Sky Patrol Steel Brigade - Red Laser Army

I'm not a great fan of the Steel Brigade.  But, every now and then, a repaint of a bad figure or bad idea comes along that redeems the figure or character in my eyes.  In 2017, this occurred with a Red Laser Army release of the Steel Brigade done in up in a combo of silverish grey and blue.  This "Sky Patrol" version of the anonymous Joe army builder was a new look for the character and created a striking color contrast that really worked with the mold.  The colors matched up well enough with vintage Sky Patrol figures and created a great little subset of figures with which a Sky Patrol army could be built.  While this figure hasn't removed the stigma of Steel Brigade in general, it has allowed me an opportunity to enjoy the mold more so than I have with most other repaints.

Sky Patrol has also long been a concept to which I've been cool.  Even during my heyday of buying Joes, I only ever got a couple of the figures.  Now, I have just two of them.  It was never a subset that really clicked for me.  And, I'm not a big fan of the Steel Brigade, either.  Yet, together, the concepts mesh extremely well.  The idea of support troops for a unit that I kind of see as ancillary to G.I. Joe rather than integrated within it works for me.  

Somehow, the Steel Brigade mold ended up being released by both Black Major and Red Laser.  Each made different color schemes.  So, that created a wide variety for the character.  In very short order, there were desert, arctic, black, blue and even Action Force Steel Brigade figures released.  The plethora of army building options allowed collectors to fill out their Steel Brigade armies.  Some were great repaints.  Others were just OK.  Personally, I found this blue and silver version to be the most compelling.  The colors aren't often seen in the Joe line.  And, the Sky Patrol figures that debuted the color scheme no longer call my collection home.  So, the colors were even more unique to me.

When I first saw this Sky Patrol rendition of the Steel Brigade, my first thought was that they'd make a solid crew for the Tomahawk.  The blue and silver shouldn't work with the brown helicopter.  But, that was my main thought about usage for the figures.  I suspect that the connection was just a manifestation of my desire to use the Tomahawk more.  But, with the figures in hand, I still didn't do anything with the Tomahawk.  Even today, I have yet to put it together, again.  I will do it at some point.  And, then, I'll finally take photos of the iconic chopper with their crew.  Until then, I often look at these Steel Brigade figures with grandiose ideas in my head.  And, I then utterly fail to properly showcase how cool the figures are in any attempt at photos.  

Sadly, these Steel Brigade figures suffer from a design flaw.  The hands are extremely small.  So small that they won't really hold the rifles without either modifying the rifle or modifying the hands.  Both are bad options.  And, it really limits these figures since it's very difficult to get them to hold their weapons without risking thumb breakage.  Aside from that, though, the quality is very good.  The plastic is different from vintage and repaint era Hasbro plastic.  So, you'll notice it once in hand.  But, the joints are tight and the paint masks are crisp.  So, the these Steel Brigades work well in a collection.

The figures included a nice complement of accessories.  The coolest piece was the silver backpack.  It is a cool color that works perfectly with the figure.  He also includes a small pistol and knife.  I'm not 100% sure of the origin of these sculpts.  They are Joe-adjacent and not reproductions of vintage Joe gear.  The coup de gras, though, was the inclusion of a black Steel Brigade rifle.  This rifle was highly desired outside of the baby blue in which it debuted with Recoil back in 1989.  And, for the first decade of online Joe collecting, it was acquirable.  But, that had changed by 2017.  So, being able to acquire large quantities of properly colored versions of the weapon was the real value in the figure.  As the very common version "D" Steel Brigade was my entry point to the character, I only consider the Recoil weapon as the viable weapon for any Steel Brigades.  So, it's great to have it included with this version.

In the late 2010's, Black Major produced a dozen or so repaints of the Steel Brigade.  Simultaneously, Red Laser Army released another 1/2 dozen, give or take, repaints of the mold.  Black Major's figures included an alternate, Airborne torso to help differentiate your armies.  The Red Laser figures, though, did not.  Black Major's figures also included an Airborne rifle while Red Laser Army included a more modernly sculpted pistol that didn't fit into the figure's hands.  Between the two factions, there were more than enough Steel Brigades to go around.  But, after the initial runs were completed, the molds disappeared from both sellers.  In 2023, Black Major brought the Steel Brigades back with a newly updated mold.  Again, many new repaints were produced.  The Airborne torso was gone.  But, the new figures filled in gaps that had been missing for nearly 40 years.  

