Code Name: Breaker
File Name: Kibbey, Alvin R. SN:RA757793518
Primary Military Specialty: Infantry
Birthplace: Gatlinburg, Tennessee Grade: E-4
Breaker is familiar with all NATO and Warsaw Pact communication gear as well as most world export devices. Specialized Education: Signal School; Cover Electronics; Project Gamma. Qualified Expert: M-16; M-1911A; MAC-10 (Ingram). (CLASSIFIED: Speaks Seven Languages).
"He's efficient and self-assured and has an uncanny ability to turn adverse situations to his favor."
*Above text from the original 1982 / 1983 file card.
He's Breaker. Communications Officer of G.I. Joe. A straight arm figure released in 1982 as one of the original ten carded figures, and again in 1983 as wave 1.5, featuring the all new swivel action arms. He's a character often featured in the original series of cartoons, throughout the Marvel comic book series, and a figure I didn't have as a kid.
I've said this time and time again here at The Toy Box, and I'm sure I'll say it numerous more times moving forward, but I didn't start getting G.I. Joe toys until around 1987. At that point, it was too late to get a lot of the figures that made up the original 1982 through 1986 waves, unless they by chance were warming pegs at a random store - Which they weren't.
Breaker was also one of the many figures who didn't see any form of re-release beyond 1983. With exception of the straight arm and swivel arm variants, he was never a character added to any of the numerous sub-series, such as Tiger Force or Night Force. So basically, if you didn't get this one in 1983, chances are high you didn't own him as a kid.
I didn't get my hands on Breaker until March 2, 2019, and looking back on that purchase, it was a rather difficult one to come by. I always knew I wasn't going to grab any of the straight arm figures, because I didn't see the point of buying both the 1982 and 1983 versions. However, even then, I continued to put off the "green uniform" classic figures of '83 for the flashier colored wave two and beyond.
While this didn't stop me from periodically looking into the figure, I remember always walking away saying, "If I have to spend $60.00 on a figure, I'd rather by (insert figure name)." As my collecting days dwindled to a close, and my collection of 1983 - 1987 was wrapping up, time eventually came around to getting the wave 1.5 figures I had passed on so many times before. This, however, proved difficult. Suddenly, the figures I was focusing on were unavailable. I checked on ebay day after day, inputting the multiple search parameter combinations to locate one; "Breaker 1983 Complete Figure," "Breaker Swivel Arm Complete," Etc.
Even when finally finding one, I had to go a roundabout way of putting mine together for completeness. I grabbed the figure, and then had to buy the accessories separately. I of course only did this because I was able to find everything in separate listings before clicking the various, "Buy It Now" buttons.
One of the issues I was having in finding this, well, beyond not being able to find the swivel arm version, was that when I did stumble across one, the paint was all kinds of torn up on the silver pouches, brown beard and hair or black vest straps. The one I ended up with isn't in as nice a condition as I would have ultimately wanted, but I had to get this figure off my want list. The search was killing me.
Breaker isn't my favorite G.I. Joe figure, but that doesn't make having it any less important to me. He's a crucial character not only to the series, but to the 1982 / 1983 line-up. Falling in that sweet spot of 1983 to 1987 made owning this one integral to the overall "completion" of my collection.
These days, my G.I. Joe collecting is pretty much done. I didn't collect everything from the 1982 to 1994 vintage series, nor did I intend on doing so. Though with that said, I did end up buying more than I initially intended to, expanding well beyond 1987.
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Seeing these pics, I can still remember the feel of the backpack wire. I always liked Breaker because of the cool headset he had.
ReplyDeleteHe was definitely unique among the "green" Joe figures. A bit more exciting than most because of his look and accessories.
DeleteI didn't start collecting G.I. Joe until 1986 or 1987 (Hawk v2 was my first figure, followed by Sci-Fi) so Breaker wasn't someone I had as a kid, either. My first was probably the comic back version followed by the 25th anniversary versions.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could remember what my first G.I. Joe figure was as a kid. Sadly, I just don't know who it was, when I got it, and what the circumstances were surrounding it - I.E. birthday, Christmas, random toy, etc.
DeleteShort Fuze was my first figure. I was looking for Stalker or Snake Eyes but couldn't find them. I chose Short Fuze since my dad was a mortar man in the army. I soon found Stalker and Snake Eyes next. I remember the first three. After that, it was all a haze. I remember Breaker from the comic books because he was always chewing bubble gum. The only figures I didn't get as a kid from the original line up was Flash, Grunt, Rock n Roll and Hawk/MMS and the Cobra dudes.
DeleteNo Cobras? How on Earth did you play?
DeleteGood question. I did order the Cobra Commander with my Flag Points. My neighbor had some Cobras. In 1983, I basically stopped collecting toys. I remember getting all psyched to buy Return of the Jedi figures and ended up not buying anything. I was moving on. :-(
DeleteSad story.
Delete