2008 Headhunter Driver (Convention Exclusive)

During the modern Joe redux between 2001 and 2006, collectors had many requests for certain figures to return to retail. In time, we learned what Hasbro could and could not do. Despite this, though, collectors largely clamoured for the same figures over and over again. In time, Hasbro came through with fan favorites like original Cobra Troopers, Vipers and Crimson Guardsmen. The one faction that was not revisited, though, was the Headhunters. These figure molds were very popular with collectors and lended themselves to nice repaints. The obvious answer to Hasbro's inability to sate collector demand for these figures was that the molds were lost in Brazil. As the figures had been released in Brazil around 1995, this seemed plausible enough. But, in 2004, Hasbro offered a glimmer of hope when parts from Mace appeared on the comic pack Clutch. This indicated that some of the later released Brazilian figures might be available to Hasbro. Finally, in 2008, Master Collector came through and released a boxed convention set featuring the Headhunter characters and original figure molds. However, these figures were not met with the fanfare that might have been expected just a few years earlier. The result is a decent set of figures that have largely failed to endear themselves to the modern collecting community. Of the figures released, the Headhunter Driver has the most interesting story, even if he the most similar to his vintage counterpart.

Originally, the Headhunter Driver was going to be part of a vehicle/driver combo set. Thus, his name would make a lot more sense. The figure was intended to be the driver for a repainted Cobra Rage that would have been the Headhunters signature urban assault vehicle. However, production costs and other factors kept this vehicle from coming to light. (And, with the fiasco of the Maulers from 2007 still fresh on their minds, the decision to err on the side of caution can only be viewed as a wise one.) However, as the figure had been made, there was no reason why it couldn't be used for another promotion. So, the figure became the attendee bonus figure for those who purchased boxed sets. As just that, a bonus, the figure works nicely. It is decently colored though not overly complex and has a specialty that allows for compulsive collectors to scale back their desires for multiples. But, as a bonus figure, the Driver also suffered from decreased availability. Collectors could not just buy up multiples of them unless they found other attendees who purchased full sets who wanted to part with the Driver. The result was an increased demand for a figure that was nearly never to be the first place.

Much was made of the coloring of these Headhunter figures. Initial fan reactions were adverse as the figures appeared to be a light blue color. This was quickly explained away, though, as the photos not showing the "true" color which was revealed as "arsenic". In name, this is a cool color. And, in form, it would be good, too. However, this profile uses the hex code for arsenic as the background color. You can compare that background color to the color on the various Headhunter figures and make your own determination as to how true to the color of arsenic the figures actually are. The bigger issue for me, though, is that this Driver is just so close to the original Headhunter figure. At least the more common Headhunter Guards were done in all arsenic bodies that differentiate them from the original figures. This Driver does not. As such, if a collector is forced to choose between a high priced, low production run figure or the more available and cheaper vintage figure, there is no compelling reason to take the more modern rendition. It is so similar that there isn't a great reason to spend copious amounts of time and money tracking down additional Headhunter Driver figures.

The Driver figure is the opposite in coloring from the Guard figure, though. As such, any collector who tracks down a few of the Guard figures can now use the Driver as a commander or lead figure for those Guards. Much like the 2007 Rip It being a near inverse of the Wal Mart Hiss Driver, the Driver figure takes on an additional potential use by being the opposite of the more common, unnamed figures. The fact that both figures also feature the distinctive Headhunter logo helps pair them together. This logo incorporates Cobra into the Headhunter theme and helps to merge the two factions. It is distinctive from any vintage appearance of the Headhunter faction and is a nice addition to these figures. Though, it is brittle and will rub off easily if the figures are used too much.

One of the nice things about seeing figures like this revisited is that it brings a new opportunity to appreciate the mold. As it was released in 1992, the Headhunter is a figure that most modern collectors found affinity for long after their childhood. So, there aren't as many collectors to whom this figure was a vital part of their formative Joe years. These new figures, though, help these molds get some of their due. When you look at the Headhunter figure, the mold is full of possibilities for other uses. One of the most influential customs I recall from my earliest online days was a Cobra Commander by the immortal Evilface. This figure creatively used the Headhunter head as a new take on the Commander. It showed an ingenuity that, if properly applied, could be used as inspiration for many new Joe figures to be created from the molds we know to be available. While people are quick to point out that the number of ARAH Joe molds is "dwindling", the reality is that there are enough parts that an entirely new line of new figures and characters could be created only out of newly colored amalgamations. It's probably too late to see this pipe dream fulfilled. But, it does show that there is potential out there for molds like the Headhunter to be used in different ways that could more greatly expand the collecting experience.

