1993 Star Brigade TARGAT - Around The Web

When I first found 1993 Star Brigade figures at a KB ToyWorks, there were only Joes on the shelves.  The Cobras were long gone by the time I found the figures.  But, in the late 1990's, it was actually possible to buy carded Star Brigade Cobras for the same $2 price that they would have cost me at the store on that spring day.  It was through these means that I acquired my Star Brigade TARGAT figures.

Once in hand, though, I wasn't as enamored with the Cobras as I was the Joes.  And, it became rare for me to utilize the TARGAT figure as he just didn't really speak to me like many other new acquisitions in my collection did.  That remains the same today.  I rarely use this figure.  And, the last time I did, his knee cracked when I tried to bend it.  So, he's not going to see much additional use in the future.

1993 TARGAT Profile

1993 TARGAT by fosilru

1993 TARGAT by Slipstream80

1993 TARGAT at JoeADay.com

1993 TARGAT by diorama_accessories

1993 TARGAT by 1990s_gi_joes

1993 TARGAT by gen_liederkranz

1993 TARGAT by Slipstream80

1993 TARGAT by thedustinmccoy

Funskool Streethawk

The G.I. Joe collecting world of 2023 is vastly different from that of 2003.  You'd expect 20 years to make a difference.  And, many of the changes we've seen are things that were unforeseen back in the early years of this century.  The one change that's the most baffling to me, though, has been the meteoric rise of the 2000's era Funskool figures.  These were sold by every dealer under the sun in 2001 through 2005.  Untold thousands of them flooded the market.  Collectors who wanted them were able to buy all that they could ever desire.  Those who didn't want them still usually ended up with some as they were so ubiquitous in lots and trade fodder.  Despite this, Funskool figures from that era are now overly expensive for their availability.  In general, though, the more popular Funskool figures from the early 2000's remain the cheapest.  While, the most garish figures that were unliked at the time of their release have gotten substantially more expensive.  There is one exception, though.  And, that is the Funskool Streethawk figure.  He's become the most expensive figure from that era, even though he was among the most popular figures of the time.

Streethawk has a few reasons for his exceptionalism.  The first is that he was only sold with the Streethawk motorcycle.  He was still a carded figure.  But, the inclusion of the cycle meant that new Streethawks would cost you $7 or $8 each as opposed to the standard $4 per standard carded Funskool figure.  Streethawk was also a character.  While this particular version shares a lot in common with the TARGAT mold and can be used as such, most people still saw him as a unique character.  So, even though he was about the same cost as a Hasbro retail army builder at the time, not as many people army built the figure since they were good with a single version of the character.  These two aspects combined to reduce sales on the figure as opposed to, say, the Night Viper.  But, Streethawk was still a common site in the collections of the early 2000's.  And, dealers would even sell out of Streethawk figures from time to time.  Everyone may have only had one or two of them.  But, everyone had at least one.

If you had told 2003 me that a handful of the common Funskool figures available at the time would be worth more than $100 each just 20 years later, my first guess for the figure would have been Super Cop.  But, Super Cop was also only available for a few months, cost $13 or more to buy at retail and was more of a one off warehouse find than a figure Funskool had in production.  So, if I'd thought about it, the only other real options would have been a couple of the very late, 2004, releases that collectors ignored.  Or, this Streethawk.  He was popular during his time.  And, he has a bit of crossover appeal to Streethawk fans.  (Yes, they exist.)  He was more expensive to acquire than other figures.  So, army building wasn't as common as it was with other figures.  All of these factors would have made him a good candidate.  But, at the same time, I doubt that I'd have believed any of the figures from that era would reach the prices we see on them today.  And, I'd have probably gone with someone like Stormshadow who also tended to sell out from time to time and wasn't a figure people army built.  But, his later inclusion in the common Russian series helped to curb his appeal.

In the end, the TARGAT body versions of the Streethawk figure are not rare.  There are tons of them in the collecting community.  But, like the Satan figure from Argentina, the figure's popularity drives the price moreso than the rarity.  Everyone wants a Streethawk.  And, that drives the $100 price tag.  You're not buying a rare figure.  You're buying a popular figure.  But, that's why there's both supply and demand elements to pricing.  The figure's popularity drives the price.  And, that popularity has held steady for more than 20 years, now.  So, this figure isn't a fad that will be subject to collector whims like some other joke or meme figures that have risen in price in recent years.

