1994 Major Bludd

Major Bludd has long been one of my favorite Cobra villains. There was just something about him that captured my attention as a child and he has remained a character who has always been a significant player in my Joe collection. However, it has always been his original figure that was the representation of the character to me. Bludd was not revisited during my childhood. So, it was only as an adult that I came across new Major Bludd figures. I missed the Sonic Fighters version in 1991, but did find Hasbro's interpretation of the character in 1994. However, despite finding it a few times at retail, I simply could not bring myself to purchase the figure. The red weapons and purple color were just too much of a departure from the Bludd I knew. By the time I decided to buy any Joe figures I could find, though, Major Bludd had basically disappeared from retail. In 1999, I acquired a test shot of the figure and was surprised to find that the mold featured a knife molded onto Bludd's arm. This sparked an interest in the figure for me and I quickly tracked down a loose version to add to my collection.

Like most of the 1994 figures, Major Bludd's mold has great potential. The sculpting is solid and is true to the character. But, the color choices leave much to be desired. The combination of purple, black and red isn't a terrible departure from traditional Cobra colors. (Especially in light of the multitudes of Cobras who chose purple as their primary color.) But, they are a quite a leap from the subtle brown and black uniform that defined the first Major Bludd. Were this figure done in those colors, it would likely enjoy quite a bit of collector attention.

This mold isn't without its problems. The high collar and open chest are very reminiscent of Destro's disco inspired original outfit. The head is the true value of the figure. The large mustache is a Bludd trademark. But, the helmet is a nice homage to the original figure while being updated in a way that shows the improvements in figure sculpting over 11 years. The key feature to the figure, though, is the hidden blade on the figure's right arm. While the original Bludd had the armored right arm that limits the movement on the vintage version, this Bludd has the knife that tucks into a sheath beneath his forearm. It's not a feature that intrudes upon the figure in traditional display poses. But, it adds something very nice to Bludd as he has a built in accessory that is unique to him across the entire Joe line.

I have never really used this figure as part of my collection. The figure did not enter my collection until adulthood and there are much better versions of Bludd that are more true to the character. As part of a 1994 display, this figure works very well. But, the odd colors and non traditional look for Bludd prevent this figure from ever being more than a dio filler in anything I do. It's not that this is a bad figure. It just came out at an odd time. Being a Cobra, I missed this figure as the Joe line died at retail. So, I don't have those 20 year old memories of finding him as I first came back to collection like I do with many other 1993 and 1994 figures. As part of the line's history, this is a nice way to update Bludd and use him as something outside of his more traditional appearance. But, the opportunities to do that are less and less for a collector like me who is such a traditionalist.

The head, arms and chest of this figure were only released in 1994 for Major Bludd. (The legs are from the 1991 Toxo-Viper.) It is likely that Hasbro would have repainted this figure in 1995 had the line survived since that was their M.O. at the time. The mold has not appeared in the 20 years since this original retail release with the exception of the head being used in the 2003 Python Patrol set and again in the 2006 Convention set. What's odd is that Hasbro did revisit the classic Major Bludd color scheme in 1994 for the Chinese exclusive Major Bludd figure. So, maybe the plan was to give this mold a re-do in Bludd's traditional garb. It's a fun speculation, but nothing more than that.

If you want this figure, he's not hard to find. Mint, complete with filecard, this figure can be purchased for under $5. But, it's probably easier to just buy him carded since one of those will likely run under $10. Of the Major Bludd figures that are available, this is the least desirable by far. It lacks the distinguishing browns and blacks of Bludd. The colors are almost cartoonish in their appearance and this figure in no way conveys menace and evil. As such, this is never going to be a vital figure for any collector. There are too many other Major Bludd figures out there that are almost perfect.

1988 Muskrat

As a kid, swamps fascinated me.  There was something about the incredible concentration of life that could so easily disguise intense danger that intrigued me.  As such, I always took advantage of rainstorms to take my Joes out in the yard and play in the "swamps" that were defined by puddles and mud.  Usually, figures in more traditional military colors were the characters of choice when this environment presented itself.  The classically cammoed figures were excellent fits for the green and brown that defined the landscape.  Alas, it was not until 1988, after I had stopped buying Joes that the line introduced a character unique to swamp warfare: Muskrat.

