1994 Star Brigade Sci Fi

1994 Star Brigade has long been one of my collecting focuses.  Back in 1999, when this site started, I was about the only person to talk about Star Brigade in any capacity beyond pure vitriolic hatred.  In the twenty five years since, though, collector attitudes about Star Brigade have softened.  And, more importantly, the low production numbers for the 1994 series have proven frustrating for collectors who attempt to finish their vintage Joe runs.  Nowadays, some 1994 Star Brigade figures will break triple digits.  Their oddity and scarcity driving an upswing in popularity.  Not all figures are caught up in that wave, though.  This 1994 Sci Fi remains relatively inexpensive for the modern collector.  But, that price is not indicative of the figure's quality as the 1994 Sci Fi features excellent sculpting, fun colors and a cadre of accessories that would have been fantastic for kids of the day.

There were two waves of 1994 Star Brigade figures.  The second wave, containing the Lunartix aliens, Countdown, Ozone and Effects saw the lower production run.  And, in the early days of Joe collecting, the aliens secured a morbid curiosity among collectors who would buy carded versions just to have due to the perceived rarity.  The first series, though, probably didn't see much of an increase in production run over the second wave.  But, it was generally held in low regard by Joe collectors of the late 1990's and early 2000's.  The figures in that wave, though, were excellent.  Blackstar, Cobra Commander, Duke, Spaceshot and this Sci Fi were all either entirely new or mostly newly sculpted parts.  Payload and Roadblock were repaints and carry over characters from the 1993 series.  But, they all combined into a visually distinctive wave of figures that showed a considerable investment by Hasbro as the Joe line was slowly diminishing at retail.

This Sci Fi might be the most impressive of the new, non alien, sculpts for the Star Brigade series.  (I'll accept arguments on this point, though.)  He features a textured space suit that is overlaid with an armored chest.  His head is surrounded by a collar that is a perfect fit for the figure's helmet.  It's a vast improvement of the idea that was introduced with the 1983 Ace figure.  The left arm has a sculpted hand cannon.  And, there's enough other details to provide the necessary heft to really view this figure as an astronaut.  

Around 1992 or so, Hasbro got wind that their competitor, Kenner, was looking to bring back their Star Wars line.  Joe had bested Star Wars before.  But, much of that could be contributed to the ending of the original trilogy as well as general retail fatigue.  The Joe team of the time wasn't too keen on being beaten in the marketplace they now dominated.  So, Star Brigade came to be.  If you look at Star Brigade, you see lots of Star Wars like elements.  Spaceshot is, basically, Han Solo.  This Sci Fi features a lot of elements borrowed from Boba Fett.  The most apparent is the arm mounted gatling cannon.  Aside from the absurdity of this weapon (where would the ammo be stored?!?) it's a fun callback to Fett.  The figure even has chest armor that is similar to Fett's.  Hasbro even introduced aliens as a way to broaden the scope and compete directly with the denizens of Jabba's Palace or the Cantina.

My main interaction with this figure only came as an adult collector.  I got hooked on 1994 Star Brigade early in my collecting days and quickly found carded versions of the entire set.  Back then, loose Star Brigade figures were nearly impossible to find.  But, as I was still paying well under $5 for a carded figures, it was worth it to just open up any extras I acquired.  (This is how I got Countdown and Ozone.)  I didn't get a loose Sci Fi until the early 2000's.  And, that version wasn't in great condition and only had the helmet.  Only recently have I picked up a high quality version of the 1994 Sci Fi.  And, he's great.  I don't really have a ton of ways to use the figure right now.  But, he's good to have around and I'll surely have him out flying a helicopter or something as the weather turns warmer.

Sci Fi's accessories are pretty good.  His helmet may be the best piece.  It's two fused pieces of plastic that give an hard grey top and back with a pinkish face shield that features triangular ridges that obscure Sci Fi's face but also give the helmet great depth.  His base weapon is a black version of Cold Front's pistol.  The large size, though, works in the space context, though.  Sci Fi's pack is an interesting contraption.  It's large and bulky.  It has two arms that provide additional gear.  One side is a sculpted gun that's reminiscent of the arms from Payload.  The other side is the spring loaded missile launcher.  The launcher has a peg that fits into the pack's side to prevent it from moving.  You can take the peg out and then move the launcher up and down.  The pack also has a hook sculpted to the top of it.  This hook was compatible with Sci Fi's remaining gear.  He also included a rope and two "weights" that were hooks to connect to toys, furniture or other items that would give Sci Fi a zip line feature.  The pack could slide across the rope.  Stupid little things like this were greatly appreciated by childhood me.  And, their inclusion is a fun reminder that the 1994 Joes were toys first that were meant to be enjoyed by kids.