Sadly, Sky Patrol Steel Brigade figures have pretty much dried up.  You could buy lots of three figures for $12 each for a long time.  But, those days are gone.  And, all of the Red Laser Steel Brigade flavors have gotten much harder to find.  You can expect to pay in excess of $30 for one of the figures these days.  The popularity of Steel Brigade in general, the high quality of this figure and the usefulness of this specialty within the Steel Brigade ranks all add up to a desirable acquisition for newer collectors.  It's really amazing to me how much the Joe world changed between 2017 and 2020.  That short span fundamentally altered the landscape of collecting from an affordable past time to a speculative collectible with a high cost of entry.  It's too bad.  Because, figures like this Steel Brigade were designed to be an affordable way to build the army you always wanted as a kid.  Now, they're single purchases that get tucked away in drawers or boxes and check off a box on a spreadsheet.  It's fun to recall these days of Red Laser Army as they speak to a simpler time in the collecting world.  I think this figure represents the innocence of that era and the potential that still existed in the line.

 

2023 Steel Brigade Ranger (Black Major)

I like very vibrant green colors.  Duller greens are somewhat boring to me.  But, if you get a strong, powerful green color, then it's usually something I enjoy.  In the vintage line, it was rare to find figures who featured a sprightly green base color. But, those who did were often found in my play rotation.  I even like figures such as Blaster: where I'm willing to overlook mold problems in favor of his dominant color.  It's one of the reasons why I do like Action Force as the green color they used is bright, fun and kid friendly.  So, it has been a modern lament that no factory custom maker has been able to adequately mimic the European green seen on Action Force.  But, in the process, there have been some interesting attempts that have still created awesome looking figures: even if the green isn't quite right.  Just recently, though, Black Major released his Steel Brigade Ranger figure.  In my opinion, it's one of the strongest Steel Brigade repaints we've ever seen.  It features a powerful green color, offset by a dark brown torso and opaque cammo patterns on the legs.  In short, it's exactly the type of figure that I would enjoy.

It should come as no surprise that I am not a fan of the Steel Brigade.  To me, the notion of G.I. Joe army builders is somewhat anti-thetical to the notion of an elite military unit.  At the same time, when I was a kid, I had a ton of figures that were faceless army builders so that Cobra could rack up some kills, too.  My main issue with the Steel Brigade is that it was co-opted by the worst elements of fandom and was used as a cudgel to keep Joe fans from ever getting toys that were not rubber stamped by people who had a very limited view of what Joe should be.  The entire debacle of o-ring releases in the 2000's was orchestrated by this group.  And, it's forever sullied me on the notion of the Steel Brigade.

On top of that, many collectors that are newer to the hobby don't recall the days of all the Steel Brigade figures you could ever want available for $5 for a MIB figure on Ebay.  You see them call common variants "rare" with no irony.  There are hard to find Steel Brigade variants.  But, others are quite common.  But, the modern collector seems to have confused popular and rare and simply can't fathom that there are people out there with hundreds of vintage Steel Brigade figures hoarded away.  They simply built their army when it was affordable and easy to do.  We're now in the third decade of online Joe collecting.  So, a lot of what seems to be true today is actually just a result of the actual truth from 25 years ago.

So, what is someone who dislikes the concept of this character to do with the mold in several differently painted themes?  Well, Cobras need someone to kill in my photos.  And, this site is littered with Steel Brigades being blown apart and executed in various ways.  Having nice colors to better mix with Cobras allows for the characters to continually die without me having to waste a main character in the various photos.  I like the idea of the character being cowardly and begging for their life, even willing to turn over their comrades.  Because of this, the Joes don't trust the Steel Brigade and don't tend to interact with them all that often.  They let them die on ill-fated missions against Cobras mainly as a way to gauge Cobra's effectiveness.  So, it's worth having a figure or two for photos like this.  Even if they serve no other role in my collection.

