1982 reintroduced GI Joe for a new generation of kids. The first year also brought the first of many cross-sell catalogs, which were packaged along with boxed vehicles and accessories. From the get-go, Hasbro’s 80s GI Joe marketing team was hitting on all cylinders. Compared to later catalogs, the 1982 version is an almost minimalist design. From the stark white
Read moreOkay neon naysayers, here’s where it started, way back in 1986. This is where Joe got a lime green infusion of highlighter-esque hues. Sure, Airtight was released a year earlier, but I don’t consider his suit in the same way, since bright yellow is a common hazmat color. No, Sci-Fi is wearing his green just because. For some, between the
Read moreWhat can I say about Shipwreck? He’s probably one of the more divisive characters in the GI Joe fan world. Some his can’t stand his portrayal in the Sunbow cartoon, citing his nature as comic relief in many an episode. I’ve never had a problem with the guy, especially once I became an adult. I didn’t find him all that
Read moreYeah, now here’s a blast from the past. I had one of these cool vehicles back in the day. It was quite an exciting toy, since the actual GI Joe line at that point only had the MOBAT, which although it was very cool as a motorized tank, wasn’t quite the same. This thing was remote controlled! How cool is
Read moreAs my area is beset with an unseasonably hot month of September, my mind goes back to the beginning of this year, to a day when 12 inches of snow was on the ground, and I brought out many of my arctic figures for an impromptu photo shoot. Among them was a figure I’m surprised I haven’t covered yet, 1985’s
Read moreSo today is 8/2. Since Star Wars fans have their own unofficial day with May the 4th, fellow Joe fan Dave from Flag Points thought that the 2nd of August could be a similar type of event for Real American Hero GI Joe fans. Well, here’s my contribution to the day, going all the way back to the first Joe
Read moreKnock-offs come in many flavors. They range from the almost but not quite Hasbro quality offerings, and there are the fly by night releases that sometimes border on bootlegs. The National/American Defense lines by Agglo fall somewhere in between. This is not an attractive figure. In fact, most of the figures in the line were aggressively ugly. Even the packaging
Read moreA while back, I covered Steam-Roller, the driver of the Mobile Command Center, and a gem of a figure that I hadn’t really appreciated before taking a look at him for the blog. I’d like to say the same applies to Armadillo, but for the most part, I still find him uninspiring. He has a few vestiges of personality as
Read moreGI Joe not only dominated the boys toys aisle in the early 80s, but also assaulted all fronts of the market with a barrage of ancillary merchandise meant to raise the visibility of the brand. Much like the pioneering Star Wars sales juggernaut, the GI Joe characters were plastered on everything from puzzles to plates to bedroom decor. Books were
Read moreTorpedo was one of the first GI Joes I bought myself. After getting Cobra Commander in a school trade, and Flash from a trip to Wards with my dad, Torpedo was one of the new for 1983 figures that caught my eye. I picked him up at the same Wards from which I had acquired Flash. He immediately got regular
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