I was disappointed with Resolute as an animated offering, but the character designs were very refreshing. After a few years of 80s homages with the 25th anniversary toys, Hasbro seemed to be taking GI Joe in a new design direction with new animation. Granted, many of the characters still took some cues from what had come before, but enough was
Read moreIncluded in the same DVD Battle Pack that also contained the oft-requested Sunbow version of Motezuma’s Skeleton, Serpentor is at least interesting. The third modern construction style version of Cobra’s Emperor, he bears somewhat more of a resemblance to his old self than the previous two versions. The result is a bit of recombinant plastic that doesn’t really pay total
Read moreI feel bad whenever I have to simply reblog something. Usually, it’s due to just running out of time in the day. (I do have a life, folks). However, I also think that throwing back to a past entry might put a figure back in front of some eyeballs that hadn’t caught it the first time around. Today, it’s a
Read moreWhat’s in a name? With the GI Joe brand since the Real American Hero era’s end, it seems at times a mire of copyright and/or trademark clearances. Mainstay characters like Hawk, Stalker and Scarlett have all been subject to moniker juggling. Heck, even lesser knowns like Starduster have had their code names go incognito and back again over the years.
Read moreHasbro mail-aways were kind of a funny thing. Neither my brother nor I had the Night Raven, yet thanks to Hasbro’s mail-in offers, I have fond memories of the Strato-Viper from my brother’s collection. He saw a lot of use in my brother’s Cobra air force, manning the second seat of the Hurricane just about every time it was used.
Read moreSnake Eyes’ second figure design is one that seems to be high on collectors’ wish lists for remakes each time a new iteration of GI Joe toys appear. I can’t blame folks for wanting it, as the 1985 toy has been one of the most iconic looks for the brand’s most popular character. New portrayals, be they in comic book,
Read moreSo, Major Bludd, did they ever get him exactly right in terms of his original toy appearance? I think the Extreme Conditions Desert set came the closest. This one is meant to resemble his portrayal in the Sunbow animated series. The mold still retains too many bits of Zartan to look exactly like the Major’s cartoon counterpart. With thigh pads
Read moreStalker is one of the Joe characters that I always buy, regardless of whether he’s a new mold or a simple repaint. Released as part of Target’s exclusive Ultimate Battle Pack, he was one of seven figures included in the set. This was one of those times when the word “ultimate” wasn’t just hyperbolic. Heck, the monstrous box also included
Read moreby KansasBrawler I’ve always loved the science fiction elements that are a part of the G.I. Joe brand. Cobra La came at just the right time for my kid brain to latch onto it and I think it’s pretty darn cool even if most Joe fans think it was a terrible idea. Another element I’ve always loved was the idea
Read moreI was so jazzed when the 25th Anniversary series started to break into cartoon and comic subjects. I had longed for Sunbow specific character designs and exclusive ‘toon personalities since the 80s. When I picked up the wave that contained this Baroness, my excitement quickly subsided. It was simply the Cobra five pack body repainted in blue, and with a
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