My first encounter with the Muskrat figure was in the summer of 1988. I was done collecting Joe and wasn't buying any figures. That summer, I was watching one of my parent's friend's homes. Their son was a few years younger than me and had a play room full of Joes. Among these were most of the 1988 figures. I looked them over and was enthralled by Muskrat. Beyond the great design and solid colors, it was his shotgun that left the greatest impression.  It was an upgrade on the shotguns from Flint and Falcon since it had both a stock and a handle.  It looked like the type of weapon that would go well with a variety of figures.  I took the Muskrat out of the plastic storage bin and gave his weapon to a few 1987 and 1986 figures to see how it looked.   The result was fantastic.  For a few weeks, I contemplated actually buying a Muskrat figure.  Unfortunately, the allure of sports cards and the money to be made selling and trading them (plus the more socially acceptable sports theme) kept me from regressing back into buying toys.

But, I would hold off until the summer of 1990 before I would actually give in and buy a new figure.  (The '89 Night Viper.)  In retrospect, that probably didn't hurt me too much.  The 1988 figures had their moments.  But, none of the traditional retail figures from that year have really taken on a aftermarket life.  But, I do feel that having a few more 1988 figures in that final, transition year of my childhood could have been fun.  Maybe I would have developed more of a personality for this figure.  He very well could have been as fun to use in my various play areas as Hit and Run.  But, what's life without a few regrets?

The paint details on Muskrat are somewhat lacking. The figure is only black paint on the green base with a smattering of brown on the boots.  But, in this case, the simplicity is effective.  For someone traipsing through a swamp, you don't need much beyond the standard green of the plant life around you.  So, Hasbro was able to save a bit on the paint applications that could then be applied to other figures.  But, for some reason, in 1988, Hasbro really didn't do this.  Shockwave, Repeater, Budo, Destro, Stormshadow, Wildcard, Ghostrider and other figures all feature large, undetailed portions of their molds.  Hasbro really skimped on paint applications across the entire year.  It might have been fallout from the failure of the Joe movie or just expected sales slumps.  But, the cost cutting doesn't make sense when you see the the increased detail that started to appear in 1989.

Accessory-wise, Muskrat is OK.  His shotgun is excellent.  The fact that it appeared with a large number of 1993 and 1994 figures is a bonus as it makes the acquisition of extras very easy.  It is nicely scaled with the figure and works in ways that other shotguns do not.  Beyond the gun, though, Muskrat's accessories get weird.  He includes an awesome machete.  But, it's baby blue.  I don't know why since most other 1988 figures have accessories that are sensibly colored.  Again, though, black versions of the machete are easy to steal from figures from the line's final years.  So, that helps.  Finally, he includes some type of boogie/surf board.  It can be attached to his back like a pack, or to his foot to have the accessory function.  The result is something that is odd and not useful.  As a pack, at least, the board can double for armored protection.  Beyond that, though, it doesn't make much sense.

In my collection today, Muskrat doesn't get much use.  He's a solid figure, but not a character to whom I have great attachment.  He was an adult acquisition and that leaves him without the childhood memories that make most of the 1982 - 1987 figures so important to me.  But, the figure is not without his uses.  His classic colors allow him to blend with Joe teams from a variety of different years.  So, he is a nice bridge figure between a team of 1985 and a team of 1994 Joes.  But, he doesn't have much character.  I've never really gotten around to creating a personality for Muskrat.  The upside is that this remains a figure of untapped potential in my collection.  The downside is that it's fairly unlikely that this figure will ever get the type of display or use that his quality really deserves.

Muskrat was released in the U.S. in 1988 and as a Night Force figure in 1989.  After that, the mold appeared in Brazil as part of the very rare Forca Electronica subset.  Then, the mold appeared in India where Funskool produced a Muskrat figure nearly identical to the original American release for many years.  (The upside to this figure is that it includes a silver machete instead of the baby blue version.  A great upgrade!)  The Muskrat mold was one of the first 18 molds that Funskool returned to Hasbro in 2003.  While Hasbro never produced another Muskrat, the body mold was used for the 2004 convention exclusive Dreadhead figures.  It then made it's final appearance as the basis for the 2004 Chief Torpedo figure that was included with the VAMP/Whirlwind set.  The Muskrat mold still has some life in it since three of the 4 releases of the character are based on this version 1.  A desert version or a repaint with a complex cammo pattern would be a welcome addition to the Joe world.  But, the chances for figures like that are likely gone and collectors are left with several high quality, but similar Muskrat figures to track down.

