Intro 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993

1994 1995-96 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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

1990 (Series 9)

Overview:

When 1990 arrived, it brought a selection of toys quite different from those of the previous two years. Gone were the countless repaints, and while the Iron Grenadiers would receive two more figures and a vehicle, none of the other special mission teams would be expanded this year. Nearly all the figures and vehicles in the 1990 assortment were original. The only exception was the Sky Patrol, a force of six figures with four repainted vehicles. The Sky Patrol figures themselves had bodies repainted from vehicle drivers, but with new heads and accessories. Overall, the originality present in this ninth year of the line was commendable and impressive. Accessories were again large and plentiful this year, and figures included plastic Command Rings with emblems of Joe and Cobra battalions. This was also the year the number of vehicles available passed 200.

Changes were beginning to take place behind the scenes which would alter the direction of G. I. Joe. First of all, in response to fans of the original 12" G. I. Joes, there was a concerted effort to revive a line of figures in that original size. The firstfruits of this effort would be the "Hall of Fame" series that began in 1991. Secondly, the creators decided to target a younger age group. The reasons for this move have been hotly debated among fans. Perhaps the motive was to drive the older kids to the upcoming "Hall of Fame" toys. It could have been a move to confront the massive popularity of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which had taken toy stores by storm the previous Christmas. It might also have been related to declining Transformers sales, since that toy line had historically brought a slightly younger set of consumers. Appeals to the new target group would be obvious in the following years, through brighter colors, impossibly large weapons that really shot, more martial arts, a more positive and less "military" message, and a greater focus on favorite figures. Also considered was a smaller spacecraft for the Joe Team (which had only the two large shuttles). The Phi Star Space Cruiser was scrapped in the early stages of production.

In September 1990, DiC premiered a new G. I. Joe cartoon series, with all-new voices, animation styles, music, and plot devices. The break with the old was clear from the fact that even "familiar faces" such as Lady Jaye and Zarana were given new uniforms when appearing on the cartoon. The younger target group was obvious in the 19 episodes, with less subtle humor, simpler animation, and less complex plots. The villains (and sometimes the heroes) were all played for laughs to an extent not even Cobra Commander had ever been subject to, and some episodes had a heavy-handed "pro-social" quality reminiscent of Cobra's own programming in the old-series episode, "The Wrong Stuff." Some concepts, such as a Joe vs. Cobra football game, an amorous gorilla, and a plot centering around General Hawk's favorite cookies, were in the eyes of more traditional fans simply indefensible. One good point about the series was that it gave viewers a look at the next year's figure assortment rather than lagging nine months behind as the Sunbow series had. Probably the best episode of this season was "The Mind Mangler," which focused on Sky Patrol and developed the characters rather well. Meanwhile, the comic picked up speed with the return of the original Cobra Commander, and sustained suspense over the fate of Scarlett, who ended the previous year in a coma.

This was the last year G. I. Joe's advertising would include Sunbow's animation; this presumably had something to do with the decision to have DiC produce the new cartoon series. Most commercials were hosted by a live-action Sgt. Slaughter and/or a cartoon Overlord. All-new music was present, with the catch-phrase, "Get G. I. Joe Tough!," forming the basis for the new series theme song. The USA cable network also created its own "Get Tough" theme song for its reruns of the old Sunbow cartoons. Toward the end of the year, toys included "Combat Pay" that could be used to buy G. I. Joe merchandise and was tied into the cartoon show through a contest. Combat Pay Vouchers were good through June 30, 1991. The catalog art for 1990 was simply the G. I. Joe logo against a blue-black background.

Contents:

• Carded Joe, Cobra, and Iron Grenadiers figures
• Sky Patrol figures
• Figures included with vehicles
• Joe, Cobra, and Iron Grenadiers equipment
• Sky Patrol equipment
• Mail Offers
• DiC Cartoons
• Marvel Comics

Figures:

Figure minimum price: $2.55

Sky Patrol figure minimum price: $4.60

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

Ambush	Item # 6566	Regular Carded Assortment
Concealment Specialist		E-3 (Army private first class)	SN: 849-1343-AM97
File Name: PFC Aaron McMahon		Primary MOS: Concealment Specialist
POB: Walnut, CA		Secondary MOS: Infantry
Appearance: red hair and moustache; yellow shirt and pants with light brown criss-cross pattern; green diagonal strap on chest; dark brown sleeves; green belt; black boots.
Accessories: dark green helmet (new, safari); dark green backpack (new, with pole tabs and net clips); dark green pistol (new, grenade launcher); dark green assault rifle (new, EM-2 bullpup); four brown poles (new, interlocking tent supports); two dark green nets (new, one with head hole).
Filecard Information: AMBUSH has no trouble staying out of sight. When he was ten years old, Ambush participated in a neighborhood game of hide-and-seek, then disappeared for three days. It wasn't until the National Guard was called to aid in the search that his well camouflaged hiding place was discovered under his parent's front porch. After he joined the Army, he became so evasive that even his drill sergeant was unable to account for his whereabouts during the day. "When this guy goes on assignment, expect the unexpected! There's nothing he won't do to accomplish his mission. Once, he concealed himself as a shrub, tumbled into a heavily guarded Cobra weapons depot, captured their base commander, then safely delivered him to G. I. Joe headquarters for interrogation! To this day, we still can't figure out how he pulled it off!'
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 1993 (Dino-Hunters) 3. 2004 (Desert Patrol)
Variations: Dark or light red hair
Mold: head—Ambush (90, 93), Side Track (01) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Ambush (90, 93, 04), Side Track (01)
Toy notes: Ties with Robo-JOE as the lowest-ranking member of G. I. Joe. The 2004 version was named "Aaron 'Ambush' McMahon."
Cartoon notes: Ambush's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, Revenge of the Pharaohs, The Nozone Conspiracy, Injustice and the Cobra Way, and An Officer and a Viperman, and the second-season episode A Is for Android.
Comic notes: Ambush appeared in 6 issues between 1991 and 1992: #111-113, 122, and 128-129.

 

Bullhorn	Item # 6576	Regular Carded Assortment
Intervention Specialist		E-5 (Marine sergeant)	SN: 780-5287-FR33
File Name: Sgt. Stephen A. Ferreira		Primary MOS: Intervention Specialist
POB: Providence, RI		Secondary MOS: Armor
Appearance: black cap; black hair and brown face paint; grey-green shirt with dark grey straps and grenades on chest; brown pants with grey belt, holster.
Accessories: black gas mask (new, with silver visor); dark grey backpack (new, case with rifle slots); black riot shotgun (new, three pieces); black assault rifle (new, Steyr AUG).
Filecard Information: BULLHORN is an extremely calm individual, possessing an open and compassionate personality. He's exactly the type of person needed to negotiate with wackos and fanatics who have an axe to grind with society. Of course, that same steely coolness also comes in handy when he is forced to take decisive action that requires an accurate and lethal delivery of firepower! "Everyone is willing to talk to Bullhorn! And why shouldn't they be? He has the looks of a choirboy and is a good listener. This guy has more finesse than the slickest diplomat, using it to convince his adversaries that he actually CARES about their problems. That's when they discover the folly of messing with a former hand-to-hand combat instructor from Quantico who is also a contender for the national practical pistol title!"
Versions: 1. 1990
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, and torso—UNIQUE! waist and legs—Bullhorn (90), Bazooka (93)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's first "new figures" commercial. Assumed a Marine based on having taught at Quantico.
Cartoon notes: Bullhorn's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, Revenge of the Pharaohs, Victory at Volcania, The Nozone Conspiracy, Night of the Creepers, Injustice and the Cobra Way, and the second-season two-parter The Sludge Factor.
Comic notes: Bullhorn did not appear in the comic.

