Funskool Scrap Iron

Scrap Iron was one of my favorite figures in 1984.  It was an odd combination of factors that lead to his popularity.  Sure, his missile table and pistol were just spectacular accessories.  His colors matched many of the Cobras who called my collection home.  But, the real appeal of the figure was that he hadn't appeared in the comic.  So, while my friends focused on the characters from the published medium and re-enacted adventures started by Larry Hama, I found Scrap Iron to be useful since he had no constraints.  I could make him anyone I wanted him to be.

In short order, Scrap Iron became my default bad guy.  He battled Joes with his pistol, destroyed their vehicles with his missiles and whipped them into submission in hand to hand combat when he used the wired controller from his table as an electrified whip.  He became much closer to the Major Bludd character since my Major Bludd figure from 1983 had died a quick death and I wouldn't get another one until just before Christmas in '84.  Slowly, though, this characterization died off.  It was partially because the 1985 figures started showing up.  But, mostly it was due to my losing his pistol and having his missile table stolen by one of my "friends".  Sans gear, Scrap Iron lost a lot of his appeal.  His introduction in the comic brought him back to the forefront for a short while.  But, again, without his gear, the figure simply couldn't hold up.  So, Scrap Iron became a forgotten part of my collection until I returned to Joe as an adult.  I quickly picked up a few Scrap Iron figures to bring the character back, though none were really mint.

By the time I really cared to have a mint Scrap Iron in my collection, prices on vintage versions had risen and I was at a place where I couldn't really spend any money on Joes.  So, I was left with versions of the figure that weren't perfect.  I still kept him around and you'd see him in various photos from the site's earliest days.  In 2002, though, that changed.  At the time, the Funskool toy company was still producing vintage mold G.I. Joe figures in India.  There were around 40 figures available, but many of their classics had gone out of production prior to their mass U.S. retail appearance in early 2001.  Funskool was producing about 5 new figures per year.  To supplement this, they started to rotate in many of their earlier figures.  Among them was Funksool's take on Scrap Iron.

This Funskool version has two main differences from the American figure.  The quickest one to spot is Scrap Iron's lack of undershirt.  The bare-chested look is tough to pull off.  And, with Destro holding down the spot of '70's Disco icon in the Cobra ranks, the exposed flesh doesn't really work.  The other difference is that this Scrap Iron is much brighter than the American version.  The blue is lighter and the red is brighter.  So, it's pretty tough to make a case that this figure works better than the American version in any scenario.  Aside from those major changes, you see a few different paint applications.  The pitons (a leftover from when this mold was meant to be Alpine) are red instead of black.  And, Funskool Scrap Iron has different upper arms.  The smooth versions from the American figure have been replaced.  But, I'm not sure whose arms are being used here.  (I'm looking for Mr. Acer to help out in the comments.  He's really good at these.)  The overall glossy paint just adds to the general perception that this figure is bright.

The result is that this is a slightly different look for Scrap Iron, but not too far from his classic appearance.  The problem is that it's a regression from the American version.  It's not different enough to be really interesting and is different in ways that make him less useful without being wacky.  So, you're left with a figure that you don't really need.  In the early 2000's, when this guy was first re-released, mint and complete Scrap Iron figures ran in the $12 - $15 range.  Getting the Funskool version for 1/2 that after shipping made this a decent alternative until you tracked down an American figure.  But, beyond the cheap placeholder, the value of this foreign Scrap Iron figure is limited.

Scrap Iron was released by Funskool many different times in many different forms over the years. (There's even a version with green highlights instead of red.)  The version that is most common and most known to collectors, though, was the 2002 re-release.  (In looking at my figures for this profile, I found a variant even in this short window as the figure you see is very bright red while I have another that is a bit darker red in the vest.)  In early 2002, Funskool brought back several discontinued figures such as Flint, Beach Head, Airtight, Buzzer, Zarana, Ripper and Scrap Iron.  It was great for collectors to have access to these classics for around $4 each.  What was not great, though, was that 2002 was the lowest point of Funskool's quality for G.I. Joe figures.  As such, most of the Scrap Irons out there suffer from blotchy paint, frozen joints, broken parts and fragile accessories.  In short, the figure's reputation was ruined by the fact that the run that made him ubiquitous was terrible.  To this day, you find tons of complaints about this figure's quality.  In fact, many collectors who used this figure as a gateway into Funskool were so turned off by this version's issues that they abandoned the brand.

The days of $4 carded Funskool figures are long over.  Funskool has not produced this figure now in more than 14 years.But, enough were brought to the U.S. and concentrated in the collector market that you can still get MOC Funskool Scrap Iron's for around $12.  You can find loose figures cheaper.  But, they are far more scarce.  If you can find the Scrap Iron in a lot of other, more common Funskool figures, you can get him cheaper, too.  However, there are certain carded versions of Funskool Scrap Iron (made in the 1990's) that are much more desirable and will command premium prices.  Some are identifiable by sight due to major cardback variations.  Others, have much more subtle variants.  But, if you see one that sells for $100 or more, it's one of these variants and not the 2002/2003 production runs.

