Payload (1994)
The saga of the 
Payload figure is one of sadness and missed opportunity. When the Star Brigade line was launched (no pun intended) in 1993, early pictures and even the back of the packages depicted a Payload figure using the original 1987 mold. For me, this was an exciting prospect, as I never had the Defiant or Crusader, and therefore also never had their pilot, Payload.
The 1987 figure is one of the most impressive figures in the Joe line, with an incredible amount of detail, removable helmet and awesome EVA backpack. Payload would have been the crown jewel of the Star Brigade line; the figure was even on the card art for all the first series figures. But this is where the story takes a sad turn, as somewhere between planning and execution, the Payload mold was unavailable. Lost–destroyed–who knows?
Countdown or the jet pack General Hawk would have made a nice stand-in, but they were also being released in the Star Brigade subset. So with a limited amount of other appropriate molds to work with, Hasbro went with the Eco Warriors Barbecue. I suppose it’s passable as an astronaut, but the figure still seems more hazmat than spacesuit.
This particular version of Payload was repainted three times in 93-94, with a black, green and silver scheme, then this blue one and finally a primarily white with red highlights and blue helmet. By far the rarest of the three, this blue version also gives off a Cobra vibe with its blue and black design.
Kinda reminds me of Dr. No from the James Bond movie, ‘Dr. No’.
OMG I hadn’t thought of that. It does!
I never quite saw this guy as Barbecue when he first showed up as an Eco Warrior. Even less so as the original Payload. That figure alone would have made me pick up a couple of Star Brigade figures, but Hasbro’s constant reuse of this mold killed the love for me.
I agree the mold lends itself better to a Hazmat trooper, and would’ve been great for an updated Airtight. I think it’d make a great anyone other than Payload!
This figure, and the white with red highlights are two I’m still trying to track down, but the price they can command doesn’t seem justified.
thanks for sharing this figure.
The green version of this figure was one of the first figs I found when I first started re-“collecting” Joes in ’95. They were all over discount toy stores for $2. But, the ’94 versions were long gone. I like this blue fig as a rarity. But, I think the white version is probably the best coloring of the mold.
In the UK the green version with the space version Pogo was a Cobra figure….Google and you’ll see the filecard with new art and the “COBRA ENEMY” sigil….