Lifeline (1988)

Lifeline was the sixth figure I covered at the beginning of this blog, back in 2011. I liked the character’s medic specialty, and he pretty much replaced Doc as my go-to medic in 1986. I did keep Doc’s cool stretcher around, though. Lifeline’s own accessories were quite impressive, featuring an oxygen mask and opening medical case.

Lifeline (1988)

I didn’t have any of the Tiger Force figures as a kid, since I was out of the toys by that point. However, I did sneak a look through the weekly Sunday Toys R Us sales ads back then. Yeah, remember that? I can’t remember the last time I saw a sales ad, much less bought a Sunday paper. I do remember that the photo setups were often quite well done in those ads. I’ve even posted one or two of them here.

Lifeline (1988)

7 comments

  • Lifeline was my field medic while Doc was the doctor. I, too, was out of Joes in ’88. But, my younger brother got this guy and I grabbed every chance I could to use him. Lifeline’s accessories made the figure and the Tiger Force version was a more military version that made him more useful for field missions.

    • I did the same thing: made a shoebox “hospital” for Doc and Lifeline brought the wounded to him. Lifeline looked well prepared for field deployment, whether he’s a pacifist or not. The Tiger Force version has some great aspects, but the waist seems to break more often than the v1 figure.

  • Speaking of the past. Today is my 3rd anniversary as a commentator. I’ve commented on nearly everything. I guess 12 or so out of 1095 isnt bad.

    At first i wasnt going to get this version of Lifeline as i already had V1 and the Kellogs versions. Then i thought as i had those two i might as well get the Tiger force one aswell.

  • I know that tiger force has a bad name but I always loved them, some versions were in some ways better than the original, but mainly Just different. I like this lifeline better than the original, he has some green on him which is always a plus with me. I agree he does seem more ready for a military medic setting and when I was a kid I felt so too this version got more use than v1 due to the blending with things and he sat around with liftticket, repeater, and muskrat at the helipad waiting for a rescue mission. (Repeater and muskrat were the gunners on the tomahawk for me.) awesome loved to see this thanks Rob, o-ring again YES!

  • For those of us who arrived around the time of the cartoon’s run, the repaint lines were a godsend for getting classic figures at a time when outside of select few figures then (Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Cobra Commander, Destro), classic characters weren’t reissued. Tiger Force was the only way I was able to get Duke and the only way I even learned of Tripwire’s existence. Lifeline was very recent though. I had passed on Bazooka originally and later, not sure how often I saw Dusty but I ended up getting TF Dusty. It felt most strongly aimed at those who might’ve came after 1985.

    • Yeah, both TF and Python Patrol were great ways for younger fans to get classic characters. Duke, Roadblock, Copperhead – I never would have had any of them if not for the repaint lines.

      I get why they’re not as trendy for modern collectors – the coloring can be garish, and they’re essentially “reprint” figures – but back in the day, they were one of the only ways to reliably get some of the older, classic characters who were prominently featured in the cartoon.

  • I remember seeing Tiger Force more often at this time in history, even at a grocery store. All the older G.I.Joe figures were well out of my very, very sparse area at that time. This point in history is about when I was able to get my own cash (MI $.10 deposit: AWESOME!!) but I always looked at Tiger Force stuff as a way to get those older characters that I never ever saw on a shelf.

    This Tiger Force Lifeline was a part of my “original 13” G.I.Joe team, as was Frostbite and Tripwire. Lifeline joined my collection from a friends collection, and his crotch piece was already broken. Other than sitting in a Tiger Force vehicle, I don’t recall using this figure very much. And it may have been as late as 1990 when I got this figure, but when I got the Kelloggs Rice Krispies Lifeline, the Tiger Force Lifeline gave up his gear and sat in the box with ’84 Deep Six for years…. until finally departing.

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