Black and silver are a rare combination in the vintage Joe line.  The only figure who uses only those two colors is the 1989 Snake Eyes.  (The 1993 Cobra Commander and 1994 Action Sailor are close, though.)  Because of that, figures like Streethawk stand out.  It's not an overdone combination of hues.  So, the figure works as part of Cobra and as a stand alone figure who is affiliated with the enemy faction.  The black complements many other figures.  So, you can use Streethawk with everything from classic blue Cobras to the more brightly colored enemies from the 1990's.

Streethawk includes just the black visor.  This part was omitted on the bagged vehicle driver figures, though.  The visor adds a lot to the look of the figure and is somewhat essential to the figure's overall appearance.  As he was never really available without the motorcycle, though, you could consider a complete figure to also include the black and silver RAM.  I find the motorcycle is my more used part of this toy as I use it all the time with a variety of figures.  But, most people consider the figure complete with just the visor and the motorcycle a separate part.

The upside to Streethawk is that he's a blank slate that anyone can use as they please.  He can be a recolored TARGAT, an astronaut, a motorcycle driver or anything else your mind can conjure up.  I've always seen him as a villain since he uses a Cobra mold for the majority of the figure.  I created a character for the Spearhead chest variation of this figure.  But, I see this TARGAT version as something different.  Really, I don't have a defined role for the figure.  I don't use him all that often in photos.  So, those don't even provide much of a clue as to his true purpose in my collection.  Most people seemed to view Streethawk as a Cobra or other villain.  But, the figure is an empty canvas that everyone can use differently.

There are several variants to the Streethawk figure.  The first figure released was a swivel arm 1983 Snake Eyes repaint with a black helmet.  This is not an easy figure to find and remains very pricey.  The second version introduced the TARGAT head.  But, it was on top of a Spearhead body.  The Spearhead chest version is also pretty hard to find and commands a hefty premium these days.  This version features TARGAT's head, arms and chest.  It's the third variant and probably exists in lower quantities than the fourth variant which just added in TARGAT's waist.  That waist change was made in late 2001/2002 so most Streethawks that were sold by dealers featured it.  But, it's so subtle that many people pass over it in their quest to just get 1 version of the character.  There are also some upper arm variants that may have originated from Funskool vehicle drivers.  And, I'm sure that if anyone could get a group of 100 Streethawk figures, they'd find some additional variants.  That's just how Funskool worked, especially on figures that were in production for a decade or more.

Here's the bad news.  Funskool Streethawks are now hard to find.  Carded versions of the TARGAT chest figures fetch over $200.  But, due to low availability, loose mint and complete figures with their motorcycle will run in the $150-$200 range, too.  Dealers will get up to $300 for the same set.  If you can find just a figure with the visor, you'll pay in the $100-$120 range.  That's a lot for this figure.  But, surprisingly, all black figures outside of Snake Eyes were uncommon in the vintage Joe line.  So, the coloring is distinct and really meshes well with a variety of Cobra scenarios.  Personally, though, I've had the figure for 20+ years and I don't use him all that often.  So, there's no way I'd pay $100 or more for one.  Heck, back in the Funskool heyday, I wouldn't pay $7 for a second one.  But, that's part of the reason why this figure is expensive today.  He's a cool design.  But, an easy pass for me at his current pricing.

1989 TARGAT

It's really tough to pin down the "greatest" year of the vintage Joe line.  Really, there were examples of creativity, quality and disaster in each and every year.  Some years were more heavy on one of those attributes than others.  But, overall, every vintage year has some gems.  1989 is no exception.  In fact, it's probably one of those years that super high on quality and creativity and low on disaster.  In the case of the 1989 TARGAT figure, even the less than stellar design is made up for by the amount of creativity that went into the character.  And, while I consider the TARGAT to be among the least valuable enemy troopers, the design still has quite a bit of usefulness.