The 2017 era Steel Brigade figures included a backpack, the Recoil rifle, an Airborne rifle and an alternate Chest that was originally used by Airborne, too.  Now, the figures still include a backpack and both rifles.  Gone is the alternate chest.  But, now, they all include JUMP jet packs.  Personally, I'm a fan of the changes.  Hasbro is including a jet pack with their Classified figure that's based on the Steel Brigade.  (They lost the rights to Steel Brigade to a former employee.  Hasbro has since been low key trolling him with their product releases for a while, now.)  So, the inclusion here fits with the current depictions of the character.  But, it's just good to have more JUMP packs.  And, the tan color is neutral and can be used with a lot of figures.  The rifles are not the glossy black of 2017 and are, instead, closer to the charcoal color of the original.  It's still easy to distinguish.  And, the plastic is so different that it even sounds different than a vintage piece.

The biggest issue with the 2017-ish Steel Brigade figures was the quality.  The hands were too small to actually hold the rifles that were included with the figures.  Some collectors were able to shave down the handles of the weapons to get them to work.  But, this was a major detriment to them.  This time around, though, these quality issues have been addressed.  The figures hold their weapons with no issues.  Both the Recoil rifle and Airborne rifles work very well with the figures.  On top of that, the quality of the figure itself is better.  The joints are tight and the figure is poseable in ways that the 2017's just weren't.  So, it's a big improvement over the original releases and definitely worth an upgrade.

These figures are still available.  Individuals run $18.  But, you can buy them in multiples for less.  The last iteration of Steel Brigade figures have taken on nice aftermarket appreciation.  Personally, I feel this wave is far better in terms of quality and colors.  So, you'd expect them to remain desirable well after production has ceased.  I find this Ranger to be one of the better Steel Brigade repaints that have been created.  Not everyone will share that opinion, though.  Some may find this guy overdone.  And, the tone of green isn't everyone's color of choice.  But, it's a vibrant, attractive figure that really works well in a collection.  

2017 Steel Brigade - Factory Custom

I bought a lot of "original" collections in the late 1990's and early 2000's.  These were lots of figures and vehicles that were sold by the childhood owners of the toys rather than collectors or dealers.  As such, it was easier to identify which figures were rare and which were just popular.  Now, you see a great number of lots that are designed to look like childhood collections.  But, they are often stripped of all but the least popular army builders and the major characters like Snake Eyes, Cobra Commander and Stormshadow are noticeably absent. 

20 years ago, though, these lots were full of the army builders and major characters alike that collectors enjoy.  Aside from being able to use condition to determine which figures were favorites of the person from whom the collection was acquired, I was also able to get an idea of what figures were simply rare.  In my time buying, I never found a Payload, AVAC or Hardtop in a lot.  I found at least three Stardusters, a pair of Rumblers and an occasional Night Force figure, though.  One figure I never got in any lot, though, was the Steel Brigade.  This is somewhat odd as Steel Brigade figures (all versions except for the Gold Head) were relatively common back then.  Bagged version D figures with the recolored Recoil rifle sat unsold for $10 on Ebay.  If you wanted to build a quick army, you could do it for under $100.  But, I still never found the figure in any lot.

In the ensuing decades, though, Steel Brigade figures have gotten hot.  The overstock that was ubiquitous in the early 2000's is long gone and the reduced availability of the figure has lead all versions to be $40+ figures.  That's a tremendous amount for an army builder.  And, it made it difficult to amass large quantities of Steel Brigades.  In early 2017, though, factory custom makers rectified this situation.  In short order, a large number of Steel Brigade figures began to appear on the market.  There were desert, arctic, Sky Patrol, Night Force and Gold Headed versions.  And, there was also a large number of figures that were based on the classic color scheme that were offered to collectors for prices that were attractive to army builders.

I view this figure as the "Estrela" Steel Brigade.  The green color of the jacket and the beige of the arms reminds me of colors that Estrela used in the Brazilian G.I. Joe line.  And, while they never actually released a Steel Brigade figure, I could envisage them having used colors like those chosen by Black Major if they had done so.  The slightly different colors make it obvious that this is a factory custom figure.  The accessories are also different enough that even a novice would notice that the color, feel and sound of the gear is substantially different from that of vintage Joe accessories.  This helps collectors feel that their precious originals are retaining their value but also offering everyone who either hasn't had the fortune of collecting for two decades or had a massive toy budget to also enjoy some decent figures.