The Headhunter Driver's accessories are interesting in that they are the only appearance of the bomb pack that is included. This orange explosive was originally intended for release with a Sigma 6 figure that was cancelled and never saw production. As such, the only way to get this accessory is with this Headhunter Driver. The bomb pack is cool enough for this reason, but really extraneous...especially when you consider this figure was intended for use a vehicle driver. He also includes 2 shotgun pistols. These are not the shotgun from the vintage figure and are, instead, from the new sculpt Joe line. The give the homage to the original accessories, but are inferior and don't really fit well with the figure. But, for what they are, at least they make sense. But, if you can find them, extra vintage Headhunter accessories make all the difference in the world for these figures. (Especially if you augment them with an Alley Viper gun, too.)

The Headhunter mold has been used for 5 unique figures now: the 1992 and 1993 Headhunters, Brutus from Brazil and these convention Headhunter Guards and Headhunter Drivers. All of these figures, though, feature the same basic paint masks (though, the Guard and Driver figures do have some additional gold paint that is missing on the vintage and foreign figures) and colors. Only the Guard is not done with a black body and he features black highlights. As such, though there are 4 unique uses of this mold, there are really only 2 versions that are greatly different and even those are still similar in appearance. As such, this mold still has some great potential. Headhunters in Cobra blue, dark grey or even crimson might be a nice way to make the mold more diverse. At this point, that's probably unlikely to happen any time soon. But, the existence of the mold does at least offer the possibility that the figure might, one day, be revisited in more distinct coloring.

The Headhunter Driver figure was the attendee bonus figure at the 2008 convention. As such, the only way to get one was to buy a boxed convention set and then attend the convention. As such, this figure is rather hard to find. Within a week of the convention ending, mint and complete with filecard Headhunter Driver figures were selling in the $125 range. (If you could find them at all!) In the months since, the figure has seen a slight decrease in popularity, but still routinely sells for ~$80. Really, that's WAY too much for this figure. Sure, he probably has low production numbers and is somewhat hard to find. But, this figure really offers nothing that you can't get from the original Headhunter figure. And, most collectors would much rather buy 6 or 7 vintage Headhunters than one of these figures. I know I would. Still, for what it is, the figure is rather well done, if uninspired.

2001 Funskool General Hawk

The 1991 General Hawk figure has long been a guilty indulgence of mine. I like the figure design and don't even mind that such a specialty was used for the leader of the Joes. The bulky flight suit and bubble helmet hearkened back to the cheesy sci fi movies I used to watch on late Friday nights as part of the Sammy Terry show as a kid in Indianapolis. It certainly wasn't the most militaristic of Joe figures, but was a mold that I wanted to add to my collection almost immediately after I learned of its existence. Once acquired, the figure did not disappoint. And, I found myself also fond of the subsequent figures that also utilized the body mold. As I knew that Hasbro would never, ever consider this figure for their modern releases, though, I figured the mold was done with its vintage uses. But, in 2001, Funskool came through with this exclusive version of General Hawk and the mold was given one more life.

This version of Hawk was one of the first Funskool figures who American collectors were able to acquire shortly after his initial release. In the subsequent years, this became commonplace and American collectors were often privy to new Funskool releases even before they were able to saturate the markets in India. This Hawk holds some distinction for me, though, because of that status. He was one of the first "new" foreign figures that was available to the American market at a time when most collectors didn't even know that ARAH style Joes were still being produced in India. This fact alone made him a must buy for me as soon as he was available.

There is no denying that this mold has been done to death. After the 1991 Hawk figure, Hasbro used the mold again in 1993 for the Star Brigade Roadblock. That same year, the entire mold was used again for a convention exclusive Hawk figure. This neon green monstrosity has remained obscenely cheap on the secondary market despite a production run of only around 3,000 figures. This convention Hawk was then also used as a mail away exclusive as the line died a slow death. In 1994, Hasbro repainted the Star Brigade Roadblock into a somewhat hard to find orange beacon of a figure. That ended the figure's American run. Funskool released this Hawk starting in 2001. As it was still around when Funskool ceased producing Joes, it is likely that Hasbro would have access to this mold. While I would not want to see this figure return as Hawk, the mold does have potential for other characters. This mold could easily take a head from the comic packs and some silver paint to highlight the straps and you would have an acceptable version of Grand Slam. You would even mold the figure in baby blue and have an updated Star Duster. While these aren't inspirationally creative uses, it would be a way to get these two characters back into ARAH form in a more affordable format.