1989 saw a solid slate of Cobra army builders released.  The iconic Alley and Night Vipers remain among the most popular figures with collectors and have seen factory custom makers take the sculpts to new heights.  The Frag Viper, Annihilator and HEAT Viper all serve important functions within Cobra and feature both fun designs and amazing gear.  On the outside looking in, though, is the TARGAT.  The TARGAT not only features an odd specialty, he has clashing colors and his gear, while numerous and bulky, isn't all that cool.  In a down year of Joe, he might have slid by, unnoticed.  But, in a year full of great figures like 1989 was, TARGAT stands out as a bit of a misfire.

Space was big for Hasbro in 1989.  On the Joe side, Countdown was released as a single carded figure and cheaper version of the space shuttle, the Crusader, was released with a new Payload as well.  Cobra still had the 1988 Astro Viper and Stellar Stiletto on the shelves.  So, there was a good amount of space toys for a kid.  TARGAT was themed with those releases.  He is a Trans Atomspheric Rapid Global Assault Trooper (T.A.R.G.A.T.) who is launched out of a space shuttle and streaks to earth like a meteor to attack their enemies.  On some level, this is the type of insanity that is perfectly in line with other Cobra specialties.  It also have kids another figure who could battle the Joes in space or be a land based jet pack trooper who could quickly deploy to a battlefield.

In 1989, I was out of Joe toys.  I was buying the comic.  But, TARGAT had no memorable appearances there.  (At least, none I can remember.)  My only exposure to the TARGAT figure was when we spent a week at a friend of my mother's home up in Vermont.  Their kids were a bit younger and had the full contingent of 1989 Joe figures.  From their toy bins, I assembled the Alley Viper, Annihilator and TARGAT figures.  I put their gear together from either a catalog they had in their toy room or a cardback.  I got some of the weapons wrong.  But, it was close enough to realize that 1989 had some cool figures.  But, being a teenager but but still too young to drive, it would be another year before I'd break down and buy a retail Joe figure from a local Kohl's store while on my lunch break.

When I became a full fledged collector and was focused on lots containing figures from 1988-1992, TARGAT was not a figure I included in the calculation of whether a lot was worth it or not.  Once I had a single version, I had no need for further TARGATs.  Instead, I focused on the 1993 version that could be acquired carded for a buck or two back then.  At one point, I had half a dozen or so TARGATs acquired through acquisitions focused on other figures.  But, they didn't survive my collection purge and I only retained one complete figure to maintain my 1989 run.  In looking back through the site, I don't find any photos of the 1989 TARGAT figure.  That's a rarity as I usually try to include as many figures as I can in photos and pride myself on having at least one photo of close to every vintage Joe.  So, that tells you my interest level in the TARGAT figure.  Heck, it wasn't until this profile that I realized he was actually an Iron Grenadier release instead of Cobra.  Just another testament to this figure's lack of significance in my collection.

TARGAT's accessories aren't all that exciting.  When you compare his bulky jet pack with either the JUMP or even the Annihilator's helicopter pack, the TARGAT's gear is just huge.  It might make sense with him being deployed from space and all.  But, it lacks the subtle nuance of most vintage Joe accessories and comes across as something whose impressiveness was all tied to its size.  The figure's face shield does work well and is a cooler piece than even Fast Draw's mask.  It is a nice pilot helmet and the TARGAT does work in the Hurricane and other Cobra jets.  The two small pistols are boring, though.  They aren't cool enough to belie their tininess.  When compared to the Alley Viper's gun or the Night Viper's rifle, the little pistols seem very inadequate.

In the 20+ years I've had this site, I've profiled hundreds of Joe figures from all areas of the line.  The site started as a way to give exposure to figures made after 1988 because, at the time, the collecting world pretended that the vintage Joe line pretty much ended in 1987.  In time, though, I morphed into showcasing figures that I personally liked.  Through the years, I hit most of those and have moved into obscure releases and figures that I'm not as keen on.  In some ways, this frames the line in a light of negativity as many of my subjects are figures with whom I find fault.  But, it's a natural progression of both doing the things you love first and then having the thing you love convert into something lasting.  I search long and hard for figures that I really enjoy to showcase. They're tough to find.  But, sometimes, I discover some good in a figure that I've long either ignored or outright disliked.

