1992 Heli-Viper

The Heli-Viper is probably as forgotten a figure as you can find. He is a combination of bad colors and a late release date in an obscure vehicle that makes for a figure most collectors can not identify. However, it is also a figure that features one of the most interesting Frankenstein jobs that Hasbro ever created and, were it in better colors, would probably be among the most sought after army builders of the modern day. As it is a mish-mash of red and purple, though, the Heli-Viper has been doomed to a life of obscurity. As is the case with many figures like this, though, I have found at least a partial role in my collection for one of the greatest examples of good molds ruined by bad colors.

The Heli-Viper combines parts from 3 iconic Cobra figures. The main body and legs are made from the Night Viper mold. The arms are from the Techno Viper and the head is from the original Snow Serpent. Taken as they are, these parts should have combined into one of the best amalgamated figures of the entire line. However, this was not to be as the Heli-Viper was given a terrible purple and red color scheme the obscured the details of the mold and turned the figure into a nightmare. While I have found that the color is appealing somewhat by itself, it does not mix with anything else decent in the Cobra army and leaves this figure as an odd man out. Even his gun, a purple rendition of the Night Viper rifle, is too poorly colored to have any use.

The Heli-Viper was only released with a 1992 Battle Copter. These weren't terribly popular items and you don't see either the Heli-Viper nor his Joe counterpart, Ace, with great frequency on the second hand market. Hasbro Canada offered bagged samples of the Battle Copter figures, though, so you can find complete Heli-Vipers both loose and bagged. These have started to dry up, though, as more collectors have defined holes in their collections as being figures like the Heli-Viper and they have taken many of the existing figures out of the second hand market. Personally, I have never owned a loose version as I haven't wanted to open either of my bagged figs. After having these two for a bit, though, I may reconsider and open at least one of the figures as they are kind of neat filler to toss into a dio background.

In my collection, Heli-Vipers have a minor role. While the Heli-Viper design is cool, my ranks of Cobra helicopter pilots are comprised of the well done Gyro Viper. As such, I don't really need the Heli-Viper. (In fact, the figure's file card really makes me not like the character since it is just so over the top.) However, where he does fit in is as a Techno Viper in training. I've always viewed the Techno Vipers as more of an engineering corps. While they can fix things, their real value is working on Cobra's highest end equipment. As such, there is a level of grunt Techno Vipers who are more likely to see combat who work on the run of the mill Cobra technology. This is the role I've found for the Heli-Viper figure. His colors are similar to those of the Techno Viper but the mold design shows that this character could still appear in combat. As such, I see Heli-Vipers as the guys who get of the tank when a convoy is under fire to change a bogey wheel as Cobra doesn't want to risk a full Techno Viper for such a dangerous duty. They take fire, but long for the day when they are full Technos and are allowed to have safer duties.

These Techno Vipers aren't well respected by the Cobra foot troops as they are not yet fully qualified Technos and they tend to make mistakes. They also view themselves as non-combatants as that is what most Techno Vipers are qualified as. This leads to great animosity on the field as the infantry feel the Techno's in training should fight to make up for their lack of mechanical experience while the Techno's feel the Infantry should cut them some slack since they are the only ones out there capable of putting a damaged Parasite or Maggot back together. Needless to say, this limits the role of that the Heli-Viper plays as Cobra isn't keen on creating more tension on the battlefield between their own troops. As the Heli-Viper is fairly difficult figure to find, though, this dovetails nicely with its role in my collection.

The Heli-Viper is an interesting mix of molds. The Night Viper was used in the US in 1989 and 1990. It then appeared on this figure before it was sent off to India sometime around 1995 where it was used until 2003. Master Collector brought the mold back in 2005 on their Iron Grenadier after Hasbro re-acquired it and will use it again for a new Night Viper in 2006. The Techno Viper mold was used in 1987 and then again in 1994. It has not reappeared since. The V1 Snow Serpent has been MIA even longer as the head's inclusion on the Heli-Viper is the only appearance of any part of the mold since 1986. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing either the Techno Viper or the Snow Serpent reappear in the modern repaint line. Both are solid molds. But, as the Night Viper body will be used twice in about a year, I think that mold is fairly played out and shouldn't be used again for a while.