Muskrat figures are not expensive.  He is easy to find with no paint wear and complete with all his accessories.  Like most 1988 figures, though, Muskrat's elbows tend to crack.  Finding a figure without this flaw is difficult.  But, most Muskrat figures will sell for under $7.  That's a great price for a figure with a high quality mold done in traditional military colors who includes well done accessories.  Like many high quality Joe figures from the early years that saw full retail production runs, Muskrat's popularity in the marketplace has declined quite a bit in the past few years.  But, many collectors still have him and consider him a solid Joe team member.  Had I owned this figure as a kid, he would likely be much more important to me.  But, that lack of emotional attachment doesn't diminish his quality at all and makes Muskrat a worthy addition to any collection.

1987 Crazylegs

As a release year, 1987 is both spectacular and rather terrible. There is a huge dichotomy between some figures that are timeless classics like Falcon or Outback and some that are genuinely terrible designs like Raptor. In between, though, are a third group of figures. These are relatively minor characters whose figures are good, but not great. Some of these figures, like Fast Draw and Sneek Peek, fit into specialized niches. Others, like Croc Master and Big Boa, were interesting character ideas that never really took off. And then, there is the Crazylegs figure. Ostensibly, this is a character that should have been popular. He was a paratrooper, included paratrooper gear and had a decent sculpt. But, a poor coloring choice has somewhat doomed the figure to obscurity.

My first encounter with Craylegs was on the back of the 1987 cardbacks. As a paratrooper, he looked pretty cool. I hoped he would include a parachute and air mask much like Ripcord. Based on the card art showing him in freefall, I even hoped he would include a working parachute. In the late spring of 1987, my father took my younger brother and I to a Children's Palace store on Shadeland Ave. in Indianapolis. (Eerily enough, in the early 2000's, the building was still there, vacant, with a faint outline of the Children's Palace sign on the facade...a ghost reminding me of what had once been.) They had a full complement of Joe figures I had not yet found at retail. I grabbed the Crazylegs figure and looked him over. However, after seeing him in the full red glory with no air mask, my interest in the figure dropped considerably. I gave him to my younger brother and bought myself a different figure. (I can't recall who I got, but remember the disappointment of Crazylegs.)

Crazylegs simply got no use when I was a kid. The red color did not fit with the Tomahawk or Dragonfly and was difficult to use in combat situations. Even my beat up Ripcord and Airborne figures were better choices for airborne assault troopers. (Especially since the green Ripcord gear that worked so well on Airborne was a huge color clash with Crazylegs and did not fit over his bulkier mold.) So, Crazylegs became part of a legion of "no-name" characters who would randomly die in attacks on Joe bases, civilian outposts or Cobra encampments. He saw some use in that capacity for a while, but then faded away into the bottom of my figure box.

In the mid 1990's, I finally found a niche for the Crazylegs figure. The heavy suit could be construed as armor. The red color, was suitable for a jailer. So, Crazylegs filled a role I termed Sessions Officer. Basically, the Sessions Officer's job was to sit in session with a prisoner accused of a capital crime. It was the Sessions Officer's duty to ensure that prisoner lived to see trial and, if convicted, survived to be placed into his prison cell where he would await death. Sessions Officers were among the most highly trained and respected officers around and many would, eventually, go on to fine careers as senior combat officers, politicians or heads of corporations. But, when the Dreadnoks tried to free one of their members who was heading to death row, the Sessions Officer had to put his life on the line to ensure the prisoner was not freed and was not killed by his compatriots. (One of the Sessions Officer's last duties, though, was to ensure the prisoner did not escape. So, the Sessions Officer was authorized to kill his ward...provided that escape was ensured and all other options had failed.) I acquired multiple Crazylegs figures to fill this specialty. It was a fun diversion for a while. But, eventually, Crazylegs faded away again. He now stands as little more than display piece with the Night Force version being the figure of choice should I want the character to appear in photos.

As a mold, Crazylegs is remarkably well detailed. The airborne suit is bulky and detailed with quilts that look like a suit that would be worn when jumping from high altitudes. The molded helmet on the head is nicely scaled and fits with the overall look of the figure. The sculpted goggles and chin strap are nice adornments to accompany the grenades and knife that are molded to the figure's chest. The overall figure, though, isn't painted with great detail. Basically, the figure is just four colors: red, black, grey and a splash of tan on the figure's gloves. In comparison with other 1987 figures, the paint masks on Crazylegs are rather lacking and he looks more like a 1988 release due to the simplicity of the paint applications.

