Since 1984, there have been ninjas of some sort in GI Joe. I suppose they’ll always be a part of whatever the current line is doing, regardless of focus or scale. Sgt. Savage is the only post-80’s small scale Joe line I can think of that didn’t have a ninja or at least a figure with ninja like qualities. Even
Read moreWhen is a desert trooper not a desert trooper? When he’s been repainted for the 2000-2002 Real American Hero Collection, a line populated with a share of the cool, the strange and the lackluster. Wait, that’s pretty much any Joe line. The ’91 Dusty mold is, like many others from the same year, among my favorite figures of the 90’s.
Read moreCombine parts from two molds that later in the decade would become some the most overused in recent memory, and what do you get? Rock ‘N Roll–I mean Crossfire, the new machine gunner introduced in the Real American Hero Collection series. The arms and torso belonged to Big Ben, and the waist and legs to Dial-Tone. Bits of those two guys guys
Read moreThe Sigma 6 small scale vehicles were at once amazing and frustrating. Most were great new designs, and far beyond the previous vehicle offerings of the new sculpt era. Which leads me to the frustration: the vehicles weren’t compatible with our favorite scale. Some could be (and were later officially) refitted to effectively accommodate 3 & 3/4 inch Joes, bit
Read moreMajor Barrage, like some other later new sculpt line figures, pioneered some construction elements that were later incorporated into the 25th Anniversary and modern series. The pinless shoulder joints and ball jointed head were improvements that carried into successive lines, abd are still in use. He also breaks away from the generally standard figure height, and towers over other figures.
Read moreHere’s one I probably could have saved for the next nice pants week, but I couldn’t resist. Introducing the ultimate forgotten classic, Desert Patrol Stretcher–I mean Low Light–I mean Dusty. All I can think of when I see the head on this figure is, the possible title for a SyFy original movie: “When Turtlenecks Attack!” Does anyone have any idea
Read moreRemember when Ripper traded in his trademark can opener rifle and jaws of life for a missile launcher? The 2000’s series, made a valiant effort to produce 12 inch versions of both classic and new Joes and Cobras. Ripper had been in the 3 & 3/4 GI Joe vs. Cobra series, and though he had changed up his attire, looked
Read moreVarujan “Taurus” Ayvazyan or just Taurus to his friends, is a good example of the economic reuse of parts. As a member of the Slaughter’s Renegades set from the 2006 GI Joe convention, he used the same body mold as his teammates, Red Dog and Mercer. The original torso and leg mold belonged to Clutch, from the oft-ridiculed Mega Marines
Read moreI liked the Sigma 6 figures from the beginning, but as the series went on, and changed up its look a bit, I began to become even more interested in it. The initial offerings depicted the characters all outfitted in the same style of suits, with plugs and separately colored textured undersuits. Heads, weapons and detachable gear set each one
Read moreEach time a new iteration of GI Joe comes on the scene, there’s an inevitable wish list of characters that fans want to see made. Though there were quite a few homages to the old days during the new sculpt era, some of the popular classics were left out. One of my old favorites eventually saw a release in the
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