So you’re an ’82-86 fan. You’ve heard the conventional wisdom that post-’86 figures just got too colorful and lost too much of Joe’s military look. Now you’re looking for a post-86 Joe to debunk the idea. Well, look no further than the Toys R Us exclusive Night Force sub-set of ’88-89. According to the packaging: “NIGHT FORCE is a covert
Read moreYou wouldn’t know this was an Iron Grenadier trooper from his looks. Black and gold are usually the colors one thinks of in regards to Destro’s forces. But I’m all for a splash of color and flash from time to time. So is Destro, apparently. Some of the Iron Grenadier bling is on display here, from the gold braids on
Read moreInsufferable. That’s the one word that describes for me the GI Joe animated movie’s portrayal of Falcon. Here’s a guy who’s a lieutenant, right? He should have been an all-business type, yes? No. He was Don freaking Johnson, and he was a slacker/hotshot who later helped save the day. Ugh. Oh, and he was also Duke’s younger half-brother. Talk about
Read moreLong Range’s file card states that he’s earned the nickname “the Knock-Out Man” due to his incredibly effective abilities as an artillery man. “The Blink and You’ll Miss Him Man” would be a more apropos nickname for his media appearances. The poor guy only made a few small comic appearances and a brief cameo in DIC’s Operation Dragonfire series. He’s
Read moreYears ago, when I first got back into Joe collecting and saw this guy listed on the back of a 1991 cardback, I was both intrigued and confused. The idea of a football themed Joe seemed ridiculous, but the card art, even at the size of a postage stamp on the back of another figure’s package, sure did make him
Read moreCouldn’t this guy have just been Short-Fuse? He certainly has the look and the specialty to be the Joe team’s original mortar soldier. Other ’82 Joes had the redo treatment later in the line. Actually, this did happen when the mold was re released as Short-Fuze in 2004. Regardless of name, it was a welcome addition to have another mortar
Read moreIf you asked me before I started this blog what one Joe figure was my favorite, I’d have thought a bit, then eventually would have gone for the usual; ’85 Snake Eyes, ’84 Storm Shadow or Firefly, etc. Now that I’m looking across the years as part of this crazy blog thing, I’d most likely have a really hard time
Read moreAccording to his file card, Zandar is a master of camouflage and covert movement. He’s good at hiding and sneaking up on people. I would agree, but if he’s wearing this outfit, he’d stand a better chance at hiding in a Mardi Gras parade. His brother Zartan certainly had a strange look, but at the same time was stylish, mysterious
Read moreFast Draw is one of those Joe figures that make you wonder just how the idea came about. Granted, there have been many far-out almost science fiction elements in the line since the beginning. The JUMP jet pack stands out in my mind as one of those things that have been dreamed of, but will probably never be a practical
Read moreDuke, like Snake Eyes is one of those Joe characters who seems to be on an equal number of Joe fans’ love and hate lists. How do I feel about him? I suppose it changes depending on which facet of Joe I’m talking about. The Real American Hero toys, comics and cartoons weren’t tied too closely together, so one could
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