While Crazylegs' accessories were a disappointment to me, they aren't terrible. The parachute pack is very well detailed. The notion of having it wrap around the figure's legs was a neat idea that just didn't translate into the actual toy. Hanging on the wall of a flight deck or Tomahawk, the chute can be useful. But, attached to the figure, it's hard to make it work. Crazylegs' rifle included a folding, removable stock. This was the first such attempt in the vintage line. Again, it is a nice feature that gives Crazylegs some character. But, as an actual toy, the removable stock doesn't really add anything. As a kid, though, I always felt that Crazylegs' rifle was as close a representation to the Cobra rifles from the cartoon as we would see in the toy line. As such, I co-opted his rifle for various Cobras throughout my childhood. Later, the gun became a staple with figures like Sneek Peek as it just seemed to fit those figures well.

The Crazylegs mold is one of the most used in the world. It is likely that right after this figure was released in 1988, the mold went to South America. There, Crazylegs was released in Brazil and then again in almost concurrent succession in Argentina. (Crazylegs was the only post 1985 figure mold to be released in Argentina.) Both these figures were named Alado and are, basically, identical to the American Crazylegs figure. In an odd bit of timing, though, Crazylegs then appeared in India. Again, basically colored the same as the American figure, the main distinction for this Crazylegs figure is the red parachute. However, Crazylegs' head was also used by Funskool of the so-terrible-he's-cool Skydiver figure. So, Crazylegs fans have a lot of figures to track to down. But, the foreign variants are all, essentially, slight deviations from the American figure and don't really offer anything greatly new for the character. The Crazylegs mold was not among those recalled from Funskool by Hasbro in the early 2000's. That is too bad as the mold could have been a great candidate for repaints in jungle, desert or even arctic themes.

Crazylegs figures are neither hard to find nor expensive. The rifle stock can be problematic to find. But, it's not at rare as many other accessories. Being a 1987 release, Crazylegs figures can be susceptible to cracked elbows. But, finding a mint figure is still fairly easy. Mint and complete with filecard versions run in the $8-$9 range. That's a fair price for the figure. He's not as expensive as the more popular characters and is more expensive than the dregs of 1987. As a paratrooper, and a figure in general, the 1988 Night Force release is the definitive version and should be the choice if you only have one Crazylegs figure in your collection. But, this original figure has some charm due to the classic release year and does fit into a display with his contemporaries. For under $10 that's not a terrible purchase since the figure is a good way to add some visual diversity to the colors of your Joe characters.

1988 Night Force Crazylegs

The Crazylegs mold is solid enough. It is somewhat basic as it doesn't have a lot accouterments molded to it. But the mold is nicely textured and solidly detailed for what it is. The mold is actually somewhat bulky in appearance. While I hated that as a kid, it is a nice little detail that doesn't jump out at you even though it adds to the overall realism of the character.

The accessories are cool, if unspectacular. The rifle is small and interesting. I always felt that it was very similar to the weapons used by Cobras in the cartoon. The little stock, though, was somewhat confusing. While it was a nice feat of engineering to make the stock removable, it feature added little to the figure. As such, it was something to appreciate but not really enjoy. The parachute pack, though, was a failure. While it was realistic in how it affixed to the figure, the required bulkiness made it impossible for Crazylegs to wear it and be posed sensibly. Plus, it didn't work. While this was an improvement over Ripcord's chute in terms of realism, it was a step backwards as a toy. Ripcord's chute had the hole for the mask and was intricately detailed...even though its design required the odd strap on the back. While Crazylegs' chute was more like what you'd find a local skydiving club, it made for a poorer toy.

My first encounter with Crazylegs was on the back of my first Falcon figure that I acquired in December of 1986. I remember looking at Crazylegs and thinking how cool the small picture of art was. I imaged that he would have to include an air mask like Ripcord and might even include a working parachute. While the figure looked red, it was not until I walked into a Children's Palace store in early 1987 and first found the figure at retail that I realized just how red he was. On top of that, all the cool accessories I had imagined for the figure were no where to be seen. Plus, he had this weird quilty suit that just didn't live up the expectations I had set for the figure based on the artwork.

So, rather than waste the one figure I was allowed to get on a disappointment like Crazylegs, I bought another figure. For the life of me, I can not remember who it was. It might have been Outback. But, I remember pawning Crazylegs off on my little brother. (I always convinced my brothers to buy the crappy figures I didn't want. That way, I would still have the figure, but not waste any of "my" figures on toys that were disappointing.) When we got to the car and opened our figures, I was even more disappointed in the figure when I realized that the only way to attach the parachute pack was to make the figure's legs spread apart. So, a figure design I didn't like was made worse by the fact that the only way to use his accessories was to put him in a ridiculous pose. Naturally, Crazylegs did not get much use in my childhood.

