2005 Comic Pack Zartan

I swear I profiled this figure.  I have photos of him from the 2007 or so timeframe.  I recall writing up something about him.  Yet, I have no record of ever completing a profile of this Zartan release from 2005.  I'm not sure how that happened.  Usually, I keep good records of my drafts and incomplete writings.  But, this one slipped through the cracks.  I do recall that, nearer the time of his release, my view of the figure wasn't strong.  The idea behind this Zartan was good.  But, the execution was lacking.  In hindsight, though, my stance has softened.  That's likely a function of the fact that Hasbro never released another Zartan and this figure's days as  peg-clogging clearance fodder are long behind it.  

The Comic Packs were an idea whose reality never achieved the promise of their intent.  While they were meant as a way to get cool updates of classic characters in vintage styles, the reality is that the Comic Packs produced a line of barely different, and often inferior, repaints with terrible gear and questionable figure inclusion.  Despite that, I can't overly fault the #74 pack for its figure mold choices.  While Zartan seemed overdone in 2005, much of that was recency bias.  We had only two releases of Zartan in the vintage line: one an alternate construction Ninja Force figure.  We then, though, saw Zartan 4 times between 2001 and 2005.  (The horrible 2001 Zartan, the excellent Funskool release, an uninteresting 2005 convention release and this comic pack figure)  And, that was just in vintage form.  For a character as important as Zartan, this isn't a lot of releases, especially when you consider the plethora of Snake Eyes, Duke, Cobra Commander and Viper figures that Hasbro keep regurgitating.  But, in such a short time, it seemed like a lot.  When you consider that only one of them (the "Tiger Force" convention release) was really all that different from a coloring perspective, you also see the overkill of the same look for a character over and over again.

The primary difference between this Zartan and the original figure is the comic book coloring.  The dark, maroon pants and cowl and replaced with brighter, more comic accurate colors.  The upside is that they neither detract from the original nor impede the update.  The colors both work, despite their differences.  The figure's chest and knee pads are solid grey plastic.  But, don't worry, they are as brittle as ever.  And, the knee pads stay on the figure no better in 2005 than they did in 1984.  The real difference, though, is the newly sculpted head.  Zartan's face is thinner and grittier.  I've always felt the original Zartan head had a bit of an otherworldly appearance.  This comic pack head removes that.  The face paint is more drastic and covers more of Zartan's countenance.  And, the cowl is much larger and covers more of the figure.  I like the new cowl as it looks more natural as an accessory than the original.  You definitely know Zartan's a weirdo.  But, the head is bizarre in a different way than the 1984 rendition.

For me, this figure is just kind of there.  It's very nice to have a cheap, decent Zartan figure available to me.  And, since this figure doesn't change color, you can take him outside for pictures without having him turn a bluish hue.  The design is close enough to the original that you neither gain nor lose anything by choosing one over the other.  That being said, though, all being equal, I'll choose the 1984 Zartan every time for a photo.  I just don't think of this figure all that often.  He's another of the bland comic pack releases that isn't memorable for anything other than how not memorable he is.  It's a fine figure.  But not one I need or even think that we're lucky to have.  He's not bad.  In fact, the figure, on his own, is quite good and is one of the highlights of the comic pack line.  But, he's not different or all that interesting, either.  It's a telling sign for both this Zartan and the comic pack line as a whole.

Comic Pack #74 was in the first wave of DTC Comic Packs that was originally only available from online toy dealers.  The DTC Joes were dead on arrival and clogged the storage shelves of these dealers for years.  Hasbro had to deeply discount the overstock and sell it Toys R Us for them to sell in their stores.  But, that only added to the problem since collectors could bypass expensive shipping and get all they wanted of the figures at local stores.  Online stores were force to clear out their stock with attractive sales prices.  The final sets finally selling out from Hasbro Toy Shop after they were reduced to $4 per pack for several weeks.  This lead to massive quantities of the figures on the secondary market.  Most collectors taking advantage of the clearance bought the packs for extra "Fred" heads.  So, they sold or traded their extra Zartans away: leaving a large surplus of figures on the market.  Even customizers got their fill of cheap Zartan bodies since many had already stocked up on extra Funskool Zartans that were also getting clearanced out at the time.  For nearly a decade, Zartan was a staple of unwanted Cobra command  figures of the early 2000's era.  He joined the 2001 Destro, 2000 Major Bludd, pretty much every Firefly and even the Comic Pack Zarana as a member of the Cobra hierarchy that simply no one wanted to buy.

