One & Done - CLEAN SWEEP

"Polluters, defilers of rainforests, and wasters of natural resources had best beware!" - Clean Sweep, G.I. Joe Issue #123.

ANTI-TOX TROOPER - CLEAN SWEEP

    There were basically two kinds of figures/characters in G.I. Joe - the ones that got updated versions and others that we only saw once and then never again.  Often it was all too obvious why we never saw another version of some of these guys, while some characters really should have gotten a new version and didn’t.

    Rapid Fire is a good example of a figure we didn’t really need an update of.  He was more of a special edition figure, used to market a VHS tape.  Nothing else was really going on there.  On the other hand, a character like the Baroness, was heavily featured throughout the entire run of comics and cartoons... yet we only got the lone figure released in 1984.  

    With the One & Done Series, we will take a look at the figures that only had that one single release.  Should they have gotten another go around or was one enough?

    Clean Sweep was released in 1991 as part of the Eco-Warriors sub-group.  He served as the Joes’ Anti-Tox Trooper.  It was his job to help clean up the environmental disasters being caused by the Cobra agent Cesspool and his team of Toxo-Vipers and Sludge-Vipers.  His primary tool in neutralizing the toxic sludge the villains spewed out, was a remote control robot. 

    It’s fair to say that Clean Sweep, compared to some other Joes, doesn’t have a lot going on.  The file card though, paints a better picture for what could easily be considered an uninteresting character.  It explains that the robot may do a lot of the nasty work, but if it gets damaged or the pump backs up, it’s Clean Sweep has to wade into the mess, dodge enemy fire and repair it.  It also mentions him using his pistol to establish a perimeter to cover the robot while it does it's job.  It all brings more action and  interest to the character rather than him sitting under a tree manipulating the robot from a distance by remote control. 

    The figure for Clean Sweep is wearing a bright yellow hazmat suit with green highlights.  Among his accessories were a removable helmet and a lime green pistol.  He also had a backpack with an attachable arm with a data pad.  His final accessory was his large, yellow “sludge cleaning” robot.  I imagine the data pad was probably how he controlled the robot.

    All the Eco-Warriors had some “battle damage” paint apps that would change colors when sprayed with water.  To cause the battle damage, they each had a water-squirting feature as well.  For most of the figures it was a rifle with a hose going to a backpack.  Clean Sweep’s water-squirting feature, however, was located in the robot.  

    I didn't get this figure till I returned as a collector.  So unfortunately, I don't have any memories of playing with him in any battles.  He basically went straight to the shelf for display.

    Clean Sweep is a good figure, but he is a bit limited in G.I. Joe.  He’s not someone I would have riding into battle on the side of the HAVOC or put him in the Watch Tower.  The Eco-Warriors team was a good opportunity for him to shine though and he fits well with everything in that group.  I feel this is a figure that didn’t really require an update.  The figure we got was enough to get the job done. I would give Clean Sweep a rating of 3 out of 5 Squirt Guns!

    Another option, however, would have been for Hasbro to make this an Airtight version 2 figure.  Seems like the team was made for Airtight, who was another character that didn’t get a lot of use and would have been perfect for this team.  It was not meant to be, however, and Clean Sweep did just fine in the role.

    So what did you think of Clean Sweep and/or the Eco-Warriors?  How did you use him?  Or did you pass on buying him? Did you squirt your friends with the water feature? Let me know your thoughts.

More thoughts on Clean Sweep...

--- Clean Sweep only got one turn at bat with G.I. Joe. His Eco-Warrior teammates faired better. Flint, Deep Six, and Barbecue were all established characters and had other figures made before or after 1991. The other "new" guy in the group, Ozone, went on to serve with Star Brigade.

--- The 1991 Impel card sheds a little more light on the robot, describing it as "Neutralizing Gel Dispensing Sludge Sucking Robot Drone".

Clean Sweep art from the 1991 Impel G.I. Joe card.