One of the things I really enjoy about the Adventure Team package art are the mixing of depictions of the product in both fictional and real-world settings. The Windboat illustrates Joe in his craft at the left, yet the right panel shows a kid hand assembling the toy. Better yet, a closer look at Joe on the windboat reveals that
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Crazylegs would seem to be a weird code name for airborne assault, but I was used to the name in some respect, as my Dad was prone to mention Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch when I was young. Why did he? I have no idea. But that’s my crazylegs story. Crazylegs to me is one of those figures who just always seem
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I struggled to find something truly creepy and Joe-related over these past couple weeks. GI Joe has a few crazy creatures within its history, no doubt. But they’re mostly standard fare monsters, and not inherently creepy. No, for the final day, I had to find something that would freak you out immediately, and then stick with you for a while.
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For a costumed-themed GI Joe series, one need look no further than the 2003 Spy Troops assortments. The Joes and Cobras used disguises to infiltrate one another’s facilities, etc. Even the Dreadnoks got in on the action. New member Burn Out stood in as an MP, and honestly I liked his disguise more than his actual uniform.
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What would an excursion in the horror angles of the GI Joe brand be without checking out a mad scientist/doctor? The 1980s had its share in the form of Drs. Venom and Mindbender. Both were iconic, each for his own different reasons. The Rise of Cobra film gave us its take on the evil genius bit with the blah-tastic “Doctor.”
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Serpentor is one of the few GI Joe characters whose origin to me recalls horror elements. He’s certainly of the Frankenstein monster’s ilk, albeit created from a soup of DNA and synthetic flesh rather than reclaimed corpses. His origin story, at least in the trappings of its imagery and some locations, recalled classic horror elements. When I first spotted the
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Say what you will about the direction the Joe line took in the 90s, the box art continued to impress. The only element I’ve not cared for is the large white outline around the subjects. The Monster Blaster box art does its job well in terms of giving us a portrait of the vehicle, its cross-sell figures, and features. The
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There just aren’t enough monsters in GI Joe for my tastes. I know that wishing for more crazy elements in the brand is not among the popular opinion of a majority of the fandom, but I don’t mind being weird. The Adventure Team I suppose is more suited to the concept than the Real American Hero, and although not monsters,
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The Manimals certainly would have been a unique experiment within the Real American Hero line. I say would have since their planned release at the tail end of the RAH era was axed. Fortunately, three of the figures saw release via K-B Toys in 2001. Warwolf transforms from an ugly humanoid to a…ummm…alien crocodile? Whatever he is, he doesn’t resemble
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I know what you’re thinking: what in the Sam Hill does an Alien action figure have to do with GI Joe? Well, look at the construction of the figure under the external xenomorph detail and you’ll find the GI Joe Hall of Fame buck lurking beneath. Hasbro used their new twelve inch body developed in the 90s throughout the decade
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