What? Classified? I thought this was Snake Eyes? Isn’t he a ninja? Why’s he just a dude in a boonie hat? This, dear reader, is a flashback version of Snake Eyes, or as his file card states, CLASSIFIED. Snake Eyes’ real name and place of birth have always been listed as such on his file cards. The mystery related to
Read moreFrom 2003 to 2006, Toys R Us released several themed six packs based on vintage molds. These sets were a great value priced at around $20, and while not always thematically successful, employed vintage molds to create new versions of fan favorites as well as a few new characters. For a ninja commando, Snake Eyes sure does seem to make
Read moreKamakura the Lemon Head Ninja. How quickly you were forgotten. Your Action Attack and yellow-headed tackiness was the bane of GI Joe collectors’ existence for all of three minutes back in the mid-aughts. I have to say, as much as we bitch about Hasbro’s attempts to invigorate the line with gimmicks and such, they do seem to respond to failures
Read moreFrom the original file card: “The Iron Grenadiers, acting as agents, provocateurs, saboteurs or outright terrorists, impel an unsuspecting country towards chaos and turmoil, thereby creating new markets for Destro’s weapons where none existed before. Their pay is a percentage of of gross sales.” The Iron Grenadiers’ specialties include terrorism, sales and marketing development. That Destro, always the shrewd businessman.
Read more“Deep behind enemy lines, World War II’s greatest military hero leads a small platoon of soldiers on a top secret mission. The year is 1944 and Master Sergeant Robert Steven Savage is about to be ambushed by a traitor in his ranks! Fifty years after that fateful ambush, Savage’s cryognically frozen body is discovered among the ruins of a mysterious
Read more“An Evil genius threatens the world. His name is Baron Ironblood and his twisted criminal brain dreams of only one thing…world domination. Using powerful and sophisticated weaponry, Ironblood’s ruthless followers would gladly die for their master. Baron Ironblood has vowed to destroy Action Force” Action Force, a British 3 3/4″ military line similar to GI Joe, went a little nuts
Read moreAny successful toy line will inevitably have imitators. Throughout the life of the 3 3/4″ GI Joe series, there were scores of similar looking military lines. One of these look-alike series, Bronze Bombers, was produced by Olmec Toys, an African-American owned toy company. Olmec released several toylines through the 80’s and 90’s, all featuring African-American characters. In 1994, Olmec obtained
Read moreVypra was released as a driver figure in the second Toys R Us exclusive series in 1998. She was included along with a recolored version of the classic Cobra Stinger jeep, renamed as the Rattler. An odd choice of mold as drivers go, since she appears to be dressed as a ninja. Her file card notes her primary specialty as
Read moreThe GI Joe line returned to regular retail stores in 2002. The launch wasn’t without controversy, as the new figures were not constructed using the vintage “O-Ring” design, but instead employed a simpler torso and hip design. The result was a less articulated 3 3/4″ Joe. Fans were quick to voice their displeasure, and Hasbro returned to O-Ring construction later
Read moreSnake Eyes–love him or hate him, there’s no denying his ubiquitousness. Whatever form of toy line or media that’s released, its a safe bet that ol’ Snakes will be around (and most likely in multiple versions). Another safe bet is that his figures will be some combination of black, slightly lighter black or dark black. I can’t fault Hasbro for
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