1994 JC Penney Catalog: Joes and Not-Joes
1994 was the end of the Real American Hero run as well as the 30th anniversary of the GI Joe brand. It was a fun year in the sense of revisiting the original Joes, but a bummer to see the little guys going away. Though Joes weren’t as plentiful as in previous years’ Christmas catalogs, they did appear that year. The later Hall of Fame figures and jeep were on the page previous to the below image, but this one really sparked my interest. While it’s not exactly rare to see GI Joe knock-offs and also-rans together on old catalog pages, I can’t recall seeing the variety of Joe-inspired product that this page from Penney’s catalog put together.
Tiger’s BattleVision (I really want to get my mitts on that base), Lanard’s CORPS! (featuring JAD favorite Lightning Mobutu) and Toy Max’s talking knock-off M P.A.C.T. are all here to order. For good measure, a couple of vehicles were available as well, including a very Sky Striker-y electronic F-14 Tomcat. Electronics/action figure hybrids were the toys-to-life of their day.
Some of the twelve inch 30th anniversary Joes are on this page as well. I found it difficult to locate the pilot at the time, and it’s interesting to note that he and the sailor are not offered here. Very strange. There was however an option to order the black soldier, so hooray for inclusion!
That RC F-14 is cool!
To be totally honest, those MPACT figures are probably the most durable and well-built 3 3/4″ Joe knock-offs I’ve ever owned. They’re so far above every other wannabe line. The only downside is the waist is more along the lines of Kenner Star Wars than G.I. Joe.
Let me guess; three quarters of that catalogue is dedicated to power rangers crap
Electronic toys also spelled the end of longevity with leaking batteries. Though, to be fair, I’ve got a MOBAT and a Micronaut Battle Cruiser with major corrosion issues.
So M and I figures are not Joes? I wouldn’t be able to tell with how the end of the line looked.