SAS (Action Force) - Graphic Representation

Graphic Representation

The SAS characters and their representative figures and vehicles were based on the SAS and SBS special forces regiments of the British, New Zealand and Australian armed forces. The Action Force characters were devised around the time of the Iranian Embassy Siege (later depicted in the movie Who Dares Wins) when the SAS were extremely highly regarded in the British popular media.

Described in promotional material as:

"The behind the lines team, skilled in sabotage and disruption. They are usually the first to go into action against Baron Ironblood's fanatical Red Shadows"

the unit was introduced as part of the second generation of Action Force (see Action Force – second generation) although there was a single SAS figure in the first generation of Action Force. The graphic representation of the SAS Force characters and vehicles borrowed heavily from their real-world counterparts by using the dark garb of the SAS and SBS units while on urban counter terrorism duties (and made popular by the Iranian Embassy Siege), although adding yellow for some of the armaments and insignia. Despite taking its name from the SAS units of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the SAS unit was written as a single multi-national fighting force including soldiers from Britain, the USA, Mexico, Canada, Iceland and Belgium among others.

In another departure from their real-life counterparts, the Action Force SAS unit was not entirely under cover or "behind the lines" (despite the promotional brief). The range included the overt Wolverine missile tank, multi-missile system and the Hawk attack helicopter. Despite the marine/aquatic function of Q Force (which also included military frogmen) the SAS unit included waterborne operatives such as Beaver and Stakeout, who specialised on inland and coastal waterways whilst Q Force dealt with offshore marine scenarios.

The Battle Action Force back stories that followed the release of the figures (see Battle Action Force tie in), were more extensive than were the case for the other Action Force ranges, with the possible exception of Z Force. Capitalising on the popularity of the real SAS, many of the comic back-stories of the characters and storylines involved SAS Force. Indeed, after appearing in the first-ever Action Force story, the SAS were the only Action Force unit that consistently appeared in storylines following the introduction of the third generation and the arrival of Cobra.

Three of the SAS characters had their own dedicated features exploring their back-stories: Quickfire, Beaver and Stakeout whilst characters such as Blades and Stalker also had dedicated storylines and frequent appearances in Battle Action Force.

The largest of the Action Force units, later releases ignored existing figures and their specialities and resulted in some duplication: for example, the Hawk helicopter was released with pilot Blades, notwithstanding the SAS range already included a helicopter pilot, Chopper. In addition, the unit included only marginally distinct SAS Commando (Quickfire), SAS Para Attack (Sparrowhawk), SAS Boat Patrol (Stakeout) and generic SAS Attack Trooper figures.

The figures were the least updated of the second generation of Action Force. Since the First Generation figures included SAS characters, the first wave of released figures were minor repaints, variations and repackages of the First Generation figures - for example the SAS Frogman, Pilot and Commando. Later releases were repaints of G.I. Joe figures and vehicles - including from the 'enemy' Cobra range (e.g. Hunter as a repaint of the 1982 Cobra Officer figure).

Both Hunter and Blades re-appeared as characters in the G.I. Joe universe over 20 years later with cameos in G.I. Joe: America's Elite issue #30. Blades then made a second appearance in 2009 to coincide with the G.I. Joe Convention of that year. This time however the character was re-released as both a toy and comicbook character although he was written in as a member of the "Special Action Force" (or S.A.F) and retconned as being British rather than retaining the American nationality of the original character.