We action figure geeks can be a cowardly, superstitious lot. We’re sometimes afraid of changes to the beloved properties of our youth. Clinging to established visions of characters only as we have known them, we often cheat ourselves of enjoying new interpretations of our time-tested favorites. Maybe we hold some sort of irrational fear that the changing of our childhood
Read more
It’s been a while since I’ve refreshed things around here, and I thought I’d do a little WordPress spring cleaning/organizing. I’m still in the process of getting things laid out just right, but all the regular material is still here. My goal is to make the loads of daily content (almost four years’ worth!) more accessible beyond clicking through page
Read more
Can a bit of beautifully rendered package art sell a less-than-great product? Heck, yes. Check out the card art for the 1987 versions of the Cobra Action Packs, the goofy little low price point items that featured (among other gimmicks) wind-up action. Of course, the packs were often outsized and some looked just too dang goofy on the figures, but
Read more
The Iron Grenadiers version of the Enemy Weapons Supplier must have been quite popular in the Hasbro ranks during the first few years of the modern GI Joe era. This Destro mold was released five times in 2008. Those sort of numbers remind me what an amazing time collectors had during those reinvigorated Real American Hero homage years of 2007
Read more
By KansasBrawler Growing up, I never really had that strong of an attachment to the playsets. I loved Joe vehicles, but the Joe playsets were just a little too big to pick up and play, and that’s what I preferred. My brother and I had joint custody of the 1991 Joe Headquarters, but that was about it for playsets and
Read more
Customs have been a fascination of mine within toy collecting for some time. The first time I can remember customizing a toy myself was back in the 80s, when I asked my mother to make a set of arctic clothes for my ’82 Snake Eyes and ’83 Stalker. I had been so smitten with issue 2 of the Marvel comic
Read more
Here’s the first offering of the Real American Hero line in the JC Penney Christmas Catalog. I find these catalog shots fascinating for several reasons: the often missing or incorrectly assembled vehicles, custom made diorama elements, and non-Hasbro accessories. This setup looks quite hastily assembled in comparison to later gorgeous displays featured in 1983 and 1984. First off, the GI
Read more
One of the most unique aspects of the GI Joe series since its inception in the 1960s has been its attention to minute detail and mundane accessories. Sure, every fighting soldier needs a uniform, helmet and weaponry, but they also require the necessities of food, shelter and supplies. From items like canteens and mess kits in the 60s to tents
Read more
Hasbro’s 80s and 90s GI Joes were no strangers to animal companionship. Wait, that didn’t sound appropriate. I meant animal partners. Okay, not good either. Animal sidekicks. That’s better, I think. From Freedom to Lamont, the small Joes have had a great history of being paired with members of the animal kingdom. I wonder how much of that is a
Read morePoor Dee-Jay, stuck as an extra member of the less than popular Battle Force 2000. To further add to his misery, the guy debuted and died in the same comic issue. And don’t get me started about his funky boots. Possibly the explanation for his boots lies in BF2K’s mission as a testing ground for future weapons. Somewhere in 1986,
Read more