Much was made of Night Force this year, with the convention exclusive set focusing on the popular GI Joe sub-team. Believe it or not, Night Force got a little bit of love during the second o-ring era. First there was a two-pack during the Spy Troops series, then a second set within Valor vs. Venom. Gung Ho is an interesting
Read moreWhen you think of Destro, the image of the stoic silver mask and red collared black jacket probably are the first things that come to mind. You may also think of wrist rockets, and maybe a cool backpack case filled with weaponry. How would you feel about a Destro figure if most of those iconic elements were reinterpreted? Although the
Read moreThe 1985 Snow Serpent has been one of my favorite Cobra troopers since its original release. One of the most iconic figures in the line, it was also highly accessorized for its time. Better yet, the Snow Serpent could stow or carry all of his gear at once. The legacy of Cobra cold weather troops continued in the relaunch series,
Read moreI’ve talked about my fondness for Marvel comic issue number two a few times in the course of this blog. It held a special place for me as a kid because I had a coloring book based on the issue. Someday I hope to track down a copy of it. The comic issue was a favorite for a couple of
Read moreThe Desert Patrol Squad six pack was a decent enough set (aside from the horrific Dusty) that presented a nicely unified look, as well as a new GI Joe sub-team. The 1991 Snake Eyes mold is one of my favorites, but with the patterned pants contrasted against the dark torso and boots, it really looks like the team’s premiere ninja
Read moreThe original Torpedo is a classic of the early years of the Real American Hero era. He’s a great figure, but outside of an underwater setting, his usefulness is limited. The Sunbow cartoon often had Torpedo running about in white t-shirt and jeans; not the most battle-ready of outfits, but more at home in a land battle than a wet
Read moreThis redesigned version of Dusty from the Valor vs. Venom series is recognizable as Mr. Tadur thanks to his wearing a variation on his old helmet, complete with the fancy neck protector in the back. I remember for a moment in the 80s when those little flaps on hats were quite popular. Especially on painters’ caps. Checkered ones. Were we,
Read moreGI Joe figures of the 80s and 90s were based on a common sculpt size. There were a few that stood a bit taller, wider or bulkier here and there, but for the most part you could count on Joes and Cobras being around the same size. Tunnel Rat has always been portrayed as being smaller in stature, and this
Read moreIf you were collecting the early 2000s GI Joe lines, there wasn’t much competition to pick up whatever you wanted. Sometimes there was a bit of a shortage of army builders, or of a variant here and there. For the most part though, it was generally clear sailing to pick up entire waves in one go. That changed with the
Read moreI miss having a series of 12 inch GI Joe figures running concurrently alongside the little guys. It seems that, until the first live action movie assortments ended, there had been at least a few based on the main line during most years since the relaunch in 2002. The most recent real-world focused figures that were on shelves at the
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