That being said, we once again find the community at a crossroads.  Lovers of the new figure scale are doing exactly what the anniversary collectors did in 2007.  They ignore legit criticism of the product and quickly turn to off putting tactics to shut down criticism they don't want to hear.  It's as if they hear anything negative about the toys they want to love that it will undermine their ability to collect them.  The 6" Joes are something new.  The people who will collect them are not, for the most part, actual G.I. Joe collectors.  They are guys who collect that scale.  It's a large demographic and any Joe collectors that Hasbro gets to tag along for the ride are just gravy for them.  But, don't fool yourself.  Look at the G.I. Joe packaging, figure design and presentation and compare it to Marvel or Star Wars or even the niche Ghostbusters releases.  You know who the red-headed stepchild of Hasbro is.  And, it won't be long before we're reminded of that again and again.

The TARGAT mold has 5 main uses: this original figure, the 1993 Star Brigade repaint, the Funskool TARGAT (based on the 1993 figure), the Funskool Street Hawk figure (Which is now so expensive that it's, essentially, unattainable.  Seriously, does no one remember SmallJoes.com having them for ~$7 for years and never selling out?!?) and the 2006 convention Coil figures.  When the Funskool figures were plentiful, this left enough variations and availability to create all sorts of cool kitbashes among the various releases.  Now, that's far less common.  While I'd have loved to have seen a 1994 Star Brigade repaint of this mold or even a use in a Toys R Us six pack, I can't complain too much.  This mold isn't a favorite of mine and all of it's colorings work when you consider the environment in which the TARGAT's specialty should be used.  (Oh, yeah.  This body mold was also used for the 1993 Create a Cobra.  Thanks to the comments for that!)

These days, mint and complete with filecard TARGATs are about $20 figures.  You can find incomplete versions for half that amount and even get discolored complete versions for much cheaper.  Oddly, 1993 TARGATs run about the same price for mint and complete versions.  So, there's no real savings there if you want a high quality example of the figure.  Even in the days when TARGATs were dirt cheap, though, I had no desire to really army build them.  And, few other collectors did, either.  The figure is one of those that most people acquire for completeness and then forget about.  There isn't really a good way to display Cobra astronauts.  And, that limits the TARGAT.  For current pricing, I'd pass this guy by as he's certain to fall in price during the next Joe interest lull.  When that happens, I might pick up a couple of extras to just have around.  But, if I don't, it's no big loss as this isn't a figure that's ever really piqued my interest.

1993 Star Brigade TARGAT

It was only a matter of time before a Star Brigade figure made an appearance on this new site.  I have long been a fan of the Star Brigade sub set and have an appreciation for the line that few other collectors understand.  I suppose it is the fact that my action figure collecting began with Star Wars and that drove a science fiction interest that lasted through the 1st half of my childhood.  Regardless, the notion of astronauts being a part of Joe was not something with which I had an issue.  It was a natural extension.  Plus, most of the figures could be adopted for other uses.  Such is the case with TARGAT.  The mold really lends itself to a top flight Cobra pilot.  The helmeted head and flight suit are perfectly suited for many of Cobra's experimental aircraft.  It's the colors, though, that made the figure tougher to use.

In the spring of 1995, I was home for Spring Break.  At the time, I was flat broke.  I, literally, rolled up pennies from my change jar to muster up enough cash to have a decent week with my friends.  (Had to save up for the Pantera show that week!)  At the end of the week, I decided to go on a toy run.  There was a toy liquidator on the West Side of Indianapolis at the time, so I went there in search of Joes.  To my astonishment, they actually had some figures that were new to me.  Hanging on the pegs were the 4 Star Brigade Joe figures for the resounding price of $2.00 each.  (The Cobras were long sold out.)  I had not seen these figures in any stores previously, so I scraped up $8.00 and change and added Roadblock, Payload, Countdown and Ozone to my collection.  When I opened the figures, I was amazed at the molds.  At the time, I did not have any of the original figures from which the Star Brigade members were derived.  So, they were new to me.  Immediately, they joined my collection as pilots and rescue crew.  They filled a great gap on the Joe side.  But, the Cobras were left wanting new pilots.

