Tele-viper : should it be phased out?

In the modern age of communications I am wondering if the Tele-viper still has use?


Now, these are the communications and electronics dedicated troopers for Cobra, and their file card illustrates an impressive array of equipment.
However, now I have to wonder if the "basic" Viper doesn't have at least a small part of this very equipment built into their helmet? Per the file card: "... helmets with built-in RTO gear are standard issue."


Also, an aspect I hadn't considered before was the part in the Tele-viper file card indicating a "heads-up display," or HUD. When one considers the silver coloring of the '86 Vipers faceplate and compares it to the Tele-vipers silver visor, would it not be easy to assume that the '86 Viper may very well have a HUD in that helmet? Could the Viper helmet essentially carry the same stuff that the Tele-viper helmet carries?


Consider the ever-decreasing size of modern communications and electronic equipment in the real-world, I think the Tele-viper might be better to be phased out. It's like the mobile cell phone in real life, for example. At one time a large brick-sized device, now it has shrunk to the size of a deck of cards (or less!) and not only serves as a mobile phone, but has so many more endless capabilities beyond simple voice transmission!

Amazing technology these days!


I suppose one could argue that the Techno-Viper "could" replace the Tele-viper. We've seen Techno-Vipers performing many more technical looking repairs and whatnot over the years in the medias. I mean, vehicles have electronics and complicated computer systems in their design where like a real-life automotive-tech, the Techno-Viper would have to "upgrade" their knowledge often, wouldn't they?
Could the Techno-Vipers repair and building skills also incorporate the Tele-vipers communications role? At least from the operating and maintaining level?


But perhaps there is more to the Tele-Viper that is revealed through his Python version?
However, even with the more impressive gear that is described in the file card, the stuff that is described as all new and sophisticated still looks the same as the old gear in toy form.
One thing that is upgraded in a way is the mention of the ability to call-in an air-strike!

But, couldn't any old Viper simply jump on the "phone" and call in the coordinates? Or, couldn't any old Viper simply carry the gear, I mean, doesn't the gear make the Viper?

Perhaps the Tele-viper works as a sort of "forward air controller," as well? Perhaps the Tele-viper has the ability to also work with artillery, too?



But, what about the Laser Viper?
If gear makes the Viper, this Viper has the gear that is effectively taking over that field-role of forward air-control from the Tele-viper, as well as adding to the ability to coordinate the heavy ordnance from other vehicles, land and air, to precisely locate and decimate targets.

The primary role of "target illumination" is very practical. Add in that the short range laser can become a weapon in itself, and that weapon is going to be fairly technical, I would imagine that the Laser-viper would have some knowledge of electronics to make the lasers as well as communication between his ordnance-launching Vipers possible and assured.



So, if the Tele-Viper RTO gear could be built-in to not only the Viper helmet, and really any Viper can carry any field gear. And if the Techno-Viper may be able to "fix" any problems with the gear, and then whatever communication system the Laser Viper uses to communicate his targets to his Viper-pals is employed on the field, well, I wonder:

Is the Tele-Viper still needed?
Should the Tele-Viper become an imaginary technician back at the Cobra base?

Or is the communication and electronic realm so expansive that Cobra needs to have a dedicated Tele-viper on the field along side the assault troops?

Destro vs. Cobra

I've been digging through my GIJOE team figures fairly heavy lately. The bad guys haven't been getting as much attention. When I do give them attention, multiple bad guy factions that exist in my Joeverse divide my attention. (and conquer it!)

Even though I had the Iron Grenadiers early on, and even acquired my best buds Destro (pictured above), there was never any one day that I remember thinking to myself, "I should totally separate the Iron Grenadiers from Cobra."

But I did. The new 1988 Destro pretty much stood distinct from Cobra. The Marvel comic story line helped lead my own imagination into separating Destro from Cobra. It even got to the point in the Marvel comic where it almost seemed more like Destro was more neutral, almost on the "good" side with the GIJoe team helping him out (what seems) often.

