The Variant Commander Mail Away SteveD Theory!!!

[SteveD]

As many of you know I have a little bit of an obsession with variants. So over the past years I've been obsessing with the origin of the commander mail away variant alternate layout card back.

By that I mean the versions where we have the commander information on the opposite side of the card. Or the commander photo on the left hand side as you look at the cardback, rather than the right.

It turns out that over the years I've acquired a few more than I thought!

Now, for a while my theory is that they were the very early wave of series 2. Which makes me think they are limited to the very first releases. I've assumed that this means they were only available as the very first release - SAS, z force and the enemy.

And I'm still finding that my theory stacks up. It turns out in total I have seven. And two of them are even variants of figures!

They all have the really old bubbles - the ones with "Star Wars" type feet on the bottom, like series 1. They are all purely English language, and made in England. And, my most interesting find - they all have the "free action force comic inside Battle, Tiger and Eagle during July and August" flash point. Which places them right there in Spring/early summer I reckon! So I'm now certain - these were the very first releases. Which is why they are so hard to find. And why those lots sold by Vectis the other month that were the former Palitoy sales reps had the alternate mail away versions in there too!

So, my challenge, before I upload my photos, is prove me wrong! If anyone has an alternate layout q force or space force - let me know!!

[SteveD]

First, a side by side.
The alternate is the one on the right in both photos.

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[SteveD]

I just realised I accidentally used the radio op miscard for that shot, but you get the gist!

[SteveD]

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[SteveD]

Some more details

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:-

[SteveD]

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[SteveD]

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[SteveD]

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[SteveD]

Missed this rascal out from the group shot!

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[SteveD]

As for the wheels pocketed z force fella, and the red vulture version - I reckon in the early stages they hadn't quite got it pinned down as to what was meant to go in where. Hence the vulture and wheels versions being carded!

I have better photos of each, but I'll spare you then for the time being!

So, does anyone agree? Disagree? Anyone have any other alternate layout versions? Or q or space on the alternate layout? Or any other flash points other than the July/Aug comic ones?

Discuss?