Yes, there are a lot of versions of Storm Shadow. Maybe one day, I will have covered them all, before I call the blog quits. Most of the recent versions came from the 2007 with the 25th Anniversary line. As comic pack figures go, this one is somewhat interesting in terms of its look. Based on the character’s appearance in
Read moreWhat csn I say about Marvel’s GI Joe issue 21 that hasn’t already been said by minds wiser than mine? Nothing much, except to relate my own experience with the legendary comic. I picked up the issue at my regular 1984 comic book haunt, 7-11. I had picked up a few issues of the Marvel comic by that point, but
Read moreSometimes as a collector of large, long lived toy lines, you get burned by the repetition of main characters. Often, it doesn’t hurt so bad to buy multiple versions of one person. For instance, the vintage Star Wars line, for all its representations of Luke, Han and Leia, the big three were wearing outfits significantly different than the last. Of
Read moreThe Marvel comic inspired multi figure packs continued into the 25th anniversary, and the Cobra troopers were one of the few repeats from previous releases. The colors, although a bit more muted than the o-ring predecessors, were nonetheless inspired by the bright hues of 1980s comic printing. There’s something missing from modern comics, in a tactile sense. I remember the
Read moreAs repaints go, this Shipwreck isn’t a bad one. Though most folks probably picked up his comic pack simply to get a modern version of Copperhead, the figure at least adds an interesting new accessory. Shipwreck, while he sported some very traditional military attire, spent the 80s in said “sailor suit”, and not getting another re-do until his Battle Corps
Read moreIf there’s one improvement that made me really take notice during the 25th anniversary line’s lifetime, it’s removable equipment. Yes, the 80s and 90s figures came along with many a helmet and backpack, but the modern line incorporated even more headwear and gear that could be donned and doffed as needed. Wild Weasel, part of a comic two-pack alongside fellow
Read more2004 was the year of the revived blueshirt. Between the comic pack that spawned this brightly colored version and the uber-popular Infantry Forces six-pack, collectors could get their fill of the generic Cobra ground pounder officer. I certainly did. I’m sure my buying binge was due not only to the colorful nature of the figure (I’m a sucker for brightly
Read moreBuzzer was the first Dreadnok figure I picked up in 1985, and he was an instant favorite. I probably didn’t “get” much of the biker gang references within the ‘Noks’ look at the time, but I thought back then that they reminded me of the bad guys from the Road Warrior movie. Funny how my first exposure to that film
Read moreWhat 80s or 90s kid doesn’t love a little ninja in their lives? There’s got to be some reason for the appeal of them, beyond the pop cultural soup from which their popularity sprang in the 1980s. Is it the mystery of their origins, or some interest in their abilities to blend in and silently move about? Are any of
Read moreThe small GI Joe figures have always been an easy ssubject for customization. Their very construction allows for a nearly endless combination of parts and an ease of assembly, if one has access to a precision screwdriver. Before I ever performed any parts swapping among GI Joes, I experimented on a couple of Star Wars figures. During the post-Jedi years,
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