But Destro and his Iron Grenadiers sort of slipped right back into Cobra on the media and modern toy side of things, didn't he? A lot like Storm Shadow just went right back to being a Cobra ninja. I mean, Undertow became a COBRA frogman. Even right through the various media over the last decade, Destro was back with Cobra it seemed.

I kept things separate, but I can definitely see why many fans would keep Destro and his Iron Grenadiers within Cobra, though.


Lately, with me trying to "simplify" my GIJoe fun, I now wonder if I should bring MY Destro, with his forces, back into MY Cobra?

After so many years of imaginary Joeverse separation, what would I need (imagine) to have happen where it would make sense? I know in reality it is just as easy as saying, "hey, now they are one." But, I want something more, I want some reason for MY Destro to want to work with Cobra. And for some reason for Cobra Commander to want, or need, Destro.

If you have Destro as a part of Cobra, how does it work in your GIJOE universe?






One possible angle I could play up is the "death" of the Baroness. I am currently without a Baroness from my recent "no swivel head articulation" rule. Even though that figure was Chameleon that I did have. (Chameleon had that big Cobra logo on it, too.)

So, perhaps after the "death" of Baroness, Destro gets down to "business." With renewed goals of market share, perhaps Destro needs Cobra's manpower?

Or, even perhaps Cobra Commander, after his own forces have been "trimmed" back, simply needs a good weapons supplier, as well as some elite troops?




Maybe both Destro and Cobra Commander realize that they have built up such large fortunes and small, but powerful empires, and that they have lost much of what they had gained by staying adversarial?
Perhaps both of these strong characters have realized they have become soft by "sitting" at the top of their mini-empires (in some respects), instead of being out in the midst of action?



What would you do? Would you keep these forces separate? Would you have had them together all along?

Styrofoam

Styrofoam was sometimes a fun thing to have Joes play with.
Anytime a new thing came in a box, the interesting styrofoam pieces that packed it had some interesting shapes to them.

Of all the odd things that got accumulated over the years for use with my GIJoe toys, white styrofoam shapes was kind of common.



If it wasn't so messy, I would start making the "blue" foam models I made when I was in school though. One can make some interesting things with the very same material that may be insulating your house. It can be sanded and glued by layers. Only thing is it isn't much more durable than a visual item. However it is cheap and some 3M Super 77 spray adhesive usually holds it together. Using the 2-inch 4'x8' sheets, there is plenty of material, but at upwards of $20 piece or more...

Of course there are other more suitable grades of modeling foams, and more expensive. And the price jumps up...


And if you really want to makes some nice looking models, the next step is buy renshape. I really like that stuff, but as a student it was expensive for the smallest pieces so I didn't as much experience with. But I would like to.


In the meantime, I still find random styrofoam pieces fun to set up and see what a piece could be.

Secret GIJOE Sub team fun

There is no "real" secret GIJOE sub team here. Since I got sent home early from work, I thought I would break out of the mold and see if I could get some crusty old imagination stretched out. This is something I've been thinking about doing for awhile, and I'll probably do more because this was kind of fun. On with the unbounded fun mixes. (A.K.A. "I made up some sub teams for fun.")



SECRET GIJOE SUB TEAMS YOU NEVER KNEW EXISTED:

No doubt you already know about Tiger Force, and Slaughters Marauders, along with others, but did you know about....

TOMAHAWK FORCE

I like how this force looks. What do you think?
Over the years, Hasbro has secretly been building a special unit for a special Tomahawk-borne strike team. I have cracked the secret "hidden" uniform colors that allowed me to identify those team members. Lift Ticket is the key to uncovering the code. All the team members have the same green or tan, or both. Falcon was a little tricky to uncover, but his beret and scarf gave him away!

