Some driver figures are classics, to the level of the regular single carded characters. The early Real American Hero years are a perfect example of the drivers being as well developed and as much a part of the cartoon and comic stories as the main liners, when guys like Clutch and Wild Bill were integral parts of the team. As
Read moreIs Thunder one of the most forgotten of the early 80s GI Joe drivers? I don’t know why, looking at his figure. While he may not have been as colorful as others, his uniform and accessories were unique for the time. Outfitted in a very realistic looking uniform with flak vest and chest holster, he has some of the most
Read moreOriginally the driver of the Arctic Blast, Windchill was thrown in with another cold weather vehicle, the Blockbuster, late in the Real American Hero era. The most impressively large of the GI Joe snow vehicles, it boasted an incredible salvo-firing missile launcher, and was quite a good vehicle considering its later release date. Windchill hasn’t been changed much since the
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It’s been snowing a lot in my corner of the world over the last two weeks, and I saw it as an opportunity to break out some of the cold weather themed figures that I hadn’t covered yet. I had been finding it difficult to set up photos for them, since some sort of snowy looking ground or background is
Read moreIt’s been a long while since I covered a figure from Action Force, the UK’s sort-of cousin of GI Joe. The initial years of that line shared a construction style similar to Kenner’s vintage Star Wars line. Five points of articulation were common, as was a more pliable plastic. The figures have a completely different feel from the domestic GI Joe line,
Read moreNo, it’s not the title of a TV show in which a former baseball slugger and the computer from “2001: A Space Odyssey” team up to solve crimes. But if I had my way, it would be. The story of the relaunch of GI Joe goes that it was intended originally as a vehicle line. I think that’s apparent in
Read moreHow’s this for an improvement over a Cobra driver that’s as fondly remembered as any in the line? I don’t dislike the original HISS tank’s driver, but I’ve also felt like it was missing something. For an early line figure, it was impressive, but even as a kid, my excitement for it quickly faded. Maybe it was the big honkin’
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 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 moreThe BUGG is one of the absolute funkiest vehicles in the Cobra arsenal. An impressive underwater and shoreline attack craft, as well as a truly amphibious personnel carrier, it featured a removable mini-sub as well as deployable jet skis. With its bulbous front end, the thing also looked like a bug. Secto Viper naturally follows suit with a wild design
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