Was anyone here addicted to collecting GI Joes in the '80s? 

Unfortunately, I missed the first few years and began collecting in '85.  My first few figures were Storm Shadow, Shipwreck, Lady Jaye, and Flint.  I later conned my stepbrother out of the hard to find and out of production figures like Zartan, Baroness, and Cobra Commander. 

My addiction has returned now that I have a decent bank account.  For some reason I've gone eBay crazy and have purchased every figure from '82-'87.  Maybe it's lame to relive your childhood, but it's also fun.

oh yay. i collected most of the hasbro figures and vehicles. my friends and i would play for hours. we even had little funerals for the fallen, complete with the classic helmet-on-top-of-the-rifle grave marker. hummed taps as well.

regrettably, most of my joes have remained buried or suffered the fate as being used as targets for my BB gun. i even shot up my star wars figures as well... :\'(. who knew then that these things could have been worth money.

My stepbrother did the same thing with his collection, but luckily I was able to save a few from his wrath.  When I heard what he did I nearly crapped my pants!  He's the one who got me collecting, and he had nearly every figure and vehicle made.

People are paying an arm and a leg for these things now (probably the same people who shot theirs up as kids).  One version of Destro is worth over $1000, and loose Storm Shadows and Snake Eyes go up to $80.  I won't even touch the ones that are still in the package since you have to be a doctor or a lawyer to afford them.

Remember the public service announcements at the end of the G.I. Joe animated series? I found a hilarious new take on these.

http://www.fenslerfilm.com
(click on "Video")

(PSA 7 is really funny..."Pork chop sandwiches!")

I had the G.I Joe of the 60's/70's, with the fuzzy hair and beard, it was larger with movable limbs and all.  I still have the footlocker that stored all his gear, used it to keep my baseball cards in.

I, too, had almost the entire collection of G.I. Joe figures from the early 80's!  I can still remember the first two I got (I picked them out as a birthday present): The infantry soldier, Grunt, and the Bazooka specialist, Zap!

I still have about 30% or so of those figures... unfortunately, most of them have broken apart or have broken thumbs/limbs.

I absolutely LOVED GI Joe.  I remember characters like:

Lady Jaye
Flint
Duke
Shipwreck
Junkyard & Dog
Scarlet
Bazooka
Ace
Blowtorch
Hawk
Leatherneck
Doc
HeavyMetal
Footloose
Recondo
Mainframe
Sgt. Slaughter
Snake Eyes
Wild Bill
Alpine
Cover Girl
Dusty
Falcon
Jinx
Gung-Ho


:D ;D

He'll fight for freedom whenever there's trouble,GI Joe is there,GI Joe Amercian Hero,GI JOE is there! ;D



Howard

"Knowing is half the battle...GI JOE...American Hero"

I absolutely LOVED GI Joe.


I was a Thundercat fan too by the way!

I still have the characters you mentioned on my livingroom wall, believe it or not.  I had most of them in the attic for years.  A few months ago I decided to clean house and rediscovered them, realizing how cool they were compared to modern toys.  Most of the stuff available for kids these days is of poor quality and not worthy of becoming collectible.

I only wish I kept all my Thundercats and He Man toys.  I sold my boxed Transformers collection a few years ago for $470, and now just one of them is worth that much!

I was a Thundercat fan too by the way!

I still have the characters you mentioned on my livingroom wall, believe it or not.  I had most of them in the attic for years.  A few months ago I decided to clean house and rediscovered them, realizing how cool they were compared to modern toys.  Most of the stuff available for kids these days is of poor quality and not worthy of becoming collectible.

I only wish I kept all my Thundercats and He Man toys.  I sold my boxed Transformers collection a few years ago for $470, and now just one of them is worth that much!


Very cool! 8)  Yep, I loved cartoons like the Thundercats, Transformers, Voltron, GI JOE, etc...  They rocked and kicked ass...unlike the toons nowadays...  At least you re-discovered some things you still have.  I'm not as fortunate.  I have NOTHING left from the 80s... all of my toys and collectibles were thrown away or lost in between "moves". 

Unfortunately, many of the o-rings that held them together dry rotted, but they've been replaced.  ;)

Yeah, cartoons are weak these days.  Gunplay has been replaced by characters who crap on themselves and pick their noses for fun.  What happened to all the mature toons?  I'm not into anime (at least not when sober)! 

Unfortunately, many of the o-rings that held them together dry rotted, but they've been replaced.  ;)

Yeah, cartoons are weak these days.  Gunplay has been replaced by characters who crap on themselves and pick their noses for fun.  What happened to all the mature toons?  I'm not into anime (at least not when sober)! 




LOL @JT74:  Not when sober????  Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  I can soooooooo relate. LOL  8) ;D

Anyone remember a GI Jane character? ;D

Howard

Don't forget (from the Hasbro series) the commando Snake Eyes.  He was was completely black.  I guess that was supposed to be some kind of body suit.

I think there was a gay GI Joe character.... ???


