Bazooka (1988 Tiger Force)

So here’s Bazooka in his away jersey. I was never a big fan of either the figure or character back in the day. The figure just didn’t hold much interest for me, and I didn’t care for the cartoon version’s “sack of hammers” persona. I have since come to like both of the figures based on the original mold. I still don’t dig the doofus Sunbow Bazooka.

This Tiger Force version is interesting to me based mostly on its paint scheme. Of all the different Tiger Force color variations and patterns, the yellow stripes on green is my favorite. Sure, it’s not at all effective in a jungle situation, but when slapped onto a 3 & 3/4 inch figure, especially one as outlandish as Bazooka, it pushes all the right toy buttons for me. Bazooka’s very design, with the football jersey and bushy ‘stache is part of what I think made the Joe line’s design great in its heyday: interestingly designed and instantly recognizable characters that are distinct from one another. They may not be realistic, but what kid wants to play with a dozen identical green figures? Heck, you might as well play chess.

10 comments

  • I never dug Bazooka either. His name and specialty took away from guys like Zap. The fact that he wore a football jersey in combat (while guys like Duke and Flint allowed it) along with the fact that he was a complete MORON didn’t make him tops in my list. This version of him warmed many a peg in my area along with other Tiger Force members like Tripwire and Lifeline. Then he was handpicked by Warren Ellis to get knocked off by Storm Shadow. Guy simply can’t catch a break.

  • Weird color choice on the helmet, but otherwise I too like the color scheme.

    I’ve never been a huge fan of Bazooka either, but last year I wrote a list for Poe Ghostal of vintage figures that need a Pursuit of Cobra-style update, and he made the list:

    http://www.poeghostal.com/2011/03/ten-classic-g-i-joe-icons-that-require-a-pursuit-of-cobra-makeover.html

    My reasoning is sound, I think:

    “It’s his iconic appearance that would make Bazooka an intriguing choice for a Pursuit of Cobra makeover. He’s just a big dude in green pants and a red shirt—how would an increasingly details-crazed Hasbro rise to the challenge of reinterpreting such a streamlined character design as Bazooka’s?”


  • Joseph Tages:

    Then he was handpicked by Warren Ellis to get knocked off by Storm Shadow. Guy simply can’t catch a break.

    I hear he died in some recent comic, too.

  • I always wondered…why do the wristbands on Bazooka (and on figures like Sgt. Slaughter V2, Recondo, Falcon, basically anyone with bare arms and a watch) not wrap around all the way? There’s always a gap on the underside of the wristband–why is that?

  • This figure goes a long way to salvage Mr. Red Jersey. And I agree, the Sunbow characterization killed him for me. Recently, his backup specialty of tank driver has brought the figure out of the fodder bin.

  • As a kid, my main use for Bazooka was as the 2nd man in first the bridge layer and then the Mauler. Beyond that, though, he didn’t get much use. But, I still consider the red jersey to be the character. I’ve had a TF Bazooka for about 15 years now, and have never, ever use it. Not that it’s bad, it’s just not how I see Bazooka.

  • Pingback: » Dusty (1988)

  • Bazooka’s always been a favorite of mine. And they even let him in Tiger Force. What’s not to like?

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