GIJoe and service branches, Rampart, Dogfight, and Slaughter

Through the file card information on classic GIJoe figures, one can reason out which service branch a 'Joe came from. It seems like it's mostly the Army that most GIJoe characters come from.

This is the reasoning behind me choosing these three figures for my small team of 28 GIJoes. I've got a lot of 'Joes from the Army, and these guys pictured above bring in the Navy, Marines, and Air Force service branches. I wanted a mix of characters from different backgrounds to serve as a "snapshot" of my once larger roster of figures, but also to add to the potential variety of future imaginary adventures.
An "other agency" representation I chose is Shockwave--(S.W.A.T.) As much as I like Cutter, too, I just didn't feel like he was going to be strong in the sense of versatile use; mostly since he's in his personal floatation vest. Maybe someday, I may very well add him back in with a part-swap custom.


Rampart is a a figure I bought at the old Mariner Mall Kay Bee store in 1991. One of the first figures I bought when I started to call myself more a collector. I think Kay Bee had a buy-one-get-one-free deal upon my first visit to this store. I miss those deals...

A "shoreline defender" and "A.D.A. missile specialist," Rampart didn't stand out to me very strongly until I started focusing in my collections vehicle drivers and crews. Through his file card, I connected his naval record to the rest of my old sea squad.

A rather nice figure in great gray and tan, with a touch of camo and with reasonable accessories.

My WHALE is gone now, but I think Rampart will work out just as great as a ground defense specialist on foot as well as a vehicle-mounted gunner. Particularly on the Tomahawk.


Sgt. Slaughter is representing the Marines on my team. I was heavily considering the 2005 convention Gung-Ho, but that figure (as great as it is) felt a little too armored. Sgt. Slaughter (1988) really had a bare-bones no-frill trooper feel that I like.


The figure is huge compared to the rest of the figures on the team, but it's that same over-the-top personality that makes this character so much more fun and interesting-- without getting too corny with humor.




Dogfight takes the slot for the Air Force. This pilot figure was the least "jet-jockey" looking figure with any Air Force connection that I had. I traded for this guy online on the old Sgt. Savage boards years ago.
As I thought about it, his aircraft the Mudfighter, really fit the feel of what I wanted with my small team of 28 figures. My team was going to be small, no "support" unit, no "greenshirt" anything. 28 GIJoe figures getting things done, usually on the low-tech end. And the Mudfighter really says low-tech to me. It is something that can operate on some dirt road the world over.

I don't have a Mudfighter. But the attitude of the craft I transposed onto its pilot.

In some ways, the figure gives me a sense of a CIA-type secret mission pilot, too. He's not too professional pilot-looking, nor is he obvious special forces-looking. But I can see this guy just wandering his craft into a back-country locale and fitting in. A lot like that James Bond GoldenEye CIA operative. A guy that just doesn't seem like the type, but gets it all done in the end.
Dogfight really has a similar look to Wild Bill in my mind, too. Mostly with the shades and the mustache. That's another reason why I chose Updraft over Wild Bill. I wanted to get a little bit of new character fun in on the action, as well.

Dogfight also has a nice pistol. This little gun further makes me think Dogfight has that little more CIA-esque angle to him.

With "mudfighter pilot" and "electronics technician," I've got Dogfight serving as the co-pilot/ weapons operator on the Tomahawk with Updraft.

Blocker

Between 2000 and 2004, I built up a nice amount of vehicles in my collection. With all those vehicles, I started feeling like I needed more drivers for them.

The Battleforce 2000 vehicles really never caught my interest, but now, as I was looking for drivers, the BF2K figures were lined up for acquiring.

I believe I bought Blocker at the 2005 GIJOE convention in Minneapolis, MN. But, I can't say for absolute sure, though.

Originally, Blocker became a generic driver of sorts, but as I started to dwindle down my vehicle collection, I had a lot of figures that became less used. Then, I started to make up my departments, and Blocker became a member of my light vehicle patrol, or cavalry scouts, of sorts.

