I may be in the collecting minority on this, but I don’t mind repaints. I’m definitely in the minority on this, but I like some of the 2002 t-crotch figures. My favorite of the bunch–Storm Shadow. The first series of the Joe Vs. Cobra series had some dynamic stances molded into the figure. Limited articulation and pre-posed stances are usually
Read moreEvery collector has his or her own focus, or niche or reason for collecting. There has to be some impetus behind adults buying little plastic toys, right? For some it’s the packaging, for others it’s the storyline and marketing. What keeps me interested in the GI Joe brand, and with toy collecting in general, is just the look. Now I’m
Read moreThe Steel Brigade has made select yet memorable appearances since the end of the Real American Hero line. Coming at the end of the new sculpt era, the Direct to Consumer Steel Brigade vs. The Plague set was a welcome addition of both new enemies and a modern take on the venerable faceless Joe grunts. Red Zone is the leader
Read moreWhere do Joes get their code names? Is it a meticulous process presided over by members of command, looking at a soldier’s personality back ground and accomplishments, and sometimes throwing in a pun here and there, or is it done on a peer basis, with the other Joes informally coming up with a nickname that just seems to stick? Sometimes
Read moreSo 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 moreI’ll say this about the classic style comic packs. I loved ’em, warts and all. For someone who grew up following the comic, they were a dream come true. Seeing figures representing characters from the pages of the comic was something my ten year old self always wanted to see. My favorites of the bunch were the Cobra troopers. Red
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 moreLate series distribution problems seem to be a theme in the collecting community, whether you’re talking about the toy collecting boom of the 90’s or today. Collect a line long enough and at some point, it’s going to raise its ugly head. Collectors get nervous when word circulates that a particular assortment is getting short shrift in terms of availability.
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 moreSome Joe fans seem to have a fascination with seeing the original thirteen Joe team figures done in the style of the day. I count myself as one of them. As crazy as it sounds, I must admit I would loved to have seen a 1993 interpretation of Grand Slam. Sadly, it was not to be. As the vintage line
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