In previous editions of TPOP, I’ve talked about my childhood experiences with GI Joe as it relates to card art. Looking at the packaging again through adult eyes brings back thoughts I hadn’t had since I was a kid staring at these bold depictions of the characters. Being able to peruse high-resolution versions of the old paintings is really a
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How can you make a figure like Chuckles stand out on the shelves and get kids to buy him? I don’t really know, but I certainly picked him up back in 1987. Maybe it was the Hawaiian shirt. Actually, it was probably the cool removable holster.
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What’s more exciting for a kid to color than four guys hanging around and having coffee? Later in the same book, they argue about who gets to clean the head.
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Remember when Halley’s Comet came around in the 80s, and folks thought it might signal the end of the world? Okay, most folks didn’t, but the event sure made for some great fodder for throw-away adventure stories. The Killer Comet is yet another in the GI Joe not-a-Choose-Your-Own-Adventure® book series. Gung Ho and Lady Jaye look mighty serious here, posing
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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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I never had a Major Bludd on card. I got mine in one of those Christmas catalog 3-packs. I’m not complaining, but I missed out on staring at a full-size example of his card art. However I did have his file card, and the example of his poetry brought me great joy. “and make the suckers jump and dance” still
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Blackthorne’s GI Joe in 3D comic came out during a time when my toy collecting habit had transitioned into comic book collecting. Yeah, that was pretty much a lateral move for a teen in the 80s. Oh well, I don’t regret it. In fact, I have just as many positive memories about buying and reading comics as I do about
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Wet-Suit was one of my favorite figures from the 1986 series. Some of the reason goes back to the toy itself and its great accessories, some to the character in the Marvel comic, and some from the package art. Torpedo was one of the first Joes I bought in 1983, and the fact that an underwater Joe looked cool on
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Just because.
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Meet the new Joes! Back when I was a teenage Marvel Zombie, I actually bought Marvel Age, the all-house-ad comic, every month. Somehow I missed this issue, and I’m bummed that I did, since I also missed the oddly colored (and named) new Joes inside. Hot Spot?
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