1980s GI Joe often gets the brunt of jokes about wacky uniforms. If I had a nickel for every time a (usually online) media outlet writer made an overly precious observation comparing the toy/cartoon cast to the Village People, I’d have a pretty hefty piggy bank. Yes—haha—the GI Joe team had several colorful characters within the ranks, and 1985 was
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I will arm wrestle anyone who impugns the quiet dignity of the Cobra Pogo Ballistic Battle Ball. Like the finest art, the Pogo and its package presentation bring the inherent beauty of the natural world into sharp contrast. The fact that the Pogo does not exist except in tiny plastic toy form does not rob it of the same power
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I’ve only partaken of a single FSS product thus far. While I’d love to dive in to the offerings, finances have prevented me from doing so. I managed to find the money to pick up Iron Klaw from the first set, mainly because I’m a huge GI Joe Extreme mark. Some of the package art for the 25th anniversary as
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Quick Kick gets some grief for his look, particularly when folks take his specialty out of context, or more often, when discussing his first appearance in the Sunbow cartoon. What good is a shoeless and shirtless martial artist in a military setting, they might ask. It’s also easy to point out the oddness of his being so attired in the
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One of the unique features of the 1960s boxed GI Joe sets were the photo packages. Most were also different from other offerings in that the photos pictured more contemporary subjects than the World War II and Korea era featured on much of the painted packages. I particularly enjoy the juxtaposition of the gritty photo at left with the highly
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If there’s one thing Cobra does better than the Joes, it’s to come up with outlandish and ultimately dangerous vehicles. I salute them in this regard, as it takes a special kind of nuts to knowingly develop machinery that will do severe harm to life and limb of troops. Further, that said troops will look gloriously goofy in their final
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Looking back at the 25th anniversary series figures, I’ve got to say it’s often a bittersweet reminiscence. On this tenth year since the first appearance of the Joe and Cobra packs, the differences between the action figure market of just a decade ago is striking. I see fewer toy lines featuring individual character art on their packaging. Matt Trakker (and
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I make a lot of bones about the quality of GI Joe packaging from the 60s through the 90s. The 2000s relaunched series had its share of interesting marketing material, but the patterns of retail had changed in ways that precluded the need for large swaths of card art and cross-sell imagery. The Cobra Flight Pod goes way back, and
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Love or hate Duke, you can’t help but admire a nicely done 80s Joe cardback. Some might say this should have been an action shot like his team mates, but I like the simple and heroic pose. Boys want a leader in their play patterns, and Duke filled the bill. Sure, Hasbro could have done another Hawk, but looking at
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It’s a bonus Nice Pants Week mashup with Power of Packaging! Zarana’s pants have always fascinated and confused me. Now before you think I’m some kind of weirdo, I don’t mean it in that way. I’ve just thought that both the rip in the side of the figure’s left thigh, along with the strange two-part sock/boot were strange. Is the
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