TOMAHAWK FORCE (wave 2)

Wave two uses the "secret" red for the most part, but Lift Tickets "green" is there on Scoop, and Lift-Tickets tan is on Bazooka, and Rampart(?).

How about....

... this unnamed Force

Now I just have to think of a name! It's pretty obvious why I put these guys together, isn't it? And I guess Captain Grid Iron could have gone in there, but his pattern wasn't as visually strong to stand out. Think he should be here?

Ok, so we have the secret Tomahawk force, and a secret camo force, what do you think about:

...Another unnamed team

It is really all about the tan pants. Okay..., I'll admit, this sub team wasn't very inspired. But, don't they look like they could have come in a six-pack together?



Okay, last one for now, I had to go a little more spacey/ sci-fi on this one. Mostly because Dee Jay has a phaser on his left leg. No, really, he does.

FUTURE FORCE ?

This is the sub-team that can exist in the future, or parallel worlds, or whatever crazy "out-there" adventure you can think of.
Back in the day I could have some "out there" adventures with my Joes.




Well, it was short but fun to just mix up some figures visually for no reason other than to make up a team with matching uniforms, or whatever. I like the first Tomahawk force, it's almost really straight-line where it would fit in my usual JoeVerse.
At the same time, my Future Force kind of makes me want to break those figures usual JoeVerse roles and make up something totally new. Maybe a time-traveling force? I'll have to think about that...

Cobra Rock Viper

I bought this Cobra Rock Viper in the fall of 1991 at the Kay Bee store at the Mariner Mall. This was one of the purchases made that marked my transition from "kid" to "collector."

Now, the Kay Bee store was a new thing to me at this time. Prior to this, my "local" shop for Joes was Bob's True Value, and the next stop for even seeing Joes was the not-so-often-taken hour trip to the nearest Kmart.

Living in civilization at this time, however, I found Kay Bee awesome! Especially when there were such nice sales as buy 2-get one free, or some such promotion.

I'm fairly certain that Rock Viper was one of the very first figures I purchased there, taking advantage of one of those sales. Thinking about it now, I remember not only the pegs being full up on figures, but a bin of figures that was just outside of the store. My best bud at the time, the same best bud that gave me so many of his Joes, was also with on that day. (He must have been growing up faster, as he bought an NES game!)

(At some point, I also bought a Cobra Rage, and also had one of the most strong Deja-Vu experiences when I had it in a certain location in my new home.)

But, not all was well with this new purchase. The Rock Viper had a broken crotch and I didn't notice when I bought it.

And to this very day I'm writing about it, he still has a broken crotch:

I think for that very reason the Rock Viper has gotten MUCH less use over the year than if he had not had that broken crotch. Thinking back, my 1988 Hit-n-Run spent a couple Christmas' in the tree, and he even spent easily several months (perhaps years) hanging from a planter hook in my old room.
The Rock Viper, did not fair so well, despite having an excellent backpack with a grappling hook on a string. Of course, I think I made a vehicle connection between the 1990 Rage and the Rock Viper due to the maroon coloring at that time.

Other than that, I don't recall the Rock Viper having any big parts in play, or in set-up. But, this is a guy I would like to get a replacement crotch for, as well as add a few more Rock Vipers so as to have a small squad of mountain troops that will give my GIJoe team some trouble.

The Rock Viper really had a unique camo-pattern. How cool would it have been to have those rockets removable, I would think they are not too far off from 1991 "jet pack" General Hawk's sized rockets. And there's more on Rock Vipers leg to reload!





I did have the Python Patrol version, but this guy went out of my collection when I decided to get out of the "sub team" collecting end of it. And as much as I think the Python Patrol set was really near THE BEST of all the later o-ring multi-packs, I didn't like the gold on the Rock Viper here. I really preferred the more matte scheme of the 1990 version.
But, I really liked the overall mold of the Python Rock Viper, and I figured I would like my original one just as much if it had a fixed crotch!