If you fast forward a few years, though, I rediscovered the Crazylegs mold. While the coloring still had its shortcomings, I grew to appreciate the mold a bit more. In fact, I went so far as to find a place for the figure in my then small collection. I enjoyed the figure, but still felt the colors held it back. When I first discovered online Joedom, though, that problem was quickly solved when I learned of the Night Force Crazylegs figure. It had the solid mold of the original but was done in decent colors. Of course, when I went to find one, I discovered that they appeared rather infrequently and were rather pricey. (Even in 1999, Night Force figures were expensive. I remember a lot of 12 complete figures selling for more than I spent to buy a lot of over 70 mint, complete figures from '86-89: including a Starduster, 2 Rumblers and a ton of army builders.) As such, the figure remained elusive. Finally, I was able to trade for a decently conditioned (but certainly not mint) version of the figure. He immediately found great use in my collection as an integral part of helicopter missions, insertion teams or just outright assault squads.

Now, the figure holds the same position. As he's no longer new to my collection, he doesn't see the use he once did. But, he still remains an important part of my collection. As the original Night Force Crazylegs I acquired lacked his parachute, I found that the Argentine Fuego figure has a decent replacement. It is a brown Ripcord backpack that meshes well with Crazylegs and also gives him the mask. The best part is that Fuegos are dirt cheap and you can get a MOC version for less than you would spend to just get the Night Force Crazylegs parachute.

The Night Force figures were largely good, but not great. While Outback, Tunnel Rat, and Falcon were solid figures, they were not substantially better than their original incarnations. Crazy Legs, Psyche Out and Sneak Peek, though, could be considered upgrades. The issue with the Night Force set, though, is that the colors remained too consistent and start to get repetitive once you get a few of them. Alone, they are nice figures. As a whole set, they get boring and mundane. I think that's the reason I've been so slow to add the Night Force figures to my collection. Once you have a couple, you see diminishing returns on the rest. Fortunately, the characters that are the best upgrades are also the least popular and tend to be the least expensive.

As a character, Crazylegs doesn't have much to offer. He was killed in the comic with almost no use. As such, he really isn't a player in most people's Joe worlds. Personally, I've done little with his characterization beyond having him be a common infantryman. He doesn't have large personality quirks and isn't a character who's anything more than combat filler. But, a collection needs characters like that. A team of huge personalities is less likely to be cohesive than one that has a few subordinates who just follow orders and do their job. Crazylegs fits that position well and has found a home based on that.

The Crazylegs mold has had a long history. The figure first appeared in the US in 1987. This figure appeared in 1988. Around that time, the first Alado figure that used this mold appeared in Argentina. It then appeared almost simultaneously in Brazil where it was also released as Alado. Both of these South American versions are highly similar to the US version and included all the original Crazylegs accessories. Some time in the mid to late '90's, the Crazylegs mold appeared in India. There, it was used to make not only another exclusive Crazylegs figure, but the head also appeared on the very unique Skydiver figure. Since then, the mold has not appeared again, though it is likely that Hasbro is now in possession of it. Truth be told, I don't really think we need another Crazylegs figure. Granted, I would not be disappointed to see it return, but feel that the Night Force version is adequately available for a minor character like Crazylegs.

All the Night Force figures are hard to find. That's reality. As they were exclusive to a retailer who, at the time, was not fully saturated around the country, it was likely that large numbers of kids who would have bought these figures never even knew of their existence. The result is a group of figures that is difficult to find in any condition and that can be downright maddening to find complete. That isn't to say, that deals can't be had. While highly popular Night Force characters routinely sell for close to $50, you can still get mint, complete Crazylegs figures for under $25. Collectors largely don't care about Crazylegs and his figures (hard to find or not) are priced accordingly. My feeling is that if you're going to have a Crazylegs in your collection, it should be the Night Force version. It is just so superior a coloring to the original that it makes the character worth owning.

1986 Dreadnok Stinger - Sears Exclusive

As a kid, I was very fortunate to have acquired the 1985 Sears exclusive SMS set. My dad was a fan of Sears and would go there often. As such, I was able to spend time reviewing the toy aisle since it was right next to the tools section. I spent many hours in 1985 staring at the SMS. Once I got it, it became one of my favorite toys. So, as 1986 drew to a close, I was hopeful that Sears would offer another exclusive toy offering. I was not disappointed when I found the Dreadnok Ground Assault and Dreadnok Air Assault sets. Both were repainted vehicles, but looked very cool. While the Dreadnoks weren't really major players in my collection anymore, the opportunity to acquire the vehicles was simply too good to pass up. On Christmas morning in 1986, my brother opened a Dreadnok Air Assault set. Within a few presents, I found the Dreadnok Ground Assault set with my name on it.

