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!