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COMPLETE GUIDE TO G. I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO

1988 (Series 7)

Overview:

The year 1988 saw the largest release of G. I. Joe toys prior to 1993. Forty-five figures and forty-two vehicles were released. There was a mix of traditional and futuristic looks, with many new figures, but also many recognizable faces. Special forces multiplied this year: Battle Force 2000 started the year off with its own vehicles. Destro split off from Cobra and formed his own army, the Iron Grenadiers. In late summer, Toys 'R Us carried its own exclusive mission team, Night Force, consisting of repainted figures from the previous year, as well as several vehicles repainted black with orange highlights. Toward the end of the year, the Tiger Force was released, featuring nine repainted Joes and one original one, with several "Tiger" vehicles and a distinctive paint scheme. Some inequities were balanced out in 1988; Cobra got a space vehicle and an astronaut, and the Joes got a new plane to fight the Mamba. The action pack trend continued, as well as the practice of releasing a heavy-duty mail-order exclusive figure (this time not an actual celebrity). Many figures packaged in 1988 and early 1989 came with camouflage paint.

There may have been some last-minute changes with the figures' accessories. Quite a few of them are different, or a different color, than those pictured in 1988's catalog. There was also a change in the figures and equipment that would consitute Tiger Force. Wild Bill was originally to pilot the Tiger Fly, a repainted Skystriker was planned and eventually replaced by the Ratter, and there was also to be a Tiger Force Rip Cord and Sabretooth, a repaint of Firefly. (Such a repaint, named Wreckage, was released in 2003.) In addition, Tripwire, Duke, and Flint were absent from the prototype photos.

Without the cartoon, the comic dictated the path of the toys. Consequently, the new Storm Shadow was now a Joe. (He had long since switched sides in Marvel's comic series), and Serpentor was nowhere to be found. (He was killed in this year's Issue #76.) The Iron Grenadiers and a Cobra civil war dominated the comic story. Commercials continued the "Nobody Beats G. I. Joe" tagline and music, and the sketchpad animation continued, though some spectacular cartoon animation appeared in the ads. Commercials this year began drastically de-emphasizing the children who were playing with the toys, perhaps for reasons of musical continuity (or else to save money). The official 1988 art, seen on the catalog cover and elsewhere, was again impressive: the Rolling Thunder (that year's giant vehicle) fending off an attack by a Bugg and an Imp. Also featured are the Stellar Stiletto, Phantom X-19, Skystorm, and Mean Dog. Characters visible include Outback, Hardball, Muskrat, Repeater, and Spearhead. By the year's end, there were nearly 200 different G. I. Joe figures in existence, with about 160 vehicles and accessories.

Contents:

• Carded Joe, Cobra, Dreadnok, and Iron Grenadiers figures
• Figures available by mail or included with vehicles
• Night Force and Tiger Force figures
• Battle Force 2000 equipment
• Joe, Cobra, and Iron Grenadiers equipment
• Night Force and Tiger Force equipment
• Mail Offers
• Marvel Comics

Figures:

Figure minimum price: $2.55

2-Pack minimum price: $4.50

(Prices reflect original store price, not current value. Items are not for sale on this site.)

Blizzard	Item # 6505	Regular Carded Assortment
Arctic Attack Soldier		E-7 (Army sergeant first class)	SN: 432-4424-64
File Name: Sgt. Gregory M. Natale		Primary MOS: Arctic Warfare Training Instructor
POB: Wolfboro, NH		Secondary MOS: Infantry
Appearance: red hair; white coat with grey backpack straps; orange-brown gloves and stripe on chest; white pants with dark grey belt, black kneepads and pockets, and orange-brown boots.
Accessories: white helmet (new, soft plastic with blue-lensed goggles); two black ice shoes (new, spiked); black backpack (new, sled with detachable handles and peg holes); white pistol (new, wrapped); white machine gun (new, wrapped); two skis (new, black).
Filecard Information: Blizzard led an experimental security team based at Thule, Greenland for an entire winter. Their objective was to determine what kind of training and conditioning worked best to prepare men for combat in Arctic conditions. They found that training and conditioning had little effect. Only the hardest and meanest men made it through the course, and Blizzard was the hardest and meanest of the bunch. "The Arctic is totally unforgiving. You make one little mistake, you've had it. The cold makes you tired, and being tired makes you careless, and being careless makes you a statistic. Blizzard doesn't make mistakes and doesn't get careless; he wants to make the other guy the statistic."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1997 (3-Pack)
Variations: The catalog pictures a helmet without painted goggles.
Mold: Blizzard (88), Short-Fuze (05/II)
Toy notes: Blizzard must have been vastly overproduced; the figure was released as a prize for various carnivals, arcade restaurants, and "Skeeball" games. A Tiger Force version was released in Europe.
Comic notes: Blizzard did not appear in the comic.

 

Budo	Item # 6517	Regular Carded Assortment
Samurai Warrior		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 083-4810-JK09
File Name: Sgt. Kyle A. Jesso		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Sacramento, CA		Secondary MOS: Hand-to-hand Combat Instructor
Appearance: short-cut black hair; grey shirt with brown vest and wristbands; olive green pants with grey belt and kneepads; hook on waist for sword; brown boots.
Accessories: red and silver helmet (new, with scarab-like antennae); silver sword (new, with ring on hilt); red sword (new, with angled tip); silver sai (new, with ring on hilt).
Filecard Information: Budo's father was an orthodontist in Oakland, his grandfather was a farmer in Fresno, his great-grandfather was a track-worker on the Rocky Mountain Line, and his great-great-grandfather was a fencing master in one of the last great samurai warrior families of Japan. On his eighteenth birthday he was given the family swords and a haiku written by his ancestor: 'The great sword unsheathed / Glitters brightly in the dark / Unseen and at rest.' "The man has a fifth-degree black belt in Iaido (the art of the live blade), and similar rank in three other martial arts. He could have even higher rankings if he didn't spend so much time working on his chopped, pan-headed Harley and listening to heavy metal."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1993 (International Action Force)
Variations: Early releases list the SN as 083-48-1009.
Mold: Budo (88, 93)
Toy notes: A recolored version was released in India.
Comic notes: Budo appeared in only one issue in 1989: #82.

 

Charbroil	Item # 6510	Regular Carded Assortment
Flamethrower		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 247-4041-SC09
File Name: Corp. Carl G. Shannon		Primary MOS: Flame Weapons Specialist
POB: Blackduck, MN		Secondary MOS: Small Arms Armorer
Appearance: red hair; orange-brown shirt with yellow shoulder guards and silver chest armor and wristbands; orange-brown pants with yellow stripes on outside legs; red belt; silver kneepads.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, with red eyes); silver backpack (new, with hose hole and yellow lenticular sticker); silver flamethrower (new, with hose hole); black hose (new, thick segmented).
Filecard Information: As a childhood chore, CharBroil was made to heat the water pipes in the family basement with a blowtorch to keep them from freezing and bursting in the winter. As a teenager, he worked in the mills on the Great Lakes, feeding coal into blast furnaces. When the recruiting sergeant asked him what type of job he was interested in, he replied, "What have you got with open flames?" "Flame weapons are scary to the max. Why do you think he wears that asbestos suit? That tank on his back is full of jellied gasoline. Know what happens if a hot tracer round hits that? You wanna be standing next to him? For a flamethrower specialist, he's a pretty nice guy but with that thing on his back, he isn't going to win a popularity contest in the middle of a firefight."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1989 (Night Force) 3. 2004 (Anti-Venom)
Variations: The catalog pictures a different rifle, backpack, and hose, plus a helmet without red eyes. Charbroil's face had either black or orange eyes.
Mold: Charbroil (88, 89, 04)
Toy notes: The creators' early attempts to incorporate the contemporary idiom of the target age group is perhaps most prominent here with the phrase, "scary to the max." With time, it is easy to see how such methods become dated much faster than the more formal style used on earlier filecards.
Comic notes: Charbroil appeared in 2 issues between 1988 and 1989: #80 and Special Missions #21.

 

Hardball	Item # 6518	Regular Carded Assortment
Multi-Shot Grenadier		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 075-0948-DW76
File Name: Corp. Wilmer S. Duggleby		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Cooperstown, NY		Secondary MOS: Special Services
Appearance: African-American; blue baseball cap; white baseball shirt with blue trim and red "G. I. Joe" on right chest; grey undershirt sleeves; black half-gloves; orange-brown pants with light green belt and holster; black boots.
Accessories: green grenade backpack (new, with "US"); grey grenade launcher (new, with removable chamber).
Filecard Information: After five seasons of playing centerfield in the minor leagues, Hardball came to the realization that the big league scouts just weren't interested in athletic prowess; they wanted star quality. The Joe Team was more interested in team-players than in stars, and they had a real need for a guy who could judge distances accurately and react quickly with deliberation. "Greande launchers are fitted with adjustable, graduated sights, calibrated in 25 meter increments. In a firefight, nobody wants to start readjusting sights—especially the blooper man. Hardball can drop a 40mm frag into a bucket from 75 meters, simply by eyeballing it. The man's a natural.
Versions: 1. 1988
Variations: The catalog pictures a beige backpack.
Mold: head, waist, and legs—Hardball (88) arms and torso—Hardball (88), M. Bison (93/I, 93/II)
Toy notes:
Comic notes: Hardball appeared in 4 issues between 1988 and 1989: #80, 89, and Special Missions #17 and 24. His character is killed in Devil's Due #38.

