Lifeline (1988)
Lifeline was the sixth figure I covered at the beginning of this blog, back in 2011. I liked the character’s medic specialty, and he pretty much replaced Doc as my go-to medic in 1986. I did keep Doc’s cool stretcher around, though. Lifeline’s own accessories were quite impressive, featuring an oxygen mask and opening medical case.
I didn’t have any of the Tiger Force figures as a kid, since I was out of the toys by that point. However, I did sneak a look through the weekly Sunday Toys R Us sales ads back then. Yeah, remember that? I can’t remember the last time I saw a sales ad, much less bought a Sunday paper. I do remember that the photo setups were often quite well done in those ads. I’ve even posted one or two of them here.
Lifeline was my field medic while Doc was the doctor. I, too, was out of Joes in ’88. But, my younger brother got this guy and I grabbed every chance I could to use him. Lifeline’s accessories made the figure and the Tiger Force version was a more military version that made him more useful for field missions.
I did the same thing: made a shoebox “hospital” for Doc and Lifeline brought the wounded to him. Lifeline looked well prepared for field deployment, whether he’s a pacifist or not. The Tiger Force version has some great aspects, but the waist seems to break more often than the v1 figure.
Speaking of the past. Today is my 3rd anniversary as a commentator. I’ve commented on nearly everything. I guess 12 or so out of 1095 isnt bad.
At first i wasnt going to get this version of Lifeline as i already had V1 and the Kellogs versions. Then i thought as i had those two i might as well get the Tiger force one aswell.
I know that tiger force has a bad name but I always loved them, some versions were in some ways better than the original, but mainly Just different. I like this lifeline better than the original, he has some green on him which is always a plus with me. I agree he does seem more ready for a military medic setting and when I was a kid I felt so too this version got more use than v1 due to the blending with things and he sat around with liftticket, repeater, and muskrat at the helipad waiting for a rescue mission. (Repeater and muskrat were the gunners on the tomahawk for me.) awesome loved to see this thanks Rob, o-ring again YES!
For those of us who arrived around the time of the cartoon’s run, the repaint lines were a godsend for getting classic figures at a time when outside of select few figures then (Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Cobra Commander, Destro), classic characters weren’t reissued. Tiger Force was the only way I was able to get Duke and the only way I even learned of Tripwire’s existence. Lifeline was very recent though. I had passed on Bazooka originally and later, not sure how often I saw Dusty but I ended up getting TF Dusty. It felt most strongly aimed at those who might’ve came after 1985.
Yeah, both TF and Python Patrol were great ways for younger fans to get classic characters. Duke, Roadblock, Copperhead – I never would have had any of them if not for the repaint lines.
I get why they’re not as trendy for modern collectors – the coloring can be garish, and they’re essentially “reprint” figures – but back in the day, they were one of the only ways to reliably get some of the older, classic characters who were prominently featured in the cartoon.
I remember seeing Tiger Force more often at this time in history, even at a grocery store. All the older G.I.Joe figures were well out of my very, very sparse area at that time. This point in history is about when I was able to get my own cash (MI $.10 deposit: AWESOME!!) but I always looked at Tiger Force stuff as a way to get those older characters that I never ever saw on a shelf.
This Tiger Force Lifeline was a part of my “original 13” G.I.Joe team, as was Frostbite and Tripwire. Lifeline joined my collection from a friends collection, and his crotch piece was already broken. Other than sitting in a Tiger Force vehicle, I don’t recall using this figure very much. And it may have been as late as 1990 when I got this figure, but when I got the Kelloggs Rice Krispies Lifeline, the Tiger Force Lifeline gave up his gear and sat in the box with ’84 Deep Six for years…. until finally departing.