This Sci Fi mold has some history.  Which is not common for sculpts that debuted in 1994.  While the figure's head was recycled from the 1991 and 1993 Sci Fi figures, the rest of the body was new.  For some reason, Sci Fi appeared in the Funskool line.  I'm not sure why he's be chosen over other newly sculpted 1994 figures.  But, the Funskool Sci Fi is very similar to the U.S. version.  There are some obscure and hard to find Funskool variants.  But, in general, they are all similar enough to this 1994 U.S. figure that only the most attentive collectors would really notice the difference in a photo or display.  I'd have loved to have seen a full rehash of the 1994 Star Brigade line in India.  But, getting Sci Fi, Countdown, TARGAT and Ozone was a nice bonus.  As a fun aside, Sci Fi's helmet was recolored and included with the Funskool Metal Head figure.  You wouldn't think this helmet would work on Metal Head.  But, it does.  Sadly, that Metal Head is hard to find today.  But, the helmet on, he works as a new Cobra Star Brigade member.

Gone are the days of cheap Sci Fi figures.  While you could easily get a carded version of this figure for $10 as recently as a decade ago, the general scarcity of the 1994 Star Brigade series has caught up with Sci Fi, too.  While he's not a $100 figure like Roadblock or Ozone, dealers routinely get $40-$50 for mint, loose and complete versions.  This seems odd since you can still buy carded figures in the $50-$60 range.  Left to his own devices, though, Sci Fi tends to top out around $25...leaving him one of the cheaper 1994 Star Brigade figures.  This is likely a function of the similar Funskool figure being so available and relatively cheap, too.  Collectors have options to get Sci Fi.  For $20, he's not a bad figure.  I love Star Brigade, so I tend to be overly enthusiastic about the figure quality.  But, if you want Sci Fi as the laser rifle trooper, the 1991 and even 1993 figures are better.  (Though, not really much cheaper.)  But, this Sci Fi shows much of what was possible with the Joe line in later years and the sculpting and colors really work to create a fun combat astronaut.  If you find value in that specialty, this is a figure for you.  If not, well, there's lots of other Sci Fis to fill your needs.

1993 Star Brigade Sci Fi

Star Brigade is one of my favorite Joe concepts.  For a young adult collector who had missed most of the figures released between 1990 and 1994, all of the figure molds seemed new.  The concept of Joes in space was also not that much of a stretch as Star Wars was starting to come back and the sci fi element of Joe that had been present since 1982 wasn't really out of place.  And, even if I didn't want to use the figures as astronauts, many of the molds were very close to the pilot figures that I had always wanted when I was a kid.  Upon finding them at a closeout store, I had to have more.  And, as the 1990's wound down, I found myself snatching up cheap Star Brigade figures at every chance I had.  In this buying spree, I would up with several 1993 Starfighters.  While the ship was just OK, the pilot included, Sci Fi,  is a visual treat that works spectacularly with the space theme.

Sci Fi is interesting as he's the only Star Brigade member to have two, distinct uniforms.  Most Star Brigade figures saw repaints of their 1993 molds.  But, Sci Fi got this 1993 repaint of the 1991 Sci Fi figure and an all new figure in 1994.  There's no real reason for this.  But, Sci Fi had the "space-y" name that could be co-opted into the new series.  And, the figure was futuristic looking.  And, the helmet really works for a space pilot, too.  All of that added up to Sci Fi being a logical choice for the pilot of the 1993 Starfighter.  

The color scheme chosen for this figure somewhat matched the vehicle he was intended to fly.  While the Starfighter was just a mostly recolored 1988 Cobra Stellar Stiletto, the new white coloring made it stand apart from the original design.  And, Sci Fi's white and blue color scheme blended nicely with the ship.  This made Sci Fi a good match for his ride while also hearkening back to the 1983 Ace as a pilot in an all white motif.  The end result is one of the Joe line's more obscure releases.  But, also one that has a lot of different uses and is an excellent way to really make a photo pop due to his limited appearances.

Sci Fi includes two accessories.  The first is his helmet.  It is the same helmet mold from 1991, but cast in white with blue paint.  It's a nice helmet that fits on the head extremely well.  The second is the laser rifle from 1991.  Sans pack and hose, the rifle is pretty useless.  I've never really liked it.  But, part of that is I was introduced to it in the Battle Corps era and the peg on the back of it for a hose was never explained or used in the Battle Corps figures.  The pack, rifle and hose, though, make a pretty nice rig.  And, they look great with the 1991 Sci Fi as well as this 1993 repaint.  Even the 2001 Laser Viper's accessories make for a good companion to this figure.  So, there are easy options to improve the figure and make him more useful.

