1991 Grunt

From the beginning the icon of G.I. Joe product was the card art for the original Grunt figure. As a child, many of my friends debated endlessly that the original Grunt was, indeed, just G.I. Joe. While nonsense like this was later settled, Grunt has remained one of the main images that was used to promote Joe product of all types. (I think he may have been intended to be the most popular member of the team, but fans decided otherwise.) However, the Grunt character was actually well developed and used in capacities beyond a simple infantryman. Unfortunately, though, I've long found all of the original Joe sculpts to be bland and boring. Sure, at the time they were great, but the strides made in the figure design over the years really showed how bad the original figures were. As such, it was always a welcome surprise to find one of these classic characters reincarnated in a brand new figure sculpt from a later production year. The 1991 version of Grunt, though, still left a bit to be desired.

Of the original 13 Joes, a little more than half had a new sculpt based on them released at a later date. (Grand Slam, Short Fuze, Breaker [I'm not counting the '97 monstrosity.], Flash, and Steeler were the unlucky members who were never re-offered.) For many of these figures, the later releases were simply awesome resculpts that brought a great character to life in toy form. In some cases, though, the resculpted later figure simply did not work. Sadly, that is really the case with this version of Grunt. While the figure isn't too bad, it simply is not Grunt. The 1991 remade of Zap was a great homage to the character and stands as a great example of how a remake should be done. For some reason, though, Grunt did not get the same treatment as Zap.

The most noticeable feature about this figure is the color scheme. Rather than painting Grunt up in a nice forest or jungle camo pattern, the designers went with a brown and yellow theme that really wouldn't work anywhere but, maybe, the desert. Even there, he is really a stretch. Besides the bizarre colors, though, the most noticeable feature of Grunt is his head sculpt. For reasons that can not be explained, Grunt's head is just huge (like it was not quite finished when it went to production) and looks totally out of place on his body. As if this weren't bad enough, they sculpted Grunt's face and mouth in a "shouting" motion that leaves him in a perpetual state of excitement. While the ability to sculpt a face down to this level of detail was quite an accomplishment, the sad results that are showcased on Grunt really ended the practice save for a few future figures.

Besides a few figures, the '91 assortment of Joes was pretty bland when it came to accessories. The first appearances of spring loaded launchers replaced many of the abundant and well done accessories from 1990. As such, many of the regular release Joes from that year came with little in the way of accessories beyond the spring loaded launcher. Grunt was among these casualties. He comes with a helmet that, had the head been done right, is actually pretty good. His gun, though, is an oversized monstrosity (I don't use it so it's not pictured with the figure below.) that would become the bane of collectors when it became a staple of the 1993 weapon tree. He also included a large, spring loaded weapon that was totally impractical and offered little to the figure. Grunt could have been so much better were he properly accessorized. Fortunately, the modern collector has the luxury of going back and replacing Grunt's accessories. However, had I seen the figure on the shelves in 1991, I would have passed him by just because his accessory complement was so poor.

The lack of accessories made the figure even less useful. Grunt's hallmark was his basic M-16. He was the everyman infantry soldier. His codename cemented the fact that this was guy who was on every mission. Taking those basic premises away from this figure removed much of the characterization that caused the popularity of Grunt. This 1991 incarnation was not even close to idea of Grunt, much less the character. Had this figure been given some decent accessories (the line is full of awesome infantry weapons!) I think he would be a bit more recognized today. Instead, this version of Grunt is relegated with the likes of the Super Sonic Fighters Rock and Roll, the 1997 Breaker, and the 1993 Hawk as terrible remakes of classic characters. Quite simply, the idea of the character was missed. Had the figure even been half way decent in color, sculpt or accessories, he would have been popular just because he was Grunt. Instead, he went so wrong that not even being a remake of a popular original character was enough to save him.

What do I do with this guy? Nothing. He sits in the 1991 Joe drawer and comes out on the rare occasion where I need some cannon fodder for Cobra's urban assault forces. Beyond that, he never sees any use. His color scheme can be a breath of fresh air when mixed with a group of more reasonably colored figures, but really hinders his use in any but the most carefully selected environments. I re-accessorize him on the occasions that he is used. Even that, though, isn't enough to warrant Grunt's widespread acceptance in my collection. However, there is a Grunt figure that is scheduled to appear late this year or early next year from Funskool. With Funskool's large selection of already produced '91 molds, I am thinking that this figure will be a reincarnation of this Grunt figure. As to what he will look like, who knows? The recent Funskool Wild Weasel was very nice while the Cross Country is pretty bad. Either way, I'll get one. But were he to be done nicely, I think it could give this mold some more exposure.

