Sometimes toys are great, when a concept and execution come together to produce a toy that lives on beyond its original purpose. In the 80s and 90s GI Joe lines, there have been more than a handful of them. As vehicles go, the GI Joe Skystriker stands out among its peers as a classic. Alongside the Star Wars X-Wing, it
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Mego’s Action Jackson was an imitator of GI Joe’s Adventure Team, and while the line didn’t survive too long, the body style and clothing concept went on to become one of the most successful types of action figures. Check out AJ today. Bold adventure is his game! Also check out one of his commercials here: Also also check out the
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The AWE Striker gets quite a bit of flak these days from collectors due to its repeated appearances over the years. It’s been a part of the small Joe lines since the 80s, then showing up in the early 2000s relaunch, into the 25th anniversary and on through the recent movie lines. The thing even showed up in the Stargate
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The GI Joe Collectors’ Club is focused mainly on the 3 & 3/4 inch era these days, and that’s only natural considering that those of us who grew up with the brand in the 80s and 90s are now of an age to pass through a time of nostalgia as well as access to some discretionary funds. Of course, some
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Customs have been a fascination of mine within toy collecting for some time. The first time I can remember customizing a toy myself was back in the 80s, when I asked my mother to make a set of arctic clothes for my ’82 Snake Eyes and ’83 Stalker. I had been so smitten with issue 2 of the Marvel comic
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Hasbro’s 80s and 90s GI Joes were no strangers to animal companionship. Wait, that didn’t sound appropriate. I meant animal partners. Okay, not good either. Animal sidekicks. That’s better, I think. From Freedom to Lamont, the small Joes have had a great history of being paired with members of the animal kingdom. I wonder how much of that is a
Read moreAction Man in the 90s became a catch-all character, working in both the spy arena as well as sports themes. I suppose that shouldn’t be too surprising, as the UK’s cousin to GI Joe also delved into sports with a footballer and cricketer. In the 90s, sports were all about extremes, and this figure showcases the decade’s focus on out-there
Read moreThere just aren’t enough shouting bearded men on kids’ toys these days. What the hell, toy companies? In all seriousness, there just aren’t enough painted packages any more. I liken it to the almost lost art of the movie poster, in which photographs and photorealistic renderings have taken the place of evocative and stylized art. Oh well, at least we
Read moreOf all the GI Joe toys I had as a kid, the Falcon glider was at once one of the most fun and frustrating. Made of foam, not the most robust of construction materials, the Joes’ glider didn’t last through many adventures. Within days of its purchase, I had made some hasty (and not quite aerodynamic) repairs to the vertical
Read moreSometimes collectors bellyache when toy makers remold and repaint figures and vehicles. The situation is understandable, from both sides of the equation. The toy manufacturer is, after all, in business to turn a profit. This often results in cost cutting measures to ensure the most bang for their buck. Collectors sometimes get frustrated when an item is repainted and re-purposed
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