left Snake Eyes here and he was tilled under before I could find him.  So, Snake Eyes disappeared from my collection once again.  In late 1987, I paid a classmate $10 for both his 1985 Snake Eyes and a complete with microphone Heavy Metal.  (This seems like a deal, now, just due to Heavy Metal.  But, it seemed a princely sum in 1987.)  This Snake Eyes survived for many years.  Around 1996, he and my childhood Stormshadow were set in a permanent duel on a shelf in my room.  When I moved to AZ, then ended up in a Crown Royal bag for the move and stayed there until 2001.  At that point, he was incorporated into my general collection and is, to the best of my knowledge, one of the three or four 1985 Snake Eyes figures I still own today.

Snake Eyes did take on another life in my collection.  The unbroken parts of my original figure were used to make a new, custom character.  This individual was a "mystic warrior" who was trained in martial arts, but also fantasy magic.  He could speak, giving him a tremendous advantage over Snake Eyes.  He also, though, was torn between the world of military discipline and devout practice of his chosen arts.  As I grew into a 1990's jaded Gen X-er, this character turned his back on the Joes and went off to study in the Rocky Mountains.  Cobra, though, managed to train an assassin who would go insane and then started killing world politicians: setting the stage for a post Cold War World War III.  The Snake Eyes character was pulled out of retirement and sent to find and kill the maniacal assassin.  In the end, he was successful in doing so.  But, then also viewed his debt to G.I. Joe fully paid.  Though, he had one final use.  As an old man, he helped to arrange the killing of General Hawk, forcing G.I. Joe to face the realities of the world in the late 2010's.  If he's ever found out, he will die in prison.  But, the stakes were too high and his final, horrible act is also the one that saves the team and allows them to grow before the world passed them by.

Snake Eyes' accessories are damn near perfection.  The weak link, for me, is one of the aspects of the figure that most other collectors hold as the highlight: the inclusion of Timber.  Timber is well sculpted and commands a premium by himself.  I've never really gotten this as I don't much care for animal companions in general.  But, the wolf is a key element of the figure.  Hasbro sculpted a new Uzi for this Snake Eyes version.  It is nearly identical to the original from 1982/1983.  But, it has a thicker barrel and is jet black in lieu of the charcoal colored original.  The figure then includes a well detailed black backpack.  Into this pack fits the character's sword.  The sword is the highlight for me as it's well detailed and a huge step forwards in terms of toy making from both the 1984 Stormshadow katanas and the contemporary 1985 Quick Kick sword.  Something about the shape of the sword just added to the overall mystique of the figure and it remains my favorite sword in the line.

Snake Eyes was released by Hasbro in 1985 and 1986.  The Hasbro figure was available in Europe and Japan.  Estrela got the figure around the early 1990's and produced a nearly identical figure to this Snake Eyes named Lobisomem (Werewolf).  Thus ends the life of this mold.  Yup, that's it.  What is, arguably, the best and most desirable mold in the entire vintage Joe line was used just twice in nearly identical paint schemes.  It was never repainted in any meaningful way.  Hasbro planned the mold for a 1997 release.  The painted mock up is, basically, the 1985 figure with more details.  It would have been a hugely popular release.  But, Hasbro couldn't find the mold.  So, it was replaced with a V1 Snake Eyes hybrid.  Hasbro remade molds for the vintage Crimson Guard, Cobra Trooper, Cobra Officer, Lady Jaye, Mutt and Scrap Iron.  Yet, they never bothered to remake the iconic 1985 Snake Eyes.

This, though, is likely a factor of Snake Eyes' general success.  Hasbro had no incentive to make a new Snake Eyes in the vein of the 1985 because they had access to the 1982, 1989 and 1991 molds.  Those fulfilled the demand for Snake Eyes well enough that it made no sense for them to incur extra expense to make something new for the character.  Had they chosen to re-do this 1985 mold, though, they probably could have repainted it 4 times before collectors tired of it.  So, there is simply an untold amount of untapped potential in the mold.  

In the late 2010's, though, Black Major released waves of 1985 Snake Eyes repaints.  There were nearly 30 of them in the first three waves.  I'm unsure of the final number of repaints that Black Major eventually released.  Most of them were Cobras and sold as flavors of the Cobra Mortal or Cobra Invasor.  But, there are some great versions that can be used as Snake Eyes.  In 2022, Hasbro brought back o-ring Joes.  The first set was Snake Eyes and Stormshadow.  The box artwork showed the 1985 Snake Eyes.  But, the actual figure was based on the 1983 design.  So, as of this writing, Hasbro has never redone one of the most popular figures in the line's entire history.