I've seen a lot of customizers out there who have well utilized parts from this Grunt mold to make a more perceptively accurate version of this character. However, I think a lot of the use of this figure's parts has more to do with keeping with the Grunt theme rather than finding parts that make a great figure. Still, with some recoloring, this mold does have its saving graces. There are some nice details. The main problem is that the head is just too large for the body. Replacing this really changes the look of the figure. The rest of the body mold is usable, but requires heavy repainting. I would suggest that you check some of the larger customs sites out there to see what some creative people have done with this mold.

Like all the 1991 figures save a few, Grunt is pretty tough to come by. There just aren't a lot of loose samples out there that are readily available. Don't get me wrong, he's by no means rare, but most of the '91 Joes are harder to find than the regular retail release figures from any other year. What that does not mean, though, is that the figure will be pricey. Most people don't consider this a definitive version of Grunt and the figure is kind of ugly. That means that when you do find them, they will be cheap. It would surprise me if you get this guy mint and complete for under $10 with no problem. In fact, if you like some oddities, you might check out this Chinese Grunt. He is the same construction as the American figure and has similar accessories. For the price, this is a great way to get this guy. Of course, once you've got him, what will you do with him? This guy sees very little use in my collection and is never talked about in general Joe forums. Most collectors would like to forget this version of Grunt and I can't say I blame them. For demonstrative purposes, he has filled a need. Beyond that, I see Grunt remaining forgotten.

This Grunt is interesting, but I'm pretty set for this version. What is your opinion on the resculpted versions of the original 13 Joe characters? Let me know.

2002 Mirage

Back in the late '90's, I was on a quest to find many of the neon figures from the final years of Joe's original run. For some reason, I was really drawn to wacky, offbeat colors that many of these figures offered. In my zeal to build my collection in this direction, I made 1993 the single most common year of figures in my collection. As such, there were very few 1993 figures that I do not have. However, one of the few I am missing is also one of the most unique and cool figures produced that year: Mirage. For whatever reason, he was the lone member of the Mega Marines subset that I was never able to pick up in any of the large figure lots I used to buy. However, earlier this year, news of a new wave of classically articulated Joe figures leaked out. While most focused on the return of 2 classic army builder molds (the Viper and Alley Viper) I focused on a new Joe repaint. It seemed that Hasbro was going to re-release Mirage, but in a radically changed color scheme. Once I saw the first pictures, I was hooked. Once I was actually able to acquire the figure, my opinion of him did not change. He is something that I've long wanted and a figure who immediately became a staple in my collection.

Frankly, this Mirage figure is what I've been wanting to see out of the repainted classic Joes since they were first released in 1997. As any fan of this site knows, I'm a big fan of many of the later release Joe figures. The reason is that many of the sculpts are nothing short of fantastic, but they suffer from unfortunate paint schemes. The repaints offered an excellent opportunity to reproduce many of these under appreciated molds in new color schemes that really showcased how cool the figure truly was. However, while we did see many later mold figures redone, they were, for the most part, completely uninspired and showed a lack of creativity and originality that left me feeling unfulfilled. However, this Mirage figure is finally a step in the right direction. Hasbro took an awesome mold and colored it in a way that makes for a great figure. The sharp green and black contrasted with subtle brown and silver makes for a striking visual while not sacrificing any realism or usability. This figure proves that not every new release has to be colored the same as the '01 Sidetrack. Back in that profile, I warned of this practice, yet that was what we got. It is nice that they finally deviated from that a little with the Wave 1.5 figures, but it is sad that it was only at the end that they realized the potential many of these figures held that can be unleashed with a little creativity.

