The Power of (Knock-Off) Packaging: Special Force

Special Force comes to us from Sungold, a company perhaps best known for the Galaxy Warriors series, a Masters of the Universe knock-off line that is now beloved for collectors of me-too cheapness. These days there’s a cottage industry of custom bootleg art toy offerings that take their cues from what were once the odd castoffs of the past. We live in interesting times.

The card art for the Sungold GI Joe KO is unique in that it presents four almost-Joes who are instantly recognizable as Alpine, Leatherneck, Dial-Tone and Beachhead. I admire the boldness of stepping out and copying the original figures right on the package. Of course, they’re all changed a bit, and I also have to give credit for the crude but creative use of lighting in the painting. It’s truly a special force. 

special-force-card-art

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