I’ve thought that most of the JoeCon parachute drop figures from have been hit or miss. There have been some real disappointments, like the Jungle Viper and Prison Uniform Flint, but also a few that I kind of enjoy, like the Sky BAT and Air-Viper. But 2009’s Crimson Guard stands out as my favorite. The 2009 convention was a great
Read moreBlack Dragon was a spy warlord, the leader of a new faction introduced in the 2003 con set. Though it was the second set after the legendary Crimson Strike Team, this one seemed to set the standard for the future. Featuring a small squad of Joes battling a Cobra leader and his forces, it introduced not only con exclusive Joe
Read moreI may not be at JoeCon, but that won’t stop me from remembering past sets. I’ll try not to be too much of an old curmudgeon. Time and again its been said about many a 90’s figure: repaint this guy in a decent color and you’ll get a great figure. The Collectors Club was doing just that with some of
Read moreDoesn’t look quite so special, does he? Not considering the figure came with a grand total of none of its original accessories. But hey, at least we got a flare gun, which I suppose he can use to call for help when he realizes he’s at sea without his breathing apparatus, flippers or water sled. Instead, the only other equipment
Read moreWhen did Ethan Hunt discover the Nintendo Power Glove? When I happened upon the Adventures of GI Joe 2010 series, some of which I remember seeing during their time of release in the late 90’s, I was intrigued by the look and the audacity of the concept, but my interest was never piqued enough to pull a figure from the
Read moreBattle Helmet Cobra Commander. Bumper Face. Rust Breath. While I find the original Cobra Commander figure to be the iconic portrayal of the character, I’ve always wanted to have him more closely resemble his cartoon version. Though the RAH line only gave us one battle helmeted Commander, the lines that followed made up for the lack. The new sculpt series
Read moreOne winter morning before Snake Eyes ventured out into the woods to stalk some game (like you do when you’re a ninja living in a remote mountain cabin) Scarlett called to him, “Snake Eyes, honey, be sure to bundle up, or you’ll catch your death a cold.” Boy, did he ever take her seriously. Snakes is bundled up for sure.
Read moreThe 12 inch Joes released during the 2000’s relaunch were a mixed bag of reuse and cost cutting that struck me as generally cheap-looking, but there were a few that stood out as all-around great large-scale renditions of Real American Hero era favorites. Unlike some of his knockoff-ish line mates, Spirit gets the royal treatment with a full cloth uniform,
Read moreI almost get tired of saying this, but some of the less regarded later figures are pretty awesome, if you can see beyond some garish colors. Take this Sci Fi, for example. He’s got some really nice things going for him. Considering some of the shortcuts that were happening late in the line, like the weapons trees and limited paint
Read moreAs much furor as we’ve seen in the Joe fandom from the reduced articulation of the new movie figures, it pales in comparison to the epic T-crotch hissy fit of 2002. I still find it amazing that Hasbro so quickly did an about-face on the articulation of the GI Joe relaunch back then. It’s interesting to remember the angst about the
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