GI Joe Archives - PS

Blonde Alan Alda Trauma

Mantooth — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:26:24 +0000

Blonde Alan Alda Trauma

I’m still going through photos from ZoloCon earlier this month, and I missed talking about a few items. I just remembered why I took so many photos of this at my friend Mark Huckabone’s booth.

The Tri-Star M*A*S*H toyline came onto the scene when I was pretty into the GI Joe RAH toy line, thanks to that wonderful comic. I’m a notorious cherry picker of action figure lines as a kid; I only had Crystar himself, one Muppet Show (Gonzo), and….. Hawkeye Pierce. I watched M*A*S*H episodes back-to-back every day on the little black-and-white TV in my bedroom as a kid (on City TV channel 79).

I can’t say the toy line impressed me at that age. I remember friends taking me to see the “Klinger in a dress” figure in the toy department. We were old enough to wonder why a toy company would even do that. Klinger no longer did that on the show since the 1970s. It was our first taste of ironic humour; these figures almost reached “Love Boat” levels of mockery with my friends on mall trips (WHERE WE WENT BY OURSELVES BTW!)

But I caved and bought a Hawkeye. I thought it would work, but at that age, I don’t know if I was playing so much or acting out the comics. Also, I was 12 and impulsive.

It didn’t work; his grimace ruined every “Scene” in my head. He even looked elated when Cobra killed him. I vowed never to buy any more Mash figures; I had “buyer’s remorse.”

However, the Vehicles looked cool as hell, and I always wanted the MASH Helicopter as a toy, dating back to an early memory. However, I couldn’t abide their “Generic 4077 Soldier Man,” who was not only just Hawkeye again but also a mustard-blonde, no-eyebrows man.

It pained me that the entire M*A*S*H cast, even a simple background soldier, had to be smiling as if the Joker had just visited the 4077 and put Smylex in Hawkeye’s still.

I could live with myself with having one chuckling character, but I was not letting this grinning homunculus into my home.

It’s a silly thing to me now, and honestly, even when I saw that helicopter on closeout, it didn’t matter because there was this new toy line called “Dungeons and Dragons” that, despite my never successfully having ever played the game, was my last childhood toy line. It was perfect for a middle school kid.

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The Lincoln Monsters Backer Kit Store is now open to the public. After the successful Kickstarter campaign (Thank You Again!), BackerKit is the next chance to get in on the Lincoln Horror Show.

The Lincoln Monsters Backer Kit Store is now open to the public.

Issue #13 of Toy-Ventures features the never-before-seen plans for the 1983 World’s Greatest Superheroes toy line and a cover featuring artwork specially commissioned for Mego’s catalog, gloriously coloured by Robyn Adams, founder of the Mego Museum.
https://www.toyventuresmag.com

Issue #13 of Toy-Ventures Magazine will feature the never-before-seen plans for the 1983 World’s Greatest Superheroes toy line and a cover featuring artwork specially commissioned for Mego’s catalogue, gloriously coloured by Robyn Adams, founder of the Mego Museum.

The Blood-A-Rama Shock Festival Pack

MASH, M*A*S*H, Tri-Star, O-ring figures, GI Joe, 1983, RAH, Toy-ventures, Mark Huckabone, Plaidstallions, Zolocon, action figures, Love Boat, Mego, Alan Alda, Hawkeye Pierce,

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FairlandToy 1983: GI Joe KO Dynaman!

Mantooth — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:45:12 +0000

This is an ad for Hong Kong toy maker FairToy International. FairToy International makes various dolls, including one that strongly resembles Barter Toys Dynaman. Dynaman is one of the more prolific (and fuzziest) GI Joe Knockoffs and ran under different names. He also made history by being the basis for the “Gay Bob” doll in 1977.

Fairland packaged the toy line to order from foreign distributors, as evidenced by the array of names on the various accessory packs. Another name would be “Johnny Strong” or even “Bruce.” It might seem strange to see a company selling such products in 1983 but 12″ figure ranges like this had longer legs outside North America.

Fairland also had their own Big Jim Knock Off, who had a popular Western Line in Europe for many years. These 10″ figures are simply called “West” and, according to my pal Steve Moore, are very cheaply made. I’ve seen that boxed horse a bunch of times, so this stuff hit our shores.

Of course, they had their own Barbie Clone in Christina. Many of those outfits (especially the Western gear) look like straight-up copies of what Mattel was doing at the time.

FairlandToy also created Adventure Man, a 2000s Knock Off of GI Joe that sold quite well.

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Knock Offs, Hong Kong ads, Toy Factory, Dynaman, Bruce, GI Joe Clone, Barbie Clone, Big Jim, bootleg toys, western toys, Gay Bob, fuzzhead Joes, Combat Man, Action Man, FairlandToy, Plaid Stallions, vintage toy ads, Mego Knock Offs, Toy-Ventures, PlaidStallions,

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1976 Action Figure Explosion!