When I started to trim my collection, I wanted to keep that "vehicle specialist" aspect of my larger force as it became much smaller. I could have easily have picked Crankcase, but he was almost a little too plain. I actually chose Blocker, the 4W.D. driver from Bf2K.


Blocker is my teams main driver when it comes to the basics. Right now, I was leaning on having him take ownership of either the VAMP or AWE Striker. But these are both vehicles that can be driven by anyone if you the reader really thinks about it.


Where Blocker stood out was with his MOS of Mechanized Recon. To me, that says Blocker is a road warrior, and off-road warrior. I can imagine Blocker zipping into battle in just about any wheeled vehicle and owning the field.

Plus the overall design of the figure fits (in my view) fairly well alongside any foot infantry type imaginary adventure (versatility). And unlike Skidmark, who really has a great sculpt, Blocker has nice military-feeling colors.


Blocker's pistol has a futuristic look to it. I like the loop on it, it acts a little like a stock to keep the pistol looking like it should look in a pose.

Hit & Run

One would think Hit & Run would be a top pick for a GIJoe collection. I actually had Hit & Run on my "B team" of 28 figures, and he just barely beat out Hardball, Dial Tone, and Mutt for a spot on my "A team" of 28 figures.

In the end, Dial Tone was a little too techie-feeling, Hardball just not as versatile-feeling of a figure, and Mutt..., well, if Order was going, Junkyard was going, too. And that meant Mutt, too.

And while the all-camo helped Hit & Run slide onto the team, it was the fact that this was the last full figure that would be left from my best bud from way back in the day.

Beachhead was a figure I got from my best bud, way back over 20 years ago, but I swapped out parts on that figure for better parts in an attempt to upgrade him just a little.

Hit & Run is all original.

This figure and accessories have been owned by me and my best bud. Nostalgia gave this figure the big kick onto my small team. While there are other factors in deciding which figures, when the end of all comes and some person looks at my collection, knowing the figures history and why it is one that is being held onto more than others hopefully is an interesting trivia tidbit.

Other than that, Hit & Run is almost TOO "army." Some figures have some little flair, or really unique uniform that sets them apart from every other character figure. I think it is that army green that makes Hit & Run a little less interesting as a character.

I think it would have been so much better if the helmet was removable, too. But the guy has a rifle that was one of my favorites many years ago, it was shared by many other figures in adventure.

The winch-n-hook duffel bag got the most use from me on Christmas' in the mid-1990's. Hit & Run would commonly spend that season "hiding" on the tree.

In the later '90's, Hit & Run spent most of the time hanging from ceiling hook blending in along a very long vine I had growing from a tall shelf.


Past that, Hit & Run stayed fairly silent in my adventures. The figure was never really a "go-to" guy that I remember. The more generic "shooter" infantry rifleman feel of the figure did lead to me using him in some of my earlier "squad" concepts of organizing. I think below is a photo from late 2004 or early 2005, but it could have been later. Either way, Hit & Run did see some action.


The figure is also great as a "mountain trooper." It wasn't as obvious to me back in the day, but really is now.
When I made my "department" divisions in an attempt at better organizing, I found Hit & Run to be a great addition to my "mountain patrol."


From my "mountain patrol," I also started to mentally connect him to Recoil. I think they both have a light-infantry feel, a little mountain troop feel, and both have a sort of generic army adventure feel. If that makes sense.






In 2009, this is what the my collection had from the 1988 series:

Mercer

Mercer is a figure I received for Christmas in 1991. I think I also got Sonic Fighters Zap, the 1991 Grunt, one other figure that escapes me now, as well as the Mobile Battle Bunker, that very same Christmas. One of the last Christmas' that were really filled with 'Joes.

To an extent, the sentiment of being a gift did factor into my keeping this figure for my small team. But also, I wanted an interesting variety of character to be present in my small GIJOE team. What better "character" to add some flavor than an ex-Cobra Viper?

