1983 Ace

Back in 1983, every boy in my class wanted the Skystriker. It was the holy grail of the day. More than the Headquarters or the MOBAT, the Skystriker was the one toy everyone wanted. One of the few benefits to having a birthday 10 days before Christmas was that I always got at least one major present for the holiday season a week and half before everyone else. In 1983, that present was the Skystriker. I was the first in my class to have it and boy did it not disappoint! The jet was everything a just turned 10 year old could want: swing wings, retractable landing gear, missiles, bombs, big engines, removable seats and working parachutes. Coupled with all this was the pilot: Ace. Part fighter pilot, part astronaut, Ace had the look that we all imagined was the cutting edge of American military technology. With him behind the stick, Cobra Commander and Destro simply didn't stand a chance. Their puny FANGS were no match for the Skystiker's might.

Ace is the the Joe fighter pilot. Really, there isn't any argument regarding that. Sure, there are other pilots in the line, but Ace is the definitive character when it comes to piloting Joe's premier aircraft. The only real question regarding the character is which version to use. The 1992 mold is, in my opinion, the best pure fighter pilot figure released in the line. It is a perfect mold that matches the images of what a fighter jock should look like. However, it is Ace's original incarnation which is most associated with the character. To this day, when I use Ace, it is the original mold. The later mold figures, though superior, are nameless pilots who simply support Ace in his role as the leader of the Joe air wing.

The mold itself is solid, even if the coloring is unspectacular. Aside from the unique head piece that allows for the bubble helmet, Ace's body mold features tons of hidden details. There is a combat knife, breathing tubes and a pistol molded onto the figure's chest. The mold features puffy ridges on the arms and legs. They suggest insulation and protection that any high G-force fighter pilot would need. Alas, many of the details of the Ace mold are left unpainted. The figure features three basic colors: not counting the head. It's likely that Hasbro went soft on the paint applications on this figure as it was included with a high price point vehicle. The extra design money was better spent on details like the intricate stickers or working parachutes on the Skystriker itself. As a kid, things like this weren't that important. As an adult, it helps to show the mindset of the designers of the time. They had the money to create a great figure as an accompaniment to a great toy. They just didn't have quite enough design budget to finish painting the figure.

I opened my Skystriker on my birthday night. It was too hard to go to sleep with that great new toy sitting underneath my bed. That night, I took a flashlight to my room and after I was sent to bed, I got out the flashlight and played with my new Skystriker and Ace under the bed frame. In the darkness, I imagined Ace a spaceman landing on the moon or other far off planet. His bubble helmet and futuristic design simply took my mind in that direction. I stayed up far too late that night, but it was not enough to dull my excitement. The next day, I took Ace to school with me to show off on the playground. That morning, we had Mass prior to school starting. After church, I went to take my new Ace out of my backpack when I discovered a horror of horrors: Ace's helmet was missing! A quick check showed a hole in the compartment in my pack where I had stored the figure. Obviously, the helmet had fallen out. I searched my classroom in vain but the helmet was nowhere to be found. At recess, I searched the playground in earnest, but had no luck. I went home, crestfallen at my bad luck. I still had one glimmer of hope, though. The next morning, before school, I went into the church. I went to the pew where I had been sitting (we were seated by grade and had assigned seats so it was easy to remember where I'd been) and looked underneath it. Tucked between a few dust bunnies was my Ace's helmet! This was a tremendous relief for me. I secured the helmet into a plastic bag in my backpack (after checking to ensure no holes) and kept it safe the rest of the day. Later in the week, I brought the entire plane in for show and tell. While the females of the class were less than enthused with my new pride and joy, the boys met it with great interest. At lunch, they all took turns looking it over in anticipation of finding their own under the Christmas tree just a few days later....

With a vivid memory like this, you can be sure that Ace was one of my most used Joes. In time, I broke his crotch, his left thumb and wore out all his joints. But, I still had the helmet. Somewhere around 1986, I bought another Ace of a school friend who was outgrowing his Joes. This was a nicer conditioned figure, with helmet, that took the place of my worn original. (The original Ace figure was then taken apart and his head was used for one of my own characters that I created back then. Of course, this character was also a pilot, but had more ground combat experience than Ace.) By that time, though, my Skystriker had seen better days. A few crashes and emergency ejections had left the canopy destroyed and the body broken and battered. The plane simply wasn't an important part of my collection anymore. But, Ace was. Without a fighter for him to pilot, Ace found his way to the co-pilot chair of the Tomahawk helicopter. This was short lived, though, as I wasn't thrilled with the way Ace's colors meshed with the new chopper. Still, I found another use for the figure.