Mantooth — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 02:10:06 +0000

1976 Action Figure Explosion!

I got this catalogue just after Christmas, and I wanted to close the year with the single reason I had to have it. This glorious page of plastic joy. I never saw this page as a kid, but wow, that’s how the inside of my brain looked when I was five.

This page, with it’s triple threat of Kenner Bionic Man, GI Joe Adventure Team, and Big Jim’s P.A.C.K hit me like a gut punch but in a good way, more like a “gut hug?” is that a thing?

I enjoyed the book even more when I found the other page with my sixth birthday present, the GI Joe Capture Copter, which also was the “Monster Squad Copter” with my Lincoln Monsters.

Not to mention the Sky Dive to Danger set, another birthday present and my vote for the single greatest GI Joe set ever.

1976 Action Figure Explosion!

No Offense to fans of Johnny West but I have almost no memory of the toy line. It’s probably because of stuff like Remco Star Trek and the amazing Lazervette had all of my attention and well kind of still do….

Happy New Year!

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Big Jim, Marx Johnny West, Action Figures, 1976, Gi Joe, Intruder, 1970s catalogs, Kenner Bionic, Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Maskatron, Zorak, Torpedo Fist, Lazervette, Capture Copter, megolike, Cardinal Stores, wishbooks, toyventures

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1982 GI Joe Playset from the JC Penney Catalog

Mantooth — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:57:53 +0000

1982 GI Joe Playset from the JC Penney Catalog

One of my favourite things about Department store wishbooks is when they snuck in an exclusive item. Sometimes this was whole figures like the Mego Secret Identity figures; other times, carry cases or even playsets meant to be used with the toys unofficially. That’s the case with the Mobile Command HQ playset from the 1982 JC Penny wishbook.

Despite having GI Joe’s logo on the photo and nothing but Joe Toys, this is not, to my knowledge, officially licensed. It is merely a generic concept playset meant for all Military figures like SGT. Rock by REMCO is specifically mentioned.

It’s construction makes it look a lot like the Mego Pocket Superheroes Bat Cave, but they aren’t the same. Perhaps they used the same factory because this is also quite thin plastic.

1982 GI Joe Playset from JC Penney

I have to tell you as a kid, I would have BEEN ALL OVER THIS. I was heavy into that first wave of RAH Joes and I’ve always been a playset nerd. Sadly, there are no JC Penneys in Canada, and by the time RAH added playsets, I was in the 8th grade.

Here is the rest of the glorious page, I bet many of the exclusive catalog packs cost more than my kid’s tuition this year. Click to enlarge.

1982 GI Joe Playset from JC Penney

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GI Joe Adventure Team Photo Recon

Mantooth — Mon, 08 May 2023 16:25:33 +0000

GI Joe Adventure Team Photo Recon

As mentioned in the latest episode of Toy-Ventures (which has a contest BTW) , I recently picked up this wonder GI Joe Adventure Team piece. I collect GI Joe but am what they call “Content.” I haven’t actively searched eBay in ages, and while I always keep my eyes open, I really didn’t have any wants. Then theecollector found a bunch of Canadian GI Joe outfits and sets.

GI Joe Adventure Team Photo Recon

This one haunted me despite avoiding collecting carded outfits for money and space reasons. It was the combination of the 76 era card back with that funky orange and the fact that I realized I HAD THIS AS A KID! I kind of wasn’t in control; I just purchased it. The brain was going, “WTH?” but the heart knew what it was doing.

GI Joe Adventure Team Photo Recon

I also really dig this illustration of Joe, what a badass. The artwork is huge for this because, without it, it’s just a jumpsuit and a camera.

Here’s the 1976 GI Joe Catalog page for Photo Recon, which I need to redo for the site.

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Bootleg Star Wars

Topics discussed, Mego Knock-Offs, Batman, Italian Batman, Godzilla, Rack Toys, Gi Joe Adventure Team, Superman, Fighting Yank, Ninjas, Menudo, Space:1999, Mattel, Eagle, Microman, Micronauts, Canadian toys, Palitoy, Mego Superheroes,megolike

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GI Joe Memories from 1976 or I love Bulletman

Mantooth — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 16:04:43 +0000

1976 GI Joe Adventure Team Catalog PageOver the weekend, a friend asked me to help him with toy research, which meant going through my catalogue collection. That sort of activity is always welcome here as I get to thumb through some favourites from childhood. In particular, the 1976 Simpsons-Sears catalogue. In Canada, Sears partnered with a Canadian firm called Simpsons, and it remained dual-named until 1984.

I had this catalogue as a kid, and as I’ve discussed, they’ve fascinated me since I can remember. This page of GI Joe Adventure Team, well it’s technically the Super Adventure Team by this point is one so deeply ingrained in my consciousness it gives me endorphins looking at it.