In 1995 and 1996, finding any Cobra figure was pretty difficult.  There were very few of them left at retail who were not named characters.  (The Joe pickings were pretty slim, as well, though.)  As such, despite my search for the Astro Viper and TARGAT, I never found them at any of the out of the way discount stores who stocked Star Brigade figures during those years.  Occasionally, I'd run across carded samples at flea markets.  But, usually, for higher prices than I was willing to pay.  In the late '90's, though, the advent of Ebay made the acquisition of these figures very easy.  In a short time, I managed to secure several lots of carded Star Brigade Cobras for around the $2 price point with which I was comfortable.  Most of these contained the Cobras and I soon had a nice cadre of carded Star Brigade Cobras.  And, having paid so little for them, those carded armies quickly became loose armies to man my Cobra aircraft.

I was out of Joe collecting by 1989.  As such, I never owned the original TARGAT figure.  The 1993 version was the first time the mold appeared in my collection.  Really, I was not impressed.  The mold was good enough, but the purple, gold and orange were an odd mix that wasn't great.  When I finally acquired a 1989 version, I realized that the earlier version also suffers from less than great colors.  The black base is good enough, but the accessorizing colors really don't make for a memorable figure.  I wanted to make this figure my default Cobra pilot.  But, the colors simply couldn't work.  They don't look all that great and they don't mesh with Cobra vehicles.  So, you're left with a mold with potential that is largely unfullfilled.

I quickly realized that the copper, orange and purple just didn't work out all that well.  As such, despite my zeal in opening a few of these TARGATs, I found that they had little place in my collection.  The '90's Cobras really went away from the classic Cobra colors.  Purple was one of the colors du jour for Cobras of this era.  But, Hasbro experimented with many different colors for Cobras.  Even the figures with solid bases, like the Crimson Guard Commander, were saddled with neon highlights that left the figure as less than perfect.  So, the TARGATs quickly became forgotten members of my collection.  Today, I'm glad I have a couple.  But, they will never play an important role in my collection.

All of the 1993 Star Brigade Joes were repainted and released in 1994.  This was not the case, though, for the Cobras.  Instead of getting what could have been a high quality repaint of the TARGAT in 1994, Hasbro opted for newly molded Cobras.  Considering the quality of those figures, you can't fault the decision.  But, it is an odd instance where just the 2 Cobras did not see repaints the following year.

The TARGAT mold was used in the US in 1989 and 1993.  The body was also used as the basis for the Create a Cobra mail away figure.  After that, the mold was sent to India where Funskool got great use out of it.  The head first appeared on a new version of the Street Hawk figure in the late 1990's.  Around 1999 or 2000, Funskool then produced their own version of the TARGAT.  Their version was heavily based on the 1993 figure's coloring.  At the same time, they altered the Street Hawk figure to feature more of the TARGAT mold in solid black with silver coloring.  These figures were produced until 2003 when the mold was returned to Hasbro.  While the TARGAT figure never appeared again, the body was used in 2006 for the COIL Trooper convention figure.  The mold died after that and has not been seen since.  But, there are a nice variety of figures out there who use the mold so collectors have likely seen as much of it as they wish at this point.

1993 TARGATs are cheap.  While the 1994 Star Brigade figures are starting to become scarce and getting more and more pricey, the 1993's remain cheap and plentiful.  The generic, pink card art really detracts from the collectibility of the sub set.  Plus, the reality is that this year of Star Brigade was likely overproduced and was, ultimately, dumped to many discount retailers and toy wholesalers.  So, huge quantities of cheap figures were available to the collector market in the 1995-1998 time frame.  This has lead to insanely cheap prices today.  You can get carded TARGAT figures for under $10 shipped.  At that price, it's worth getting one.  If you can find a Funskool version for a similar price, that figure is also a worthwhile pick up.  But, as an army builder, this figure just doesn't make sense.