THE LAND OF TA

 Sam Petrucci, the GI Joe box artist,  drew these neat fantasy The Land of Ta sticker sheets for the Dennison in 1981.

There are two different ones.

Did you have any of these readers?

JOHN NOAKES MAKES AN ACTION MAN QUARTERMASTERS STORE ON BLUE PETER 1977

 The great John Noakes tells you how to make a neat Action Man store on Blue Peter in 1977. Perfect for Christmas!

[courtesy of TimeTunnelToysUK]

Did you ever make one? Did you ever make anything from Blue Peter

Here's one I didn't make earlier.

Toys: A Short Film by Roman Kroitor and Colin Low

 https://www.nfb.ca/film/toys/

This is an unusual and old film with a macabre spin on Action Man/ GI Joe toys from the National Film Board of Canada. Looking at the date, 1966, it was made when the toys were first out in the shops.

No doubt you'll decide for yourself what you make of this if you watch it.

I understand the debate about military toys generally and its one I have come across often having a grandson. 

All I can say is that personally my own Sixties and early Seventies childhood was completely filled with Action Man and I loved every minute of it. I reckon I turned out more or less OK too now I'm in my Sixties.

SAM PETRUCCI: GI JOE-ACTION MAN BOX ARTIST

 With Action man uniforms on my mind I got to looking at another of my favourites, one of many favourites, the Palitoy Russian Infantry. I was in love with the box art as a kid.

There's just something about the bent leg and the turned body. Like all that early Action Man box art, it captures the movement brilliantly.

Googling a bit more about this box art I came across this amazing image on Reddit.

It features someone modelling for the original Hasbro GI Joe Russian Infantry box art! Its all there, the bent leg and the turned waist.

That someone turned out to be one Sam Petrucci, a name I've not come across before. You? Mr. Petrucci was none other than the GI Joe box artist! How cool is that!

I'm thrilled to know who the GI Joe/ Action Man artist was at last.

Sam sadly passed away in 2013 but his memory lived on on all the GI Joe forums and sites, not to mention his family's memorial site to his work.

https://www.sampetrucci.com/

Which was your favourite GI Joe-Action Man box art? What was the action doll called in your country?

Sam did much more besides GI Joe and I feel another post coming on!

PALITOY'S BRUTUS AND OTHER PLASTIC DOGS

 I always liked my Brutus as a kid. You know, the hard plastic boxer dog that kept the Palitoy Action Man Canadian Mountie company.

(was there a Hasbro GI Joe Brutus?)

I've always wondered if it - and the later Husky - was an original Palitoy dog or something else, an ornament maybe, like fancy goods?

Well, I'm not sure I can answer that yet, as I don't actually own a Brutus anymore so I can't be sure of any makers mark on it. Your help would be welcomed.

But, I can confirm that there was indeed a range of hard plastic ornamental dogs made in the 1960's, made in Hong Kong and individually numbered.

Here's what I've found online so far. 

If you know of any more please let me know.

 The range did indeed include a boxer like Action Man's Brutus, numbered 102. It lacked any collar or chain.

#107

#106A

#101

#107A

#108

? - can't read it

#101A

#104-5B

This is the only ornamental Husky like Action Man's I could find online. I've no idea if it's numbered. Your views welcomed.

SUB STANDARD

I had to chuckle when I saw this old carded frogman. I mean, the firm have just brazenly ripped off one of my favourite Action Man box illustrations! It was clearly the Wild West back then in Hong Kong when anything went!

The toy itself appears to not live up to the famous illustration, a super cheapo frogman and a one-man sub that looks like a soda siphon canister.

Still, back in the day I would have accepted this toy with open arms. I would today! ha ha

Did you have a one-man sub?

THE 1983 ACTION FORCE SKYSTRIKER

 I've enjoyed cleaning up my new 1983 Action Force Skystriker found at the boot sale this morning.

Its come up nicely and the removal of old glue and missing sticker residue has worked well. I used some hand sanitiser to do this and it worked a treat.

A stuff wet brush and water got into the nooks and crannies and a pin helped with the grime stuck in many of the plastic grooves.

Its not complete with its tailfins and missiles missing and some of the decals but this version 1 British release of the Hasbro jet looks pretty darn sleek.

Here it is ready for duty in the garden.

Like it?

Have you got one? Had one?

TO THE POINT

 

I love the sleek lines of the 1988 Hasbro Cobra Stilleto for small GI Joe figs.

It could almost be a modern Thunderbirds vehicle like the Thunderbird S released nearly ten years ago, which some of you may have.