Though many have decried this era as a low point for GI Joe, I counter with the thought that it depends on how old you were. This version of GI Joe was “My Era” because I was five, and trust me, I loved it. Here are my reasons for it:

1976 GI Joe Adventure Team Catalog Page

Mike Power: The Atomic Man was added to GI Joe a year earlier and was a hit. Yes, he was a Bionic Man Knock Off but I still played with him even after getting the real deal from Kenner. He was a cool concept and those clear arms were super neat. We won’t discuss how he runs with one “Atomic” leg.

As big of a departure Mike was for GI Joe, it was nothing compared to what Hasbro had planned for 1976.

BulletMan, the Human Bullet, had a bad rap in GI Joe collector circles for decades, and it’s so unfair. I LOVED this character and was so excited about what was next with GI Joe. I was superhero crazy as a kid and they obviously didn’t have to be comic book based for me to fall in love with it. However, to be fair there is one character I didn’t get behind.

The Intruder was a really out-there concept and one I’d love to know more about. Joe’s first real enemy seemed to be more of a minion than an evil mastermind. The Intruders probably needed a leader of some sort, it would have helped. However, the Intruder has one great defence, it inspired some amazing vehicles like the Capture Copter (which I got for my 6th birthday) and the Big Trapper, which is wonderful.

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197 Children’s Palace Catalog- Mego-Big Jim-Barbie-Sesame Street

Mantooth — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:33:48 +0000

Planet of the Apes was a new hot ticket item for 70s wunderkind Mego who also produced the World’s Greatest Superheroes around the same time. Big Jim was Mattel’s answer to G.I. Joe and Dinah-Mite was Mego’s stab at Barbie, who was the original.

Child Guidance was one of the bigger players in Sesame Street merchandise, it’s so nice to see Roosevelt Franklin. Etch a Sketch is never going to stop being cool..

I have many fond memories of Play-Doh Pumper No. 9. The Mego Superheroes “Supervator” was a complicated game where you used strings and a glove to make the heroes retrieve “Nasty Secret Plans” and avoid villain cards like the enemy of Tarzan. See video below:

Planet of the Apes and Superhero Puzzles from HG are collector’s items now. Another toy I forgot I had until now is the Mattel Put-Put railway, along with Spirograph and Lite-Brite. I had to explain to my son what Lite-Brite was last week, that made me sad….

Here is a whole page of toys that made my four year heart go pitter patter, the Big Jim Kung Fu studio was a cool set up that allowed Big Jim to kick a little ass. The Mego Batcave was also recycled by clever Mego into the Planet of the Apes village and the Action Jackson “Lost Continent” playset, we kids didn’t mind. I consider both the Matchbox Fighting Furies and the Gabriel Lone Ranger to be two of the nicest toy lines made in the 1970s.

Rodney Allen Rippey was made by Shindana, a company that catered to people of colour. Shindana made some wicked cool toys and below is one of my favourites, Slade!

Barbie always got the best vehicles and playsets, lucky for us boys Mattel converted her country camper for Big Jim so we boys could play with it and still feel masculine. .

Another great vehicle is the Barbie friendship, again Mattel recycled this for us boys in the form of the Big Jim Skyhawk. It is a pretty awesome piece, my daughter has the modern version, which isn’t made of vinyl…

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1982 Hasbro G.I. Joe A Real American Hero Catalog

Mantooth — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 15:52:09 +0000

After the Adventure Team closed up shop in 1976 and Superjoe said Goodbye in 1978, the G.I. Joe name reemerged in 1982, a good deal shorter but fueled by a renewed surge in patriotism.

G.I. Joe was no longer a man but a team name, a covert group that protected the world, as we would later discover, the forces of Cobra.

In mass marketing the (very well written) toy tie-in comic with wonderfully animated spots, G.I. Joe was one of the biggest hits of the 1980s and its popularity endures to this day.

The first concept figures for GI Joe were actually kit bashed using Mego CHiPs action figures and that articulated O-Ring construction would become the norm with the line.

First Assortment of Figures. I remember being kind of ticked Breaker had a beard, he was my favourite character in the comic. Marvel killed him off when the comic’s sales started to slag, which upset me as i recall. I bought almost every one of these and mailed away for Cobra Commander, wish I had kept them.

In Canada, Snake Eyes was changed to “Zorro” for the french speaking market.

Stuff like the Jet pack and characters like Flash added a little touch of sci fi to this military series, it was a great element.

Mobat was a great toy, it really could move..

That Marvel comic really was amazing, I kept on with it longer than the toys which i abandoned after this wave..

What a fun shot, makes for great wall paper…

PlaidStallions Toy-Ventures Magazine #2 is now available and it’s been called “not only an entertaining read, but it’s also an impeccable work of reference” by PopCult.

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