 

Hit & Run	Item # 6511	Regular Carded Assortment
Light Infantryman		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 345-7581-SB26
File Name: Corp. Brent Scott		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Sioux City, IA		Secondary MOS: Moutaineering
Appearance: green helmet with red goggles; green camo paint with black stripes on face and arms' green and black camouflage shirt and pants; black web straps and belt; black boots.
Accessories: black two-piece duffelbag (new, with knife clips and internal winch); black submachine gun (new, Colt Model 635); green knife (new, with S-shaped guard); black grappling hook (new) with string.
Filecard Information: Orphaned at the age of three by a drunken driver, Hit & Run grew up in a county institution from which he escaped with alarming regularity, climbing down sheer walls and running for miles across the plains in the middle of the night. When asked what he was running away from, he replied, "I'm not running away from anything. I'm practicing." He went from the custody of the county, directly into the Army . . . "Infantrymen don't march. They run. They run to get to the battle, they run during the battle, and they run to get away from the battle. The Army doesn't call it running. They call the first 'advancing,' the second, 'maneuvering,' and the last, 'disengaging.' Hit & Run calls it all running, and he's real good at it."
Versions: 1. 1988
Variations: Hit & Run was also sold with a parachute pack and an orange filecard as a Target exclusive (minimum price $4.75).
Mold: head, torso, waist, and legs—UNIQUE! arms—Hit & Run (88), Duke (88)
Toy notes: A slightly recolored version was released in Brazil. A Tiger Force version was released in Europe.
Comic notes: Hit & Run appeared in 4 issues between 1988 and 1989: #80 and Special Missions #17, 22, and 23.

 

Lightfoot	Item # 6512	Regular Carded Assortment
Explosives Expert		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 075-0948-OC76
File Name: Corp. Cory R. Owens		Primary MOS: Demolitions
POB: Wichita, KS		Secondary MOS: Artillery Coordinator
Appearance: brown hair; yellow shirt with black vest, armbands, and gloves; green stripe on top of vest; yellow pants with black belt, boots, and horizontal stripes on outside legs.
Accessories: blue helmet (new, with antennas and red eyes); green backpack (new, with cable hole and red lenticular sticker); orange mine detector drone (new, with white lenticular sticker); green drone control arm (new, with cable hole); green cable (new, flat segmented).
Filecard Information: Fifty percent of any military manual on explosives consists of mathematical tables for calculating amounts of explosives needed, safe firing distances, power requirements for firing circuits, and formulas for cutting structural steel, timber, and breaching various forms of bunker material. Lightfoot has memorized all of them, as well as all the conversion tables for foreign and non-military explosives. He's not taking any chances . . . "Lightfoot has elevated being careful to an artform. You might say he's a Zen fussbudget. His eyes sweep the ground before him in measured quandrants, alert for tripwires, signs of digging, and out-of-place vegetation. He sniffs the air for that tell-tale plastic explosive smell of 'dead rubber.' Lightfoot may take twice as long to clear an area, but at least you won't get any nasty surprises."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1989 (Night Force)
Variations: The "internal mechanisms" decal is absent on the robot pictured in the catalog.
Mold: Lightfoot (88, 89)
Toy notes:
Comic notes: Lightfoot appeared in 4 issues between 1988 and 1989: #82, 86, and Special Missions #13 and 25.

 

Muskrat	Item # 6516	Regular Carded Assortment
Swamp Fighter		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 564-68-2954
File Name: Corp. Ross A. Williams		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Thibodaux, LA		Secondary MOS: Social Services
Appearance: dark green hat with black hatband; red hair; green vest with black knife and holster; black gloves; green pants with black belt and holster; green and brown boots.
Accessories: grey backpack (new, swamp skimmer with red stripe); black shotgun (new, Benelli M4 Super 90); blue machete (new, with groove on side of blade).
Filecard Information: Muskrat spent his formative years up to his knees in one swamp or another, hunting raccoon, possum, and wild pig. He was able to hold his own against poachers, 'gator skinners, moonshiners, escapees from the chain gangs, and smugglers. Ranger school and JWTC [Jungle Warfare Training Center] seemed like summer camp to him. As far as he was concerned, they weren't teaching him anything exotic at all! "If I had to go chase down Muskrat in the swamp, I'd give up before I started .He'd be sprinkling cayenne pepper in his tracks to throw the dogs off, laying false trails into water moccasin lairs, rigging deadfalls, setting snares, and having himself a good ol' time, never even workin' up a sweat. I'd just as soon go home and watch TV."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1989 (Night Force) 3. 1993 (Battle Corps)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Muskrat (88, 89) arms—Muskrat (88, 89), Billy-Bob (04), Cletus (04), Joe-Bob (04), Otis (04), Roscoe (04), Vance (04) torso, waist, and legs—Muskrat (88, 89), Billy-Bob (04), Cletus (04), Joe-Bob (04), Otis (04), Roscoe (04), Vance (04), Chief Torpedo (04/I)
Toy notes: Also sold with Voltar in a Target-exclusive "Ultimate Enemies" 2-pack (Item # 6282). A slightly different version was released in India.
Comic notes: Muskrat appeared in 15 issues between 1988 and 1992: #80, 86, 92, 100-105, 113, 131, and Special Missions #17-19 and 23.

 

Repeater	Item # 6508	Regular Carded Assortment
Steadi-Cam Machine Gunner		E-6 (Army staff sergeant)	SN: 343-26-7890
File Name: Sgt. Jeffrey R. Therien		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Cumberland, RI		Secondary MOS: Heavy Weapons
Appearance: beige cap; black hair; beige short-sleeved shirt with black urban camouflage; green vest; beige urban-camo pants with green belt; black left half-glove.
Accessories: green backpack (new, with canteen and roll); black machine gun (new, body-mounted steadi-cam) with base attaching to figure's belt.
Filecard Information: With close to twenty years in the Army, Repeater never got any higher in rank than E-6. His performance in the field was always top-notch but he could never hack it in garrison. He's not a barracks soldier and never could be. But send him out in the bush beyond the farthest base camp, and you'll find that he's the one the other grunts want to soldier with; because he's the one who's going to bring the grunts back in one piece. "Being the machine gunner is probably the toughest job in an infantry squad. Number one, he's got the heaviest load to carry. Number two, as soon as he starts firing, the enemy knows where he is and [he] becomes their primary target. Number three, the squad depends on him to keep firing through all this to provide maneuvering cover. Your machine-gunner should always be the strongest, most stand-up troop you have . . .'
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1989 (Night Force)
Variations: None.
Mold: Repeater (88, 89)
Toy notes: Recolored versions were released in Brazil as Retaguarda and Urzor.
Comic notes: Repeater appeared in 9 issues between 1988 and 1992: #82, 86, 89, 92, 93, 100, 131, and Special Missions #18 and 19.

 

Shockwave	Item # 6509	Regular Carded Assortment
SWAT Specialist		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 369-0965-SW34
File Name: Corp. Jason A. Faria		Primary MOS: Special Weapons And Tactics
POB: Dearborn, MI		Secondary MOS: Choir
Appearance: light blue cap with dark blue urban camo; dark blue face mask and vest; light blue shirt and pants with dark blue urban camo; dark blue gloves, belt, holster.
Accessories: dark blue backpack (new, with knife clips); blue pistol (new, with pin-shaped trigger); blue submachine gun (new, Ingram Mac-10 with stock); silver knife (new, partially serrated).
Filecard Information: Shockwave was the youngest member of the Detroit Police Department S.W.A.T. Team, and the holder of two citations for bravery when he signed up for, and was accepted by, the Joe Team. When asked why he left a promising career to work longer hours for less money, kicking down doors on better armed adversaries, Shockwave replied, "What, you think I do this for the money?" "Everybody on a S.W.A.T. team has a specific job, like in a choir. Choirs have tenors, baritones, altos, etc. S.W.A.T. teams have sharpshooters, climbers, and 'inside men.' Shockwave is the doorkicker. He's the first inside and the first to find out how bad it really is. He's also a half-decent tenor when his voice is in shape . . . "
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1989 (Night Force) 3. 1992 (Drug Elimination Force)
Variations: Early releases list the SN as 369-09-6543.
Mold: head, arms, and torso—Shockwave (88, 89) waist and legs—Shockwave (88, 89), Beach-Head (93, 94)
Toy notes: Featured in the Swampmasher commercial.
Comic notes: Shockwave appeared in 11 issues between 1989 and 1992: #86, 87, 92, 124-128, and Special Missions #17, 22, and 26.

 

Spearhead	Item # 6514	Regular Carded Assortment
Pointman		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 075-0948-MP76
File Name: Corp. Peter R. Millman		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: St. Louis, MO		Secondary MOS: Finance
Appearance: brown hair; light and dark orange camouflage shirt and pants; beige vest with gold ammo belt; brown boots.
Accessories: orange and peach helmet (new, with long brim); orange backpack (new, with roll); grey machine gun (new, with bayonet and sling); grey machete (new, decorative); orange bobcat "Max" (new).
Filecard Information: Spearhead was the youngest and most successful insurance salesman in the Pacific North West. It was said that he could sell a term policy to a dead cow. Everybody like him, trusted him, and bought more insurance from him than they could afford. Spearhead denies that guilt was a factor in his decision to join the army—he simply felt that somebody had to do it. "Some guys, they're gonna lead a combat assault, right? They jump up and holler, 'Follow me!' and charge full tilt at a bunker—halfway there, they look back, and no one's behind them! Of course not. The guy was a jerk. Spearhead could jump face first into a vat of rabid hyenas and fifteen guys would follow him. No hesitation. They'd jump SMILING. And of course, Spearhead's mad cat, Max, is always a source of inspiration."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1989 (Night Force)
Variations: None.
Mold: Spearhead (88, 89)
Toy notes: Recolored versions were released in Brazil as Baioneta and in India as Spearhead.
Comic notes: Spearhead appeared in only one issue in 1989: Special Missions #21.