By 1993, Hasbro wasn't too keen on including drivers or pilots with their vehicles.  But, the 1993 series had more vehicle drivers than the 1992 series.  Still, the slots used for the 1993 vehicle drivers were all repaints of prior figures.  This was likely due to lower production runs of the vehicles that precluded the expense of sculpting an all new figure for the release.  The reused molds add to the perception of 1993 as a repaint year.  But, all of the vehicle drivers offer something drastically different from their mold's original release.  Repaints done right are always welcome and the 1993 series delivered in that regard.  The fact that this Sci Fi matches the coloring of the Starfighter is an added bonus and makes him feel like he was designed with his ship in mind.

This Sci Fi mold got two uses in the vintage line in 1991 and 1993.  It then re-appeared in 2001 as the body for the Laser Viper.  This worked well enough since the Laser Viper's coloring was drastically different from the Joe figures.  And, he included a new head, too.  That was the end of Sci Fi, though.  While the Laser Viper could have used a repaint (maybe in the unproduced color scheme), the real shame is not getting this 1991 mold in 1986 colors.  This mold would have certainly lent itself to green, black and silver.  And, knowing that Hasbro molds like the 1992 Duke, 1991 Low Light, 1992 Wild Bill, 1992 Ace, 1992 Mutt and others, the fact that they didn't update the newer molds in the colors of the V1 seems a missed opportunity that collectors would have loved.

1993 Sci Fi figures aren't overly expensive and also seem to be relatively common.  Mint, loose and complete figures run between $10 and $15 on the open market.  The helmet is the expensive piece as you can get incomplete figures for under $5.  Bagged figures are relatively available, too, but will run $25 or so.  The Sci Fi figure is very prone to discoloration and the white plastic holds stains.  So, you'll find a lot of figures with solid paint and joints that look terrible due to the plastic's poor qualities.  But, for the price, this is both a great Sci Fi figure and distinct enough to own even if you have the 1991 version.  

1986 Sci Fi

1986 was a turning point for my childhood Joe collection.  In 1985, I had still spent a good amount of time playing very rough with my toys.  As such, most of the figures I acquired in early 1985 had considerable wear and lost accessories.  As '85 progressed, though, I began to take better and better care of my toys.  By 1986, I was very aware of play and paint wear.  I spent that year not only acquiring the newly released figures, but also upgrading my damaged '85's.  Fortunately, I was able to afford this through a lucrative grass cutting business that kept cash coming in from March through November.  This allowed me to not only upgrade my collection, but also buy up duplicates of figures that belonged to my younger brothers.  Usually, I left the figures I least wanted to them so that when they destroyed the figure, it was no real loss to me.  But, occasionally, a figure I originally dismissed would capture my attention and I would end up buying another version of the figure for me that I could keep nice.  Such was the case with Sci Fi.  Originally, his neon color was off-putting.  But, after we had him for a while, the figure grew on me and had to be added to my personal collection.

Let's face it, Sci Fi looks like Robo Cop colored in a horrendous neon green.  There isn't much to like about this figure, especially when you consider how out of place he looked in 1986.  At the time, I wanted to like Sci Fi, but couldn't warm to him.  It's not that he was bad.  It was just that the other 1986 figures were better.  However, as 1986 progressed, my Joe world took a turn to more science fiction as I integrated my remaining Star Wars vehicles into my Joe world.  With that Sci Fi became more interesting to my collection.  His color worked in the science fiction realm.  His specialty did as well.

While it made no sense for Sci Fi's weapon to behave like a Star Wars blaster, that's how I approached him.  Otherwise, the figure was of no use.  So, Sci Fi could bring tanks to a halt by melting their wheels, shoot down helicopters by chopping off the blades or burn through solid steel doors to break into a Cobra compound.  But, like many figures from this era in my collection, Sci Fi quickly wore out his welcome.  The laser was a fun thing to incorporate for a time.  But, got old and was too far removed from my core play pattern to remain a vital aspect of my Joeverse for very long.  So, slowly, Sci Fi found himself relegated to the chair of the G.I. Joe HQ or as a co-pilot of a Joe aircraft.  But, in this capacity, he found long life.  To this day, I often display Sci Fi in those same ways.  He is a staple of my Joe HQ.  For some reason, he just seems to fit into that role quite well.

For the first time in my years of reviewing Joe figures, I have a slightly different perspective: that of a father.  I now have sons of my own.  Reflecting upon my youthful experiences and the role that G.I. Joe toys played in them, though, has made me wonder about the childhood that my boys will experience over the next decade or so.  The days of walking into a toy store (for that matter, having more than one toy store to choose from!) and seeing a wall of your favorite toys all hanging there, begging to be purchased are long gone.  In my youth, every one of my classmates save for 1 played with G.I. Joe figures in some capacity.  It was a unifying presence.  When one boy brought the 1984 catalog into my third grade classroom, it was passed around to every male in the two separate classrooms for nearly a week.

