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.

gijoe 1985

Here's how my 1985 class of figures is looking now.

Back in 2009, I did snap some "group shots" of my collection, organized into years. I knew I had left the 1982-83-84 years out, they weren't as plentiful and really would have been lumped into one group for what I have. I have done that with the "swivel head" post not too long ago, though, so you can see how the amount of figures compares with what I have/ had.

But on for 1985, I didn't do a "group shot," either. This kind of makes me think, I mean, why didn't I do it back then? No matter..., here it is in the picture above. Tollbooth did not make the picture, and neither did Frostbite (trimmed along with all the other arctic specialists). But there's still a nice group of figures.

When I look at these figures in their respective years, a lot of things really start to pop out to me. I feel a greater appreciation for the "whole" when all the "parts" are brought together. (forest for the trees? anywho...)

I really quickly noticed a break in the visual connection, the more similar color schemes on uniforms.

On one had, there's Flint, Alpine, Heavy Metal, Footloose, and Crankcase. All of these guys really look the "army" part. I posted about Flint previously, and as I thought of what more to say, I have to ask you, the reader, was Flint intended to replace Duke? Or was Flint meant to be the leader of the 1985 GIJOE team?
Heavy Metal is a newer figure for me, I've only had him for a couple years. He's spent most of the time driving my Equalizer, so Heavy Metal has a spot in my collection going forward for sure. So does Crankcase. I've had a lot of fun with this guy in my recent cavalry scout group, and since he brings a nice rifle and removable helmet to the party, well, he's seen more action lately here. Consider that the A.W.E. Striker is a heavily used vehicle here, too.
However, Alpine and Footloose have not seen as big of use since joining my collection not that long ago, really just a couple years ago. They look nice and fit in the picture below well. I'm going to spend some time with Alpine, as much as I really liked the characterization on the old cartoon, the figure hasn't grabbed me. I'll run the guy on some missions in my head to see if he works.


Footloose is another story, though. I'm not getting anything from him, it's like Grunt in a lot of ways. Infantry troopers in the mix of Rangers and other specialists. The figure looks nice, but he brings a backpack, a rifle, and a rocket. Stalker or Beachhead can do this guys job in my mind, and I have plenty of rocket-launching-capable Joes on the bench. Between Footloose and Grunt, I'm just not feeling a need for them right now. But am I wrong? Do I need Footloose (or Grunt) for that matter?




Now, on the other hand, we have the more non-traditional looking army guys. Well, Dusty looks the part, he is just all desert instead of green. You might be surprised (but maybe not) that I actually prefer the '91 version of Dusty and use that figure more.
And Shipwreck, well he isn't army at all, he's Navy! So the sailor suit makes sense, and actually as of the day I am typing this, he's my "newest" figure. My 1994 "SEAL" Shipwreck has been my Shipwreck for over 15 years now. And it figures that I decided to trim my WHALE out of the motor pool, so now I have to find a new use for Shipwreck.

So Shipwreck and Dusty are pretty traditional, just more suited to a specific area of operation. Quick Kick could go just about anywhere, too, I suppose. The figure I have is actually the later mail-in version that is "inferior." And I agree with that "inferior" description, I got another guy a real 1985 Quick Kick for his help in getting me some stuff and it really was nicer. The Mail-in I have has been in my collection for about 20 years now and I don't think I've used him much. When I was creating departments for my team, Quick Kick and Budo ended up in my head as trainers that would hold classes in the tank bay of the HQ. That's the extent to which Quick Kick has gotten.


Barbecue is kind of nice, and makes sense to me from the paramedic perspective of firefighting. Whether it be a downed helicopter, HQ fire, or VAMP collision, having a firefighter on hand is just as good as having a dog-handling cop for security. He's great as a support character. I'm not sure if I'll ever have him along on a raiding mission with Snake eyes, though. And since I don't have a physical HQ now, do I need a firefighter on hand?

Now Airtight is a very cool figure. I got this guy, the actual one pictured above, from my best bud from back in the day. He's not a traditional looking guy, like Flint or Footloose, but his specialty is pretty important. That hostile environment specialist can really help out if the team runs into any on the chemical, biological, or radiological spectrum of things. I gotta say that I haven't used Airtight that much in comparison to many more traditional figures. Even my old best bud from back in the day might not have used him that much, but I do seem to remember that he thought Airtight was cool.
And really, combine Airtight with Barbecue and host of other flame and Eco specialists and one can have a really interesting looking team in itself.


