There are a few GI Joe vehicles that have become iconic, that remind one of a magical childhood time of fun and innocence. Toys that when you see them, make you say, “Ooh, I had that. It was so cool!” Then there are a few that elicit the response, “What the hell is that thing?” The Patriot falls in the
Read moreNo, it’s not the title of a TV show in which a former baseball slugger and the computer from “2001: A Space Odyssey” team up to solve crimes. But if I had my way, it would be. The story of the relaunch of GI Joe goes that it was intended originally as a vehicle line. I think that’s apparent in
Read moreThe Buzz Boar brings to my mind an alternate universe in which Journey to the Center of the Earth was adapted to film by Toho Studios in the 1960’s. With its saw blade in place of a nose drill, it looks like the kind of thing one might have seen burrowing into the earth in an Eiji Tsuburaya orchestrated symphony
Read moreBadgers? We ain’t got no badgers. We don’t need no badgers. We don’t got to show you any stinking Badgers! Sorry, couldn’t resist. I suppose the Badger filled a similar spot to the old VAMP, albeit in a bit of a scaled down size. While this is not as small a vehicle as you would think, it is a one-seater.
Read moreWhat do you get when you cross the Wolverine and the Mauler? A pretty mean looking little tank, that’s what. As a one man mini tank, the Lynx comes out looking less humorously small than the Armadillo. Actually, since the GI Joe vehicles have always been scaled down, this one doesn’t look all that small. The entire trio of Marauders
Read moreWhat do you get when you cross the Buzz Boar with a Big Wheel? The Lanard Corps line’s craziest vehicle, the Chopper Trike, also known as the Desert Digger. As far out as some of the Corps figures were, the early vehicles generally had been quite restrained in their design. There was a patrol boat, a tank and helicopter near
Read moreThe Real American Hero era came to a close with a whimper in terms of the number of vehicles. Just four were released in that last year. However, within this small group were I think some real hidden gems. The Scorpion is one. Obviously, this isn’t the first time Cobra had added an ATV to its arsenal. The Ferret is
Read moreI’ve become fascinated with the period following the end of the Real American Hero line. I can remember when the announcement was made that the old line was ending, but a new one was coming. While Sgt. Savage may not have been the ideal replacement for twelve years of small Joes, I gave it a chance. Though scale, articulation and
Read moreThe Sigma 6 small scale vehicles were at once amazing and frustrating. Most were great new designs, and far beyond the previous vehicle offerings of the new sculpt era. Which leads me to the frustration: the vehicles weren’t compatible with our favorite scale. Some could be (and were later officially) refitted to effectively accommodate 3 & 3/4 inch Joes, bit
Read moreAs the RAH line wore on into the 90’s, the vehicle molds changed from multi-part model kits to simpler, one piece bodies with a few snap-on wheels, etc. The general style also changed to a chunkier and more sci-fi oriented style. If the original focus of the line’s aesthetic was 10 minutes into the future, the later vehicles mashed the
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