The Dreadnok Stinger quickly became part of my standard Cobra arsenal. Our standard Cobra Stinger had long been broken. So, having a distinct Cobra attack jeep was a welcome addition to Cobra's arsenal. However, this role was short lived. Within a few months of my acquisition of the Dreadnok Stinger, it began to fall apart. First, a door snapped when I tried to open it and it caught on the roof. Then the brush guard broke off. In it's more dilapidated condition, the Dreadnok Stinger slowly morphed into a civilian vehicle. It became the go to transportation for random terrorists, militants and criminals who would terrorize Joe or Cobra bases. Along with an A Team van, random figures would attack one of the main factions in the Joe world. It was a way for me to expand the standard Joe vs. Cobra conflict and also have Cobra act in the role of protector when their possessions were attacked.

In time, the jeep became nothing more than the shell. When I packed all my Joe toys up and put them into a storage space in our house in 1988, the Dreadnok Stinger went into a box where it would stay for almost a decade. In 1997, I dug out all my old toys. The Stinger was dirty and stripped down. But, a search of boxes of random Joe parts in storage quickly yielded most of the original parts back. With that, I put my Dreadnok Stinger back together and found a place for display. Buzzer, Ripper and Torch adorned the jeep for a while. But, when I moved to Arizona and started acquiring many figures I had not owned as a child, the role of the Dreadnok Stinger changed again.

As an adult collector, I have found the Ground Assault set to be a great match for Python Patrol figures. The green and blue jeep is a decent match for the Python Officer and Trooper. Plus, it is a contemporary match for those figures within the context of the Stinger and the original Cobra Trooper and Officer. The best part, though, is the addition of Gatilho and Relampago to the Python Patrol ranks. These named characters fit within the design years of the original Stinger, are a perfect match for American Python Patrol figures and are excellent fits with the Ground Assault set. (Especially since Relampago was a motorcycle rider.) The only reason I have Dreadnok vehicles like these in my collection these days is due to the Python Patrol connection. It is a great display and gives these toys more usefulness in my collection. (The jeep is also a near perfect match for the Bronze Bomber Scorch figure, which is a blue and green Motor Viper repaint. If you can find a few of them, they are another great crew for this vehicle.)


The Dreadnok Stinger has very brittle parts, especially the doors, brush guard and handles. The reason these are so brittle is because they were designed to change color in sunlight. The vehicle follows the trend of Zartan, Zandar and Zarana in that it will change to different shade of green when exposed to unfiltered UV rays. As a kid, this was a neat idea. But, the practicality of it is pretty minor in terms of realism. For the modern collector, the brittle nature of the plastic has made the Dreadnok Sears vehicles that much more difficult to find in mint condition.

The Dreadnok Stinger was just released by Sears in the US. The Stinger mold, though, saw use all around the world. However, this version was the only real repaint available anywhere as the International Stingers were, essentially, the same as the American version. Sadly, Hasbro really never took advantage of the Stinger's potential. While there is the black repaint from 1998, it is very similar to the standard version. Missing the Stinger in Cobra blue, red, grey or white is a sad hole in the vintage Joe line. It's likely that a Stinger repaint would have sold like crazy during the army building era of 2002 - 2005. But, that didn't happen and collectors are left with few options for Stinger variants.

Mint and complete Dreadnok Stingers are very expensive. In recent years, perfect samples have climbed close to $200. This is a combination of the vehicle's rarity, collector interest in anything Dreadnok and the general upsurge in pricing for any vehicle that is derivative of the original VAMP. The reality, though, is that the vehicles were not produced in great quantities and the plastic used for them is very brittle and tends to discolor. The doors, brush guard, steering wheel and hand rails will break with little usage. (The brush guard and steering wheel are hard enough to find on their own rights!) So, mint specimens are not easy to track down. Years ago, the Joe market was not overly efficient and deals could be had on items like this. These days, though, collectors have largely caught up and most are looking for the same missing pieces. Items like the Dreadnok Stinger that are cool, rare and easily broken tend to be highly sought after. Whether time will ease or exacerbate this remains to be seen. I'm glad I have these items and have had them since childhood. Without that connection, it's unlikely that they would be part of my collection today.