Major Altitude (1993)
Major Altitude, a mail-in figure included in a two pack with the uniquely crazy repaint of Interrogator, comes from a year that was chock full of exclusive repainted figures. While the figure mail-ins began as a way to obtain as yet unreleased figures like Duke and Major Bludd, there were also figures never made available as part of the regular line. Hooded Cobra Commander, Super Trooper, the Fridge and the Steel Brigade were a few that were released over a period of a few years. In 1993 however, someone went hog wild with mail-ins. Many of the figures available that year were not advertised on the outside of the regular line’s packaging, but through the inserts included with vehicles.
The Major is a straightforward redeco of his original green figure, this time replaced with bright blue and orange. The first version was an uninspiring figure, and this one equally so. The only real attraction for me are the colors, and even then I find myself forgetting about him. I daresay that I like his green outfit more than this one. Imagine that, Joe A Day endorsing a green Joe over blue and orange! The real downside of Major Altitude is his helmet, which is just too large, and doesn’t sit well on his head. It didn’t look all that good when it was used for Wildcard, and it still doesn’t hold up. Of course, most of the issue with the figure on a whole comes from its origins as a true Frankenstein, being made up of parts from four figures.
Those four figures being:
-Wild Card (head and helmet)
-Star-Viper (torso and arms)
-Keel-Haul (waist)
-Hardtop (legs)
With the original, you got a silver version of Windchill’s rifle; with this one, a silver version of Cloudburst’s.
I actually found this figure (sans helmet and weapon) in my first big flea market haul this year. (No Interrogator, unfortunately.) I replaced his head with an extra 2001 Leatherneck’s, and I think it looks better now that he’s got his own face. I painted the elbow pads black, and plan to paint the center of the chest harness silver. I also plan to repaint an extra Comic Pack Lady Jaye helmet (with a mic added) to go with him. I’ve already given him a weapon, cobbled together from the barrel of a Laser-Viper turret, the body and handle of an extra ’88 Shockwave’s Uzi, and the butt end is made from the front of a knockoff Ambush rifle.
Acer, that flea market is starting to sound like something I’d hit. Do post some pics of your work once it’s finished.
What always bugged me about major altitude [apart from this versions colour scheme] is that his filecard states he is the youngest recruit the joes have ever had. Yet his face looks like it belongs on a packet of burly paper towels
One of the reasons why I replaced his head. I also felt it looked to much like Wild Card, right down to the hair color.
Using his mainly blue colur schme as an inspiration, I gave him the head from the otherwise-useless T-crotch Wild Weasel and voila – instant LBC Rotor-Viper to pilot my customised Chap Mei Skycrane!
If I could time-travel back to ’93 and get scores of these guys, they’d be perfect base figures for generic Cobra pilots. The flight suit is from Star Viper anyway, and the color works much better for Cobras. This guy is crazy rare now, though.
This thread is useless without pics. So much neat customizing going on.
As for M.A. himself, I always viewed him as a spacesuit version of Wildcard per his later comic appearances.
Terrific colors!
This fig is interesting only for his obscurity. You don’t see him or the interrogator in any online pics. A decade ago a mob set of these guys was $10. The prices now are a lot higher and you find them like you used to.
That helmet is just ridiculous. I cannot believe they used it on three different Joes!
Major Altitude had colors more suited to older Cobra, while the recolored Interrogator had purple, which had almost become Cobra’s standard.
The figure’s parts combo was decent but they didn’t change the hair color, so he and Wildcard are twins. Using the same helmet didn’t help. Also, it bugged me that Major Altitude was not really a major!
I just want to say you take excellent photographs of action figures. Taking good pictures is an overlooked skill. Many people just think aim a camera, make sure the image is kinda in focus, and then click but it’s more than that (framing a scene, like in nature or at an attraction, also gets overlooked, though that doesn’t really apply here since the only element of the photos are the figures). Your pics show what the difference is between an average image and an excellent image. It’s so crisp that so many details can be seen.
Thanks, I’m glad you like the pics. I’ve always tried to keep up a high quality with my photos, even those figures that aren’t too popular or even well done. They all deserve to be seen clearly. One of my backgrounds is a Terrordrome display from D&J Toys. They make some awesome background displays. I’d like to set up some more dio type shots in the future, if time permits. 🙂
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