2002 Funskool Major Bludd - Indian Exclusive

I've already profiled two other figure versions of the Major Bludd character. For some reason, though, I feel that I have yet to adequately describe the true importance I place on the Bludd character. As such, when the opportunity to profile a newer version of Major Bludd arose, I embraced the chance to revisit one of my nostalgic favorites. The fact that the figure is actually true to the character's roots and maintains the definite feel of a Bludd figure was just a bonus. (Especially when you consider that this figure was created by Funskool!)

When I first heard that Funskool was offering a new Major Bludd, I figured it would be a newly painted version that utilized the 1994 Major Bludd mold. The reasons for this included the fact that the original Major Bludd mold was previously released by Funskool back in the earliest days of their Joe line. (In fact, the blue and yellow version of this figure is among the harder foreign releases from any country to find.) Major Bludd would not be categorized as a new figure were it this mold. With this mold ruled out, I thought about the '91 Major Bludd mold. However, this mold was just used in 2000/2001 in the U.S. for a Major Bludd figure. As such, I didn't think it could be used again by Funskool so soon. This left only the 1994 mold, and I thought that this could be a possibility. However, this was not the case. When the first pictures of this figure appeared, many were shocked to see it was the 1991 Major Bludd mold. People could not believe it, especially in light of Hasbro's statements at the convention to the effect that they were anticipating this Major Bludd mold to be a part of the upcoming Python Patrol exclusive pack. However, shortly after the Joe con, there was another public appearance by the Joe design team. At this event, they let an off-hand comment slip about how they had shipped the original Outback mold (that was just used in 2001 for Big Brawler) to India. This indicated that Hasbro is still sending Funskool newly used molds. While some may question why, it is important to remember that at the end of 2001, Hasbro was going full tilt into the production of the new Joe sculpts. It was only collector backlash that has kept classically sculpted Joes around. With Hasbro's mindset that the old molds were no longer useful to them, it makes perfect sense that they would have sent some recently used molds off to India. What does this mean? Well, it means that just because a mold was used in the U.S. in the past few years does not, necessarily, mean that it is still available for Hasbro produced figures. It also means that there could be some more very interesting offerings from Funskool next year.

If you are a fan of classic Joes, Funskool has really put out some nice product for you in past year or so. We have seen excellent repaints of Scrap Iron, Zarana, Buzzer, Ripper, Quick Kick, Zartan, Flint, Airtight, Beach Head and the Crimson Guard Immortal. This version of Major Bludd just continues in this vein. He is a perfect homage to the original figure's colors without any of the minuscule Funskool trappings that you usually find on their figures. (Okay, his accessories are terrible. The translucent hot pink and neon purple guns are among the most useless weapons ever offered.) The brown color is a bit lighter than the very dark 2001 version and showcases the mold details much more clearly than the dark blue and brown from the American versions of this mold. The lightening effect really accentuates the high level of detail that was originally paid this sculpt. While I've long used the '91 Major Bludd figure, I only noticed that this mold carried forward Bludd's trademark dog tags when I saw the Funskool version. The darker American versions hid little details like this from cursory examination.

For me, Major Bludd has always been the most ruthless of the Cobra villains. While Cobra Commander is evil personified, he never struck me as the type who would muddy his hands with the actual dirty work of a terrorist organization. Instead, he would employ a number of henchmen who would not be mindful of tasks such as these. While Destro was a bit above this type of thing, Major Bludd struck me as the man the Commander turned to when he needed something horrid done. (And this was even before Bludd's memorable run as an assassin after Snake Eyes in the original Joe comic run.) I pictured Bludd as the down and dirty task man who was responsible for the dark dealings of Cobra. Being an independent contractor, he is able to operate without implicating Cobra while still utilizing their full resources. With the power of Cobra behind him, I always envisioned Bludd as being one of the most ruthless and dangerous people on the planet.

