Confession time. In the early 2000s, I bought a carded Tiger Force Tunnel Rat via eBay. I didn’t pay a whole lot for it, at least not in comparison to what the international Tiger Force figures would later begin to fetch. Being a collector who preferred loose figures, and after a bit of vacillating, I opened the packaging, albeit carefully with an X-acto blade. Yep. Oh well, at least I still have a pristine figure, and a nice card to feature here.
The distinctive art style is a variation of the domestic art, and it presents a more stylized look than we’re used to seeing on 80s and 90s GI Joe packaging. Very intriguing.
I'm a sucker for the Tiger Force vehicle repaints. Combine tiger stripes and the famous Flying Tigers teeth regalia and you've got instant cool as far as I'm concerned. There's been discussion about the original product paintings being painted over, but I wonder if such was the case here. I…
Sometimes you just run out of superlatives to describe the things that bring you joy. It's no secret that I adore the GI Joe packaging of all decades, and primarily the 1980s-1990s. The art just jumped right off the shelves, with literal explosions behind the subjects. There's some seriously magical…
In the 90's, the Half Price Store, a discount department store chain, was a treasure trove for recent Joe releases. There were always a couple of bins that had the last series of Joes for $3 each. I kick myself for not buying more than I did, especially Sonic Fighters…
I love that you left some of the accessories behind. I found the Flying Scorpion and Black Vulture cardbacks that I opened in the early 2000’s. Both still have gear sealed to the card, just the figure is removed.
On one level, I’m glad I opened those foreign figures. While they’re really pricey now. I do know that 15 years worth of having the loose figure and enjoying it is worth something. Just, likely, not a grand….
The way he’s holding that knapsack out it’s like he’s trying to make friends with some kind of animal he’s met while digging a tunnel. If the sailor and the burnt ninja commando can have a pet, why not Tunnel Rat?
The art has that kinda of “old Joe” quality to it. Odd that he’s such a less-Asian clone of Tunnel Rat, but maybe Nicky & Severin are best buddies, having grown up in Brooklyn and gone through EOD training together.
”Very Interesting.”
I love that you left some of the accessories behind. I found the Flying Scorpion and Black Vulture cardbacks that I opened in the early 2000’s. Both still have gear sealed to the card, just the figure is removed.
On one level, I’m glad I opened those foreign figures. While they’re really pricey now. I do know that 15 years worth of having the loose figure and enjoying it is worth something. Just, likely, not a grand….
The way he’s holding that knapsack out it’s like he’s trying to make friends with some kind of animal he’s met while digging a tunnel. If the sailor and the burnt ninja commando can have a pet, why not Tunnel Rat?
Its a TNT Satchel Charge.
The art has that kinda of “old Joe” quality to it. Odd that he’s such a less-Asian clone of Tunnel Rat, but maybe Nicky & Severin are best buddies, having grown up in Brooklyn and gone through EOD training together.