One & Done: SUPER TROOPER

 "Tonight the super trouper lights are gonna find me, shining like the sun, smiling having fun, feeling like a number one!" -- ABBA, 1980.

SUPER TROOPER - TROOPER THAT IS SUPER

    In the 80's, Hasbro ran a string of promotions for exclusive mail-away figures.  You would get special certificates with the carded action figures.  After you acquired so many, you could send them in and about six weeks later it would be in your mailbox.  Hasbro gave us Sgt. Slaughter in 1986 and The Fridge in 1987, who were both based on real people.  In 1988, they veered away from "real life" people and gave us a new fictional character- Super Trooper!

    Super Trooper is a super soldier for the G.I. Joe Team.  According to his file card, he is a top graduate of a military training school that is so secret it doesn't even have a name.  The file card spends a lot of time discussing the school and how difficult the training is.  Super Trooper conquered everything at said school and is just an all-around "neat" guy!

    The certificates to order him actually had a mini comic strip included - Operation:  "Single-Handed".  Some Cobra Soldiers have a squad of Joes pinned down.  So General Hawk sends "a reinforcement".  Yep... just Super Trooper!  He comes in a gives the Cobra's a good thrashing and sends them running.

    The unique selling point on this figure is found in his vac-metalized parts.  This feature can be found on the armor vest he wears and his accessories.  He came with a helmet (originally Crankcase's), a sub-machine gun (Dial-Tone) and a shield.  All are vac-metalized in silver.  

    He has a cool look.  He looks pretty tough with the bare arms and armored vest.  I like that he doesn't have guns, knives and grenades all over him.  It makes it as if he is tough enough, he doesn't need much else!  Give him some boxing gloves and he looks like he could even go a few rounds with Big Boa!  

    The accessories are cool!  I don't mind the reuse of the gun because it is one of my favorite Joe weapons and it looks awesome in silver.  The shield is a welcome surprise as an accessory.  We didn't see many shields in the Joe line.

    Super Trooper is an interesting concept for the G.I. Joe Team.  It would have been great to see them take the idea a little farther in the comics or cartoon!  Maybe give a little insight on his training and what he has to go through to become a new G.I. Joe super soldier.  Unfortunately, no one really picked up the ball and ran with it.  All we got was the small little story on the mail-in certificate.  

    The problem is, however, the Joes are a TEAM and as cool as Super Trooper is, he kind comes off as he doesn't need anyone else.  So it could have been an idea to have him join the Joes temporarily and help defeat some terrible threat.  Then he could move on and they could just phase him out.  Ehhh, it's just an idea...

    As for a rating on this figure... I like it and I would give him 4 out 5 Rolls of Aluminum Foil!!!  I think it is a great and unique figure!  He is certainly an eye-catcher with the silver parts!  He is a great addition to anyone's Joe collection!!  It's a shame he kind of just slipped into obscurity media-wise.

    As a final note on Super Trooper... one thing puzzles me about him...  If he comes from this ultra-mega hush-hush school... where are the others?  I know the graduation rate is low, but Super Trooper is not the only guy that ever attended this school, is he?  In the mini-comic, Hawk says he is the "prototype of a next generation American fighting soldier".  Did this idea not work out...?  Where are the others?  I don't know, it's quite the mystery...?