1989 Countdown

Love it or hate it, space exploration was a major part of the G. I. Joe toy line. Starting with the Defiant Space Shuttle complex, the second most ambitious toy ever created, in 1987, and continuing until the lines bitter end in 1994, space toys were an integral part of the Joe team. The first astronaut to be available carded was the 1988 Astro Viper. It was a cool figure, but largely ignored. In 1989, though, the Joes got tougher in the space ranks when the Crusader shuttle, a smaller, more affordable toy that was just the shuttle from the Defiant complex, and Countdown were released. In 1989, I was out of Joe collecting. I had picked up a few straggler figures in early 1988, but I had started high school that year, and Joes weren't cool anymore. I did pick up a Night Viper in 1990, but that was it until I went to college. In 1995, I discovered the 1993 Star Brigade figures. Roadblock, of course, was my favorite. Ozone and Countdown, though, were both very high up on my list. I used them as pilots in all sorts of aircraft. As soon as I realized there was an earlier, better version of Countdown available, though, I sought him out. Now, I have 5.

Every year, I make one big purchase that is a bit too expensive and something that I want, but won't use enough to justify the purchase price. In 1998, it was a vintage Star Wars POTF Amanaman and Barada. In 1999, it was my Battle Rangers Flint. This year, it will either be a USS Flagg aircraft carrier, or a Defiant Space Shuttle Complex. As I have recently been informed that the Flagg won't float, the tide is turning towards a Defiant. (Still, it would have been too cool to have the Flagg in my pool being attacked by a bunch of hydrofoils.) In order to properly man that Defiant, I have been stockpiling astronaut figures for several years. The 1989 version of Countdown will be among the primary crew. I've been adding '93 Star Brigade figures as well. The five 1993 green Payloads are also on the short list for the first flight.

This is not my favorite version of this figure. The 1993 version, with red, white, and blue, is the worst, but the 1994 version is far and away my favorite. Of course, I have never, ever seen him offered sale as a loose figure. He is tough to find carded, and never appears loose. Fortunately, this original 1989 version is very similar and is also very cool. I just like the look of this figure. Normally, all white figures that aren't Arctic specialists don't really enthrall me. With this figure, though, the look works. The colors blend and complement each other wonderfully. Countdown is just a figure that is fun to look at. When it comes time to use him, though, the possibilities are also endless. Of course, I use him as an astronaut, but I also use him as a deep sea diver. Countdown also pilots a few of my jets. I have also removed his helmet, and given him a 1984 Ripcord helmet and mask and turned him into a fighter jock. Again, the look is cool. There is no reason to limit this figure just because space exploration is not an arena where you like to use your Joes.

I love this guy's accessories. The helmet is just awesome. The space pack with the rope thingie, though, looks cooler than it really is. Still, I enjoy using it with figures other than Countdown. His pistol is a bit futuristic, but isn't outlandish like some of the weapons from the '90's were. I am after a couple more of his packs, though, as I want to take the grappling hook off and use it with some other figures. I am anxious to get a shuttle of some type as I want to man it with my many Countdowns and 1993 Payloads. Then, the rope and hook will come in much more handy. Space rescue missions will be a lot of fun and something that I haven't been able to do before. I've been thinking about picking up one of those CORPS! Space Force shuttles. The CORPS! Hummer is a very nice toy. If the shuttle is of even remotely similar quality, it could be a fun companion piece to a Defiant.

After his many releases in the US, Countdown was also released in India in colors very similar to those of the 1993 figure. As he was a late Funskool release, it is likely that the mold is now back in the control of Hasbro and they could use it for another figure at some point in the future. However, I don't think that's very likely anymore and we have probably seen the last of the Countdown mold.

Countdowns aren't too tough to find. Getting one complete can be a bit of a hassle. Collectors don't tend to be terribly fond of astronaut figures. As such, you can often get these guys pretty cheap. They appear in all sorts of lots and usually at least come with a helmet. As is the case, though, with all white figures, you do have to watch out for discoloring. The bright white color tends to darken, and is easily stained. The figure you see below looked fine in the dim morning light when I picked him out. When I got to work to scan him in, I realized just how miscolored he was. You can see how bright the helmet is compared to the figure. That is how white the figure should look. Still, slightly miscolored figures are fun to have. The 1993 version of this figure can still be had for about $2.00 carded. The 1994's, if you can find them, are also only about $6.00 or $7.00 carded. This version, goes for a bit more, but is more readily available loose than the superior 1994 version. You can usually find these guys in any lot that includes 1989 or 1990 figures. As long as you get the helmet, this figure is one that has found many uses in my collection.

