DESERT PARATROOPER FLINT, 1994

   "Jumping out of a plane at 40,000 feet is easy.  Landing in desert sand is the hard part!" - Flint, 1994.

DESERT PARATROOPER - FLINT

    The year 1994 brought us the fourth and final Flint figure in the original toyline.  Flint made his figure debut with the Joes back in 1984, which by many is considered the best year of G.I. Joe!  He was easily recognizable by his beret and his signature shotgun and was a prominent character in both the comic and cartoon series'.  In 1988, he returned with a recolored uniform, serving with the sub-group - Tiger Force.

    The year 1992 brought a drastic change for Flint as he was put in charge of the Eco-Warriors team.  This team was specifically created to combat The Cobra agent - Cesspool and his troops who were attempting to pollute and poison the Earth's environment.  Flint was given specialized gear to protect him from the hazardous "Toxo-Sludge" Cobra was manufacturing.

      When Cesspool was finally defeated, Flint took a position in the G.I. Joe Team as a Desert Paratrooper.  Now Flint was being dropped from an airplane to thwart Cobra Operations in hostile desert climates.  He has been outfitted with new desert and paratrooper equipment as well as some new weapons, including his "Sand Blaster" rocket launcher.

    Flint's 94' file card states that he has the "unique ability to lower his body temperature and adjust to the boiling hot rays of the desert sun".  Unless they want to add that he has been hanging out in Dr. Mindbender's lab, I'm going to say "Yeah, I don't think so" to that one!

    The year of 1994 had it's fair share of oddities, but I think the Flint (v4) is a pretty strong figure!  I think the desert uniform is great, especially the removable beret.  If I'm correct, he uses the same head sculpt from the Eco-Warriors Flint, which is good for continuity.  While I'm not typically a fan of the generic weapons trees, at least Flint got a normal color - black.  So that's another plus!  The bright orange "Sand Blaster" launcher is tad weird though.  Overall, this is a good update for the Flint character...  I'll give him a rating of 4 out of 5 actual Sand Blasters from Menards!!!

        ...And then that was it...  Because that was the end of the original line as we knew it.  What did you think of this version of Flint?

More ramblin' on and on about Flint, Version 4...

---  I am a little confused as to why he doesn't have a parachute (like Crazy Legs or Ripcord) if he is a Desert Paratrooper.

---  In 1995, Flint was slated to get a 5th figure as a member of the Ninja Commandos?!?!?  Not sure why he was joining a ninja group, but okay...  Pictures of prototype figures are out there, but the figure's file card has never surfaced.  I would certainly be interested in hearing how Flint hooked up with this particular team and what his qualifications were!

---  I like this figure, but a few more paint apps would have been appreciated.  I know some versions have more paint on his legs.  It would have been great to see a little more on his beret too!