I’ve got a tough assignment for you
Growing up, my neighbour Dave had a talking Joe, all it ever said was “I have a tough assignment for you” to the point where Dave came up with his own “tough assignment” and smashed Joe with a hammer.
It made me giggle when I read the ad copy on this page. Last I saw Dave, he was a repairman…
It made me giggle when I read the ad copy on this page. Last I saw Dave, he was a repairman…
For Christmas 1970, I wanted the Land Adventurer, but my parents got me the Talking Adventure Team Commander because they probably figured it was an upgrade. I was happy to have him, but I couldn't see the point in having a Joe that spouted random phrases that were incongruous to whatever scenario I was playing out. I also didn't like the fact that his chest looked like he was sprayed with buckshot and he had dogtags hanging from his tracheotomy.
I love Squinty McGinger in the photo. His parents gave him money for glasses but he blew it all on talking undressable military fetish dolls.
I think there's a bit of information you guys might be without, the G. I. Joe commander not only said several different things, but you could control which one he said! The trick was to pull the string until you saw the multicolored section near the end. When you stopped pulling at a certain color, he would say the phrase associated with that color. Of course, the last phrase (accessed by pulling the string all the way) was "I've got a tough assignment for you". 🙂
Personally, I was always busy trying to jam my GI Joes into dresses made for Farrah or Cher, who were blessedly larger than Barbie, so it wasn't that big a stretch. The shoes, though, were another story. Say what you will about Joe, he has big feet.
The red/white/blue markings on the string faded easily. Moreso when you had the talking pilot who spent a lot of time in pools. Yet he still talks wonderfully today.