Stalker (1989)
I sit here tonight in the midst of a snow storm in May. More than a little odd for my corner of the world, and inspiring in a way. The last time I took photos in the snow was back in December. I figured I would tuck them away until the snowy season rolled around again, but I couldn’t resist breaking out the very very cool (no pun intended) tundra ranger Stalker.
Cold weather figures naturally aren’t all that useable outside of their intended environments. Stalker’s specialty here in interesting in that tundra isn’t a totally snowy or icy environment. This is reflected in the presence of greens along with white in his uniform.
Funny enough, he was a central character in the DIC Operation: Dragonfire mini-series. Unlike previous cartoon minis, that particular series didn’t have the typical Joes battling Cobra in the snow scenes. As such, Stalker was a bit out of place running about in this outfit. He did get a chance to break out his famous white kayak in an underground river scene. I suppose when you’re tasked with selling a toy, you have to make sure you sell every accessory.
That particular accessory is one of the most amazing to be included with a GI Joe figure. It’s impressively large to be packed on a single carded figure. However it’s not my favorite of Stalker’s many pieces of gear. I’m fascinated by his mask. I really have no idea what this thing is supposed to do, beyond I suppose protecting his face from the elements. Whatever the purpose, it looks cool.
While not the most obvious outfit choices for a re-do of one of the original RAH team members, the figure did almost give me one of my wished-for figures: the arctic Stalker from Marvel Comics issue number two. I’m still hoping to see that one all these years later.
Stalker v1 was one of my first figures. I have most of the 83-84 series. One day on the school bus, back in 84-85, I lost my Stalker… he was one of my favorites. So when this version came out I was really excited and actually really impressed. I love this figure. I put his knife in his mask as he wore it and used the gun. The kayak is awesome. It was weird to have him as an arctic trooper but the accessories were great.
I was always really impressed by this version’s accessories. This was my brother’s version of Stalker and even though it didn’t fit in a lot of environments with his arctic gear, he still a lot of use. That kayak was really well done and I loved the gun that came with him.
The great thing about this version of Stalker is that it’s easily suited for various environments. Every repaint to originate from this figure has worked on at least one or more levels.
I’m guessing that the mask has an unpainted visor which allows him to see? I couldn’t tell until I noticed the above pic. The kayak was certainly an unprecedented accessory back in the day, reducing the card art to a near miniscule shadow of its usual self. Stalker’s tundra gear didn’t deter Larry Hama from using him in the comic, either. Stalker wore it throughout story arcs ranging from metropolitan New York to the arid grounds of Trucial Abysmia. It’s probably his second best known look next to his original camo and beret.
… The G.I. Joe carded figure with perhaps the most impressive accessory. When you saw Stalker on the shelves, you just stopped and looked at it. It was really an eyecatcher. That was one gigantic kayak! I’m trying to think of other figures with giant accessories taking up the card. Closest that comes to mind is Tracker and his inflatable raft.
Yeah, I found his mask strange too.
I read the Royals baseball game was postponed on the count of snow. Presumably the first time a home game of theirs was postponed for snow? News article about that said the last KC May measurable snowfall was May 1907.
Hey Rob, you might be able to make that figure a reality–just stick the head of one of the Comic Pack Stalkers atop the Arctic Snake Eyes from Comic Pack #2. Didn’t all the guy Joes wear that uniform in that issue?
Boy, does this figure mold and its accessories have a history of reuse–the first repaint was the 1993 Arctic Commandos version, with the knife being recolored black and given to the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie edition Sonya Blade; the figure’s head was repainted and put atop the 1992 Duke mold for the 2004 Desert Patrol Squad pack, and the year after the entire figure was repainted for the Winter Operations pack; the figure mold, sans head, was then used for two figures in the 2007 Tanks for the Memories set–the entire body for Rock N’ Roll, and the lower arms for Starduster; the final use of this entire figure’s anything came in the form of his accessories–the kayaks given to the Natalie Poole and Dolphin figures for the 2010 Vacation in the Shadows set, where Natalie in particular was given a grey version of the original figure’s rifle.
Stalker’s uniform had a white jacket. Now that I thunk of it, didn’t one of the PoC drivers use that mold in white?
I like this figure. Kayak aside the gun knife and mask are enough to put the figure on par with any other arctic figures. The green was also enough to him more useful than frostbite and iceberg. All the repaints are solid and worth tracking down on their own.
1989 sure did have some great figures
This is probably my favorite version of Stalker. I might not have his kyak but i still have his paddle. So he can give the cobra boys a paddling for paddling in the school canoe
I recently finished watching the DIC series. I was told it was “bad” but i had no idea that it would just go from bad to worse. I was told the set i bought was not a bootleg despite its faded cover and poor vhs quality it also had FBI warnings. My suspicions were confirmed it was a bootleg as every episode finishes with ‘Coming up next on channel 11 pizza time dudes”
I got stuck with the same deal, Skymate. Every episode ended with the announcer asking me to stay tuned for the Turtles cartoon. There’s a legit set of the entire DIC series out right now, courtesy of Shout! Factory. I got those as well because the bootlegs were unwatchable.
Operation Dragonfire was okay compared to the series itself but I knew it was no Sunbow when Sgt. Slaughter says “Shut up, Stalker!” The comic version of Stalker would have handed Slaughter his a$$ for that, but instead he is portrayed as just another average Joe.
Clutch. I also bought the Gobots set [which contained commercials from 1991 at one point] and C.O.P.S [which had an episode of Jayce and the wheeled warriors on it]
I thought Dragonfire was pretty mediocre at best. I thought the best [used very loosly] DIC episode was I found you, Evy.
A pity the last A.R.A.H episode we ever got was Legend of Metel head. Who thought the end of a cartoon that shaped a generation needed to end with a loving tribute to Metal head? Compared to DIC, Phantom brigade is Citizen Cane
Awesome figure, ultra cool Kayak!
It was White Out, the Wolf Hound driver. And to adjust my earlier idea, why not use the waist and legs of the Comic Pack arctic Snake Eyes, Stalker head, and the torso and arms of the Snow Job from the Past and Present boxed set?
Great figure!
I had hoped to see the head and waist/ legs re-used with a more general tactical torso/ arms available (in camo or black, of course). No such happenings.
Great figure, though, one of my early originals!
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It’s a hotly debated topic between myself whether or not my grandma got me Stalker V1 as a kid. I remember having him, but he’s not in my collection to this date. I may have traded him or lost him before I watched over my toys as a kid. When Stalker V2 came out in stores, I got him the moment I saw him on the shelves. (Remember in the 80s when Toys R Us’ had gigantic long dark aisles?!? I miss that.) Anyway, growing up near the beach in Los Angeles, I really had no use for snow figures, but that doesn’t mean I never had them! Stalker joined my team of Joes and immediately shot to the top of leadership ranks. The picture with the mask blows my mind. I never put the mask that way! I always put it the opposite way, like it was some sort of headband/neck warmer thing. WOW. I am shocked to realize I was wrong for so many years! YO JOE!