If you've spent any time perusing the photos on this site, you'll often see Steel Brigade figures in precarious situations.  Usually, they have been soundly defeated and are either posed as dead or about to be killed in terrible ways by Cobra forces.  There are some reasons for this.  The first is personal and is a subtle way to complain about how a certain segment of fandom has actively worked to shape the hobby to their own, selfish reasons rather than what the good of the hobby as a whole.  But, the bigger reason is not related to this old grudge at all.  For me, Cobra needed to be a credible threat.  If they always lost, why would anyone take them seriously?  For an elite team like G.I. Joe to be singularly focused on stopping Cobra, the enemy organization had to be a real threat.  Having Cobra defeat Joes, though, if problematic.  While the Joe team seems large, even a few defeats resulting in death quickly diminish not just the Joe roster but also their level of eliteness.  The Steel Brigade solves this dilemma.

I've always seen the Joe team as one of three entities set up by Generals Flagg and Austin in the late 1970's to not only combat America's enemies, but also groom military officers for political office.  The original plan was for the first group to handle international threats.  The second group, G.I. Joe, would handle domestic problems.  The third group, the Steel Brigade, would support both groups in their operations and provide a breeding ground for new recruits and replacements to the other, more elite teams.  But, things don't always go as planned.  G.I. Joe responded to Cobra and ended up chasing them around the world.  The first group became more covert and dabbled in international issues, often as anonymous aid to foreign powers who were either friendly to the U.S. or who had an objective that the U.S. happened to agree with at the time.  The Steel Brigade ended up getting drawn into both factions.  But, due to some terrible leadership among their ranks, were forever barred from getting promoted into a full member of either of the elite units.  Still, the Steel Brigade maintained their level of prestige and were a destination for many troopers who were excellent but not quite elite.  As such, they are capable of defeating Cobra, especially newer recruits.  But, they are also often bested by more experienced Cobras or better trained Cobra specialties.  

All of this provides an elaborate setup where I get to use the figures in a variety of ways.  I've always felt the Steel Brigade figure was very cool and worthy of his popularity.  I have always used Joe aligned army builders.  And, finally having Steel Brigade figures made it easier to represent this fact in photos and dioramas.  Being able to finally acquire some cheap versions based on vintage coloring as well as some additional paint jobs has been a great way to grow my collection and give Cobra a fairer fight.  If the Joes capture Cobras, they have to take them into custody and let them stand trial, get convicted and go to federal prison.  Cobra, though, can point a bazooka at a guy strapped to a tire and blow him up.  They just can't, though, do this to Roadblock, Flint or other characters.  So, the Steel Brigade will continue to find terrible fates at the hands of the bad guys.  Occasionally, they'll win one, too.  But, the Steel Brigade opens up more possibilities for story telling and photo taking.  So, that's worth their price right there.

This Steel Brigade version featured a great deal for your money.  In addition to the classic "Duke" chest version of the character, each figure also included an "Airborne" chest so you could build and army of Version A Steel Brigade figures.  Each figure included the requisite backpack in green.  They also included two rifles: a dark black Airborne rifle and a dark black Recoil rifle.  The Recoil rifles were welcome additions to the collecting world as they offered a cheap and properly colored alternative to one of the best weapon molds of the vintage Joe line.  And, you're still left with a spare rifle should you use the Recoil weapon for another Joe.

The Steel Brigade figures started their life off at around $12 per figure, $10 per figure if you bought larger lots.  By Christmas of 2017, though, you could get them for around $7 each.  At that price, they didn't last long.  Now, almost two years after their release, the lots of 5 Steel Brigade figures are gone and you'll see individuals sold between the $15 and $20 range.  At $12, these guys were a novelty.  At $7, they were a must buy.  But, at $20, I'd skip them and just save up to buy an original Steel Brigade.  Oddly, many of the differently colored Steel Brigade figures remain cheaper than original pricing.  But, those based on the Gold Head colors and the original colors have retained their popularity.  But, this makes sense since the figures are excellent army builders, hearken back to the vintage line and are close enough for many collectors to find useful.  

Gold Head Steel Brigade - Around the Web

The Gold Head Steel Brigade is generally considered the rarest full production vintage Joe figure.  He's cool, hard to find and rather expensive.  As such, you don't see him around too often.  Here's some of the best content around the web regarding the figure.