 

Storm Shadow	Item # 6507	Regular Carded Assortment
Ninja
File Name: (CLASSIFIED)		Primary MOS: Covert Operations
Appearance: white ninja suit with hood and face mask, all with dark grey urban camo; dark grey rope across chest; red tattoo on right forearm; white boots.
Accessories: red backpack (new, square with sword clips); black claw gauntlet (new, three tines); dark red sword (new, short with ribbed hilt, not neon); black bow (new, high-tension Yumi bow with telescopic sights).
Filecard Information: Storm Shadow served with Snake-Eyes in Southeast Asia and both of them later studied the secret arts of Ninjitsu with Storm Shadow's family, a ninja clan that could trace its history back through thirty generations of assassins. Unhinged by the murder of his uncle and mentor, he infiltrated Cobra, seeking revenge but found vengeance to be a poor substitute for life. Now, in semiretirement at a remote mountain hideaway, he occasionally takes on a special mission or two—if Snake-Eyes asks him nicely. "A ninja is a silent wraith with a razor-edged blade in one hand and a scaling-grapple in the other. Ninjas can penetrate the most sophisticated defenses and leave without a trace. They are mystic swordsmen, spies, assassins, acrobats, quick-change artists, and conjurors. Most people will tell you that ninjas don't exist. That's exactly what they want you to believe . . . "
Versions: 1. 1984 2. 1988 3. 1992 (Ninja Force) 4. 1994 (Shadow Ninjas) 5. 1997 (3-Pack) 6. 2000 (RAH Collection) 7. 2002/I (JvC Wave 1) 8. 2002/II (JvC Wave 1.35) 9. 2002/III (Sound Attack) 10. 2002/IV (JvC Wave 3) 11. 2004/I (Action Attack) 12. 2004/II (Urban Strike Team) 13. 2004/III (Oper. Avalanche) 14. 2004/IV (VvV Wave 4) 15. 2004/V (Ninja Lightning) 16. 2004/VI (Ninja Strike Team) 17. 2005/I (Ninja Battles) 18. 2005/II (Single Pack) 19. 2005/III (Comic #21) 20. 2005/IV (Unmasked) 21. 2006 (Comic #26) 22. 2007/I (25th Wave 1) 23. 2007/II (25th Cobra Set) 24. 2007/III (25th Cobra Legions) 25. 2008/I (Comic #21) 26. 2008/II (Comic #21b)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, lower arms, torso, waist, and legs—Storm Shadow (88, 04/VI), Red Ninja Viper (05) upper arms—Storm Shadow (88, 04/VI, 06), Red Ninja Viper (05)
Toy notes: Later filecards list Storm Shadow as Thomas S. (or Thomas M.) Arashikage from St. Louis, MO. Featured in the Swampmasher commercial. The 2006 version has the name "Tommy Arashikage" instead of a code name. A slightly different version was released in India.

 

Astro-Viper	Item # 6515	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobranaut
Appearance: dark grey face mask; red shirt and gloves with silver vest and gold straps; Cobra emblem on gold stomach panel; dark grey pants and boots with silver braces on outside legs.
Accessories: dark grey helmet (new, with yellow visor); silver backpack (new, with jets) with two laser cannons and two control arms (all detachable); two black hoses (short standard).
Filecard Information: Satellite surveillance technology is absolutely vital to modern military intelligence. Intricate tracking satellites must be maintained and repaired on site and as Cobra's network of "eyes-in-the-sky" grows older, more and more repairs are needed, necessitating more technicians capable of withstanding repeated high-G launchings and enduring long terms in orbit. "Cobranauts are recruited from the ranks of the Strato-Vipers; those NIGHT RAVEN pilots, who are naturally and artificially conditioned for high-altitude flying and high-G maneuvering. Cobranauts pilot the launch and recovery vehicles, man the orbital stations, and do the satellite repair work. They like it up there, where it's cold and dark."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1993 (Star Brigade)
Variations: The card art pictures a red helmet; it is unknown if the figure was ever intended to have one.
Mold: Astro-Viper (88, 93), Shadow Viper (01)
Toy notes:

 

Hydro-Viper	Item # 6519	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Underwater Elite Trooper
Appearance: purple face mask with red mouthpiece; purple wet suit with scaled vest; red tubing, wristbands, and shoes; webbed left hand.
Accessories: dark red helmet (new, with black crest); two dark red flippers (new, scaly); black backpack (new, with scuba tank and hose pegs); black speargun (new, with fancy grip); two black hoses (short standard); black stingray (new).
Filecard Information: Hydro-Vipers are qualified EELs (Cobra Frogmen) who volunteer to be surgically altered to withstand nitrogen narcosis and other side effects of deep diving. Synthetic webs are implanted between their fingers and subcutaneous fat production is stimulated by chemical injections to provide natural insulation. The long term effects of these procedures is known to be psychologically destabilizing . . . "I'm sorry, those guys just aren't human anymore. They have a handshake like a dead mackerel and they leave damp spots on all the furniture. I realize that they are virtually unbeatable in underwater combat, but so is a great white shark—and I'll bet the shark is friendlier!"
Versions: 1. 1988
Variations: The prototype pictured in the 1988 catalog had a black vest and purple flippers.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: The filecard gives an alternate codename: "Demon of the Deep." A recolored version was released in India.

 

Toxo-Viper	Item # 6513	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Hostile Environment Trooper
Appearance: purple face mask; purple shirt with blue-green mechanisms on chest; red gloves; purple pants with black boots.
Accessories: light blue and brown helmet (new, wiht orange mouthpiece); black backpack (new, with easily breakable gas canisters); black rifle (new, boxlike experimental weapon).
Filecard Information: Cobra Toxo-Viper are thrust into battle situations mainly to create a foul and unsuitable environment, thus giving the upper hand to Cobra. Their battle suit is moderately air-tight and resistant to most solvents. If the suit was completely impervious to atmospheric dangers, it would be awkward, slow-moving, and most importantly, expensive. Cobra leaders feel that Toxo-Vipers should be encouraged to get their jobs done as quickly as possible, unburdened by heavy and expensive equipment. "Needless to say, being a Toxo-Viper is not something a Cobra trooper aspires to be. In fact, the assignment is meted out as punishment for major offenses. The mere threat of being transferred to the 'leaky suit brigade' is enough to keep even the most obstreperous troops in line."
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1991 (Eco-Warriors)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: A slightly different version was released in India. The related figure Toxo-Zombie was released in 1992 as part of Eco-Warriors.

 

Road Pig	Item # 6521	Regular Carded Assortment
Dreadnok		576-44-3345
File Name: Donald DeLuca
POB: Goblu, MI
Appearance: white flat-top hair with red stripe; no shirt; black left glove; red Anarchy tattoo on left shoulder; black pants with brown spiked codpiece; silver boots.
Accessories: black pauldron (new); black wrist shield (new, flat and spiked); light grey cinderblock mace (new); black crossbow (new, small wrist-mounted).
Arrest record: Speeding, reckless endangerment, littering, assault, grand theft auto, usury, felony spitting, petty bribery, passing stopped school buses at high speeds.
Filecard Information: When Road Pig was born, the doctor held him up and said, "This is the ugliest-looking baby I've ever seen!" He was expelled from kindergarten for milk-money extortion and dishonorably discharged from the Cub Scouts. After being kicked out of a low-life, outlaw gang for smelling worse than was acceptable even by their standards, he joined the Dreadnoks as a probationary member. They're having a hard time making up their minds about this one . . . "Ugly? They banned him from football games because he stopped the clock! His mother had to tie a pork chop around his neck so the dog would play with him! He went to visit the Empire State Building and got strafed! I'll tell you, beauty may be skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!"
Versions: 1. 1988 2. 1992 (Super Sonic Fighters) 3. 2004 (Convention)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the 1988 catalog lacks the tattoo and the red stripe on the back of his head.
Mold: head—Road Pig (88, 92, 04) arms and legs—Road Pig (88, 92, 04), Blanka (93/I, 93/II) torso—Road Pig (88, 92, 04), Blanka (93/I, 93/II), Guile (93/I, 93/II) waist—Road Pig (88, 92), Blanka (93/I, 93/II)
Toy notes: A slightly different version was released in India. The 2004 version was named "Dreadnok Road Pig." The character's hometown of Goblu, Michigan is actually a nonexistent place created by the Michigan State Highway Commission for their map of 1979-1980. (Fictional place names are frequently included in maps as a guard against copyright.)
Comic notes: Road Pig appeared in 14 issues betwen 1989 and 1993: #83, 89, 90, 93, 98, 99, 128, 129, 135-138, 140, and Special Missions #21.

 

Iron Grenadier	Item # 6506	Regular Carded Assortment
Destro's Elite Trooper
Appearance: black crested helmet; red face mask; black jacket with gold strap, buttons, and left wristband; black gloves; black pants with red belt and kneepads; black and red boots.
Accessories: black pistol (new, Uzi with retracted stock); red laser pistol (new, with trapezoidal muzzle); gold saber (new, with long chain).
Filecard Information: The Iron Grenadiers are handpicked from Destro's personal bodyguards. They are the spearhead of Destro's incursions into new territory. The Iron Grenadiers, acting as agents, provocateurs, saboteurs, or outright terrorists, impel an usnuspecting country towards chaos and turmoil, thereby creating new markets for Destro's weapons where none existed before. Their pay is a percentage of gross sales. "Imagine the slickest used car salesman you've ever met. Now imagine that he's also the trickiest accountant in the world. Got that? Try to picture what he would be like if that same guy was also a highly trained commando with expertise in explosives, small arms, and hand-to-hand combat.Top it off with the fact that no other mercenary group in the world wants them because of their history of turning on their superiors. That's what an Iron Grenadier is.
Versions: 1. 1988 (Iron Grenadiers) 2. 2003/I (JvC Wave 5) 3. 2003/II (JvC Wave 7) 4. 2004 (Wal-Mart) 5. 2005 (Convention)
Variations: The catalog pictures Iron Grenadier with a white pistol and sword.
Mold: head—Iron Grenadier (88, 05) arms, torso, waist, and legs—UNIQUE!
Toy notes:

 

Voltar	Item # 6520	Regular Carded Assortment
Destro's General
Appearance: gold helmet with red eyepiece; black hair and beard; fuchsia shirt with gold armor straps; black gloves; fuchsia pants with gold belt, holsters.
Accessories: gold backpack (new, with thick antenna); gold rifle (new, modified Uzi); black Andean condor (new, red head, feet may break).
Filecard Information: Voltar was an extremely successful mercenary commander. In fact, he was too successful for his continued presence to be tolerated by the provisional governments, revolutionary councils, and military dictatorships that employed him. He could pluck victory from seeming imminent defeat in complete defiance of the odds, always just one step ahead of disaster, never looking back. Winners never look back. "He has that quality I admire most in a general. You know that Napoleonic anecdote? The Marshalls of France were extolling the tactical prowess of a certain young commander. The Little Corporal cut them off tersely, 'All very well and good, but tell me one thing; is he LUCKY?'"—DESTRO.
Versions: 1. 1988 (Iron Grenadiers)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Also sold with Muskrat in a Target-exclusive "Ultimate Enemies" 2-pack (Item # 6282). A slightly different figure was released in Brazil.
Comic notes: Voltar appeared in 7 issues between 1989 and 1991: #87, 92, 97, 98, 116, and Special Missions #18 and 26. Voltar was one of several enemies who died after being buried in a volcano by Cobra Commander.