If you want a Heli-Viper, they currently have gotten quite expensive. Many complete figures are selling in the $15+ range. This is mainly due to the fact that there are many collectors who do not own this figure and, as he is fairly hard to find, they are willing to spend a fair amount to finally cross him off their lists. Long term, I don't know if this will hold up. The figure is certainly difficult to find, but there were also tons of bagged samples that were put into the collecting community with the Hasbro Canada find in 1999. As such, I don't really know if this figure is going to continue to be more expensive or if his popularity will be short lived and, as more and more collectors get a sample, the price will fall precipitously. Either way, this isn't a figure that I'd spend a lot of time tracking down. The mold is great and the colors are bad. As such, he's a guy that I can use when I want to but he's not someone I go out of my way to get into a dio or other scene.

2004 Night Force Tunnel Rat

In the first half of 2003, Hasbro managed to re-acquire 18 molds from Funskool in India. Rather than letting these molds mature a bit (they were all currently in production by Funskool and were readily available for about $4 each in the U.S.) Hasbro rushed these molds quickly into production. The results were a rather stale crop of figure molds that were both improvements and regressions from the mold's prior American releases. In the case of the Night Force Tunnel Rat, though, the paint job that was released was actually an improvement and is, arguably, the best paint job ever used on the V1 Tunnel Rat mold.

The Night Force set was bad, good and maddening all at once. The accessory complement was terrible. (It would, though, have been decent had it come with the Cobra Infantry Team.) The repainted V1 Roadblock figure was also a waste. The mold is antiquated, highly overused and simply did not look good in the Night Force color scheme. However, the Tunnel Rat, Flint and Beachhead figures were all well done. While they weren't strikingly different enough from their original releases to make them iconic or even useful as a means of diversifying their use, the colors were well done and all three figures are nice additions to a collection. The Short Fuze figure was nothing short of spectacular and is how all of the repaints should have been done. He featured an obscure mold that was poorly colored the first time that was finally repainted in a great color scheme. The maddening part, though, was Action Man.

I have no aversion to the character of Action Man being part of this set. I also have no specific aversion to having an orange clad figure as part of the set. In fact, the Action Man figure is rather cool. My issue, though, is that inclusion of Action Man cost us a chance at a Night Force Tracker figure. Tracker is a great mold that suffered from terrible colors the first time around. When Hasbro finally re-released the mold, instead of giving us the great color scheme every customizer had ever imaged on the Tracker mold, they gave us Action Man whose inclusion required the figure to have a bright orange shirt. Thus, collectors were robbed of the chance to finally get that perfect Tracker they had so long desired. This was made more maddening by the fact that the Tracker shown at the 2003 Convention was in the Night Force color scheme and that full production samples of Night Force Tracker figures showed up on the Asian market indicating that the inclusion of Action Man was a last minute decision. Of course, of the 6 molds in the set, Hasbro has since re-released 4 of them. The two they haven't are Short Fuze and, of course, Tracker. So, we're still waiting for the proper use of the Tracker mold almost 2 1/2 years later....

Tunnel Rat has the distinction of being the only 2 time member of Night Force. The original Night Force figure featured bright, neon details on the figure and, as such, this version is actually the more realistic color scheme. I think that's why the figure succeeds for me on a visual level. It features muted colors, but does not skimp on the painted details. You have shades of green, silver, brown, black, white and a dirty grey that make this figure perfect for use in Night and jungle theatres. The pants are one area where the figure could be better: especially if you removed the gaudy G.I. Joe logo. (Nothing like advertising that you are a member of a highly secretive covert unit right on your uniform.) This figure, though, has all the painted details of the vintage Tunnel Rat figure but has them painted in a darker, more layered color palette.

