YOOOOO JOE!

For a toy line that has evolved so much, Luis explains how we’re seeing the best yet

My G.I. Joe fanaticism started on Christmas morning 1985. As I ripped open gifts, I received three Joes—Footloose, Bazooka, Recondo—and I instantly became a lifelong fan. The Real American Hero line of Joes became my version. Whereas the generations before me had the 12-inch figures, I had the 3.75-inch figures which were in scale with the dominant line of the times, Star Wars.

Each figure was rife with articulation (bendable knees and arms) which made me love them more than my original 5-point Star Wars figures. That, plus the accessories and the built-in back stories due to the animated series and the comics from Marvel really let me world-build with these little plastic masterpieces.

Real American Hero, Sgt. Savage, re-released RAH, Sigma 6, and Classified G.I. Joes

Madeline Strum Photography

As the years went on and the ideas got wackier (Toxic Waste fighters, Outer Space) I continued to support the brand. In 1995 the brand completely reinvented itself again with the launch of Sgt. Savage. The scale changed to 4.5 inches. As much of a departure as this was, I still supported the brand. These figures were not great, but the packaging featured classic Joe Kubert military art. With Sgt. Savage not taking off, G.I. Joe had an even larger departure and they became EXTREME. G.I. Joe Extreme was a grand misfire and the first version in my lifetime that I did not support. They were roughly in scale with the Sgt. Savage figures but with less articulation. This was legitimately the first series of Joes that I simply did not like.

Luckily in 1997 Toys R Us wanted to play off the nostalgia of the Real American Hero Joes and re-released a bunch of classic characters. This struck a chord with consumers and these re-releases and repaints would last until 2002.

In another change, G.I. Joe would rebrand again as Sigma 6 in 2005. These mangainspired 8-inch figures were very stylized. They were definitely aimed at a younger consumer. I was intrigued by the look and picked up Series 1, but I did not continue to support this brand. The line was discontinued in 2007.

Luis never owned a 12-inch G.I. Joe before 2001. If the only way to get Wet-Suit was as a windsurfer, then that's how Luis was going to get him. He is a missile launching windsurfer.

Madeline Strum Photography

The back of Ocean Assault Wet-Suit's box

Madeline Strum Photography

In 2007 Hasbro celebrated the 25th Anniversary of a Real American Hero with the release of a new series. These fi gures are some of the best Joes of all-time. More articulation than ever, more accessories, better sculpting. These were the best of times for Joe collectors. This line continued to grow and grow and would rebrand itself over the next few years to include Rise of Cobra, Pursuit of Cobra, 30th Anniversary, and fi nally Retaliation. Some of the fi gures in those years are the best Joes in that scale ever released.

In 2020, G.I. Joe went about yet another revamp with the Classifi ed series. This new 6-inch series has been met with ire by fans of the RAH classic line. Complaints have ranged from they aren’t the same scale, to how they’ll never have vehicles, to no o-rings, to they are just too different. I disagree whole-heartedly. I think these are the best Joes ever. The sculpts are top-notch, the accessories and articulation are beyond compare. The overall design of these fi gures is extraordinary. And, just like the early ’80s when the 12-inch Joes shrunk down to 3.75 inches to meet the industry standard, so have they now enlarged to meet the new industry standard (Marvel Legends, Power Rangers Lightning Collection, Star Wars Black Series, WWE, etc.). To the RAH purists who have been hating on this line, I would tell them to look at the history of the brand. The only constant with G.I. Joe is the evolution and change of the fi gures. For the fi rst time in a long time, the G.I. Joe brand is healthy and collectors are taking notice. (Try to even fi nd a Classifi ed fi gure in store, it’s almost impossible.) The team at Hasbro should be proud of this new line. They are spectacular.

Swan.ish is selling a used 1995 EXTREME Freight on mercari.com

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There are more than 42,000 results at the moment for 12-inch Joes on eBay

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