Ever seen a purple Skidmark? Sorry, couldn’t resist. But that’s exactly what Krunch here is. Well, except for the head, of course. He hails from that strange chapter in Joe knock-off history, the 1997 Bronze Bombers. The set included twelve Hasbro driver molds, eight of which were topped with new head sculpts. By the way, can you really call them
Read moreThe unreleased 1995 Ninja Commandos figures have had their collective photos spread thru the Joe internet fandom for years. Hasbro appropriated some of the cancelled Ninja Commandos molds to help produce figures for the Mortal Kombat movie line. Shang Tsung is the only figure that is head-to-toe the original unreleased mold–Budo. Bits of other figures from the series showed up
Read moreI always found the classic HISS driver to be an odd duck, even when I was a kid. He spent all of his days inside the HISS canopy and only came out when Destro would want to drive and kick him out. Here was a guy in red among an entire army of blue. He looked too thin and I
Read moreThe end of the RAH Joe line produced its fair share of hits, misses and oddities. For me, the mail-in international force mail in set from 1993 was an odd, yet fun and eclectic mix of both characters and colors. As a concept, it’s a great idea, particularly after the foreign Joes released in ’91 and ’92. The four figures
Read moreIf you want some bad guys who put the 80’s Cobras to shame in the weirdness department, then look no further than Action Force, the UK cousin of sorts to GI Joe. The Red Shadows started as a faceless legion made up of repainted WWII Germans with new heads and became a veritable menagerie of odd and out-there figure and
Read moreWow, looks like someone spent a little to much time in the Dreadnoks’ tanning bed. I haven’t seen such an inhuman pallor since the talking General Hawk or Jersey Shore. Now that I think of it, Hawk was from the same sub-line as Road Pig here. What was going on in the Hasbro factory? Was the color mixer asleep at
Read moreThe Renegades animated series did a fantastic job of taking the Joe brand in a fresh new direction. It’s too bad it ended so soon. At least we now have some figures based on the series. Hasbro struck a nice balance of the established modern style with the likenesses of the animated characters. For the Cobra Trooper, the Renegades style
Read moreI may be in the collecting minority on this, but I don’t mind repaints. I’m definitely in the minority on this, but I like some of the 2002 t-crotch figures. My favorite of the bunch–Storm Shadow. The first series of the Joe Vs. Cobra series had some dynamic stances molded into the figure. Limited articulation and pre-posed stances are usually
Read moreEvery collector has his or her own focus, or niche or reason for collecting. There has to be some impetus behind adults buying little plastic toys, right? For some it’s the packaging, for others it’s the storyline and marketing. What keeps me interested in the GI Joe brand, and with toy collecting in general, is just the look. Now I’m
Read moreThe Steel Brigade has made select yet memorable appearances since the end of the Real American Hero line. Coming at the end of the new sculpt era, the Direct to Consumer Steel Brigade vs. The Plague set was a welcome addition of both new enemies and a modern take on the venerable faceless Joe grunts. Red Zone is the leader
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