 

Freefall	Item # 6568	Regular Carded Assortment
Paratrooper		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 664-2781-BS10
File Name: Sgt. Philip W. Arndt		Primary MOS: Paratrooper
POB: Downers Grove, IL		Secondary MOS: Infantry
Appearance: yellow hair; orange flight suit with green camouflage; dark grey straps on chest, arms, and legs; dark grey gloves and boots.
Accessories: light green helmet (new, with goggles); dark grey air mask (new, with hose peg); dark grey backpack (new, with gas canisters); dark grey assault rifle (new); black hose (short standard).
Filecard Information: Before a qualified paratrooper can take the grueling Airborne Ranger training course, he must attend a three week Ranger Indoctrination Program that is guaranteed to weed out 40% of the candidates. Next, there's a three week Pre-Ranger Program to prepare the candidate for the full eight weeks of unprecedented stress, pain, discomfort, snake-eating, forced marching, sleeplessness, and jumpint out of an aircraft with knives between their teeth, just like actual combat, but without live ammo. FREEFALL enjoyed every minute of it! "Here is a trooper who exemplifies the very best we an produce. Someone who is highly motivated, possesses and unparaleled degree of technical skill and boundless fonts of energy and determination. He can run faster, jump higher, and do more push-ups than any soldier who has ever survived Ranger School. He has a Master's degree in Eastern Philosophy and is honest to a fault. His only problem is that his ego is about as big as the Grand Canyon!"
Versions: 1. 1990
Variations: The prototype in the catalog has two hoses attaching to his air mask.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:
Cartoon notes: Freefall's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes Revenge of the Pharaohs and Granny Dearest.
Comic notes: Freefall did not appear in the comic.

 

Captain Grid-Iron	Item # 6561	Regular Carded Assortment
Hand-to-Hand Combat Specialist		O-3 (Army captain)	SN: 903-5221-YY07
File Name: Capt. Terrence Lydon		Primary MOS: Hand-to-Hand Combat Specialist
POB: Evergreen Park, IL		Secondary MOS: Infantry
Appearance: light brown hair; light green shirt s with dark green urban camo; green vest; yellow pants with grey belt and hoslter.
Accessories: light green helmet (new, football style); clear visor (new, with peg holes); light green backpack (new, with grenade tab); light grey shotgun (new); light grey missile launcher rifle (new, with missile tabs); four light grey missiles (new, with two slots each); three light grey grenades (new, football shaped).
Filecard Information: CAPT. GRID-IRON was quarterback of the West Point football team and graduatd in the top ten of his class. It can be said in his favor that he passed up an appointment to the U.S. Army War College for a conventional infantry command at the company level. It was this determination to be "where the action is" that brought him to the attention of the G. I. Joe organization. "The other G. I. Joes were a bit put off by this West Pointer when he first showed up, but he turned out to be bearable to the point that nobody tried to 'lose' him on his first mission. In fact, if he would only stop trying so hard to be likeable and put a halt to his John Wayne (classic Hollywood tough guy) imitation, they might let him play quarterback at the annual G. I. Joe Fish Fry Football Game!"
Versions: 1. 1990
Variations: The 1990 catalog pictures yellow missiles on the rifle.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's first "new figures" commercial. Continues the tradition of at least one sports figure per year (dating back to Bazooka in 1985). Editorial note: Younger target age or no, it is highly unfortunate that Hasbro's creators felt it necessary to explain who John Wayne was. A recolored version was released in India.
Cartoon notes: Capt. Grid-Iron's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, Revenge of the Pharaohs, Granny Dearest, Victory at Volcania, Pigskin Commandos, Injustice and the Cora Way, and D-Day at Alcatraz, and the second-season episode Metal-Head's Reunion.
Comic notes: Grid-Iron appeared in only one issue in 1992: #130, in the background of a single panel.

 

Pathfinder	Item # 6577	Regular Carded Assortment
Jungle Assault Specialist		E-6 (Army staff sergeant)	SN: 040-9812-JA41
File Name: Sgt. William V. Iannotti		Primary MOS: Jungle Assault Specialist
POB: Key West, FL		Secondary MOS: Forward Observer / Recon
Appearance: dark green hat with black brim; black hair; light green sunglasses; black short-sleeved shirt with open orange vest; black pants with orange and light green camouflage; dark and light green belt with cannon posts; black boots.
Accessories: light grey backpack (new, with fuel tank and belt begs); two light grey cannons (new, hip-mounted with belt pegs); black powered pole saw (new) with detachable silver blade; two silver ammo belts (new, short with peg holes); black hose (short standard).
Filecard Information: By growing up in the alligator-infested swamplands of southern Florida, PATHFINDER quickly learned how to find his way around in order to stay alive! With his father's help, Pathfinder mastered the ways of jungle survival. He learned how to make trails where there were none, to detect unnatural jungle sounds, and to attack unsuspecting targets swiftly and quietly. When he was eighteen, Pathfinder enlisted in the Army and began a career as a jungle recon specialist. Almost immediately, he became the Army's premiere jungle/rain forest tactical assault expert. Pathfinder was then ordered to serve as G. I. Joe's jungle assault specialist where he is now responsible for all covert operations involving attacks on Cobra Island. "We could be chest-deep in a midnight swamp, with mosquitos in our ears, leeches in our boots, and Cobra NIGHT-VIPERS firing up our tails with tracers, but as long as Pathfinder has the point, we'll come out smelling like roses. He learned everything from his father, a decorated reconnaissance grunt from the Korean War. Like his father, he doesn't know the meaning of the word surrender. When Pathfiner leads a jungle patrol he doesn't stop until the job is successfully completed and all objectives have been accomplished. And I mean ALL objectives!"
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 2001 (AWE Striker)/VAMP 2004
Variations: The prototype pictured in the catalog has a peg for only one hip-mounted machine gun and has a grey handle added to the weed eater.
Mold: head, arms, waist, and legs—Pathfinder (90, 01) torso—Pathfinder (90, 01), Lance "Clutch" Steinberg (07)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's second "new figures" commercial. Pathfinder and Stretcher have the same SN.
Cartoon notes: Pathfinder's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, Granny Dearest, Stuck on You, Injustice and the Cobra Way, D-Day at Alcatraz, and An Officer and a Viperman, and the second-season episodes El Dorado and the Lost City of Gold, and A Is for Android.
Comic notes: Pathfinder did not appear in the comic.

