The custom toy hobby has always fascinated me, both as a collector and a creator. Over the years, I have delved into super hero customs, Star Wars and of course GI Joe. The customizing community often creates joyful little bundles of fun, producing figures and vehicles that most likely would not be possible via normal production means. I’ve covered a
Read moreWhat sort of non action figure product did Hasbro license out during the years between the Real American Hero years and the small Joes relaunch? How about horribly sugary and absolutely unhealthy drink snacks? Yeah, thanks for the diabetes, guys. Is this the stuff Outback drinks when he’s out in the wilderness? I’m sorry, he most likely drinks water. But
Read moreThe multi-pack figure concept has been a huge part of the Lanard CORPS! marketing strategy for most of its history. A cursory search for carded figures often turns up three packs, eight packs and even twenty-four packs. Yep, at one point, you could buy twenty-four CORPS! figures in one fell swoop. Amazing. The line continues to throw numerous repackagings at
Read moreby KansasBrawler Figures like Cutter are what really killed me about the 25th Anniversary line. I loved Cutter growing up (though my only version was the really awesome D.E.F. version). The figure I had was great and reading his filecard, I found out he and I shared a birthplace. That was really awesome to my kid brain and it’s still
Read moreAs mail-ins go, the later issue Steel Brigade figure is pretty interesting. The original is by no means a slouch, and by the 90s had been quite a novel approach to offering kids a special figure. Though no parts were chosen by the young fans, the bio and specialties were generated from choices marked on the order form. I can’t
Read moreWith all the focus on the Crimson Guard as an elite force of Cobra soldiers, it’s a bit surprising that the group didn’t get another official officer figure until this Toys R Us exclusive. Part of the Senior Ranking Officer sets, it’s a flashier repaint of the 25th Anniversary CG mold. The same year saw the release of a silver
Read moreHere’s an oddly sedate cover for a coloring book. Lady Jaye, Mainframe and Roadblock staking out what appears to be a Cobra submarine base. Not exactly the bombastic cover of Marvel issue #1, is it? How can you produce an action coloring book and not have one single person on the cover flying at the viewer? Oh well, maybe the
Read moreIn 1996, I was still collecting vintage 60s GI Joes. I had amassed a little assemblage including a boxed original Action Soldier, a loose complete Green Beret, and a partially complete Scramble Pilot. Unfortunately, I would sell my collection within a few years, as college expenses mounted. Bummer. Enter the Masterpiece Edition figures. At a fraction of the price of
Read moreI am still impressed that so many characters were possible with the limited number of parts available within the Kre-O universe. From the simplest, like Rock N Roll, to the elaborate like Nemesis Enforcer, the Hasbro team managed to get the most bang for their limited bucks. Alpine was a figure I’d hoped to see before the line ran its
Read moreThis more subdued color scheme followed up the Battle Corps’ repackaging of a planned (and colorful) Eco Warrior Outback. I don’t recall if either version was difficult to find, as the last two years of the Real American Hero line lingered on shelves in my area. When Outback was revealed as part of last year’s con set, I was hoping
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