Anyone have a Rock Viper crotch spare?

1988 may be my favorite year

At least on the GIJoe side of things, 1988 seems to be coming out as my favorite year.

I should explain that I am making this assumption right now based on how my "reduced" figure collection is shaping up. I've made certain criteria over the last couple months that factor into what I like. Some of the criteria are blanket catch all rules, like, no swivel head articulation from here on out. Or the removal of all "sub teams" from the collection, unless the character be wholly unique and doesn't have any other version.

I also played with trying to pick a certain number of figures that would make a fun and well-rounded, versatile GIJoe team. Currently I'm playing with the idea of having two-28-person GIJoe teams. Or one team of 56, where when I divide it back to 28 I won't risk reducing a figure that I may have preferred to keep.

So, one 28-man team is sort of my "alpha" team right now, and the other is my "beta" team. I like how my "alpha" team is looking right now.



But, the breakdown of figures (currently) for the potential 56-man team is (by year):

'86--4
'87--9
'88--11
'89--6
'90--6
'91--9
'92--4
'93--2
'94--2
post-modern-ish: 3


1988 has held fairly high for my GIJoe picks over the last couple months. And, by reason of picking and choosing, with other "made up" criteria and things, 1988 GIJoe team figures really come out high.

So, where at times on forums when somebody asks what my favorite year is, I feel good about saying 1988 now, and I've sort of proved it to myself with reasons.

This was an unexpected revelation!

GIJoe Skymate

Looking back, 1991 had a lot of interesting action accessories introduced. One of the newest figures I have added to my collection in the last couple years, is Skymate. I would guess sometime in early 2010 is when I obtained this guy.

Probably not even a full year ago, my main goal (if I could call it that) was pretty much to accumulate every classic figure. Every figure character, as well as each version of. On the vehicle side of things, I had already made a 2nd drastic reduction in the number of them. Since the vehicles took up more real estate, I figured I could trade them in for the figures I didn't have. And that's mostly the reason for me going after so many figures.

Skymate was not an inexpensive purchase for me, this figure easily ranks in the top-10 most spent for a single figure. Was it worth it? In a way, maybe. For the very good condition WITH his accessories that this figure had, it was probably the best opportunity for me to snag this figure.
There was no glider as part of the deal, though. After years of thinking of the Gliders (as well as Battle Copters) as more vehicles, I wonder, should the Glider be a personal accessory?



So far, over the last year+ that I've owned Skymate, he hasn't done a whole lot. I think the strongest thing Skymate has going for him is his file card bio.

I think Australian SAS is a huge addition to the GIJoe team, but also consider the exotic weapons skills mentioned in the file bio.

Past the yellow highlights, Skymate looks pretty good to me. I don't mind the hot-pink-ish cap, although I would have liked it in a more subdued hue, of course.


Otherwise, black, green, and green make up the colors that most everyone can agree on.

A neat detail that stand out to me is the knife on his left arm, as well as the ability to attach the bow and boomerang to the figure makes this guy so much more interesting.


Even the bow has a decent amount of detail to it, and I should mention the guard on his right arm is a nice touch that shows this figure knows archery.


The boomerang, too, has some detail etched in!



Aircommandos on YOUTUBE. Neat, I haven't seen this before. We didn't have the right channel for catching this show when it was on T.V. back in the day. Thank you to the uploader for sharing!

28 GIJOE member team (potential)

There are a few changes that have occurred since my initial thoughts of creating a 28-member GIJOE team.
Here is a picture of my picks that I have been fairly happy with.

Without my pretend GIJOE operations going out to sea, freezing in the arctic, or flying the friendly skies, I was able to better focus on what I think of as more "basic" figures. Figures that could go in most action scenes without feeling too out of place.


I've got pilots, technical guys, special weapons guys, vehicle specialists, M.P.-types, heavy man-portable weapons guys, as well as figures that could be just regular "army" Joes.