Overall, 1985 really has some personable characters. A lot of the character figures from this really stand out to me in the old GIJOE cartoon. And really, with the mix of figures they really fit with 1984, and '83, but with the new ball-jointed neck. That's what most of my collection consists of and the articulation change really adds to figures for me.

Flint GIJOE warrant officer

In my opinion, Flint is right up there as one of the most popular GIJOE characters across the spectrum of all things GIJOE. He stood out to me in the old, old, old cartoon and correct me if I'm wrong...., but I think he's made it into every incarnation of the A Real American Hero since he was introduced to us in 1985!

My first Flint was that very figure from 1985. However, his O-ring broke on me back in the day. As a really young guy at that time, I remember trying to fish a regular rubberband up in the torso in an attempt to fix him. But, anyone who has tried this direction of repairing O-rings knows it will get one nowhere. I was also a kid that did not even think of taking a toy apart (aka, back screw does come out). So, my first Flint ended up somewhere... in pieces ..., possibly the garbage. If I only had knew how easy it was to replace by removing a screw...

It wasn't until late 1992 that I picked up the Eco-warriors Flint at Childrens Palace. This was my default Flint for many years until the 2001 Desert Striker made its way into my collection with driver Flint.

Below is the actual Eco-warriors Flint that served me for so many years. For fun, I tossed a Steel Brigade helmet on the Desert Striker driver Flint and gave him Marauder, Inc. gun. I think it looks kind of neat, what do you think? The lack of any gear with that desert Flint has left this figure somewhere between the 1994 Desert Paratrooper version and the 1991 Eco-warrior version in feel and uniform reasoning for me.


I guess my next Flint was technically, Rock n Roll. But, it is SO much more Flint to me here. And he came with the HQ, so a command-like officer makes more sense to me, too. But like the Desert Striker driver Flint, this guy was left without the gear that would have helped give some personality. And the worst part? The Rock n Roll/ Flint figure has a leg that is almost a full 1/4 inch shorter than the other! I have never had a figure like this before or since, how rare is that? Or are they all like this?


The newest Flint for me is the 1994 Flint as for right now. I really like the figure, and when I put all three of the original A Real American Hero figures next to each other, in a lot of ways, it is like Flint has matured as the line progressed.
They kept the hair color consistent, which is really nice. Some figures switched a few times. But really, as I'm contemplating slimming and trimming down my collection, I'm trying to figure out which one of these 6 Flint figures would best represent how I view the character.


If you take a look at this GIJOE characters accomplishments in various forms over the years, Flint has a lot going for him. Check out JMMs biography on him!

I've used him as a helicopter pilot and a commando for the most part. Just the toys alone give Flint a lot of characterization to build ones' imagination on.


If the helmet had fit, the above picture was tempting me at using this simple head-swap figure as my main Flint.

I've also considered attempting to get the vacation in the shadows Flint, but that might be rather hard. And it's hard to tell from pictures if I really like the parts mix.




Edit: 11/29/15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 2001-02 HQ was a topic and I would have thought for sure I would have had it in a picture somewhere.  I just went through my actual photos (from the 35mm camera days) that I had assembled in a classic photo album and the 2001-02 HQ was nowhere to be seen.

I guess I am a little surprised, even as I never had an intent to photograph anything, that this HQ didn't at least show up in the background of some other photograph.

The only trace of this HQ that I can find here today is the instruction sheet.   I also have the instruction sheet from the '92 HQ, so at the very least I thought I would toss up some quick pictures.  Not much different between the two, save for some extra warnings and the year information.

I guess in thinking about the '92 HQ as well as the 2001-02 HQ, I didn't feel like it was as interesting as the 1983 Headquarters. The "folded up" stage didn't really make it anything formidable, or very figure-interactive, where in this form I thought it took away from play value.   All "opened up" there wasn't much more than an action-gimmick jail escape mechanism and other spring fire missile target locations to simulate battle damage.    The crane was nice, as was having a tower, but the rest of the spaces for the interior didn't really feel very.... interactive, I guess I would say.    The rather strange rear flip-down motor pool part, which also held the front mega cannon launcher, was just undefined.

The best use of the HQ for me was as a "rear wall" for the 1983 Headquarters.   However, I added in other elements in between, and before one knew it, there was one large expansive footprint of G.I.Joe taking up the floor.   

I must not have kept this 2nd HQ or the '92 very long for it not to have shown up at least in a background random picture or something....