One thing that the Black Major repaints showcased, though, was that the 1985 Snake Eyes mold has some flaws.  Collectors were willing to forgive the oddly sculpted mouth behind the mask and, even, the slight pot belly that adorns Snake Eyes' stomach.  But, with all the repaints you could ever want now available, those design flaws in the mold became more pronounced.  The black plastic hid the flaws in a much better way than the lighter colors used one some Black Major designs did.  And, it shows that this Snake Eyes mold isn't perfect.  But, collectors can overlook that because this 1985 update is such an improvement over the 1983 Snake Eyes.  

For me, though, the 1985 Snake Eyes is, entirely, seen through the eyes of 11 year old me who found him months before anyone else on that Toys R Us floor.  The figure holds a mystique because it was the single item that every kid my age wanted.  I used him on adventure after adventure.  And, despite all that, I still feel that I didn't use him enough.  I don't have specific memories of him because I could never quite get a story that was as cool as his figure.  So, I still feel that this figure is underutilized in my collection.  I've found it difficult to photograph him in a way that I feel showcases the awesomeness of the figure.  So, to this day, I can't seem to capture the essence of how awesome I've always felt this figure actually was.

The 1985 Snake Eyes has always been expensive.  Back in the early 2000's, they were among the first figures to climb over $30.  Then, slowly, the went over $50.  But, in the doldrums of the early 2010's, the figures settled into that $30 range.  But, when the Joe world went nuts in 2018, this Snake Eyes was among the most affected.  For a time, mint and complete with filecard figures would flirt with $200.  They found a steady price in the $125 - $150 range, though.  As the market has softened, this Snake Eyes has gotten more affordable.  There are just too many of them out there to really remain among the more expensive figures.  Now, you can find nicely conditioned and complete figures in the $80 range.  And, if you're patient, can probably put a complete one together from different sources for less than that.  Dealers will still get $100+ from impatient and uninformed buyers.  You do need to watch for wear on the silver wrist dart as it's the most common place for paint loss.  And, unscrupulous dealers will equip him with a 2000's era Hasbro Uzi.  (It has a different mold and is very easy to spot from a trained eye.)  But, common, loose figures aren't the plum they were in the last hurrah of Joe pricing.  And, we're starting to see them fall into more normal ranges.  Carded figures, though, are a different story as they remain pricey.

And, with that, 25 years of writing about a toy line that lasted for only 13 is complete.  I've come to realize that my continued fascination with Joe is 100% rooted in my frustrated creative juices.  I've ignored my life long pangings to be a writer due to a crippling fear of failure.  So, instead, I've talked about the toys that were the ignition for that creative spark that still ripples through my mind.  I can't really wrap my head around the notion of 25 years, though.  It seems an impossibly long time and also a chronological flash that has raced by.  Collecting has been fun, frustrating and a hassle.  I've met a lot of great people.  And, had a lot of fun.  I have no idea what the next 25 years will hold.  But,if it's like the journey from 1999 through 2024, it will be an interesting ride.

2004 Comic Pack Snake Eyes - Arctic Gear

I was never a fan of the Anniversary style G.I. Joe figures.  I always thought the chest joint was stupid and ruined the aesthetic of the toy.  There were two times, though, where I was tempted to start collecting the line.  The first was on a random trip to Target.  My local store happened to have both a brand new Hiss Tank and a couple of Python Troopers available.  I thought about how cool it would be to walk into a store and find a vintage combo like this.  (Hasbro never got close in the repaint era.)  So, I thought about getting some.  But, cooler heads prevailed.  And, I then went home and bought a nice vintage Hiss Tank and 3 vintage Python Officers and had them all delivered to my house for under $50...only about $10 more than what the Anniversary toys would have cost me.  (Man, those were the days when it came to vintage pricing.)  The second time was when Hasbro released an arctic version of Snake Eyes based on his appearance in the second issue of the Marvel comic.  The figure looked spectacular.  Everything from the card art to the actual gear included was just perfect.  It was a figure that I had always wanted.  I held him in my hands a couple of times.  But, eventually, passed him and the rest of the Anniversary series by.  Besides, technically, I already had a figure of Snake Eyes in that look from a Comic Pack that had been released in 2004.

