LOBO vs. COBRA
In 1979, CIPSA created a Kid Acero subline named LOBO Squadron, which was originally inspired by Big Jim's P.A.C.K. The same wolf logo used on P.A.C.K. toys was adopted as the team's image. The LOBO Squadron was composed of three heroes, who joined forces to fight against an increasing army of evil characters who are known solely as COBRA, whose leader is no other than Kid Acero's long time-adversary Doctor Drago. ("Cobra" is identical in English and Spanish.)
The LOBO Squadron line was mostly composed of retooled toys and repaints. CIPSA took the decision to substitute the right arm of Kid Acero for the one used in the American Torpedo Fist—a Big Jim's action figure—and renamed the toy as Kid Acero Brazo-Bala (Bullet-Arm). For the next 4 years, Bullet-Arm was the most wanted action figure in the Latin American market. Several other versions of Kid Acero were released along the years in the normal line, but none sold as much as the Bullet-Arm version. The real Torpedo Fist never was produced in Latin America.
For some reason, instead of introducing other known Big Jim's villains or friends, CIPSA decided to create their own, but using parts of Big Jim toys. The LOBO Squad initial series introduced Garfio (The Hook), a weapons specialist armed with boomerangs and a bullwhip as associate of Doctor Drago, who has joined forces with Zorak, the Dual Menace. As a result of this new threat, Kid Acero recruits two popular superheroes named Invisible Man and Bionic Man. The LOBO Squadron plot presents all characters as skilled martial arts combatants, and for this reason, most of the figures of this sub line have minimal clothes, mostly black kung fu pants or sport pants. Some characters do not wear shoes at all.
Garfio is in fact a tanned skin Torpedo Fist action figure with hook instead of left arm (but without the spring action as in the Big Jim's Pirate series). His hair was repainted black and was dressed with the same pants and boots as Kid Acero Bullet-Arm in black, but also came with The Whip's accessories and weapons. The original Whip action figure wasn't released in Mexico.
Invisible Man was a translucent basic Big Jim body with two removable heads. One head is the normal Big Jim or Big Jeff's head (of which two versions were available) with blonde hair, whereas the other was nominally transparent. (With wear and time the plastic becomes whitens or yellows). The interior rubber band that joins the hip with the body was also white. It came with a blue sport suit and gloves. When fully dressed the normal head gives the impression of a normal human male. When undressed his transparent head and body are revealed.
Due to the high demand of Kenner's The Six Million Dollar Man action figure, CIPSA released his own version of the same TV character. Its creation was solely a local decision made after the real Six Million Dollar Man action figure, aka "El Hombre Nuclear" in Spanish, and made by Lili Ledy toy company in Mexico, was retired from the Latin American market due to licensing problems in an effort to capitalize the character's current popularity. On its initial run, Bionic Man was a stand-alone action figure with no relation at all with any other CIPSA lines of toys. One year later, a sticker was added in the front of the box with the line "a Kid Acero's friend!". Next year the box was retouched to present him as official part of LOBO. Bionic Man is a Big Jeff basic figure, but dressed in a silver jumper. He has a bionic arm, but instead of the Kung-Fu Grip which was one of the main characteristics of the Six Million Dollar Man action figures, Bionic Man had magnets on his right hand and in several accessories which represents heavy containers and pipe tubes. Using the magnets, Bionic Man carries or pushes away extremely heavy bulks. This action figure does not have a bionic eye with zoom-in features, but in the comic he has it. His most notorious characteristic is it has a translucent right arm, so you can see his internal metallic bones surrounded by cables and circuits.
Several Big Jim figures who shared the same changing face feature were sold as different versions of Zorak, the Dual Menace, including the original Double Trouble and Captain Drake.
In 1980, a last villain was introduced in the series. This time was an alien named Nocton, Master of Darkness (sometimes he is called Noc-Tar in the comic). This one originally was an unproduced Mattel's Space: 1999 model named "Zython". By its second season, Space 1999 suffered a drastic drop in popularity and Zhyton was dropped before being released in the American Market. He was briefly released on Europe though. It is not clear why he was added to COBRA Organization instead of other CIPSA's space related toys. His face resembles an Egyptian pharaoh more than an alien creature. He has light green skin and huge ears. Some Nocton figures had light up features, other figures glows in the dark, and at least one of them had a flying saucer, which looks more like a huge lifesaver which attaches to his hips. Collectors must keep in mind that despite the fact both figures looks almost identical at first sight, Nocton is two inches smaller than Zython. His size was reduced to match the size of all other Big Jim's action figures.
All Vehicles used by LOBO Squadron are black, while all COBRA Organization's are Silver. Most of the Big Jim's originally black colored vehicles were added to the LOBO toys line. The 1979 Big Jim's Lazer-vette is probably the most notorious one. Its package was retouched to substitute Torpedo and Jim from the box' front for Kid Acero and Invisible Man, and the toy was renamed Lobo Laser. The Devil Dune Buggy was repainted silver and released as Cobra-mobile.
The Kid Acero Series was gradually retired from the Latin American market and eventually substituted by the James Bond Series.