I would really like a loose 1994 Countdown. If you can help, email me.

1990 Sky Patrol Airwave

In 1991, Hasbro took the subset idea to ludicrous extremes. They introduced all sorts of subgroups, some better than others. One of the lesser seen groups that was released the year before and ushered in this wave of subsets was the Sky Patrol. These guys were all reworks of existing molds, but with new heads. They all came with a silver parachute that really "worked". Needless to say, any one of these guys was pretty much indistinguishable from any other, especially for parents. As such, the group was not a rousing success and we are left with a difficult to find subset. It does help, though, that most of the figures in this group are not all that cool. The main exception, though, is Airwave. This guy is a great figure that just screams for all sorts of uses. From the first moment I got him, I have been coming up with new ways to use this guy. He has a great sculpt, cool accessories, and a good color scheme. What more can you ask for from a figure from a generic subset?

Airwave is a resculpt taken from the mold of the Motor Viper. The uniform actually works better in these colors. The hoses look like they would go to a paratrooper. The reappearance of the double leg holsters also makes this guy that much cooler. Airwave's head is nothing special, but he does come with one of the better helmets in the Sky Patrol line. The helmet fits tight to his head, but the visor covers his face. With it down, the figure looks like a futuristic security guard you always see in bad sci-fi movies. His heavy weapon, one of my favorites from my first version of it that came with the 1993 Leatherneck, is fantastic, though the silver color is a bit much. Replacing it with the aforementioned black version helps quite a bit. Airwave holding this gun, with his visor down has become my heavy duty security and riot troops. They come in when things get very hairy, be it a prison riot, jailbreak, or good old fashioned urban assault.

I avoided the Sky Patrol figures for quite a while. I didn't think they were cool enough to justify their price tag. If you've been to my Goals page, though, you will notice that I wanted to add two of these guys to my collection this year as part of my master plan of diversifying. I lowballed a bid for Airwave and ended up winning him. (It was still more than I like to pay for a loose figure, but we all know that I'm cheap.) I'm glad I got him, though, as this is a very cool figure. Needless to say, when my Joe moratorium wears off in May, I am going to go after a couple more Sky Patrol figures. I think Airwave is the class of the bunch, but there are a couple of others that look good as well. For a group of figures that are basically just retreads, I think Hasbro did well with the Sky Patrol. As an separate subset, though, is where I think their greatest failing came. One or two of these figures would have been perfect. A whole cadre of them starts to blend together. The beginning of the downfall of the line occurred when Joe lost its identity. Subsets like this should have been paired down and incorporated into the main line of figures. The parachute should have been used as a selling point for one figure, not an excuse to raise the retail price of several. I'm sure, though, that the subsets seemed like a good idea at the time. Now, well, the sentiment in the collecting community should be enough to tell you if they were successful or not.

Sky Patrol figures are tough to find and everyone knows it. It is no secret that they are among the harder non variation Joes to find. This, though, doesn't mean deals can't be had. Less than 2 months ago, I got this guy, mint and complete for about $9.00. That price also included his full backer card. If you are willing to look, these guys can be found, especially if you are willing to look through lots. Many people had one or two of the Sky Patrol figures, but not all. If you are willing to piecemeal a set together, you won't go overboard with spending. If you want them all at once, be prepared to shell out some bucks. Airwave, though, is well worth the money. I don't regret what I paid for him at any time. Though they are just primarily remolds, the Sky Patrol figures are still cool ones to add to any collection.

If you have any questions, comments, or not so constructive criticism, email me.

1993 Cobra Commander

Normally, I only showcase obscure characters, or less known versions of popular characters here. However, I have finally had to break the tradition and showcase the character that I consider to be one of the ultimate villains of all time. Cobra Commander is such a presence in all facets of Joedom that there is no way I could not showcase at least one of his versions here. I have chosen the 1993 incarnation of the character because it is a remake of the uniform with which I always associated old Snake Face. The regal figure that appeared in G.I. Joe #1, with the mysterious hood, honorific cords, subtle weapons and commanding personality is the only way I could ever see Cobra Commander. While I love the original figure version, with the battle helmet, that is not how I wanted my commander to be. The Hooded version that came out in 1984 was good, but the figure is too small and makes the commander seem wimpy. I never liked the 1986 Battle Armor version. The 1991 version is a cool figure, but not one that I could associate with the leader of the world's greatest terrorist organization. The Sonic Fighter version had the right uniform, wrong color, and the terrible backpack. In 1993, though, they finally got it right.