 

Super Trooper	Item # 6523	mail-order
		O-2 (Army first lieutenant)	SN: 981-88-3819
File Name: Lt. Paul Latimer		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Dayton, OH		Secondary MOS: Public Relations
Appearance: black hair; light green sleeveless shirt under silver "metallized" armor vest; dark green armbands and pants; dark grey belt; black boots; silver kneepads.
Accessories: chrome helmet (85 Crankcase's); chrome shield (new, large with handle); chrome assault rifle (86 Dial-Tone's HK 53).
Filecard Information: Lieutenant Latimer graduated at the top of the first class to be processed through a new army school that's so secret it doesn't have a name! Suffice to say, that's the object of that program is to produce highly motivated individuals with advanced technical skills for assault operations deep within enemy territory with virtually no support. Requirements consist of fluency in 3 languages from the potential adversary list, airborne qualification, and a recipient of the expert infantryman's badge. "He went to West Point the hard way, by enlisting in the Army straight out of high school. He then took the test for admission to West Point Prep School, a grueling ten-week program with a 60% attrition rate and no guarantee of an appointment to the Academy at the end of it! He could have been staff material. The Joint Chiefs had their eyes on him. So why did he sign up for a secret program with an extremely low profile and little chance for personal advancement? Was it because he preferred an assignment where honor, integrity, and loyalty were considered assets instead of liabilities? Or was he simply seeking adventure?"
Versions: 1. 1988 (Mail)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Super Trooper (88), Knockdown (87), Rapid-Fire (91) arms—Super Trooper (88), Wet-Suit (86/I, 86/II, 98, 01, 02/III), Rapid-Fire (91) torso—Super Trooper (88), Outback (no armor, 87, 88), Rapid-Fire (91) waist—Super Trooper (88), Wet-Suit (86/I, 86/II, 98, 01, 02/III), Rapid-Fire (91), Shipwreck (94, 98, 02/I) legs—Super Trooper (88), Zandar (86), Rapid-Fire (91)
Toy notes: Available only by mail-in offers, such as "Operation Single-Handed" in early 1988 and "Operation Deep Six" in 1989. Heavily publicized with a live-action commercial. The first figure not to have a "function" name (e.g., Infantry Trooper for Grunt, or Green Beret for Falcon).
Comic notes: Super Trooper did not appear in the comic.

 

Armadillo	Item # 6012	boxed with Rolling Thunder
G. I. Joe Rolling Thunder Driver		E-7 (Army sergeant first class)	SN: 319-52-4887
File Name: Sgt. Philo R. Makepeace		Primary MOS: Armored Assault Vehicle Driver
POB: Ft. Huachuca, AZ		Secondary MOS: Advanced Reconnaissance
Appearance: light green helmet and vest; white wristbands; orange-brown pants with silver belt buckle; light green boots.
Accessories: none.
Filecard Information: ARMADILLO is in command of the most heavily armed assault vehicle in the world—the Rolling Thunder! He's the most reliable driver in the whole G. I. Joe motor pool! Armadillo is versed in all the latest land assault technologies and his experience as a vehicle driver is second to none! When it came time to select a driver for this most formidable attack craft, Armadillo was a shoe-in for the job! "Armadillo is no fun to ride with! You put him behind the wheel of anything with big tires and he just plain loses his sense of humor! His only concern becomes accomplishing his objective and getting to his destination. He used to make good time driving big rigs, but he just left too many people pulled over to the side of the interstate with their teeth rattling. Nobody complains about the way he drives the Rolling Thunder. He gets you there, right?"
Versions: 1. 1988 (Rolling Thunder)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:
Comic notes: Armadillo appeared with the code name "Rumbler" in 6 issues between 1988 and 1991: #80, 81, 92, 99, 111, and 112. Rumbler the Crossfire driver did not appear in the comic.

 

Ghostrider	Item # 6016	boxed with Phantom X-19
G. I. Joe Phantom X-19 Stealth Fighter Pilot		O-4 (Army major)	SN: 112-30-7140
File Name: Maj. Jonas S. Jeffries		Primary MOS: Stealth Fighter Pilot
POB: Chicago, IL		Secondary MOS: Aeronautical Engineer
Appearance: silver helmet with green goggles; grey shirt with black flight jacket and gloves; grey pants with gorwn holster and black boots; green map of Ohio on right leg.
Accessories: red cloth scarf (new).
Filecard Information: Stealth isn't simply a matter of technology, it is a state of mind. It isn't enough to wrap yourself in a blended-wing, polymer-composite-airframe with shielded air inlets and vectored nozzles, all covered with black, "iron ball" radar absorbent paint. True stealth means having the nerve to fly "nap of the earth" at high speeds, without activating electronic sensors or guidance systems that might tip-off enemy radar! It is ridiculous to fly such an aircraft at low altitude because it was designed by engineers whose priorities centered on radar-invisibility rather than structural integrity and maneuverability. This doesn't seem to matter to GHOSTRIDER. "Ghostrider has been working on not getting noticed since the second grade. He may have been the only person to make it through the Chicago public school system without ever cleaning an eraser or washing a blackboard. Teachers never noticed him, not because he was dull or lackluster, but because he consciously worked on not being noticed. That's how he is in the cockpit of a stealth fighter. He's WILLING himself to be invisible!"
Versions: 1. 1988 (Phantom X-19)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the 1988 catalog had Sneak Peek's head and Heavy Metal's torso.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:
Comic notes: This code name was reportedly chosen without regard to Hasbro comic writer Larry Hama's recommendations while he was on vacation. Since there was already a comic character named Ghost Rider, the Joe's name could not appear. For both reasons, Hama invented a running gag in which no one could ever remember Ghostrider's name. The pilot appeared in 8 issues between 1988 and 1993: #76, 77, 80, 115, 119, 132, and Special Missions #16 and 28.

 

Skidmark	Item # 6253	boxed with Desert Fox
G. I. Joe Desert Fox 6WD Driver		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 470-38-8412
File Name: Corp. Cyril Colombani		Primary MOS: Fast Attack Vehicle Driver
POB: Los Angeles, CA		Secondary MOS: Infantry
Appearance: orange helmet with black goggles; dark green shirt with orange vest; light green pants with orange holster.
Accessories: none.
Filecard Information: SKIDMARK was the kid that was held up by your mother as a shining example of everything that you were not. He was annoyingly polite, maddeningly well groomed and excruciatingly successful in his studies. There was a collective sigh of relief from his contemporaries when he received his first driver's license, and subsequently shattered all known records for the accumulation of speeding violations. "He keeps his locker and bay area squared away and spotless; it makes everyone else look bad by comparison. This could have been cause for resentment if he wasn't the fastest and most reliable recon driver around. The worst thing that his teammates can say about him is the best thing that a soldier can say about another soldier: "He does his job."
Versions: 1. 1988 (Desert Fox)
Variations: The figure on card art, in the commercial, and in the catalog has a pale yellow helmet instead of the orange one released in stores.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:
Comic notes: Skidmark appeared in 5 issues between 1988 and 1990: #72, 73, 88, 99, 100. His character is apparently killed in Devil's Due #25, although he is listed as active in later issues.

 

Sergeant Slaughter	Item # 6032	boxed with Warthog AIFV
Drill Instructor		E-7 (Marine gunnery sergeant)	SN: 817-76-8179
File Name: (CLASSIFIED TOP SECRET)		Primary MOS: Infantry / Drill Instructor
POB: Parris Island, SC		Secondary MOS: Warthog AIFV Driver
Appearance: brown hair and moustache; silver sunglasses; red-brown vest with silver ammo belt; light brown half-gloves; light brown pants with green belt and red-brown boots.
Accessories: light green drill instructor's hat (new).
Filecard Information: Sgt. Slaughter's the only G. I. Joe drill instructor with full authroization to drive the new amphibious assault machine, the Warthog A.I.F.V.! Though all G. I. Joe personnel are capable of driving the vehicle, only the Sarge knows how to beat on it to get the most out of it. That's why he's the head D. I., 'cause he knows exactly how to break in something new!
Versions: 1. 1986/I (Mail) 2. 1986/II (Triple 'T') 3. 1988 (Warthog) 4. 1989 (Slaughter's Marauders) 5. 2006 (Convention)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the 1988 catalog and commercial had the torso of Tunnel Rat.
Mold: UNIQUE! (The 2006 version has a retooled head based on this one.)
Toy notes: First member of the Joe Team available in three different versions. Note that Slaughter's SN has changed from 817-76-981 to 817-76-8179.

 

Wildcard	Item # 6028	boxed with Mean Dog
G. I. Joe Mean Dog Driver		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 102-65-0984
File Name: Corp. Eric U. Scott		Primary MOS: Armored Vehicle Operator
POB: Northhampton, MA		Secondary MOS: Chaplain's Assistant
Appearance: brown hair and moustache; torn open green vest; black wristbands; dark red pants; grey boots.
Accessories: green helmet (new, crested); grey backpack (new, with sword slot); grey machete (new, widening toward tip).
Filecard Information: WILDCARD possesses an unnatural talent for breaking things. Sturdy steel machines, simple tools, delicate toys, immovable objects of cast iron, 8-piece dinner settings; nothing is immune to his uncanny destructive powers! Fortunately, that which is judged to be an abominable affliction in civilian circles can be a valuable skill in military ones! "When Wildcard is driving the Mean Dog, the vehicle becomes an extension of himself; a raging engine of destruction, pulverizing all in its path. If the enemy, by sheer luck, manages to knock out the Mean Dog, they then put themselves in the position of having to deal with Wildcard directly! You could go so far as to call that a violation of the Geneva Convention!"
Versions: 1. 1988 (Mean Dog)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Wildcard (88), Major Altitude (91, 93) arms, torso, waist, and legs—UNIQUE!
Toy notes:
Comic notes: Wildcard appeared in 7 issues between 1988 and 1993: #72, 73, 89, 100, 109, 110, 137.