If you've read my profile of the 1993 Payload figure, you can see a glimpse of Ace's use. By late 1986 and early 1987, I was getting a bit old for Joe. This lead to changing play patters and an expanded view of what Joe was. Rather than just a bunch of unique characters, I created various army building type roles. This allowed Joe to better deal with a Cobra that was more an individual nation than the terrorist organization it was originally designed as. I created a few figures who were the basic grunts of the Joe army. One day, I had Cobra electrify the surface of a deep body of water. The Joes had to break the surface in order to stop the Cobra plot. I had the typical diver figures of the day, but their gear would not withstand the energy field that covered the water. Enter Ace. Ace's suit became an all-purpose "Special Missions" suit that allowed the wearer to breath for several hours under very deep water. It had the flexibility of a wetsuit, but the strength of a high pressure diving suit like Deep Six. I armed the figure with Torpedo's backpack and Sci-Fi's gun and my new unit of ultra elite Joe commandos was born. With this new duty, the Ace figure was given new life and was a vital part of my collection until I packed my Joes away in early 1988.

If you fast forward a few years, Ace was one of the first figures I reacquired in the mid-'90's. I found a nicely conditioned Ace figure in a $1 bin at Trader's World outside Dayton, Ohio in 1995. The seller promptly lectured me about how no figure that wasn't mint and complete with their filecard would ever be "worth" anything. Frankly, I didn't care. I bought the figure because Ace was an important part of my collection. When I started buying Joes in earnest in 1998, I slowly amassed about 6 Ace figures. But, by 2001, Ace was attracting decent sales prices and trade offers, so I liquidated about half of those. To this day, though, I have three complete Ace figures in my collection. While his role has been replaced by the Payload figures, I still have a soft spot for the original Ace that started it all.

Today, this Ace doesn't get much use in my collection. While his white and red coloring melded perfectly with the Skystriker, it is harder to find other jets that go with him as well. Plus, I don't have much use for large jets in my collection any more. They take up a lot of storage real estate and don't offer much in terms of displayability. Sure, the plane looks nice, but you can display a couple dozen figures and 2 small vehicles in the Skystriker's footprint. However, Ace marks an important turning point for me as a collector. In 1982, I bought a few Joes. In 1983, though, they were displaced by the just released Return of the Jedi figures. I went into Star Wars full bore. After the movie hype died down, though, I found myself drawn back to Joes. Airborne was the figure that brought me back and I vividly remember adding the Dragonfly to my collection in October of 1983. (Saved up lawn mowing money for that!) But, it was the Skystriker that cemented Joe as my toyline of choice. Ace offered a bit of diversity in his use. He could be a pilot, a diver or an astronaut. As such, I didn't need Star Wars figure when I wanted to play in space. Joe now allowed for that. Going into 1984, I exclusively collected Joe and Joe was the toyline that dominated my room for the next few years. The reason I collect today is the experience and joy I felt as a child when I first acquired a toy like the Skystriker. That pure, unadulterated joy is a feeling that is hard to replicate in adulthood. Looking back at childhood playthings that brought that feeling, though, is a great way to keep grounded: especially as life grows more and more hectic with marriage, mortgages, kids, car payments, utility bills, office politics, and the other trappings of adulthood. I wouldn't go back to 1983 for anything in the world. But, I do enjoy having the memories of that time as it allows me to relax and put some of the modern problems into perspective. Frankly, that alone is enough to keep me collecting for the rest of my life.

The Ace mold was only used in the US. Originally released from 1983 to at least 1985 at retail with the Skystriker, Ace was available as a mail away for years. To this day it is quite common to find bagged Ace figures with red backed filecards. Even as the Skystriker mold was exported around the world, Ace stayed behind. Hasbro dusted off the mold in 1998 and produced a high quality, darker repaint. But, the mold has been MIA since then. That's not a bad thing as the Ace mold is a bit skinny, is easy to find in its original form and isn't a figure that really needs another repaint. So, I'm not disappointed that Hasbro has steered clear of it with the few recent aircraft releases we've seen.