Lately, I've been very down on Joe in general. I find my interest in the line at an all time low. As such, I've really turned more towards Star Wars collecting in recent months and have found myself much more interested in that than I am in Joe. As I looked at the newer Star Wars figures, I wondered why they have replaced Joe among my toy collecting preferences. (I took a 5 year hiatus from Star Wars collecting and never thought I'd return.) The thing I noticed was that if you are currently buying Star Wars figures, you are able to buy some of the best figures ever made. While there are some gems from years past, the stuff that Hasbro is producing now is the best renditions of major characters, obscure aliens and just all round figures that they've ever done.

The same, though, can not be said for Joe. If you look back at the past 5 years of Joedom, there are few, if any, iconic figures that have been created. For the most part, we've seen uninspired repaints of classic molds, terrible accessories, a constantly evolving new sculpt formula and never-ending themes that have been more important than the toy line itself. The bottom line is that there have been few must buy figures that are integral to every collection that were created between 2001 and 2006. Again, that isn't to say that all the figures are bad. Far from it. But, when you consider that Hasbro has released 559 figures since 2001 (and 586 between 1982 and 2000) there really should have been more great figures since they released about the same number as they had in the vintage run. As such, you really start to see why the vast multitude of modern releases that have been of lower quality has started to finally drain away my enthusiasm for the hobby. In time, this may ebb. But, history has shown that Hasbro isn't too interested in doing new, exciting things with the Joe line. As such, I expect more of the same these days rather than anything innovative.

The Tunnel Rat mold features a facial sculpt that was based on Larry Hama, the writer of the Joe comic book. After it's original run in the US, it was re-released again in 1988 as the Night Force exclusive and again in 1990 as part of the Super Sonic Fighters line. From there, it was then used in Europe around 1991 for the Euro exclusive Tiger Force Tunnel Rat. (Which has gotten quite popular and fairly expensive in recent months.) After that, the molds arms were used on the 1994 Dial Tone figure before the mold was shipped off to India. There, Funskool released a figure in colors reminiscent of the Super Sonic Fighters version for many years. (They also used the upper arms on some versions of their take on the 1994 Dial Tone.) Funksool returned the mold to Hasbro in early 2003 and Hasbro has since used it in the Night Force set, the Desert Strike set and a recent comic pack. As such, the mold has seen probably too many uses at this point as there really is a Tunnel Rat for every occasion...almost.

Night Force Tunnel Rats are cheap and easy to find. Lost in the hype of the Cobra Infantry Team, the Night Force sets languished on the pegs at Toys R Us stores for almost a year. They didn't disappear from most places until the holidays. Even today, boxed sets can be purchased on the second hand market for under the retail price of $20. Some individual figures may be priced a bit higher, but the multitude of subsequent Tunnel Rat releases really killed any demand for this figure and has left him readily acquirable for about $5. At that price, he's a good pick up. But, you will have to spend some decent money to add adequate vintage accessories to the figure, so what you save on the figure you'll more than make up for when you go to accessorize him. Personally, I like this figure, but he isn't a figure that I would miss were he never released. Really, that's the attitude I've taken with most of the modern ARAH style repaints. A few are great. But, most of them are just kind of there. They offer nothing new to a collection that wasn't offered by the original figure. Some aren't bad figures, but many are. I guess I just expected more from a modern take on vintage molds. Perhaps that's what I get for having too lofty of expectations.

1988 Tiger Force Dusty

Certain figures and characters have always been more popular among the collecting community than others. This is simply a given. In many cases, the collector favorites make sense. But, though the years, there have been instances where a rather lame figure gains prominence either through some new exposure or newly discovered rarity. These are nice as they give the community something to talk about for a while before the figure fades back into obscurity. The converse of this, though, is that collectors often neglect some very well done figures. Again, this makes sense in the case of a figure like Updraft who had no exposure and is a figure that is rare enough that many collectors don't have him as part of their collection. But, in other cases, it simply makes no sense. Many of these cases feature characters who were repainted in some way subsequent to their original release. While collectors may hold the original in high regard, the repaint is forgotten and neglected, even though it may be of high quality. Such is the case with the subject of today's profile: the 1988 Tiger Force Dusty.