 

Windmill	Item # 6045	boxed with Skystorm
Skystorm X-Wing Chopper Pilot		O-3 (Army captain)	SN: 019-21-1858
File Name: Capt. Edward J. Roth		Primary MOS: Stopped-Rotor Aircraft Operator
POB: Allentown, PA		Secondary MOS: Attack Helicopter Pilot
Appearance: black helmet with orange crest; orange shirt with green open shirt and tubing; orange pants with black boots.
Accessories: black revolver (new, oversized).
Filecard Information: WINDMILL was a flight instructor at the Army Flight Warrant Officers School in Fort Rucker and later flew experimental helicopter prototypes at the same facility for the Army Aviation Department Test Activity. You might think that test-piloting helicopters is easier, or even safer, than testing jet fighters. Consider this—helicopters don't have ejection seats. If you make a mistake, you ride down with it! "When the G. I. Joes are sitting on a hot LZ waiting for an extraction chopper, they want fast air support with maximum fire-suppression. The X-Wing Chopper clocks at 345 mph in its stopped-rotor mode and can carry a bigger payload than a Dragonfly. Windmill can get there faster, with more thrust, and once he's there, he can make every piece of ordnance count!"
Versions: 1. 1988 (Skystorm)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the 1988 catalog has Crazylegs' head, arms, waist, and legs, and Law's torso.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: The reference to the five-year-old Dragonfly on the filecard is an encouraging sign of creators aware of the importance of history and continuity in the Joe universe.
Comic notes: Windmill appeared in 2 issues between 1988 and 1991: #72 and 119.

 

Secto-Viper	Item # 6018	boxed with Bugg
Cobra Bugg Driver
Appearance: black face mask; black shirt under yellow diving suit and gloves; orange tubing on chest; black padded codpiece and black cuffs over yellow boots.
Accessories: clear helmet (new, domed); black laser pistol (new, with large fin on top).
Filecard Information: Formed as a dedicated unit to patrol the shoreline of Cobra Island, SECTO-VIPERS are unique specialists in amphibious operations and marine surveillance. Every Secto-Viper is assigned a specific sector of shoreline and is required to know every square inch of it as well as the topology of the ocean floor that abuts it! They are thoroughly familiar with every amphibious landing craft currently in use by the armed forces of the world and can recite by rote their "soft" points and areas of vulnerability. "Secto-Vipers are too conscientious. They're always speeding over the dunes or creeping about under the surf. Off-duty Cobra personnel can't spread a towel on the beach to catch some rays without being reduced by an overzealous Secto-Viper looking to make brownie points with his superiors. Not the greatest thing in the world for morale!"
Versions: 1. 1988 (Bugg)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the 1988 catalog used parts from Payload, while the one on the Bugg's box has Road Pig's waist.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:

 

Star-Viper	Item # 6252	boxed with Stellar Stiletto
Cobra Stellar Stiletto Pilot
Appearance: black insectoid helmet with red visor; black flight suit with gold X-shaped straps and gloves; black boots.
Accessories: none.
Filecard Information: A STAR-VIPER is a qualified Cobra STRATO-VIPER with an electro-magnetic shunt surgically implanted in the right side of the brain. During high-speed, upper-atmospheric dog-fights, electronic impulses are introduced through the shunt, stimulating the reflexes while heightening awareness for split-second decisions. "Star-Viper are exceedingly dangerous in action! They routinely execute fast maneuvers with insect-like efficiency. However, they are referred to as 'Jolt-Heads' by their fellow Cobras and are known to be distracted and generally disoriented between missions."
Versions: 1. 1988 (Stellar Stiletto)
Variations: None.
Mold: head and waist—UNIQUE! arms and torso—Star-Viper (88), Major Altitude (91, 93) legs—Star-Viper (88), Black Dragon Trooper (03)
Toy notes: The shunt should probably be in the left side of the brain to achieve its intended purpose, but maybe I just don't understand the technology.

 

Destro	Item # 6059	boxed with Despoiler
File Name: James McCullen Destro
POB: Callander, Scotland
Appearance: gold mask; black shirt and gloves with red undershirt and cloth cape; black pants with gold belt; black hook on waist for sword.
Accessories: gold sword (new, Claymore with short chain); figure must be disassembled to remove red cloth cape.
Filecard Information: Once a major supplier and advisor to Cobra, DESTRO now pursues his own diabolical aims. Building up a small army of Iron Grenadiers from his private bodyguards, he incites unrest in unstable countries, creating new markets for his armament. As his influence grows around the world, he dreams the dreams that COBRA COMMANDER once dreamed. "One of Destro's ancestors started the family fortune by selling arms to both sides during the English civil war. One ancestor was caught in the act by Cromwell's men, and was made to wear an uncomfortable steel mask. (They had to punish him, but they still wanted his weapons.) Since that time, the lairds of the Destro clan have worn the mask with pride and passed it down to succeeding generations!"
Versions: 1. 1983 2. 1988 (Iron Grenadiers) 3. 1992 4. 1993 (Cobra-Tech) 5. 1997 (3-Pack) 6. 2001 (RAH Collection) 7. 2002/I (JvC Wave 1) 8. 2002/II (Dominator) 9. 2002/III (JvC Wave 1.35) 10. 2003 (Spy Troops) 11. 2004 (Valor vs. Venom) 12. 2005/I (Comic #25) 13. 2005/II (Convention) 14. 2007/I (Comic Con silver) 15. 2007/II (Comic Con gold) 16. 2007/III (25th Cobra set) 17. 2008/I (25th Wave 5) 18. 2008/II (Comic #14)
Variations: The catalog pictures Destro with a white sword and no cape.
Mold: head—Destro (83, 88); retooled with a ball-joint neck arms, waist, and legs—UNIQUE! torso—Destro (88), Overlord (06)
Cartoon notes: This was Destro's uniform of choice for the DIC series, but he generally remained loyal to Cobra. With a new but very similar voice, his most significant appearances were Operation: Dragonfire, the first-season episodes Revenge of the Pharaohs, Granny Dearest, Victory at Volcania, Night of the Creepers, General Confusion, D-Day at Alcatraz, An Officer and a Viperman, and BIOK, and the second-season episodes Keyboard Commandos, The Greatest Evil, A Is for Android, Message from the Deep, and The Eliminator.
Toy notes:

 

Ferret	Item # 6033	boxed with DEMON
Iron Grenadier DEMON Driver
Appearance: gold helmet; red face mask with black visor; black shirt with gold vest and red stripes; beige pants with gold belt and red waist.
Accessories: none.
Filecard Information: FERRETS are the backbone of DESTRO'S armored assault squadrons. Their battle vehicles, called D.E.M.O.N.'s, are expected to spearhead long range mechanized attacks to neutralize enemy strong points, as well as to capture and hold landing zones for airborne insertions. Since the design priorities for the D.E.M.O.N. key on speed, range, and offensive firepower, much was sacrificed in the area of crew protection, comfort, and safety. "Ferrets are chosen and trained based on their doggedly positive attitude. This is a vital attribute for them. When a squadron of D.E.M.O.N.'s attack in formation at full throttle, with all weapons systems firing, they are virtually unstoppable! Break-up the formation, slow the pace of the attack, or counterattack from behind, and infantrymen with hand-held rocket-launchers can turn the D.E.M.O.N.'s into burning hulks! Their motto should be, 'Don't look back!'"
Versions: 1. 1988 (DEMON)
Variations: The prototype appearing in the commercial had parts from numerous other figures, most notably the head of 1987 Cobra Commander.
Mold: head, arms, torso, and waist—Ferret (88), Black Dragon Trooper (03) legs—UNIQUE!
Toy notes: According to filecards, Gyro-Vipers and Voltar also "never look back."

 

Nullifier	Item # 6649	boxed with AGP
Iron Grenadier AGP Pilot
Appearance: light brown helmet, pants, shirt, and gloves; fuchsia piping on gloves and padding on hips.
Accessories: pink visor (new, with peg holes and V-shaped grill).
Filecard Information: The only advantage of an ANTI-GRAVITY POD (considering its poor energy consumption to performance ratio) is its ability to turn sharply and to "stop on a dime." Acute maneuvers of this sort can be physically debilitating to anybody but a NULLIFIER! These A.G.P. pilots require a six hour weight workout every day simply to maintain their massive physique and high levels of endurance. Such training is necessary in order for them to command a vehicle that can reduce a normal man to a gelatinous pulp during the course of a simple turn. "Nullifiers are fed solely on a diet of high protein gruel that looks like grey mush and tastes like wet cardboard. Their muscles are always sore and their nerves are constantly on edge from the stress. Consequently, a Nullifier usually has the temperament of a rabid pit-bull, and is more likely to bite!"
Versions: 1. 1988 (AGP) 2. 2004 (Urban Strike Team) 3. 2006/I (Mail) 4. 2006/II (Convention)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:

 

Crazylegs	Item # 6709-2	Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-Pack
Assault Trooper		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 870-28-9277
File Name: Corp. David O. Thomas		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Ft. Dodge, IA		Secondary MOS: Parachute Rigger
Appearance: green helmet with black goggles; black flight suit; red scaled vest, green shoulder guard; green gloves and boots.
Accessories: black parachute harness (87 Crazylegs's); black assault rifle (87 Crazylegs's) and stock.
Filecard Information: Crazylegs could have been the greatest organist in the world if his fingers hadn't been too short. The Airborne Rangers don't care how perfectly you can play Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, they're only concerned with your willingness to jump out of a helicopter into a hot LZ with nothing but a rifle, a couple of grenades, and the best wishes of your commanding officer. Crazylegs is Airborne Ranger qualified and has been cross-trained as a forward artillery observer. "Night Force operates stealthily in environments where the team is usually outnumbered and outgunned. Darkness is their best defense, only until the first shot has been fired! Once the team's presence and position has been compromised, it's up to Crazylegs to provide enough firepower and confusion to cover a tactical withdrawal. He loads 100% tracer ammo instead of the usual 1 to 5 ratio. This makes the other guy think there are twice as many out there coming at him!"
Versions: 1. 1987 2. 1988 (Night Force)
Variations: None.
Mold: Crazylegs (87, 88)
Toy notes: Available only with a Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-pack with Outback.