On the surface, Ace figures should be hard to find. He was released in 1983 with a higher price point vehicle. But, this is not the case. Besides the fact that the Skystriker was one of the more popular Joe toys in its day, Ace was also released as a mail away for many years. In fact, Ace was very much like the Hooded Cobra Commander in that he was pretty much continuously available from 1983 through at least 1993. As such, Ace figures aren't that hard to find today. Still, like many of his 1983 brethren, Ace is prone to discoloration and finding pristine white samples can take a bit of time. (You will notice that the Ace figure in my photos features spotty discoloration. My nice version is packed away and this was the version I had most handy.) Still, Ace isn't a figure that will set you back too much money. As a classic, Ace is a must have for any collection. But, if you only want one pilot for your entire Joe fleet, then I'd still go with one of the later Ace versions.

Tiro Certo - Brazilian Exclusive Bulletproof

When I first got back into Joe collecting, one of the first figures I acquired at retail was a Bulletproof figure. I really liked his accessories, especially the helmet and gun. When I had only a few figures in my collection, Bulletproof got lots and lots of use. When I first discovered the online Joe community, I spent a lot of time looking over many of the unique international figures that were pictured in online archives. One of the figures that I remember the most was the Tiro Certo. It is a straight repaint of the Bulletproof mold, but with a uniquely racial head. As my collecting habits moved into the international realm, Tiro Certo was one of the figures on my short list of acquisition. But, there were many unique international figures who became available who slowly pushed Tiro Certo further and further down that list. In time, though, Tiro Certo became part of my collection. Now that I have him, though, I've found it difficult to use him in many situations. Usually, I like neon figures, but for some reason, Tiro Certo is a figure I have yet to fully integrate into my collection.

One of my collecting niches is race changing figures. Over the years, I have acquired several foreign figures that feature race changes. In the case of Tiro Certo, though, the race change is less obvious. While the figures is definitely lighter in complexion than Bulletproof, it is not as Caucasian as other Joes. Instead, Tiro Certo appears to be fully Brazilian. He is more a mix between white and black and remains unique in that complexion. It adds a dimension to the character as it gives him a look that is unique to the line regardless of the country of the figure's origin. It also allows the figure to stand out, even among those who don't otherwise pay much attention to neon figures from the line's later years.

In my collection, Bulletproof has long been a Joe army builder. I used him as the counterpart to Alley Vipers in urban environments. As the Alley Viper was one of my most used Cobras, Bulletproof got lots of use for a few years. Slowly, though, I grew a bit tired of the figure. I started acquiring many new figures and those pushed Bulletproof further and further into the background. In fact, it's been a long time since I've really used him in any capacity. Tiro Certo, though, is different enough from the Bulletproof figure that I can use the two in conjunction with each other. But, for the most part, I use Tiro Certo as a foreign security operative who works in conjunction with the Joe to help track down fugitives: whether they are Cobra or otherwise. I don't see Tiro Certo as a Joe, but as a Brazilian operative who works with the Joes since Cobra has placed so many operations in South America. At the end of the day, Tiro Certo is loyal to the Brazilian government first and foremost. Usually, I use Tiro Certo with Tigor. Tigor is the Brazilian equivalent of Flint and leads most of the special operations for the Brazilian military. Tiro Certo does not report to Tigor, but they work together, especially when it comes to Cobra operations being mounted in South America.

Even with this characterization, though, Tiro Certo doesn't get as much use as I originally thought he would. The reality is that the figure is bright. Very bright. While the Cerebro figure is actually a more muted yellow than the American Mace and is a superior figure, Tiro Certo is the same bright neon yellow that was used on the 1993 Bulletproof. In many cases, neon paint doesn't bother me. In this case, though, it does make the figure more difficult to use. Maybe it's the green base that really offsets the yellow. But, this figure just seems overly bright to me and I have found it difficult to integrate him into my collection in much beyond an advisory capacity.

Tiro Certo was among the final figures released in Brazil. He was first released around 1995 as part of the Esquadrao de Elite. Tiro Certo's partner was Cerebro, a Mace repaint. They were matched against 2 Cobras: Mortifero (a 1993 Alley Viper repaint) and Armadilha (a 1993 Beach Head repaint). All 4 of the figures were distinct in some way from their American counterparts, but were still very similar. Of the four members of this subset, Tiro Certo is the most unique due to his race change. Aside from that, though, he is nearly identical to the 1993 Bulletproof. Tiro Certo roughly translates to "Certain Shot". Like the Abutre Negro, though, the Brazilian name of Tiro Certo has a much more distinctive ring to it and allows the figure to be identified by a name that is distinctive and not generic like "Certain Shot".

