Beach-Head (1994)

I’ve been a bad GI Joe blogger, in terms of cataloging all of the various accessories included with the figures I cover. I suppose I could make excuses, and say that I’m not supposed to be an exhaustive guide site, like Yojoe.com or a type of online museum like 3DJoes. Of course, I am neither of those, but as a fan of the later years of the Real American Hero era, I really should be covering more of the later figures holding their missile launchers. I know that it’s sometimes nigh impossible to get these guys to remain upright without a battle stand when they’re holding their spring-powered implements of destruction, much less assume a pose that doesn’t look ridiculous, but I really should have tried harder. There are a few really interesting launchers out there, if taken for what they are. In pursuit of my focus on toys for the sake of toys, I’ll be sure to give each future missile firing figure’s launcher the proper exposure.

So what better way than to start to make amends than cover 1994 Beach-Head, a figure whose weapons are identical to the previous year’s? In my coverage of that first figure, I talked about not being able to give the figure his yellow weapons in good conscience. Since then, I’ve come around to a more “toys for the sake of toys” view of my figures, and a safety yellow vest and weapons don’t bother me too much any more. Then again, it could just be that knock on the head I took last year. Regardless, I’m digging the launcher, with its interesting cut-out vents that allow you to see the missile inside. That’s neat. Beach-Head is also carrying Recoil’s funky over/under rifle/shotgun thing. Think that weapon couldn’t get stranger than being molded in powder blue? Try bright yellow. This thing is just too odd for words, and looks unwieldy as all get out. However, it does back memories of the Black Hole Sentries’ cool double barreled laser pistols. Now there was a neat weapon.

Finally, this Beach-Head mold saw another release, in Brazil, as a Cobra named Armadhila. I’d love to pick up one of those figures, not just for its slightly different paint job from the 1993 version, but moreso for its inclusion of the Battle Corps Alley Viper’s cobra sigil shield molded in bright yellow. Awesome.

11 comments

  • Dreadnok: Spirit

    Not a bad figure, but I prefer the previous release with the black vest over this one’s yellow.

  • As i was 7 when Battlecorps [and other sub teams came out], it became my introduction to the franchise. To everyone else they may seem childish and silly but i will always have a soft spot for them as they were my first figures

    In my old town, Battlecorps and all those other sub lines were really popular with kids as the 3rd turtles movie had made many kids hate that franchise. Almost everyone reverted back to Joe collecting. I even had a freind who’s older brother [14 at the time] picked up Battle commanders Hawk and Battle corps Beachead becasue they had “Nice pants”
    Not long after that, the spandex show invaded the town and everyone forgot about GIJOE [except me]
    This Beachhead was my little brothers favorite figure back in the day. Whereas i would save up money to buy different figures, he would only ever buy Flak vipers and Beachead.
    This figure really had quite an impact on my brother as Beachhead became his favorite character. I think the reason he refused to see either of the live action films was because Beachhead wasnt in them.

    Kudos to that customiser on HISSTANK who has made all those Battle corps customs.

  • I found a spare of the yellow Recoil gun that this figure came with, with the shotgun attachment broken off. I clipped off the remaining piece of the clip, and now it’s a regular pistol. I think if you gave it to a vehicle driver that came from around this time, it wouldn’t be so out of place, and not too indistinguishable when compared to its original appearance. Anyone have an idea of which 92-94 figure could use it?

  • @Acer: I would give it to one of the Star Brigade characters since it looks more like something out of Battle Force 2000’s arsenal.

    Launchers never seem to bode well for the Joe brand. We were first stuck with these massive lumps of plastic during the final years of the vintage era. Hasbro is now revisiting the gimmick with their Retaliation movie figures even as the line’s future seems kinda uncertain beyond the upcoming Kwinn wave. Talk about coming full circle.

  • @Clutch
    They gotta have something toyetic for the kids…

  • @Acer
    The “top” of that funny over/under gun was reused by Hasbro in 1998 for POTF Lobot

    @Clutch
    The toy departments of all the shops in my area are overloaded with power rangers and there are no Joes in sight. Its like 1995 again

  • @Skymate – you’re lucky to have that. There’s not been anything Joe on the shelves over here for at least 2 years!

  • @Dekkard
    Rise of cobra tanked so badly over here shops didnt stock anything after wave 1. A few of the comic and specialty shops in Sydney have Renegades stuff but thats too far for me to travel just for a few figures. That Skystriker is tempting though.
    If you go to any small town toy store, you are bound to find pegs full of R.O.C Baroness’s

  • Some spring-fired missile launchers were definitely pretty cool.

    Red Star (’91) and even Big Bear (’92) had some cool to them. And some spring fire launchers were incorporated into almost little vehicles (Wet Suit ’92) or “sort of” battle stations (Duke ’92).

    However, 1993 had more launchers I really did not like.

    Alley Viper (’93) was one of my favorite figures, but the launcher I could have cared less about.

    The “Fang 2” missile launcher was one I really didn’t like, but it comes close to a top dislike with Backblast (’93).

    I never had the launcher for this Beachhead, but unlike Red Star’s (’91) detailed RPG-like launcher, Beachheads launcher just seems like a big blob with a spring to me.

  • TERRIFIC colors.
    The mold is quite good!

  • What makes this figure interesting is the real world colors and then that vest. It’s like ’94 Stalker with the neon yellow highlights over a decent figure. And though I’m not at all a fan of spring launchers, I’ve come to realize their importance during play. There’s no question who or what got “hit” when you’ve sent a plastic dart across the room!

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