In my collection, though, Bludd's role has evolved. As is normal with many contractual relationships, Bludd and Cobra Commander eventually drifted apart in their goals. Longtime fans of this site know that my Cobra Commander has aged a bit and is no longer really a part of the day to day operations of Cobra. As the Commander settled into his reduced role, Bludd found himself somewhat of an outsider. Rather than become embittered at the Cobra organization, though, Bludd went off to further hone his skills in hot spots throughout the world. However, the finite number of countries that Bludd could still travel to dwindled rather quickly. Plus, my Bludd has aged a bit and no longer has the desire to be a two bit foot soldier. As such, Bludd set up offices in the U.S. and Canada and has been partaking in a number of illicit activities within those countries borders. While not the overt mercenary he was in his younger days, Bludd still hires out his skills. However, he acts as more of an organized crime boss rather than an assassin. In this role, he has taken over the remnants of the Headhunters and turned them into his private army of mercenaries. They often help Cobra (Especially now that Cobra is starting to mount urban military strikes against American civilian locations.) as Cobra has the money to pay well. However, the days of Bludd being Cobra Commander's crony are past.

This figure's availability is problematic. Currently, he is readily available for under $4. However, that could soon change. If the ban on large scale Funskool imports is implemented, newer figures, like Bludd, could become harder to get and more expensive in the U.S. For now, this "ban" seems to have little impact besides create a short term demand for some of the better Funskool figures. Time will tell how this plays out. However, you know that you aren't going to find this figure for much less than $4, so if you have a chance to pick one up now, I would certainly take advantage of it. In the long term, I think this figure could remain popular. Bludd is a major Cobra character and this color scheme is well done and hearkens to the original figure. Had the '01 Major Bludd not been released in the U.S., I think this figure would rival the Chinese Major Bludd as a collector favorite. Now, though, this guy is a just another great addition to a Major Bludd collection. I've found him enjoyable and will probably continue to use him over the similar American version from just over a year ago. Again, time will tell if this figure ever gains high levels of popularity. However, as this guy is not the only alternative for a good, later sculpt Major Bludd figure, I see him remaining a relatively obscure representation of the Cobra hierarchy.   Is Major Bludd a character you would like to see remade in the new sculpt figures? Let me know.

1988 Tiger Force Skystriker

This site has long specialized in the very obscure figures that dot the Joe collecting landscape. Over the years, though, the pool from which to draw Forgotten Figures has gotten smaller and smaller. Every now and then, though, I come across a figure that I had forgotten about and who you don't often see in any online Joe collecting forums. Usually, these figures come from the latter part of the original Joe line and are obscure primarily because of their late release date. In this case, though, Skystriker is a bit odd. He was released in 1988 as part of one of the most popular subsets ever concocted for the Joe line. However, for whatever reasons, this figure has fallen by the wayside and now remains the least publicized member of Tiger Force.

Skystiker is the only original character who was originally a member of Tiger Force. (This was almost not the case, though, as a character named Sabretooth was originally intended to be a member of the set. Sabretooth was a straight repaint of the '84 Firefly mold, but was never released. Now, though, a figure will be released in the same paint scheme as was intended for Sabretooth as an homage to that character in the upcoming TRU exclusive Tiger Force set.) He is an amalgamated figure utilizing the body from the original Wild Weasel and the head from Thunder. He even has a recolored version of Thunder's headgear to more specifically match him with his earlier counterparts. His body choice is odd, as he was the first (and one of the only) Joes to utilize a body mold that originally belonged to a Cobra. However, as he was the pilot to the Tiger Force Rattler repaint, the utilization of Wild Weasel's body insured greater compatibility with the plane and lessened the overall feel of this being a retail release amalgamation.

The use of Skystriker really kind of baffles me. There were many great pilot molds released as figures in the Joe line. In 1988, there were many other characters, most notably Ace, who would have been a better fit for as this pilot. The creation of an obscure character that was never explored in any Joe media was really an unnecessary step. It seems that this character was created just as filler to include with a cool vehicle beyond anything else. Of course, this has only enhanced his obscurity and has left Skystriker as a character that really does not fit into any type of Joe hierarchy.