1988 was the last year that I bought Joes as a kid. I picked up a few random figures early in the year and was pretty much out of the hobby by the summertime. Among the figures I did acquire, though, was the Tiger Force Roadblock. I didn't pick this figure up because he was such an improvement over the original. I bought him because it gave me a chance to get Roadblock's accessories as replacements for my long broken originals. I looked at Flint the same way, though I was never able to add him to my collection. My point is that for older collectors, the Tiger Force repaints didn't really offer them anything unless their earlier figures were broken or lost. This lead to misinterpretations of the Tiger Force figures' rarity early in the days of the collecting market. The guys who first got back into the hobby were kids who had the original Dusty, Flint, Roadblock, etc. As such, they had no need for the Tiger Force figures, didn't buy them and later extrapolated that out to say the figures were rarer than they really were. The reality was that for the generation of Joe fans who had come of age between 1986 and 1988, the Tiger Force figures were pretty much new figures that they had never had the chance to own. As such, they bought them and, years later, assimilated them back into the collecting market in more than ample supply.

The real question left is how to use this version of Dusty. The original figure is the consummate desert trooper with the mold and colors that have left him the pinnacle of that genre even when taken against the line as a whole. This figure shares the mold, but not the colors. However, unlike many of the more gaudy Tiger Force members, Dusty's cammo and colors can actually work. There are actually many deserts around the world that are full of vibrant plant life. In these environments, Dusty's greens and yellows blend into the natural background even though Dusty is still working in his field of specialty. As such, this figure offers a way to use Dusty in the same role as his original figure, but within different geographical and climatic variances of deserts. Plus, the greens also allow him to be used more effectively in non-desert settings. For me, the Dusty mold is an old favorite.

The character is strong and highly popular. Yet, Hasbro has been unable (or unwilling) to produce an adequate desert version of Dusty in ARAH form since they returned to Joes in 1997. There was, at one time, a desert repaint of the 1991 Dusty figure that appeared with the Desert Striker at various toy conventions. The figure also appeared in one of the Hasbro sponsored convention dioramas a few years ago. Yet, this figure was never released. In its place, Hasbro offered the truly terrible Desert Squad Dusty in 2004. As such, Dusty fans have been left with only new sculpt releases as an avenue to acquire a nicely done, non-vintage version of a desert Dusty.

Dusty's mold is probably gone. After it was used for this figure, the mold was shipped down to Brazil. There, the mold was used for a new character named Felino. This figure is obviously based on the Tiger Force Dusty color and paint scheme, though he is a little darker than the American version. Felino is also missing the trademark head cloth that was used on both American Dusty figures. Felino was released in the same series as both Marujo (Tiger Force Shipwreck) and Ar Puro (Tiger Force Airtight). As both of these molds subsequently appeared in India, it is possible that Dusty was, for a time at least, in the possession of Funskool. As he was not used there, though, it would stand to reason that the mold might have already been damaged by the time it arrived in India or it never got there at all. Unfortunately, it is pretty much impossible to track these down as the information collectors can glean is only superficial and isn't enough to firmly track any given mold.

Tiger Force Dusties are actually kind of hard to find. When I first joined the collecting community in the late '90's, repainted subsets like Tiger Force, Python Patrol and Night Force were considered to be somewhat rare. In time, that proved to not be the case with most of the figures as figures from Tiger Force and Python Patrol have proven to be more common that many early collectors originally thought. Of the Tiger Force figures, though, Dusty is one of the tougher one to find...especially if you want him mint and complete. Dusty features a design flaw that makes it very easy for his legs to break his crotch. As such, you will find many otherwise mint figures with broken crotches. Dusty's bi-pod can also be problematic to find. While not as rare or desirable as many other accessories, it is still tough to find and is most often missing from loose samples. These days, though, this figure still shouldn't set you back more than $10-$12 mint and complete. That's more than you'll pay for a lot of Joes, but is in line with the figure's character and desirability. I know that I've found more uses for this version of Dusty than I have for the original. I am probably in the minority in that, though. But, with a little exposure, perhaps more collectors will discover this figure and realize that it is a great way to enhance a collection.