Howard

I think there was a gay GI Joe character.... ???


Howard


Actually, are quite a few that look gay but I don't think they were meant to be.  There's an Indian, a biker, a construction worker, a cop, and a cow boy that are dead ringers for the Village People.  As long as they don't start performing while I'm watching TV I don't mind.

Actually, are quite a few that look gay but I don't think they were meant to be.  There's an Indian, a biker, a construction worker, a cop, and a cow boy that are dead ringers for the Village People.  As long as they don't start performing while I'm watching TV I don't mind.


*spits coffee out*

LOL..... Haaaaaaaaa ;D  The Village People....  Yep!  You're right...dead ringers... 

I think there was a gay GI Joe character.... ???


Howard


i always thought destro was gay. he had that metal bondage helmet, his leather jacket was open down his chest, leather...he was definitly into the leather/biker scene.

i always thought destro was gay. he had that metal bondage helmet, his leather jacket was open down his chest, leather...he was definitly into the leather/biker scene.


Good point.  Hmmmm.  Now that makes me wonder... 

*spits coffee out*

LOL..... Haaaaaaaaa ;D  The Village People....  Yep!  You're right...dead ringers... 



They had quite a few number of hits but flopped during the mid 80's and people got tired of them. :)



Howard

i always thought destro was gay. he had that metal bondage helmet, his leather jacket was open down his chest, leather...he was definitly into the leather/biker scene.


Naw, he was running the Baroness.  If any Joe was gay it was Gung Ho.

Ever notice that all the busty female characters were hooked up with someone?

Duke and Scarlett, Flint and Lady Jaye, Destro and Baroness, and I know Cover Girl and Zarana were messin' around too, but I forgot with whom...

Naw, he was running the Baroness.  If any Joe was gay it was Gung Ho.

Ever notice that all the busty female characters were hooked up with someone?

Duke and Scarlett, Flint and Lady Jaye, Destro and Baroness, and I know Cover Girl and Zarana were messin' around too, but I forgot with whom...




You're right.  They all seem to couple up...  My favorite couple were Flint and Lady Jaye.  I wanted to see them get it on.  They kissed one episode and that made my day!  ;D

Actually, are quite a few that look gay but I don't think they were meant to be.  There's an Indian, a biker, a construction worker, a cop, and a cow boy that are dead ringers for the Village People.  As long as they don't start performing while I'm watching TV I don't mind.

**cackles**
Yeah, forget about Tinky-Winky, G.I. Joe is here!  I never thought of the VP comparison.  Now the He-Man series, what was that?  A bunch of musclemen running around in their underwear.
:P

**cackles**
Yeah, forget about Tinky-Winky, G.I. Joe is here!  I never thought of the VP comparison.  Now the He-Man series, what was that?  A bunch of musclemen running around in their underwear.
:P


Don't forget, He-Man came out when the WWF was in its hayday.  Compared to a bunch of real musclemen in underwear putting their crotches in one another's faces, He-Man was tame.  It was the 80's, man!  This was back when people thought Boy George was merely "eccentric".

You're right.  They all seem to couple up...  My favorite couple were Flint and Lady Jaye.  I wanted to see them get it on.  They kissed one episode and that made my day!   ;D




I think when I was a kid I DID make them get it on!  My brother and I used to do all kinds of weird things with our toys...

I think when I was a kid I DID make them get it on!  My brother and I used to do all kinds of weird things with our toys...


LOL...haaaaaa :D  that's funny!  Oh I could imagine...  My barbie dolls had their flings with the Joes too.  LOL  Man...those were the days...  If toys could talk...I would be serving a prison sentence right about NOW.  LOL 

Don't forget, He-Man came out when the WWF was in its hayday.  Compared to a bunch of real musclemen in underwear putting their crotches in one another's faces, He-Man was tame.  It was the 80's, man!  This was back when people thought Boy George was merely "eccentric".



Yeah,WWF has a lot of guys running around in their underwear! ;D


Howard

I loved the Joes. Definately my favorite toy series from the 80's. I wish I had kept them in good condition. Most of them are busted up, or missing their paint from vicious firefights in my backyard. My friends, and I, would play with them everyday after school. Seemed like we spent more time building bases for our Joes, than actually taking them to 'war' though.

I was in Besty Buy a few months back, and nearly fainted when I saw the old cartoon series on DVD. I went there to buy an Xbox game. I ended up walking out with Red Dawn, and the Joe DVD that came with a Snake Eyes figure.  ::)

Some of my first memories came involve GI Joes! I actually "came on board" in the early 80's during the minijoes period. How many GI Joes,Transfomers, He Mans, and Star Wars figures you had were the status symbols during that period.

I collected G.I. Joes, figures when I was younger. I wished I keeped them around still.

Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are my favorites.

I had hundreds of Joe's. All given away before I was ready to see them go by my Mum!!!  >:(

My faves were the dreadnoks... their biker gang look was so cool! Also liked Zartan, Zarana and Zandar.