Plus, this "version 2" figure of Mercer has that aged look. It seems like some time has passed since his original introduction in 1987 with Slaughter's Renegades. And in that time, the figure became a little shorter than the first version, but also a lot more muscular.


For my small team of 28 figures, Mercer adds in the potential for more extensive "behind-the-lines" adventures with even more "plausible denial" than ever. Add in that even though I would guess that by now most of the Joes are okay with our Viper defector, perhaps there is some personal conflicts that might come into play in some future adventure?

No matter either way, but more possibilities.


The GIJOE Badger was a vehicle I bought around the same time I got Mercer, too. While THAT Badger I originally had is long gone, I found a second used Badger (perhaps at a Goodwill store) that I painted up with some flat black and then using the engine off a Flight Pod (I broke the missile tab holder on it at the time and parted it out...) for a over-powered engine look, well, it became a type of super-Badger.

This is a vehicle that is on my "junk pile" list, and then back again, but I kind of felt like this one-man assault vehicle sort of fit Mercer pretty good. I haven't "officially" put it into my motor pool, but I may start touching it up and making a dedicated assault vehicle for Mercer. (perhaps the "anti-Dreadnok?")


Of course, Sgt. Slaughter is on my small team. I would imagine that after how many years of service and training that Mercer is "perfect." Would it not be reasonable to assume that these two would be pretty good buddies by now in the imaginary world? I mean, the GIJOE Collectors Club brought the original Slaughter's Renegades back into action to help protect Slaughter in their 2006 Convention Set.

Of course in my world, does that mean that Taurus and Red Dog simply didn't make the cut to join my small team, or does it mean that something else happened to them? (See how that imagination could go on with even less stuff around?)


Considering Mercer's accessory load, I kind of get that Marine feel, I mean, the big 88mm rocket launcher, the (guessing) 40mm grenade launcher, and the (almost aircraft size) ammo-drum fed machine gun, and this leaves Mercer looking like he is ready to storm the beach or anything you can imagine; assault troop all the way!

Tunnel rat

For my small team of 28 GIJoe team members, I put more time into my process of eliminating figures than I care to admit. But with such small numbers and an actual self-imposed rule that I had to make, I didn't want to go wrong and end up trying to buy something back.

I went with the original Tunnel Rat, for my Tunnel Rat. And actually, this was the newest-to-me Tunnel Rats that I had, as I bought this figure online and had it home for the first time in December of 2008. (I'm still missing the flashlights, can anyone help?)


Tunnel Rat , at least I think so, is really a very popular character overall. I mean, he's made it into the 'Joe media a lot, and he's had a good number of figure variations (as well as scales). Not to mention his "likeness" origin.

He's got a great, more traditional "army" look, an MOS of E.O.D., and an SMOS of Combat Engineer.
For me, that means he looks good and diffuse explosive situations or engineer some battlefield solutions. (grade: E-5)

Was it ever explained why Tunnel Rat came with the M-60 style machine gun instead of just about any other weapon? Not that I'm complaining, it's one of my more favored accessories for my Joes.


For my modern figure force (figures that I can share and play with any age of interested kids), I bought the Renegades Tunnel Rat.

What a huge accessory load on this figure! For the household "junior joe," though, these parts are WAY to small to given to that guy for playing right now. Plus, as great as the Renegades figure looks, it is just not as much fun to play with, I mean, I really dislike those hanging straps.

For my small team, Tunnel Rat is going to add to the team well. The character and figure is almost an overly easy and obvious choice for a team of any personal angle one can think of.

Big Ben

Big Ben
MOS: Infantry SMOS: Subversive operations

Right now, this is the newest figure in my collection. Sure, 20-some years later, but still the newest-to-me.

It seems like it was 2002..., a online discussion with Big Ben in it usually went something along the lines of, "hopefully not another Big Ben." Between Big Ben and Mirage it seemed like either of these two guys were easy to be found.