My own favourite pointed space plane is the Project SWORD Re-Entry Task Force 1 from 1967, which, like the tip of a Nike Hercules missile, I adored as a kid.

Issued in a variety of colours by late Sixties cloners as well, the original and best is the Century 21 Toys release, which was bright red.

Which is your favourite sleek lined space plane?

GIVE IT SOME STICK!

One of my favourite Action Man uniforms as a kid was the German Stormtrooper and the Stick Grenade in particular.  A seemingly simple combination of a hammer handle and a tin can, I loved to get my Palitoy Fighting Man to hold the stick grenade in the classic throwing position. There was just something about its design and here's a couple I saw on Ebay.

I led a very militaristic life as a kid to be honest. War was a constant in the Sixties playroom and in the real world on the telly. My mates and I battled in the garden till the sun went down. We had everything, from field dressings to cap grenades but we never had a life size stick grenade like our Action Men.

Out of interest I recently checked to see if any toy firm back then actually released a stick grenade and lo and behold, Marx did! Here's a snap of a carded one from Worthpoint.

It appears to have been a single unit of plastic, which had a cap firing mechanism. Made in Swansea, Wales, it was called a 'souvenir' grenade, which is an odd word to use. My mates and I would have happily lobbed a few of these around the garden battlefield.

Did you have a favourite Action Man or GI Joe accessory?

OF MICE AND MUTON

I've picked up a few quaint little stocking fillers recently.

The white van is a Hot Wheels Spoiler Sport from 1976. I had hoped it was a Red Line but never mind. It's still got those Seventies design  chops, which I love. I may repaint the white since all the livery has come off.

The orange Matchbox Speed Kings is a K-42 Nissan 270 X. Just missing its windscreen, again its got those cool Seventies lines and just needs a few spots of orange. A gift from the Missus last week.

The two figures are my most recent find. Asleep in a junk box of old soldiers, they were 20p each. Result! The diver is a Palitoy Action Force Red Shadow Muton from 1982. A nice figure but I've struggled up till now to class these soft plastic Action Force as GI Joe. I've thought it through and OK, yes, they are and Muton can join the cabinet squad after all.

The Joe next to Muton is an as yet unidentified Lanard Corps! soldier from 1986. He's the first Joe I've found since I totally Joe'd out in Summer and never thought I'd Joe again. Having been through that summer craze I've no problem classing Lanards as proper Joes so in the cabinet he too will go!

The last toy find but not the least is my fave of the bunch and a Charity Shop gift from the Missus too. Its a soft plastic Mickey Mouse trike and at 1993 its not that old but I really like it. Its all those colours and the clever design that's bowled me over.

Have you found any interesting bits and bobs of late readers?

EQUIPMENT ID PARADE: THE LAST PUZZLERS

Right, I've ID'd quite a lot of my new bundle of plastic soldier equipment [thanks folks!] and this is what's left, that stubborn bunion, all still non-ID'd.

Does anyone know if any of these bits and bobs belong to small GI Joe-type figures from Lanard, Hasbro or Chap Mei at all?

Any help gratefully received! 

CHAP MEI/ LANARD/ HASBRO TOOLBOX: YOUR HELP NEEDED!

 Here are some plastic tools and equipment from the  Lanard/ Hasbro/ Chap Mei swap Wotan and I haven't managed to ID yet.

Any idea what these are? From the black case forwards. So, the black case, the various coloured backpacks, the black binoculars and the blue bits from a frogman. There's a small blue axe tool too.

and here's a much bigger group of what we think are Lanard or maybe Chap Mei bits. Do you know which figures they're from readers?

Any help gratefully received!

LOOKING FOR LANARD!

 It was a great week for fantastic plastic last week.

My Lanard Corps! collection trebled in size and a fab new GI Joe enlisted.

Two things happened to bring me sunshine.

A car boot sale generated three old Lanards.

Much more significant, fellow blogger and friend Wotan swapped me a load of Lanards, old and new, for some old space books he collects. A fine trade I must say!

The old Lanards were given a bath before the official parade.

Those Star Force fellows weren't keen on getting washed at all! In space no-one can hear you clean!

But here they are on parade along with my new old Corps!, the best of which is the grey Star Force Invader at the far right, along with his wings unit.

However, Wotan also supplied me with an amazing GI Joe, my first complete figure, the gorgeous and purple Technoviper, front left on his own Hasbro stand. How cool is that!

Two more recent Corps! have joined the ranks too on account of their great looks: a car boot lady Puma on the far left next to my beloved Baroness and the Sea Squad's blue Carlos Gills Perez complete with his flippers and rifle donated by the Wotan.

