Mace (1993)
As the Joe team’s second undercover operations specialist, Mace looks more the part of police officer than soldier. That’s due to his original planned designation to be part of the second series of the Drug Elimination Force, or DEF. Like his teammates for that assortment, he came equipped with a decidedly cover blowing accessory, the helmet mounted missile launcher.
Whereas Muskrat seemed to make the odd weapon work simply because of his own overall strangeness, Mace is not so fortunate. The only thing really out of the ordinary for this figure is his bright yellow holster and weapons. So plopping a cycloptic yellow helmet on him and attaching a missile launcher is akin to giving Dave Starsky a jet pack. The file card describes the missile launcher weapon as a “missile firing stealth gun with built-in silencer.” Sure, just like I’ve got a 10 lb. hammer that I call the “soft and gentle finger massager.”
Goofy weapon aside, I do like the mold. Hasbro must have too, as they later reused parts of it when making the 2000s series comic packs’ original Joe team. Most of it became Clutch and Steeler, due to the unique shoulder holster. Though many 90’s figures were designed with bulkier chests, Mace’s is one of the biggest by far. I wonder if it was intended for some other figure with a spring loaded feature? It’s really that big. The jacket mold has a couple of pretty well done features, one of which is the way that the bottom of the jacket continues onto the waist, giving a more realistic appearance of a leather jacket. It’s nice to see that every Joe doesn’t do the Urkel tuck with his shirt or jacket.
The head sculpt is another one of those Joes with a face for radio. He’s a lantern-jawed fellow who looks like he could understudy for Robert Z’Dar.
As I look at him now, I think he’s the better figure, but I passed on him as a kid because I already had Muskrat with his ridiculous helmet gun and I figured I didn’t need two of them. Some of his colors may be a bit on the bright side, but that torso mold is just incredible. I’m really glad to see it finally got some reuse during 2000s with the comic packs. It’s a very nice piece but it’s used with such an obscure figure that it doesn’t really get the credit it deserves.
One of my fave Joes: http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=18354&catid=member&imageuser=444 !
Wondered why he wasn’t Chuckles V2, but I’m glad he wasn’t. Their faces are nothing alike.
“This is Mace with WDEF! We’ve got another long run of classic rock coming up, but not before I tell you all about my debilitating neck injury I suffered from firing my stealth gun last week!”
They could’ve at least given him a different hair color to further distinguish him from Chuckles…
A straight repaint of this figure would have been really good. He would have been a perfect fit for the Anti Venom set. But, Hasbro screwed the pooch on their mold choices and we got another Duke instead. The Clutch figure using his torso didn’t work as the other parts didn’t complement the torso properly. So, we’re left with another case of what could have been.
Why does he have such a large, stiff, Frankenstein-like head? Because without it, he couldn’t mount a cannon on it!
This is a great looking figure especially if you go with an urban/DEF setting as he was originally planned for. But, the helmet is just stupid.
thats my dad no joke
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This 1993 Mace just screams “Duke” or “Hawk”!!
Ignore the M.U.S.C.L.E. / Kinnikuman ” Akuma Shogun” helmet, and you have a nice 90’s update on either of the Joe’s blonde-haired leaders!
It could have been a “correction” action figure that turned the toy Hawk back from brunette to original blonde again.
Ha!
Picked up a loose Mace sans accessories for $2.50 at a toy show last month, and am very happy with him. Straight forward, law enforcement style design well suited to DEF, which I count him as being part of. Not having the helmet or the helmet launcher helps — I gave him a gun from Battle Corps Dr. Mindbender since they are in the same shade of yellow. Along with the Bullet-Proof I picked up at the same show, my DEF team is off to a nice start.