Gold Head Steel Brigade Profile

Gold Head Steel Brigade at Joe A Day

Gold Head Steel Brigade at Joe A Day - 2

Gold Head Steel Brigade at JoeDios.com

Gold Head Steel Brigade at TheTerrordrome

Rarities - Unproduced "Tiger Force" Steel Brigade

Of all the figures that showed up in the mid 2000's from Asian sellers, the one below is most flummoxing.  Pretty much all of the other figures were variants of figures that actually saw release.  A few were legit unproduced figures, but they were backed up by having appeared at conventions or in Hasbro documentation.  This Steel Brigade figure, though, did not.  His origins are completely unknown.

There was a ton of speculation on this figure.  Perhaps he was planned as a mail away that never came to be.  He might have been spec-ed out for inclusion in the Anti Venom or Greenshirts Toys R Us sets, but was cancelled.  He might have been a run to see if the head that was then used to create the Anti Venom helmets was usable.  (Though this is unlikely.)  He might have been a figure that was blocked by a cabal of secret collectors who were out to destroy the collecting community.  Or, he might have been part of a planned product that never got far enough along for Hasbro to actually announce it.  Whatever his origin, though, the figure sparked immense interest among collectors.

The figure is often denoted as a Tiger Force Steel Brigade figure.  However, there is no reason for this name other than collectors were looking for a way to distinguish him from existing Steel Brigade figures at the time.  His cammo does not resemble Tiger Force in any way.  And, there's no indication he would have been released in a Tiger Force bannered set.  But, the name persists and is a decent way to differentiate the figure from the release Steel Brigade figures that are out there.

This figure was actually sold frequently for a short time.  He often appeared in the standard weekly lots that Asian sellers would post.  But, he always sold high.  Even in 2004 and 2005, this was a $100 figure.  Aside from the public auctions, many collectors worked directly with Asian sellers to acquire this figure privately.  They usually paid the public prices.  But, these quiet sales helped to keep the speculated number of these figures in circulation down below the actual levels at which the figure exists.  But, this isn't to say the Steel Brigade is a common figure.  Even the Asian sellers of the time admitted that this guy's supply was extremely sparse.  So, he is, likely, one of the rarest alternate Asian figures to exist.

As a figure, this guy isn't all that great.  Yes, it would have been great to have access to a modern Steel Brigade figure during that time.  But, seeing the Firefly chest and arms again in 2004 was just exhausting.  So much so that the figure would have likely been ill received had it gone to production.  But, that wouldn't have stopped me and many others from acquiring them en masse had it seen a retail release.

The figure's coloring is decent enough.  It would have blended with existing Steel Brigade figures.  But, still been different enough to stand on its own.  Seeing this figure makes the terrible Greenshirts set just that much worse.  Had even one figure in that set been replaced with a Steel Brigade figure, that set would have been redeemed and useful.  Knowing that Hasbro had the mold available is just another frustrating part of that era in G.I. Joe's history.  They could have released this figure, or even just this head, and created something so much better than what they actually released.

These days, this is a pricey figure.  There's not a lot of them and it's probably the most famous and desirable figure from the entire pantheon of unreleased/alternate figure concepts.  As a rarity, I'd love to get one.  As a collector, I lament that we didn't get this figure at retail.  He would have been a cool addition to the line.

1993 Gold Head Steel Brigade

I never had a Steel Brigade figure as a kid.  I just couldn't stomach spending that much for a figure when I could buy other figures at retail for less.  Plus, I was never sure enough of the design to know if I would enjoy having it for the price Hasbro charged.  As an adult, the Steel Brigade never really factored into my collection.  I had the figures.  But, Joe army builders never appealed to me.  Plus, the Steel Brigade name was heavily sullied by an early collectors club of the same name.  Their juvenile antics in the early days of online Joe collecting just soured the figures for me.  (Most of these guys are now part of Master Collector.  Big surprise, eh?)  As enough time has passed, though, I have re-examined these figures in my collection.  The design is actually fairly strong and the figures are made with pre-1985 parts which makes them a perfect integration into my collection.  The more common figures are good enough, but is one of the rarest G.I. Joe figures ever produced that has recently captured my attention: the Gold Headed Steel Brigade.

This Gold Headed Steel Brigade likely started shipping to collectors in 1993.  Exactly how long it shipped and how many were made is unknown.  However, Hasbro did still have large volumes of regular colored Steel Brigade figures into 1994.  So, was the Gold Head version produced and then followed up with more of the standard colors?  Or, was it just something to help spark sales of the Steel Brigade in general as the line wound down and Hasbro wanted to reduce their mail away figure overstock?  At this point, it is unlikely we'll ever know the full story behind this figure.  But, we do know that he is rather rare and that has remained unchanged since his original release.

