Major Altitude, a mail-in figure included in a two pack with the uniquely crazy repaint of Interrogator, comes from a year that was chock full of exclusive repainted figures. While the figure mail-ins began as a way to obtain as yet unreleased figures like Duke and Major Bludd, there were also figures never made available as part of the regular
Read moreContinuing with another figure that’s been camped out on my queue all year, it’s Renegades Tunnel Rat from the 30th anniversary series. The Renegades figures were pleasing in the aspect that they didn’t rely too heavily on the animated style. The figures for the most part can stand next to other recent releases and fit in nicely. However, there’s a
Read moreCan Deep Six catch a break? His first figure, while iconic, wasn’t much usable outside of his vehicle. His second, a very well done throwback to the deep sea diving suits of old, was stuck with a visorless bright orange helmet. This version was a noble attempt, but it doesn’t well represent the team’s greatest diver as it should. Part
Read moreSome GI Joe figures are quite realistic and close to their actual military subject matter in terms of design. Others have been extrapolated out to the next generation of technology, the “five minutes in the future” that we hear about so much. Still others just make you scratch your head. I’ve been scratching mine since I first saw Lightfoot. Is
Read moreAs luck would have it, Storm Shadow had a new figure released the year after I stopped buying GI Joes. I had also stopped reading the comic, and had stopped buying comics altogether, so I was oblivious to this new look, and to his turn to the roster of the “good guys”. The first sight I had of his figure
Read moreCan we get a little love for Steeler? The man’s been there from the beginning, one of the first driver figures, and he seems to be either left out or when he does appear, to be given the half-arsed treatment. The sadness of this figure rivals the depths of laziness plumbed by some of the 1997 rereleases. We’re not up
Read moreThe Joe formerly known as Shockwave for a time shared a dubious honor with the fan favorite Decepticon of the same name. Both were renamed to the much less threatening and apparently less copyright infringing name Shockblast . Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it? I’m not too excited about most of the modern versions of classic Joes, but
Read moreThere are lesser known GI Joe characters that discussing from time to time seem like breaking new ground. Then there are the big guys that have been major players in the toy line, comics, and cartoons and whose ground has not only been broken, but entire homes, strip malls, and condos have been built upon it. Stalker belongs to the
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I remember when images of the Assault on Cobra Island 7 pack and the FLAK and CLAW pack hit the internet. I had been wondering when Outback, one of my favorite RAH figures, would get his due in the modern style. I thought it could be incredible figure, given the new style’s ability to portray larger body types. I envisioned
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The original Tripwire was one of the first Joes whose accessories impressed me more than the figure. I remember creating a little mine field on the carpet and searching them out using his detector. The mines were soon lost in the carpet, by the way. That was about the extent of my play with him. I don’t think I ever
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