One & Done - MAVERICK

"Gonna take it right into the danger zone," Kenny Loggins, 1986

VECTOR JET FIGHTER PILOT - MAVERICK

    In 1987, the G.I. Joe Team debuted the sub-team of the future - Battle Force 2000.  This was a special team of six all-new characters that were specialists tasked with field-testing state-of-the-art prototype vehicles and equipment.  One of the vehicles was a sleek, new jet called the Vector.  It was piloted by a Joe with the familiar code name of Maverick!

    Maverick's file card says he has been flying since the very beginning.  His Mom flew a crop duster, so it's always been a part of his life.  Naturally, he joined the Air Force when he was older and he eagerly signed up for every experimental program he could.  As a result his knowledge and experience with flying vehicles and high-tech equipment is second-to-none.

    Maverick uniform is a white flight suit with a silver chest piece.  He has blue gloves and olive drab boots.  In various places on his flight suit and even his gloves, is circuit-like patterns.  On his left bicep there is a ring of little canister looking things.  Perhaps they go to his weapon?  There were 2 accessories included - a silver, futuristic pistol and a large, blue helmet.

    The Battle Force 2000 figures were originally released in 1987, single carded.  All six were vehicle drivers but oddly, were sold separately from their vehicles.  In 1988 the 6 figures were put in three 2-packs.  Maverick was packaged with Blocker.

    I, myself, don't ever recall seeing or knowing anything about Battle Force 2000 till their debut in the G.I Joe comic, Issue #68.  After that, I never saw the single packs... I only saw the 2-packs.  Maverick was the first one I bought, as I easily thought he was the coolest of the group.  It was weird as I had the figure, but now had to wait and save up for the vehicle.  If I wanted more Battle Force 2000, I would have to duplicate this process.  Plus, since I got Blocker with the 2-pack, Hasbro already dictated which vehicle I would have to go for next - the Eliminator.  This was awkward and confusing.

    Maverick was a cool figure though.  He wasn't overly impressive, as most vehicle drivers had a tendency to be.  He had a proper sci-fi pilot look, I liked his helmet and pistol and I liked the small Vector jet as well.  The code name was weird... the movie Top Gun came out in 1986.  There was no mystery where Hasbro got the name.  But he looked nothing like the movie character and neither did the jet.  Rating Maverick... he's good, but not fantastic.  I would give him an even rating of 3 out of 5 Tom Cruise DVDs.

    Maverick only got one figure in the G.I. Joe line!  He got a few good moments in the comics but didn't make it into the cartoons as there was no cartoon running in 1987-88.  For as innovative and exciting as Battle Force 2000 was hyped to be, they disappeared from radar rather quickly.  Unfortunately, every member except Dodger, was killed in the G.I. Joe comic #113 in the Battle of Benzheen.

    I think several Battle Force 2000 figures would have fit well in later sub-groups like the Mega-Marines or Star Brigade.  It wasn't meant to be though as I think Hasbro was done with them.

    So what do you think of Maverick?  Did you like him?  Did you put him in your Skystriker and play Top Gun instead of G.I. Joe?  Come to think of it... Top Gun also had a character named "Viper"....?  Hmm....

More thoughts while riding into the danger zone with Maverick...

--- Battle Force 2000 was slated to be the rivals of the Iron Grenadiers at some point... but that never happened.

--- My feelings on Maverick's jet, the Vector, mirrored that of the figure.  It was cool, but not fantastic.  Crazy Legs was typically my choice to man the gun turret in the jet.

--- Sorry, but I question Maverick's death in the comic.  That jet had to be way up in the air when Cobra Commander blew up those oil tanks.  Yep, he's still around.  Now suit him up and put him in Star Brigade!!

--- While Maverick did not get a second figure in the toyline...  The mold for the figure was used to make Biomassa, an Eco-Warrior (or Forca Eco) available in Brazil.  See below...

I found this figure, carded, at Hotspot Collectables in Indiana.