With JoeArmory receiving a special supply of two of the more impressive international G.I.Joe figures, I was asked to give them a special review here as part of my usual G.I.Joe Profile offerings for this Web site.

Duke is, arguably, the best-known G.I.Joe character, perhaps second only to Snake-Eyes, but Snakes doesn't really have any leadership responsibilities on the G.I.Joe Team. Duke does, and although First Sergeant Conrad S. Hauser may be outranked by General Hawk, Duke is the better known of the two characters, mostly by virtue of timing.

When the first animated mini-series was being produced, Hawk had only existed as a first-year figure, then a Colonel. Although he was the top ranking officer, his physical appearance was -- well, pretty much as unremarkable as a lot of the first-year G.I.Joes, since he shared a lot of the same body parts with them, including the head sculpt.

By the second year of G.I.Joe, vastly more detailed and individual characters were being introduced, since the line had certainly proven itself at retail, and more time and effort could be put into it. Although technically Duke didn't join the team as an individually carded figure until 1984, he was available as a mail-order figure in 1983.

And when the decision was made to produce some G.I.Joe-related animation, it was decided to go with the more dynamic-looking Duke as the star of the G.I.Joe Team, and he pretty much carried the show through its first several mini-series, and the first season of the daily series. It wasn't until the show's second season, in 1986, when Hawk was promoted to General and received a new and more detailed figure in the toy line, that Duke's superior officer even turned up at all.

So it could be fairly said that show biz made Duke a star. :)

The original Duke figure managed to maintain a military color scheme, and still look very impressive and quite individualistic. The figure had dark blonde hair, a ran shirt with a green collar, olive-drab trousers, and brown boots. There was a green strap on his chest, with pouches and a grenade attached to it. Early editions of Duke also included a little American flag sticker to put on his upper sleeve. This didn't always stay put all that well. These days it would probably be imprinted on.

Now, although G.I.Joe is traditionally-known as a Real American Hero, the toy line is certainly a global phenomenon. G.I.Joe, sometimes renamed to some degree, but the figures and concepts, at least, have enjoyed considerable popularity throughout Europe, in South America, India, and elsewhere.

One of the more unusual places that G.I.Joe has turned up was in China. One distinct advantage to these figures is that, since G.I.Joe was already being produced in China for its American market, the Chinese figures are of the same high quality. Some of the Joe product produced in other countries doesn't quite measure up at times (although there's still some cool stuff).

China didn't get in on the G.I.Joe act until fairly late in the game. This resulted in two things. New releases of early characters, which for American collectors who might've worn out their original figures, an interesting opportunity to replace it with a newly-produced edition; and in some instances, where original molds were lost, some interesting cobbled-together incarnations.

Duke is pretty much a straightforward version of his original 1984 release. Duke had returned to the American line in 1988 for Tiger Force, and although his uniform colors (and hair color!) were different, it was basically the same figure, and those molds were still available for China to use for its own product.

With one exception. The lower arms had been changed. The original Duke had rolled up sleeve cuffs. Somehow, these molds had apparently gone missing, so Tiger Force Duke's shirt had ribbed cuffs at the end of the sleeves. These lower arms actually originated with Hit & Run, a Light Infantryman who was also released in 1988, and is a very cool figure.

The Chinese Duke restores the original color scheme -- and hair color -- of Duke, but uses the Hit & Run lower arms. It really isn't that big of a deal. The only other change is that the copyright date on the inside leg says "1988". They were changed for Tiger Force.

However, the end result is STILL a very impressive Duke figure that looks as close to the original as you're going to get short of the original himself. And if for whatever reason, you've never had, or are in need of, an original Duke for your G.I.Joe collection, here's you're chance!

YO JOE!