These days, though, toys don't have that affect.  They are still a part of the childhood experience, but not nearly to the extent that they were in the '80's.  As such, it is unlikely that any toyline will ever again capture the imagination of a generation of kids like Joe did.  It has nothing to do with whether the line is innovative, realistic military, sci fi or fantasy inspired.  It has everything to do with changing habits of children.  A generation ago, kids playing with toys until they were 11 or 12 was common.  Now, those kids are glued to cell phones, tablets or other electronic devices.  A generation from now, they will be hooked on something else.  Toys will always have a place in the childhood experience.  But, action figure lines like Joe and Star Wars will always mean more to those who experienced them in their vintage days than they will to anyone who plays with them now.  The problem for a company like Hasbro is how do they keep a toy line going knowing that kids and collectors both are vital to any nostalgic line's success?  Collectors demand accessories, articulation and innovative design.  Parents demand a price point that is worth the fleeting moments of interest an action figure will bring to their child.

Those who followed the Marvel comic in the '80's were given a treat in 1985 when Marvel Age 33 previewed the 1986 G.I. Joe characters.  All of the favorites were there, even if the colors were a little off.  There are a few collector gems in there, though, such as the first appearance of Starduster when he was still named Hedge-Hopper.  Sci-Fi had a similar situation.  The character that appeared in that preview was not neon green, but blue and yellow.  And, in lieu of Sci Fi, sported the name Hot Spot.  Honestly, I don't know if Hot Spot is a better or worse name than Sci Fi.  But, it's a nice glimpse into the creative process that lead to finalized product.  The blue and yellow color was interesting, but I actually prefer the lime green.  For some reason, it seems more fitting for a laser trooper.

The Sci Fi mold was used for the American figure in 1986 and 1987.  From there, it was sent down to Brazil where Estrela released the figure in colors nearly identical to the American version.  Various parts, including the head, were then used for an exclusive character in the Brazilian Forca Eco subset.  There also exists, though, a mocked up version of Sci Fi that was referred to as "Translucent Joe".  This figure was sold as an unproduced concept by a dealer with close ties to the final days of the Joe line at Hasbro.  The Translucent figure used Sci Fi's mold.  But, it is unclear if this figure was intended to be Sci Fi, was an all new character, or was just a mock up using Sci Fi to prove a concept.  Regardless, it is an interesting footnote to Joe history and one of the rarer pieces of collectordom.

Sci Fi figures are neither difficult to find nor expensive.  While most collectors have a version, he is not a highly desired member of most collections.  As such, you can get them for under $7 most of the time.  You do have to be wary as the silver paint on the figure is very prone to wear.  The neon green plastic also tends to discolor quite a bit.  So, getting a fully mint sample may take more time than you would think.  But, it's still not hard to do.  For me, Sci Fi's value lies in the fact that he was part of my childhood collection.  For that reason, I appreciate the mold.  But, he is not a figure I conclude to be essential to any collection.  But, for the price, it makes no sense to pass him by.

1991 Sci Fi

I started reviewing G.I. Joe figures in 1999.  These days, pretty much every collector that's still around is at least familiar with all the figures released in the vintage Joe line.  In 1999, though, that was not the case.  The vast majority of collectors stopped collecting at 1987 and had little desire to learn anything about the figures released after that year.  If you wanted to buy Joes made in 1987 or earlier, they were plentiful.  You could find a good deal of 1988 and 1989 collections online from students who were selling off their childhood toys for beer money.  But, anything made after 1989 was actually pretty hard to find.  It wasn't uncommon to go weeks without seeing any 1990 or later figures offered for sale.  Individual figures were nearly impossible to find unless you bought a large lot.  But, since these lots often sold for under $2 per mint, complete with filecard figure, it wasn't a huge burden to pick up the extras for the sake of the figure you did want.

My childhood was immersed in pre 1988 Joes.  A decade later, I could still fully equip the entire line from memory.  I had a passing knowledge of 1988 and 1989 figures as I was still dedicated to the comic and my younger brothers bought enough items that I owned cardbacks and catalogs.  After 1989, though, my only real resource regarding Joes were the fleeting memories of a kid down the street who had some figures that I had seen when I babysat him and his little brother.  From here, I recalled Big Ben and Metal Head.  But, I couldn't have told you if they were released in 1990 or 1991.  So, when I returned to Joe collecting, my primary focus was to acquire later edition figures that I had not owned as a child.  (I still had pretty much all my childhood figures and, while they weren't mint or complete in many cases, I considered them good enough at the time to satisfy my collecting goals.)  In short order, I acquired most of the 1990 through 1992 line.  As I did so, I discovered the quality of these figures was easily up to par with that of the figures from the '80's.  While most collectors at the time would not have entertained the thought of these figures supplanting the vaunted 1985 and 1986 series, I found that there were hidden gems among these years.