 

Lieutenant Falcon	Item # 6709-1	Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-Pack
Green Beret		O-2 (Army first lieutenant)	SN: 035-38-2264
File Name: Lt. Vincent R. Falcone		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Fayetteville, NC		Secondary MOS: Medic
Appearance: black beret; brown hair; grey short-sleeved shirt with black vest; light green neckerchief, backpack straps and belt; brown pants with black boots.
Accessories: black backpack (87 Falcon's) with antenna; black shotgun (87 Falcon's Mossberg 500); black knife (87 Falcon's).
Filecard Information: LT. FALCON is a second-generation Green Beret. His father served with the SFGA (Special Forces Group Airborne) from its beginnings at Fort Bragg's Smoke Bomb Hill. Falcon was cross-trained in demolitions and served briefly with the 5th SFGA "Blue Light" counter-terrorist unit as an "A" Team XO. He is proficient in Spanish, French, Arabic, and Swahili and a qualified expert with most NATO and Warsaw Pact small arms. "Leading a covert team at night in poor visibility conditions and under strict noise discipline seems almost impossible. Lt. Falcon accomplishes this task by establishing an intimate rapport with his team, working with them to earn their respect. A Night Force team led by Lt. Falcon functions almost as a single entity, with each member alert, responsive, and trusting each other to do his job!"
Versions: 1. 1987 2. 1988 (Night Force) 3. 1992 (Super Sonic Fighters) 4. 2003 (Convention)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, and torso—Falcon (87, 88, 92, 03) waist and legs—Falcon (87, 88, 92), Leatherneck (93)
Toy notes: Available only with a Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-pack with Sneak Peek. The 1987 version was simply named "Falcon."

 

Outback	Item # 6709-2	Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-Pack
Survivalist		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 688-27-4213
File Name: Sgt. Stuart R. Selkirk		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Big Piney, WY		Secondary MOS: Survival Training Instructor
Appearance: red hair and beard; black headband; green T-shirt with "SURVIVAL" on front; black gloves; green pants; black belt and boots.
Accessories: black web belt (87 Outback's); black backpack (87 Outback's); black submachine gun (87 Outback's); black flashlight (87 Outback's, with red lens)
Filecard Information: OUTBACK was an instructor at both the Survival School and the Jungle Warfare Training Center. He has had extensive experience in Central America andmay or may not have participated in clandestine operations in the Middle East. Most people are intimidated by wilderness. They do not feel comfortable in an area where there is no sign of human life for miles. Not Outback! He believes in being part of his environment, not its adversary! "A covert team that functions at night and lays low during the daylight hours has its own peculiar survival problems. A nice, cozy spot to set up an ambush could alsobe a preferable nesting place for poisonous snakes. A dry streambed might be an inviting place to pitch a shelter if one didn't know about the possibility of flash-floods. It's Outback's job to get the Night Force team to their target, intact and healthy!"
Versions: 1. 1987 2. 1988 (Night Force) 3. 1993/I (Battle Corps blue) 4. 1993/II (Battle Corps green)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Outback (87, 88) arms, waist, and legs—Outback (87, 88), Big Brawler (01) torso—Outback (87, 88), Super Trooper (88), Rapid-Fire (91), Big Brawler (01)
Toy notes: Available only with a Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-pack with Crazylegs.

 

Psyche-Out	Item # 6709-3	Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-Pack
Deceptive Warfare		O-2 (Army first lieutenant)	SN: 091-87-6274
File Name: Lt. Kenneth D. Rich		Primary MOS: Psy-Ops
POB: San Francisco, CA		Secondary MOS: Social Services Counselor
Appearance: brown hair; silver headset; grey shirt with black vest; black gloves, belt, and boots; green pants.
Accessories: silver antenna (87 Psyche-Out's); black backpack (87 Psyche-Out's); black pistol (87 Psyche-Out's); black sonic generator (87 Psyche-Out's) with black dish; black arm clips (87 Psyche-Out's) with black antennas.
Filecard Information: PSYCHE-OUT got his degree in psychology from Berkeley and worked on various research projects involving the inducement of paranoia by means of low frequency radio waves. Upon his enlistment, he was posted to the Deceptive Warfare Center at Fort Bragg where he continued his pioneering work in the field of wave induced behavior modification. "Fear of the dark is primal. It is why we don't want to see what's lurking just beyond the campfire light and why we're hesitant to find out what's making that noise under the basement stairs. Psyche-Out can use that fear as a weapon against an enemy as surely and as reliably as Snake-Eyes can use a submachine gun."
Versions: 1. 1987 2. 1988 (Night Force) 3. 1992 (Super Sonic Fighters)
Variations: None.
Mold: Psyche-Out (87, 88)
Toy notes: Available only with a Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-pack with Tunnel Rat. Note the significant change in hair color from blond to brown; this can be explained as in keeping with Psyche-Out's deceptive personality.

 

Sneak Peek	Item # 6709-1	Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-Pack
Advanced Recon		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 150-77-4411
File Name: Sgt. Owen King		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Bangor, ME		Secondary MOS: Radio-telecommunications
Appearance: black helmet with red goggles; grey shirt with black collar and pads on chest and arms; black gloves; green pants; black boots; hook on green belt to hold binoculars.
Accessories: black mic (87 Sneak Peek's); black assault rifle (85 Footloose's M16); black periscope (87 Sneak Peek's) with walkie-talkie); black binoculars (87 Sneak Peek's).
Filecard Information: SNEAK PEEK is a legend in the Ranger recon battalions. His battalion commander told of one mission where Sneak Peek's control unit was overrun. In the ensuing confusion, he was never recalled. He stayed put, observing enemy activity, taking notes and sketching maps for two weeks until somebody remembered he was out there and sent him the signal to return! He is, of course, Ranger qualified and proficient with all NATO night-vision devices. "Equipped with third generation passive image intensifiers, optical range finders, parabolic microphones, and noise-gated amplifiers, Sneak Peek can pinpoint the location of the enemy in complete darkness, without revealing his own position. Rumor has it that all of his electronic hardware is simply back-up for an extraordinarily-developed sense of smell and an acuity of hearing that extends into the subsonic and high-frequency ranges."
Versions: 1. 1987 2. 1988 (Night Force)
Variations: None.
Mold: Sneak Peek (87, 88)
Toy notes: Available only with a Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-pack with Falcon.

 

Tunnel Rat	Item # 6709-3	Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-Pack
EOD		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 367-87-9090
File Name: Sgt. Nicky Lee		Primary MOS: EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
POB: Brooklyn, NY		Secondary MOS: Combat Engineer
Appearance: green bandana, and neckerchief; black short-sleeved shirt with red and yellow ammo belt; green gloves and belt; grey pants; brown boots.
Accessories: black backpack (87 Tunnel Rat's); black TNT pack (87 Tunnel Rat's); black machine gun (87 Tunnel Rat's); two black flashlights (87 Tunnel Rat's).
Filecard Information: TUNNEL RAT's family tree is Trinidadian Chinese with branches of Irish, Spanish, and Indian thrown in. It was on the mean streets of Brooklyn where he developed his fearless attitude. Later, he got even tougher on the Ranger Course at Fort Benning and honed his skills in Grenada. He is a qualified expert with all NATO small arms and is familiar with most Warsaw Pact explosive devices. "Nothing is darker than a tunnel at night! The darkness exerts a suffocating pressure like the bottom of a great, black sea. In that awful absence of light, imagination becomes a fearsome enemy. Tunnel Rat glides through stygian tunnels with the surety of a natural denizen. The dark assumes the role of an ally and his weapon becomes his friend!"
Versions: 1. 1987 2. 1988 (Night Force) 3. 1991 (Sonic Fighters) 4. 2003 (Spy Troops) 5. 2004/I (Night Force) 6. 2004/II (VvV Wave 3) 7. 2004/III (Desert Patrol) 8. 2005/I (VvV Wave 6) 9. 2005/II (Comic #74)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Tunnel Rat (87, 88, 91, 04/I, 04/III) upper arms—Tunnel Rat (87, 88, 91, 04/I, 04/III, 05/II), CLASSIFIED (06), Lonzo Wilkinson (06) lower arms, torso, waist, and legs—Tunnel Rat (87, 88, 91, 04/I, 04/III, 05/II)
Toy notes: Available only with a Toys 'R Us-exclusive Night Force 2-pack with Psyche-Out.

 

Bazooka	Item # 6697-5	Tiger Force Carded Assortment
Tiger Force Missile Specialist		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 112-40-0577
File Name: Sgt. David L. Katzenbogen		Primary MOS: Armor Defeating Weapons Systems
POB: Hibbing, MN		Secondary MOS: Tiger Shark Driver
Appearance: black hair and moustache; white football shirt with red "14" on front and red collar; green wristbands; green pants with yellow stripes; brown belt
Accessories: reddish brown helmet (85 Bazooka's); dark green backpack (85 Bazooka's); black missile launcher (85 Bazooka's M72 LAW).
Filecard Information: BAZOOKA was driving an Abrams tank in the "Third Horde" (Third Armored Div.) when he came to the realization that an illiterate farmer armed with a $200 disposable rocket launcher could knock out a million dollar tank with less than two weeks training. With that in mind, he put in for an immediate transfer to Tiger Force. Since that time, Bazooka has become a true specialist in the use of tactical assault missiles. Now, he can fire a surface-to-surface missile at a T-52 tank positioned over 2 miles away and blow off its gun barrel cleaner than knife through butter! "Bazooka can tell you everything you need to know about missile attack systems, and then some! He'd talk your ear off if he wasn't always on the missile range target shooting. He never lets his missile launcher out of his sight, even when he goes for a joy ride in the Tiger Shark through Cobra infested waters. He really lives by the words, 'Be prepared for anything!'"
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1993 (Battle Corps) 4. 2004 (Quick Strike) 5. 2005 (Valor vs. Venom)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, and torso—Bazooka (85, 88) waist and legs—Bazooka (85, 88), Rumbler (87)
Toy notes: The first filecard to slightly rewrite a Joe's history. This one implies that Bazooka was either already a Joe when he switched from tanks to missiles, or else has been a member of Tiger Force since he joined the Joe Team. Versions from 2004 onward were named "Sergeant Bazooka."

