When I cover figures from the spring-loaded missile launcher era of GI Joe, I normally don’t include the launcher in my pictures. They often seem like a tacked-on accessory, not to mention nigh impossible for most figures to hold unsupported. However in Duke’s case, the missile launcher works, and dare I say it–I like it. Several of the ’94 Star
Read moreIn the previous post, I mentioned my first Joe figure, and how it changed me from a Star Wars kid to a GI Joe kid. When I think back on getting my first GI Joe figure from a store, I can still smell the tires. Tires? Yes, tires. The smell of tires takes me back to the 1980’s and my
Read moreI remember back to 1982, and it was a time when Star Wars was the big thing for me. From 1979 to 1982 I was all about Star Wars. If it was a birthday, Christmas or any occasion where I could get a gift, my wish was for anything from that galaxy far far away. However I do remember seeing
Read moreThe General is one unwieldy vehicle. I’m not just talking about the fictional sense of how the heck it moves around, let alone manages to make turns, but in the size of the toy itself. Yes, the USS Flagg is monstrous, and the Defiant is a giant unfolding behemoth of a playset, but the General is an absolute beast of
Read moreThe ’86 Viper mold. A fan favorite design that continues to resonate to this day. It’s also a mold that’s been repainted more times than my uncle’s 1974 Monte Carlo. Speaking of the 70’s, what’s more representative of the horrid decor of that decade than brown and gold? I think Cobra Commander was pining for his days as a young
Read moreThe Sky Patrol figures’ packaging touted the “Working Silver Parachute” as a big selling point. Don’t get me wrong, attaching parachutes to toys and throwing them up in the air is fun as all get out. But for me, Sky Patrol is memorable for the figures themselves. Creative repaints, new interesting weapons and cool helmets come together to create what
Read moreThe 90’s began impressively for GI Joe with a lot of new characters and a plethora of accessories for many of the figures. Bullhorn is no exception. Just the mask and sniper rifle would have been good enough. But we got an actual bullhorn and a modular rifle, a first for the Joe line. Cool accessories all around. The character
Read moreEffects is one of those figures you dig out of your bin and say, “Oh yeah, this guy came out.” And that’s about all you can say about him. No cartoon or comic appearances, he’s just kind of—there. I have to wonder if this mold was even intended as a Star Brigade character initially. He looks more like an Eco
Read moreOne of the things I’ve always loved about the GI Joe line has been its ability to incorporate military designs and styles from different recent eras and somehow make them work. Dogfight’s look is influenced by a bygone era or fighter jocks in the mid 20th century. He doesn’t so much resemble a straight World War II pilot as he
Read moreI’m sure most Joe fans have a story or two about getting an “almost” Joe gift from a well-meaning but ill-informed relative for Christmas, birthday, etc. I had a one of those experiences, too. Give Grandma a break; everybody doesn’t pay attention to name brands and such, especially when there’s a cheaper and similar looking figure hanging on the pegs
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