1991 was a year where Hasbro designers progressed quickly. The 1990 figures were loaded with awesome complements of accessories. Many of the accessories added play features that were design challenges for the engineers. It's likely that this was a byproduct of extra development money from years of success, improvements in technology and a simple desire by the toy designers to alleviate the boredom of doing the same thing over and over again. 1991 followed the same path...for the better and the worse. 1991 brought us innovations such as the kid activated launchers such as those seen on the mighty Crimson Guard Immortal. It also brought us the advent of spring loaded missile launchers and water cannons that actually worked. This Hawk mold, though, showcased some of the enhancements that 9 years of experience had brought to the design team. Hawk does not feature a clear helmet with painted details like the Ace of previous years. Instead, he has a fully featured helmet that has a removable face shield. (This became useful later on when Hasbro used different colors on the transparent shields to help differentiate figures who used the same mold.) Hawk's jetpack has hinged wings that fold up or down. They are sturdy and are, to this day, still largely found unbroken. But, to top all this off, the jetpack and rifle are also compatible with the JUMP platform from years earlier. The barrel of Hawk's gun is about the same width of the weapon that was included with the JUMP and easily fits into the slot meant for the original blaster. As such, this figure retained full compatibility with previous years while still taking leaps forward in design.

In my collection, this figure is mostly just for show. My original suffered from poor quality and the subsequent version I acquired is my "display" figure. As this figure isn't as nice as the original American version, though, I find myself rarely using him. In fact, the first figure I acquired back in 2001 was at the bottom of my Funskool drawer and his accessories were still in some bags that I had packed up in 2003 as part of my move. So, he obviously doesn't get much use. If I would pull him out, it would likely be as a nameless, faceless jet pack trooper in the vein of how I use Maverick. Even in that capacity, though, this figure is inferior to other uses of the mold in the vintage line. The base color of the figure, though, is quite good. The deep evergreen flight suit would actually work quite well were it not for the neon orange highlights. Had this figure black boots, gloves and straps, it would probably have been better received. But, without the neon orange, the figure also loses much of its camp value.

While I miss new Funskool Joes, I have also realized that, for the most part, my interest in them was as a collectible. There are few Funskool figures (aside from those similar to their American counterparts) who see much use in my collection. Mostly, they are bagged up and packed away, awaiting the day I have a Funskool display case for them to call home. The horrible colors and bizarre parts combinations gave my Joe collection a welcome respite from the Hasbro offerings that were largely lost in a sea of drab green or endless repaints of the same parts over and over again. Funskool figures retained an innocence about them that you would never see from a company in the US that was trying to cater to both adults and children. Maybe if Hasbro had just focused on the kids, the lines would have been more successful. Maybe not. But, without Funskool releases giving us a good laugh every few months, the Joe world lost much of the levity that helped break the tensions of adults collecting a children's toy.

Unfortunately, this Hawk was released during Funskool's period of horrible production. As such, many of the early figures suffer from poor paint jobs, frozen joints and loose rivets. For many people, it is these Hawk figures that forever soured them on Funskool figure quality. If you can find a Hawk that was produced in late 2002 or even 2003, though, the quality does improve. But, if you are in the market for a Hawk figure, be prepared to find a few that suffer from the poorest of Funskool quality.

Another point of interest on this figure is that Funskool altered the mold. On the American versions of this mold, the words "Made In China" are stamped across the top of the back of the waist piece. On the Funskool figure, these words are wiped out. The fact that the words were removed isn't that interesting. Funskool was known as a crusader against cheap Chinese toys in India and they were not likely to want their products as being stamped with a "Made in China" stamp. On the early Funskool figures, these words were simply rubbed out. The legacy of this can be seen on figures like the 1998 Cobra Troopers and Firefly. In the case of this Hawk, though, Funskool did not simply wipe out the offending words. Instead, they actually sculpted three new little boxes on the upper rear of the waist piece. It is a slight mold modification, but something that shows Funskool was still preserving their brand image well into 2001.   There are also variants on this figure that, like the quality, are dependent upon the production date. The earliest figures from 2001 have a flat finish on the orange highlights. This orange is also much, much brighter on these early figures. It also appears to have a layer of white primer underneath the neon orange. Later figures lose the primer and, instead, have a much more muted red color on the highlights. The figures are easily distinguishable by eye and you can see a comparison photo below. Of the two, the later figure is probably more useful to the modern collector. But, Funskool aficionados will appreciate the brighter, neon figure as an example of Funskool's infatuation with bright hues. Of course, the silver accessories also have slight differences with the earlier being a shinier silver. As this is a Funskool release, you can be sure that there are more variants just waiting to be discovered.