 

Duke	Item # 6697-1	Tiger Force Carded Assortment
Tiger Force First Sergeant, Squad Leader		E-8 (Army first sergeant)	SN: RA213757793
File Name: 1SG Conrad S. Hauser		Primary MOS: Airborne Infantryman
POB: St. Louis, MO		Secondary MOS: Small-Arms Repairman
Appearance: brown hair; green shirt with rolled-up sleeves and red collar; brown diagonal strap and belt; light brown pants with black stripes; dark grey boots.
Accessories: tan helmet (standard, with visor holes); light green backpack (83 Airborne's); black submachine gun (82 Stalker's M32); black binoculars (83 Duke's).
Filecard Information: DUKE was fluent in French, German, and English when he enlisted. Graduated top of his class at the Fort Benning Airborne School. Opted for U.S. Army Special Language School where he specialized in Han Chinese and South East Asian dialects. Upon graduation, he served in the Army's Special Forces unit in South East Asia where he received the Congressional Medal of Honor and 2 Bronze Stars for single-handedly rescuing 34 POW's from a heavily guarded enemy compound. "The man's a walking legend! He's got more combat experience than some of those generals in the Pentagon! Duke's the kind of grunt you want to have right by your side when the going gets rough! He can assess any hostile situation with lightning speed and act upon it quicker than you can say 'Tiger Force!' The man doesn't know the meaning of the word fear! In fact, I don't think he has ever heard of the word at all!"
Versions: 1. 1983 (Mail)/carded 1984 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1992 4. 1993/I (Battle Corps) 5. 1993/II (Armor-Tech) 6. 1994 (Star Brigade) 7. 1997 (Silver Mirage) 8. 2001 (RAH Collection) 9. 2002/I (JvC Wave 1) 10. 2002/II (JvC Wave 1.35) 11. 2002/III (JvC Wave 3) 12. 2003/I (BTR Armadillo) 13. 2003/II (Night Force) 14. 2004/I (Action Attack) 15. 2004/II (Wal-Mart) 16. 2004/III (Anti-Venom) 17. 2004/IV (VvV Wave 4) 18. 2004/V (Single Pack) 19. 2004/VI (Voice FX) 20. 2005/I (Desert Humvee) 21. 2005/II (VvV Wave 7) 22. 2005/III (Comic #24) 23. 2005/IV (Heavy Assault) 24. 2005/V (BTR Outpost) 25. 2007 (25th Joe set) 26. 2008 (Comic #24)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Duke (83, 88, 97, 04/III, 05/IV) arms—Duke (88), Hit & Run (88) front torso—Duke (83, 88, 97, 04/III, 05/III, 05/IV), some Starduster (87), some Steel Brigade (87), Lonzo Wilkinson (06) back torso—Duke (83, 88, 97, 04/III, 05/III, 05/IV), Doc (83), some Starduster (87), some Steel Brigade (87), Lonzo Wilkinson (06) waist—Duke (88), Cobra (82, 89), Cobra Officer (82, 89), HISS Driver (83), Viper Pilot (83), Stinger Driver (84), some Steel Brigade (87), Cobra Infantry Trooper (04/I, 04/II, 04/III, 04/IV), Cobra Squad Leader (04/I, 04/II) upper legs—Duke (83, 88, 97, 04/III, 05/III, 05/IV), Maj. Bludd (83), Tollbooth (85), Alley Viper (97, 02/I, 02/II, 03, 04), Lance "Clutch" Steinberg (07) lower legs—Duke (83, 88, 97, 04/III, 05/III, 05/IV), Gung-Ho (83, 97), Tollbooth (85), Alley Viper (97, 02/I, 02/II, 03, 04), Lance "Clutch" Steinberg (07)
Toy notes: Featured in the Tiger Force commercial. Duke's hair color would alternate between yellow and brown in later versions. The fact that Duke needed new arms and waistpiece, parts originally from the figure Doc, suggests that the old molds were already beginning to deteriorate, or else were being lost. This would not be a major problem until 1997, when seven repaints had to be done from different molds than planned. A slightly different version of Tiger Force Duke was released in Brazil as Duque.

 

Dusty	Item # 6697-3	Tiger Force Carded Assortment
Tiger Force Desert Trooper		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 371-11-4605
File Name: Corp. Ronald W. Tadur		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Las Vegas, NV		Secondary MOS: Refrigeration and air-conditioning maintenance
Appearance: brown and light green hat with cloth and grey goggles; dark green shirt with yellow stripes; light green pants; brown backpack straps, belts.
Accessories: light green backpack (85 Dusty's); black submachine gun (85 Dusty's FAMAS) with bipod.
Filecard Information: DUSTY loves the desert. It is clean, pure, unforgiving, and always full of challenges. Dusty was working as a refrigerator repairman and studying desert ecology at night when his pre-enlistment application for the G. I. Joe Team was approved. He took Basic at Fort Bliss in Texas and loved every minute of it. When Tiger Force was in need of a desert combat specialist, Dusty wasted no time in signing up for it! "It's not enough nowadays to have a rapid-reaction force able to respond instantaneously to explosive situations in far flung corners of the globe. That force must be capable of surviving in a diverse array of hostile environments to accomplish its objectives. If the Tiger Force team was confronted by a numerically superior Cobra battalion, Dusty would hop on the Tiger Paw and automatically take the point to spearhead the counterattack!"
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1991 (w/ Sandstorm) 4. 2000 (RAH Collection) 5. 2002/I (Night Rhino) 6. 2002/II (JvC Wave 2) 7. 2002/III (Sand Razor) 8. 2002/IV (JvC Wave 4) 9. 2004/I (Valor vs. Venom) 10. 2004/II (Desert Patrol)
Variations: None.
Mold: Dusty (85, 88)
Toy notes: A slightly different version of Tiger Force Dusty was released in Brazil as Felino.

 

Flint	Item # 6697-4	Tiger Force Carded Assortment
Tiger Force Warrant Officer, Special Forces		W-3 (Army warrant officer)	SN: 307-62-4107
File Name: Dashiell R. Faireborn		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Wichita, KS		Secondary MOS: Helicopter Pilot
Appearance: brown beret with yellow emblem; black hair; brown shirt with black stripes and green ammo belts; green pants with light green belts; grey gloves and boots.
Accessories: dark green backpack (85 Flint's); dark green shotgun (85 Flint's).
Filecard Information: FLINT was a Rhodes Scholar and earned his degree in English Lit. Bored by the Groves of Academe, he enlisted in the Army and applied the tenacity and concentration he had used so well scholastically to grind his way through Airborne School, Ranger School, Special Forces School, and finally, Warrant Officers Flight School . . . graduating each with top honors. A thorough tactical planner, Flint personally led a half dozen rescue missions in hostile territories that were never publicized for obvious reasons of security. "We had thought COBRA had us in the stinking dungeon for good—So we didn't know what was going down when we heard that chopper comin' in and all the heavy hardware going off like the Fourth of July! Then somebody kicked down the door to our cell and when the smoke cleared, there was Flint with that lop-sided grin sayin' 'C'mon boys, we're going home . . . '."
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1991 (Eco-Warriors) 4. 1994 (Battle Corps) 5. 2001 (Desert Striker) 6. 2002/I (Headquarters) 7. 2002/II (JvC Wave 3) 8. 2003 (JvC Wave 6) 9. 2004/I (Night Force) 10. 2004/II (Built to Rule) 11. 2005 (Comic #74) 12. 2007 (25th Wave 1)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Flint (85, 88, 04/I) torso and legs—Flint (85, 88, 04/I, 05) upper arms—Flint (85, 88, 04/I, 05), Claymore (86), Starduster (87) lower arms—Flint (85, 88), Claymore (86), Starduster (87) waist—Flint (85, 88, 04/I, 05), Claymore (86)
Toy notes: The original Flint was an E-6 but was still called a "Warrant Officer." Some parts were used to create a China-exclusive Tiger Force Flint.

 

Lifeline	Item # 6697-7	Tiger Force Carded Assortment
Tiger Force Medic		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 128-03-2496
File Name: Sgt. Edwin C. Steen		Primary MOS: Medic
POB: Seattle, WA		Secondary MOS: X-Ray Technician
Appearance: brown and grey helmet with silver goggles; brown hair; grey sunglasses; yellow open-collar shirt with black stripes and silver backpack straps; light green pants with grey belt; brown boots.
Accessories: black air mask (86 Lifeline's); black backpack (86 Lifeline's); green medical pack (86 Lifeline's, interior unpainted); black pistol (86 Lifeline's 9mm).
Filecard Information: LIFELINE was a paramedic with the Seattle Fire Department for five years before he discovered that EMS (Emergency Medical Service) personnel who were disabled while giving aid off-duty were not eligible for pensions. In his mind, rescue personnel were never off-duty. His status was made permanent when he was selected by Tiger Force as a battlefield medic. "Elite units always take care of their own. Tiger Force is no exception. The men have to know that if something really heavy comes down on them and they're in no condition to walk out of the mess, somebody is going to have the heart to wade in and extricate them. That somebody is Lifeline."
Versions: 1. 1986 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1994 (Battle Corps)
Variations: None.
Mold head, arms, torso, and waist—Lifeline (86, 88) legs —Lifeline (86 store-bought figure, 88)
Toy notes: Note again the subtle rewriting of history; instead of joining the Army as a corpsman, Lifeline goes from EMS directly to Tiger Force. Recolored versions of Tiger Force Lifeline were released in India. Not related to 2002/2004 Sgt. Lifeline.

