How many times has the ’84 Firefly mold been used, especially since the 2000’s? Too many times to count. The Cobra saboteur seemed to turn up each year back then, even making it into two separate Cobra multi figure packs. I know the mold is a classic, but sheesh, talk about overexposure. Well, that wasn’t always the case. Until 1998,
Read more1987–the year presented more whacked out Cobra characters per capita than any previous year. While the 3 3/4″ Joe line started out mostly as a military line, the weird Cobra characters started coming in 1983 and got progressively weirder through the next few years. Cases in point: Destro, Zartan, Tomax/Xamot and Serpentor. I can handle an arms dealer with a
Read moreThe character of Zap, a bazooka soldier, was one of the Joe team’s original members. The first group of Joes released in 1982, usually referred to as the “original 13,” were made up of simple molds, many of whose parts were shared among the figures. Simple paint schemes set this first group apart from later releases; most were simply a
Read moreCheck the original post for all the background on Mr. Brawler. His influence was felt not only in America, but also in India when Funskool produced their own version in 2003. Typical for Funskool figures, the paint scheme is odd, the plastic is cheap and the accessories don’t make any sense. I’ll bet I can still make it fit into
Read moreThe Viper from the FANG and CLAW two pack is a thing of beauty to an aficionado of odd and unusual Joes. Who in their right mind would put this combination of colors together? That’s one of the things I love about the GI Joe brand’s longevity and diversity; you can really make of it want you want; even when
Read moreCustom action figures are a big part of the Joe collecting community. Most fans at one time or another have wanted to have a figure of a character that was never officially produced by Hasbro. The nature of vintage Joe construction made it easy to swap parts for figure to figure, and the huge number of individual parts created over
Read moreDid you know that Hasbro tried out a Lego-like building system with its properties years before the Kre-O line? Both GI Joe and the Transformers received the treatment with the Built to Rule line from 2003 to 2005. Each set could be built into two or more different vehicles, and included a driver. The Joe line seems a natural for
Read moreTwo elements of Joes that I am enamored with: the 1991 to 1994 series and winter themed figures. Today’s figure fulfills both of these categories. Why do I like the arctic figures so much? Several reasons, the first being the amount of accessories usually included with them. I remember getting the original Joe arctic trooper, Snow Job. Along with the
Read moreLike her brother Zartan, Zarana is a master (or is it mistress?) of disguise. You certainly wouldn’t get that idea from looking at her outfit. Not something that blends in, unless you’re hanging around the film set of a low-budget 80’s Italian Mad Max ripoff. Maybe it’s what she wears on Cobra’s causal Fridays. Say what you will about her, but
Read moreToday is a very special day. It’s my son Will’s first birthday. I wanted to do something a bit different for this post, and luckily Will gave me the idea. Last week, I found the new Skystriker at Target, brought it home and sat it on the kitchen floor while my wife and I fixed dinner. Will was in the
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