The first wave of Comic Packs were highly anticipated by collectors.  Hasbro had a publicity date on the photos.  So, many dealers (who, back then, were also active forum members) had access to them before collectors did.  They tantalized the figures with slavish praise.  When the images were released, the reaction was pretty much in line with the early rumors.  Collectors were in love with the looks and figures selections.  Shortly after the images appeared, the first packs were found in the summer of 2004.  Collectors quickly scooped up the packs at retail.  And, were disappointed a bit.  Many of the figures had quality issues with poor paint, loose joints and the plastic ties used to hold the gear in place in the packaging would mangle hands and strip paint.  On top of that, figures that looked great in the photos weren't quite as good when inspected up close.  In short order, what had been the most anticipated collector themed product since the advent of the Toys R Us multi-figure sets quickly turned into another problematic release that left collectors with something far less than their expectations.

The line, though, had other problems.  Wal Mart didn't buy the initial wave.  The Hasbro brand manager went so far as to warn collectors that they weren't buying them in enough quantity to keep the line afloat.  Despite that, though, Comic Packs continued on at retail through 2005 and were a staple of the DTC offerings.  (The Hasbro guy went so far as to introduce Comic Packs to the Star Wars line where they were much more successful.  Though, they were also much better than the Joe offerings.)   For $10, the three figures and a comic were a retail steal.  But, parents didn't really find them compelling.  I suspect a big part of that was that the toys weren't as visually appealing as other retail offerings of the era.  And, the comic definitely dated the look of the packs at retail.  The upside, though, is that pretty much every Comic Pack outside of the Oktober Guard wave ended up at clearance and discount sellers.  So, it was even easy to get this Snake Eyes and his packmates for $5.  It's a shame cheap toys don't really exist like that any more.

The selling point of the 2nd Comic Pack was the debut of Kwinn.  Kwinn had never been released in the Joe line.  So, collectors were mad to finally acquire one.  The Scarlett in the pack was also a selling point.  She featured a new, more feminine head that featured a sculpted pony tail.  She was given Jinx's body and was the second most desirable figure in the pack.  That left this Snake Eyes as the odd man out.  What's odd to me, though, is that this Snake Eyes is the 3rd best figure of the original 9 Comic Pack figures.  He was just included in a pack with the other two who ranked above him.  As collectors had Snake Eyes fatigue and it was already known there would be yet another Snake Eyes (YASE as it was known at the time.) in the next wave of Comic Packs, they left this figure as the unsung release o his era.  You'd often see him posed with Kwinn, just to make up a comic homage.  But, even in those cases, Kwinn was always the focal point of the photo.  Snake Eyes just didn't resonate with collectors and also didn't seem to have an impact upon casual buyers at retail.

The colors on this Snake Eyes are very well done.  While I'm not sold on their applicability in the arctic, they are visually appealing.  The pea green on the figure's pants is a dead ringer for the colors used in the vintage Night Force and Tiger Force subsets.  You can see how similar it is in one of the photos below.  Seeing this figure as a Night Force Snake Eyes kind of works.  Except, of course, for the fact that no other Night Force figures use the old swivel head molds.  So, it's not a perfect match.  But, it does allow for this figure to be used in different settings than just the snow and ice.  There's still enough black to ensure everyone knows this is Snake Eyes.  And, the parts choices are good enough to establish this as a figure who is supposed to be specific to an environment.

One of the aspects of Snake Eyes character that I like to explore these days is that of the absolute crazed psychopath.  Snake Eyes is a guy who, without the benefits of his ninja training, would have absolutely shot up a crowded parking lot at a football game in his post military life.  Without the theatre of war, his killing instincts would have consumed him.  But, the ninja training helped to temper his psychotic and violent tendencies.  But, even with those safeguards in place, the completely unhinged Snake Eyes can come out at times.  Someone who kills as indiscriminately as Snake Eyes has will, in time, be unable to value human life.  In his mind, he'll know that someone under his control is still a person.  But, the impulses can overtake him and he'll just kill someone who didn't really need, or even deserve, to be killed.  It makes him an effective special operative.  But, also someone who can't really be unleashed into normal society.  So, Snake Eyes stays on the G.I. Joe payroll so that he doesn't harm civilians who might cut him off in traffic.  Here, he gets enough action to keep his deep psychosis buried.  But, it will come out at times when he's dealing with Cobras.  

