1985 Heavy Metal: Mauler M.B.T. Tank Driver

Includes: sub-machine gun, microphone

​Roll over the images below to find out more, or click the images to enlarge them. Photos courtesy of Drew Hagerty.

​Know your Joes!

In this series, Ken Fields will compare similar action figures and point out the common "tells" that will help you differentiate between figures.

Heavy Metal was re-released in 1989 as a mail-in offer from Hasbro Direct, but he was re-named Rampage. There are many differences between these figures, and they are detailed in the image gallery below. Roll over the images below to find out more information, or click the images to enlarge them.

The figure mold is unchanged, and the color pallette is similar, which can lead to confusion. But there are several differences of note. The first tell is Heavy Metal includes a small brown mic. Due to it's small size, many were lost. This is one of the most valuable vintage G.I.Joe accessories.

While the figure mold was unchanged, the machine gun was not. Look at the front lips on the bottom of the ammo clip. Heavy Metal's is thin, while Rampage's is thick.

While the color pallette stayed consistent, there are many paint app tells. The most prominent tell is that Heavy Metal features a dusty face, as if he's just come in and lifted his goggles after driving around with the hatch open in the desert. Rampage's face is clean.

The color pallette, while similar, does bear some notable differences. Heavy Metal features a duller gold, and less saturated green and brown. Rampage's colors pop more, with a brighter gold and more colorful, saturated green and brown.

Another tell is the tampo, or stamped graphic. Rampage's 3 patch is notably thicker and brighter than Heavy Metal's patch.

Both figures are stamped with a 1985 Hasbro copyright.

Another tell is Heavy Metal's "MADE IN HONG KONG" stamp below his belt. Rampage was manufactured in Brazil by Estrela (they also produced the US-release Slaughter's Marauders around this time) for Hasbro.

1985 Heavy Metal with original accessories.

1989 Rampage with original accessory.