I feel the urge from time to time to present figures that I feel just haven’t gotten their due. I like finding figures that have been overlooked among the hundreds of other GI Joes released throughout the years. There are I feel quite a few unheralded greats hiding among their more well known and well liked compatriots. Indeed, greatness can
Read moreNo, it’s not the title of a TV show in which a former baseball slugger and the computer from “2001: A Space Odyssey” team up to solve crimes. But if I had my way, it would be. The story of the relaunch of GI Joe goes that it was intended originally as a vehicle line. I think that’s apparent in
Read moreThis figure as a concept is a nice change-up from the usual idea of what a GI Joe combat medic does. While Stretcher is a medic, and can patch up wounded troops, he is primarily known for transporting them from the field of battle. A flying platform is a nice piece of equipment to have in accomplishing that task. This
Read moreBadgers? We ain’t got no badgers. We don’t need no badgers. We don’t got to show you any stinking Badgers! Sorry, couldn’t resist. I suppose the Badger filled a similar spot to the old VAMP, albeit in a bit of a scaled down size. While this is not as small a vehicle as you would think, it is a one-seater.
Read moreSalvo was one of the last GI Joe characters I would have expected when the DTC line was going. With assortments that included much requested new sculpt Cobras like a basic trooper and Crimson Guard, I thought the Joes would be represented with similarly demanded individuals. It’s not that I don’t like Salvo; I think the original is one of
Read moreThere was a time when electronics didn’t have as large a presence on the battlefield. There was a time when radios were about as sophisticated as communications got for ground troops. It should have been no surprise that among the GI Joe team of the 80’s and 90’s, the computer specialist position was mainly filled by one man: Mainframe. While
Read moreThe Real American Hero era GI Joe characters lend themselves well to the 12 inch format. The distinctive uniforms and bold concepts of both the heroes and villains are a natural for the larger scale. Details that add personality at the smaller size can be expanded upon in new ways. Wild Bill has always been known for his tendency to
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Backblast is equipped with an impressive weapon that is also unfortunately one of the most difficult to get a figure to hold while maintaining its balance. I hate to harp here, but I feel you must share my pain in getting this guy posed for a photo. I try not to use figure stands in my shots, so there’s a
Read moreI suppose since Mainframe didn’t include any weapons, one could assume he might be a pacifist along the lines of Lifeline. However, he breaks the stereotype for what you’d consider a computer specialist. He’s former Airborne and reinlisted as a Marine, and as the file card states, “He’s got brains–but he’s hard.” Though the technology that he carries seems quaint and
Read moreOkay, I know Shipwreck looks inherently weird here. He’s long-legged and short-torsoed (is that a word?) like many other figures from the early to mid 2000s GI Joe lines, or what we collector geeks call the “new sculpt” era. But look past the proportions, and you might see a Shipwreck concept that was both new and useful. When most children
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