Duke was never a big featured character for me back in the day of real play (neither was Snake eyes) but comics and cartoons kept him right in the forefront of my attention. I don't think anyone I knew even had Duke, and that was just fine, since I had Hawk, the GIJOE commander.Pictured at the top is what I've been using as my "default" Duke.
For the head, I've got the 1994 Star Brigade Duke there. I like that head, it's got that plain, clean-shaven, good looking face that one would expect Duke to have. And it fits in the torso just right without alteration.
This is a nice torso, a simple design.
The green torso used came most likely from 2001 Leatherneck. Now, that figure was almost ALL original Duke parts, and it just didn't feel like Leatherneck to me at all. I never had the 2000 Duke, so I know it didn't come from that figure, although, I would like those legs now! (Longer story shorter, I have another green vest that I don't know the origin of.) The tan torso came from 2004's desert patrol Stalker. Once again, that's a figure that's almost all original Duke parts, and by original Duke parts, I'm talking about the 1992 Duke mostly.
The legs and waist came from the 2002 Dusty that came with the Night Rhino, and the arms came from an original 1991 Dusty figure that had a broken crotch.
When it comes right down to Duke in my collection, the 1992 Duke was my very first Duke. And in the picture below, you can take a look at him.
I guess mostly due to the popular media, like the old cartoon mostly, I kind of always wanted a Duke. And here he was brand new on the peg back in the day! And he wasn't too far-fetched from his first incarnation. I think he was in the Patriot quite a bit as I had that vehicle about that same year, but if you don't have this figure, look at his arms. They are OUT THERE. Getting him in my Dragonfly wasn't going to happen, and he didn't want to share any elbow room on the bench in my APC.
Those arms have bugged the heck out of me since then. Just compared to my "default" Duke next to him, it's pretty obvious that they stick out.
Otherwise, the 1992 Duke is a nice figure, even with the red detail. But my favorite part is the torso on the figure, so with the re-molds in later years, it's gotten some good use.
The 1992 Duke had his own riding mortar cannon, too. (Anyone think a more modern Grand Slam should have come with this thing?) Check out the YOJOE.com archives for more on this. On my particular figure, ALL the brown accessories seemed to de-laminate like a chocolate bar in the sun. The gun literally crumbled softly away, and the knife fell into two parts. The tri-pod is still intact, but it's got the same thing happening to it. Sooner or later...
On the plus side, one the various O-ring multi-packs that had a variety of weapons had 1992 Dukes gun and knife, so, that worked out. And it is somewhat better in that getting an original weapon set might just prove a means to an end if most of these brown accessories are crumbling away. (that's why those are black in the picture...)
1992 Duke may have been my first Duke, and he got some adventure time right away, but the 1992 version really got almost completely retired from my interest when the 1993 Battle Corps Duke came out very soon after.
Below is what was my main Duke for many years. It's just a simply nice figure. Really, it's very simple, but at the same time, Duke is seriously the Ranger that is ready for action here. The shotgun and the sub machine gun were the standard weapons for use back in those days.
So in summary, right now I really only have these three Dukes. And the body of the Star Brigade figure, so kind of 4, but kind of not really. ;)
But, Duke is still not THE man in my little Joe verse. I don't go by the old cartoon rank, where it was Hawk, Duke, Flint, and then Beachhead. But, I do think that Flint and Beachhead have just as much of a role as Duke does; Duke is not "above" them really, other than the E8 rank.
An E8 is the level at which my Duke is going to stay no matter what, no officer promotions for my Joe verse. (needless to say, the live 2009 movie has had very little influence on my imagination...)
So, anyone have so few Dukes?
I think it is interesting that from 1983 to 1994 there were just a handful of Dukes to be had.
After that.....