It's hard to believe that it's been nearly 5 years since Funskool ceased producing Joe figures. (It's harder still to fathom that it was 8 years ago this month that the first waves of mass imported Funskool figures appeared for ~$5 each!) Slowly, though, collectors have managed to consume most of the remaining Funskool overstock. During that process, this Hawk was, surprisingly, one of the first non army builder to sell out. However, this isn't a testament to the figure's popularity. It is an indictment of it. As this was an unpopular figure, most dealers didn't carry much inventory. So, while the figures did sell out, they did so from much smaller numbers than more popular figures like Storm Shadow, Cobra Commander or Beach Head. If you look around, though, you can still find a few out of the way dealers (usually dealers who don't specialize in Joe) who will have this figure in stock for close to the $5 price tag we've grown accustomed to. Barring that, you can still find the figure for sale on occasion. The prices on these fluctuate, though, as I've seen this figure sell for $10 or go unsold for $5. If you are missing many Funskool figures, though, the best option is still a large lot. There are still solid numbers of sellers out there who sell lots of 5 to 10 carded Funskool figures at a time. Often, these lots sell for under $3 per figure. So, if you are a bargain hunter, this figure is out there for you to find. That is probably a just fate for a figure such as this. It is a mold that has never endeared itself to collectors and is in inferior colors to the American release. Worst of all, it's a take on General Hawk that most collectors find out of character and can't bring themselves to adopt. In time, this is one of those figures that will be truly forgotten. In the meantime, though, he's still a figure who finds occasional use in my collection.

2005 Comic Pack Firefly

Given the benefit of time and perspective, it becomes clear that the original comic packs were a great idea: just horribly executed. While the character choices were rather strong, there are few comic pack figures who really stand apart on their own. Most are inferior to their original versions. Even the characters only available in the comic packs are largely lacking in some respect. But, there are some gems. Most of them are well known to collectors and have, thusly, enjoyed some aftermarket appreciation. But, others are largely unheralded and relegated to trash heap of collectordom. There are myriad reasons for this, but many of these figures deserve a second look. Perhaps the most glaring example is the 2005 Comic Pack Firefly.

Firefly is one of the stalwarts of any vintage collection. During the heyday of the Joe renaissance, complete Fireflies easily hit the $40-$50 range. Hasbro was quick to realize Firefly's popularity and found ways to get repaints of the character rotated into their modern releases. The first was in 1998. This arctic version was a new take on the character and brought another dimension to the Firefly mold. The 2000 version was reminiscent of the original, but still different enough that it had some use. The 2002 version was less useful as it was kind of crimson but not quite. In 2003, the mold found use as Wreckage as well as in 2 convention releases. These both offered different takes on the Firefly character. But, collectors were getting tired of the mold. In 2004, Hasbro brought the mold out again. This time, though, they released a figure that was probably the best version of Firefly up to that time. The Urban Strike Firefly featured classic Cobra colors, his original accessories and a complex paint mask that featured a full 7 different colors. It is an amazing figure and was the last Firefly collectors needed. But, Hasbro wasn't done. In early 2005, they took the same paint masks from the Urban Firefly, replaced the blue with red and released the Crimson Firefly. It's not a bad figure, but was overkill that diluted the definitive, earlier release. But, Hasbro was not done. In mid 2005, they released this final version of Firefly as part of Comic Pack #49. This figure featured a new head mold, his original accessories and colors that hearkened back to the original: only more complex and modern. The result is the best version of Firefly ever released.

If you had asked me how to improve the Firefly mold back in 2004, I would not have suggested a new head. However, this one little detail rejuvenated the entire Firefly mold and made it matter. It's not so much the fact that the head is new. Instead, it is that this new head is substantially better than the vintage version. Most of the comic pack figures featured new heads. But, almost all of them were either downgrades or equals to the vintage heads they replaced. Not so with Firefly. This new head brought a dimension of anger to the character. He was no longer just small eyes behind a grey cammo'ed mask. Now, his head had some character. The slightly furrowed brow and more pronounced chin give Firefly a more distinct and stronger look. Gone is wide eyed youngster from 1984. Instead, you see eyes that are more grizzled and show the hardship and destruction that a character like Firefly would have wrought in his lifetime.

The colors on this figure are basically the same as the vintage version. However, they have been modernized to an extent that leaves the original figure more dated than I would have thought. The cammo patterns are tighter and the base grey is slightly lighter than on the vintage figure. The result is a figure that is brighter overall and photographs better than the original. This figure also features more painted details than the original. However, it should be noted that the Urban and Crimson figures have more paint applications and do have more details painted than this version does. Regardless, this Firefly still features additional paint applications that were sorely lacking on the original figure. The silver grenades and black straps and holsters give the figure more depth and make him more visually appealing than the original. Overall, the coloring is just an upgrade in total. When you look at this figure, you know it is Firefly and you recall the vintage release. This one is just superior. It's too bad than can not be said of more of the comic pack figures.