That's not a take on Snake Eyes that fits with his movie-hero portrayal that Hasbro wants to push.  But, it's a more realistic view of who Snake Eyes would actually be had he gone through all those traumas in his life.  Larry Hama alluded to the very dark side of Snake Eyes at times in the comic.  And, even when  Snake Eyes was being "heroic", he was doing things that, with a slightly different context, would have him a most wanted criminal.  It also adds a new dynamic to the Joe team.  Because, this Snake Eyes isn't someone the Joes want to befriend.  They keep him at a distance because they realize that people close to him could be the victim of one of his rages should he snap outside of the battlefield.  This brings a level of suspicion to the team as once you question the stability of one operative, you start to have doubts about all of them.  

Snake Eyes gear is fine.  He includes the standard Uzi as well as a black backpack from a mold that originated with the 1991 Dusty.  By 2004, this pack was passe and had been included with many figures.  But, it actually worked in the context of this figure.  He also included the cartoon standard XMLR rifle.  This was always a welcome inclusion.  Thought the rifle was now more common than it had been just a couple of years before, they were still relatively sought after.  So, getting extras was nice.  The figure didn't include the weasel skull necklace.  This was a key selling point of the 2008 Anniversary figure.  But, the Kwinn figure in the pack was wearing the necklace.  It would have been a bit weird to have 2 figures in the same pack wearing the same necklace.  So, you can give Kwinn's necklace to Snake Eyes to complete the look.

Snake Eyes' body construction was pretty basic.   It features the classic 1982 Snake Eyes head on a repainted 1983 Snow Job body...mostly.  The Snow Job body had been used a few times by 2004.  But, it was about the only swivel headed body wearing winter gear that Hasbro ever made.  I've have loved it if Hasbro had attempted something different like the 1989 head on an Iceberg body or something.  But, the fact that Hasbro was willing to release a Snake Eyes that wasn't mostly all black was pretty revolutionary...even as late as 2004.  One little oddity on the mold is that it uses the upper arms from the 1986 BAT.  Despite collector calls for it, Hasbro never released a 1986 style BAT in the repaint era.  Supposedly, the mold was damaged.  However, the figure's waist and legs were used on every Viper repaint that occurred between 1997 and 2005.  And, now, the upper arms appeared on this Snake Eyes.  So, what, exactly, was damaged?  And, with Hasbro very willing to resculpt Scrap Iron, Mutt, Lady Jaye and others, why didn't they just fix the damaged BAT parts and release a figure that would have sold in any incarnation they attempted?  The mismanagement of the Joe line by the early 2000's Hasbro team is so remarkable that it should be studied.

One of the main reasons I wanted to look at this figure is because he is such a perfect candidate for the Super7 ReAction+ line.  Here, a figure could be created in the vein of the anniversary figure where it's an all new sculpt that is, actually, comic accurate.  And, that would be spectacular.  Super7 has stated they plan to mine the obscure for figure releases.  They seem equally likely to look at the cartoon and comic.  The promise that the ReAction+ line gives is that we might see figures like this Snake Eyes.  But, this time, done up properly.  I like to think of an accurate Oktober Guard or weird outfits that Joes wore in specific issues or scenes.  (After Dr. Venom and a real Kwinn, though!)  And, while these could be releases that are considered, we're not going to see them offered in a 3 pack for the cost of a lunch out.  It will suck to acquire a real Oktober Guard over 4 years.  But, at least we'd have them.  The upside to a figure like this Snake Eyes is that it is Snake Eyes.  And, despite best collector efforts, any line is going to need major characters in order to sell well enough to continue for years.  So, we'll see what happens.  No matter how long the ReAction+ line runs, collector desires will never be 100% sated.  But, it would be nice to have one last shot at a few of the also-rans that didn't get the best effort during the repaint era.

While Comic Pack figures did see a significant increase in value during the Joe price upswing between 2018 and 2022, they have come down a bit.  Dealers will still try to get $30 for this Snake Eyes figure...thinking that the pandemic highs are still feasible.  But, you can buy all three of the figures for less than that.  Left to his own devices, this Snake Eyes is, at best, a $10 figure.  Considering it's 20 years old, now, that's probably a relatively fair cost.  At, at the price, I'd get one if I wanted him.  But, I paid $10 for the whole set back in 2004 and thought it was fair then, too.  Right now, I'm pretty much out of the vintage Joe market.  I haven't bought any figures in nearly a year.  I don't miss it, either.  But, that's what happens when you have a large collection focused on the things you like.  Eventually, you run out of new stuff to buy unless you find it stupidly cheap.  

