What Time Is it?
Time to order an official GI Joe wristwatch! And hey–the battery is included! Win win!
Read moreCategory: 80’s
The Doc (Z Force Medic)
Every military force needs a field medic, and Action Force was no different. I find the early Action Force figures fascinating not only for the quality of their sculpts, but also for their resemblance to real world military uniforms and equipment. While Hasbro’s 80s GI Joes were positioned 10 minutes into the future, much of the Palitoy original Z Force
Read moreFree “Fridge” Action Figure!
If you need any further proof that GI Joe was a big deal back in the 80s, check out this fantastic ad for the 1986 tie-in mail-in figure, the Fridge. I wonder what would happen if I called that 900 number? Maybe the Fridge would answer, and I could ask him if Mike Singletary really was a samurai. Thank you,
Read moreAmerican Defense Available Now! Only at K-Mart!
Hey kids, tell mom and dad to run you down to the local K-Mart (you know every neighborhood has at least one or two) and grab the latest American Defense figures by Remco! They play with ALL 3 & 3/4 inch soldiers! Choose from pilots, infantry, flamethrowers, karate and ninja fighters, even guys who vaguely resemble Rambo! K-Mart, the Savings
Read moreZ Force Radio Operator (1983)
I just can’t get enough of these Action Force figures. Even though they don’t feature the extensive articulation we’re used to over on this side of the pond, the designs, sculpts and accessories are top drawer. The Z Force radio operator incorporates several unique features. First off, under the removable cap sits a head sculpt that resembles the vintage 60s
Read moreCaptivating Cover – Operation: Mindbender
Could this book manage to cram much more cool into its cover? First off, you’ve got the good Dr. Mindbender proudly flaunting a chest and ab combo that would make any crazed orthodontist envious. Next, there’s Zartan, whose appearance is always welcome, even when his chestplate is depicted more like a stainless steel banded halter top than the traditional belly
Read moreZ Force Infantryman (1983)
Here’s the Grunt of Action Force. Well, in the sense of an infantryman, at least. Unlike the relaunched GI Joe of the 80s, the Palitoy offerings included unnamed army builders on the “good guy” side of things. I’ve become really smitten with the Palitoy Action Force figures. The combination of five point articulation with designs based on earlier twelve inch
Read moreShort-Fuze (1982)
I used to think that having the 1982 Joes was an afterthought in comparison to picking up the “improved” 1983 versions. I only went back and bought the straight-arm first run of the original thirteen after the completist bug had bit me in the early 2000s. Looking at the 3 & 3/4 inch line as a whole, and from a
Read moreRipper (1985)
The Dreadnoks were an impressive addition to the Cobra ranks to a kid in the 80s. With an edgy design amalgam of punk and the Road Warrior, they were a threatening force of destruction. Ripper is one of the original Dreadnoks, and as such, is equipped with an amazing melee weapon along with an unexpected implement of destruction — the
Read moreGI Joe Masks (France)
At yesterday’s Assembly Required, I was talking to Steve, one of the Code Name Iowa organizers, about how the blog has been branching out into covering GI Joe merchandising, when he excused himself for a second and returned with a large figure case. Inside was the strangest collection of 80s GI Joe merchandise I’ve seen: four costume masks. “Do an
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