This version is the ultimate Cobra Commander. He is a larger figure that fits with my vision of what the commander would be like. He has all the trappings of the original uniform. (Some of the later Cobras did an excellent job of recapturing their original uniforms. The 1992 Destro is, in my opinion, a far superior figure to the original.) This figure's one shortcoming is his arsenal. He comes with a lame weapons tree that doesn't have any single item befitting a man of his stature. However, this is a problem easily overcome. Some people don't like the black color. Me, I think it is far better. The blue they cast the original hooded Cobra Commander in was not dark enough. My memory of the commander's initial appearance is that he was in a uniform that was almost black. For that reason, I think the black is perfect. I also love the evil eyes. Those are what makes the figure. I always thought that if you were unlucky enough to actually see the commander, you would definitely see the hatred in his eyes.

The thing that's great about this figure is its subtlety. The figure doesn't overpower you with fancy trappings and extra weapons. He just has a basic uniform that showcases his importance while not impeding his ability to fight. If only they had released a Battle Helmet Cobra Commander head that was swappable for this body. Even better would have been a removable helmet that would have fit over his hood. They also could have used the head from the 1994 Star Brigade Cobra Commander (Itself a great figure!) and had both a hood and a helmet that would have snapped into place. Why they didn't think of something like this for the 1997 or 1998 lines is far beyond me. Still, this figure rocks. I had pretty much abandoned the notion of Cobra Commander. My hooded versions are all trashed and my Battle Helmet versions just don't look right when stood among the newer figures. Once I got this guy, though, all I could think about was G.I. Joe #100. The simple words, "I'm back." are enough to describe how this figure will fit into my new story lines.

The one lament I have about the Cobra Commander character is that he was never evil enough. In the first issue of the comic, he slaughtered an innocent fishing village. This should have set the tone for the evil Cobra would attempt. For the first few years, the comic kept things going. The cartoon, though, didn't keep this up. The type of violence necessary for this malevolent a character would never have passed network censors. This sanitizing spread to the comic. Cobra became so immersed in Cobra Island and international politics that they lost their flair for the simple evil deeds that they were built upon. Of course, there had to be a way to work the whole Serpentor character into the story lines. I think this was the primary reason the commander lost his edge. When he returned in issue 100, though, the evil came back as well. Unfortunately, it didn't keep up. The commander from issue 1 would have reveled in the fact that the SAW Viper killed those joes. His only lament would have been that he was not there to see it. By losing this edge, Cobra became boring. I think that was part of the reason the comic series lost its flair. The toy line had made it impossible for Cobra to continue its assault against America. (Something I hope to explore in my work in progress fan fiction.) The science fiction element had taken away from the basic terrorist organization whose goal was to destroy the American way of life, as long as they got rich in the process. (I wonder if anyone ever pointed that contradiction out to the commander?)

These guys are hard to find. Many people feel the same as I do and count this figure among the few 1993 or 1994 figures they have in their collections. Like most of the last two years of Joes, though, this guy can be found relatively easily on the card. Those are not usually too expensive and are worth opening if that's the only way you can get this figure. I remember the first time I saw there was a new Cobra Commander available. I searched everywhere for him, but couldn't find him. I then spent over a year looking for a loose sample. When I finally got one, I was not disappointed. This is a figure, though, that should start appearing with greater frequency in the next couple of years. When it does, I highly recommend taking advantage and adding him to your collection. You will be glad you did.

I actually first acquired a carded version of this figure. The only reason I didn't open it was because the card was so pristine. I then finally managed to get the loose sample you see here. Imagine my shock, though, when I went to scan in the carded image and found that it had been damaged in my recent move. The horror!

Whew! That's a long one. Still, the commander is the one character I think worthy of this type of analysis. If they ever do bring the Joe comic back, I hope it is from Cobra's point of view. Seeing the inner workings of the Commander's mind would be far more interesting than a bunch of carbon copy Snake Eyes' out to save the world.

If you have any questions, or comments, email me.