2001 Rock Viper

In late 2000, Hasbro released the 2nd wave of the A Real American Hero Collection figures. This wave had appeared in a toy rag prior to its release and many collectors were anxiously anticipating its arrival. When it appeared at retail, it did not disappoint...at first. Unfortunately, Hasbro vastly overproduced the 2nd wave and they became pegwarmers all over the U.S. The problem was even worse in Canada where the colossal failure of Wave 2 choked future Joe distribution that has caused availability problems that Canadian collectors are still dealing with. Lost in this, though, was the great thought in design that was placed into 5 of the 6 Wave 2 offerings. The figures were fresh and original and offered collectors new ways to enjoy previously obscure molds. While I still hold the Duke from this wave as the best figure of the series, it was the Rock Viper that most captured collector attention at the time.

First off, this figure really isn't a Rock Viper. While he has that name, the reality is that he is a straight repaint of the Range Viper figure. However, this figure really isn't a Range Viper, either. The Cobra colors don't lend themselves to a wilderness trooper and his gear isn't conducive for a Rock Viper. So, how to use him??? What I've found, though, is that this figure meshes well with many of the vintage color schemes of Vipers and other Cobra troopers. As such, he makes an excellent Cobra infantryman. He has some heavier weapons, but his overall look fits that profile. I see him as just a different type of Viper who patrols the Cobra compounds and fights alongside the traditional Vipers.

The Rock Viper does have some nice attributes. Aside from his large complement of accessories (a gun, an ammo clip for the gun, a large backpack, a hose, a grenade launcher, a plunger grenade and one of the coolest combat knives in the entire line) the figure also features an intricate paint mask. While the figure only features 5 colors, they are applied to the smallest details that hearken the mold back to the vintage era. It is amazing that only a year later Hasbro had taken to skimp so badly on paint applications that this figure would be a paragon of their modern retail achievement.

In my collection, the Rock Viper's importance changes. A few years ago when the figure was newer, I used them as the backbone of my Cobra Infantry forces. But, like most of my figures, I tired of them after a while and put them away. In subsequent years, I've used them as urban infantry soldiers as well as specialized hybrids of Vipers who are in training to become Range Vipers. Now, though, they are back to their generic role of infantry. The colors of the figure don't really lend themselves to woodland fighting, so I see these figures as the urban branch of the Range Vipers. They move into bombed out cityscapes and forage among the debris while keeping outsiders away. This utilizes their survival skills while not requiring them to be colored in an appropriate forest manner. It also gives me more chances to use the figure as his coloring and accessories are so far above most of what we've been offered in the years since his release that it seems a waste to leave the figures sitting, unused, in their drawer.

When the A Real American Hero Collection was first released, collectors were very divided over it. While most agreed that many of the repaints were fairly well done, they also were torn over some of the elements that were introduced with the new figures. Now, over 5 years later, though, the figures have taken on a new dimension. Subsequent to the cancellation of the ARAHC, all ARAH-style Joes took a turn for the worse. The began to only be released in multipacks and almost never included any of the mold's original accessories: things taken for granted in the ARAHC. As such, many collectors have grown nostalgic for those simpler days: not realizing how good we actually had it. In the grand scheme of things, the ARAHC only lasted for about 18 months and produced a scant 49 figures. Not much time when you consider it in relation to the line as a whole. While the line was far from perfect, it did produce many high quality figures who surpassed even their vintage versions. Had only that trend continued. Maybe we wouldn't be in the spot Joe collectordom now finds itself.