 

Roadblock	Item # 6697-2	Tiger Force Carded Assortment
Tiger Force Heavy Machine Gunner		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 053820347
File Name: Sgt. Marvin F. Hinton		Primary MOS: Infantry Heavy Weapons
POB: Biloxi, MS		Secondary MOS: Cook
Appearance: African-American; bald with black moustache and goatee; dark green camouflage vest with light green belt and straps; bare arms; brown pants with yellow stripes; grey gloves and boots.
Accessories: yellow helmet with tiger stripes (standard, but no visor holes); light green backpack (84 Roadblock's) and ammo box; dark grey machine gun (84 Roadblock's M2 Browning) and tripod.
Filecard Information: ROADBLOCK's dream was to be a gourmet chef. He was working as a bouncer to earn money to attend the Escoffier School in France when a recruiter convinced him that the Army could train him just as well. At boot camp, Roadblock found Army menus and preparation techniques too appalling! He remained steadfast in his goal to be a chef, but at the same time, developed a new skill—being a heavy machine gunner! He was selected by Tiger Force because of his ability to operate a heavy machine gun, in addition he could transform simple K-rations into gourmet delicacies. "A .50 cal. Browning weighs 84 pounds. Add fifty pounds for the ammo—that's about 134 pounds of steel generating 2930 f.p.s.in muzzle velocity at a cyclic rate of 550 r.p.m, and you have one awesome machine gun! Anybody who can handle that doesn't need a machine gun to keep me away!"
Versions: 1. 1984 2. 1986 3. 1988 (Tiger Force) 4. 1992 5. 1993/I (Battle Corps) 6. 1993/II (Star Brigade white) 7. 1994 (Star Brigade orange) 8. 2003/I (JvC Wave 6) 9. 2003/II (Tiger Force) 10. 2004/I (Wal-Mart) 11. 2004/II (Night Force) 12. 2004/III (Anti-Venom) 13. 2005/I (Comic #24) 14. 2005/II (Heavy Assault) 15. 2007 (25th Joe set)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II), Double Blast (01, 02) upper right arm—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Double Blast (01, 02), Cobra Trooper (04, 06/II), Zarana (05), Cobra Squad Leader (05/I, 05/II), Night Trooper (05/I, 05/II) lower right arm—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Double Blast (01, 02), Flint (04/I, 05), Cobra Squad Leader (05/I, 05/II), Night Trooper (05/I, 05II), Cobra Trooper (06/II) upper left arm—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Gung-Ho (83, 97), Duke (97, 04/III, 05/III), Breaker (97), Double Blast (01, 02), Cobra Trooper (04, 06/II), Zarana (05), Cobra Squad Leader (05/I, 05/II), Night Trooper (05/I, 05II) lower left arm—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Gung-Ho (83, 97), Duke (97, 04/III, 05/III), Double Blast (01, 02), Flint (04/I, 05), Cobra Squad Leader (05/I, 05/II), Night Trooper (05/I, 05II), Cobra Trooper (06/II), CLASSIFIED (06), Lonzo Wilkinson (06) torso—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Double Blast (01, 02), Tommy Arashikage (06) waist—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Double Blast (01, 02), Cobra Trooper (04, 06/II), Cobra Officer (04), Cobra Squad Leader (05/I, 05/II), Night Trooper (05/I, 05II), Tommy Arashikage (06) upper legs—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Starduster (87), Double Blast (01, 02), Leatherneck (01), Mutt (04/II), Tommy Arashikage (06) lower legs—Roadblock (84, 88, 04/II, 05/I), Starduster (87), Double Blast (01, 02), Leatherneck (01), Tommy Arashikage (06)
Toy notes: One of the most often-released figures. Note that Roadblock has been promoted from E-4 to E-5.

 

Tripwire	Item # 6697-6	Tiger Force Carded Assortment
Tiger Force Mine Detector		E-4 (Specialist 4)	SN: 089-32-9227
File Name: Spc. Tormod S. Skoog		Primary MOS: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
POB: Hibbing, MN		Secondary MOS: Tiger Fly Co-Pilot
Appearance: olive green helmet with large black goggles; brown shirt; yellow padded vest with black stripes and grey straps; olive green gloves and belt; brown pants with grey boots.
Accessories: dark grey backpack (83 Tripwire's); three dark grey mines (83 Tripwire's); dark grey mine detector (83 Tripwire's).
Filecard Information: TRIPWIRE dropped out of high school at a naval base in Yokosuka, Japan (Father is career navy). Spent two years in a Zen monastery pondering the meaning of life. He was later expelled for breaking too many dishes and spilling every conceivable liquid. He joined the Army at 19 and received spiritual awakening on the grenade range. After boot camp he signed up for demolition training at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. It was there he acquired the name "Tripwire" for his outstanding ability to conceal the tripwires that led to high-powered explosives. "Tripwire freaks people out. He's always clumsy, jittery, and dropping things except when he's working with high explosives. He's as cool as a cucumber when he's planting XF-2565 nitro on the battlefield, under heavy machine gun fire! I don't know how he does it, but we're sure glad he's on our side!"
Versions: 1. 1983 2. 1985 (Listen & Fun) 3. 1988 (Tiger Force) 4. 2001 (RAH Collection)
Variations: None.
Mold: Tripwire (83, 85, 88, 01)
Toy notes: Note that Tripwire's SN has changed.

 

Frostbite	Item # 6671	boxed with Tiger Cat
Tiger Cat Driver		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 215-58-9136
File Name: Corp. Farley S. Seward		Primary MOS: Tiger Cat Driver
POB: Galena, AK		Secondary MOS: Artillery
Appearance: off-white fur cap with gold goggles; red hair and beard; brown coat with black gloves and holster, and yellow fur collar; yellow pants with black stripes; black boots and belt and boots.
Accessories: black assault rifle (85 Frostbite's M16).
Filecard Information: FROSTBITE was born in a place where summer is a myth and a crowd consisted of two people standing on the same acre. He worked briefly as lineman on the pipeline, but found the job unchallenging despite the 40 degrees below zero temperature and hazardous conditions. The Army promised to give him a challenge whenever he wanted one. After he took his oath to Uncle Sam, he went to Transportation School where he learned how to drive every known vehicle used by the United States Armed Forces. Frotbite thought he had it made being stationed in Greenland, but then he was tapped for duty on Tiger Force and all that changed! Now he's barrelling over sand dunes in the Sahara Desert rather than smashing through snow banks in the Arctic Circle! "Battling Cobra Toxo-Vipers in temperatures over 113 degrees is like fighting them in a furnace, but somehow that 'frost-jockey' from the north keeps his cool! I saw him pulverize a full-scale attack by a battalion of enemy troops just by firing his Tiger Cat's main gun batteries at the center of their ranks! With guys like him over there, we have nothing to worry about!"
Versions: 1. 1985 (Snow Cat) 2. 1988 (Tiger Cat) 3. 1993 (Battle Corps) 4. 2002/I (JvC Wave 1) 5. 2002/II (Rock Slide) 6. 2002/III (JvC Wave 1.35) 7. 2003/I (Snow Cat) 8. 2003/II (Built to Rule) 9. 2004 (Ice Sabre) 10. 2005/I (Valor vs. Venom) 11. 2005/II (Winter Ops) 12. 2006 (DTC Ice Sabre)
Variations: Eyebrows were dark red, orange, or black.
Mold: head, arms, torso, and waist—Frostbite (85, 88) legs—Frostbite (85, 88), mail-order variant of Lifeline (86)
Toy notes:

 

Recondo	Item # 6672	boxed with Tiger Fly
Tiger Fly Pilot		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 158-24-0087
File Name: Corp. Daniel M. LeClaire		Primary MOS: Tiger Fly Pilot
POB: Wheaton, WI		Secondary MOS: Intelligence
Appearance: blue-grey folded "cowboy" hat; brown hair and moustache; blue-grey short-sleeved shirt with open collar; brown holster and belt; green pants with yellow stripes; brown boots.
Accessories: dark green backpack (84 Recondo's); black rifle (84 Recondo's Beretta BM59).
Filecard Information: RECONDO has been flying prop-jets and helicopters since he was 17 years old. Naturally, when he enlisted in the Army, he immediately put in for helicopter training. Recondo served with the 7th Airmobile Assault Unit when it put down an uprising on a small Caribbean nation! His greatest achievement was when he launched a bold and highly successful counterattack against an entire enemy brigade! At the end of his tour, Recondo attended Flight School for advanced training and now leads the Tiger Force aerial reconnaissance unit! "I sure thought we were history that day! The enemy was everywhere and we were running out of ammo—fast! Then, before anybody knew what was what, Recondo hopped into the Apache and took off to launch his own counterattack! The man was crazy, but if it wasn't for his courage, I wouldn't be telling this story today!"
Versions: 1. 1984 2. 1988 (Tiger Fly) 3. 2003 (Spy Troops) 4. 2004 (Tiger Storm) 5. 2005 (Desert Coyote)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, and legs—Recondo (84, 88) torso and waist—Recondo (84, 88), some Starduster (87)
Toy notes: Note that Recondo's SN has changed. Wild Bill was originally to be the Tiger Fly pilot, but Recondo was chosen instead.

 

Skystriker	Item # 6673	boxed with Tiger Rat
Tiger Rat Pilot		O-5 (Air Force lt. colonel)	SN: 780-45-9887
File Name: Lt. Col. Alexander P. Russo		Primary MOS: Tiger Rat Pilot
POB: Providence, RI		Secondary MOS: Combat Technician
Appearance: brown hair; yellow jacket with black stripes; orange shirt and pockets on jacket; dark grey pants with white panels on thighs; black straps; brown belt, gloves, and shoes.
Accessories: reddish brown helmet (standard, with visor holes); reddish brown headset (84 Thunder's antenna); clear visor (84 Thunder's).
Filecard Information: You might say that flying is in SKYSTRIKER's blood. He grew up on an Air Force base in Maryland where his father was in charge of flight operations. Fascinated with fighter jets, Skystriker decided to make a career for himself in the Air Force. Upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy, he went to Officer's Flight Training School to become a pilot. After he received his "wings," Skystriker flew X-30 fighters during several G. I. Joe attacks on Cobra Island! He shot down over 15 Cobra Mamba copters, severely crippling Cobra's island defenses! Skystriker was tapped for duty on Tiger Force because of his fearless attitude in the face of danger! "The man was born to fly! I saw Skystriker pull off a double-looped nose dive in front of two enemy fighters, then shoot them down before they could pick him up on their radar scopes! It was unbelievable! When it comes to combat acrobatics, this 'fly-boy' takes the cake!"
Versions: 1. 1988 (Tiger Rat)
Variations: The panel on Skystriker's right leg is reversed on some figures.
Mold: head—Skystriker (88), Thunder (84), Thunderwing (98) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Skystriker (88), Wild Weasel (84)
Toy notes: The only new character in Tiger Force. The figure was also available at a G. I. Joe Convention with Comic notes: Skystriker did not appear in the comic.

Equipment: