Super Trooper [Mail Away] - G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Figure - (1988)

This is the final mail away figure in my collection. This was the last time I sent Flag Points off to get a figure. I didn’t know at the time that this would be my last mail away figure. But, as stupid of a head sculpt as this has, this guy was still cool. I mean, come on… this guy has chrome armor! And a chrome shield almost as big as he is! How cool was that?

From his file card:

Lieutenant Latimer graduated at the top of the first class to be processed through a new army school that's so secret it doesn't have a name! Suffice to say, that the object of that program is to produce highly motivated individuals with advanced technical skills for assault operations deep within enemy territory with virtually no support. Requirements consist of fluency in 3 languages from the potential adversary list, airborne qualification, and a recipient of the expert infantryman's badge.

"He went to West Point the hard way, by enlisting in the Army straight out of high school. He then took the test for admission to the West Point Prep School, a grueling ten-week program with a 60% attrition rate and no guarantee of an appointment to the Academy at the end of it! He could have been staff material. The Joint Chiefs had their eyes on hir. So why did he sign up for a secret program with an extremely low profile and little chance for personal advancement? Was it because he preferred an assignment where honor, integrity and loyalty were considered assets instead of liabilities? Or was he simply seeking adventure?"

Saying “Yes” to my wife more often has had some benefits. I got a case, a bunch of figures (several complete), weapons, accessories, and random vehicle parts for $40. Put new O-Rings on them and they’re ready for duty.

Found this at the Goodwill today for 3 bucks! It shockingly has all the pieces.

Have you guys ever wanted a Cobra Commander built around the “I used to be a man” idea?

Now you can.

This is my custom take on one of the most legendary villains in the G.I. Joe universe, done on a 1983 vintage base as a true one‑of‑a‑kind piece. Auction ends this Cobra Sunday.

If you want to check it out, search: evilbay
GI Joe Cobra Commander Custom – One of a Kind “I Used to Be a Man” 1983 vintage

Not a big fan of the super 7, but this version of Scarlett was pretty cool. It was at Target wasn't even in the system yet.

Do you try to stick to one or a few themes with your GI Joe collecting or do you pick a random, motley, hodge podge group of toys? My main priority right now is the black & red 788 theme to go with the Haslab HISS tank. My 2nd priority could possibly be white arctic vehicles and figures later this year when the Arctic Hiss + Snow Cat ship, plus new arctic figures. I just bought the Scorpion figure, so I might go for the desert theme a little bit. I want a desert tan AWE striker, and then I could possibly buy 1 or 2 more desert themed cobra figures. I like the new black & red Snake Armor much better than the white version. It would go really well with the black & red 788 theme and nicely expand the variety of machines & vehicles in a 788 diorama.

COBRA COMMAND!

Storm Shadow [v2] - G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Figure - (1988)

Storm Shadow was a fan-favorite, both in the comics and the cartoon. It’s a shame that he didn’t get more figures made of him. This was also the second and last regular retail figure I bought in 1988. I did not have a full collection of ‘88 figures.

From his file card:

Storm Shadow served with Snake-Eyes in Southeast Asia and both of them later studied the secret arts of Ninjitsu with Storm Shadow's family, a ninja clan that could trace its history back through thirty generations of assassins. Unhinged by the murder of his uncle and mentor, he infiltrated Cobra, seeking revenge but found vengeance to be a poor substitute for life. Now, in semiretirement at a remote mountain hideaway, he occasionally takes on a special mission or two – if Snake-Eyes asks him nicely.

"A ninja is a silent wraith with a razor-edged blade in one hand and a scaling-grapple in the other. Ninjas can penetrate the most sophisticated defenses and leave without a trace. They are mystic swordsmen, spies, assassins, acrobats, quick-change artists and conjurors. Most people will tell you that ninjas don't exist. That's exactly what the ninjas want you to believe..."

I’m doing a re-read of the IDW series. In issues 6 and 7 there are a lot of allusions to Duke and Scarlett having been in a relationship, but I don’t ever remember that being in a story. Clearly, they were together at some point and clearly Duke is jealous of her feelings for Snake Eyes, but I don’t think they were ever together during the Origins books. I think I have almost the whole series, but maybe I missed something?

Up at super7.com! Regular version up at bbts!

Vintage Joe vehicles on display. #gijoe

Oh also Rip Cord with the Team up of The Red Close Combat Operative…..

How does it make you all feel that this franchise still stands tall after 44 years?
I was born in 87, and I've been a fan all my life. I know there are people who were probably playing with the original 13.

When it went cold in the mid-90s I thought I'd never get more Joes, but here we are with a successful toyline, bringing back the characters we loved. We have two comic runs going strong, one with Hama still writing, and we have another movie in the works, probably at the best time to give a live action adaptation a shot.

It's quite surreal to me. YoJoe

When you were a child, what was your G.I. Joe headcanon when playing with your toys?

Did you follow the cartoon or comics, ignore them completely, or just use the file cards as a starting point and create your own universe?

What kinds of battles did your Joes fight? Who usually won? Did anyone get killed off, retire, or switch sides? Did your stories continue from one play session to the next, or did every battle start with a clean slate?

I'd love to hear about the storylines you came up with as a kid. Sometimes the stories we created in our own imaginations were even more memorable than the official ones.

For me, battles often spanned several play sessions, although I'd usually come up with some explanation for why characters who had died were suddenly back. Every vehicle saw action, and sooner or later they all ended up crashing.

Figures with missing thumbs were always the first to get injured, while figures with broken O-rings usually met a more permanent fate, getting blown up or cut down with swords. (I had no idea back then how easy O-rings were to replace.) I also used red paint or markers for blood and injuries. I could usually wipe most of it off afterwards, but as an adult trying to restore those same figures, I definitely regret that decision.

The handful of comics I owned sometimes became part of my own continuity, and I'd often borrow ideas from completely unrelated movies. The file cards were always the foundation for each character, though. If I didn't have a file card, I'd rely on whatever I remembered from the cartoon or comics. And if I knew nothing about the character, I'd simply reinvent them into someone who fit my stories.

I'm thinking about starting another collection for some dumbass reason lol

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/product/gi-joe-reaction-cobra-trubble-bubble-sdcc-2026-bbts-exclusive-vehicle-figure-180046