The 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 moreDuke, like Snake Eyes is one of those Joe characters who seems to be on an equal number of Joe fans’ love and hate lists. How do I feel about him? I suppose it changes depending on which facet of Joe I’m talking about. The Real American Hero toys, comics and cartoons weren’t tied too closely together, so one could
Read moreI can’t say it enough–the 1984 Storm Shadow mold is iconic. No matter how many times Hasbro reused it, even as recently as 2004, it still resonated coolness. That says a lot about the designers of the era, to have created something timeless. And it’s not a kitsch factor for me–just good design. The Ninja Viper, a 1992 mail-in offer,
Read moreToday, your humble Joe A Day writer is attending Power-Con/Thunder-Con, the first convention dedicated to He-Man and Thundercats, two hugely popular 80’s toy and animation properties. Joe has always been my favorite 80’s toyline, but Masters of the Universe ranks high among my personal geek loves, primarily due to the Filmation cartoon and the recent Masters of the Universe Classics
Read moreSo it’s football season in the US again. What better figure to cover today than Captain Gridiron, the Joes’ football based figure from–wait. This blog can’t cover that guy, too easy. How about another Joe football figure? This is certainly a highly idealized interpretation of Mr. Perry. It’s not unusual however, as Sgt. Slaughter’s original figure was decidedly more cut
Read moreTwo elements of Joes that I am enamored with: the 1991 to 1994 series and winter themed figures. Today’s figure fulfills both of these categories. Why do I like the arctic figures so much? Several reasons, the first being the amount of accessories usually included with them. I remember getting the original Joe arctic trooper, Snow Job. Along with the
Read moreThe GI Joe line returned to regular retail stores in 2002. The launch wasn’t without controversy, as the new figures were not constructed using the vintage “O-Ring” design, but instead employed a simpler torso and hip design. The result was a less articulated 3 3/4″ Joe. Fans were quick to voice their displeasure, and Hasbro returned to O-Ring construction later
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