Did you read the Marvel GI Joe comic as a kid and wish that they made action figure versions of the many variations of the main characters? I know I did. My fascination goes back to issue number two, with the very cool arctic uniforms worn by Snake Eyes, Stalker, Breaker and Scarlett. Okay, maybe they were a little plain,
Read moreAs pilot of the Armor Bot, one of the last large GI Joe vehicles produced in the original Real American Hero line, Hawk bookends the line as a driver figure. Sure, his ride isn’t as iconic as the MMS, but it is an imposing and fun toy. I suppose Hawk’s presence in Star Brigade isn’t too farfetched, as he donned
Read moreThe original Beachhead figure is great, but wow did the guy have a huge melon. Of all the many times the vintage mold was re-released, it never got a retrofitted head. I hoped for one as part of the vintage styled comic packs, since those sets seemed to be head-swap happy. The first 25th anniversary Beachhead wasn’t too thrilling, with
Read moreWhat do you get when you cross the Wolverine and the Mauler? A pretty mean looking little tank, that’s what. As a one man mini tank, the Lynx comes out looking less humorously small than the Armadillo. Actually, since the GI Joe vehicles have always been scaled down, this one doesn’t look all that small. The entire trio of Marauders
Read moreNight Force was quite well represented in the 2000’s era, appearing in a couple of army builder waves as well as a Toys R Us multi-pack. This Flint hails from the latter, and I like his inclusion in the group. He’s a prominent command member of the GI Joe team, and I always find him useful in a leadership role.
Read moreCutter was one of those rare “driver” characters that later became a single card release. He joined up with the Drug Elimination Force in 1992, in a move that actually made a lot of sense. His function as a sea operations specialist with the sub-group fit well within the premise of the DEF, since one can easily imagine smugglers running
Read moreWhy is it so difficult to portray an attractive female face at the 3 & 3/4 inch scale, even in the modern age? Granted, Helix isn’t as unattractive as the original Scarlett, but her face looks a bit odd to me. Maybe I’m just seeing the eye paint at a weird angle and it looks strange. She does have quite
Read moreThis Duke was a turning point for me in my opinion of the modern construction’s ability to be playable. Not only did the figure live up to the super poseable description given since 2007, it also improved on the already likeable notion of removable gear. Nothing got in the way of anything else, and the vest didn’t look bulky or
Read moreBy 2001, I was firmly entrenched in the online GI Joe and toy geek collecting world. Instead of getting info on new releases from Stone Age places like magazines, I was going to the fan sites, message boards and Usenet (can it be considered Bronze Age?) for the latest scoop. I had been buying the Real American Hero Collection two
Read moreMutt was one of my favorite figures back in ’84. Imagine my surprise seeing him as part of Slaughter’s Marauders. I confess to not understanding what these strange repaints were about when noticing them in 1989. Those old molds just looked strange hanging on the pegs. What was I doing in a toy store in ’89? The first Batman film
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