1993 Iceberg

Sometimes, a simple little change can be all the difference between a figure that is loved and one that is ignored.  The 1993 Iceberg isn't a figure you see all that often.  He's a definite downgrade from the 1986 character debut.  And, the figure's calling card of bright yellow highlights definitely hurt his appeal.  But, when you look at the original card art, you see that Iceberg was originally meant to look a bit different.  And, had those original coloring choices been followed, this version of Iceberg would be much more accepted in the collecting world today.  

If you look at Iceberg's card artwork, the figure should be amazing.  The details on the mold really pop.  His bullets are golden instead of yellow and all of his details are clearly visible.  The most important difference, though, is that the character's mask and gloves and details are green instead of bright yellow.  We can argue about whether green really works in the arctic.  But, the green highlights really look much better than the bright yellow. The figure on the card art would have some vehement fans.  The released figure, though, does not.  Many 1993 and 1994 figures seemed to have changes like this from the art colors.  Some may have been due to cost cutting and others may have been choices to brighten up a retail assortment.  But, in almost every case, the card art showcases a figures superior to the actual toy.

This is a shame as the yellow obfuscates a fairly decent Iceberg sculpt.  The chest has some heft to showcase the bulk of the cold weather coat and gear.  But, the sculpting of the ammo belt, powder horn, grenades, hoodie collar and fur accents on the gloves all show that Hasbro was still more than capable of making great toys in 1993.  Sadly, the yellow is a tough sell and really takes away from the quality of the mold.  It takes a figure that might be among the better 1993 releases and relegates him to near the bottom of that year's popularity.  Despite the classic character, solid gear and great sculpt, Iceberg languishes in obscurity: overshadowed by not only his original figure, but other cold weather figures like Snow Storm and Frostbite who were his contemporaries.  

My only real memory associated with this version of Iceberg comes from a random lot of figures I bought off Ebay back in 1999 or so.  In it was a figure with this Iceberg's head painted olive green atop a 1990 Big Ben body.  As lazy customs go, it wasn't bad.  My main takeaway, though, was how well the head was painted.  It was only after scratching at it a bit that I could tell the painting was done by a steady handed person instead of a factory.  I bought the lot because it was dirt cheap and included a bunch of accessories as well as a full Night Viper body with a Laser Viper head.  Back in those early collecting days, you could find lots like that no one wanted because they were "ruined" figures from later molds.  I still have the parts sitting in a box buried in a basement closet.  Someday, I might put the head to a different use.  

Aside from the yellow highlights, Iceberg also features some brown painted snowflake designs that are meant as cammo or just eye-filler.  I get the idea of snowflakes.  And, really, they kind of work as a means of breaking up the otherwise very brightly colored body.  They look, though, like the bullet hole stickers you'd see on model kits of the era.  So, when I look at the figure, I think he got shot up in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.  It makes me chuckle and prevents me from taking the figure too seriously.  But, if I put that association out of my head, you can see what the designers were going for.  And, they did succeed in making the figure more visually interesting than he would otherwise be.

Iceberg's gear is about as good as it gets for 1993.  As far as I know, Iceberg's weapon tree was unique to him.  It included resculpted versions of the 1988 Blizzard's rifle and pistol.  These were great throwbacks to earlier arctic themed figures.  Iceberg also included a machete from Muskrat and a knife from Hit and Run.  There is the requisite missile launcher, missiles and battle stand.  Iceberg also includes a snowboard.  This unique accessory puts him over the top for 1993 figures because Iceberg has something to interact with.  The "jet-powered" snowboard was an idea that Hasbro used often.  There's jet powered skis, missiles and snowboards throughout the line.  The absolute bonkers notion of such an item wasn't important to kids.  It was just fun.  The snowboard also has a variant where the G.I. Joe logon on the underside can be printed in both directions.  It's small, but something to look for. 

This Iceberg was also released in Brazil.  The Estrela made figure is named Pantano and is a nearly identical paint job to the Hasbro release.  Pantano is noteworthy for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, Pantano was also the name of the Python Patrol Copperhead that was released in Brazil.  The characters aren't related.  But, seeing the same name twice is fun.  Secondly, Pantano is a Cobra.  The masked face made for an easy affiliation swap.  And, Pantano joins many late run Brazilian figures who switched allegiances for their Estrela debuts.  Finally, Pantano's card artwork removes the green coloring from the figures's head and replaces it with yellow to more closely match the actual toy.  The artwork was also updated to remove the snowboard that wasn't included with Pantano.  The mold wasn't used again.  It's pretty likely that Hasbro had access to the mold in the 2000's.  And, while I'd have loved to have seen it in the Winter Operations set in 2005, the reality is that we're probably better off with the mold just having been used the two times.

Dealers will ask anywhere between $10 and $25 for mint and complete versions of this figure.  With the full set of accessories and filecard, the figure seems to be worth about $10.  Carded versions are higher priced than I would have thought, though.  They top out around $35...which seems high for an unliked figure from a late run year.  But, the once plentiful carded 1993 and 1994 Joes have heavily dried up.  So, you're paying a premium for low supply.  I'm not sure I'd drop $10 on this guy.  He's a neat look at what Hasbro was still capable of doing in 1993.  But, he's also a showcase of some wrong decisions from that era, too.  I've gotten out into the snow for some pics.  But, really, I'd much rather use the other cold weather figures from that era instead.  They just work better than the yellow highlights you see on this Iceberg.

1985 Torch - Around The Web

It's pretty non-controversial to say that Torch is the least popular of the original 3 Dreadnoks.  And, you'll see that played out in the content below.  Instead of seeing Torch as the main focus in many of the photos, you'll actually see him in the background.  He's integral to the theme of the 3 Dreadnoks.  But, he's rarely the focal point of the action.  He's just kind of there.  But, he's also conspicuous in his absence.

Some of Torch's obscurity is elevated by the fact that he did not appear in the repaint era.  Buzzer, Ripper and Road Pig were available from Funskool during the early 2000's.  And, starting in 2004, Buzzer and Ripper became available as convention figures and, eventually, a retail release. Zanzibar, Road Pig and even Thrasher would get releases during this time.  And, there were convention figures meant to emulate Gnawgahyde.  Torch, though, was left behind.  It's likely because his mold was gone.  He did get one of the better figures in the JvC style of releases, though.  But, as everyone has forgotten that those figures even exist, it didn't help his popularity.

Torch did get 4 distinct figures, overall.  He has variants released in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.  But, all three figures are pretty much the same as his Hasbro release.  So, there's no even the cachet of a rare foreign coloring (like the Red Buzzer or Purple Ripper from India) to bump his status among collectors.  

So, he remains the lost Dreadnok.  But, because the full set of original 3 Dreadnoks remains so popular, there's tons of content on him out there.  He's just rarely the full subject of the photo.  But, you can clearly see the value of the figure within the context of his original team.

1985 Torch Profile

Comic #30 Profile

1985 Torch at the Attica Gazette

1985 Torch by thedustinmccoy

1985 Torch by joesandtoys

1985 Torch by 73larebear

1985 Torch by u.n.i.t._gijoe

1985 Torch at Joe A Day.com

1985 Torch by cobra_rules_cybertron

1985 Torch by themexicangriswolds

1985 Torch by viper_space

1985 Torch by gi_joeisthere

1985 Torch by gijoe_c4_panama

1985 Torch by powervsdreams2000

1985 Torch by mrmikevinthepit

1985 Torch by Evilface

1985 Torch by thedustinmccoy

Gatilho - Brazilian Exclusive Python Patrol Airborne

Gatilho has been part of my collection for over 20 years.  In that time, he has been a major player, minor annoyance and, now, part of my core collection that defines my Joe experience.  I no longer really think of the figure as a foreign exclusive.  Instead, he's just another option when I'm looking to staff the villains in photos or displays.  He's more a part of the Python Patrol to me than even Copperhead or the Viper.  I just see him in this role as a major character whose origin in South America is one of the lesser aspects of his character.  And, as I've found Python Patrol to be a fun subset to build out, Gatilho takes on importance beyond being a foreign oddity and has become a key component of one of my favorite one-off sets in my collection.

