Major Bludd (1994)
To say that this figure’s style doesn’t resemble the usual Major Bludd is an understatement. A couple of the Bludd hallmarks remain intact. A classic styled helmet still sits atop his head, this time with a nifty attached eyepatch and spiked center section. Very 80’s metal, I must say. The head is my favorite element of the figure, as it gives a little twist to the look while maintaining the basic design. The same can’t be said for the rest of the ensemble, which looks like an 80’s glam superhero wrestler, which is fine for a crazy Lanard CORPS! figure like Steve Wyoming or Hat Trick Lemonde, but just doesn’t quite work for me as the Major. The thunder thigh legs are my biggest gripe with the figure, as it appears he’s been spending more time doing leg presses than writing poetry.
Major Bludd’s right arm has been the subject of debate for many years. Was the arm simply intended to be armored, to shield his appendange from the blast of his rocket gun? Or was it meant to be fully robotic? The original 1983 figure appears to have only two claw-like fingers and a thumb, lending credence to the robotic theory. However, the old package art depicted a five fingered hand. Both the later Sonic Fighter version and this figure appear to support an armored arm argument, as both have relatively normal looking arms.
This figure has a little added extra in what the file card calls a spike, but looks like a built-in club or baton attached at the right elbow. It’s one of the strangest elements ever included on a GI Joe figure and just makes me wonder about its origins. Maybe the weapon was intended as an homage to the original figure’s strange right arm, but I wonder why they didn’t simply go for another robotic/armored arm?
I really like this figure, especially the spike that’s hidden when his arm isn’t bent. Like you said, the head is a strong design with that nice helmet. The only thing he’s missing is all the dog tags of his victims.
Nice face!
This version of Bludd’s head was later reused two times–the 2003 Python Patrol Major Bludd, and the 2006 Joecon boxset version.
The waist and legs are reused from the Eco-Warriors version of the Toxo-Viper.
I can’t believe you mentioned Steve Wyoming AND Hat Trick Lemonde in the same review. Awesome.
This version of Bludd would have worked best in a color scheme similar to that of the ’91 Sonic Fighter Bludd/’92 General Flagg amalgam which the Chinese released around this time. But we’re talking about a ’94 line tail-ender so it’s no huge surprise that the colors are loud.
The baton is weird but I’ve always thought that Bludd simply had an armored arm rather than a robotic prosthetic. The comic and cartoon never alluded otherwise nor has any media to this day that I can think of aside from the figure’s oddly fingered hand.
This isn’t a great figure. But the mold has its merits. Differently colored this could have been at least acceptable.
I’m not sure about that armoured codpiece, it does make him look as if he’s wearing a nappy!
Not a great waist and legs choice.
His colors aren’t surprising by the end of the line purple was the new Cobra blue.
Since he’s reminiscent of an 80’s wrestler, maybe his elbow spike is for his finishing move?