The Range Viper mold was used in 1990 and 1991. A few Range Vipers were also produced for Asian markets. (Some of these feature unique card art, too.) After that, the mold did not show up again until this Rock Viper release. Hasbro broke the mold out again in 2002 for the Skullbuster figure. In the nearly 4 years since that figure, though, the entire Range Viper mold has been MIA. (Parts including the head were used in 2005 in the Imperial Processional set.) As the mold is decent and we have yet to see a Range Viper repaint that is actually in wilderness colors, I think that the time has come where collectors would welcome another interpretation of the Range Viper mold.

One other item to be on the lookout for when you are in the market for the Rock Vipers is that the figure features slight differences in the paint wipes. The earliest Rock Vipers did not feature any paint wipes on the figure's face. Instead, the skull mask was left all white to showcase that feature. On later figures, though, the paint wipes started to appear all over the figure's face. This gives these a more dirty look. Of my 9 figures, only the first one which was purchased the day after the first reported US sighting back in December of 2000 has a totally clean face. The nature of the paint wipes and marbleized plastic used on the ARAHC releases makes it problematic to call one figure a variation over another who features a slightly different paint wipe or composition of plastic colors. But, as you search for more figures, you may find preferences and will have to ask questions accordingly to ensure you get figures that match the look you desire.

The other source of contention in regards to the Rock Viper is his official release year. The first ARAHC Joes were released in October of 2000. As such, it was difficult for the second wave to hit retail during the same year. I've already mentioned that I found my 1st Rock Viper in 2000. But, as it was in the last week of the year, that is more an anomaly than his actual release year. It was in 2001 that the Rock Viper was really shipped. As such, you will see various guides that list the Rock Viper as a 2000 release while others list him as a 2001 release. Solid arguments can be made on both sides. (The figure didn't really get out until 2001 yet it was shipped in cases that were, basically, carry overs from Wave 1.) Personally, I list the figure as a 2001 release as I consider the 1st wave of the ARAHC to be more of a preview wave with 2001 being the first full year that the line was actually pushed to retailers. (Which is why all but the largest retailers never carried Wave 1 of the ARAHC.) It doesn't really matter when you get down to it, but is another slight discrepancy you may notice when you are in the market for Rock Vipers.

These days, Rock Vipers aren't as easy to find as I would have thought back in 2001. While this figure warmed the pegs for a good long time and was available in sufficient quantities to satisfy even the most ambitious army builder, it has not appeared with my expected frequency on the second hand market. However, this has not translated into an expensive figure. You can still buy mint, complete Rock Vipers for ~$4 each with little trouble (though it is easier to find them in the $9 range!). While there aren't too many out there, not too many people are actually looking for the figures. So, the lack of demand trumps the sparse availability. This is not a bad thing, though, as the Rock Viper is a well done Cobra Trooper who meshes well with lots of vintage and many newer army builders. If you're looking for a cheap way to increase your Cobra forces, I'd highly recommend looking the Rock Viper's way.

1990 Rampart

1990 was really the beginning of the end of the Joe line. For some reason, the first batch of collectors really cut the line off at 1989 and tended to lump all figures not made in the '80's into meaningless categories. As more younger collectors have come aboard, more of the later figures have begun to at least get a little respect. This has lead to some longer time collectors to relent their position and start to explore some of the great features that later Joe years had to offer. 1990 is easily on par with many of the line's "classic" years in terms of figure quality, coloring and accessories. Many of the 1990 figures have play features that I wished for back in 1985 and 1986. Among these figures was the oddly designed Coastal Defender: Rampart.

Rampart features a solid color scheme of basic brown with a greyish/brown jacket. His most distinguishing element, though, is the bizarre head gear that he wears. It could be a combination of sun protection and blast protection from his gear. The overall result, though, is that the figure's head is misshapen and stands out among other Joe figures. The mold's biggest problem, though, is that the torso is rather scrawny. Rampart is supposed to carry this big machine gun and portable missile launcher. Yet, he is among the slightest built figures since 1982. Yet, his legs are more bulky like those of his contemporary releases. This makes him appear disproportionate and takes away from the overall aesthetics of the figure.