Take a look, what do you think?

Is there a figure in there that you think needs to be swapped with another?

Is there an obvious specialty that you think I can't do without that isn't up there? (keep in mind, I am limited to helicopters, jeeps, and tanks in the motor pool....no more dedicated "arctic," "divers," or "jet-jockeys" here.

Eco Warriors

Who ya gonna call?
Ghostbusters!

But, if Cobra is manufacturing weapons grade plasma-tox, well, you might want these guys.
The GIJOE Eco-Warriors!

If you look back at my last post, I mentioned how I just got Barbecue, so I thought I would take out all these Eco-Warrior guys and set them up and share some thoughts with you.

I think the Joes are looking good here, a real stand-alone team. Side-by-side, can there be any doubt they are working together?


The original 1991 trio of Joes all had removable helmets, a very cool detail, but it would have been cool if Barbecue had had the same option! Of course, Barbecue in this form ended up going into space as another figure multiple times as Payload. And that makes sense, the suit on Barbecue is self-contained, afterall.

While Barbecues Eco-Warrior figure-body made it into space, Barbecue, technically, did not. BUT, Ozone did make it into orbit!

Ozone has his special gear, which I guess I have used as more of a testing device mostly. That little tube on it looks like a sample holder to me. But, I suppose it could be a way to send out neutralizing air as well?


Now Flint here was my main Flint for many years. I did have an '85 Flint from way back in the day, but the o-ring snapped, and this was back when I didn't know about the screw removal to replace it :( . But Eco-Warrior Flint did the job just as well for many years, despite being green.
As an Eco-Warrior, I think his helmet is the weakest design of all, especially when you look at the card-art and notice that he has a screen instead of a fully-contained Eco-Warrior hazard suit.
Flint also brought "the most" firepower with him, though. As huge as that gun is, I gotta say the handle is very figure-friendly, and the curved butt end really allows the weapon to hold to the upper torso-shoulder area of a figure.


Clean Sweep brings in the serious gear, though. Where Ozone seems to be the air quality specialist, Clean Sweep seems to be the sludge specialist.
His water-gun in disguise is kind of interesting, is it not like a PAC/RAT in some ways? I mean, it's bigger than Lightfoots little robot, but not quite a vehicle in itself. I imagine it is controlled by Clean Sweep with his backpack, which features a cool little control console.

Clean Sweep also has a sensible-sized weapon, and a truly sludge-resistant looking helmet.
Now, I was looking at Battle Corp Dial Tone the other day, and could not figure out why his waist seemed so familiar, but, well, now I figured it out!



Other than Clean Sweeps robot, the other three have the same water-blasting sludge-neutralizing equipment. Size-wise, I don't think it's too over large, I would think perhaps in imagination it's like a two-part tank, and then the nozzle ends are specialized to handle shooting some very non-standard liquid at high-velocity.


The Eco-Warriors already have their bad-guy counterparts, too. Cesspool leads the Cobra effort with his own sludge-shooting Backpack, as well as chainsaw!
These three below were the core of the "polluters" side of the Eco-Warrior side in my collection. Cesspool has been used quite often, much in some command role just under Cobra Commander. Sort of similar to how he was used in the Marvel Comic.
The Toxo-Viper and Sludge Viper haven't gotten as much use, though. Kind of neat figures each, but I think the fact that they both received the exact same accessories treatments kind of "cheapened" these two figures.

It's like the Toxo-viper almost should have been the standard hostile-environment trooper that they were before. Perhaps some accessories that were more akin to the 1988 Toxo-Viper that might have looked a little more like dangerous gas-emitting weapons.
I think that would have helped this newer Toxo-Viper stand apart from the Sludge Viper. The Sludge Viper should have been the figure with the big weapon that spews the armor-eating weapons-grade sludge. Hence the name, "Sludge."
Also, consider that the Sludge Viper is much more muscular-looking than the Toxo-Viper, that says the Sludge Viper is a little more a "heavy weapons" operator to me.