The Bulletproof mold was used twice in the US: once in 1992 and again in 1993. It was only used in these two releases. (It should be noted that the helmet mold was changed between the releases to make the communications device permanently attached to the helmet.) From there, the mold was sent to Brazil where Tiro Certo was released. Since then, we have seen no evidence of the mold's return...except for the fact that the Mace mold did return in 2004 and was used for the comic pack Clutch. It could be that only the Mace mold returned, but the fact that he appeared does give some hope that the Bulletproof mold could still be available. It should be noted that Tiro Certo did not include the helmet. The reason is that in 1995, Hasbro was using the helmet for the Night Fighter Guile figure. In fact, you can see the black Guile helmet in some of the photos below. The black helmet actually matches the backpack that is included with the figure as it is black as well. Other than that, the Tiro Certo includes the same gun, backpack, missile launcher and missiles as the American figure.

Quality-wise, Tiro Certo is fairly nice. He is more brittle like all Brazilian figures, but not too brittle to use like some of the earlier Brazilian exclusives. His paint is somewhat faint, though, and mine featured some slight paint scuffs straight out of the package. As his hands are painted, I'm loathe to put his gun into his hand too many times for fear of the paint all wearing away. That is why you see the awkward poses in some of the photos below as I'm simply too chicken to risk heavy paint wear or a broken thumb by forcing the gun into the figure's hand. (One other note on the photos below. You will see a 1993 HEAT Viper in the photos below. That figure is actually the Raio Verde. The reason he's with the Joes is because, in Brazil, the Raio Verde figure was released as a Joe. The Iceberg repaint named Pantano was released as a Cobra. So, the photo is correct in showing 3 Brazilian good guys all working together...even if it seems odd and out of place to American collectors.)

A few years ago, carded Tiro Certo figures were fairly easy to find. You could get them from Brazilian sellers for under $15. But, those seem to have dried up in recent times. Still, Tiro Certo isn't a figure that will set you back as much as others. Carded, you should be able to get him for around $25. If you can find a loose sample, they should run about 1/2 that amount. But, you will spend a lot more time looking for Tiro Certos these days as they don't appear with the frequency that they did just 3 years ago. For my money, this is a great conversation figure. As part of an everyday collection, though, it is a bit hard to use. The head color is great but the bright neon yellow really makes it hard for this figure to blend into a collection. Displayed with his Brazilian contemporaries, Tiro Certo works very well. Integrating him into a more traditional American Joe collection is a bit more problematic.

2007 Cobra Air Trooper

OK. I will admit it. I'm not a fan of the 25th Anniversary Joe figures. I've had no interest in them from the beginning. Not because they were, necissarily, bad toys. But, I am an ARAH Joe purist at heart. I have over 2000 ARAH style Joes in my collection. I do not find either the JvC style figures from 2002-2006 nor the 25th Anniversary style figures to be compatible with those originals. As such, I have no interest in starting what is, to me, an entirely new toy line. I have enough to do with ARAH style Joes.

That being said, I also thought that Hasbro's strategy of redoing the line with a more modern action figure was sound. I still don't think the line will last 18 months, but that has nothing to do with the quality of the toys and everything to do with the state of the marketplace for military toys. Largely, though, I simply avoided most discussions regarding the 25th Anniversary figures. When pictures of them first surfaced, I was underwhelmed. The figures looked OK, but they simply didn't wow me the way something that had 25 years of toy making advances should have. There were neat features to the figures. But, to me, they still looked far too animated and caricaturish for me to be interested. Still, they held some appeal as they took many of the complaints that collectors had about the most recent figures and worked to address them in some way.

As the figures began to appear in stores, I took a look at them. I will admit feeling a bit of nostalgia when I first saw the carded Wave 1 figures hanging on the pegs. Seeing the card art brought back memories. I picked up a Flint figure and thought about buying it as I'm a big fan of the character. But, after I looked at it, I still thought the head looked goofy, the obvious chest joint was too pronounced and that the figure was, overall, too gangly. Plus, I couldn't get past the fact that Hasbro edited out Flint's classic shotgun and replaced it with the inferior "modern" version that matched the toy. When Wave 2 made it out, I saw the Beach Head figure and was impressed by the level of detail in his accessories. But, the figure still did nothing for me. Finally, today, I broke down and purchased the Cobra Legions 5 pack of figures. Now, to be fair, I did this to sell off the army builders. But, the result was the first 25th Anniversary style figures that I've opened.