 

Rampart	Item # 6574	Regular Carded Assortment
Shoreline Defender		E-4 (Navy petty officer, 3rd class)	SN: 313-6094-SP19
File Name: Dwayne A. Felix		Primary MOS: Shoreline Defender
POB: New York, NY		Secondary MOS: ADA Missile Specialist [Air Defense Artillery]
Appearance: beige cap with blue goggles and black microphone; beige shirt; black jacket and gloves; beige pants; green and black camouflage boots; cannon post on waist and missile slot on left leg.
Accessories: black cannon (new, hip-mounted) with two support legs; light grey missile launcher (new) with detachable handle; two black missiles (new, with pins and tab slot).
Filecard Information: RAMPART spent most of his teenage years in video arcades or glued to his home video game monitor. Being gifted with abnormally rapid reflexes and extraordinary hand/eye coordination, he quickly mastered every known video game in existence. By the time he graduated from college, Rampart realized there was only one line of work best suited to challenge his abilities—the military. He enlisted in the Navy, specializing in air defense artillery, and in no time, attained the highest combat success ratio in the 7th Fleet for "splashing" enemy aircraft. "Proficiency in most video games depends upon one's ability to quickly analyze shifts in the spatial movement of images, and to react to such changes faster than anybody else. The same is true in destroying incoming enemy missiles. Rampart gets his jollies seeing a Cobra heat-seeker explode just before it hits the target. It beats the heck out of logging initials into a video game's 'Top Ten' listing."
Versions: 1. 1990
Variations: The prototype pictured in the catalog has a black missile launcher.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: A recolored version was released in Brazil.
Cartoon notes: Rampart's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, Revenge of the Pharaohs, Night of the Creepers, Cold Shoulder, and Injustice and the Cobra Way.
Comic notes: Rampart appeared in only one Marvel issue in 1991: #115. His character is killed in Devil's Due #38.

 

Salvo	Item # 6567	Regular Carded Assortment
Anti-Armor Trooper		E-7 (Army sergeant first class)	SN: 524-7110-AR42
File Name: Sgt. David K. Hasle		Primary MOS: Anti-Armor Trooper
POB: Arlington, VA		Secondary MOS: TOW / Dragon Repair Technician
Appearance: bald; brown T-shirt with white "THE RIGHT OF MIGHT" on chest; black half-gloves, belt, and boots; green pants with gold ammo belts.
Accessories: light brown helmet (new, with chinstrap and silver goggles); light brown backpack (new, five-missile launcher); light brown anti-tank mine layer (new); five light brown missiles (new, with long pins); five light brown mines (new, with weapon clips); black briefcase (new).
Filecard Information: SALVO has a deep distrust for high-tech weapons systems with laser range-finders, targeting computers, and micro-circuit, heat-seeking detonation components. Such complexity makes them inherently unreliable, especially in chaotic battlefield conditions where dependability is the name of the game. Salvo prefers to carry great quantities of conventional weaponry to overwhelm enemy forces with massive expenditures of sheer firepower rather than battle them with sophisticated electronic hardware. "Salvo doesn't believe in wasting perfectly good ammunition on wooden targets on firing ranges. Instead he'd rather test his anti-armor projectiles on actual enemy tanks and armored personnel carriers, such as the Cobra H.I.S.S. II. Nothing aggravates Salvo more than to go out on patrol and not find any Cobra targets to blow away. That would mean he'd have to lug all his unused ordnance back to G. I. Joe headquarters, and he doesn't enjoy that at all!"
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 2005 (DTC)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the catalog has a helmet with cut-out visor and either black dots or holes in the tips of his missiles.
Mold: head—UNIQUE! arms, torso, waist, and legs—Salvo (90), Big Brawler (03/I, 04)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's second "new figures" commercial.
Cartoon notes: Salvo's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, Revenge of the Pharaohs, Victory at Volcania, The Nozone Conspiracy, and Injustice and the Cobra Way.
Comic notes: Salvo appeared in 2 issues between 1991 and 1992: #114 and 130.

 

Stretcher	Item # 6575	Regular Carded Assortment
Medical Specialist		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 040-9812-JA41
File Name: Sgt. Thomas J. Larivee		Primary MOS: Medical Specialist
POB: Hartford, CT		Secondary MOS: Troop Transportation
Appearance: African-American; dark grey cap with black chinstrap; black hair; light grey shirt with rolled up sleeves and blue collar; green backpack straps and grey holster and gloves; grey pants with green belt and yellow panel on left leg; grey boots with green pads.
Accessories: dark green backpack (new) with attaching antenna; dark grey flare gun (new, top-loading); grey flying platform (new, with red stickers) with control stick and clear shield; black microphone (new, attaches to chest); black hose (medium standard).
Filecard Information: A former Olympic weight lifter, STRETCHER now utilizes his enormous strength to carry wounded G. I. Joes to safe landing zone evacuation sites. Before joining the G. I. Joe Team, Stretcher served as a front-line medic for one of NATO's roughest combat units. Although he is highly proficient in all the latest first-aid techniques, his primary duty is the speedy delivery of injured troops to the best treatment facility in the area. "DOC may have a medical degree from a top medical school and LIFELINE may be the next best thing to a real doctor, but if I'm wounded and Cobra tracers are buzzin' above my head, I'll breathe a lot easier knowing that Stretcher is coming to get me. The other two guys can patch you up fine and dandy, but Stretcher will definitely deliver you from danger, pronto!"
Versions: 1. 1990
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Stretcher (90), Sgt. Lifeline (04), Dusty (04/II) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Stretcher (90), Sideswipe (02), Sgt. Lifeline (04), Dusty (04/II)
Toy notes: The reference all the way back to 1983's Doc is a fine show of continuity. Stretcher and Pathfinder have the same SN.
Cartoon notes: Stretcher's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, I Found You...Evy, Cold Shoulder, Injustice and the Cobra Way, and That's Entertainment.
Comic notes: Stretcher appeared in 3 issues between 1990 and 1992: #105, 113, and 129.