Cesspool has a different backpack and squirt nozzle than the GIJOE Eco-Warriors, however, and I am glad for that. They can't ALL be using the same equipment, for me, that's a bit of a downgrade in GIJOE figure originality.

It still all works out in the end for building up a Cobra hostile-environment army, though. Every body gets some wild colors!

Something interesting about the backpacks of the Sludge and Toxo-Vipers, is that there is a big white spot that almost seems like a hose-connecting post might have been there. Perhaps there was more to the complement of accessories planned for these guys, but I suppose these are figures with larger accessories, and they were up a little higher on the retail price as-is. Perhaps some latter cost-cutting measures by removing some accessories?

Also, I wonder about that flat part that extends from and down the barrel of the big sludge shooters? Perhaps something was to attach to it?




The Eco Warriors were kind of my first sub-team assembled, in some ways. If you consider just the first year of Eco-Warriors in 1991, just those 6 figures.

It didn't happen by plan, either.

I bought Flint, Ozone, Cesspool, 1 Toxo-Viper, and the Sludge Viper ALL at the old Childrens Palace store in Duluth, MN.
Not because I really liked these figures, but at that time, which was most likely between 1992 and 1994 (or so) because that is when Childrens Palace was going out of business!



When we moved to civilization, I "discovered" Childrens Palace. I'm not sure if it was just one of many Toys R Us big-box competitors or what, but no matter what, it was an AWESOME store.

However, due to funds and transportation, I was not able to take FULL advantage of the gradual "going out of business" price drops.

By the time I got up there for the big percentage off, most all that was left was Eco-Warriors.

But I still win, since I didn't pay full price!


Clean Sweep came in last, though. I found him later at Kay Bee at Northtown mall for $1.87






I also had the Eco-Striker and a Septic Tank. These were a couple of the first vehicles to be trimmed away though a few years back.

Just a couple years ago, pictured below, was my hostile environment squad. Recently, I've traded out Airtight, Flash, Blowtorch, '85 Barbecue, as well as the GIJCC club Dragonsky.

Going forward in my collection of less, even my Eco Warriors posted about today may go away, as well.

New (to me) figures (sort of)

With a large chunk of figures going out, it seems counter-productive to bring figures back in, especially so soon. But a few select picks coming in are okay since multiple times the amount of figures were trimmed out.

New additions

Three of them are part of my "army builder" goal, which with the addition of these really makes the goal of six of each attained. These three are probably under-whelming in interest to the majority of fans out there, but these troopers really represent the core base of the bad guys.
These new troop additions are:
a '86 Viper
a '86 Motor Viper
and an '88 Iron Grenadier.


Upgrade and new version

My 1986 Hawk is my original Hawk from waaaaay back in the day. While "my" Hawk is in okay shape, he definitely has the wear to show from years past. I obtained a new-to-me 1986 Hawk figure which is in almost brand-new shape to "upgrade" my GIJoe commander. Sentiment is going to force me to keep my original Hawk, however. I am thinking that "old" Hawk will eventually end up sitting with my original F.A.N.G. copter that I've had even longer; it shows much wear and tear, but is really only still in my possession since it was my first G.I.Joe vehicle.

Also, with my recent trimming of figures, the figures from the range of '82-'85 is pretty much all gone. And while I will most likely still end up trimming much more, I decided to bring in Eco-Warriors Barbecue to replace the "trimmed" '85 Barbecue.
Eco-Warrior Barbecue fits much better with my Haz-mat crew, which comprised of basically the Eco-Warriors, Ozone, Clean-Sweep, and Flint (sometimes). 1985 Airtight and 1985 Barbecue, as well as Charbroil and Blowtorch were in on this little squad up until the latest "cut."

General Flagg III

General Flagg, son of the original GIJOE commander, General Flagg. As well as being a "version 2" repaint that didn't get a splash of bright color like so many in the Battle Corps.

