Question: are certain members of Python Patrol meant to be individuals? I know that Cooperhead is, but some of the other figures’ file cards change the terms from previous releases like “these” to “he’s”, and also frequently “this guy” which leads me to believe some may not be troopers, but rather single operatives. Then again, I could be reading too
Read moreThough I have a great fondness for the Sunbow cartoon, I do have a bone to pick with its portrayal of Bazooka. Did he have to sound like such a dunderhead? The file card describes him as a decisive fast thinker, and maybe he is to some extent (witness the ending of the Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent episode), but
Read moreWow, did Cobra ever branch out their specialized troops in 1989. Talk about diversification. The year gave rise to urban ops, night troopers, anti-tank specialists, land and air drivers, not to mention several funky Iron Grenadier types. Kids who wanted to troop build must have been in hog heaven. By the way, did anyone troop build back then? I think
Read moreThe Python Patrol sub-set was responsible for some of the weirdest Cobra uniform color schemes of the time. While the set has a unifying palette of colors and patterns, they’re not commonly placed on the figures in the same way. All featured a snakeskin pattern, but some were across pants and shirts while others were only on small parts like
Read moreIs Thunder one of the most forgotten of the early 80s GI Joe drivers? I don’t know why, looking at his figure. While he may not have been as colorful as others, his uniform and accessories were unique for the time. Outfitted in a very realistic looking uniform with flak vest and chest holster, he has some of the most
Read moreThe Imp is an impressively squat and stocky little one man missile tank with a secret. What look like three large missiles hide an extra surprise payload. Just for this reason, it’s a neat addition to the Cobra ground forces. I also find a lot to like in the design itself. It has a real throwback look to it, and
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The Black Major is another member of the Action Force enemy, the Red Shadows. I find these early Action Force figures endlessly fascinating, not only for their visual appeal, but also for the comic storyline that revolved around the Red Shadows and its transition into Cobra. It’s an interesting alternative to the US comic mythos. In the Action Force story,
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It’s been snowing a lot in my corner of the world over the last two weeks, and I saw it as an opportunity to break out some of the cold weather themed figures that I hadn’t covered yet. I had been finding it difficult to set up photos for them, since some sort of snowy looking ground or background is
Read moreIf there was ever evidence of how big the GI Joe line was in the 80’s, one need only look at the amount and variation of product and its increase as those first few years went by. From the beginning, Hasbro was wise to include a variety of price points in its offerings. There were big ticket items like the
Read moreStore exclusives. Often times the bane of a collector’s existence. The experience of looking for an exclusive can be frustrating. Sometimes the store gets the item once or twice and it’s gobbled up before you can get there. That stinks. Sometimes the store in question isn’t located within a reasonable distance. That really stinks. Unfortunately, my hometown didn’t have a
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