From 2003 to 2006, Toys R Us released several themed six packs based on vintage molds. These sets were a great value priced at around $20, and while not always thematically successful, employed vintage molds to create new versions of fan favorites as well as a few new characters. For a ninja commando, Snake Eyes sure does seem to make
Read moreKamakura the Lemon Head Ninja. How quickly you were forgotten. Your Action Attack and yellow-headed tackiness was the bane of GI Joe collectors’ existence for all of three minutes back in the mid-aughts. I have to say, as much as we bitch about Hasbro’s attempts to invigorate the line with gimmicks and such, they do seem to respond to failures
Read moreThe GI Joe line returned to regular retail stores in 2002. The launch wasn’t without controversy, as the new figures were not constructed using the vintage “O-Ring” design, but instead employed a simpler torso and hip design. The result was a less articulated 3 3/4″ Joe. Fans were quick to voice their displeasure, and Hasbro returned to O-Ring construction later
Read moreSnake Eyes–love him or hate him, there’s no denying his ubiquitousness. Whatever form of toy line or media that’s released, its a safe bet that ol’ Snakes will be around (and most likely in multiple versions). Another safe bet is that his figures will be some combination of black, slightly lighter black or dark black. I can’t fault Hasbro for
Read more“Cobra has unleashed a crushing blow to the earth, dumping tons of hazardous toxic sludge into the environment in their quest for world domination. GI Joe and Cobra are armed with all new, sophisticated water launching armaments with exciting color-change Eco-suits! Even now the future of the earth hangs in the balance!” Such was the story of the Eco Warriors,
Read moreGI Joes were produced in many countries across the world. Argentina, Brazil and the UK just to name a few. One of the most prolific and longest running producers outside of the US was India. The Funskool company released figures from the 80’s through the 2000’s. In the beginning, there were straight releases identical to their US counterparts. As the
Read moreThe 90’s Joes often catch flak for their outrageous color schemes, wonky gimmicks and myriad sub-lines. There’s no denying the shift from subdued traditional military colors as the 80’s ended and the 90’s rolled on, and Hasbro’s throw-gimmick-at-wall-and-see-what-sticks mentality didn’t always succeed. However not everything from the time is all bad for the collectors who like their figures more realistic
Read moreNo this isn’t a custom action figure from Friday the 13th Part 17: Jason Goes to Alaska. It’s Frostbite, from the 1993 Battle Corps series. 1993 was one of the most prolific years for Joe releases. By this time, the line had been broken up into so many different sub-groups, it could make your head spin. Battle Corps was the
Read moreThe 2009 GI Joe movie gave rise to what I feel is a mixture of lackluster (most of the Dukes), downright fugly (Cover Girl) and a few interesting figures. The movie line carried over the weaknesses in the film’s costume design. That is, most of the Joes in the film were outfitted with similar uniforms. One of the biggest strengths
Read moreOkay, I talked about Big Brawler, and at the time I thought he had the worst Joe code name. I still think he does. It’s generic and ridiculous at the same time. When looking through candidates to write about next, Skidmark’s name struck me as the best unintended double-entendre code name. Make up your own joke here… Skidmark, in collector
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