2022 Snake Eyes

If you've been collecting since at least 1997, the last thing you need is another all black Snake Eyes based on his original 1982 design.  The character has been released at least 5 times in the repaint era in a mold and color combo that's the basic 1982 Snake Eyes but with some colored details.  So, you probably already have plenty of figures to represent the original Snake Eyes.  So, there's no real reason for this 2022 Snake Eyes to be part of any collection.  But, this brand newly molded figure does feature some aspects that haven't been seen in 40 years.  And, frankly, one of the updates makes this guy very worthwhile.

Back in the early days of collecting, everyone wanted a 1983 Snake Eyes with some painted details.  And, Hasbro delivered on that.  Every take on the original Snake Eyes mold released between 1997 and 2022 featured some painted details to bring some extra oomph to the mold.  What Hasbro never did, though, was make another all black Snake Eyes.  Really, there wasn't a reason to in the early 2000's.  For most of that time, the original Snake Eyes figures were relatively abundant and most of the collector focus was on the 1985 version.  But, in 2022, a newer collector base who had come online in the three or four preceding years did have a need for the vintage look.  

And, let's face it, 1983 figures aren't holding up all that well after 40 years.  (Though, the original Snake Eyes doesn't discolor ,can't have paint wear and, generally, has aged the best of the original 13 figures.)  But, it is nice to have a fully black Snake Eyes with the original waist that also has the softer plastic hands where you don't need to worry about breaking thumbs.  But, that's a pretty niche use for this figure.  Personally, I prefer Snake Eyes with some painted details as I think it's a more realistic look.  I break out the vintage figure specifically to photograph the vintage figure...not because I like the all black visage.  Even among my vintage figures, I'm more wont to use the Action Force Stalker figure just because the grey highlights make for a better photo.  So, there's not a compelling reason for me to really break this guy all that often.

But, I'd be remiss to not comment on much the original style waist piece on this figure enhances his visual representation.  I'm not someone who hated the 1986 Roadblock waist that debuted on the 1997 Snake Eyes releases.  But, seeing the figure more as it was originally intended really drives home how much care and thought the original Joe team put into their creations back in 1982.  The precision with which the parts fit shows a level of skill that is not replicated today.  But, back when you'd sell a quarter million copies of your worst designs, you could afford to take extra time and care on every piece.  But, seeing the figure in a much closer representation of how it was originally intended  is a big step forward and makes this figure worth owning.

The release mechanism for this Snake Eyes wasn't great.  You got him and Stormshadow in a 2 pack, boxed set for $40.  The set featured the following packaging: an outer brown shipping box, an inner, decorated box with character artwork and the actual carded figures themselves.  Since it was online only, it also then shipped in another cardboard box.  That's a LOT of packaging that collectors had to pay for.  And, $20 per figure seemed exorbitant when super articulated The Vintage Collection Star Wars figures were only $13 at the time.  (The greater Star Wars production numbers are mostly offset by the licensing fees Hasbro pays.)  Personally, I'd have preferred the character artwork box either replace the vintage cards or been removed with just the vintage cardbacks made available.  It would have been a cheaper option.  But, 2022 Hasbro was still riding high on the pandemic era collectibles bubble and they were almost not wrong in thinking people would pay nearly any price for nostalgia.

For some reason, the box art packaging for this figure does not look like the actual toy.  Instead of the 1982 Snake Eyes appearing on the box, we see the 1985 Snake Eyes mold.  Why is this?  Well, we have no reason or explanation as to the gaffe.  Truthfully, the 1985 Snake Eyes would have been a better choice since he has a sword to fight Stormshadow and it hasn't been released by Hasbro since the figure was discontinued at retail in 1986.  Seeing other box art mistakes, though, leads me to believe that Hasbro just made a mistake with artwork as it was commissioned separately from the toy.  Rather than worry about it, they just released it as is.  And, with an obscure, online only release, the questions and complaints were buried by social media volume in a matter of days.  And, now, no one really cares because for Joe collectors, it's always been about the toys and, maybe, the single carded presentation for the figure.

There are plenty of options for a Snake Eyes with a similar appearance to this one.  Aside from the plethora of releases during the repaint era, there are swivel arm versions available from Funskool in India as well as straight arm versions from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.  Even Black Major has released a multitude of V1 Snake Eyes repaints.  Hasbro has yet to repaint this newly sculpted Snake Eyes and it seems extremely unlikely that they ever will.  It's sad as they could have done a couple of cartoon repaints that would have been well received.  But, factory custom makers have really done a bang up job in maximizing both the original Snake eyes mold and the 1985 version.  So, you can find pretty much anything you'd want out of those molds through those avenues.