I've always kind of liked the Tiger Force figures. Many of them are nice repaints of an original figure that allow for some diversity of character. Others are just visually striking and offer the type of aesthetic difference that lends a sense of uniqueness to a diorama. Many of you know that there is a new Tiger Force coming out later this year. Personally, I can't wait for it. I think the idea of a small subset of figures that are all done in one color scheme is kind of fun. The fact that many of the upcoming figures are based on the hard to find European exclusive figures and will provide an affordable way for many collectors to experience the look of the Euro figs in their collections. With the announcement that these theme sets could become a trend, I'm looking forward to seeing some additional repaints of classic molds come our way.

As far as Skystriker goes, he usually sits in my 1988 Joe drawer. Beyond his acquisition a couple of years ago, I've never really used the figure for anything else. In fact, it was only when I was cataloging my 1988's that I kind of rediscovered him. I took him out for the photos you see below and then tucked him back into his poly-bag and stuck him back in the drawer with the other 1988 figures of which I still need a part or two for completion. Beyond that, I don't have a use for him. Just about every other pilot figure that was ever release is superior to Skystriker. With that in mind, I don't foresee this guy ever being a major player in my collection. There are just too many other figures I'd rather have before this guy even appears on the radar screen. His obscurity causes me to forget he's available, but the poor color and mold choice causes me to pass him over when I'm choosing figures for a specific purpose. Perhaps, in time, I will use him as a test pilot or filler on the Flagg (should I ever get one!). Until then, he remains one of the least often seen figures.

As regular release American figures go, Skystriker is among the tougher ones to find if you want him mint and complete. While not as scarce as Hardtop or Payload, he can still be problematic for those seeking him. Skystriker suffers from original accessories that were never available with any other figure, paint that easily rubs off, and a lower production run as the pilot of the most expensive and least produced vehicle from a subset that was, in itself, under produced. Of course, just because he's hard to find does not make this guy overly expensive. Most people don't care about the figure and only want him to either complete their figure collections or complete their Tiger Force Rattler. Either way, this small group of people is not enough to put Skystriker in high demand. When you do find a decent one, he can be had under $12-$15 with no problem. For that price, I would pass on him. As a figure, he is interesting, but not so much so that I would consider him a necessity. There are tons of better pilot figures in the Joe line. Skystriker is just another, non-descript member of their group.

While I've got the Skystriker figure, I do need his filecard. If you can help,email me.

1989 Night Viper

Back in 1989, I took a family vacation. One of our stops was at a friend of my mother's home. Her children were younger than I was and had tons of the new Joe toys from 1989. I had stopped buying any new figures in 1988 (even then I had only bought about three of them) and had only picked up the new Snake Eyes figure in January. Beyond that, though, I was totally unfamiliar with the new Joe releases. While visiting, I saw the Heat Viper and Annihilator figures. I thought them both very cool. However, I didn't take the next logical step to buy any more figures. In the summer of 1990, though, I was old enough to drive and had a job bagging groceries at a local supermarket. One day at lunch, I decided I was going to go buy a new Joe figure. After seeing one of the '89 catalogs, I wanted either Downtown or the Annihilator. One day, during my 30 minute lunch break, I drove down to a nearby Kohl's store. (I knew they had Joe figures. Kohl's doesn't carry many toys anymore, but they used to be a great source for Joe figures.) I stared at a wall of '89 Joes and found the Downtown I wanted. However, another figure caught my eye. He was a remarkably colored Cobra who came with great accessories. I put the Downtown back on the shelf and bought the subject of this profile: the 1989 Night Viper.

There is little about this figure that you can not like. First off, he is colored is dark green and black that creates a menacing presence. He is slung with bandoliers full of intricate detail and sports one of the coolest unit insignias that was ever created for a Cobra specialty Viper. The thought of these guys slinking around in the night was a concept that I just wanted to capture. The look of the figure was just so striking that it took me a while to fully appreciate the intricacies of the mold. His accessories, with the face shield, subtle pack, useful monocular, and awesome gun perfectly complemented both the look and purpose of the figure. The mold has a detail level that requires full examination to fully appreciate. He moved beyond the simple mold of the Annihilator and remains one of the better sculpted figures during his era.

