Tiger Force Roadblock (1988)
What’s my favorite element of Tiger Force, the GI Joe jungle sub-team? Is it the awesomely recolored jungle deco version of Flint? How about the super cool re-purposing of the Rattler and Water Moccasin as Joe vehicles? Maybe even the exotic and captivating overseas exclusives? Nope. It’s Tiger Force Roadblock’s helmet.
No other figure accessory for the offshoot team is as tigery as this helmet. Wow, it’s like a Cincinnati Bengals football helmet in a new alternate road color. The helmet also serves a dual purpose–covering up Mr. Hinton’s oddly shaped head. Putting a helmet–any helmet–on that melon improves the figure. Even in ’84, when Roadblock’s original version was released and the figure design was still evolving in terms of proportion, I didn’t care for the figure, especially when compared to the card art. His weird head disappointed me the most. The ’86 version improved on the build (and his head), but I always wished that Hasbro would have revisited the original design in later years. Which also makes me wonder why they didn’t re-use the ’86 mold, since this figure was released in ’88.
I gotta give it to the helmet, yeah. The ’84 Roadblock was one of the most disappointing figures for me, especially since the character had enjoyed strong introductions in both the comic and cartoon. I couldn’t understand how Hasbro had fumbled the ball so badly. Even worse, they have reused him many times since then, with the lowest point being their idea to develop the figure as a whole new character.
Bleh. What a terrible mold. I’ll never understand why v2 Roadblock didn’t get the Tiger Force repaint.
One of my first Joes, i love it!
I’d bet they didn’t use the ’86 mold fearing there’d still be some on store shelves in ’88 (too recent release). And the waist and legs are much better on this version; I despise the ’86 Roadblock waist and it’s arbitrary reuse. A helmet solves this figure’s faults for me, and I agree 100% on the over-the-top coolness of this helmet!
But they madeTiger Force Lifeline who was from the same year, and the Tigerfish in 89 (vehicles were prone to sticking around in stores than figures back then, IIRC, having seen a Tiger Cat at a Toys R Us in 1994!).
I never got the whole Tiger Force thing, nothing against it, I just “missed” the buzz somehow. Anyone want to take a shot at explaining the allure to me? I’m open to being persuaded!
Some of the figure designs are pretty cool ( Flint, Duke) but for me the vehicles were where it’s at. The tiger stripes just look striking, and you can’t go wrong with the Flying Tigers style mouth decals. And like I mentioned, the Joes got repaints of two of the coolest Cobra vehicles.
Flint is the only Tiger Force figure I really liked.
I never cared for the Tiger Force figures as a kid. I already had a lot of those figures, and didn’t have interest in the repaints. Flint and Skystriker were the only ones I liked. The vehicles on the other hand were awesome.
I never cared for this Roadblock mold, especially after the amazing 92-93 figure.
Of all the Tiger Force figures this was my least favorite.
PS. I still carry my Tiger Force lunch box, with the Tiger Shark on it, to work.