My first impressions of the figures in hand were dead on with my expectations from photos. Visually, they have their appeal. But, overall, they are still not Joes to me. The Cobra Air Trooper has one benefit that many Joes do not: his chest is covered with web gear that disguise the horrid chest joint. Granted, I know this allows for greater posability. But, to me, the added articulation is not enough to make up for the aesthetic crime that the joint poses. Supposedly, this is something that will be looked at in later waves. Plus, it is really only an issue on certain figure. On some figures, it can be disguised by web gear or simple figure design (like the armor joints on the Super Articulated Clone Trooper that features a similar chest joint) but, it still poses a problem for me on many of the figures I've seen.

As for the figure at hand: the Cobra Air Trooper, he is nicely designed. He features a blue Cobra jet pack and gun that is obviously based on the original JUMP. The pack has painted highlights and features a prominenty Cobra sigil on the back. The back peg has been modified to fit the new style of figures, so the accessory is useless for any vintage figures. The figure also features a removable helmet that is identical to the head used for the Gas Mask Troopers in 2006. It is so well done that I didn't know it was removable until I found the spare Cobra Trooper hat that was hidden in the battle stand packet underneath the packaging. So, this figure can be the Air Trooper or you can change his helmet, hang up the jetpack and you have a full fledged Cobra Trooper that is very similar to the standard Trooper included in the set. So, that's a bonus for army builders. (See the comparison photo at the bottom of the page.)

This figure is nicely accessoried with the web gear, knife, flight helmet, jet pack, hose, jet pack gun, standard battle helmet, standard rifle and figure stand. Frankly, that's a ton of stuff for a $5 figure. Plus, the accessories make sense. That alone was my single greatest gripe regarding the ARAH re-releases of the past few years. The accessories were not only poor, they didn't fit the figures with whom they were released. Not so, with the 25th figures. In fact, every figure in the 5 pack features accessories that fit the figure in both the modern and historical senses. That's huge progress right there and one of the things that shows that Hasbro finally did their homework on a Joe line. These accessories are all new and well done. The rifle is heads and shoulders above much of the new sculpt weapons released between 2002 and 2006. It harkens back to the vintage line in terms of quality.

As for the figure itself, it isn't bad. Aside from the chest joint, I've had issues trying to get the figure to hold his gun in any pose that isn't awkward. The design of the hands and arms just makes it difficult for the figure to be posed in many standard ways. Standing at attention, this guy would look good in multiples. But, for those who like to use their figures in more imaginative ways, the hand/arm setup is somewhat limiting. The huge diaper crotch also prevents the figure from sitting in any natural way. Supposedly, that is an issue that will be corrected in later waves though it is unknown if Hasbro will go back and repair the original molds that were affected. Truth be told, I don't miss the O-ring on the figure. The waist and leg joint is different, but it still works. Once the crotch pieces are fixed to allow the figure to sit, then I think all will be well.

The figure really harkens back to the classic look of the Cobra army. The blue and yellow is closer to the look of the comic pack figures than it is the vintage action figures, but it is still the look that many associate with Cobra. That's a good thing as it makes the figure instantly recognizable to any casual passerby who is within the age demographic to remember Joe. The figure also fits with the Cobra Trooper from the set so you can have some similarity within your army without it all being the same figure over and over again. The other nice thing is that Hasbro deviated a bit from its formula with the Joe line. So far, almost all the 25th figures have been based on their vintage counterparts. This is a great way to get fans back into the concept, but there needs to be something new for the line to last long term. The Air Trooper works because he integrates with the other army builders in terms of color and mold. But, he is still something new that we haven't seen before. It's not risky like a Venomous Maximous, but it keeps the line from becoming nothing more than a stale remake of decades old favorites.

In the end, I am still not a convert to this style of figure. I think they are decent toys. But they are not anything in which I will ever be able to generate interest. My main issue with these figures, though, is that had the level of thought and care been put into the design of the ARAHC back in 2000 and 2001 or even the JvC modern collection in 2002, I think we would be in a much better place overall. I think it's great that Hasbro finally paid some attention to the Joe line and the mythos that surrounds it. Honestly, had these figures been released in 2002, I would have been all over them. But, after the messy way the original new sculpt Joe line turned out, I am too burned on anything other than my classics. Unfortunately, that leaves little for me to collect these days. However, if the few outlets who still cater to ARAH style fans take notes from the 25th Annivesary and make figures like this Air Trooper available in ARAH form, then everyone wins in the end.