The first Big Ben I bought was the "arctic" Big Ben. The off-white, sort of battle-dirty look of this figure made him a great addition to my cold weather squad (all since traded away).

The next version that came into my collection was the 2002 "GIJOE vs COBRA" Big Ben. This version really became a more used Big Ben figure. I think I accumulated a total of 3 of these guys, if I remember right; I wanted to army build the Alley Viper that was packaged with him!

As the local two-pack supply of those started to run down, I grabbed one package of the Big Ben with the "red" Alley Viper, and that purchase was really more just on a whim it seems to me. This was really the weaker of the three different Big Ben figures that I had sitting in my collection. This one could have gone into the "arctic" category of figures, or even into some naval infantry role. I don't think this version of Big Ben got much farther than simply being opened.



As the years went on, Big Ben just didn't stand out to me as a character figure that strongly. The versions I had didn't have the face paint like the original, nor the bi-pod. Plus, with all the multi-packs and rather random figure accessory pack-in's from the last decade, I really kind of started to dislike the Big Ben Rifle.

However, when I started my little "department" dividing project, I found that Big Ben started to feel like a great fit to my "mountain patrol" squad. Some figures were had to find a spot for, but really, with the massive backpack (the original style re-issued from another figure) and lightweight-looking machine gun, that "mountain troop" feel started to come out.




More recently, as you may know, I've decided to trim WAY back on my collection size. When it came down to "who" was going to be on my small team of GIJOE, I wanted to not only retain certain aspects, or flavors, of my "big" collection, but also I wanted to have every figure be able to be a versatile figure.

As I went through my decision-making process, I discovered certain patterns, certain characteristics, and even right down to the number of figures from each year that were becoming my top choices. Really, when I ran the numbers, 1988 commonly came out on top.

1991 wasn't too far behind.

In some ways, some of the 1991 figures almost seemed to carry right over from 1990 with a nice accessory load and nice color schemes. This is about when Big Ben (1991) started to pop out at me with that nice green color combo.

And no spring-fire accessories, although 1991 is when those started to appear.


So, away went all the other Big Ben figures, and then started the wait for finding a good 1991 version. Which wasn't too long as I found this guy at an online store



Big Ben is a British SAS trooper and that international flavor is something I wanted in my collection, even with the smaller number of figures. Big Ben also has that LRRP training indicated on his file card and that little information really helps my imagination put this character right next to figures like Recoil to go out on missions and fit right in. The green color palette is simply simple, but fits right in with the rest, too.




Other international figures.

When it comes to international figures, I had considered Red Star quite heavily as an addition to my small force. Red Star is a great figure with excellent accessories, the only thing that decide against him was the officer rank. And I suppose I could have easily imagined that little file card aspect right out of my head, but the officers hat still retained that feel. But it came close, Red Star was almost my "2nd" in command of my GIJOE team!!!

Big Bear also came extremely close to joining my small force, as well. In some ways, as I'm reviewing what I chose, perhaps I may swap a figure out for Big Bear at some future point. Big Bear is a rather nice figure. But I wondered how many "anti-tank specialists" I needed. Essentially, I thought Heavy Duty could do what Big Bear could do. Plus, consider Big Bear as a 1992 figure where accessories started to become more action-based (spring-fire, etc.). I think I would prefer the actual "international action force" (IAF) Big Bear, too, but I am not too sure how much that figure would cost me.
Of course, there is always the "lt. Gorky" figure that "could" be Big Bear.

GIJOE Backblast

Backblast E-5

Anti-aircraft soldier
MOS: Air defense artillery SMOS: Signal Corps


Backblast is a character that I first got on 12-30-94 from Walmart in Superior, WI for $2.50.
That Backblast was the Battle Corps V.2. I know this because of my former pack-rat nature and previously more organized record-keeping (I still have the receipt). Gotta say, that $2.50 price was pretty good!

