Serpentor 1986 variations

[NAJA EMPIRE]

I have been troop building Serpentors for several years now and have accumulated in the hundreds.

I have found it interesting how generally speaking, YOJOE.COM and EBAY have Serpentors listed as either the store version "Made in Hong Kong" or the Mail Away version as "made in China". And of course we all know of the very early release, or version is the rare "yellow neck" that is made in "Hong Kong.

After thorough research, it's a FACT that where the 2 versions were made (Hong Kong or China) has nothing to do with the store version or mail away version. The mistaken mail away version "China" was found in stores nation wide towards the end of production. I have numerous MISB Serpentors that were sold in stores that are stamped made in China. Obviously the Hong Kong versions are harder to find and were only sold in stores in the begining of production.

Just thought I would share this info with ya. Below are the three 1986 Serpentor variations. First, yellow neck, Second flesh color neck made in Hong Kong, and third, made in China.

The Made in China version is quite different. Note the helmet mold is made with two pieces that were glued together, The snake tails on the chest are more curled, and the yellow is a deeper gold color than the Hong Kong version.

[allen dane]

how many yellow neck ones did you find? I went threw a bag of over 50 serpentors and didn't find a single one? I bet they are rarer than people suspect

[5h4rK]

I would like to get one of those ''yellow neck'' Serpies for my collection.. Thanks for the info NAJA!

[lazlo76]

I never knew about the variations but I do remember clearly the Serpentor I had was the flesh colored neck version.

[NAJA EMPIRE]

how many yellow neck ones did you find? I went threw a bag of over 50 serpentors and didn't find a single one? I bet they are rarer than people suspect

where is this bag of 50 serpentors!!!!

and yes very rare, of the over 500 Serpentors I have, I have been able to hunt down about 15 of them.

[MightyMegs]

I've posted about my yellow neck Serpentor a couple times over the years, but no one seemed interested (or maybe didn't believe me). I found him in a toy store in Omaha Nebraska, as soon as he started shipping. I only saw one other, on a store shelf in Tallahassee Fl (I moved around alot)... but I didn't buy it.:(

[NAJA EMPIRE]

I've posted about my yellow neck Serpentor a couple times over the years, but no one seemed interested (or maybe didn't believe me). I found him in a toy store in Omaha Nebraska, as soon as he started shipping. I only saw one other, on a store shelf in Tallahassee Fl (I moved around alot)... but I didn't buy it.:(

some people know they are around. when someone posts a yellow neck on ebay, the figure goes for about 5 to 6 times the price than a standard flesh color neck. but yes very rare they are

[MightyMegs]

My Serpentor Story:
I've been a Cobra Commander guy from day one, but something about Serpentor intrigued me. I remember he appeared in the comic book... but that didn't really mean anything toy-wise, because there had been other characters (Dr Venom, Gen Flagg, Kwinn) that were never made into figures. But then one day I saw a commercial for the Serpentor issue of the comic book, and I thought they wouldn't go to the trouble to promote someone that wasn't going to be made into a toy, right?
So I took a chance.
I called Hasbro's cutomer service.
I was expecting the usual 'we really don't know anything about upcoming toys' line... but boy was I surprised.
A very nice lady answered, and I asked outright if they were coming out with a Serpentor figure in their GI Joe line... and she actually knew what I was talking about!
'Oh, yes... they showed it to us at our last meeting. It's a real fancy looking figure.'
'Fancy?'
'Well, he's gold, with lots of little things on him. Very royal. Management was very proud of it.'

I asked again if she was sure it was called Serpentor. She said yes, but didn't know the exact release date... but knew it would be soon. And that was it; I was hitting every toy store in driving distance until, one day I walked right up to the Joe shelf, and there he was.

[NAJA EMPIRE]

My Serpentor Story:
I've been a Cobra Commander guy from day one, but something about Serpentor intrigued me. I remember he appeared in the comic book... but that didn't really mean anything toy-wise, because there had been other characters (Dr Venom, Gen Flagg, Kwinn) that were never made into figures. But then one day I saw a commercial for the Serpentor issue of the comic book, and I thought they wouldn't go to the trouble to promote someone that wasn't going to be made into a toy, right?
So I took a chance.
I called Hasbro's cutomer service.
I was expecting the usual 'we really don't know anything about upcoming toys' line... but boy was I surprised.
A very nice lady answered, and I asked outright if they were coming out with a Serpentor figure in their GI Joe line... and she actually knew what I was talking about!
'Oh, yes... they showed it to us at our last meeting. It's a real fancy looking figure.'
'Fancy?'
'Well, he's gold, with lots of little things on him. Very royal. Management was very proud of it.'

