Low-Light is one of the stand-out figures of 1986. From his unique accessories to his sleek and functional uniform, he was one of the coolest releases of the year. The card art again speaks for itself, showcasing a great figure design. It also makes what’s basically a single-color figure dynamic. While I’ll always prefer the original background explosion, this is
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The Battle Android Troopers’ first appearance in the GI Joe cartoon was at the same time amazing and disappointing to me. While I liked the concept of robotic troops for Cobra, and thought both the toon and figure designs were just plain 80s Joe cool, I didn’t much care for their being trounced single-handedly by Sgt. Slaughter. At the time,
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I kind of kick myself in the butt over the Target exclusive Ultimate Battle Pack. I should have kept it sealed rather than opening it. The presentation and sheer size of the set is very impressive. Mine survived unopened for over a year, then I tore into it in an effort to save storage space. Oh well. The Cobra Vehicle
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Zartan is one of my favorite GI Joe figures, so when I saw a Funskool version, I just had to pick it up. In the early 2000s, the closest I had to a remade o-ring version of the master of disguise was the disappointing collectors series release. You remember the one, with the SAW Viper body. It would be a
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Ryu and Ken were the dynamic duo when it came to the marketing of the GI Joe/Street Fighter toy crossover. It’s no surprise then that both of them made an appearance in the first playset for the line. I didn’t pick up the Dragon Fortress set back in the 90s. Years later, I wish I had, if only because much
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What a concept the GI Joe Battle Gear sets were. I wish the Star Wars line had offered something like this, as most of my childhood figures’ weapons went missing fairly quickly. The only downside to the Joe replacement gear were the odd color choices. I wonder if any of the Joe archaeologists have discovered the reasoning behind the lack
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Can you believe that after all these years of avoiding military-based toys, the Lego Group has released official GI Joe product? I don’t know what I thought I’d see first: the military angle or Lego buying Hasbro just so it could continue the legacy of GI Joe. Wow. I’m practically speechless. Anyway, enjoy a shot of the first reveal in
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I went a little nuts buying the Cobra Legions box set. Just a couple years earlier, the army builder bug had bit me. I have a couple gallon bags full of new sculpt Vipers (both red and blue), Ninja Vipers and Night Creepers to show for it. I also have a few of the legions sets unopened. Looking back, it
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Whatever happened to Andy and George? The two friends, and members of the GI Joe club appeared in ads for the toys and club during the early years of Joe. I don’t think they made it into the Adventure Team era. The GI Joe figures in this ad look preternaturally realistic. They appear more like scaled-down humans than the toys
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Action features are a sticky wicket. While kids love ’em (and they do, believe me) collectors tend to loathe them. I’m okay with action features when they’re integrated well with the figures. Weirdly scaled limbs, giant buttons or fall-apart bits tend to turn me off. However, when the feature is themed with the character and still allows for playability beyond
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