I used Backblast quite a bit. If you know your Joe, the Battle Corps figures often had accessory parts trees instead of the separate, somewhat unique to a figure accessories. Backblast came with black accessories. I really only removed one missile and the best gun that came with him from that tree.



Backblast fought alongside Duke for many years:



To try and have more fun, I started to divide up my figures into various departments and squads in an attempt to essentially have a kind of designated group of figures that go together for certain kinds of missions.


Backblast was in my own made up "heavy assault team." I figured with all the hardware these guys were carrying, they most likely wouldn't be out with the figures like Recoil on LRRP-style missions. These heavy weapons specialists would likely be coming in on some transportation and then disembarking to take on Cobra.




When I decided to trim my collection of figures way back this past 2011, there were a couple of characters that I wanted to keep, but I really wanted to get a different version of them. Versions I had never had previously. My 1993 Backblast was sent away after many years of excellent service....

One of my newest figures to join my collection as of February 2012 is the 1989 Backblast. I just bought him from an online store and I am very happy with his overall condition.


Really, this figure is essentially the same figure as the 1993 version of Backblast, except he has his originally designed arms, and his original accessories. While I lost the more general "Topside" arms of the '93 Backblast, the original figure has a nice knife that is strapped right on his shoulder. Also, the original figure has the scribbling of information on his left leg pad, where on the '93 figure it is all white. I like the detail.

Also, I never really noticed the face sculpt on the '93 version as much as I do on the '89. Perhaps it is the original brown mustache that makes his intense facial expression more apparent?

Now, the original accessories are pretty cool, most notably that 3-rocket system! The monocle is a piece of equipment that I probably won't get much use out of, but it is a really unique accessory when one thinks about the gear like this. I mean, last monocular seen was included with 1984 Thunder?

Either way, the knife is a nice detail, too. Removable gear is definitely not a new concept on GIJOE figures. However, one piece of Backblasts gear that puzzles me is the large bandolier of ammo.
He has nothing to "shoot" the ammo.

However, Rampart needs some ammo for his gun. I'm totally guessing, but my imagination is accepting that Rampart has a 20mm auto-cannon. But no ammo.

Toss in that the Rampart and Backblast teamed up in the Marvel comic for (more or less) one panel in a supporting role for a GIJOE aircraft mission, well, these two characters have kind of stuck together in my mind. See YOJOE for more info on issue 115. A shoreline defender and an ant-aircraft trooper can make a great team.



Backblast is a big guy, too. Backblast beat out my '91 Zap and '90 Salvo for taking a spot on my small team of 28 figures.



Here you can see some height comparisons of figures, Backblast stands pretty tall!



Backblast in comics at JMM's!

Renegades Airtight

One "junior Joe" here naturally has had a great interest in firefighters. Barbecue was a natural and easy first choice of a modern figure to buy for the "junior Joe." Blowtorch had a nice selection of fire-oriented gear, too, and this figure more recently joined forces with Barbecue. (although the flamethrower angle has been downplayed...)


I thought Airtight would be a nice addition to our modern (somewhat of a fire/rescue) play force here. Hostile Environment Trooper really fits well with fire and rescue in my mind. The other two figures are alright, but Airtight is simply very cool. I am impressed!

Now that I have more backpacks and gear, I'm starting to really appreciate the little gear-holding peg holes on the modern VAMP.


Although, here's a major disappointment (Hasbro): The peg has already snapped on the mask part of the helmet for Blowtorch. And of course, we've already seemingly lost the flamethrower rifle and Barbecues little hose and nozzle.


Airtight is shining, though.
I haven't bought a lot of modern figures, mostly since you likely know I am a classic ARAH collector. But I must say I really like the wrist-articulation. A pose like this was really easy:

I really, really, really, like Airtight's helmet. And the figures boot tread is great. (it could have been left as flat feet, as most all have been for years..., a great detail!)