This figure is just shipping right now. Hasbro also announced at the convention that this figure would be available on a single card early next year. So, army builders will have plenty of time to stockpile all the Air Troopers they want. We've also seen a couple of trends in the 25th Anniversary line already that tell me collectors aren't going to have issues finding the figures they want. First, Hasbro is repacking figures from earlier waves into new cases. So, even if you miss a figure, you should have a shot at it again. Second, Hasbro is working with retailers to get exclusive army builders out to collectors en masse. Let's face it, we've already gotten the Cobra Officer and Trooper at retail. The Trooper in a 5 pack. The Trooper in another 5 with this figure and a grey officer modeled after the Stinger Driver. Plus, Hasbro showed at the convention that Toys R Us will have an exclusive 5 pack of Trooper and Officers and another store will have an exclusive Hiss with a recolored Trooper. So, in the first 50 figures or so, we'll have seen the Trooper and Officer at least 8 times. That's not too shabby when nearly 20% of the line is dedicated to 2 popular army builders.

2003 Unproduced Wal Mart Hiss Driver

While there are many unproduced Joes in the modern line, very few of them can be traced back to original Hasbro documentation proving their intended existence. Probably less than 10% of the total number of unproduced figures that have surfaced since 2002 have published origins. This isn't to say that they are the best of the unproduced figures, but they are the ones that, long term, will have the most publicity. They have the paper trail that will put them in a different category for many future collectors. In the meantime, though, we are given a chance to enjoy some figures that were never released. In the case of this unproduced Hiss Driver, that is a very good thing.

Prior to my acquisition of this figure, I was prepared to down play its significance. I was going to say that collectors really didn't miss out on much by not having this figure released. I've never liked the Hiss Driver figure and didn't think that a simple color change was going to sway my opinion. As it turns out, though, I was flat out wrong. What a difference the coloring makes for this mold! The dark blue base is just so striking that it completely eradicates all my distaste for the Hiss Driver mold and suddenly makes this figure somewhat significant in my collection.   To be fair, it is unclear if Hasbro intended this figure to be an army building Hiss Driver or if they intended it to be another version of Rip It. As the Sky Patrol set already included one other army builder (the Alley Viper,) I think this figure was going to be a nameless, faceless army builder. It would have made the set more popular among collectors. As such, in my collection, this figure will be the simple Hiss Driver.

If you look through the photos I've published over the last 7 years, you will often see Hiss Tanks among my Cobras. However, you will rarely see Hiss Drivers at the helm of those tanks. Instead, that specialty is handled by Track Vipers. This isn't because I don't have any Hiss Drivers in my collection: quite the contrary. It is simply a function of the fact that I have never liked the Hiss Driver mold. Ever since I got my first one in 1983, I have felt that the Hiss Driver in no way lived up to the quality of the vehicle which he was supposed to drive. When I acquired several mail away hooded Cobra Commanders in 1984, those figures became my de facto Cobra vehicle drivers. They drove the Hiss Tanks, manned the Asps and flew the Fangs. I liked the Cobra blue far better than the bright red. (In fact, I still maintain that had the Hiss Driver first been released in 1993 instead of 1983, he would be reviled by collectors today.) This lead to Hiss Drivers simply being ignored. As I got older, nothing changed. Though I could not, in good conscience, use hooded Cobra Commanders as Hiss Drivers as an adult collector, enough time had progressed that Track Vipers were readily available. So, the bright red Hiss Driver never had a real role in my collection.

The release of Rip It did little to change that. When that figure was first released, many collectors simply planned to buy many Hiss III's and use Rip It as a new Hiss Driver. In fact, I planned the same. But, when I bought my first Hiss III in early 2001, I found that I was not that enthralled with the tank or the figure. The blue had too much of a purplish tint to it. On some figures, this works, but it did not on Rip It. So, I did not buy any more Hiss Tanks and my lone Rip It went into a drawer and has not emerged since 2001. As you can see, this didn't offer me much hope that I would have any other feelings toward the Wal Mart Hiss Driver. But, that is not the case. The deep blue which comprises his main body is a nice fit with the sea of standard Cobra blue Infantry and Viper figures. The silver goggles and black face mask blend better with the rest of the body and really meld nicely with the overall look. The red chestplate is dark and muted and offsets the dark blue base. It also allows the white Cobra logo on the chest to really pop.

The unproduced Sky Patrol figures were shown by Hasbro at a toy convention in early 2003. The figures shown were early hand painted test shots. As such, the Hiss Driver shown was actually a V1 Hiss Driver that was painted. So, it had the wrong waist. The other distinguishing difference is that the original figure had a gold chest plate and no Cobra logo. Now, it's likely that the lack of Cobra logo had to do with the fact that the figure was hand painted and that is a detail that was probably beyond the scope needed for Hasbro to showcase the figures. The gold chest plate is a definite downgrade from the red chest on the production figure. It's likely that the change was made early on. But, it is a subtle difference between the original, showcased prototype and the actual production item.