Everyone wanted Zartan's original accessories.  His unique pistol, opening pack and false facemask were '80's toy icons.  But, all were missing on the 2001 release.  The Funskool figure that appeared later that year brought the mask and the pistol (though in an accessory pack like red color!) to the community.  But, all the Hasbro uses of the mold post 2001 were missing this classic gear.  (Yet, oddly, Zartan's chest and thigh pads were available.  But, as they were translucent plastic in 1984, they were likely on a different mold than the rest of Zartan's gear.)  But, Hasbro did OK with this Zartan figure.  Rather than get a gun and the disguise of his character's origins, Hasbro included a compound bow, quiver and arrows to showcase Zartan's archery skills that were fleshed out in comics after his original introduction.  The gear looks good with Zartan and brings a different era of the character's arc to toy form.  So, it was one of the rare replacements of original gear in the comic packs that both made sense and really worked well.

But, the late 2010's have brought about a Joe resurgence.  Usually, these last for just a short while.  And, they often result in new collectors overpaying for relatively recently released Joes about whom they have a false perception of rarity.  When this happened in 2001-2003, 1997 and 1998 Joe figures commanded a premium from collectors who had just missed them at retail.  15 years later, figures from these years sell for less (in real dollars!) than they did in the early part of the century.  Due to low supply, dealers routinely sell this figure for $20.  But, here's the rub.  If you can find a carded set left to the open market, it will rarely break $20.  And, you get the excellent Fred and a passable Zarana for the same money.  This Zartan alone will only sell for about $5 if you need to sell one today.  But, low availability leads to more dealer sales and a false sense of this figure's true value.  Personally, getting for $3.33 at retail seemed like a lot.  Getting them for under $2 per figure was better.  But, this figure isn't something I can't do without.  Original Zartans are far easier to find and worth the premium you'll pay over this release.  Even the Funskool Zartan remains so, too.  So, unless you find a cheap one, I'd let this Zartan go.

1986 Lifeline - Around the Web

While Doc was the Joe's Doctor, Lifeline was their first medic.  His red outfit screamed his specialty.  But, the solid figure design and amazing gear cemented him as one of the highlights of the 1986 releases.  The figure still holds up today.  Here's the best of him from around the web.

Lifeline Profile

Rice Krispies Lifeline Profile

Lifeline at When it Was Cool

Lifeline at 3DJoes.com

Lifeline by clairmontgeorge

Lifeline by rebelpelicano through G.I. Joe Nation

2018 Python Patrol Storm Shadow - Factory Custom

2017 was an amazing year for factory custom figures.  Dozens upon dozens of new figures were released and collectors had choices of incredible army builders, rare character repaints or all new amalgamations to choose from.  In short, it was a great year to be be a vintage style Joe collector.  As 2018 started, it was poised to continue the trends of 2017.  Many new designs were shown and collectors salivated over the prospect of new figures.  More new designs showed up and it appeared that 2018 could see even more new figures than appeared in 2017.  And, then: nothing.  Factory problems in Asia, trade wars, construction problems, paint issues and every other little snag under the sun transpired and none of the figures were ready until late in the year until the first crop of Black Major figures finally appeared.  Even then, the offerings were few and the quantities were limited.  But, sometimes, the wait is worth it.  

Stormshadow first appeared in the factory custom world in 2016.  The initial offerings were classics like black, tan, red and Cobra blue versions.  Camouflage versions appeared and there was, generally, a pretty nice assortment of repaints of one of the Joe world's iconic figure designs.  I never really thought I needed a Python Patrol Stormshadow.  I would never have asked for one.  But, one of the joys of having others produce the factory customs is that I get to see some things that I didn't know I wanted.  As soon as I saw the first mock up of the Python Patrol Stormshadow, I had to have the figure.  Usually, I'm not a huge Python Patrol fan.  But, I do enjoy Python Officer figures.  But, seeing Stormshadow in this color scheme appealed to me.  For some reason, it seemed reasonable that Stormshadow could appear like this.  This is, prima facie, ridiculous.  Yet, with the figure in hand, my interest in him remains high.  To me, Python Patrol is mostly the domain of 1984 and earlier molds.  So, seeing Stormshadow colored like this works for how I've always viewed Python Patrol.