In talking with a few other collectors over the past year or so, I've found it odd that we've become very nostalgic for earlier times in the collecting world.  The early 2000's were when most of us really got involved in the Joe world.  And, that was a great time with the advent of online forums, a new comic, widely available Funskool, an irrational number of new toys from Hasbro and widespread availability of cheap and plentiful vintage toys.  The Joe world went into some doldrums around 2006 through 2009 or so as the world and the internet evolved.  The early '10's, though, saw the emergence of a new, more creative collector base.  Vintage was cheaper than it had been even 5 years earlier.  And, the rise of factory customs seemed to invigorate the base.  This was a great time, too.  Slowly, though, those communities that appeared began to migrate to the new social media sites of the era.  And, as algorithms downplayed long term engagement, those communities fell away.

So, this leaves me to wonder, will we have the same nostalgia for the subsequent period of collecting?  The Joe world changed drastically in 2018 when the Netflix toy propaganda series dropped an episode on Joe.  Suddenly, pickers and dealers got an inflated sense of Joe's popularity and prices skyrocketed as they bought up supply and priced it high to cash in.  The pandemic threw gasoline on that fire for a year or two as homebound people starting collecting...well...everything.  And, while we've seen falling prices for a while, they're still not really down to reasonable levels since the supply of inventory is so restricted.  During that time, Hasbro brought back a few items for classic collectors.  But, really, this is the Classified era.  But, the focus of Classified collectors seems to be buying and owning the figures instead of really being creative with them.  Will that lead to an era that has a future renaissance?  Maybe.  But, it does seem like we're on last vestiges of the vintage Joe era.  But, it felt that way in 2007, too.  So, we probably have another hurrah left in us.  I just hope it sparks another era of new creative forces instead of stale discussions about who should star in the next movie remake.

Quality wise, these Pulse era figures are OK.  The plastic is softer than vintage. Which is a great thing for thumbs and crotches.  I have no fears of snapping Snake Eyes' thumb when I put his weapons into his hands.  So, that's nice.  As this Snake Eyes has no paint apps, there's no concern over the paint rubbing away.  On other figures, I worry about paint loss because the softer plastic has lead to softer paint that isn't as sturdy the paint used on vintage Joes.  Being all black, I'm also not concerned about discoloring with this figure.  The soft plastic that Hasbro has used so far this century has not held up well.  Blues and whites turn yellow very quickly.  But, we haven't see that with the black plastic.  So, this Snake Eyes will probably hold fine in that regard.

One area where the Pulse releases did excel was in the accessory complement.  This carded Snake Eyes includes remakes of his vintage Uzi and explosives pack.  This gear had been mostly absent from the original Snake Eyes repaints after 1997.  So, it was nice to get it.  But, in addition  to that, there was a small, tissue paper wrapped package inside the bottom of the character art box.  Inside were some additional, loose accessories for Snake Eyes.  These included a 2nd classic Uzi as well as the Uzi, sword and backpack from the 1989 Snake Eyes.  There was also a standard figure stand.  This additional gear was a definite value add for the overall package.  I'll always take extra Uzis  based on the 1982 mold.  I do wish they had remade the 1985 backpack and sword instead of the 1989 since the '89 molds were used so often during the early 2000's.  But more gear is better than no gear.  And, the extras give some indication that Hasbro had at least some awareness that collectors would open a few of these figures.

When Snake Eyes and Stormshadow first went on sale, they quickly sold out.  This appeared to be the end of the availability of the figures.  But, as orders were processed, the set came back in stock.  And, it stayed in stock for months.  It stayed in stock so long that in June of 2022, Hasbro had a promotion where you could get 40% off if you bought two of the sets.  (Well, at least $75 of Hasbro qualifying product.)  But, it's a stunning blow to a line that seemed poised to finally have a supporting adult collector base.  Instead, it's slowly being proven that the Skystriker was a speculative fluke and that vintage Joes just don't have the cachet to survive for long at retail, even as a niche, collector oriented and premium priced product.  Snake Eyes did, eventually, sell out.  He never showed up at specialty, online retailers who bought all the extra Duke/Cobra Commander and Cobra Trooper/Cobra Officer two packs.  I'm not convinced that we've seen all the Pulse stock of vintage style Joes make its way through the retail supply chain.  But, the figures remain cheap, even if you can't just buy them from retail stock.

