Roadblock (1994 Star Brigade)
I find the second series of Star Brigade figures to be much more interesting than their prececessors. Not only were some new parts mixed in among the reused elements, but the generic card art was jettisoned in favor of character specific packaging, in keeping with the rest of Real American Hero era. When there’s a giant (preferably painted) portrait on a GI Joe package, all is right with the action figure world.
Of course, Roadblock doesn’t utilize any new tooling, being yet another repaint of the jet pack General Hawk from 1991. I’ve always thought that the mold was the best of the non-space suit mold reuses. The previous version of Roadblock was a nice white and blue affair, and could effectively pair up with the original Countdown if you’re looking for consistentcy among your Joe space forces. Here, the orange and black color scheme is beautifully simple. Orange is even a realistic space suit color, for those interested in keeping their Joe astronauts closer to Earth than to a galaxy far, far away (I’m looking at you, Space Shot).
There’s not much more I can say, really. Hands down, this is one of the coolest figures in the long history of GI Joe repaints. And just look at that card art. Wonderful. I can’t even bring myself to open it.
Unlike you, I got mine loose. Now I just need his accessories–so far, all I have is a missile.
Word of advice for Star Brigade displays: make sure the figures are holding the more Sci-fi of their accessories, like this Roadblock and his gold ’91 Grunt gun for example.
I’ve always preferred the white/blue space outfit Roadblock, but the orange and black looks good, too.
I have the white and blue version. I found him in a thrift store. I was able to arm him with some weapons from Robojoe’s tree seeing as how they both came with the same set of gold weapons.
I think its a pitty Starbrigade is one of the most hated subteams. G.I.JOE has always had astronauts. Maybe there should be a star brigade convention set or something simmilar in the near future.
The orange works great for astronaut figures. I do worry about that weapons tree done in gold. Would it crumble to dust if you crack open the card? Maybe not having opened it was a wise choice after all.
@Clutch
The gold weapons are not made of that notorious gold plastic. So far none of my Robojoe’s weapons have crumbled to dust
Nice packaging,indeed.
Yes, the weapons sprue were soft plastic (except the Shadow Ninjas); it’s the harder gold plastic that crumbles or gets brittle. Star Brigade TARGAT and Armor Tech General Hawk are figures to be careful with.
This is one of my all time favorite figures. The orange and black in the space context makes for an amazing figure. You have the silver grenades version which I prefer. But they are both awesome.
Despite the purported disdain for star brigade, have you checked the current prices for series 2 figures? Figures that I bought in lots for $2per carded figure have appreciated quite a bit.
I use this version, after a headswap as ROBO-Joe. It makes for a much more useable RJ figure but retains his black/orange colouring. In my Joeverse, the huge, clunky ArmourTech figures are assault robots.
@Dekkard
Funny you should say that. A few years ago i heard a rumor that the Armour tech figures were made from cancelled Transformers action master molds.
@Skymate
I think it was actually that they used silhouettes from Transformers Action Masters artwork as teasers for the Armor-Tech figures while they were still in development; the actual figures themselves sadly do not have the lovely 1980s sci-fi blockiness that characterised most Transformers.
Here, you can see it in the 1993 catalogue (note that they’re referred to as “Star Brigade Fighters”… also, the green Armor-Bot and odd-looking Power Fighters): http://www.yojoe.com/catalogs/93/1.shtml
http://www.yojoe.com/catalogs/93/3.shtml
I tell you, I was SO disapponted when Armour-Tech Hawk ended up looking nothing like that…
@Jester
I remeber telling my parents i wanted the armourbot for x-mas in ’94 [i was 8 at the time]. I remember my mother said she looked everywhere and couldnt find the “green grasshopper thing” anywhwere. No wonder she couldnt find. It had its colours changed.
You know what, i much prefer the power fighters that are difficult to find rather then those weird things pictured.
On the Transformers wikia site; on G1 shockwaves page there is a joke about the armourtech Hawk figure saying that “Figure and franchise may vary”
Great figure, bad colors…
I know Roadblock here is known for packing some big guns, but a gun that can blast a star?!? Wow!
It seemed like Star Brigade got harped on quite a bit in the past, but I think that the Marvel comics story arc where they had to destroy the weaponized asteroid was pretty cool.
Space was always there, I mean the comics Pit III was really the Defiants hidden launch location.