When I was playing organizer and setting up shop for a big growing GIJoe team, General Flagg was always on the top of the list. Being an officer, and at the rank O-7 as GIJOE General, the only other GIJOE figures that were higher on the list were HAWK, Admiral Keel Haul, and GIJOE, himself!

As the number of my figures grew, General Hawk became a little more inactive, almost like a boss at the base. (Even Cobra Commander ended up more of an unused culprit that stayed in his own little base as more figures entered my collection...) Admiral Keel Haul had no U.S.S. Flagg to command here, but I found him very useful in my "sea squad," as the commander of those operations. I got GIJOE through the mail-in UPC offer, but over the years I just didn't use him, well, that I can remember.

As I look at my collection going forward with a goal of less but more all-around useful and fun figures characters, General Flagg hasn't really been a large player. He's pretty much been one of the top-four ranked GIJOE figures standing around a pretend battle table working out the finer points of missions to come.

He's a decent figure, has a decent removable hat, and a rather nice gun.
Below you can see the "clearance" sticker on the card. This is how I got much of my collection from the last couple years of the classic toy run.

I like the gun, but the like many of the Battle Corps, there is the "action accessory." In this case a catapult! The rocket is pretty big, too. Aside from just trying it out, this is something I never used. The launcher has some wheels styled into the form, so in some ways it almost looks like a trailer, with some fabric draped over it.


As I'm looking at this guy now, I think it makes some sense to have someone "just under" Hawk to take over the GIJOE team. I wonder if General Flagg was going to be the new head honcho in the toy line, though, because in some ways the file card continued the Marvel comic story line with the original GIJOE commander, General Flagg. With this "son" figure, "dead is dead," actually stayed true to that once "concrete" rule idea that has since gone out the window. (which is just fine....)

Perhaps Hawk was going to be phased out?

On the file card, it states that this General Flagg had FIVE preceding generations in the military.
Now, even though it states that the U.S.S. Flagg was named after this Flagg's father, I wonder if it shouldn't be more of a family name as a whole? And while it says one thing, I wonder if the "world war II" style hat indicates that perhaps this Flagg's Grandpa (the original James Flagg) was actually the one that the Flagg was named for?

Well, maybe not.





Something else I wonder about now:

So, here is mention of the U.S.S. Flagg, first mentioned on the 1992 file card, and carried over to the 1993 file card. Now, this is a 1985 play set, a HUGE play set.....and it is being mentioned on a file card SEVEN YEARS LATER?

????

Now, also consider that Admiral Keel Haul made an appearance back on the pegs in 1993.

Do you think Hasbro was thinking about putting the U.S.S. Flagg back out in the early '90s?



Well, either way, it makes me wonder. And at worst, I still have General Flagg III here to figure out!

Do you use this General Flagg?

Should Hawk be replaced?

Would veteran GIJOE team members accept a new commander like Flagg?

Will General Flagg simply man the battle-planning table?

Hovercraft, the next generation

Here's a quick idea of what I would suggest for a new next-generation W.H.A.L.E.

Keeping track of things

With my last post, I told about my trimming of a big chunk of figures.

Around 1992 or so, I made my own little hand drawn spread sheets (the computer age didn't start for me until 1996!!! :O ), and this method was essentially my roster of figures.

I transferred this information to a pre-made notebook, but not all the information, like where something came from, made it into the new format.

Well, like many things, I didn't keep on writing down what figures I had at all.


So, about 2009-2010, I re-made my original little hand-drawn spread sheet list, and then I went back through all the various lists, scrap-paper notes, receipts, and any other things I had laying around to see if I could get an accurate account of what I had.


With me trimming out figures, it was easy to simply draw a line through what I was sending out the door.

But, even now, after I thought I had a very accurate list of what I had, I still found a few figures that were not listed when I went to cross their listing out!