Say what you will about Lanard’s Corps! line and its copycatting of RAH GI Joe, there’s no denying its appeal to collectors of the odd and unusual. At the line’s beginning, there were plenty of cribs from Joe, including some incredibly close representations of Joe equipment. For years, I’ve had a backpack that resembles Major Bludd’s as well as a
Read moreFemale figures don’t sell. It’s a marketing mantra all too familiar to action figure collectors. We don’t like to believe it, but it really is true. As much as we communicate via forums, Twitter and the like, sometimes we mistake the loudness of our online voices for greatness in number. The fact is, those of us who are online are not the
Read moreFor a lot of adult Joe collectors, the environment specific characters often get some grief because of their perceived “limited” uses. Torpedo, Dusty, and Snow Job are useful in their specific roles, but outside of them are relegated to the sidelines. Torpedo looks a little ridiculous running through the jungle in a wet suit, and Dusty is out of place
Read moreThe General is one unwieldy vehicle. I’m not just talking about the fictional sense of how the heck it moves around, let alone manages to make turns, but in the size of the toy itself. Yes, the USS Flagg is monstrous, and the Defiant is a giant unfolding behemoth of a playset, but the General is an absolute beast of
Read moreThe ’86 Viper mold. A fan favorite design that continues to resonate to this day. It’s also a mold that’s been repainted more times than my uncle’s 1974 Monte Carlo. Speaking of the 70’s, what’s more representative of the horrid decor of that decade than brown and gold? I think Cobra Commander was pining for his days as a young
Read moreThe Sky Patrol figures’ packaging touted the “Working Silver Parachute” as a big selling point. Don’t get me wrong, attaching parachutes to toys and throwing them up in the air is fun as all get out. But for me, Sky Patrol is memorable for the figures themselves. Creative repaints, new interesting weapons and cool helmets come together to create what
Read moreThe 90’s began impressively for GI Joe with a lot of new characters and a plethora of accessories for many of the figures. Bullhorn is no exception. Just the mask and sniper rifle would have been good enough. But we got an actual bullhorn and a modular rifle, a first for the Joe line. Cool accessories all around. The character
Read moreEffects is one of those figures you dig out of your bin and say, “Oh yeah, this guy came out.” And that’s about all you can say about him. No cartoon or comic appearances, he’s just kind of—there. I have to wonder if this mold was even intended as a Star Brigade character initially. He looks more like an Eco
Read moreOne of the things I’ve always loved about the GI Joe line has been its ability to incorporate military designs and styles from different recent eras and somehow make them work. Dogfight’s look is influenced by a bygone era or fighter jocks in the mid 20th century. He doesn’t so much resemble a straight World War II pilot as he
Read moreI’m sure most Joe fans have a story or two about getting an “almost” Joe gift from a well-meaning but ill-informed relative for Christmas, birthday, etc. I had a one of those experiences, too. Give Grandma a break; everybody doesn’t pay attention to name brands and such, especially when there’s a cheaper and similar looking figure hanging on the pegs
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