 

Sub-Zero	Item # 6565	Regular Carded Assortment
Winter Operations Specialist		O-2 (Army first lieutenant)	SN: 000-0617-AT89
File Name: Lt. Mark Habershaw		Primary MOS: Winter Operations Specialist
POB: Smithfield, RI		Secondary MOS: Field Artillery
Appearance: white snowsuit with hood; blue fur on hood over grey cap; blue straps, buttons, and belt; black knife, gloves and boots.
Accessories: two grey snow shoes (new, disclike); white backpack (new, with large tab); dark grey machine gun (new, M60 with belt slots); white mortar launcher (new) with round stand; four grey mortar shells (new); gold ammo belt (new).
Filecard Information: SUB-ZERO was an instructor at the Army Northern Warfare Training Center in Fort Greeley, Alaska and a consultant to the Cold Regions Test Center at the same facility. He beat all records for cold weather endurance solely on MEANNESS! Before he was tapped for G. I. Joe, Sub-Zero used his "deep-freeze" combat tactics in Europe's Operation Chill so that the troops would be well prepared if any winter confrontation should erupt. "All the other G. I. Joe Arctic specialists like the cold. Not Sub-Zero! He hates it to the MAX! It drives him so far up the wall that it brings out a special kind of meanness unheard of in the western world. We're talking MAXIMUM MEANNESS! So why does he keep volunteering for cold weather assignments? Because he enjoys being MEAN!"
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 1993 (Arctic Attack Force)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the catalog has his upper arms on opposite sides.
Mold: head—Sub-Zero (90, 93) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Sub-Zero (90, 93), Snake Eyes (05/V)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's first "new figures" commercial.
Cartoon notes: Sub-Zero's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes The Nozone Conspiracy and Cold Shoulder.
Comic notes: Sub-Zero did not appear in the comic.

 

Topside	Item # 6563	Regular Carded Assortment
Navy Assault Seaman		E-6 (Navy petty officer, 1st class)	SN: 692-8812-HO89
File Name: John Blanchet		Primary MOS: Navy Assault Seaman
POB: Fort Wayne, IN		Secondary MOS: Tele-Communications Specialist
Appearance: yellow hair and beard; blue short-sleeved shirt with orange life jacket ("NAVY" on chest); grey pants with yellow rope belt and black boots.
Accessories: light grey helmet (new, flared); light grey backpack (new, two-missile launcher) with detachable U-shaped stand; light grey submachine gun (new, MP-5K); three red missiles (new).
Filecard Information: TOPSIDE grew up on a small Indiana farm where he helped his father raise prize-winning pigs. After winning numerous county fair awards for his pigs, Topside quickly gained the reputation as Fort Wayne's Hog Master. When he was 20, Topside decided to leave the farm in search of a more exciting career. He enlisted in the Navy and served as a deck hand on a ship that transported a G. I. Joe covert team to a mission site. Fed up with listening to the land-lubbers' tales of toughness, he decided to take them all on at once! Because of his boldness and ability to look danger in the eye, he was offered a spot on the G. I. Joe team. "A really intense training program can produce a fairly tough individual, but Topside was born tough. He can down a plate of greasy scrambled eggs and weiners [sic] while sailing through seas rough enough to send salty chief petty officers to the rail! I saw him take a full wind-up, upper-cut punch from another seaman and not even budge. Needless to say, that other seaman didn't stay around to get Topside's response."
Versions: 1. 1990
Variations: None.
Mold: head, torso, waist, and legs—UNIQUE! arms—Topside (90), Backblast (93)
Toy notes:
Cartoon notes: Topside's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes Victory at Volcania, D-Day at Alcatraz, and An Officer and a Viperman.
Comic notes: Topside did not appear in the comic.

 

Laser-Viper	Item # 6569	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Laser Trooper
Appearance: dark grey face mask; dark grey shirt with blue chest armor and gloves; dark grey pants with silver belt pockets and black boots.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, with black visor); silver backpack (new, square) with sliding control arm and two swivel cannons; two black hoses (short standard).
Filecard Information: Laser weapons are only effective at relatively short ranges because of the amount of energy lost through atmospheric dissipation. Therefore, a LASER-VIPER's primary funciton on the battlefield is "target illumination" for H.E.A.T. VIPERS and AERO-VIPERS. The Laser-Viper places his beam on the target, then squeezes off a heat-seeking, anti-tank missile or guided bomb that "rides" the beam to destroy the target. "Don't underestimate the Laser-Vipers. You might get the impression that all they do is shine flashlights and spot targets, but that's not the case. These guys can sit well outside the range of your weapons and drop a world of hurt down on your head within seconds! If you're lucky enough to sneak in close to get a shot at them, you're also close enough for them to make it overly hot for you!"
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 2001 (RAH Collection) 3. 2003 (Python Patrol)
Variations: The 1990 catalog pictures a helmet with a clear visor.
Mold: Laser-Viper (90, 03)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's second "new figures" commercial. The code name is not hyphenated for the 2001 and 2003 versions.

 

Night-Creeper	Item # 6562	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Ninja
Appearance: purple and silver helmet with purple face mask and silver visor; purple shirt and gloves with silver chest panels; light grey pants with dark grey and purple stripes; purple boots.
Accessories: purple backpack (89 Snake Eyes's); black sword (new, with serpentine blade); black sword (new, barbed); black crossbow (new, with five arrows).
Filecard Information: Captured Cobra documents revealed the existence of a contract between COBRA COMMANDER and a syndicate of high-tech Ninjas. It is believed that these so-called NIGHT-CREEPERS have been given the task of conducting all field intelligence and covert operations for Cobra! All investigations into the structure and origin of the Night-Creepers have run into dead ends, or resulted in the mysterious disappearance of the investigators. "All evidence seems to indicate that the Night-Creepers have the drive and scruples of a Wall Street stock manipulator, the lethal skills of a master martial artist, and the stealthy talents of a cat burglar. To make matters worse, they're backed by the latest and most sophisticated anti-detection and weapons technology in the world! It's as if Attila the Hun had a black belt, an MBA, and was armed with lasers!"
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 1993 (Ninja Force) 3. 1994 (Shadow Ninjas) 4. 1998 (3-Pack) 5. 2003 (Spy Troops) 6. 2004/I (Urban Strike Team) 7. 2004/II (VvV Wave 4) 8. 2004/III (VvV Wave 5) 9. 2005/I (Single Pack) 10. 2005/II (HISS)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the catalog had a different backpack than the one released.
Mold: head, arms, and torso—Night-Creeper (90, 98, 04/I) waist and legs—Night-Creeper (90, 98, 04/I), Night Creeper Leader (93, 94)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's first "new figures" commercial. The code name is not hyphenated for the 1993, 1994, 2003, and 2004/I versions.

 

Range-Viper	Item # 6573	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Wilderness Trooper
Appearance: grey helmet with light blue face mask and red eyes; dark blue shirt with light blue short-sleeved jacket and gold ammo belts; yellow shoulder guards and belt; grey gloves; black pants and boots with grey padding.
Accessories: grey backpack (new, squarish with mortar shells); black grenade launcher (new) with removable chamber; grey mortar (new, with ribbed handle); grey mortar shell (new, cylindrical); black knife (new, with pins on either side of blade); black hose (short standard).
Filecard Information: Range-Vipers are usually committed to long-term operations deep within unfriendly territory, completely cut off from communications or supplies. They have an unusually high tolerance for discomfort and can survive on a diet of snakes, grubs, roots, berries, nuts, and whatever slow rodents they can catch. They are expected to build their shelters out of indigenous materials, usually rocks and mud, and procure their own ammunition by way of hit and run raids on enemy ammo depots. "Range-Vipers are favorites of the Cobra High Command since they are so inexpensive to sustain. Once they're in the field, they don't cost anything to feed, clothe, and arm. Range-Vipers don't care who they shoot, as long as they shoot at someone or something. That's why the Cobra High Command makes sure they stay out in the bush."
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 2005 (DTC) 3. 2006 (Flaming MOTH)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, waist, and legs—Range-Viper (90, 06), Rock-Viper (01), Skull Buster (02), Imperial Guard (05) arms and torso—Range-Viper (90, 06), Rock-Viper (01), Skull Buster (02)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's second "new figures" commercial. The code name is not hyphenated for the 2005 version.