In my zeal to overshare everything, I started a website to showcase these figures.  17 years ago today, that site went live with the review of a 1990 Decimator.  The purpose was to tell the story of later figures and "prove" there was life in the tail end of the Joe line.  7 of the first 10 profiles I did were of figures made in the 1990s.  While I did showcase a large volume of '80's figures, too, the first year of the site was heavy on figures from 1990 through 1993.  I doubt this had little impact.  It was only as more collectors whose childhoods occurred in the 1990's came of age and the older collectors ran out of pre-1988 figures to buy that interest in the line's later years began to flicker.  Now, most collectors can find favorites in any year and the real dichotomy remains between the construction styles rather than the release years.

Among the figures I acquired in one of those early lots was the 1991 Sci Fi figure.  In my amazement at the Crimson Guard Immortal, Desert Scorpion, Topside and Salvo, this figure slipped through the cracks and fell into obscurity.  If you peruse the thousands of photos on this site, you will see the figure very rarely appears.  But, if I opened the 1991 figure drawer looking for a photography subject, there were so many great figures from which to choose that I would overlook Sci Fi.  Plus, I really liked the 1986 version and that was my default if I wanted the character.  But, like many 1991 figures, Sci Fi is a solid figure worthy of a second look.

The original Sci Fi figure did not have a removable helmet and was rather bulky and bright.  The 1991 version solved those issues and gave collectors a drastically different view of the character.  Sci Fi's head was fully visible and his helmet was now removable.  The helmet still features the open face of the original figure.  But, does have goggles and what appears to be some mouth protection.  The base uniform is grey with black details.  Just so you remember that this is a 1991 release, though, Sci Fi also feaures bright yellow gloves and stripes.  He's more muted than the 1986 figure, but still has some color to him that showcase his release year.

The mold isn't overly detailed, though the head sculpt is quite good.  The figure pretty much has a vest and wrist gauntlets.  That's it.  Sans helmet, Sci Fi isn't much to review.  With the helmet and his full complement of gear, there is a lot more there.  But, Sci Fi is definitely an example of capable minimalism.  He works despite his simplicity.  The basic colors work well together and the splash of color gives him depth.  There's just enough here to create a nice toy without overdoing it.

Hasbro's dedication to accessories started with a few, sporadic 1987 figures.  You saw it again in 1988.  But, it expanded in 1989 and, by 1990, figures were laden with gear.  Sci Fi is no exception.  He includes a removable helmet, backpack, laser rifle and two hoses.  If this isn't enough, there is also a spring loaded missile launcher and a yellow missile.  The silver pack and gun add to the futuristic nature of Sci Fi's specialty.  But, the rifle later appeared as a stand alone item in so many multi colored weapon trees in 1993 and 1994 that it's uniqueness was lost.  The missile launchers of 1991 were designed to be more realistic and less intrusive that those that would come later.  So, the launcher plugs into a hose and generally fits the look and scale of the figure.  Overall, the gear enhances Sci Fi's look and makes him much stronger as a release.

For me, this Sci Fi is one of those background figures that you need to make the line work.  He's not going to be anyone's favorite.  The lime green original took chances and created a figure that you either love or hate.  This version inspires neither such emotion.  It is one of the multitudes of figures that simply are.  They are great to have around in dios or manning vehicles.  And, you need them for that.  But, he's not a figure that you notice or go out of your way to include in a collection.  But, that's ok.  The Joe line's strength was the army of figures and characters who filled in behind the main players.  You had a figure for every occasion.  That's what lead so many kids to buy them all.  You may not have wanted this Sci Fi.  But, you probably wanted a laser trooper.  So, when you saw this guy, you'd, eventually, buy him.

Hasbro seemed to have a reluctance to redo some of the original 13 Joes.  Stalker, Snake Eyes, Hawk, Rock and Roll and even Scarlett got multiple vintage versions.  Clutch, Grunt and Zap eventually saw new versions, too. Short Fuse, Breaker, Grand Slam, Steeler and Flash did not.  (OK, Grand Slam got a repaint, but that's not really a new version.)  Why these four characters were ignored while others were not is a mystery.  Maybe the designers didn't like them.  Maybe they just liked the replacement characters better.  This Sci Fi could easily have been Flash.  But, the same could be said for the V1 of the character, too.  My affinity for Flash was his original outfit being so different from the other, carded figures'.  So, I don't mind this being Sci Fi over Flash, even if Sci Fi is a bit more obscure.

This Sci Fi was only made by Hasbro.  He was released in the U.S., Europe and various Asian countries.  The figures are no different, but the packaging can be quite fun to track down.  In 1993, Hasbro repainted the mold in white and included him as the pilot of the Starfighter.  This is a nice remake of Sci Fi and is also worth owning.  The figure then disappeared until 2001.  Hasbro resurrected the body and added a new, Cobra head and released the figure as the now unappreciated Laser Viper.  That marked the end of the mold.  Sci Fi would have been a nice member of the Anti Venom set and it's hard to understand how Hasbro could remake the same mold over and over while neglecting an easy repaint that was right before their eyes.  This body painted like the V1 would have been a hit in the 2000's.  But, like so much in that time period, it was simply not meant to be.

Sci Fi figures are not expensive.  You can get a carded version for around $20.  Mint, loose and complete with filecard figures usually run around $7, with some going cheaper if you skip the filecard or one of the easily replaced hoses.  Dealer pricing runs around $11.  But, the figure isn't overly difficult to find and appears with enough frequency that the extra price for expediency isn't really worth it.  The figure is a good addition to a collection, though.  He's the least gaudy of the vintage laser troopers and his gear is solid.  The removable helmet is a nice touch and adds some depth to the figure.  He's one of those guys that is great to have, but you don't miss him if he's absent

1991 Sci Fi - Around The Web

The 1991 Sci Fi is a rather popular figure.  Really, he solves for pretty much all of the criticisms of the 1986 debut figure.  This later redesign features a removable helmet, smaller rifle and an overall sculpt that is less bulky than the original.  In all, the figure is a strong update to a character who isn't all that high on most collectors' lists.

There's some nice content featuring the figure out there, though.  For many collectors, the figure is their laser trooper.  And, all the figure's gear allows for some cool posing.  You'll see a bunch of these in the photos and content below.

1991 Sci Fi Profile

1991 Sci Fi by viper_space

1991 Sci Fi by evilface

1991 Sci Fi by TunnelRat

1991 Sci Fi by gijoe_c4_panama

1991 Sci Fi by albafica

1991 Sci Fi by Slipstream80

1991 Sci Fi by gvilla74

1991 Sci Fi by cowledcollector

1986 Sci Fi - Around the Web

Sci Fi isn't a figure that I really enjoyed as a kid.  Even as an adult, his oversized head and gear takes a lot away from an otherwise decent design.  The bright green color is eye-catching, though, and does brighten up what had been, up until 1986, a relatively modest mix of figure colors.  Here's the best on him from around the web:

Sci Fi Profile

Sci Fi Video Review

Sci Fi at JoeADay.com

Sci Fi at Joepedia

Sci Fi Video Review 2

1994 Star Brigade - Carded Set

In the second half of 1998, I really started to look to G.I. Joe collecting as my hobby of choice.  I had dabbled a bit in a Joe resurgence for a while.  But, the retail stream of new Star Wars figures consumed not only most of my money, but also my time.  However, by the summer of 1998, the Star Wars market was over-saturated.  The huge volume of shipments and new waves that included carry over figures from earlier releases had caused a pegwarming backup that was unprecedented.  While the early part of 1998 had been a great time of constant new figures and refreshed army builders, Hasbro had made too much and the waves planned for later in the year could not get out to retail.  This resulted in a some waves being cancelled, others only showing up in obscure retailers and the complete reboot of the line in early 1999.  To me, though, the retail frustration of Star Wars, coupled with my first major promotion in my adult career lead me down another path along which I could spend my money.  All of this, of course, coincided with the emergence of Ebay as a means to purchase items that were not available from local toy dealers or second hand shops.  As I shifted my collecting priorities, I first focused on a few items from the Joe line that I had long wanted.  Among them were a Hammer, the 1989 Rock and Roll and, at least one Lunartix Alien.

In 1998, the alien figures, MOC, fetched about $15 on the secondary market.  This seems low, but was a princely sum back then.  You could get lesser character 1985 figures MOC for that price at the time.  So, it was a large purchase when I bit the bullet and got a Lobotomaxx figure.  When he arrived, I realized how cool the overall card presentation was.  I liked the colors and look of Star Brigade.  And, I had a connection to the 1993 series that I had found at KB Toys liquidation stores a few years prior.  As I surveyed the other 1994 Star Brigade offerings, I was enthralled by the designs and colors.  At the time, the figures were relatively hard to find, especially if you wanted them loose.  However, you could find them carded: and they were cheap when you did.  So, I put together my first complete series of carded figures: the 1994 Star Brigade.

The '94 Star Brigade line was divided into two distinct series.  The first wave consisted of Cobra Commander, Cobra Blackstar, Sci Fi, Payload, Space Shot, Duke and Roadblock.  The second wave contained Ozone, Countdown, Effects, Lobotomaxx, Predacon and Carcass.  This left an unlucky 13 figures in the retail, single carded line.  But, the overall presentation remained.  Gone were the generic pink cards from 1993 and in was a visual delight of black, blue and purple with a clean G.I. Joe logo running up the card's left edge, culminating in a bright Star Brigade logo at the card's top.  Each character got his own, unique card art along with a yellow "gimmick" tag that touted some feature of each figure.  In short, they were a crisp, clean look for the last unique retail wave of figures to hit stores.

Wave 1 showcased Hasbro's commitment to the line.  5 of the 7 figures featured either mostly new parts, or all new parts.  On top of this, the characters all included a wide array of feature rich accessories that were essential for retail success at the time.  Hasbro did skimp on the overall paint applications, though.  Most of the figures only have three or four minor paint masks.  And, Duke and the variant Roadblock only featured one paint mask on their entire body.  This Roadblock and the Payload figure were repaints of Star Brigade molds that had been released in 1993.  Which, in turn, were mostly repaints of prior years' retail release figures.  So, the line spent money wisely in terms of bringing something new to the market.

1994 Star Brigade Wave 1: Duke, Sci Fi, Space Shot and Cobra Commander

1986 Mainframe

Periodically, I look through my older profiles to see if there is any information that I should update. When I do this, I often fill in some of the gaps in the profiles. These days, a profile is substantially longer and more structured than some of those early works. From time to time, I find a figure where I simply feel that the original profile doesn't do the figure justice. In those cases, I'll often add in addendums to the original profile. In some rare cases, I've actually profiled a figure a second time. Recently, I came across my old Mission to Brazil Mainframe profile. It was very lacking in information and was in need of an update. However, rather than spending time rehashing that older write-up, I thought it might be more fun to simply go back to one of the mold's other incarnations and start from scratch with an all new figure. Thus, the original Mainframe figure became the focal point of my most recent profile.

As a character, Mainframe was always interesting to me. When I originally purchased him, though, my initial interest was low since he did not come with a gun. This, though, was quickly rectified with some of the vintage accessory pack uzis that I had lying around. (This also gave Mainframe a link to Breaker as I had done the same thing with that figure in my earlier childhood.) This made the figure a bit more useful. As the grey, silver and black that comprised the bulk of the figure was eye-catching and somewhat unique at the time, Mainframe found his way into my Joe rotation. His status was cemented, though, with the release of the comic book where Mainframe and Dusty were showcased. This portrayed Mainframe as an older, wiser veteran. This was an idea that I took a step further as I made Mainframe the oldest of the Joes. (I also distinctively remember that the Transformers cartoon of the time did quick little profiles at the end of certain episodes that ran short. One was for Kup who was described as a "flinty, old warrior". That phrase came to describe Mainframe's character.)

Mainframe also played another important part in my childhood collection. His parts comprised my core group of 4 custom characters who were the main focus of my collection in late 1986 and early 1987. These four characters used parts from Snake Eyes, Barbeque, Footloose, Grunt, Recondo, Dial Tone, Heavy Metal and Flint. These customs became essential characters to my collection. They combined with the other 1985-1987 Joes to battle Cobra. Mainframe's parts were an essential ingredient in the mix that created these new characters. I upgraded and had another Mainframe as part of my collection, too. But these new characters were more combatants than Mainframe and saw more use in actual combat than Mainframe ever did.

Today, Mainframe is a figure who often sits in the base. But, beyond that, I just don't use him all that often. In fact, you can see the paint wear on my lone Mainframe figure as I've never really had occasion to acquire another one. From time to time, he does make it out a crew member of the Mauler. The grey color is a solid military color and works well with many of the realistically colored figures from the line's early years. In that role, Mainframe works well. Beyond that, though, I don't find much use for Mainframe. The figure is cool and the design solid. But, it's tough to use him as anything other than a support figure. That doesn't diminish the figure's quality. But, his specialty limits the amount of use the figure can expect to see.

Hasbro released their only two Mainframe figures in the same year. Both this original version and the Mission to Brazil version appeared in 1986. After that, the mold was discarded and, ultimately, was sent to Estrela where they released an exclusive Mainframe for the Brazilian market. This figure is nearly identical to the American release. After that, the mold appeared in India. Funskool produced another Mainframe for many years. Again, though, this figure is very similar to the American version. About the only thing it offers are some differently colored accessories. At this point, it is likely that the Mainframe mold is back under Hasbro's control. However, whether or not it is in a usable condition is unknown. Personally, I would like to see Mainframe return to the Joe lineup. The mold has some potential and it would be nice to see mainframe in some different colors.

Mainframes are neither hard to find nor expensive. A mint, complete with filecard figure can easily be acquired for under $11 or so. Mainframe was released during the height of Joe's popularity and even with collector sentiment on his side, simply can not overcome the sheer number of figures that are out there. But, I still feel that Mainframe is essential to any collection. The mold is solid, the colors are strong and the figure, overall, is definitely a winner. His look fits with figures from many eras and his specialty has only become more important in modern time. he is a figure that collectors should have as part of their collections. A cheap price and high quality figure make for a combo that everyone really should own.