Rampart's accessories are decent if unspectacular. While many of the 1990 figures had amazing complements of accessories, Rampart's are somewhat drab in comparison. He does include a large gun that features a hole that can be doubly utilized for the bipod that is included as well a mount that fits on the peg molded onto the figure's waist. Rampart also includes a second bipod for his gun that I've always used to support the back. But, there may be other ways to configure the weapon. He also includes a missile launcher with two missiles. (One of which snaps onto a peg on Rampart's leg.) This device was the forerunner of the spring loaded launchers that appeared the next year. The missile itself had a small peg that fit through a hole on the back end of the launcher. The idea was that if you flicked this protruding peg with your finger, it would simulate a firing missile launcher. (The 1991 Crimson Guard Immortal featured the same idea.) It wasn't much of a gimmick, but it all the more appreciated now after Hasbro went the spring loaded route the following year.

It isn't much of a commentary on a figure when the most memorable aspect of it was a custom figure that utilized its parts. However, this is the case with Rampart. My most lasting impression of the Rampart mold was Evilface's use of his head on an Alley Viper custom figure. Aside from that, I can't remember any significant uses of Rampart in the fan community. (I'm sure someone will send me one, but my point is that I don't recall any. :) ) He is just a figure who isn't strong enough to carry a scene. That isn't a fatal flaw, though, as the Joe line's hallmark is the quality of its supporting cast. It's just that Rampart isn't up to par with figures like Alpine, Barbeque, Mainframe or Fastdraw who fill similar niche roles on the team. That is his problem. When picking figures, Rampart is just too far down the list: even when the situation calls for his specialty.

The real question is, what role does Rampart play? While his filecard makes him out to be a video gamer who likes to shoot down missiles, I think that role is too limited for a Joe. He is technically classified as a Coastal Defender. However, the vast nature of a coast pretty much makes it impossible for one man to defend it himself. I see Rampart as two things: a coordinator of coastal defense and a stationary infantryman whose purpose is to hold a position. He is armed with light anti-armour weapons and a heavy machine gun that combine to give him enough firepower to delay an oncoming assault. He is not the end all defense against an attack. Instead, he is the just the first line. He carries weapons capable of slowing the enemy down enough for his team to arrive in support. As such, his role requires a person with a slightly "different" personality. Rampart has to be brave to the point nearing stupid in order to effectively perform his duty. That isn't to say that he's dumb, he just lacks a rational comprehension of what, exactly he's required to do. This leads to my portrayal of Rampart the character as a guy who simply doesn't care about his personal safety. He very much feels he is indestructible and is the type of person who wouldn't realize his life was in jeopardy until he was already dead. It isn't a very deep characterization, but Rampart's specialty is such that he isn't used enough for me to develop his personality any further.

The Rampart mold saw a number of releases around the world. Aside from being released in the US and Asia, the mold was also sent down to Brazil where it was released in a color scheme similar to the American figure around 1993. (You can see a comparison of the 2 in the last picture.) From there, the Rampart mold has disappeared. It is unknown whether it is still rotting in South America, sitting on a shelf in India or is back under Hasbro's control. Rampart's Brazilian contemporaries have not turned up anywhere else in the world, either. So, it is difficult to surmise the fate of the mold. This isn't, necessarily, a bad thing. Rampart's mold might be able to be used in some interesting Frankensteins. But, I don't think a Rampart repaint would be the best thing Hasbro could churn out when there are so many other 1990-1993 molds that are in dire need of a repaint.

Ramparts are not too tough to find. As he was a Joe, no one really spends too much time looking for one. However, as he was released in 1990, he is a bit harder to find than many other figures. As such, you now see complete figures in the $8-$11 range as opposed to half that for equally obscure figures from more common years. At the low end of that range, Rampart is a decent buy. The figure mold is cool enough and the colors blend nicely with many other figures. He isn't a figure that most people have on display so he adds a touch of uniqueness in that regard. Personally, I like the figure for what it is but certainly would not have gone out of my way to acquire one did I not have a few samples already. Rampart is just one of those transitional figures who is almost a must have but was produced in such a way that he just misses the mark.