At this point in my collecting life, foreign exclusives have been part of my Joe experience for so long that I really don't have the appreciation for them that they probably warrant. It is amazing that the world has changed to a point where acquiring decades old toys that were exclusively released on other continents is commonplace.  Figures like the Brazilian Gatilho were once nearly impossible find.  Now, they are relatively common and most collectors have easy access to the figure, though they may be priced somewhat higher.  We have knowledge of foreign releases and access to their home markets that allow anyone to add foreign figures like this to their collections.  That expansion of the Joe world has been a heavy driver of the brand's momentum for over 20 years, now.  Fan clubs, factory customs and licensed partners have all delved into the foreign Joe mythos.  And, it's been only possible because there is so much information about non-Hasbro releases available.  

Gatilho is pretty much what he's supposed to be.  He's a weird villain wearing a Python Patrol uniform.  His base is solidly military...a leftover from his Airborne roots.  But, the colors are non-sensical in any form aside from membership in Python Patrol.  The green, yellow and black is a visual treat, though.  And, I'd have enjoyed this figure quite a bit had I owned him as a kid.  As a collector, though, I appreciate that he brings the one element that was always missing from Python Patrol: named characters.  Python Patrol was an army builder's panacea.  But, a team with no leader didn't make sense.  And, in the pre-factory custom world, Gatilho was the perfect choice to lead teams of Python army builders into action.

Gatilho has some limitations, too.  His yellow waists makes him appear that he's wearing yellow underwear on the outside of his uniform.  It's somewhat distracting.  It does break up the figure's look.  But, not in a good way.  His kneepads are also unpainted.  A quick application of black paint here would really help set the figure out.  The busy camo pattern makes Gatilho's legs disappear.  Black kneepads would help to break this up and give you a visual resting point on the figure.  The rest of the colors are an odd mish-mash.  But, they are true to the Python Patrol visuals.  Really, it's amazing how well Gatilho and Relampago match up to the Hasbro Python Patrol figures.  It's this consistency that makes the Brazilian duo so useful.  They look like they are intended to match the Hasbro sub-team.

Back in 2003, I wrote up a whole backstory for this figure.  And, had I not written it down, I'd have no recollection of it.  I have less need for a complex and intricate origin for every character these days.  Now, I just see Gatilho as a guy who leads some similarly dressed Cobras into battle.  There's not much thought put into him beyond that.  He might ride a motorcycle or a helicopter.  But, those are just tools and not part of his character.  I like the figure because he looks cool and is a perfect match for one of my favorite Cobra Trooper recolors.  And, 20 years after his acquisition, that's enough.  I like using him and I take advantage of that when I can.  

Gatilho includes two accessories, but both are unique to this figure. The helmet is a yellow version of Airborne's original helmet, but with the molded goggles painted black. This additional splash of color helps to mute the bright yellow and gives the helmet far more character than was exhibited on the American Airborne. The figure also includes a charcoal colored version of Ripcord's rifle. This coloring is similar to the weapon included with the Tactical Battle Platform in the U.S. But, it has a glossier finish. Due to the figure's brittle thumbs and the rifle's large handle, though, I have never actually placed the weapon in the figure's hands. Instead, I use other, smaller handled weapons or have Gatilho posed like he appears in the photos below where he holds the rifle by the barrel or handle in a resting position rather than being ready to fire. The accessories fit the figure, but are not all that great. Having the helmet is worthwhile as the helmetless figure is a bit boring. But, there are other alternatives to Gatilho's weapon that allow for the budget conscious collector to skip that unique accessory and outfit him with something from the spare guns bin.

The Airborne mold was released several times.  Hasbro released Airborne in 1983.  He was available on a card and bagged as well.  His torso and accessories were then used for the first version of the Steel Brigade figure.  Then, the mold went to South America.  (This is why the Steel Brigade was changed to the Duke torso and also why Starduster was switched to Duke's torso since Recondo was also sent away.)  Airborne was released in colors based off his US figure in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.  The final release of the mold appears to have been this Gatilho.  But, foreign timelines are fuzzy.  In the early 2000's, there were people in Argentina who claimed to have access to the Airborne mold and could make exclusive figures.  No one took them up on the offer.  (Which, was probably wise!)  But, it implied that the Airborne mold existed at that time.  It was just not in Hasbro's control.  If this was true or if the mold might still exist are unknown.  Factory Custom maker Black Major released an Airborne torso on his Steel Brigade figures in 2017.  But, he never used the torso on another figure, despite the possibilities.  Airborne remains an underrepresented figure in terms of untapped potential for repaints of the mold.  But, it's unlikely to ever come to be.

While the Airborne mold was used quite a bit, I feel it was never really fully exploited.  The Argentine, Mexican and Brazilian versions of the character all have nuances from the Hasbro figure.  But, at their core, they are the same central theme based on the character's original appearance.  The Steel Brigade usage of the torso was good.  But, you have to find what is now one of the rarest Hasbro figures in the line's history to use on a custom to make use of the solid green color.  Fail Safe brought back the Airborne helmet in 2023.  And, it would have been awesome to have seen a drastic Airborne recolor to accompany Ripcord released some time after the Skystriker dropped.  I feel there's a lot of potential left in the Airborne mold that could be used for a definitive version of the character.  I don't think we'll ever see it, though.

In the grand scheme of things, this figure is rare. The brittle Brazilian plastic, lower overall production numbers and language barriers to its native release country all add up to a figure that does not exist in great quantities. But, despite all that, the figure is still very much available from South American Joe sellers and can even be found from American dealers with some frequency. Gatilho is still, though, a $80 - $100 figure if you want a mint, complete with filecard version. (You can get them cheaper if you can find an American seller with the figure, but that takes quite a bit of patience.)  That's pricey for the Joe line. It is up to each collector to determine if this figure brings that kind of value to their collection. Personally, I find Gatilho and Relampago necessary members of my collection due to the holes they fill in the Python Patrol subset.  But, if Python Patrol isn't a division of interest, then the value each figure brings to a collection diminishes.

 

1984 Slugger - Around The Web

The Slugger is one of the vehicles that really works well in photos.  It's small, but distinctive.  It has some fun details and can work with a variety of figures.  I use it quite frequently.  But, lots of others do, too.  I found a ton of Slugger content out there.  Sometimes its the subject of the photo and, other times, it's just a backdrop.  But, it works remarkably well in both settings.  So, take some time to check out all the guys who use the Slugger to great effect.

1984 Slugger Profile

1984 Slugger by atticagazette

1984 Slugger by CorpsCommanderCody

1984 Slugger by steelbrigade

1984 Slugger by jogunwarrior

1984 Slugger by thedustinmccoy

1984 Slugger by Slipstream80

1984 Slugger by steelbrigade

1984 Slugger by tituslester32

1984 Slugger by rnrhero

1984 Slugger by larebear_73

1984 Slugger by 3rd_wave_sabotage

1984 Slugger by joe_hunter73

1984 Slugger by steelbrigade

1984 Slugger by thedustinmccoy

1984 Slugger by 3rd_wave_sabotage

1984 Slugger by steelbrigade

1984 Slugger by mrmikevinthepit

Funskool Desert Scorpion - Random Photos of the Day

I'd love to say that, once upon a time, the Funskool Desert Scorpion was a popular purchase for adult collectors.  But, that was never the case.  Even  during the "everything army builder!!!!!" phase of the early 2000's, this widely available figure never really caught on.  To this day, you almost never see this figure used in any capacity.  A big part of that is that he's kind of hard to find and overly expensive.  This is a function of his unfashionable debut in 2001 and the fact that collectors completely ignored him during that era while they bought up tens of thousands of Funskool Night Vipers, Hydro Vipers, Crimson Guards and, yes, Toxo Vipers.  

I still see this figure as an elite guard for Cobra Commander.  Their big arms, weird design and small, compact weapons make for a role that's more ceremonial than functional.  So, I pretty much only use these guys in this capacity.  And, even then, it's pretty rare for these figures to come out.  You can only do so many "the Commander arrives!" dioramas before it gets played out.  About 1 per decade is usually good for me.  And, you'll see these figures showcased about that often.  It's a sad fate for these figures as I think their absolute wackiness should give them some cachet in the community.  And, were they readily available in 2021 instead of 2001, that would have, likely, happened.

Instead, we're left with a relic of the cheap Funskool import era.  If you were there and got to take advantage of it, it was spectacular.  And, even 20 years later, the aftershocks of those imports define the market for these figures.  What was popular back then is pretty common and relatively cheap today.  The figures that collectors didn't care about during their release window, are now hard to find and can command exorbitant premiums.  With hindsight, I wish I'd been more aggressive in accumulating a nice Funskool collection.  But, what I have left is good enough.  And, figures like this Desert Scorpion still give me a chance to flex that I've been around forever and do have some oddball stuff collecting dust in the basement closets.