 

Rock-Viper	Item # 6564	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Mountain Trooper
Appearance: dark red helmet with green visor; black moustache and goatee; beige shirt and pants with black urban camo; black vest with dark red straps; dark red wristbands, belt, holsters, and kneepads; black gloves and boots.
Accessories: black backpack (new, T-shaped with hook notch); cream machine pistol (new); cream sniper rifle (new, PSG-1 with large scope); black grappling hook (new) with string; black hose (short standard).
Filecard Information: Encased in his non-slip, camo-traction suit and equipped with rocket-assisted, tungsten steel grappling hook and megatensile-strength repelling rope, the Rock-Viper can scale any obstacle to deliver an obliterating barrage of firepower from his missile pack and automatic grenade launcher! "On the day of their graduation from the training program, candidate Rock-Vipers are dropped from helicopters onto the top of a 500 foot, sheer-sided mesa rock formation. They are outfitted with 250 feet of rope and informed that only 50% will graduate upon completion of this final test. It doesn't take long for them to figure out the only way they will get down the mesa is to slide down the rope and pray they land in a soft pile of dirt at the bottom!"
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 2001 (RAH Collection) 3. 2003 (Python Patrol)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, and torso—Rock-Viper (90, 03) waist and legs—Rock-Viper (90, 03), Metal-Head (94, 05)
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's first "new figures" commercial. The code name is not hyphenated for the 2001 and 2003 versions.

 

SAW-Viper	Item # 6570	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Heavy Machine Gunner
Appearance: dark red helmet with green visor and black microphone and chinstrap; black shirt with purple vest and dark red armbands and gloves; purple pants with dark red boots and leggings; black belt and boots.
Accessories: dark red backpack (new, rectangular with belt tab); black machine gun (new, heavy anti-tank weapon with belt tab); white ammo belt (new, with tab holes).
Filecard Information: The S.A.W.-VIPER is equipped with a gyro-stabilized, cryogenically-cooled mini-chain gun, scoped with an infrared night-vision, auto-ranging, optical sighting system. This means that he has a highly accurate, low-malfunction machine gun that doesn't burn out the barrel during intense rapid-fire bursts. It's nothing for him to zone-in on a flea nestled in heavy brush over 800 yards away, in pitch darkness and pick it off in one shot! "You definitely don't want to get pinned down by a S.A.W.-Viper at night. His weapon has an integral sound suppressor, an effective flash inhibitor, and a powerful image-intensifier. With all that, you won't even know you're being shot at until you hear the sonic boom from the bullet whipping past your ear!"
Versions: 1. 1990 2. 2003 (Python Patrol) 3. 2006 (DTC)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the catalog has a black crest on his helmet.
Mold: head—SAW-Viper (90, 03) arms and torso—SAW-Viper (90, 03), Zartan (01), Dragonsky (06) waist and legs—SAW-Viper (90, 03), Zartan (01)
Toy notes: SAW stands for: Semi Automatic Weapons. The code name is not hyphenated for the 2003 and 2006 versions.

 

Metal-Head	Item # 6571	Regular Carded Assortment
Destro's Anti-Tank Specialist
Appearance: black hair and goatee; red and yellow goggles; red shirt with black vest, armbands, and gloves; light grey straps and belt; black pants and boots with red padding and light grey kneepads.
Accessories: light grey helmet (new, with neck armor); light grey backpack (new, H-shaped frame); light grey missile launcher (new, attaches to backpack); two light grey missile boxes (new, attach to legs); six yellow missiles (new); two black hoses (short standard).
Filecard Information: METAL-HEAD is a walking anti-tank weapon! He can launch high-explosive tubes and guide them to their objectives on a laser beam, without the use of his hands or his feet. His voice-activated weapons' command system is made up of circuits and targeting computer modules built into various components of his blast suit. All he has to do is make visual contact with the target, let the computer "read" the range, plot the trajectory, wait for the green light to flash, then yell "bang" to complete the firing sequence. "The real targeting computer is upstairs in his brain, and it doesn't have an 'off' switch. This guy is so wrapped-up with his work that even when he sits down for dinner he's preparing for battle. He tests his visual acquisition sensors by locking onto the mash potatoes as they are passed from one end of the table to the other. He calculates wind deflection by observing how the steam rises off the meat loaf. He even measures the diameter of the green peas, seeing them as micro-targets. If he looks you straight in the eye, you'll feel as if you have a bullseye on your forehead."
Versions: 1. 1990 (Iron Grenadiers) 2. 1994 (Battle Corps) 3. 2005 (Convention)
Variations: There is variation in the thickness of the leg tabs and corresponding holes on missile boxes. The prototype pictured in the catalog has a black pistol and smoother leg-mounted missile launchers, as well as a different paint scheme on the legs.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Featured in 1990's second "new figures" commercial. A recolored version was released in India.
Cartoon notes: Metal-Head's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes United We Stand, Granny Dearest, Victory at Volcania, The Nozone Conspiracy, General Confusion, Pigskin Commandos, D-Day at Alcatraz, and That's Entertainment, and the second-season episodes Long Live Rock & Roll, Keyboard Commandos, The Greatest Evil, Cobra World, Metal-Head's Reunion, and The Legend of Metal-Head.
Comic notes: Metal-Head appeared in 2 issues, both in 1991: #114 and 116.

 

Undertow	Item #6137	Regular Carded Assortment
Destro's Frogmen
Appearance: green face mask; red shirt with grey chest panel and green padding; black air tank; green gloves; grey pants and boots with green kneepads and black knife on left ankle.
Accessories: dark grey face mask (new, soft plastic with red eye); two grey flippers (new); black trident (new); grey sea sled (new, with torpedo tab); red torpedo (new, smooth with tab slot); black hose (short standard); silver barracuda (new, soft plastic).
Filecard Information: Any frogman can operate efficiently in clean water, under optimum conditions, but the UNDERTOW are especially trained to function and fight in the murky, polluted waters that clog busy industrial and military waterfronts. His wet-suit is made of a nontoxic, anti-corrosive material. His face-mask is coated with silicone to repel oil slicks, and is organically conditioned against hostile biological agents and infections. "Undertow will swim through ANYTHING! This guy makes leeches look friendly! It's almost impossible to defeat him in his own environment! If we have to take him on his own backyard, we first have to get tetanus booster shots before we move out for action. The best defense against this slime-swimmer is to keep a safe distance and throw grenades from behind a well fortified enclosure."
Versions: 1. 1990 (Iron Grenadiers) 2. 2000 (RAH Collection) 3. 2002 (Sound Attack)
Variations: The 1990 catalog pictures what looks to be a squarish, black helmet. (It may simply be poor lighting.)
Mold: head—Undertow (90, 00, 02), Fast Blast Viper (01, 02) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Undertow (90, 00, 02)
Toy notes: Featured in the Piranha commercial.