I asked again if she was sure it was called Serpentor. She said yes, but didn't know the exact release date... but knew it would be soon. And that was it; I was hitting every toy store in driving distance until, one day I walked right up to the Joe shelf, and there he was.

That is the BEST story ever. (Just printed this). What a great memory. My memory of Serpentor when I was young... could never find him. But yes what a great action figure. And how a company can just kill the idea by not being able to make a modern era one. How poor Hasbro did of a job.

[eddy-arashikage]

Nice story there Mightymegs thats pretty cool!

I always loved serpentor but he was no longer in the shops when i started getting gi joe toys... However....


I have a memory of geting a booklet.... from where I don't know and it was a repaint/remold of the 1986 serpentor, now if memory serves me correctly it was blue and silver, But I have never found anything like that anywhere before or since!!

its like it has never even existed ive asked a few people and nobody seems able to tell me anything about it, somebody once said I must have been dreaming well if I was it was a very vivid dream!!

I don't have the booklet anymore I was a lot younger when I had it, I couldn't say when it was though! It came with an air chariot too. there were other figures too repaints as well.... its a very vague memory now though unfortunately.....

I am from England so could it of been a booklet of some joes that was planned as a uk only release? Just wish there was somebody out there who could give me some info. If anything just to put me outta my misery, you would have thought somebody out there knew something!!

[MightyMegs]

Well, this will really blow your mind... the original receipt:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/MightyMegs/IMG-1.jpg

In six days, it'll be my Serpentor's 26th birthday... yes, I still have him...

[NAJA EMPIRE]

well, this will really blow your mind... The original receipt:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/mightymegs/img-1.jpg

in six days, it'll be my serpentor's 26th birthday... Yes, i still have him...

"""""""""""speechless"""""""""""

[NAJA EMPIRE]

Nice story there Mightymegs thats pretty cool!

I always loved serpentor but he was no longer in the shops when i started getting gi joe toys... However....


I have a memory of geting a booklet.... from where I don't know and it was a repaint/remold of the 1986 serpentor, now if memory serves me correctly it was blue and silver, But I have never found anything like that anywhere before or since!!

its like it has never even existed ive asked a few people and nobody seems able to tell me anything about it, somebody once said I must have been dreaming well if I was it was a very vivid dream!!

I don't have the booklet anymore I was a lot younger when I had it, I couldn't say when it was though! It came with an air chariot too. there were other figures too repaints as well.... its a very vague memory now though unfortunately.....

I am from England so could it of been a booklet of some joes that was planned as a uk only release? Just wish there was somebody out there who could give me some info. If anything just to put me outta my misery, you would have thought somebody out there knew something!!

I have seen it, but I thought it was just a custom paint job. Go to google images. I saw it on google about a year ago. But Serpentor def had the blue and silver colors

[eddy-arashikage]

Really? I have looked before without managing to find it! I have seen a custom on ebay that was made from the 25th serpentor, but I have never seen an arah one, I would love to see some proof that im not crazy or dreaming!

[eddy-arashikage]

http://www.customgijoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/-14222304092075800-150x150.jpg

Have a look at this... this is the silver serpentor custom....

Maybe what I had was a leaflet/booklet of a wave that was never realeased, it would have been in the gap when no gi joe toys were released around the time I left school I guess

[NAJA EMPIRE]

Really? I have looked before without managing to find it! I have seen a custom on ebay that was made from the 25th serpentor, but I have never seen an arah one, I would love to see some proof that im not crazy or dreaming!

also, i have been checking ebay and ebay.UK daily since 2007. i have never seen serpentor with those colors. but still interested because i saw the blue and silver arah on google images.

[eddy-arashikage]

I will keep looking!! Hopefully one day we may find an answer!!

Its a pity there is nobody at hasbro where we could get an answer from!

[MightyMegs]

Here's my guy...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/MightyMegs/100_1045.jpg

Like I said about that day I found him... I knew he was coming out, but had no idea what it looked like, so I had been checking the pegged Joes assuming he was going to be a carded figure. I had just finished combing the pegs, when I turned around to check the boxed shelf before I walked out of the store... and there he was, packed with some crazy vehicle, right next to a boat-load of Zartan w/ swamp skiers. I carried him to the register in a daze.

[allen dane]

Here's my guy...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/MightyMegs/100_1045.jpg

Like I said about that day I found him... I knew he was coming out, but had no idea what it looked like, so I had been checking the pegged Joes assuming he was going to be a carded figure. I had just finished combing the pegs, when I turned around to check the boxed shelf before I walked out of the store... and there he was, packed with some crazy vehicle, right next to a boat-load of Zartan w/ swamp skiers. I carried him to the register in a daze.

