By KansasBrawler Ever since I rediscovered the Joe brand in high school during the relaunch era, I’ve been strangely fascinated with a few vintage figures I didn’t have as a kid. Usually, my figure tastes tend to skew towards ones I had as a kid because I have strong memories of them and, for the most part (save Battle Corps
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GI Joe’s short-lived but super funky post-Adventure Team series doesn’t get enough exposure when the history of the brand is discussed. A few sites like 3DSuperJoes and Plaidstallions bring the SJ love regularly, but it’s difficult for me to write much about the toys themselves due to scarcity. I have a few more figures to share, but all require some
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GI Joe’s 80s period stands as a triumph of interconnected toys and accessories. Thanks to the common design and size of the figures, there are very few instances of characters not being able to fit in vehicles or borrow weapons and backpacks from their comrades (or opponents). As the series continued into the 90s, Hasbro veered off the compatability path
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We’re down to the final figure in the Desert Duel set, and we saved the best for last. Okay, maybe not. However, I do find myself being more impressed with this figure than I initially thought. The Elite Horseman comes to us as the driver of the new Cobra Basilisk. All right, so the Basilisk is not really new. More
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By Twitziller G.I. Joe was the first action figure, a 12” hero introduced in 1964 and supplied with a staggering array of uniforms, weapons, vehicles, and playsets, each sold separately, of course. After over a decade of success, rising plastic costs and competition from smaller and wildly popular 8” superhero figures led to the demise of the 12” Joe figure,
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Is there a more iconic Cobra vehicle than the HISS? This early villainous ride hasn’t been ecplised as far as I’m concerned. While there have been multiple re-imaginings of it, and other subsequent vehicles have become more elaborate, the original still rules in my eyes as the de facto Cobra ground combat platform. Geewunner’s Fast Attack Tank resembles the true
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The Ferret remains one of my favorite small vehicles of the 80s GI Joe line. Once I saw it in the Marvel Comics commercial, and in the comic itself back in 1985, I had to have it. Something about a four-wheeler just brings back 80s memories, especially when a ninja is at the helm. From its portrayal in the various
Read moreNational Defense, a series of budget, me-too GI Joe clones, is an odd and confusing story, to say the least. The line, available at K-Mart, utilized molds that would also be used by Galoob in its Gen. Patch series. The line also saw release as American Defense, a name later used by Remco for a series of K-Mart exclusive figures
Read moreIt’s time for another Geewunner.com custom build. Continuing with the brilliant brick builder’s 80s GI Joe homages, it’s the Enemy Jet Glider. The one-man Cobra attack glider, first made famous by Storm Shadow in Marvel issue #21, is always a fan favorite. It cuts a very familiar outline for 80s toy fans, and that shape is accurately portrayed here. The
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