1991 JC Penney Catalog
If you peruse the Christmas catalogs of the early to mid 80s, you’ll get a good picture of the extent of the GI Joe brand’s popularity at the time. Unfortunately, Joe’s golden years were fading in the eyes of catalog distributors as the 90s rolled around. Check out this page from JC Penney’s 1991 book. GI Joe is represented by a lone vehicle, although it is the impressively huge General and Locust. Wait a tic–wasn’t the General a 1990 release? Man, Joe goes out of the catalogs with a whimper. Also note: horror of horrors! Next to the General are two of Lanard’s CORPS! toys. Double horrors–the General is manned (aside from its Joe driver) by CORPS! team members. To tell the truth, I don’t mind. I’m a Lanard fan too. It’s just weird seeing them mixed together in a catalog.
On a positive note for me, I always thought those super-size Toy Biz Marvel figures on this page were pretty nifty.
Am I the only one wondering why it is that in real life, the handle of that sword barely fits in Wolverine’s hand?
(Also, since WHEN does Magneto drive?)
At least Major Storm is in the General.
OMG the CORPS tank and boat set was 24.99?
After 1982-1990,the variety of G.I.JOE merchandise to choose from dropped very rapidly in the Christmas Catalogs.”
I know some fans hate the CORPS with a passion but I don’t mind them. I had about ten corps figures for every Joe I had as my parents were poor [CORPS figures costing something like $1.95 whereas Joe’s were $6.99 in my old town]
Oh yes and is that Cyclops figure the one that lights up? I used to have one of those