Currently, a mint and complete 1983 Snake Eyes will run you between $65 and $70.  A far cry from the $100+ of just a couple of years ago. But, that's still a pricey figure for one that is rarely susceptible to minor wear.  So, this 2022 remains a much more affordable option for a nice rendition of the original Snake Eyes look.  Carded sets with Stormshadow sell a bit under their $40 original retail price.  But, sales are few and far between since the collectors who stashed extras haven't been compelled to sell at the below retail cost prices...yet.  It's unlikely that this figure would reach his retail price at an open sale.  So, you can wait him out and probably get one for a lot cheaper a few years from now.  If you love the early look for Snake Eyes, this is a figure you probably should own.  But, at the same time, if you have a nice 1983 version, there's not really a compelling reason to track down this more recent edition.

Rarities - 1986 Promotion Image (Pre-Production Figures)

Every year, Hasbro would go to the New York Toy Fair.  Here, they would showcase a catalog of their upcoming year's worth of toys.  As the Fair was early in the year, the catalog would often feature early designs and pre-production figures from various toy lines.  Below is not the 1986 catalog.  I'm not actually unsure of the origin of this image.  But, it's not from the official Toy Fair catalog.  But, in this promotional image, you can see several pre-production figures from the 1986 line.  The 1985 figures are all production level.  But, there are lots of 1986 goodies to explore.

The most interesting thing, of course, is that Mainframe still includes the little stands that were meant for his computer.  The holes into which these would have been inserted did manage to survive on Mainframe's production computer.  But, the stand was never released.  It is likely this was done to save cost as the stand didn't really add any additional play value.  But, the artifacts of it's early existence are proved out by its appearance in this photo.

Most people viewing this will likely focus on the BAT that is in the front and center of the presentation.  You'll notice that it has a different chest hologram as well as a different head.  This head appears squatter and fatter than the sleek head on the production figure.  I think the production figure looks better.  But, your mileage may vary.

Hawk also features an additional paint application on his helmet.  The goggles are painted black.  It's a very nice additional detail.  And, while it would have been great to see it at retail, it's also not enough of a change to really notice it's missing.

Several of the figures feature alternate heads.  The BAT and Dial Tone's heads are the most jarringly different from their production counterparts.  There are also lots of subtle paint differences, too.  Some of these figures might have been hand painted samples.  The awkward posing on the 1986 figures suggests that they were not production level at the time the photo was taken.  

You'll notice that Iceberg, Leatherneck, Low-Light, Monkeywrench, Zandar, Zarana and Roadblock are all missing from this display.  I'm not sure why.  I can see Zandar and Zarana being later releases while they finished up the color changing.  (Zarana is noted in some material as featuring a color changing "mohawk" which never came to be.)  All of these figures, though, do appear in  the official Toy Fair catalog for 1986...with a few pre-production oddities of their own.  By the time of the Toy Fair catalog, though, all of the pre-production figures from this photo (except the BAT)  had been replaced with production figures: even while the missing figures remained pre-production in that later photo

Stormshadow was also carried over into 1986.  This makes sense for one of the most popular G.I. Joe figures ever released.  There was a time when I was hell-bent on finding a grey Stormshadow filecard that would denote his 1986 release.  I can't recall if I ever succeeded in doing so or not.  But, check out that 6109 assortment that included Stormshadow.  You got Stormshadow, the 1985 Snake Eyes, Crimson Guard, Flint and the BAT in one case.  By Toy Fair, though, the assortment was modified to drop the Crimson Guard, but add the Eel, Low Light and Leatherneck.  That would have been a dream assortment to find hanging on the shelf at your local stores.

These old catalogs are a treasure trove of early designs and pre-production kitbashes.  In later years, Hasbro got better at including more production level figures in their materials.  At least until 1993 and 1994.  But, we'll talk about those at a later time.

1997 Snake Eyes - Random Photos of the Day

In 1997, the idea of a Snake Eyes figure with painted details was one of the great missing links from the vintage Joe line.  Hasbro was quick to fill that gap with an updated Snake Eyes figure in the Stars & Stripes set.  But, the best laid plans were quickly foiled when the 1985 Snake Eyes mold was not found.  Hasbro was then left with an open slot in one of the three figure packs that were going to supplement the 8 figure boxed set.  So, rather than nixing Snake Eyes altogether, they released a second repaint of the 1983 figure.  These two figures had subtle details to differentiate them.  But, in the end, it was a harbinger of things to come when it came to the Joe Team's favorite Commando.