The biggest "problem" with this figure is that the base green color used for the figure is substantially brighter than the green that was used on vintage, Hasbro Python Patrol figures.  So, Stormshadow is not a perfect match for any of the vintage figures.  This has been an issue with all the Python Patrol colored figures that have come out in 2017 and 2018.  But, all of the factory custom Python Patrol figures are compatible with each other.  So, you have that as an option.  Beyond that, though, this Stormshadow is amazingly detailed.  The paint masks are intricate and sharp and the yellow underwear is a call back to the vintage figures.  He has the full complement of V1 Stormshadow gear and is just bright enough to call attention to himself without being too overbearing or ostentatious.

So, what am I going to do with this figure?  I have no idea.  This paint scheme falls into the category of really cool figure for whom I have no specific purpose.  There are lots of Stormshadow figures.  But, I don't really use them that often.  Having a Python Patrol version gives me more options when breaking out a Stormshadow for a photo shoot.  I can match him with some of my other figures and he can join Relampago and Gatilho in the pantheon of named Cobra Python Patrol characters.  I could use him as a Ninja Viper to augment the Python Patrol ranks.  The point is, I have no specific use for him and he's a general enough design to work in various settings.  For a classic sculpt in homage colors, that works for me.  

When it comes to factory custom pricing, who knows?!?  These Python Patrol Stormshadows started out at $18 per figure.  Even with relatively limited quantities, the figures were available for long enough that anyone who wanted one could get one.  It's possible that someone who had an unknown stock could liquidate some time in 2019 for 1/2 the original asking price.  But, more likely, the figures will dry up.  When that happens, the demand factor takes over.  If collectors love the idea of a Python Patrol Stormshadow, the figure will get pricey.  If the community is relatively indifferent to the design, the figure will stay around current prices.  And, if the notion of a hugely popular character repainted in a hugely popular color scheme is hated, you'll find this figure for pennies on the dollar.  I find the last scenario the least plausible.  And, I always recommend picking up items at "retail" cost unless you know the item is a turkey.  Black Major figures tend to have a following and many old, out of production designs command significant premiums on the after-market.  For me, I found this version of Stormshadow to be worth $18 new.  Not everyone will since it's an odd figure for sure.

1992 Flak Viper - Around the Web

I've always considered the Flak Viper figure to be relatively obscure.  Debuting in 1992, the original release is in decent colors and includes some fun gear.  The figure is very common and you don't find too many people who really go out of their way to collect them.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there's actually a ton of content on the 1992 Flak Viper that's available online.  There's blog posts, dioramas and memorials of the Flak Viper that make him more discussed than many classic Joes from the 1980's.  Here's the best of him from around the web!

Flak Viper Profile

Flak Viper at TheJTJ.com

Flak Viper By JogunWarrior

Flak Viper at 3DJoes.com

Flak Viper at Half The Battle

Flak Viper at G.I. Joe Chile

Flak Vipers by Cobra Freak

Flak Viper at Toys From The Past

Flak Vipers By Slipstream80

Flak Viper by Andrewcf1992

1993 Interrogator - Mail Away

While the neon color infusion that appeared in the Joe line in the 1990's has found far greater acceptance among collectors in the past decade, it still remains a divisive issue among the fan base.  Many collectors still hate the bright colors and consider the later figures invalid treads upon the hallowed 1980's versions of Joe characters.  Never mind the fact that Flash not only featured bright red in 1982, he also carried a hand held laser rifle capable of melting steel doors in a few seconds.  So, to me, the bright colors and sci-fi concepts of the 1990's are nothing more that a logical progression from Flash and Grand Slam.  But, of course, Hasbro probably went too far in 1993.  While some neon figures are forgivable, others were bright just for brightness's sake.  Such a case is the 1993 mail away Interrogator figure.

Just in case you thought Cobra had gone soft, Interrogator comes along.  Aside from the Darth Vader helmet, the mold is straight out of a nightmare.  He has a set of spiked brass knuckles strapped to his chest: just so any prisoner starts to think that Interrogator might go easy on them.  The original was cast in black, dark blue and grey: classic Cobra villain colors.  He is one of the highlights of the 1990's in terms of new Cobra characters and new figures in general.  This repaint, though, is less frightening.  Gone are the muted tones that allowed Interrogator to blend with the classic Cobra hierarchy.  Now, the Interrogator sports a nifty pastel, neon green helmet with matching bandoleers and gloves.