Truth be told, even if it would totally diminish the collectible value of this figure, I would love to see it actually see retail release. The figure is simply the best version of the Hiss Driver ever produced and it is a shame that more collectors don't have access to them. It is even more a shame that it is simply not feasible to acquire enough of these figures to have them be the backbone of any Hiss Driver contingent. The figure is that good. The Hiss Driver mold has only been used by Hasbro. It appeared in 1983 and was then used for many years as a mail in in the US. The bulk of the mold then appeared in early 2001 as Rip It. It's hard to remember that this Wal Mart Hiss Driver would have been so close on the heels of Rip It. But, Rip It was the last time the mold was used for a released product. (It should be noted that Rip It featured a different waist from the original Hiss Driver and the Wal Mart figure is actually the Rip It mold.) Since the appearance of these Wal Mart Hiss Drivers, no one has used the Hiss Driver mold. It is pretty much a given that this mold is available to Hasbro right now and they could easily produce either this figure or one very similar to it at any point. But, with the number of ARAH style Joe releases dwindling all the time, it is unlikely that they will go back and revisit this character as the Hiss Driver isn't, at least at this time, a heavily clamoured for character.

***Update 5/20/08***

For the 2007 G.I. Joe convention, Master Collector dusted off the Hiss Driver mold and offered collectors a well done repaint of Rip It. This figure is significant, though, since it is almost a mirror image of this unproduced Hiss Driver. The black and blue colors are reversed and this new Rip It makes for a perfect commander for a cadre of these Hiss Tank drivers. (This Rip It also featured the return of the original Hiss Driver waist piece.) Unfortunately, this Rip It sold out rather quickly and is pricey on the aftermarket. These days, you'll pay about as much for a Rip It as you will for one of these Hiss Drivers. But, while they might be expensive, they make for one of the best blends of color for a commander and his troops in the history of the line.

***End 5/20/08 Update***

The 6 unproduced Wal Mart figures (Low-Light, Duke, Snake Eyes, Alley Viper, Storm Shadow and Hiss Driver) were going to be part of a Sky Patrol like subset. They would have been sold in 2 packs and included working parachutes for each figure. However, the parachutes failed safety tests and could not go to market. Instead, Wal Mart received an exclusive 6 figure wave that featured new sculpt urban Cobras and desert Joes. That wave, though, sold very well and was gone in a matter of weeks. As such, it has always seemed odd to me that rumours persist that Wal Mart was the retail giant who gave up on the Joe line. The timing would have made it occur less than 18 months after the release of these successful exclusives. As such, I still think there is a lot more to the story than we will ever know. But, the result is that these Sky Patrol figures were never produced.

In late 2003, though, test shots of the figures appeared in Asia. They went for ridiculous prices. But, at the time, they were the first unproduced figures we had seen and no one had any idea of how many had been produced. As such, the prices made sense for the time based on the market conditions and what information about the figures that was available. In time, though, the supply got more continuous and prices fell. For a time, you could get pretty much all of the Wal Mart figures for under $15. But, those days are now gone and collectors who did not take advantage are now left with fewer options when searching out these figures. That's not to say the figures are not out and can not be acquired. But, they are a bit harder to find and you will pay a premium price for them.

If you want a Wal Mart Hiss Driver, they are out there. For a long time, this was among the most expensive of the unproduced figures, but he was available for almost a full year. As such, many collectors have him in their collection which is why this is one of the few unproduced figures that is still available for decent prices on the second hand market. With shipping from Asia, you should be able to get this figure for under $40. Considering the figure's quality, its rarity and the fact that this is a legit unproduced item that has Hasbro documentation to back it, that's probably a bargain. Long term, figures like this simply won't stay affordable. We've already seen some of the rarest and most desirable unproduced figures become very pricey. In time, others will follow. Were I to venture a guess as to the most probable figures who will become expensive in the future, this Hiss Driver has all the qualities. As such, if you can get one now, do it. Even if he costs a bit more than you tend to pay for figures, he is well worth it.