 

Airborne	Item # 6200-2	Sky Patrol Carded Assortment
Sky Patrol Parachute Assembler		E-7 (Army sergeant first class)	SN: 501-2232-DP65
File Name: Sgt. Robert M. Six		Primary MOS: Sky Patrol Parachute Assembler
POB: Lake Geneva, WI		Secondary MOS: Battlefield Medic
Appearance: yellow hair; grey shirt and pants with beige camouflage and dark grey vest; silver shoulder guards and kneepads; dark grey gloves, belt and boots.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, with red goggles); grey backpack (84 Parachute Pack) with silver parachute; black assault rifle (new, oversized).
Filecard Information: All paratroopers pack their own chutes so they'll have no one to blame but themselves if their canopies fail to open. Assembling a chute is another thing altogether. The maintenance of the canopy and shroud line is best left to a master rigger, and there isn't a man in the Army who knows more about the standard U.S. T-10 parachute than AIRBORNE. Once the patrol is safely on the ground, Airborne becomes their combat medic. He's a real lifesaver, in more ways than one. "Airborne is one of the most popular guys in the patrol. You have to like him. He makes sure your parachute opens every time you make a jump. Airborne's also the individual who has to go out, usually under heavy enemy fire, to save you from an unfortunate encounter with a bullet, or from a run-in with a land mine. Through thick and thin, Airborne is always there when you need him."
Versions: 1. 1990 (Sky Patrol)
Variations: The prototype pictured in the catalog has red goggles on his helmet.
Mold: head—UNIQUE! arms, torso, waist, and legs—Lift-Ticket (86)
Toy notes: 1983 Airborne and 1990 Airborne were the first two individuals to share the same code name. The Sky Patrol parachutes and backpacks are repaints of the green Parachute Pack first available by mail in 1984.
Cartoon notes: Airborne's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes The Mind Mangler and BIOK.
Comic notes: This Airborne did not appear in the comic.

 

Airwave	Item # 6200-6	Sky Patrol Carded Assortment
Sky Patrol Audible Frequency Specialist		E-8 (Army first sergeant)	SN: 450-1941-CS49
File Name: 1SG Cliff V. Mewett		Primary MOS: Sky Patrol Audible Frequency Specialist
POB: Louisville, KY		Secondary MOS: Signal Corps Adjutant for JCS [Joint Chiefs of Staff]
Appearance: yellow hair; dark yellow shirt; pale yellow vest with brown pipes and pale yellow shoulder guards; brown wristbands; pale yellow blue gloves; dark yellow pants with brown panels; brown belt and boots; pale yellow leg holsters.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, with visor pegs); bronze visor (new, shieldlike); brown backpack (84 Parachute Pack) with silver parachute; silver machine gun/grenade launcher (new).
Filecard Information: AIRWAVE can coax a signal through a shot-up PRC-77 receiver/transmitter from the bottom of a rift valley during an electrical storm. He can improvise an antenna out of a wire fence, cleaning rods, or claymore wire, and repair circuits using a bayonet and heat tabs for a soldering iron. Airwave's knowledge and skills aren't theoretical, they're absolutely practical where it counts the most—in the field! "Once, on a simulated artillery spotting mission in a deserted industrial complex, Airwave's radio was totaled by enemy machine gun fire. The squad immediately wanted to scrub the mission and call it a day, but not Airwave. As mock shells exploded all around, this die-hard maneuvered his way towards a semi-destroyed telephone booth. When inside, he adjusted the phone's circuitry and called his own artillery battery to relay the target coordinates on enemy positions. He believes that his job is not defined by his equipment, but by problems and their solutions!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Sky Patrol)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—UNIQUE! arms, torso, waist, and legs—Motor Viper (86)
Toy notes: The Sky Patrol parachutes and backpacks are repaints of the green Parachute Pack first available by mail in 1984.
Cartoon notes: Airwave's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes The Mind Mangler and BIOK.
Comic notes: Airwave did not appear in the comic.

 

Altitude	Item # 6200-1	Sky Patrol Carded Assortment
Sky Patrol Recon Scout		E-9 (Army sergeant major)	SN: 782-6901-VT52
File Name: Sgt. Major John-Edward O. Jones		Primary MOS: Sky Patrol Recon Scout
POB: Cambria, CA		Secondary MOS: Combat Artist
Appearance: black flat-top hair; green shirt and pants with gold grey half-vest, orange sleeves and leg coverings; brown gloves, belt, holster.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, indented with visor pegs); gold visor (new, shieldlike); black rocket pistol (new, two-piece); black rocket (new).
Filecard Information: Being a full-blooded Apache Indian and the son of a famous Hollywood stunt man, ALTITUDE had a lot to live up to. Altitude was gifted with both a photographic memory and a talent for drawing. After his budding artistic career in the animation industry was shortened by the collapse of syndicated cartoon programming, he decided to embark on a new career in the military. He's the first G. I. Joe ever to combine two totally different specialties—reconnaissance and combat artistry—and make them work. "The principle [sic] job of a scout is to bring back information. The more detailed the information, the better. Altitude can sneak up on an enemy installation, thoroughly observe it for a few days, and not even be spotted. After he has gathered enough information, he quietly leaves his observation post to return to headquarters. Once there, he uses his recall abilities to sketch the installation in exact detail. He is so good that the Sky Patrol uses his sketches instead of maps because they're that precise."
Versions: 1. 1990 (Sky Patrol)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—UNIQUE! arms, torso, waist, and legs—Slip-Stream (86)
Toy notes: The Sky Patrol parachutes and backpacks are repaints of the green Parachute Pack first available by mail in 1984.
Cartoon notes: Altitude's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes The Mind Mangler and BIOK.
Comic notes: Altitude did not appear in the comic.