This Firefly is now my de facto mold for the character. While I still have some vintage versions around, they have been surpassed by this release. The better coloring and less brittle plastic has made my vintage figures less necessary. That isn't to say that this version has surpassed the vintage in terms of significance. But, when I need to use a Firefly figure, this is the version that is more often chosen. The inclusion of all the original accessories in black help keep this figure on a more even keel with the 1984 version and also reinforce how important the right accessories are to most of the vintage Joe molds. Comic pack figures that would have been OK, like Flint, Tunnel Rat, Zap and Short Fuse, were made less useful by Hasbro's failure to also include remakes of their vintage accessories. Without them, these figures lose the characterization that made them so vibrant. So, that is another of this Firefly's strengths.

The Firefly mold history was well chronicled above. In addition to those uses, Firefly also saw time in India and was released by Funskool. In India, the mold was altered so the figure's backside read "Made in India". This was erased (poorly!) by Hasbro starting in 1998. This comic pack figure, though, was likely the result of a slightly refurbished mold. The remnants of Funskool are gone on this figure and many of the mold details that were starting to fade away in earlier Firefly releases have been sharpened up and are once again crisp and clean. As such, the figure seems "newer" than even the awesome 2004 release. A simple mold cleanup and a new head were all this Firefly needed to have some new life breathed into him.

With this new take on the mold, I have brought a new take on the Firefly character. While he is still a saboteur, I now see Firefly as an information broker as well. Firefly has great infiltration and forensic skills and he puts those to use in gathering information on his enemies and his employers. The result is the ability to sell information to competing factions or to protect himself from some of his more ruthless clients. My new Firefly is younger, not associated with Snake Eyes or Storm Shadow and has a background more steeped in law enforcement and intelligence than straight military. Firefly is now the first person brought in when a murder is committed on Cobra Island. He knows all the players on the island, is familiar with their politics and alliances and knows who has the will and motives to kill. That isn't to say that he won't protect the guilty if it serves his own ends. But, it also gives Firefly more power than a simple saboteur would otherwise have.

The sad reality is that this figure was a remarkable pegwarmer and is criminally cheap on the secondary market today. At first, the comic pack including this Firefly was well received. It came on the heels of the hard to find Oktober Guard packs and collectors were ready to buy. The packs were slow to trickle out. So, for a while, this pack actually commanded a premium on the aftermarket. But, after a few months, that ended. Slowly, these packs backed up at retail. And, with the end of the retail line imminent, many stores clearanced these packs at steeply discounted prices. On top of that, many discount retailers also received shipments of this comic pack assortment and sold them for 1/2 the original retail price. The result was a surplus of these packs in the marketplace. As such, you can still buy a MOC version of this set for around the original retail price. If you are only after Firefly, you can get them for around $3. At this price, this figure is a no-brainer and it is a shame that a figure of this quality is relegated to such a cheap fate. But, that is the reality of the modern toy market. But, it gives new collectors a chance to add the best version of a major character for a fraction of the cost of the original figure. That's a good thing.

Action Force Stalker - European Exclusive

Some time around 1984, the Palitoy toy company extended it's line of Action Force toys to incorporate a new style of action figure that was taking the US by storm. Gone were the 5 points of articulation figures that were compatible with vintage Star Wars toys and in came some recently used molds from the G.I. Joe line. These first figures were recolored to match the Action Force color pallette and given distinctive Action Force names. However, the G.I. Joe juggernaut was too strong and slowly but surely the Action Force line simply became the European brand of G.I. Joe. Among those early Joe figure mold repaints, though, are a slew of highly desirable unique figures. Most collectors would love to have Quarrel, Red Laser, Hunter or Blades as part of their collections. Also part of the Action Force line, though, was a figure that has caused great confusion among the collecting world in the years since its release. The figure is the Action Force Stalker who is actually a repaint of Snake Eyes. Confused? You're not alone. But, the result is an interesting figure who was once the best Snake Eyes mold available and is also the subject of this profile.

Basically, Stalker is nothing more than a V1 Snake Eyes figure with some dark grey highlights. Today, this is hardly anything worth writing about as we have plenty of V1 inspired Snake Eyes figures who are nicely detailed with many different paint colors. However, in the '90's, the only way to get a Snake Eyes figure that was anything other than solid black was this European exclusive. Even as Hasbro started putting out variations of the V1 Snake Eyes figure in 1997, this Action Force Stalker retained its allure. Collectors were not yet burned out on Snake Eyes and were always quick to welcome another version of the character's mold into their collections.