2003 Python Patrol Rock Viper

I've long liked Rock Vipers. The high quality mold, great accessories and cheap prices created a figure of which I always wanted more in my collection. In 2003, Hasbro finally dusted off the Rock Viper mold and included it as a member of the Toys R Us exclusive Python Patrol set. This set featured distinctive, unified colors, a great selection of obscure army building molds and included all the original accessories for each of the army building figures. In short, it was a great start to the exclusive army building packs...on paper. The reality was that the color scheme on the figure, while detailed, was also difficult to use. It didn't match the vintage Python Patrol figures and wasn't even close to any traditionally Cobra colors. Collector response to the figures was enthusiastic, but lukewarm. Many people army built the sets as there weren't many alternatives. In the 4 subsequent years, though, this set has become obscure rather than celebrated.

On the surface, the Python Patrol set was a winner. But, time has cooled collector interest in the figures as the odd combination of red, black and goldish copper really didn't lend itself to definitive versions of the figures that were included...even if the Python version is the only version of the figure other than the original available. Still, the set has its merits and does offer some diversity in the Cobra ranks. (Plus, they colors are a decent enough match for the vintage Python Patrol vehicles.) The figures do have one of the most intricate paint designs on any figure ever released. They are solidly constructed and have, for the most part, great accessories. Yet, the total package falls just short of being one of the better liked exclusive figure offerings.

The Python Patrol set was released at the perfect time. In the latter half of 2003, if you wanted ARAH style army building figures, there weren't many options. There was a high priced convention set, a Viper/Alley Viper pack that had a short appearance at retail and that's about it. As such, army builder starved collectors were quick to buy up the Python Patrol sets. Unfortunately, that wasn't quite enough as Python Patrol sets lingered at retail until after Christmas of 2003 and were even clearanced in some markets. Hasbro had produced about 25,000 each of the Tiger Force and Python Patrol sets. As these sets stagnated at retail, Toys R Us adjusted their ordering down and all future exclusive 6-packs were only ordered in the 20,000 or less range. With the exception of the Cobra Infantry pack, though, those lowered quantities were still more than adequate to sate collector demand for each of the subsequent army building Toys R Us sets.

The sad reality is that had this set been released in late 2004 or early 2005, it would have been a collossal dud. By that time, collectors had plenty of other outlets for ARAH army builders and many had amassed large collections at retail prices. As such, the release timing of the Python Patrol was fortuitous as it allowed the set to get some press and become part of many people collections in numbers that would never have happened had it been released even 1 year later. But, the later releases did their damage and Python Patrol is rarely mentioned these days as being one of the better TRU sets.

In my collection, Rock Vipers probably see more use than they should. While they are supposed to highly specialized troopers, I use them for more common duties. This primarily is due to the fact that I currently live in the desert mountains that surround the outskirts of Phoenix. As such, I have the terrain in my yard where Rock Vipers would most likely operate. Plus, I'm a sucker for really good gear and the Rock Viper has it in spades. I love grappling hooks and ropes that you can actually use and the Rock Viper's accessories are fully functional. As my backyard is full of decorative rocks, the Rock Vipers are commonly seen climbing all over them. They may be acting in groups of like specialties or supporting more traditional Cobra Infantry. Regardless, they are often my Cobras of choice when my yard will be the setting.

The Rock Viper mold has been used 3 times. The first was in 1990 when the original Rock Viper was released. The Rock Viper head was then used for a very short run of Crimson Guard Immortals in Europe. This is a rather rare figure to find, though it isn't an upgrade for the original CGI head. The mold was last used for this Python Patrol figure and we have yet to see it again. Truth be told, I would like at least one more Rock Viper repaint. While the original is decent enough and this version has its uses, I would like to see at least one version that is either done in more traditionally Cobra colors or one that better fits with some different mountain environments. At this point, though, that seems fairly unlikely to happen unless the Rock Viper would appear in a convention set. But, given the figure's specific specialty, I don't think too many collectors would be disappointed were the Rock Viper to never appear again. The 2 retail releases are fairly easy to find and still fairly affordable.

Today, the Python Patrol is fairly common to find. A perusal of Ebay shows that MIB sets can be purchased for less than retail on a consistent basis. Individually, the figures can be pricier, though. Typically, a Rock Viper or Lamprey will run about $7 or so. They tend to be the most popular and prices fall for the other 4 figures. Even at the individual prices, Rock Vipers aren't too bad a deal. But, you can get vintage Rock Vipers for about $10, so the incremental value really isn't there for the Python Patrol stuff. As such, if you're missing the figures, I think you're better off buying a set rather than individually purchasing the 2 or 3 army builders you really want. For me, this figure is a great mold whose overall package just falls short. It's a great figure to have, but I have no desire to track down any more on the aftermarket.