1986 Motor Viper

This guy has certainly taken a beating. Lately, he has been receiving all sorts of negative attention from a number of different outlets. I find it odd that people who swear up and down that the Viper is the best Cobra figure ever don't like this guy. The molds were obviously based on each other and this figure was meant as a companion to the basic infantry trooper. Hasbro was finally expanding the Cobra army and they were doing it in such a way that the basic troops could be distinguished from the higher echelons like the Crimson Guardsmen. It is actually a very smart strategy and only makes the line that much stronger. Of course, they couldn't include the same vehicle driver in all the Cobra vehicles, but they made sure this guy was available through other outlets so that people could easily build their armies.

The mold of this figure is awesome. He has the full head visor, but an open mouth to bark commands out to his crew. The hoses and armor on his chest seem a bit frivolous, but make him appear that his vehicle has all sorts of hidden features. The best part of this figure, though, is the double holsters he has on his legs. He has large holstered pistols on each leg. It's a cool feature that only enhances this figure's outlaw image. (Fortunately, this mold was reused later on the figure Airwave.) The file card for the Motor Vipers called them educated Dreadnoks. I liked that description and had my Motor Viper ranks full of recklessly brave individuals who were capable of reasoning out a situation and actually outsmarting the Joes. It was the only way for them to make up for their inferior hardware. (I had epic battles between my Stun and my Havoc. The Havoc was better equipped and more heavily armed, but the Stuns were faster and used superior numbers.)

This guy is my basic Cobra driver. He operates everything from Hiss Tanks, to Maggots, to Detonators, to his Stun, to this lame Cobra troop transport vehicle I found at a Kroger store a couple of years ago. I have an army of them so that all my vehicles have the same drivers. It doesn't make any sense to me to have different drivers for different vehicles, so I use the Motor Viper across all of them. I've always found the Hiss Driver to be a highly overrated figure. (Again, people who hate the later neon figures have no trouble with this guy who is cast in bright red and drives a black tank. You can tell how people are biased towards the earlier figures.) I could never find any use for him and pulled him from the Hiss as soon as I found a suitable replacement. The Motor Viper is the ultimate in Cobra vehicle drivers. The mold, the colors, and the availability make him a crucial part of my collection. Every time I get a new Cobra ground vehicle, I then have to go out and find a new Motor Viper to operate it. A legion of Hiss Tanks looks very good with these guys at the helm.

Motor Vipers are easy to find. Judging by the general collector animosity that exists towards this figure, I don't foresee becoming hard to find any time in the near future. Still, finding one with no wear on his visor can prove difficult, though that is an easily fixed problem. This guy was available for many years as a mail in. The infamous Hasbro Canada Find offered these guys and that is where the carded sample you see below came from. Motor Vipers can be had cheap and they are plentiful. If you are like me and enjoy consistency in your vehicle driver ranks, the Motor Vipers are an excellent way to outfit your Cobra motorcade with awesome, uniform troops without breaking your collecting budget.

Do you have any Motor Vipers for trade? If so, email me.

Hasbro Canada Find

If you frequent this site, you have undoubtedly seen me refer to the Hasbro Canada Find. In the spring of 1999, some people on the alt.toys.gi-joe.1980s newsgroup contacted Hasbro Canada to see if they had any surplus G. I. Joe product left over from the old mail in offers. Similar efforts had been conducted against Hasbro U.S., but the people were flatly told that there was no surplus product. Hasbro Canada, however, proved a different story.

Apparently, Hasbro Canada did have quite a haul of surplus Joe product left over, and they were only too happy to get rid of it at dirt cheap prices. They offered figures for $1.00 American. The vehicles they offered were also insanely similarly priced. There were no limits, except on the amount of stock they had. Certain figures were sold out in a matter of days. They were replaced with other figures they couldn't get rid of. (Like Thunder!) There were reports of people getting some odd figures that weren't offered on the list, but, for the most part, the orders came in as people had ordered them. The figures were all bagged or on the cardboard backers the old vehicle drivers came in.

I got my Nitro Viper, Motor Viper, Crankcase, 1992 Ace, 1984 Thunder, 1985 Keel Haul, and several other figures from them. Most of what they offered were vehicle drivers, but they did have some other figures available. I also scored 2 bright red mail away Firebats and 2 bright green mail away Sky Hawks. I love small planes and these two are among my favorites to play with. I had always wanted a Firebat. When I got them, I opened one and planned on keeping the other in the bag. After about a week, I couldn't stand it and opened the other one as well. I certainly do not regret that move. It's an awesome toy that just begs to be played with.

Did you cash in on this find? What did you get? I would like to know so I can create a master list of everything they offered. Please, email me.