All that being said, it's tough to recommend this figure for anything other than completion's sake.  The odds of getting a high quality are definitely stacked against you.  And, you can always get high quality Hasbro Scrap Irons for around the same price as a MOC Funskool version.  And, the American release is in better colors.  But, if you want something a little different, the Funskool figure is worth getting.  When they were $4 each, lots of people bought them for the accessories alone.  So, having a fully armed Scrap Iron variant can be fun, especially if you already have a panoply of Cobra that were released in other parts of the world.  But, knowing what I do about this figure now, if I didn't have one, he'd be an easy skip for me.  It's fun to have the Funskool variants.  But, spending a lot on a figure that's known to have serious quality issues is a tough sell to me these days.

Funskool Scrap Iron, Bootleg Crimson Cobra Trooper

Funskool Scrap Iron, Street Hawk, Crimson Guard Immortal, Cutter and Law

Funskool Scrap Iron, 1998 Cobra Trooper

The Top 10 - 2016

I have a lot to be thankful for.  My family, health and happiness are the big three.  On the list, though, is this site and all the Joe fans who come here every day.  There are over 700 posts on the site, dating back more than 17 years.  In the time I've been online, some posts have been much more popular than others.  So, here are the ten most popular posts in the site's history for you to peruse while you recover from whatever New Year's Eve fun you may have had:

10. Parachute Pack Mail Away - This is due to HissTank.com.  It's my first post there and usually draws a few viewers each week from there.

1990 Sky Patrol Airwave - Around the Web

Airwave was my first Sky Patrol figure.  I got him at a time when all Sky Patrol figures were hard to find and rather expensive.  Relative to their peers, Sky Patrol figs are still fairly pricey.  I still like Airwave the best of the sub set.  His helmet and weapon are just a great combo.  Here's the best I could find of him around the web.

Director Krennic - Rogue One

With G.I. Joe figures, there is one basic style that defines the genre.  You have straight arm figures, Ninja Force figures and Armor Tech figures.  But, that pretty much sums of the entirety of the line that has non standard articulation.  The rest of the figures are designed the same way and are pretty much interchangeable.  Where the difference comes into play are the sculpting style changes that occurred in the 2000's when Hasbro introduced the Joe Vs. Cobra sculpts and then the Anniversary sculpts.  These figures retain some elements of vintage Joes.  But, they are completely different in most design aspects.  However, you have a definitive break when each style began.

In Hasbro's Star Wars line, the design changes are less definitive.  If you follow the flow of figures from 1995 through to 2016, you see an evolution of the figures.  While a 1995 figure can't really hold a candle to a 2010 version of the character, if you also review the steps in between, you see how Hasbro got from the beefy 5 points of articulation figures from POTFII to the sleek and well design super articulated versions from the Vintage Collection.  They appear to be different lines until you follow the sculpting from the beginning.  Now, though, Hasbro has returned to the 5 POA action figure as the staple line for the new Star Wars films.  While I am, generally, opposed to this idea, there are instances where it works.  I've often stated that, when it comes to Star Wars figures, I'm less concerned about having the "best" figure than I am about having one that's good enough.  And, in some cases, good enough is represented by a 5 POA action figure.  Such an example is the Director Krennic figure from the 2016 Rogue One figure assortment.

Director Krennic is a new character created for Rogue One.  In some ways, he a superfluous character who isn't really needed.  The movie really didn't need a new bad guy as either Tarkin or Vader would have filled Krennic's role without much modification.  His motivations for his actions were based on Tarkin's theft of Krennic's role aboard the Death Star.  But, Krennic would have already been subordinate to Tarkin, so this seems like the type of thing Krennic should have seen coming.  Krennic had some sort of relationship with Darth Vader.  But, his audience with the Sith Lord seemed more of a cinematic opportunity to show more of Vader than actually advance the plot.  Krennic chased the protagonists around the galaxy and seemed to be a decent, if cookie cutter bad guy.  Krennic's death really only served as a bit of comeuppance for Jyn in her quest to avenge her father.  But, seeing as how she also perished shortly after Krennic, the good feeling was relatively moot.  In the end, you have a character who's relevance is more political than action.  His only real value is that he wears a cool, white uniform, he has a huge cape and he's flanked by a sextet of custom "Death Troopers".  He could have been purged from the movie and no one would even realize it.

But, this is Star Wars.  And, Star Wars if heavily about characters that serve no real purpose.  In fact, there are, literally, hundreds of action figures based upon characters who are not just minor, but so minor they neither speak, are the focal point of a scene or even credited in the film.  For some reason, these background players take on lives of their own and we, as collectors, demand toys for them.  In that zeal, we get some stuff that, on paper, should be awful.  Krennic, after all, is a grey haired old man with an inflated sense of self importance.  As a toy, he should be awful.  But, as he is a major character in a film, collectors demand a figure and they were rewarded with a pretty solid representation of the character.