Let's grab the gear and go!


With all the praise, I would only give Airtight a 4 (out of 5) Star rating, though.

The waist and belt area still seem really flat in detail. I think the belt should have been more pronounced, perhaps even another separated plastic strap belt on top?
The vest and gear don't float off the figure anywhere near as bad as some figures I've looked at, but the "snap" peg allows the plastic to start floating off the figure. It's just me, but I would like the gear like this to be snug-looking on the guy.
So, those two points drop the figure a 1/2 star.

The other 1/2 star drop comes from the fact that he's yellow. Sitting in the new VAMP, the green helmet almost matches that vehicle perfect. And the yellow isn't bad, and I get the "homage" and Renegades Cartoon angle, but why not a more "army" looking suit? Maybe all black with a yellow "hazard" camo? For me, to be a 5 star figure, the figure needs to add that extra small detail that makes it even more unique standing alone amid a sea of plastic figures.

Heck, how about an all black suit with a special yellow glow in the dark camo? I mean, hey, they had the water activated color change on the 1991 Eco Warriors. ???


Either way, I highly recommend this figure. It's really a great straight modern version of our favorite old 1985 version. It has all the classic gear included (well, not the helmet hose, but I'm ok with that), but adds in an extra tank backpack, testing device, and shotgun. The lack of a weapon like a shotgun kept my old 1985 Airtight out of the action more often than not.





Check out GeneralsJoes.com review on Airtight!!!

Recoil

Recoil

MOS: Infantry
SMOS: RTO (Radio Telephone Operator)
E-5

Here's a character that joined my collection back in late '04/ early '05. I don't remember using him all that much until recently, though. Recoil really started to stand out to me when I was making up my "departments" in my collection. Part of the goal of that project was to make a group of figures easy to grab for whatever imaginative battle I had in mind, the ultimate goal being to reduce the time it took to get figures out of their storage.
The infantry department, I guess I would call it, had a general infantry squad, and a general heavy weapons infantry squad, and then several special patrols for certain environmental climates; Desert, Jungle, Cold weather, Mountain, etc.

I put Recoil in my "mountain patrol." These would have been a group of figures that would have been pulled out in one bunch if Cobra was getting into something in a more mountainous terrain. (Rock-Vipers, beware!) They've all got some training, some gear, and as a team, I think this Mountain Patrol would have been very effective.

Of these five, only two remain. But one will soon be coming back but in a different version.

Recoil really looks straight forward, but his hat felt like a sort of hard-hat at that time. Compare and contrast it with Alpines helmet, and this is where I started to make a visual connection with a light-weight helmet. Possibly with a little headlamp on it. Recoil would have been the communications guy as the Mountain Patrol would have been way out there in the wilds.




As I started to trim back on the size and dynamics of my collection, I wanted to retain a little sense of my overall "big" collection within my small 28-man team. Recoil was my top pick from my "mountain patrol" group more often than not.

And since then, Recoil has really been growing on me. He's one of those figures that isn't overly heavy on special gear. One key criteria in my small team figure selections was finding figures I liked, but also had a "maximum" versatility potential for imaginary GIJOE adventures.



The gear on his back is really a nice touch, and it doesn't get in the way of vehicle inter-play. (He can sit down!) It doesn't stick out too much, and really emphasizes his "LRRP" role by packing on the gear.

On the front, his rifle is well-supplied by several clips.


As well as a couple other clips on the backpack. And his pack is looking full of the essentials, as well as a radio.


If not for the blue, Recoil's rifle would be darn-near perfect. I really like the rifle.
His secondary weapon, though, well..., I've stretched my imagination and still find that to be a fairly "out there" item. Do you have a good use of that gun?



Essentially for my small team, Recoil is one of the more straight-forward "army guys" when it comes right down to it.

Rifle. Pack. GO!




Here's what my 2009 "class of 1989" looked like:




Could Recoil have been a "Grunt V.2" at some point in the design process?