After almost three years of daily GI Joe blogging, I’ve decided that a format change is in order. While I’ve enjoyed traveling the breadth and depth of the brand, things have gotten a bit stale for me. I felt like I needed a more dynamic focus, and wanted to look at my favorite toy line from a new perspective. At
Read moreby Twitziller The Built to Rule Forest Fox, available as part of the first series of BTR sets released in 2003, is a utility attack vehicle set for the G.I. Joe team. In its primary mode, the Forest Fox is a general-purpose attack vehicle that seats two figures in the cab, with standing room for more in the back. It’s
Read moreSurprisingly, I haven’t covered Sgt. Savage too much in the nearly three year history of the site. In fact, this is the first representative of the line’s regularly scaled toys that I’ve written about. There were as many differences as similarities between this attempted relaunch of the brand and the classic small scaled GI Joe figures. The Savage line’s figures
Read moreby KansasBrawler The Slaughter’s Marauders sub-team was a big part of my childhood. Between the two of us, my brother and I had the entire group, which was pretty unusual. Plus, it allowed me to get access to some figures (like Mutt & Junkyard) who I liked from the cartoon but missed the original releases. However, the choices Hasbro made
Read moreThe silent weapons master of Ninja Force is also the most talkative member of the group. It’s not the last time the team would play the irony card. Witness Bushido, the samurai helmeted snow ninja. No matter what you think of the Ninja Force concept, props must be given for the first year’s eclectic mix of personalities, uniform design and
Read more1993 saw the continuation of the previous year’s DEF, albeit in a less obvious manner. Each of the second year Joe drug fighters and Cobra criminals were folded into the regular Battle Corps assortment, and given normal accessories in place of the previous Battle Flash weaponry. Gristle comes to us as either a lieutenant or successor to the drug kingpin
Read moreAll black Snake Eyes figures are things of beauty to me. There’s something great about the simplicity of that first figure from 1982, clad in just one cast shade of black plastic. Through the years, there have only been a handful of figures to go this route, one of which I’ve covered here before. The Target exclusive Rescue Mission boxed
Read moreby Twitziller The Built to Rule Sledgehammer, available as part of the second series of BTR sets in limited release in 2004, is a new design with a new name. In its primary mode, the Sledgehammer is a low-slung one-person mini-tank with working treads, an armored body, and a dual missile launcher with an articulated “remote” swivel mechanism. The Sledgehammer
Read moreIn 2014, the year of GI Joe’s 50th anniversary, what sort of figures are being released to pay tribute to the brand’s 1960s origins? Well, none to speak of. In fact, the only homage toys celebrating the first generation of Joes, outside of a Collectors Club convention exclusive offering, are Kreons based on 1970s figures. More than a bit of
Read moreKamakura had quite a bit of exposure during the 2000s relaunch line. In just three years, he had three small figure releases, plus a 12 inch figure. His first version, the dreaded banana headed, Action Attack monstrosity, stands as one of the downright goofiest figures of the era. This one succeeded it, and improved upon its unfortunately masked predecessor. Included
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