When I first saw this figure, I knew what role he would play in my collection. I've long been a fan of Joe themed army builders. In fact, I probably have more Joes for the purposes of army building than I do Cobras. As such, I immediately saw Mirage as my new basic grunt trooper figure. I've been using the '00 Dusty as my primary Joe soldier for a while now. With the acquisition of Mirage, though, that figure will become a more elite trooper while this guy will be the rank and file infantryman. His look just says that he is a basic soldier. (I like my foot troops to be a little on the futuristic side.) He has the communications device molded to his head, a strip of grenades across his chest and the cool goggles. (Note, early production test figures came with green goggles. There are several loose, green goggled samples out there. However, all of the carded Mirages that were released to retail outlets came with clear goggles. While some may call this a variation, I consider the green goggles to be a prototype, pre-release item. As such, they are not something that I would seek out for completion's sake.) The fact that he comes with the same gun I've assigned to that Dusty figure just makes him a more perfect fit.   (On this note, there is some controversy surrounding the accessories that belong to Mirage, specifically. While the silver gun you see in the picture and the version of Big Ben's gun surely belong to him, the black backpack and knife are more ambiguous. Some say they belong to Mirage, others say they belong to the Viper. Some say that the pack is Mirage's while other say just the knife is. Without any way to tell for sure, judging a Mirage figure's completeness should be something that you define to the accessory level. Not every person will consider a Mirage complete with the same accessories. Personally, I give him the 2 guns and the knife. The pack is traditionally Cobra, so I've assigned it to the Viper.)

One thing of note about this figure is how visually striking he is. This figure features eight different colors on the mold. Even in the vintage run, you will be hard pressed to find very many figures that have that many different colors on the same mold. Most of the earlier repainted classic Joes suffered from the same color plights that plagued the '94's. They had decent schemes, but only three or four total colors on any given figure. Frankly, this does not allow for the full details of the mold to be explored and showcased. Giving a figure a more complex color scheme allows for the mold's details to really be accentuated. On Mirage, all of the figure's different layers have a different color scheme. His pants are black, with silver and brown highlights. However, before you reach the torso, he has a darker green belt that helps meld the two colors. The sharp green of his chest is kept in check by the muted brown trappings as well as the darker green bandolier that holds little canisters. If you follow up to his face, the figure is capped by locks of blonde hair.  The overall presentation creates a figure who is a remarkable remake of formerly under appreciated mold.

As time goes on, I see this figure remaining a large part of my collection. The early shots of the V3 Mirage repaint don't strike me the way this version did. As such, while the new version will have a place in my collection, it is this figure who will become the definitive Joe infantry army builder in my collection. As such, I don't mind having him packed with a Viper. Should I acquire multiple Vipers, the extra Mirages are well worth the extra cost to me. I like the Joe vs. Cobra concept and my stance on retail release army builder 2-packs is well documented. Frankly, I've seen these guys on the shelves several times and have not had any trouble acquiring them. (Of course, if you do, check out ToysRUs.com as they currently have them in stock.) Were the Mirage not part of the pack, I highly doubt that would be the case. Still, my only lament is that the ingenuity used to create this figure did not manifest itself earlier in the A Real American Hero Collection repaints from the past two years. Were more of those figures done in this style, I think many people would be calling that run a true Renaissance rather than just a re-release period.

This figure's availability is yet to be determined. The Wave 1.5 of which this figure is a part has only shipped to retail for about two months. Now that it appears that Wave 2 of the new sculpt Joes, that will include a repaint of Mirage, will not ship until September. While there are still 2 cases of repaint figures that have yet to really ship to retail, I think we will see Mirages through the summer. With that in mind, this figure will be very common. Of course, there is another factor to this. Mirage is packed with a repainted Cobra Viper. (My second favorite repaint of the mold. I'm not too partial to Vipers in general, but I really like the '02 version.) As such, there are MANY collectors out there who have acquired 20 or more of these figures. As they get Mirages with the Vipers, they are stuck with some surplus figures. While I have found a use for them, most other people won't see the value in dozens of Mirages and will liquidate them for very reasonable prices. As such, I don't ever see this figure being hard to find or very expensive. (Though I would imagine that the carded version with the Viper will probably rise in price on the secondary market. However, that will not be due to Mirage's presence in the pack.) If you would like a Mirage army, now, though, would be the time to act. Many collectors are looking to unload surplus Mirage and Big Ben figures. As both of these repaints are very well done and include some great accessories, you can get a couple of really nice figures for almost nothing. That's the type of thing that makes Joe fun. I'm now to the point where I really don't care for or need more than a few of every Cobra army builder. (Really, I rarely use more than 5 or 6 Cobras in any given scene. Besides the Cobra Count, you will be hard pressed to find more than a few examples throughout the site.) Being able to acquire superior repaints of obscure Joe figures from the later years of the line is something that I have found to bring a bit of the innocence back to Joe for me. While I can't say if this phenomena will repeat itself for you, I know that I've found this version of Mirage to be a most welcome addition to my collection. I think you will, too.