Rarities - European Exclusive Firing Weapons Figures

Everyone is familiar with the European exclusive Action Force G.I. Joe repaints, the 6 European Tiger Force exclusive figures and even the more obscure European variants of Mutt and Spirit.  But, there were actually many more European exclusive figures.  Some are just minor color differences.  Some are date stamp discrepancies.  And, some are exclusive accessory variants.  It is the last category that is the focus of today's profile.  In the 1990's in Europe, Hasbro released 15 figures who featured exclusive accessories.  They are defined by the fact that the most identifiable characteristic is that most included spring loaded, firing weapons.  But, these are a lot of interesting tidbits hidden within these figures that we'll look at below.

The 15 figures are all 1990 and 1991 figure molds.  It should be noted that most, if not all of these figures were also released in Europe with their American accessories.  But, these altered releases were exclusive to the continent.  I'll start with my favorite of the bunch, the Rock Viper.

As you can see in the photo above, the Rock Viper now includes gear from the 1991 Snake Eyes figure.  The backpack is in an exclusive dark maroon color.  But, the thing that I really like is the neon green gun and missile.  The green is a nice color offset for the Rock Viper and I don't mind neon accessories in some cases.  But, this colored missile and gun are exclusive to this European version of the Rock Viper.

Next up is the Night Creeper you see below.

The main reason I like this version is because I like the Night Creeper in general.  This version, though, includes the backpack and launcher from the 1991 Mercer figure in a dark purple to match the Night Creeper figure.  He also includes an exclusive silver missile.

Next up is Ambush.

The obvious difference in Ambush is his accessories.  He now includes the backpack and missile launcher from the 1991 Snow Serpent in an exclusive light tan color.  He also have the Snow Serpent missile in red.  But, if you look closely, the figure itself is different.  Instead of dark brown cammo on his body, this Ambush features a brighter, lighter brown that has an orange-ish hue.  It is definitely a variant to Ambush.  Though, I'm not 100% certain that this cammo variance was exclusive to Europe or was also available elsewhere.  This European figure also features exclusive card artwork.

The 1991 jet pack General Hawk stands out because he does not include a spring loaded weapon.

As you see above, Hawk includes the launchers and missiles from the 1991 Crimson Guard Immortal figure.  They appear to be in the same color as the CGI weapons.

Next, we have Bullhorn.

Bullhorn is still the same great figure.  But, this version includes the 1991 Snow Serpent missile launcher in an exclusive maroon color.  He also has a neon green missile.

The most famous figure from this crop of missile launching figures is the 1991 Dusty.  This is because Dusty was also released in Asia with the same accessory configuration.  (There were some other figures in this series that also saw Asian releases with the alternate gear including Range Viper, Laser Viper and Desert Scorpion.)

You see Dusty includes the 1991 Red Star AK-47 and missile launcher.  The figure also features unique card artwork that showcases his alternate inclusions.

The 1991 Low Light follows the Dusty.

Low Light also includes the 1991 Red Star launcher and missile.

Up next is the Laser Viper.

This Laser Viper variant includes the missile launcher and missile from the 1991 Sci Fi figure.

Pathfinder shares a detail with Laser Viper:

Pathfinder also features the 1991 Sci Fi missile launcher.  These accessories appear to be unchanged from the American Sci Fi figure release.

Captain Grid Iron makes the Sci Fi launcher reuse a trifecta.

Captain Grid Iron, though, also features exclusive card artwork to help make him a little more interesting than just the reused launcher.

Metal Head brings us back to exclusive gear.

Metal Head includes a golden launcher from the 1991 Cobra Commander figure.  He also includes the standard 1991 Cobra Commander gun.

The final four figures are all Cobra army builders.

Range Viper:

The Range Viper also features Red Star's AK-47 and missile launcher.  He includes an exclusive golden missile, though.

SAW Viper:

The SAW Viper includes the gear from the 1991 Incinerator figure.  He also features exclusive card artwork that showcases his different accessories.

Desert Scorpion:

The Desert Scorpion includes the backpack and missile from the 1991 Mercer figure.  The only exclusive part of the figure is the card artwork that shows an oddball configuration for the new gear.

Undertow:

The Undertow figure also uses the gear from the 1991 Snake Eyes figure.  But, it's in an exclusive red color meant to mimic the Undertow's colors.  He also features an exclusive grey missile.

As accessory variants don't tend to command great attention as opposed to figure variants, these European figures remain very obscure.  But, they are generally hard to find and carded figures can command a premium in the right setting.  I'd love to track down a few of them as the offbeat colors are right up my collecting alley.  But, the general rarity of them makes them another fun subset in foreign Joe collecting.  One final picture is from a European catalog that showcases several of the figures in their alternate accessory configurations.