For me, Star Wars figures are display pieces.  They sit out on shelves or in a display case and never move.  It's nice to be able to pose them into dramatic stances.  But, that is more of a novelty as most figures can only be posed so many ways before you've exhausted the limits of ways to get the figures to remain upright without the aid of stands.  For some characters, just having them stand there, doing nothing, is the perfect look.  Imperial Officers fall into this category and Krennic fits right in with them.

As a sculpted toy, Krennic is great.  He has his arms at his side, shrouded by his massive, stiff plastic cape.  His legs are straight, with no odd bends to force him into a pose.  Just out of the package, Krennic looks exactly like he did in the movie.  Sure, he looks like a guy who might deny your loan application.  But, that's what he's meant to be and the head sculpt brings that across.  Where you get your value on the figure is detail.  The cape perfectly hides the joints on the figure, so you focus just on his visible uniform.  The tunic has folds and wrinkles to show use.  His pants do, too.  He has the baggy thighs that define Imperial Officers and his spit shined boots are simplistic bliss.  The tunic's long waist is a separate piece that covers the figure's waist.  This gives Krennic much more depth, even if it limits his articulation at the hips.  His Imperial insignia are solid.

The real conversation point is the waist mounted holster.  As a kid, I wanted nothing more than working holsters for my Star Wars and G.I. Joe figures.  Now, they are a staple of the Star Wars line.  Krennic's works perfectly and holds his pistol with the handle out.  It is just visible from behind the cape and shows that Krennic is a bit more than a standard officer since he carries a visible side arm.  Mine featured some poor paint applications and overspray around the belt.  This seems to be a common issue with the lower price point figures.  So, keep that in mind when picking out a sample.

Krennic is readily available right now.  Oddly, he seems to sell through fairly well.  You'd think a silver haired villain with limited articulation would pegwarm with the best of them.  But, for now, Krennic appears to move fairly well.  It might be that collectors are stockpiling a few extras for customizing purposes.  Or, maybe, Krennic really did fill a villainous niche and casual fans have taken to the character and want a plastic representation of him.  You can find Krennics pretty easily, but he will sell down as the waves age on the shelves.  I'm not sure if this will last, long term.  But, it's pretty apparent that Rogue One toys will disappear come August or September of 2017, replaced by the new film's figures.  So, even if Krennics do start to back up in early 2017, collectors are assured they will disappear to clearance bins before the next series of toys hits retail locations.

Long term, I'm not sure where Rogue One will fit into the Star Wars pantheon.  Right now, enthusiasm for the movie seems high.  But, "The Force Awakens" also energized fans.  Within a year, though, the general reception for that movie had cooled and many of the flaws were more apparent.  It's likely Rogue One will suffer from the same pattern.  The movie has holes in it and Krennic is not the only character who could have been removed without affecting the plot at all.  In time, cameos from original trilogy characters will become blase and the shock effect will diminish.  With all the main characters dying at the end, there's not much legacy to Rogue One beyond what we've seen.  However, Krennic is a character who could return in an earlier story.  Being the director of the Death Star construction, he's a major player in the Empire.  So, should there be another film or two set between Episode III and Episode IV, Krennic could return.

In the past, you could be assured that a character like Krennic would, eventually, get remade into an ultimate, super articulated version.  But, that reality no longer exists.  Barring his appearance in another film, this is probably the last Krennic figure we'll see unless Disney/Hasbro completely change their approach to Star Wars toys.  For years, Star Wars was immune from the dreaded "movie tie in toys" where a line was heavily marketed prior to a film release and then relegated to clearance and discount stores within weeks of the film's premier.  Disney seems to be pushing Star Wars toys in that direction.  The only difference being that the brand has enough legs at retail to survive the dead first half of the calendar year.  This gets us more figures and toys than we'd get for most other franchises.  But, leaves Star Wars feeling scarce and limited.

That may be part of the ploy to retain interest for the next decade.  It's worked on me, though.  I have more Rogue One figures than I do from the Force Awakens.  But, that's mostly due to the original trilogy tie in which is more in the wheelhouse of my interest in the franchise.  But, figures like this Director Krennic show that there is value in limited articulation figures, especially if they are well sculpted.  I'll pay premium prices for super articulated versions of characters who require it.  (Chirrut Imwe is one such character for sure.)  But, for guys like Krennic, the 5 POA format works perfectly and allows me to spend a little less for features that would be wasted on the character.

Director Krennic and a Black Series Death Trooper

Diorama - Busted

This dio was taken in Indiana in either December or January.  It was a clear, dry and sunny day: as you can see in the pics.  But, it was freezing cold.  By the time the whole thing was set up, the vintage thumbs started getting brittle and my camera kept shutting off as the battery was too cold.  I liked the idea of a large group of law enforcement capturing the Dreadnoks and the show of force it would take to do so.


You'll see the CORPS! Hummer in the pics. At the time, it was about the best Hummer you get for Joes.  But, it was cheap and brittle.  But, it also cost like $10 with three figures.  So, you get what you pay for.  Just off camera was my relatively new Funskool Super Cop capturing my relatively new Funskool Red Dog.  They were the main reason I got all this out.  But, the rest of the scene was pretty fun to work out.