If you have some spare Mirage figures that you want to get rid of, let me know. I might be interested in acquiring them from you. However, I won't be offering very much for them as they are quite common. If you would like more information, email me.

Letal (Brazilian Exclusive)

For the most part, Estrela toys in Brazil produced G.I. Joe figures (or Commandos em Acao) that were very similar to their American counterparts. Usually, there were slight color differences that could be attributed to the disparity in construction materials used by the different companies. Every now and then, though, Estrela produced a figure on their own that was either radically different in appearance or combined different original molds. The first of these figures was the infamous Cobra De-Aco. An interesting figure that utilized a silver Snake Eyes v1 head with a Flash v1 body that had yellow pads. As time progressed, though, Estrela came up with a variety of more interesting variations. Perhaps Hasbro loosened their grip on the license, or Estrela just decided to take advantage of some new ideas. Whatever it was, Estrela was able to offer some remarkable exclusive figures that have become highly sought after by American collectors.

If you are a long time patron of the site, you may have noticed the several other Brazilian exclusive Cobra figures that I've profiled. Continuing in this tradition is the figure you see here: Letal. Letal is simply a neon repaint of a 1989 Frag Viper who was released in Brazil as part of the Forca Electronica. He continued the tradition of the somewhat more offbeat Cobras that were exclusive to Brazil. Like many of his counterparts, Letal is visually distinct and is easily recognizable by anyone who is even slightly familiar with non-U.S. Joe releases. He is certainly not in the vein of more realistic Cobra named villains from the American line's heyday, but he is a cool figure, nonetheless. As such, he has found a role in my collection.

Who is Letal? In my collection, he is a known bio and eco terrorist based out of South America. He got is start in the early to mid '90's in some pollution related schemes that got Cobra's attention. While never contacted by Cobra, he was thought of as a possible operative if they ever needed someone in South America. During these early years, though, he encountered the former Joe Airtight. They two became acquainted when Airtight was leading an international team of experts to clean up some radioactive sites in South America. Letal was interested in stealing some of the radioactive material that was still on the site. Not realizing Airtight's background, Letal attempted his heist, only to be defeated. While he escaped, several of his co-horts were killed. He then disappeared to regroup for a few years. However, in the late '90's Letal resurfaced with a new focus on nerve toxins, biological warfare, and battlefield chemicals. This was enough of a resume for Cobra to make its overtures. That the character portrayed by the Flying Scorpion figure was now into his South American campaign only made Letal a more attractive operative. Letal joined Cobra and was quickly placed in charge of their research facilities hidden throughout remote areas of the South American rain forests and mountains. Here, he helps teams of Toxo-Vipers develop biological weapons that are capable of being delivered via live hosts, or more traditional methods.

As research is his primary forte, Letal is not a combatant. If there is the danger of a military unit finding Letal's position, Cobra employs a freelance operative to protect him. This person is responsible for Letal's safety. If he can keep the research facility intact, then that is just all the better. However, while Letal is considered part of the Cobra hierarchy, his work is segregated to the point where he has only research assistants as his direct underlings. This is why it is only freelance bodyguards who are assigned to him. While Cobra has an interest in Letal's activities, that interest is not so great as to risk one of their own, combat soldiers or field generals. The Flying Scorpion character is very shrewd and maintains control of the South American operations. While Letal is not lost to the fact that he only rates hired protection, he also knows that he will have nothing without the massive funding (and research specimens) that Cobra provides. While not a symbiotic relationship, it is provides a level of mutual distrust that keeps both sides honest. However, should Letal's facilities produce something of importance to the greater Cobra cause, his position within the organization would quickly rise.