One thing I've always lamented about the Night Viper is his specialty. This guy is just too cool to only use at night. That's why I've made my Night Vipers more versatile. Sure, they are still primarily responsible for night time operations as well as security. (They often team with Python Patrol Vipers and Alley Vipers to form my complete night time forces.) However, I've also found many uses for these guys during the day. Their guns, with the attached grenade launcher, make for decent infantry weapons and the green and black colors lend themselves to forest and jungle operations as well. As such, I'm able to use my Night Vipers in a variety of elements and they (along with Range and Alley Vipers) remain the core of my basic Cobra forces. I've never liked the Viper and have long thought that a more flattering colored Cobra would be better suited as Cobra's main ground forces. With the Night Viper, I got that.

I don't think I'm alone in my expanded uses of the Night Viper. It seems that many other people out there have built large contingents of a Viper whose specialty lends itself to small numbers. This speaks to the popularity of the mold. Overall, the Night Viper is one of the most popular Cobra army builders that was ever produced. Whether used as a small, elite unit, a single specialist who supports other Cobra operations, or as a basic infantry soldier good in any situation, the Night Viper figure works wonderfully and has enjoyed a wide acceptance among modern collectors. He remains one of the most oft requested characters to be in line for a new sculpt in the Joe vs. Cobra line and I think he would make an excellent candidate.

I've got some bad news, some good news and some more bad news and some final good news about the availability of the Night Viper. First, the bad news. Back in late 2000, Night Vipers with even only their face shield and gun were selling for $25-$30 each. This made them about the most expensive Cobra army builder of the time. There was some serious pent up demand and the prices reflected this. Now for the good news. In early 2001, Funskool figures became widely available in the U.S. for the first time. Among these figures is a nearly identical repaint of the 1989 Night Viper. As these sold for $4 each, collectors snatched them up with incredible zeal and sellers would sell through their Night Viper stock in a matter of hours. By the summer, though, the pent up demand had been sated and cheap Night Vipers were available all the time. As such, the prices of American figures dropped significantly. Now, you can get a mint, complete Night Viper for under $15 without too much trouble. But, if you're building armies, why pay this much? The Funskool Night Viper (which can be seen intermingled with American Night Vipers in the pics below) are nearly identical to the American version and can be had for a price that allows a collector to amass 6 or 7 of them for the price they would pay for 2 American figures. Taking this route is a great way to pick up Night Vipers for your collection. Now, though, for the final piece of bad news. $4 Funskool Night Vipers will soon be a fond memory. Commercial Funskool shipments to the U.S. have been halted and online sellers who wish to replenish their Night Viper stock will have to incur greater expense to do so. As such, once the current stock of Night Vipers sells through, you will see prices on these figures rise. When that happens, the American figure will follow suit. However, there is one final piece of good news. Many collectors, myself included, have satisfied their Night Viper army building requirements via Funskool. As such, there still won't be the demand for the American Night Viper that existed before the Funskool stuff was widely available. Also, there are many new collectors who have flocked to Joe in the past year. Many of these people have quickly built Cobra armies via retail means and have huge stockpiles of Funskool Crimson Guard Immortals, Neo Vipers, Cobra Claws, and any other recent retail Cobra figures. The fact is, when Joe's popularity diminishes (It WILL happen. It happens in every collectible market.) many of these people will liquidate their collections. As it will likely happen in a very short time frame, you will see many large lots that contain multiple Funskool Night Vipers as well as the other figures. During that time, many collectors who are in for the long haul will be able to get many nice deals on loose lots of some of these more recent Cobra figures. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my Night Viper armies. He's long been a favorite of mine and nothing about that has changed. Once you have the figure in your collection, I think you will see why.

Night Vipers are great, but I'm set for what I need of them. Who is your favorite 1989 Cobra army builder? Let me know.

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.