What to do with Stalker? This is a difficult question for the American collector since Snake Eyes is so ingrained in any USA-centric Joe mythos. It's hard to view this figure as a new character since Snake Eyes' design is so unique to him. It doesn't make any sense to have this figure be another version of the American Stalker character since that Stalker also has such an iconic look. Most collectors simply used this as yet another Snake Eyes figure. But, with so many better versions of Snake Eyes out there these days, even that leaves this figure as the odd man out. However, looking at this figure's Action Force roots show some potential. In the Action Force mythos, Stalker was an Icelandic madman who seems like an amped up amalgamation of Clutch. In the Action Force comics, Stalker was drawn without the mask at times and that look gives credence to an entirely new character. Unfortunately, the use of the Snake Eyes mold does not live up to it. But, it does open the door for this figure someday becoming something more in the modern Joe world.

Personally, I think that much could be done with the Action Force characters. A convention set featuring many molds painted up in Action Force green, SAS black and Red Shadows red would be among the most popular sets Master Collector could attempt. The Action Force villain line is full of great characters that would expand upon the existing Cobra hierarchy. They have their own army builders in Red Shadows that would easily be made from existing molds and new heads. On the Action Force side, a character like Stalker could be brought to life with a new interpretation and could be made relevant to all collectors with a new mold. The rest of the Action Force characters could undergo the same process. On top of that, some standard Joes who were big players in the Action Force comic (Flint comes to mind...) could be redone in Action Force green: which would actually be a welcome repaint for even the most overused molds. At this point, there isn't much left for Master Collector to do in terms of a high profile convention set. However, Action Force would probably be the one theme that would energize collectordom en masse.

Stalker was included with the Action Force Panther jeep. It was a black and yellow repaint of the American VAMP. The figure included the same accessories as the V1 Snake Eyes figure. Savvy collectors also know, though, that Stalker was available as a bagged premium figure at one of the early G.I. Joe conventions in the '90's. It seems that Hasbro got ahold of a large quantity of Palitoy overstock. So, they bagged up spare Quarrels, Blades and Stalkers, gave them accessories that were in production at the time, and bagged them as exclusives for convention attendees. These are the same figures as the vintage Action Force models but have become slightly more collectible in recent years since they do feature the convention exclusive moniker.

This brings up an interesting point about most of the Action Force exclusive toys. When Hasbro acquired Palitoy, they also acquired all of the old overstock that Palitoy had on hand. This included tons of Action Force figures still sealed on their original bubbles. Some of these were used for things like the convention premium figures. But, a lot of the overstock was slowly sold off to European (usually UK based) toy dealers in the late '90's. These days, you see collectors paying through the nose for figures like Gaucho and Jammer. Yet, just a few short years ago, these figures were available in multitudes from UK toy dealers. Yes, that stock has dried up. But, many collectors mistakenly think that the Action Force exclusives were only available with their vehicles. That isn't the case as many American collectors were able to acquire carded Action Force figures at the turn of the century from these overstock dealers. As such, many of these Action Force figures are more common than newer collectors are sometimes lead to believe.

Simply put, the V1 Snake Eyes mold was one of the most popular in the entire world. Aside from being used in the US, the mold was repainted in unique color schemes in Argentina, Brazil, Europe, Mexico and India. Snake Eyes parts were used to create Cobras in both Argentina and Brazil. And, Snake Eyes was the original figure included with the Funskool exclusive Street Hawk toy. After the mold was returned to Hasbro in 1997, it has been used a number of times to create newly updated and detailed versions of Snake Eyes. At this point,the mold is exhausted and there are really only a few things that could be done to it to make it relevant to collectors once again. If we never see this figure mold again, it will probably be too soon.

This figure was once one of the more desirable European Action Force exclusives. However, as Hasbro began to release more and more figures based on the V1 Snake Eyes mold, the need for this figure was diminshed. At one time, this was the only way to get a V1 Snake Eyes that wasn't all black. These days, collectors have almost a dozen different versions of Snake Eyes that are based on the V1 mold and most of them feature more intricate paint masks than Stalker displays. As such, Stalker is no longer the featured collectible he was once. While some Action Force figures have gotten ridiculously expensive in recent years, Stalker has remained affordable and can often be purchased for about the same price you'd pay for a Snake Eyes figure. That's pretty cheap considering that Stalker is probably rarer than the American figure. Personally, I like having figures like this in my collection. But, for many collectors, the enjoyment they would get out of this mold will vary. It is no longer a figure that is required in order to have a slightly better Snake Eyes and that really makes him a figure that cash strapped collectors can probably skip.