As you can see, I've got a fairly elaborate background story for this character. That being said, though, Letal will most likely remain a "situational" figure. He will rarely be used except in very specific situations. I have, though, come up with a story line that will elevate Letal from his now lowly status. However, that story involves Airtight and Letal's transformation beyond his current incarnation and his reappearance (with his countenance no longer fully hidden) as Corrosao. That is correct. I plan for this guy to be Letal V1 while the Brazilian Corrosao figure (an Eco Warriors repaint of the Dee Jay figure that was released in Brazil as a Cobra) will be Letal V2. Both of the figures lend themselves to the same specialty and having two distinct South American bio-terror experts working for Cobra just seems a little too convenient for my tastes. (Of course, I have to acquire a Corrosao figure first. If you can help me out, let me know.)

Sure, the Letal figure is neon green. However, so is the '93 Firefly and I like and use that figure. In this case, though, the neon green is more of a functional color than anything else. A character who deals with chemicals and biological elements would have to be used to catastrophes where contaminants would escape from whatever their container of choice may be. In situations like this, having brightly colored clothing would better allow rescuers to find someone. As such, I don't have a problem with the figure's color. In function, the Frag Viper mold (which is highly under appreciated in the U.S.) works great as a bio hazard suit. The trappings convey the idea and the excellently done helmet allow for explanations that this character has build in recycling gear to protect him from his experiments. When I add a Toxo-Viper V1 backpack and hose to plug into the helmet, the effect is complete. (On another note, the Funskool Toxo-Viper pack is almost a perfect match for Letal. The colors are extremely close and work well. I'd take advantage of that figure's current availability if you want to ever outfit a Letal figure in this manner.) The figure then looks like a Cobra version of Airtight. While this isn't quite the manner in which I use Letal, it is enough of a match that anyone who saw the figure would know his purpose.

Like many of the later edition Brazilian figures, Letal isn't too tough to find. He is one of the few Brazilian figures you can find both loose and MOC for affordable prices. One thing to remember about Letal, though, is that he was featured in the 30th Anniversary Trading Card Set. As such, many collectors knew about him early on and some old school dealers will still try to sell Letal figures for prices that were normal 5 to 7 years ago for Brazilian exclusive figures. As more Brazilian Joe fans have come online, figures like this guy have become easier to find. As such, prices on them have fallen. While Letal will cost you a bit more than a typical American figure, I've seen him loose mint and complete sell for under $15. For a foreign exclusive figure of this quality, you really can't beat that. If you should have occasion to add a Letal figure to your collection, I would highly recommend it. He may not be as usable a figure as some other Brazilian exclusive Cobras, but he is a figure that I think you will enjoy.

I'm set for Letal figures. However, I am interested in a Marfim, Corrosao, Albatroz, or Marujo. If you have any of those figures available, email me.

1992 Cobra Air Devil

There are roughly 625 figures and variations in the American Joe line. (Currently!) If you add in the 75-100 major foreign exclusive figure variations (Currently!), there are easily over 700 unique figure variations for Joe collectors to track down. With a figure line that is as massive as Joe, it is easy for many smaller characters and figures to slip out of collectors' minds and become obscurities. While this site specializes in figures like that, it has become harder and harder to find figures that are not new releases, obscure variations, or foreign exclusives who fit this criteria. Recently, while sorting through some old bagged figures in my collection, I came across a figure who perfectly fit the Forgotten Figures archetype. However, as I only had the figure bagged, I had never really considered him for any purpose in my collection. As I looked at him, though, it finally dawned on me for what purpose I could use this figure. While not everyone may see this figure in the capacity I have given him, I think you will agree that the Cobra Air Devil is an interesting figure that really fleshes out a Joe collection.

I've never liked the Wild Weasel figure. After I saw how he was originally drawn in the comic, I really wanted him. However, once I got the actual figure, I just never liked him. As a character, Wild Weasel was great. As a figure, though, he really fails. (However, I am liking the Wild Weasel repaint that is currently available from Funskool. If I have occasion to acquire some, they will become the entry level Air Vipers that we were not given by Hasbro.) Over time, I've created new Cobra pilots by using figures such as Cesspool or the 1991 Bat. However, none of them ever represented Wild Weasel. As his figure was so poor, I just kind of forgot about the character and never really utilized him in any capacity. It was a shame, though, as Wild Weasel was one of the classic Cobra characters who really deserved a remake. He was the definitive Cobra pilot and would have made an excellent addition to a later edition Cobra aircraft, or even as a regular carded figure. Alas, it was not to be.

