20 comments

  • ”All the 3 3/4 inch vehicles are awesome, especially the Crimson Tanks/ Equipment. Add in the G.I.Joe Aircraft Carrier Flagg, along with the Cobra Rattler/ G. I Joe Skystriker, and you have got yourself a battle.”

  • Just looking at the aircraft carrier and it looks like Shipwreck is one busy guy. They’ve got him all over that thing. Also, the Cobra figure pack seems strange to include two thirds of the original Dreadnoks and not have Buzzer to go along with them.

    • Looks like Shipwreck was cloned, LOL. One would hope they kept copying from the original rather than making a copy of the most recent copy, leading to something like Multiplicity…

    • Too bad they never made sailor figures for the ship……

  • I thought the fact that Buzzer is missing is also odd. How’d they choose him over the other two? I remember this spread mainly due to all the Shipwrecks on the Flagg. There’s just so much awesomeness in the ’85 line.

    One of my friends got all his stuff from the catalog and his parents would let him have it early. He would get these huge boxes in the mail full of great toys. I always wondered why my parents didn’t shop through these catalogs when it seemed like everyone else did. But, my Dad liked to go to the store. So, I’d see everything on the pegs and often got it earlier than my friends. I still think about the stacks and stacks of SMS tanks at the local Sears store. Oh, to have those all now!

  • Oh, man! This wishbook page hits all the right angles. “Dear, Santa…”

  • Awesome. I wish that I was back in 1985. I counted at least nine Shipwrecks. I wonder if the Zayre department stores also had catalogs like this one. I only remember the weekly ads. Speaking of Zayre, there is this toy commercial from them on YouTube, that shows a bunch of the 86 and 87 figures marching on a floor. Awesome commercial. Looking at the photo at the top, I couldn’t help but notice how low to the ground, (ground?), the U.S.S. Flagg actually is. I wish the Hasbro designers had done an extra piece or pieces that connect to the bottom of the ship to make it higher. Although I don’t think is too late for some company to make such a part, or parts for it. Or for other G.I. Joe, or Cobra, or Iron Grenadiers, vehicles, planes, boats, whatever, just to make them much better. Like making wheels that actually roll for the S.H.A.R.C., or the Sky Patrol Sky Sharc, or the Firebat, or the 2009 Night Raven. Or extra parts like windshields for some vehicles, or something to put underneath the H.A.V.O.C.’s hover flying thing, so those hovering circle things don’t be loose, and keep moving sideways when somebody picks it up. If such a thing can be done for the classic Transformers toys, like the combiners, why cant someone do it for the G.I. Joe toys also? Also, why wasn’t the original Cobra C.A.T. done with the main body in red, just like the S.M.S.? Good thing that they did an all red version in 2003.

    • The the havocs hovercraft is supposed to move sideways for turning. The prototype Flagg us much taller though. Too bad the production model is not as tall. As for the sharc it makes a good shallow depth submarine for defending harbors.

      • Sorry for taking too long to answer you back, but I just wanted to thank you for the information. I never thought that the H.A.V.O.C.’s hovercraft vehicle was supposed to be designed that way. I could have sworn that after I put mine together back then, that the hovering device in the bottom of it, did not swing side to side for a long time that I had it, until about a year later. And that is probably why I always thought that was a flaw on the design of that toy. As for the S.H.A.R.C., I’ve always liked it, but I hate the fact that it doesn’t have wheels, and a seat that can be put up to seat normal figures, and then be put down so that Deep Six can then be put in it facing down. I would really like very much if some company would create custom peaces that could be connected to all the S.H.A.R.C.s ever made. And other vehicles, planes etc., just to make them better.

  • Hasbro should just relaunch Real American Hero, with a video game and cartoon similar to the original. Maybe a pg13 version. Go after the older kids and adults. but they are not interested in doing GIJOE. That’s the bottom line

    • I dont see why Hasbro cant relaunch G.I.JOE with all the money theyre raking in from Transformers and Force awakens, you’d think they could invest a bit into g.i.joe. G.I.JOE is for collectors now anyway; kids dont want toy soldiers anymore when they have call of duty.

      • They don’t have to beat the competition any more. So they aren’t. Necessity isn’t there……

      • Yeah, that’s the interesting part. With kids unexpectedly (and somewhat sadly all things considered) spurning Nintendo and games of their style for realistic (as opposed to fantastic) shooters, one would think their tastes align closely with GI Joe, making this time more likely for a successful revival than others. Of course, Transforming robots are almost always in fashion and dinosaurs about half the time.

  • If you don’t go all in, you will never have a chance.

  • Do you think they are going to make a decent movie now? Dont hold your breath.

  • They could release everything in this catalog. But without a cartoon and marketing only adults will buy it.

    • I bet with a cartoon and marketing, it would still only be adults buying it.

      G.I. Joe has become too niche for a company the size of Hasbro. Really, if there’s any hope in the brand, it would likely be taking the age range down to 5 – 8 and marketing the toys to that age group. (The adventure angle would likely be a greater component than the military piece.) That’s the age group that buys toys. Making something that collectors like will raise the target kid age range into an area where the market is continually shrinking and being eroded by technology.

      With no money in it, I think the days of a large scale, fully articulated collector oriented line available at retail are likely done. Though, I do get a feeling that Hasbro may look to Joe as one of the anchor brands of a collector themed sales outlet like MattyCollector. DTC was a dud. But, it’s almost a decade later and if the entire concept isn’t reliant on Joe, then I think it’s much more viable.

  • GI joe could be successful, toys r us true heroes proves large military toys still sell. But Hasbro isn’t interested in doing it. They don’t need to so they aren’t. If they had to they could pour money and marketing into Joe, but they don’t need to.

  • They should go for the teen and twenties market with realistic games and cartoons. Pg 13 would be fresh and new. nobody did that before.

  • CAT with the all red turret? Interesting.

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