Over the next few years, Hasbro would release a take on the original Snake Eyes 4 additional times.  All offered something slightly different.  But, with the overuse, the mold became passe.  And, even today, most collectors are tired of Snake Eyes' classic look.  But, these early repaints of Snake Eyes do have value. And, they are one of the few figures from the repaint era that can be stood among original 13 figures from 1983 and not look completely out of place.  

Sadly, this version also introduced the 1986 Roadblock waist to the Snake Eyes mold.  It's never really looked or felt right with the rest of the figure parts.  You can see both versions of the figure in the photos below.  I have no idea which figure is from the Stars & Stripes and which is from the 3 pack.  On some level, I don't care.  But, the three pack includes much better gear.  So, that's worthwhile.  Both figures are nice.  And, at the time of their release, both were the best 1983 derived Snake Eyes figures that Hasbro had ever made.  Really, they still could be.  The differences between all the various incarnations of this mold are subtle and really boil down to whether you like one particular detail on one particular release.  

The 1997 series has held up very well over the years.  And, it's a shame that the paint mask and overall design quality of the 1997 and 1998 figures didn't carry over into the 2000's.  But, the weird bridge between the vintage line and Joe's return to retail in 2000 remain one of the highlights of the repaint era.  

2018 Black Major "Purple Haze" Snake Eyes - Around The Web

Back when this figure was released in 2018, it was quite popular.  And, in very short order, the strong Joe photography community used him in tons of various photos. Now, though, I can't find any of them!

Attica Gazette's look at the Desert Version of this Snake Eyes this week brought back the memories when the latest Black Major figures appeared in photos by all the Joe creators of the day.  Now, though, the day of big set pieces and action poses are all but gone.  And, the online Joe photography community has gotten much, much smaller.  It's a sad state of affairs and the change happened pretty quickly.  But, I know how hard it is to get out a nice cadre of figures and vehicles and try to pose all the figures in fun ways before they are all knocked down from a sudden breeze.

The Purple Haze Snake Eyes remains my absolute favorite paint job of the V2 Snake Eyes mold that Black Major produced.  It was just the combo of a single base color matched against some very nice details.  The purple color is just stunning.  And, it makes for a great match on the Snake Eyes mold.  On some level, I wish the figure had been released sans Cobra logo.  But, it works fine as an Invasor or Mortal or Lobisomem or whatever other character you wish to assign to him.  

I do hope we see some of the derring-do of the Joe photography community return.  I don't know if it will.  But, as we age, time does become more available.  So, that might spur a content Renaissance for a short time.  Until then, enjoy what I could find of this figure.

Purple Haze Snake Eyes Profile

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by C3pesto

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by AtticaGazette

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by gladiousbrazil

Purple Haze Snake Eyes by MrMikeVinthePit

Purple Haze Snake Eyes at the Surveillance Port

Snake Eyes reviews at the Dragon Fortress

Action Force Stalker - Around The Web

The Action Force line is fairly large and features some great 5 points of articulation figures as well as some great vehicles.  As the line ended and was going to transition to G.I. Joe, Palitoy repainted a large contingent of Hasbro vehicle molds.  Among them was a black VAMP repaint.  The later releases of this jeep included a repainted Hasbro G.I. Joe figure, too.  In this case, the figure was a 1983 Snake Eyes repaint that was named Stalker.

This leads to all sorts of confusion as it's difficult to refer to the character Stalker but meaning the classic Snake Eyes.  So, most collectors simply use the figure as an updated Snake Eyes.  And, prior to 1997, it was the only Snake Eyes figure with painted details.  That, of course, changed in 1997.  And, since then, the V1 Snake Eyes has been repainted many, many times: all with different paint applications.  They are better than this Stalker figure.  But, Stalker still has the distinction of being the first and also part of the highly popular Action Force line.

The figure appears from time to time.  So, check out all the content I could find regarding the Action Force Stalker.

Action Force Stalker Profile

Action Force Stalker at the Attica Gazette

Action Force Panther Profile

Action Force Stalker by viper_space

Action Force Stalker 00zxcvb

Action Force Stalker by yo_grenadiers

Action Force Stalker by atticagazette

Action Force Stalker by v1per_p1lot

Action Force Stalker by Olly Orc

Action Force Stalker by viper_space