Big Brawler (2004)
When we last left Big Brawler, he had ventured to India and picked up a samurai sword, laser gun, tight yellow t-shirt and Ambush’s impressive muttonchops. Now he’s back, and apparently he’s raided Salvo’s footlocker. I suppose I should backtrack a bit and mention that this isn’t the first time Mr. Big had worn an outfit like this. He was part of the Toys R Us Tiger Force set, and also in another Tiger Force homage get-up in one of the Spy Troops assortments. I’m still a bit miffed that a cool figure like Tiger Force Outback’s image was sullied by a yahoo like the Brawler. Why couldn’t he have picked someone whose image I didn’t care about, like, oh I don’t know, what would be appropriate alternative character name to base Brawler on? Hey, I got it, Skidmark!
I kid Big Brawler, and truth be told, I do like the shirt on this one. It’s very Daktari. If I ever do a Nice Shirt Week, he would qualify. Then again, maybe this Brawler is the first member of a new GI Joe sub-team: Zebra Force. In the intervening years between the Real American Hero Collection and Valor Vs. Venom, the Impressively-Sized Ruckus also paid a visit to Hair Club for Men, since he now has a pretty impressive coiffure, courtesy 1991 Low-Light. Dangit! Is there no end to the cool molds that will be bastardized to bring us new versions if this goombah? I swear if they ever do a modern version of Big B., they’ll probably use bits of 30th anniversary Storm Shadow.
I suppose if anybody besides Salvo could get away with wearing bandoliers on his legs, it’s El Grande Brawlero. He’s also apparently taken the time and effort to paint them with the same camo pattern as his pants. In the end, they’re very nice, in a way that only he can pull off. I give him a lot of grief, but he’s lovable in a way, and I miss the big lug. Maybe he’ll show up again someday. Until then, brawl on, Big Brawler. You’ll never brawl alone.
You know, you could always swap the legs out with something different. I have a custom idea that uses this guy’s head–put it atop the Desert Patrol Squad Dusty from around this time, give him the ’91 Low-Light accessories that came with the 2002 Destro and Neo-Viper (plus the knife that came with Mirage), and presto, Desert Patrol Squad Low-Light.
Wasnt there one available with a missile launching thing-a-ma-bob that was sold as a deluxe? I remeber turning it down in favour of Armada Thrust. Yeah thats been something i’ve never regretted:(
Ah yes, you have to admire a man’s dedication to being the most awesomest deceptive warfare and camouflage expert that he went to the trouble of painting his ammo camo. I’ll freely admit, I do miss the original Christopher Lowell head for good ol’ Brawler. The set he came with was pretty cool (and an amazingly good value at the time), but I could never find one near me, so I don’t own this version of Mr. Brawler. And no, Brawler didn’t visit the Hair Club for Men, he brawled his hair back into existence on his head…that’s how you roll when you brawl big, boys and girls.
@Skymate
That was the 2003 newsculpt version. He came with the first version of the Gun Station.
@ Acer. Thanks i wish i had scouped up more of the spytroops/VvV stuff instead of all that Armada and Energon crap
Isn’t there some controversy with this guy because he was named after some guy that helps run the G.I.Joe club?
A great figure!
El Grande Brawlero of the this and the tiger variety became parts donors here.
Except for one head (first one), Big Brawler is a failure of a character to me, and only succeeds as a figure by using very good parts from other figures.
In a lot of ways, it’s almost like a particular club head somehow had a lot of voice in what Hasbro put into a largely distributed item.
Have you ever wondered who really made the decision to “destroy” the oring molds?
I did do that, I would have been happiest with this recipe begin released instead of BB, of course with a more blonde hair.
I think it was still Steel Brigade Club at that time of original Brawler; maybe the forces were joined, too, who knows. They may have been helpful in reviving the 3.75″ guys, and they definitely did not like Sgt. Savage or Extreme.
You could make the case that El Brawlero’s specialty (infiltration and deception (brawlin’ not so much)) explains the extreme hair style and color changes, whereas when Low-Light grew a beard and dyed his hair black it was just confusing…
Wow, a Daktari reference! Very cool throwback nod to the 60’s.
I had the original version of Big Brawler with the not-Lowell head sculpt. I gave him a vintage helmet which fit to a tee and he was good to go.
This version could be of use as Clutch since that’s who the ’91 Low-Light head reminds me of. (Well, either Clutch or a non-Arctic Frostbite.) I’m also a huge fan of ’87 Outback and his torso has proven very popular over the years.
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