A whole brigade of Wotan's newish Lanard Corps! have yet to be hosed down before going public as they were billeted in his garage until recently. I'm going to need a bigger bucket!

One final note, I now reckon that finding old Lanard Corps! figures is easier than finding old Hasbro GI Joe figures round here in Yorkshire. I say this because I have found 7 old Corps! myself in antigue shops and car boot sales in the last two weeks. Any Joes I have I got on Ebay. It seems that the Corps! will be easier to collect.

*

Eagle-eyed readers may have clocked some old Kenner Star Wars figs in the top picture next to the toast rack. More on these bad boys to come.

MO JOE

 My GI Joes have relocated to a new cabinet as my glass one has been purloined by the Missus for her knick-knacks!

The Joes have grown. Four more 80's Hasbro's this time.

JOE DARE

Hello Woodsy

In your search for 3.75" GI Joe's should you come across 'Major ?' - I don't remember his name - but years ago I converted him to Dan Dare!

Terranova47

USA

NO JOE!

As expected my lost Joe's weren't there this week. Like a drunken wasp returning to fruit I stood at the same spot I stood at last week but no Joe's. In fact no seller or certainly not the same.

I scudded round the sale two times in 35 degree heat and no GI joy. Certainly not the ten. Thinking back I wonder if they were Lanard Corps! They were very colourful. Ah well. I always forget my golden rule. Buy first time. Don't wait.

So how did I do today? Not very well I'm afraid. 500 stalls and I came home with just two paltry action figures.

Any GI Joe? We'll sort of. A single Lanard Corps figure from 1984 called Shark. I looked it up. So not actually Hasbro. How is Lanard viewed by GI Joe collectors? Canon?

The other figure was another 1984 shorty, a Princess Leia. She'll be cleaned up and presented to Junior with his other old Star Wars figs for his sith birthday next Month.

Two figures. Two pounds.

I did walk past a naked Action Man from the Sixties for a fiver. He had real hair. More vintage Star Wars figures at a fiver each couldn't stop me hunting for Joe's. I was unstoppable. I was like the Juggernaut!

So, I still have some GI Blues.

Still. The Baroness will soon be here to cheer me up!

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE

 As a practice for finding my lost GI Joes again tomorrow I have been seeking out strays on Ebay.

With a limited budget I set about locating a few cheap GI J's.

For some reason this summer I have got the bug. I do admit it's a different bug every summer but that's just me. Car boot fever takes me over and I go for something old more or less available. Last year it was Superfast and Hot Wheels, which was huge fun and still is.

Anyways, back to GI Joe.

My successful seek and capture Ebay missions since last Wednesday currently stand at 2. Two wins. Two Joes. A few extras with them like Batman I'll give to Junior. I've spent less than a tenner, which is even better.

Those are Lightfoot and my lost Baroness, who are en-route to Moonbase as I type.

I say lost because I sold one in 2021, before I really knew her. I'm pleased to say she's coming home.

I'm still a novice when it comes to GI Joes. I have a trusty action figure field guide, which I've used for all my figure collecting since 2000, when I got it at Memorabilia. It pictures every loose Joe up to 1996 I think. And boy are there a lot. Along with Star Wars and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles its the biggest chapter of the guide!

Still, its all new to me: the various incarnations of the figures stretching back to the early 80's, the UK Action Force connection, the Corps spin-offs by Lanard and Chap Mei. Great fun!

As always I've no idea how long my new flame will last but until then, Yo Joe!

Wednesday could be a big GI day!

Do you collect GI Joe?

GI Blues

Yesterday I walked away from GI Joe.

Ten Joe's to be exact. And a talking Commander.

It was hard. I wanted those Joe's. There's just something about Hasbro's Eighties action figures which enthralls me.

But the car boot seller wanted fifteen quid for them all.

Me and the Missus had just put in five hours selling ourselves at the sale. A clear out. We made eighty quid in the searing sunshine. It goes towards a new laptop. 

So parting with fifteen of our hard earned takings was too much.

But I do regret it. I always do. It's the bitter bit of bittersweet toy finding!

Do you regret not getting stuff you find?

THE SECRET OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB CHRISTMAS BAUBLES!

Hi Woodsy,

Here is a nice set of Christmas Tree ornaments based on the GI Joe Adventure Team Secret of the Mummy's Tomb playset.

The box is a miniature replica of the Adventure Team window-box packaging of the 1970s,making the package as interesting as the ornaments themselves!-

BrianF 

Monster Base

NJ USA