I have a real soft spot for the first GI Joe mini-series, AKA the MASS Device. I find it endlessly interesting from the standpoint of the many elements that are different from next mini-series and the eventual regular series. One of the elements I enjoy so much about this and other Joe Sunbow series are the added characters, vehicles and
Read moreSigma 6–in the end, it should have been called Stigma 6. Sorry, couldn’t resist. The series came along just as it seemed like Hasbro was putting out some nicer product in the Valor vs. Venom and DTC lines. To some fans, the series couldn’t be seen as anything but Hasbro ‘killing’ the small Joes in favor of a more kid-friendly
Read moreWhile the original 1983 Destro remains the iconic vintage interpretation of the character, I always liked the 1988 Destro, with its bigger build and ball jointed gold head. The addition of the cape and sword (which could hang on the figure’s hip!) was icing on the cake. The whole look had a pirate-y feel to me, which was a refreshing
Read moreAs the 90’s dawned on the vintage Joe toy line, things were taking a stronger turn towards sci-fi elements. This is particularly the case with Cobra. Decimator and his vehicle, the Hammerhead are a case of Cobra vehicle and driver design meshing perfectly. The design of the figure’s helmet takes the vehicle name literally, as it resembles a hammerhead shark’s
Read moreWhat’s the most ambitious, well loved and famous of all Joe playsets? The USS Flagg of course. What’s that got to do with the Toxo-Lab? Absolutely nothing. Well, truthfully it does to me. In my whacked out Joe sensibilities, I like to root for the underdog. I value things like fun and toyetic concepts as much as cool characterizations and
Read moreZombies. These days you can’t look left or right without hearing about ’em in some form of media. Have they become passe yet? I think when Ace Hardware has zombie survival tips on its website, the cool factor is pretty much gone. This is the Toxo-Zombie from 1992’s Eco Force sub-line, a time before the current fast-moving super strong zombie
Read moreWhat happens when plans to bring the Rocky Balboa character into the Joe line falls through? You get the inexplicable Cobra trainer who looks like a boxer. I don’t know if that’s truly the case, but what else would explain Hasbro giving Cobra a character that looks like a boxer if they weren’t going to make a Joe of the
Read moreBet you didn’t think you’d see another snow ninja after Bushido, New York’s own snow ninja. Well, here we have the Night Creepers snow ninja, a sub group of a specialty trooper. Apparently in the late 90’s, Cobra was so hard up for troopers that they were letting their ninjas sub-contract. This figure was part of the Cobra Polar Assault
Read moreThe 2000 and 2001 series were interesting in that they utilized vintage molds with some paint application processes previously unseen on Joe figures. Those two years presented figures with a new kind of swirled colored plastic to approximate camo, and they also made use of paint washes. Washes are generally used in modeling to convey shadow and bring out deep
Read moreIs that ninja sporting an M-16? Why yes he is. Ninjas don’t carry automatic rifles. You wanna tell him that? Go right ahead. What vintage 3 3/4″ fan doesn’t love the ’84 Storm Shadow mold? I don’t care how many times it was repainted, I still think the figure is awesome and represents the style that made the 80’s Joes
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