If you replace the yellow with red or dark grey, this Interrogator might be one of the best figures of the 1990's and on par with any Cobra villain from any year.  With the yellow, though, this Interrogator is a fun addition to a collection.  Truth be told, it might be more frightening to see an inquisitor enter a prison cell decked out in neon yellow.  You would really wonder what kind of psychopath would choose such a color.  And, it's in that vein that I find use for this figure.  Sure, the 1991 figure looks better.  But, this look for the character helps to make him more psychotic and unpredictable.  It's a mental torture that he saves for special cases.  But, when this suit is broken out, you can be sure that the Interrogator is preparing to break someone important.

Also, though, the figure looks great with other 1990's Cobras.  He is a nice complement to the 1988 Cobra Bugg, too.  I often have him among the grew just because his colors mesh so well.  The Interrogator works with Crimson Guard Commanders, 1994 Vipers, Cyber Vipers, Mega Vipers and even the 1993 Headhunter figures.  While none of those may be among the most popular Cobra troopers, they are excellent figures in their own right and having a character to lead them helps to flesh out some of the more drastically colored figures.  But, the neon yellow also isn't for everyone and there's no real denying that if you aren't a fan of bright colors, then this figure probably doesn't work for you.

I didn't really start re-collecting Joes in earnest until 1995.  During that time, I would get various mail away offers in vehicles or packaged with figures.  Many, many times I would stare at them and consider getting some classic figures or vehicles back.  Each time I went to order, though, the total price for the figures and shipping just seemed out of line.  I had held on to my childhood notion of mail aways being the domain of very cheap or even free promotional items and not realized that they could be a source of toys that had been gone from retail for over a decade.  But, at the time, money was tight and Joes were still plentiful at retail.  Plus, being 1995, I wasn't sure I would actually get any figures I ordered and I didn't want to risk sending in money that I'd never see again.  So, while I saw this Interrogator figure in the catalogs, I never got all that close to ordering him.

In some ways, that was a shame.  I would have found great use for this Interrogator at the time.  Even his oddly colored set mate of Major Altitude would have been useful: finding many ways to perish in the Razorblade.  The Cobra villains of the line's final years were heavy on re-imaginations of classic Cobra characters.  Interrogator would have been new to me and would have found a strong characterization as someone new who would have joined my cabal of young Cobras who were starting at the time.  It's probably good, though, that the figure didn't enter my collection.  His absence allowed me time to find the right figures to represent the Cobras I had created.  And, that was the driving force behind my early interest in foreign Joe figures.  So, sometimes there are hidden benefits to cost driven decisions.

The original Interrogator included an oddball grappling gun.  The 1993 version, though, only includes a knife.  It's a small, greyish weapon that was also included with the 1987 Steamroller figure.  It can work for someone who would incorporate torture as part of his repertoire.  But, to me, the figure needs his iconic weapon.  Fortunately, the black 1991 Interrogator weapons aren't overly difficult to find.  And, if you're more adventurous, you can track down a silver repaint of the weapon (seen in some of the photos below) that was included with a Street Fighter Movie Edition M Bison figure.  It adds a bit of flair to an already ostentatious figure while keeping him in sync with the weapon designed for him. 

Despite the neon colors, this Interrogator version is somewhat pricey.  Mint and complete figures will sell in the $50 range.  Though, without the knife, you can get them under $40 from time to time.  The figure isn't nearly as rare as many dealers make it out to be.  Bagged overstock of both this figure and Major Altitude were available not only from dealers for many years, but Lee's Action Figure Review also gave away sets of them with a subscription to the magazine well into the early 2000's.  So, while you may not see this figure with the regularity that you did 15 years ago, the reality is that a lot of them are out there and many of those tucked away in collections are bagged versions.  But, for today's pricing, this Interrogator is really only a must have for the die hard completist.  The original version is better in every way, is more common, has better gear and is about 1/4 of the price.  But, if you like terrible, oddball repaints of really good 1990's figures, this Interrogator is for you.