In 1996, I was still collecting vintage 60s GI Joes. I had amassed a little assemblage including a boxed original Action Soldier, a loose complete Green Beret, and a partially complete Scramble Pilot. Unfortunately, I would sell my collection within a few years, as college expenses mounted. Bummer. Enter the Masterpiece Edition figures. At a fraction of the price of
Read moreI am still impressed that so many characters were possible with the limited number of parts available within the Kre-O universe. From the simplest, like Rock N Roll, to the elaborate like Nemesis Enforcer, the Hasbro team managed to get the most bang for their limited bucks. Alpine was a figure I’d hoped to see before the line ran its
Read moreThis more subdued color scheme followed up the Battle Corps’ repackaging of a planned (and colorful) Eco Warrior Outback. I don’t recall if either version was difficult to find, as the last two years of the Real American Hero line lingered on shelves in my area. When Outback was revealed as part of last year’s con set, I was hoping
Read moreby KansasBrawler I don’t know why, but I’ve always been fascinated with the Night Viper. I remember seeing it on the card back when I was a kid and hoping I’d find it someday. Alas, that never happened. So you can imagine how excited I was when I learned that the Night Viper was going to be in the last
Read moreCity Strike Destro, more popularly known as Money Bags Destro, was an absolute bear to find. It marks the only modern figure for which I’ve paid a premium price. It hurt a bit (mainly because I’m a bit thrifty when it comes toy purchases) but I’m glad I picked up the figure. He’s a great little detailed version in the
Read moreNo, it’s not the Miller offshoot beer from the 90s, it’s the former American football placekicker cum Slaughter’s Renegade member. As a kid, I admit that I didn’t really get the Renegades. They just seemed to me like some oddly attired group that didn’t really fit into the existing Joe group. I suppose that was the point, as the crew
Read moreSometimes as a collector of large, long lived toy lines, you get burned by the repetition of main characters. Often, it doesn’t hurt so bad to buy multiple versions of one person. For instance, the vintage Star Wars line, for all its representations of Luke, Han and Leia, the big three were wearing outfits significantly different than the last. Of
Read moreby KansasBrawler Going into Joe Con this year, Repulsor was a pretty big surprise to some (like me) and a disappointment to others. I was extremely intrigued by the concept of a new named Cobra (and one that had an animal to boot) and though I was at first a little let down by the fact that Repulsor was a
Read moreThere’s something interesting about this starkly decorated Storm Shadow. Part of the short-lived o-ring rebirth at the beginning of the millennium, he was packaged with his sword brother, Snake Eyes. While Stormy was outfitted in all-white, Snakes had emblazoned his unit’s logo on his pant leg. So much for stealth on both accounts. It’s ironic that this barely painted figure
Read moreHow many boxes of cereal would you buy as an adult collector in order to capture an exclusive figure? Would you have downed five boxes of Fruit Brute to get a free Membros figure? Come on, don’t be shy. If you’re a toy collector, you know you’ve done it, especially if you were collecting the Star Wars Power of the
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