I remember him being the 1st thing to hit for the 1986 joes. and the commercial for him was out way before anything else.

[NAJA EMPIRE]

Here's my guy...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/MightyMegs/100_1045.jpg

Like I said about that day I found him... I knew he was coming out, but had no idea what it looked like, so I had been checking the pegged Joes assuming he was going to be a carded figure. I had just finished combing the pegs, when I turned around to check the boxed shelf before I walked out of the store... and there he was, packed with some crazy vehicle, right next to a boat-load of Zartan w/ swamp skiers. I carried him to the register in a daze.

I am in a daze thinking about how cool that must of felt. If I walked up to the shelf and saw Serpentors, I would clear the whole rack of them in to the cart. And then hit every store on the east coast clearing shelves.

Is the Serpentor pic you posted the actual Serpentor from that day on 1986. If so, shows how early that production lot was. The yellow neck was very very early release.

[MightyMegs]

Is the Serpentor pic you posted the actual Serpentor from that day on 1986. If so, shows how early that production lot was. The yellow neck was very very early release.

Yep, that's the same one on the receipt. All the original parts, even the cape (as soon as I saw the cape material fraying around the arms, I removed it and kept it aside... then I made a 'stunt cape' for Serpentor when I played).

[NAJA EMPIRE]

....

[NAJA EMPIRE]

Bump

[notpicard]

How are the MISB ones stamped China and MISB? Did you open them to check? Tracking down variations is always hard because so few people with boxed & carded samples bother to look. I know I have a yellow neck still on the redbacked bubble. And I had a mail away in hand. So that is what I was going off of for my variations list.

[NAJA EMPIRE]

How are the MISB ones stamped China and MISB? Did you open them to check? Tracking down variations is always hard because so few people with boxed & carded samples bother to look. I know I have a yellow neck still on the redbacked bubble. And I had a mail away in hand. So that is what I was going off of for my variations list.

Yes I opened a few. And the appearance alone of the two variations is very obvious in difference

[smarchitelli]

This "early" version has a flesh colored neck but according to the date on the tag it may be the "early"/first 1987 rereleased version, not the 1986 first version. Figure is Made in Hong Kong according to the package.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/dmarchitellitrader/MISC/IMG_5090.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/dmarchitellitrader/MISC/IMG_5091.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/dmarchitellitrader/MISC/IMG_5092.jpg

Steve

[nova]

This "early" version has a flesh colored neck but according to the date on the tag it may be the "early"/first 1987 rereleased version, not the 1986 first version. Figure is Made in Hong Kong according to the package.

Steve


Any notes on the back of the green Standard Card? if there are changes to be made they're usually noted there.

[Monte Williams]

I loved Serpentor! I bought mine and brought him home and had him pilot my Night Raven; realism wasn't a big component of playtime, for me.

[smarchitelli]

Any notes on the back of the green Standard Card? if there are changes to be made they're usually noted there.

No notes at all.

[MightyMegs]

This "early" version has a flesh colored neck but according to the date on the tag it may be the "early"/first 1987 rereleased version, not the 1986 first version. Figure is Made in Hong Kong according to the package.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/dmarchitellitrader/MISC/IMG_5090.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/dmarchitellitrader/MISC/IMG_5091.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/dmarchitellitrader/MISC/IMG_5092.jpg

Steve

I'm betting this is the sign-off sample for the second year production run. It's too late(1987) to be a Hasbro-requested neck/paint change. If it's for the promotion/package change, I don't know why Engineering would have to sign off on it.

[MightyMegs]

Check out this custom card...
Gi Joe Cobra 1986 Serpentor Custom Carded Figure. 100% With Air Chariot | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/160880421467?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)

[holyfrog]

where is this bag of 50 serpentors!!!!

and yes very rare, of the over 500 Serpentors I have, I have been able to hunt down about 15 of them.

Over 500. What made you start army building Serpentor? Do you have them all on display? And do they all have a knife, snake, hood, and cape?

[holyfrog]

Check out this custom card...
Gi Joe Cobra 1986 Serpentor Custom Carded Figure. 100% With Air Chariot | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/160880421467?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)

It is unpunched. And as we all know that means it was not in a store! lol That's pretty cool.

[NAJA EMPIRE]

Over 500. What made you start army building Serpentor? Do you have them all on display? And do they all have a knife, snake, hood, and cape?

not all on display, few years ago posted 200 of them, just havn't had time yet to set up the 500