Bazooka wasn’t a popular character with me as a kid. The cartoon version was a goofball, and the figure just didn’t capture my imagination. Most of the Joes I received as a kid collector came from infrequent trips to the toy store, or special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas. The only other avenue I had for collecting was through
Read moreby KansasBrawler I managed to find the first wave of Pursuit of Cobra figures all at one time, so I can’t really give Beachhead the distinction of the first Pursuit figure I purchased, but I do know that I was so taken by his new design that he was definitely the first one I opened up when I got home
Read moreHawk’s 1986 redesign was one of my favorite figures as a kid, edging out other greats from 1986. I suppose I liked him based on his comic appearances, despite the fact that the action figure didn’t resemble the comic Hawk in hair color. Not a huge deal to me as a kid, because I was also a cartoon fan. Yes,
Read moreFemale figures don’t sell. If you’ve been collecting action figures for a minute, and have ever read or heard and interview with a toy company rep, be it Hasbro, Mattel, Toy Biz or others, you’re familiar with the mantra. Conventional wisdom states that its true. Until I had a child, I had my doubts, but having perspective beyond an adult
Read moreWrapping up four days of convention vehicle coverage, it’s one of the items that I was most pleasantly surprised to see during my years of buying the Collector’s Club exclusives. The Comandos Helicóptero was part of the 2009 offerings, and the whole set is special to me, since that year’s con was held in my hometown of Kansas City. My
Read moreThe 2005 convention marked my first experience attending a JoeCon. Located in Minneapolis, it was within a reasonable driving distance from home, and the set theme had really piqued my interest. The black, red and gold of the Iron Grenadiers looked amazing, and the prospect of a new IG villain, General Mayhem, was great. I find the reveal of the
Read moreby Twitziller While it is commonly considered to be part of the second series of Built To Rule G.I. Joe sets, it’s a little fuzzier than that. While it was released in 2004, the Rising Tide, along with the Cobra Sand Snake, saw a wider distribution than the true series 2 sets, which were released only in a limited area
Read moreWhat should we call these nameless movie troopers? Blueish-grey camo shirts? Some folks don’t think the small Joes should incorporate nameless troops, as it goes against the outfit’s origin as a team of highly skilled specialists. I don’t mind the concept at all, and I rather enjoy the flexibility that a generic figure can provide. As a kid, I had
Read moreby KansasBrawler It seems like one figure in every wave manages to completely blow the doors off the hinges and showcases just what Hasbro can really do and why the Joe line is still the best 3 ¾” (okay, closer to 4” or 4 ½” these days) action figure line currently on the shelves. What makes Pursuit of Cobra Low-Light
Read morePoor 1984 Roadblock. Stuck with a weird shaped head, comparatively scrawny arms and a barrel chest. As a figure, he was hardly a match for his tough looking card art intepretation, but I suppose for a 1984 Joe, he didn’t fare too badly. After all, even the hulking Gung Ho was decidedly less bulky in 1983 than his media tie-in
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