1985 SMS - Sears Exclusive

It is hard to remember now, but there was a time when Sears was the go to retailer for toys. They were world's largest retailer and used that clout to secure holiday exclusives that they could sell both in their stores and from their catalogs. Hasbro, wisely, worked with Sears from the beginning on their Joe line and produced a cardboard base that was exclusive to Sears in 1982. This "Missile Headquarters" wasn't much of a toy, though. In 1984, Sears was able to secure some of the 1985 Joe toys early for release during the '84 holiday shopping season. In 1985, though, Sears took on a whole new element when they produced exclusive repaints of existing Joe toys. There were two sets that year: the C.A.T. (a repainted MOBAT) and the S.M.S (a repainted HISS and MMS) that shared a common, Crimson theme. Most collectors know these items as expensive aftermarket acquisitions made as adults. I, though, was a lucky kid who found the SMS under our tree on Christmas morning in 1985. As such, this item was a special part of my childhood collection and remains one of my few nostalgic pieces that I own today.

During the holidays in '85, my parents frequently took us to the mall. It's likely this was due to the fact that it was a cheap way to keep us occupied during the cold winter. They would simply drop us into the toy aisle of various stores and let us browse while they shopped for whatever it was they needed that day. (Odd that writing that statement in 2008 makes me think my parents were irresponsible. But, in 1985, such a thing was not only commonplace, but it was both accepted and safe.) As such, my brothers and I spent hours scanning over the toy aisles, looking at all the awesome new toys we wanted for Christmas. To this day, I know that I visited other aisles while I was browsing. But, my only detailed memories are of the G.I. Joe toys that lined the shelves. The items that always absorbed the most of my attention were things I did not own. That year, it was the Moray and, of course, the USS Flagg. But, also on the shelves were two toys that were somewhat odd: the CAT and SMS. These items were not available in any other store and featured box backs that were drawings rather than the full color photos that were the standard of the reverses of Joe vehicle packaging of the day.

Of these two, the SMS was the more intriguing item to me. I had always hated the MOBAT and had no interest in it with new colors of red and black. The SMS, though, looked kind of fun. It was a red Hiss Tank and a red and black version of the MMS. The MMS had been one of two vehicles I had received for Christmas in 1982. At the time, I had not appreciated it as it was towed behind my VAMP (the other vehicle I got that year) but could not hold a figure. So, though I had three vehicles and only four figures as I entered 1983, I did not have enough room on my vehicles to hold all four members of my Joe team. So, this had soured the 9 year old me on the MMS. Now, at 12 years old, though, the usefulness of a mobile missile launcher was much more apparent to me. I saw the tank as an elite HISS tank that was more powerful and faster than the standard, black version. But, more importantly, I saw the SMS as a way for Cobra to level the playing field against the Joes.

The SMS started as simply a mobile missile system that Cobra would cart around. They would, occasionally, shoot down Skystrikers or Dragonflies. But, that was about it. As 1986 progressed, though, Cobra took to missiles to a different level. They became a secret weapon that could be unleashed against Joe bases from short ranges: but outside the scope of the standard Joe base security. They were fast and hard to shoot down with the limited weaponry that was attached to the Joe HQ. By the end of 1986, these missiles were now Cobra's most powerful weapon. They were used with great affect against many Joe bases and had even managed to kill a few Joes. At this point, the Joes got desperate. They needed to find a way to shut down the missiles without have to surround their bases with tons and tons of stationary defenses. (This occurred anyways, though, as things like the SLAM and the LAW became standard installations around my Joe base.) By accident, Mainframe discovered that the missiles had deactivation codes. If the Joes could find the right numerical code, it would shut down the missiles in mid flight. But, due to the proximity from which Cobra could launch the missiles and the short time it took for them to reach their target, this wasn't a great solution as it was improbable that the right numerical code would be broadcast before the missile struck.

The Joes were thus forced to set out and find a missile station before the missiles had been launched and the onboard computers destroyed. There were a few close calls, but the Joes always found the launchers after they had self destructed. Finally, though, a hasty mission using unnamed Joe recruits (These were the repaints from the Mission to Brazil set. I used them as unnamed army builders who specialties mimicked those of their mold counterparts.) managed to capture a launch station. Cobra valiantly tried to defend the station and destroy the base. But, the Joes held them off long enough for the Science Officer (aka, Mission to Brazil Mainframe) to download all the codes. With this, the Joes rendered the missile stations useless. Anytime a missile went up, the codes were broadcast and it came right down: unarmed and harmless. The side effect of this was that I managed to render my SMS toy useless, too. So, it got packed away and forgotten about for a few years. Around 1988, I pulled all the pieces out of a box of junk and put the entire SMS away. Here it sat for many years until I pulled it out and brought it back to my collection. Today, it remains one of the few vehicles that are part of my use collection.