This figure is striking.  The bright green chest is perfectly offset by the deep blue body.  The golden head gives the combination a regal look.  I have long thought that this figure is not substantially rarer than the 1993 Create a Cobra.  However, the Create a Cobra is pink and this Steel Brigade variant is visually remarkable.  It is this desirability that has lead to the large pricing disparity between the two figures.  The Create a Cobra is a figure you get to complete a collection.  The Gold Head Steel Brigade is a figure you want to acquire because it is so appealing.

The deep blue base color, though, provides the insight into this figure's place in my collection.  I have long been more interested in the early years of the Joe team.  This is partially because those were not fleshed out in great detail in the original comic.  But, it is also because the entire notion of Joe's formation within the historical context of the late 1970's and early 1980's lends itself to some interesting perspective.  That time in US history was not overly kind to the military.  For Hasbro to take such a leap with a toy line either shows them to be great risk takers or Nostradamus-ly prescient as to the attitude the country would develop as Ronald Reagan's presidency took hold.  Which leads us to this figure's backstory....

Even in my childhood, I always had another team that was an equivalent of Joe.  They had different missions and, sometimes, different enemies.  But, they were formed at the same time as Joe.  The thought being that multiple teams would eventually produce a leader with the public support to be president.  This second team morphed over time to an international response team.  Joe was domestic.  However, when Cobra's first strike was on US soil, Joe got the call and then expanded into international operations in pursuit of Cobra and their contractors.  Regardless, these 2 teams were supported by a third team: the Steel Brigade.  The Steel Brigade was a group of 50 soldiers who weren't ready for acceptance into Joe or the other team.  The Steel Brigade was lead by a group of 3 officers who wore the golden uniforms.  Slowly, Steel Brigade members perished in support of their elite units.  However, no one from the Steel Brigade was promoted up to these units, even as their rosters expanded.

This did not sit well with Goldenrod, one of the leaders of the Steel Brigade.  He became more and more bitter about his oversight.  Finally, the Pentagon brass admitted that the Steel Brigade would never be expanded nor promoted.  They would just support the more prominent teams until there were no members left.  Goldenrod was not pleased with this, but continued on.  In support of a small Joe team along a river, though, the Steel Brigade was ambushed by a hidden Cobra force who was intended to overrun Joe reinforcements.  All but Goldenrod and 6 Steel Brigade members were killed.  Goldenrod could not overcome this.  He then plotted with Firefly to blow up G.I. Joe headquarters.  But, the plot was uncovered by one of the Steel Brigade soldiers.  However, when the MP's came to arrest Goldenrod, he lied to the other 5 members and told them they were under Cobra attack.  In the resulting melee, several US troops were killed.  Goldenrod and the 5 others were convicted of treason.  The 5 pleaded their innocence since they did not know it was US forces and not Cobra they were fighting.  But, it did not work.  They were sent to prison for life and Goldenrod was sentenced to the gas chamber.

On his execution day, though, the executioner dropped the gas tablets into the waiting room and freed Goldenrod while his accusers died in agony.  The executioner, a specialist from Australia, offered Goldenrod a deal: join him or join the recently deceased guards.  Goldenrod accepted on one condition: his 5 Steel Brigade compatriots were also freed.  As news of Goldenrod's escape spread, military prison officials decided to move the 5 other Steel Brigade members to a Supermax prison.  All 5 were taken to a small base, just as Cobra had planned.  Cobra troops overwhelmed the base staff and freed the 5.  While all had been betrayed by their country, not all were ready to take up arms against it.  But, facing that or life in solitary confinement, all went with the Cobra and rejoined Goldenrod as an early Cobra specialist unit.  Goldenrod remained one of the most wanted men in the world until one of the 5 finally contacted Hawk to work out a deal.  Ultimately, this man gave up information on Goldenrod and he was killed in combat in the mid 80's.  It was an end to a dark chapter in Joe's history and was one of the reasons why the Jugglers were so distrustful of Joe for many years.

This use left the figure as desirable in my collection.  But, as his story is complete, his use fullness has diminished.  As such, this figure is left as an expensive display piece.  He looks good when showcased with various figures from Joe's earliest years.  Whenever you see the figure, it is certainly a conversation piece.  The look draws attention to the figure and the golden head gives a vibe of either importance or rarity.  It's rare that a figure from any toyline accomplishes this.