 

Drop Zone	Item # 6200-3	Sky Patrol Carded Assortment
Sky Patrol Weapons Specialist		E-8 (Army first sergeant)	SN: 675-4109-SG54
File Name: 1SG Samuel C. Delisi		Primary MOS: Sky Patrol Weapons Specialist
POB: Poteau, OK		Secondary MOS: Special Forces Advisor
Appearance: black hair; dark orange suit with grey vest and brown wristbands and leg coverings; brown belt; brown and grey boots.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, with visor pegs); reddish brown visor (new, shieldlike); brown backpack (84 Parachute Pack) with silver parachute; brown cannon (new, double-barreled with shoulder harness).
Filecard Information: DROP ZONE loves his job, every olive-drab bit of it. He is at his best when the cold wind hits his face as soon as he steps out of a C-130 transport at 20,000 feet. He relishes the smell of gun oil and nitro solvent on his MAC-10. The sound of artillery rounds soaring overhead is music to his ears. He still can't believe that he actually gets paid to have this much fun! "Just because he volunteers for every hazardous assignment doesn't qualify him for a special commendation. This guy is fully aware of all the cruel realities that accompany a battle. His main concern is to successfully complete the mission to the best of his ability. Drop Zone is a true G. I. Joe dogface. He believes that duty and honor still have meaning in today's complex society and that Cobra is lower than pond scum!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Sky Patrol)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—UNIQUE! arms, torso, waist, and legs—Strato-Viper (86)
Toy notes: The Sky Patrol parachutes and backpacks are repaints of the green Parachute Pack first available by mail in 1984.
Cartoon notes: Drop Zone's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes The Mind Mangler and BIOK.
Comic notes: Drop Zone did not appear in the comic.

 

Skydive	Item # 6200-5	Sky Patrol Carded Assortment
Sky Patrol Leader		E-8 (Army first sergeant)	SN: 131-4569-FX90
File Name: 1SG Lynton N. Felix		Primary MOS: Sky Patrol Leader
POB: Pensacola, FL		Secondary MOS: Personnel Administration
Appearance: brown hair and moustache; blue flight suit with silver straps on torso; white piping on forearms and legs; dark grey gloves; white holster, boots; and panel on right leg.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, soft plastic with black goggles); blue backpack (84 Parachute Pack) with silver parachute; grey pistol (new); grey assault rifle (new, oversized M16).
Filecard Information: SKYDIVE spent ten years on staff at the Ranger School in Fort Benning and earned a reputation for being the toughest NCO in the program! He would skip breakfast just so he wouldn't spoil his appetite for eating snakes and water bugs. A twenty mile forced march is a piece of cake for this guy. Ranger trainees hate his guts when he puts them through the ringer during the program. In time, most come to appreciate his devotion to "train hard and fight easy," especially after they've fought their first hand-to-hand battle. "Sky Patrol operates deep within enemy territory, cut off from supply and support. There can be no margin for error when you're that far behind the lines. One mistake and you're history! Only a battle-hardened veteran can pull off a mission without a hitch. That's just the type of leader you'll get with Skydive—the most successful head-knocker in the patrol!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Sky Patrol)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—UNIQUE! arms, torso, waist, and legs—Gyro-Viper (86)
Toy notes: Oddly, even though Skydive is designated the Sky Patrol Leader, it is Altitude who carries the highest rank (E-9). The Sky Patrol parachutes and backpacks are repaints of the green Parachute Pack first available by mail in 1984.
Cartoon notes: Skydive's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes The Nozone Conspiracy, The Mind Mangler, and BIOK.
Comic notes: Skydive did not appear in the comic.

 

Static Line	Item # 6200-4	Sky Patrol Carded Assortment
Sky Patrol Demolitions Expert		E-7 (Army sergeant first class)	SN: 782-6001-XR52
File Name: Sgt. Wallace J. Badducci		Primary MOS: Sky Patrol Demolitions Expert
POB: Chicago, IL		Secondary MOS: Aircraft Maintenance
Appearance: African-American; black hair; blue shirt with silver chest and shoulder armor; grey gloves; white pants with black belt and holsters; blue and black boots.
Accessories: silver helmet (new, with black painted visor); white backpack (84 Parachute Pack) with silver parachute; silver pistol (new, high-tech); silver twin laser (new, crescent-shaped with two handles).
Filecard Information: The common perception of a demolitions expert is a guy who blows things up. STATIC LINE does the opposite. He prevents things from destruction by defusing them or rendering them inert. This is an extremely valuable skill if your unit conducts strikes behind enemy lines that are probably mined and booby-trapped with high-impact, motion sensitive firing devices. "Static Line has a nose for finding hard-to-find things, such as money. He picks up five dollar bills off sidewalks in front of movie theaters, twenties from the supermarket check-out line, or even loose change that people carelessly pull out of their pockets. Is he lucky? No. He is just the type of person who constantly examines every square inch of ground before he steps on it!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Sky Patrol)
Variations: Static Line's helmet is solid silver in the 1990 catalog and in the Sky Patrol commercial.
Mold: head—UNIQUE! arms, torso, waist, and legs—Back-Stop (87)
Toy notes: So does he keep the money or try to find the owner? (This would give keen additional insight into Static Line's character.) The Sky Patrol parachutes and backpacks are repaints of the green Parachute Pack first available by mail in 1984.
Cartoon notes: Static Line's most significant appearances were the first-season DiC episodes The Mind Mangler and BIOK.
Comic notes: Static Line did not appear in the comic.

 

Cold Front	Item # 6339	boxed with Avalanche
Avalanche Driver		E-7 (Army sergeant first class)	SN: 834-1965-TH56
File Name: Sgt. Charles Donahue		Primary MOS: Avalanche Driver
POB: Fort Knox, KY		Secondary MOS: Fire Control Technician
Appearance: white helmet; red hair; white snow suit with grey fur collar and gloves; grey straps and belt; brown gloves and thigh-high boots.
Accessories: clear gold visor (new, with nose notch); white mic (new, bent at 90 degrees); white pistol (new, high-tech).
Filecard Information: COLD FRONT was born so close to Fort Knox, he was breathing diesel fumes from the old M-60s as his cradle rocked to the distant concussion blasts from the turret guns on the Shermans. Growing up, Cold Front became interested in the tanks. He studied many tactics and strategies from the Korean War to the present. When he was eighteen, he enlisted in the Army and because of his knowledge of tanks, was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division. There he gained valuable experience before he was re-assigned to G. I. Joe's Arctic Patrol! He became such a crackerjack tank driver that Gen. Hawk put him in charge of the meanest tank ever to rumble through the tundra—the Avalanche! "Cold Front cannot allow himself to drive a car because he'll destroy it. A well built station wagon lasts about two weeks in his hands and is usually not salvageable for parts. After he was pried out of the wreckage of his last civilian vehicle, he remarked, 'I keep forgetting they're not tanks!'"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Avalanche)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:
Comic notes: Cold Front did not appear in the comic.