When I recently looked at my Air Devil figure, though, I realized he was nicely similar to Wild Weasel. In fact, I thought that the Air Devil would make an excellent Wild Weasel V2. While I had long concentrated on finding new combat pilots in my Cobra army, I never really thought about who would actually fly Cobra Commander around. The Baroness did this in the comic, but I use her as more of an ally to Destro, so she doesn't really fit this role. Wild Weasel, though, does. Now that I've assigned his character to this figure, I finally had someone who I liked in a previously underused capacity. With this figure in place, CC would have someone to fly him around, and would add another trusted associate to his cabal. It also gave me a way to keep an underused character around without creating a new one. (As I'm prone to do.) The look of this figure is such that were I to call him Wild Weasel in a dio-story or something, I think at least some people would think that this was really intended to be an update to that classic character.

The look of this figure is great. While many people dismiss any figure made after 1991, 1992 really offered some great figure sculpts in solid color schemes. The Air Devil is no exception. His deep red uniform with the black details is worthy of just about any Cobra character. The silver highlights on his uniform details give him some depth but still allow the figure to be well done with simplicity. His head sculpt shows more skin than many classic Cobra army builders, but is is also done well enough that it allows the figure more diversity in use. Even without his unique visor, you can put an airmask on the figure that makes him appear even more the pilot. The Air Devil is the type of figure that really fits with figures from any year. His colors and sculpt are indicative that Hasbro was still capable of producing high quality figures as the line wound down. Overlooking any single year of figures just due to their release date really limits a collection and prevents people from enjoying hidden gems like the Air Devil who were released near the bitter end.

Going forward, even as Wild Weasel, this figure will never be a heavily used member of my collection. However, for the niches that require pilots, you can be sure that this guy will be at the forefront. The deep red color and obscure mold makes this guy a great addition to dioramas. In that capacity, I think this figure will continue to flourish. He will continue to pilot Cobra Commander around in whatever aircraft is the Commander's choice that day. From time to time, he will also be used as the lead Rattler pilot for very high level missions. I, though, rarely use my larger aircraft. They are more difficult to play with and I've always found the smaller, lighter aircraft to offer more. However, when the times call for something a bit more robust, you can be sure that this figure, as the Wild Weasel character, will be at the controls.

Like all of the glider figures from 1992, the Cobra Air Devil is very tough to find. I got mine MIB from Hasbro Canada a couple of years ago. They offered most of the glider figures, but none of them had any accessories. As such, finding a mint, complete with filecard Air Devil is an even tougher proposition. Like most of the later edition figures, though, scarcity does not equate to pricey with this figure. Even MOC, you can find them for affordable prices. However, finding them in even that condition is challenging. I've only seen a handful of Air Devils offered for sale over the years. I think that is the primary reason that a figure of this quality has gone so unnoticed by the collecting community. Perhaps, with a little exposure, that will change. I'm just glad that I saw this guy when Wild Weasel was kind of on my mind. It allowed me to get more use out of an excellently done figure while updating a character I'd long neglected. Should you have occasion to add the Air Devil to your collection, I think you will find him an asset as well.

I like the Air Devil figure and would like a couple more. I also need his visor, gun, and filecard to complete the one I have. If you have any of these guys, or his accessories available, email me.

1984 Firefly

I've related the story of my first encounter with 1984 Joes before. Many of you know that the first figure I acquired that year was this version of Firefly. While this figure does not fit the traditional definition of a "Forgotten Figure" he is a character that I feel was underutilized in the role that I felt most suited him. As such, I've chosen to start my newest batch of profiles with the favored version of one of the most popular characters in all of Joedom.

Since the day I first acquired this figure back in the spring of 1984, I've used him as Cobra's answer to Snake Eyes. (Not in the ninja sense, though!) He was Cobra's saboteur and commando. While he would blow things up, he was more dangerous as a infiltration expert who would break into Joe compounds to capture or kill high ranking Joe officials. He was stealthy and deadly and possessed a skill level easily on par with any of the Joes. He was well trained in the use of all the little weapons that are molded on the figure. At one point, I even went so far as to imagine the knife that is above his wrist as a rope shooter that gave Firefly near Spider-Man like abilities. Sure it was over the top, but I was 10 years old and stuff like that made a figure just that much more special.

As a figure, the V1 Firefly is nearly perfect. His body mold is covered in trappings of explosives, tools and hidden weapons. His colors are perfect for his specialty. The sleek head sculpt differentiates him from his other, contemporary Cobras. His accessories were top notch. The pack with the removable cover that revealed detailed tools and explosive making devices was just about the coolest accessory I had ever seen. His gun was highly unique and so cool that it was impossible to replace. His little phone, that I long thought was a walkie-talkie, gave him a slight element of mystery. I always envisioned him blowing up a building and talking to his client as the structure burned in the background. The combination of greys that make up his cammo pattern allow Firefly to be at home in both field and urban areas. They also created one of the most visually stunning figures that the line saw. Fantastic in his simplicity, Firefly was an excellent example that a few, base colors, properly done, could make a remarkable figure.

To this day, this version remains the only representation of Firefly in my collection. The 90's versions are used as a new, younger character who is the second in command to the Flying Scorpion character. The well done '98 version does see some use as Firefly, but more often as a just a run of the mill arctic commando who is sometimes used as a good guy. The suberb update to the mold that was released in 2000 primarily sees use as a Cobra Demo-Viper in my collection. (That's mainly due to the fact that I've got a bunch of them!) And works in that capacity more than as the true character. The original version was so well done that there is no way for me to have the character represented by any other figure. (Although it does appear that the new sculp Firefly that is slated for release later this year will be quite a figure. I think he may do the original character justice.)

How, then, you may ask, is Firefly forgotten? Well, after the character became bogged down in the ninja story from the later issues of the Joe comic, he was heavily devalued as a Joe character. The Firefly from the early to mid '80's is the way that I always wanted to use this guy. Based on general collector sentiment, I am not alone in this. In my Joe world, Firefly never had any connection to Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, or any other ninja. He was simply a mysterious outside contractor who did remarkable enough work that he was able to join Cobra and worm his way into Cobra Commander's inner cabal. In this capacity, he remains a very dangerous foe about whom the Joes know little. I prefer to keep Firefly that way.

As most of you know, mint, complete V1 Fireflies are expensive. Often, they fetch over $40 with some going as high as $50. His green phone is one of the most difficult accessories to find in the entire line and is just pushes complete Fireflies that much higher. Of course, the figure being one of the most popular molds in the history of the line makes even off conditioned, incomplete Firefly figures desireable. The nice thing, though, is that the figure is easy to find. While he may cost you a bit more, you can find incomplete and slightly less than mint Firefly figures in many figure lots and by themselves. He was released during the most prolific years of Joedom and there are many, many Firefly figures out there. For those who don't have one, though, that doesn't make the financial pain of acquiring one any less.

(One thing to note, there were unsubstantiated rumours abounding that Funskool was going to re-release the V1 Firefly figure that they produced. As such, many collectors were on the lookout for that figure as a cheap alternative to this one. However, the Firefly mold that Funskool used to create their version was returned to Hasbro for use on the '98 and '00 versions of the figure. These figures show the alterations made to the mold to remove copyright information by the foreign Joe producers. As such, unless someone finds some warehouse stock of the Funskool Firefly, it is HIGHLY unlikely that we will see a V1 Firefly figure re-released by Funskool. Those of you who passed on a V1 Firefly figure in anticipation of a Funskool version should probably refocus your searches on V1 American figures.)

For me, I've always enjoyed having the V1 Firefly figure. He has always been a constant in my collection and remains the primary mold I use to represent Firefly. I'm not alone in this as Firefly's popularity among collectors is equal to just about everyone save Storm Shadow or Snake Eyes. While this may make him a bit more expensive to acquire, I would say that this version is always worth it.

Fortunately, I'm all set with Firefly figures and don't need any of his accessories, either. Are you looking forward to the newly sculpted Firefly figure that will be available later this year? Let me know.