1984 Mutt & Junkyard (Helmet Variant)
By Hit & Run
Mutt & Junkyard was first released in 1984, early versions of the helmet had holes in the side of the helmet, traditionally used for visors. Later helmets were corrected and the holes were filled in. Which variant do you have?
From getting the new figures to army building to foreign Joes, the craziest part of collecting is how much it changes and how much it stays the same over the years. When I was a wee lad, getting one of every figure was enough and today variations have become the new “one of everything” craze for me. So while my focuses may have shifted, that same desire to complete the collection still lives on. Over the years as my “want” list dwindled down, the fire for collecting seemed to wane and the need to restore that flame for digging through bins of loose Joes lead me to variants! Not just the ones we all know, like the “Mickey Mouse” Cobra Commander, but the seemingly never ending list of variants like the “Made in China” vs. “Made in Hong Kong” or the SN Number file card variants or the soft plastic vs. hard plastic. Crazy some would say? Yes I agree, but that is what love is all about and I truly love the hobby of G.I. Joe!
Mutt & Junkyard hold a special place in my heart, when I was 7 years old (1984) I came home from school one day and my parents were sitting on the couch and my mother told me that I had forgot something on my bed, when I went into my room, there was a Recondo sitting on the foot of my bed. The next day, same scenario – same results, this time much to my joy was good ole Mutt & Junkyard! Needless to say the third day I raced home, bypassed my parents hoping to dispense of the theatrics…only to find an empty bed…2 out 3 isn’t bad! Thirty plus years later I have completed the cycle and added this Mutt variant to my collection!
By the way, Hit & Run also has a collection page over at JoeDios . Check it out here. –Rob
I have a Duke with an 82 helmet with no holes.
I have both an 83 Duke and an 84 Mutt. I’m not sure weather Duke’s backpack is his or Airborne’s though.
I remember getting my Mutt for my 7th Birthday [in 1993] As I lived in a dust bowel where the toy store only stocked surplus stuff the “better” towns didn’t want/need.
And although my sister had some of the female characters [Zarana, Ninja force Scarlett and a frankenstiened Baroness] , Junkyard was her favourite character.
Aaargh! I had to go and look now because I wan’t certain but all is well – Mutt, like Duke, doesn’t have pointless holes in his helmet.
@Skymate – I really hope you meant dustbowl but you can never tell with Aussies 🙂
I didn’t know about this variant. It’s cool; the holes tie him visually to the other Joes.
@Dekkard
I refer to the mighty metropolis of Cootamundra [its only claim to fame is that Don Bradmen was supposedly born there] as a “dustbowel” as it bears a striking resemblance to Tatooine
@Skymate
No mate, Tatooine is in Tunisa, I know, I’ve been there.
Don Bradman is a claim to fame indeed – one of the finest cricketers in history – even though he played against England!
Cool review!