The SMS you see pictured below is my original. By late 1985, I was able to keep most of my Joe toys in very good condition. Despite the amount of use it got, the SMS didn't get worn down like some of the other high profile vehicles in my collection at the time. As such, it has survived, relatively intact, to today. Really, the 2nd half of 1985 was my line of demarcation. Anything that I purchased during that summer or later survived in pretty good shape into my adult collection. The figures I purchased in the first half of the year, though, did not. I guess it was a maturation process, but that seems to be the point where my collection became something important to me and I kept my items in much better shape. That isn't to say that I didn't still use them roughly or leave stuff outside for days on end. But, on the whole, I was much more cautious with my toys as the year wore on. There are precious few items from 1986 and forward that I lost from my childhood collection. And, most of those items can be traced to specific instances where my younger brothers or their friends got into my Joes and lost accessories when I was not around.

As a kid, though, items like the SMS were among my favorites. The main reason was that not everyone had them. While that statement comes off a bit snobbish these days, the reality is that it was the distinct items that made my collection different from that of the kids down the street. The fact that I had items like the SMS, the Dreadnok exclusives and the Mission to Brazil set allowed me to have some items that were unique to my childhood experience. As such, I didn't have to stay within the confines of Snake Eyes and Flint. I had some options. Frankly, I think that's why Joe still stays with me today. Joe was something that set me apart from many other kids. We all had toys, but I only had Joes. (Well, up through the first part of 1983, I did have Star Wars, too. But, those were all but gone by 1984 and totally replaced by Joes.) If you wanted to play with some toys that not everyone had, you came to my house. It's odd to think something like the SMS was that kind of draw. But, when everyone had the same toys, even something that was a different color was enough to be a draw. To this day, the items that most interest me are the ones that set a collection apart. It's not the rarity or the value, it's the distinction that comes from having something that not everyone owns. It has lead to a greater appreciation of the line's nuances and is a large part of why I still collect today.

The MMS mold had quite a history. After the original green version was discontinued in 1983, the mold appeared in Europe as part of the Action Force line. There, it was released in a combo of black and grey. Hasbro then used the mold for this exclusive in 1985. Sometime around here, Hasbro also produced the M.S.V. exclusively for the Canadian market. This item featured an all black MMS. (In fact, the base, missile bracket and legs for the MSV are identical to those of the SMS. Only the missiles are a different color.) The MMS mold then seems to have died in India. Funskool produced an MMS for a very short time and it is one of the rarest Funskool vehicles today. This MMS was similar in color to the American version. But, there are rumours of Funskool also making oddly colored MMS's that may or may not have been part of their Joe line. As Funskool discontinued the MMS rather early in their history, it is not known if the mold still exists. It would make an excellent add on as part of a larger vehicle set (like the ASP in the Crimson Sabotage set) but would likely not work as well on it's own. At this point, though, collectors can get an MMS in enough colors to satisfy them. The prices might be higher than most collectors would like, but there are nice, alternate MMS options out there.

When you look back at the vintage Joe line, there were precious few exclusive items that were ever offered. You would think that the toy market of the time would have lent itself to many exclusives since just about every retailer sold toys and most of them sold them year round and would not have to discount any leftover Christmas stock. But, as modern collectors, we are probably fortunate that these exclusives were so uncommon. Today, the priciest pieces from the vintage line are exclusive figures like Night Force and vehicles like these Sears pieces. Imagine if the line was also littered with other exclusives that were only available at a regional retailer, through a catalog or by attendance at a specific event. The result would be many more items that would likely carry price tags that would trump even these Sears pieces. If you look at the exclusives that collectors deal with today, it is unfathomable how, if the toy market were to be the same with a large, new generation of collectors coming on in another decade, anyone would keep up. Fortunately, the modern toy market is heavily geared towards collectors so this won't be an issue. But, we are equally fortunate that the toy buyers of the mid '80's were not more aggressive in their pursuit of exclusive toys. Lest, the Joe line would be dramatically different today.

The SMS is fairly pricey. Being a retailer exclusive, it saw a severely truncated production run. On top of that, it's a fairly distinct toy and one that most collectors would like to have in their collections. The legs for the missile base and stand for the control panel are easily lost and the actual spinning missile bracket breaks frequently. To top it all off, the missile are fragile and the tips are easily broken. A nicely conditioned version, with the Hiss Tank will run you close to $100. You can get the missile launcher separately, but it is often substantially higher priced than the Hiss Tank. Even at those prices, you won't see too many of these at any given time. Personally, if not for my childhood piece, I would not likely own the SMS. As an adult acquired item, it would have some cachet, but little value beyond monetary. As this was an important piece in my childhood, though, I still hold the SMS in high regard and can not imagine my collection without it. For others, the mileage may vary on this piece. It is expensive. But, it also has an inherent exclusivity to it that might make a high dollar purchase worthwhile.