This figure is expensive...often the most expensive American production figure of all.  In 2010/2011, prices went nuts...so much so that a loose figure sold for nearly $1000.  More typically, though, the figure was selling from $350-$400 if it was mint and complete with the patch.  As 2011 wound into 2012, prices came down a bit and mint, complete figures started selling in the $225-$275 range.  But, as 2012 has worn on, the pricing has climbed back towards the $300 range for a mint, complete figure.  If you want the patch, that will typically run about $50 more.  If you forgo the exclusive backpack, the price will often drop another $75.  (Though, the pack alone will cost you $100 most of the time.)  The result is a figure that, in my opinion, is more expensive than he's worth.  It's an interesting design and the figure certainly is rare.  But when you consider what else that much money can buy for a collection, I find it hard to justify for a figure like this.

Steel Brigade Mail Away

We have already visited Hasbro's personalized figures with the 1993 Create Your Own Cobra. This time, however, we are going to examine the successful side of this promotion, the Steel Brigade. There are many, many variations of the Steel Brigade figure. Hasbro "frankensteined" these figures together with many different parts. Personally, I use YoJoe.com as my resource. They list 5 distinct versions of the figure. (It should be noted that I do not count accessory variations of a figure as a variation of a figure. Only a physical change to either body construction or factory paint jobs is considered a figure variation to me.) The version you see here is the one I have found to be most common. (I only base that on my collecting experience and the fact that I have 4 of these guys and no other versions.)

These guys are just awesome basic Joe infantry troops. They make perfect cannon fodder. They are the one figure that just about everyone will agree as to their usage. Still, these guys have a cool mold. Sure, they are cast from existing figures, but the head is very cool and allows you to easily use them as field troops, security officers, or any number of other duties. I think the enduring popularity of this figure is that it could be whatever you wanted it to be. Hasbro allowed for customized filecards on Steel Brigade figures and I think many people made this guy into the character they most wanted to see in the line. As such, this guy was offered for years with great success. The amount of people who have these guys in their collections is also staggering. Some people have dozens of them. Many collectors have more than one. They created the figures when they were kids and the nostalgic memories have kept the Steel Brigade figure in featured spots in many collections.

The version that I have pictured comes with, in my opinion, the best accessories of any of the known Steel Brigade figures. Earlier versions came with either Airborne or the Crimson Guard's rifles as well as the pack you see here. This version has a black version of Recoil's rifle. It is an awesome accessory that looks great with a wide variety of figures. It is truly a shame that it was only available with a mail order figure, but it was available for about 4 or more years and, therefore, is rather easy and cheap to obtain today. This gun, though, only enhances an already good figure. The Steel Brigade, by itself, is a great figure that is a lot of fun to own. If you are lucky enough to get the properly accessorized version, you can create quite a formidable force for your Cobra legions to engage.

The Steel Brigade made an appearance for a brief time in the modern line. In 2004, versions of the Steel Brigade started appearing in Asia. A good number of these figures made their way to the US and can be found today with a little looking. However, this figure was never actually released. In its place, Hasbro released the Anti-Venom Set which featured Steel Brigade inspired helmets on classic figures. In 2006, Hasbro actually released a new sculpt set of Steel Brigade figures that featured the classic colors and removable helmets. But, all of the figures were actual characters rather than nameless recruits. At this point, I think the Steel Brigade concept is pretty much a sham of the original concept and should simply be put to bed. There really isn't any reason for it to make another appearance as there are plenty of options out there for collectors.

Some versions of the Steel Brigade figure are incredibly hard to find. Some collectors count one of the variations as the rarest Joe figure out there. This version, though, is not hard to get at all. He can be found all over the place and usually for under $8.00 for a MIB specimen. They are cheap and plentiful enough to build ample armies. You should, though, take full advantage of their availability now. As with most Joes that are easily obtained MIB, these guys are starting to disappear into private collections where they will stayed bagged forever. However, I just picked up two of them for $5.00 for the lot. You can easily buy these guys up and not feel guilty about opening them. Now that I've got a couple of loose samples, I can honestly say that I have no regrets freeing them from their plastic prisons. I'm sure you won't either.

I'd like another version of the Steel Brigade figure. If you can help, email me.