Well, you are looking at him. A classic G.I. Joe action figure like I remember him from my childhood of the 80s. What a great toy. My brother and I had several G.I. Joes including vehicles, and played with them constantly. Other kids were into He-Man, or Star Wars, but for me and my brother it was G.I. Joe all the way! I loved how when you bought a new action figure, the back of the package would have a little profile on the character. His age, birthplace, specialties, and how he came to join the Team. I was especially proud of Alpine, the expert G.I. Joe mountaineer, because he was born in Idaho, and that's where he learned to climb so good.
Now that I'm grown and have a son of my own, I have regretted that G.I. Joe seems to have fallen from his former grace. I don't know how or why it happened, but sometime in the 90s the toys began to decline. The scuplting, and imagination that went into the characters didn't seem up to snuff. The vehicles got more and more ridiculous. The ultimate sin was when they started making honorary team members out of celebrities like Mr. T. The utlimate being a figure of Refrigirator Perry of the Chicago Bears, weilding a steel football attached to a chain. This was the clap of doom to the great traditions of G.I. Joe in my mind.
Now the reason for this post. I have often wished that someone would come out with a similar toy like the old G.I. Joe, so that my kid can enjoy the same fun that I had. Yeah, there are some cheap knock offs out there, and some honestly, aren't too bad. But last night, as I browsed the toy aisle with my kids, all my fantasies came true when I saw the resurrection of my old hero. There he was not only in his former glory, but in glory to surpass my wildest expectations. The G.I. Joe Sigma 6 series action figure. Eight inches of fully posable, well made, studliness.
I am so glad to see this revival in coolness. In fact I might have to buy a few of my own. ( just for collectable purposes of course )
I might have to start with one of my favorites, Snake Eyes.
Isn't he so COOL?
GOOOOOO JOE!!!!!
3 comments:
Actually I don't like them. Perhaps it just all nostalgia for a byegone area but the weapons they are using seem to be too bulky and unwieldy for practical usage.
yeah the weapons are kinda big and bulky. Almost cartoonish.
But, that aside, I think they sculpting and detail on the figures themselves is quite cool.
You may be glad to know that Hasbro is actually offering the original Joe designs in their orginal style packaging from the 80s and 90s
So, if you are nostalgic, you aren't up the creek, or forced to spend bucko $$$ on Ebay for that old favorite Joe you miss.
You are a purist in movies and toys! My brothers also loved G.I. Joe and played with the action figures all the time. Simultaneously, I would set up all my Barbie stuff and the boys would have the Joe's play fighting scenes and I would dress up the Barbies to watch them all and make them dinner when they were done fighting! I'm sure my Mom loved that the boys and girls of the house could all play together. It makes me smile to think of it!
:-)
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