 

Major Storm	Item # 6320	boxed with General
General Commander		O-4 (Army major)	SN: 785-2113-GE00
File Name: Maj. Robert G. Swanson		Primary MOS: General Commander
POB: Providence, RI		Secondary MOS: Long Range Artillery Officer
Appearance: red-brown hair; brown shirt and pants; dark green vest with blue strap and buttons; brown gloves, belt, holster.
Accessories: gold helmet (new, with star, eyepiece, and mic); gold pistol (new, oversized).
Filecard Information: MAJOR STORM accumulated his skills the hard way—in the field. He's forgotten more about armor tactics than most tank commanders will ever know in their lifetimes. He is a battle hardened warrior who has driven the big ones—the M-60A1 and the M1A1 all-purpose battlefield crusher. To him, the General is just another heavily-armored chunk of government hardware that was designed to defeat Cobra—it's just bigger than anything he's ever commanded. "From the commander's seat of the General, Major Storm can scan the battlefield with an amazing array of sensors, including third generation image intensifiers, infrared detectors, pulse doppler radar and laser range finders. All this electronic hodge-podge is controlled by an advanced computer guided system that only the Major can decipher. The General boasts more firepower than an entire 155mm howitzer battery and its anti-aircraft defense system is second to none! To the dismay of the crew who keep it rumbling, Major Storm still refers to it as 'his tank'!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (General) 2. 2003 (Convention)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, and waist—Maj. Storm (90, 03) torso—Maj. Storm (90, 03), Windchill (89, 94) legs—Maj. Storm (90, 03), Crankcase (85)
Toy notes: Note to collectors: Perhaps due to his lackluster uniform and obscure nature (i.e., not pictured in Hasbro's catalog), Storm is often confused with other vehicle drivers, such as Cold Front and Updraft.
Comic notes: Maj. Storm appeared in only one issue in 1992: #130.

 

Updraft	Item # 6335	boxed with Retaliator
Retaliator Pilot		O-3 (Army captain)	SN: 223-2088-NQ43
File Name: Capt. Matthew W. Smithers		Primary MOS: Retaliator Pilot
POB: Bismark, ND [sic, should be Bismarck]		Secondary MOS: Weapons Systems Officer
Appearance: brown hair; dark grey shirt with brown shoulder pads and half-gloves; off-white pants with brown belt, holster.
Accessories: dark grey helmet (new, with silver double visor); dark grey pistol (new, oversized with scope).
Filecard Information: UPDRAFT led the American team to victory two years in a row at the World Helicopter Championships and was a special instructor at the Flight Warrant Officer's School at Fort Rucker before being selected for duty with G. I. Joe. His "hands-on" experience played an integral role in the final design of the Retaliator helicopter. Updraft's input greatly added to the copter's maneuverability, heavy-lift capability, and battlefield survivability. "Updraft molds the Retaliator to him the way he would a new suit. The machine becomes a part of him and even takes on his body language. If the G. I. Joes are in a hot situation, they'd like to see Updraft fly in to lay down cover fire and get them out of there!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Retaliator)
Variations: Updraft's uniform is clearly green on his filecard; since such art is prepared well in advance of figure production, his dark grey coloring was probably a late development.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes:
Comic notes: Updraft appeared in only one issue in 1992: #130.

 

Decimator	Item # 6357	boxed with Hammerhead
Cobra Hammerhead Driver
Appearance: yellow face mask; dark grey double-breasted jacket and gloves with light grey armbands and belt; dark green pants with light grey and green boots.
Accessories: dark grey and white helmet (new, with green visor); dark grey speargun (new, with three spears visible).
Filecard Information: Cobra Island is surrounded by open beaches which are, at the very least, hostile environments for tanks of any sort. The Hammerhead was specifically developed to function in shallow coastal waters, sand and scrub vegetation. Sacrificing heavy armor protection for speed and agility, the Hammerhead requires a driver with lightning fast reflexes and exceptional peripheral vision. "The wide-angle, image-intensifier unit built into the DECIMATOR's helmet offers him a 180-degree view in almost complete darkness. The image he sees is compressed in the same manner used for wide-screen movie titles when they are shown on TV. In essence, he can keep the target in front of him at all times and get a perfectly clear shot at it without even turning his head. This is extremely advantageous when fighting a speeding vehicle on a flat beach!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Hammerhead)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Decimator (90), Coil Trooper (06) arms, torso, waist, and legs—UNIQUE!
Toy notes: The filecard is worded in such a way that some see Decimator as an individual, and some as a type of trooper.

 

Overlord	Item # 6380	boxed with Dictator
Appearance: black slicked-back hair; silver monacle; gold face mask; orange vest with gold shoulder armor and black gloves; gold pants with red belt; black padded waistpiece
Accessories: gold helmet (new, crested); two claw gauntlets (new, webbed).
Filecard Information: Rising up from the ranks of one of Cobra's elite legions, the OVERLORD is a power-hungry authoritarian bent on becoming Cobra's supreme ruler! He is a diabolical individual who expects nothing less than complete obedience from his troops. At this point in time, he is the only one with enough strength and charisma to reunite all the sinister personalities within Cobra's hierarchy to form a more dangerous, more vicious Cobra than ever before! "As far as we can ascertain, the Overlord was a high-ranking officer of the feared CRIMSON GUARD now planning to seize control of both the Cobra organization and its expanded treasury. Of course, like any corrupt politician, he cloaked his own back room dealings and improprieties with a platform of reform, righteous indignation, and a return to traditional values . . . Cobra values!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Dictator) 2. 2006 (Convention)
Variations: Some Overlords may have come with only one gold claw. (I'm pretty sure mine did.) A photo on the box shows a claw with an exceptionally long arm (which also appears in the catalog and commercial).
Mold: head—Overlord (90, 06) arms, torso, waist, and legs—UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Featured in the Dictator commercial and both "new figures" commercials; animated and placed opposite a live-action Sgt. Slaughter as 1990's spokesman for Cobra, despite the fact that he never appeared in the DiC cartoon.
Comic notes: Overlord did not appear in the comic, but his biography is similar to that of several Fred-series Crimson Guardsmen from earlier in the comic's history.

 

Vapor	Item # 6343	boxed with Hurricane
Cobra Hurricane VTOL Pilot
Appearance: silver robotic helmet with red eyes; grey shirt with black diagonal straps and Cobra emblem on chest; red backpack straps; black gloves; grey pants with red waistpiece and holster; black boots
Accessories: none.
Filecard Information: The VTOL tactical fighter pilot has direct shunts from his optic nerve to his inboard targeting computers. Important data can be projected directly onto his helmet's field of vision screen. He is also equipped with advanced laser-powered, heads-up-display target locator with direct servo-linkage to the weapons systems that can be actuated by simple voice command. This enables VAPOR to engage a target instantaneously, substantially increasing his first-hit probability percentage. "Vapor is an unbeatable sky warrior for the first half hour of an engagement, then he becomes debilitated by excruciating headaches and vision failure caused by a massive overload in the image-processing centers in the brain. What makes him truly dangerous is his uncany ability to knock out almost every enemy fighter in the air during that half hour before he blacks out!"
Versions: 1. 1990 (Hurricane)
Variations: None.
Mold: Vapor (90), Air-Viper (03)
Toy notes: Vapor's character art shows him with Updraft's pistol, but none was included with the figure. The filecard is worded in such a way that some see Vapor as an individual, and some as a type of trooper.

Equipment:

Mail Offers:

Cartoons:

Comics:

Intro 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993

1994 1995-96 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Return to the MAIN PAGE.