Super Joe Commander (1977)

Who would have thought that over thirty years after this influential milestone Joe figure hit the market that we’d still be talking about it, much less that it would give rise to the greatest and longest-lasting iteration of the venerable toy brand that began as GI Joe way back in 1964? I’m amazed myself that I can still go into Toys R Us and pick up a modern Super Joe, produced with all the improvements in sculpting and articulation that modern toy technology allows. And he’s still 8 inches tall–the only size Joes should ever be.

I’m sure every Joe fan who grew up in the late 70’s and early 80’s remembers their first Super Joe. Those figures just created so many great Super Joe memories. Heck, there are even at least five podcasts dedicated to these 8 inch wonders of plastic. The Super Joe Commander not only blasted foes with his 1-2 Punch, but also blasted them with the power of light, direct from his awesome battery-operated Power Vest. Mine still battle the Intruders and Terron, and I sometimes use this original version alongside my newer Super Joes as well. I know they don’t all mesh perfectly, but hey, I like to have fun with them. They’re still toys, after all.

Even the recent Pursuit of The Terrons line, with its incredible attention to detail, just can’t do it for me like the vintage line. I absolutely love the Super Joe line, and here’s hoping it continues to survive for many more years. I simply can’t imagine a world without them on toy shelves. But who knows, maybe there’s an alternate universe in which the Super Joe line failed and Hasbro went back to the toy’s military roots and created a series of pocket-sized Joes.

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