Tag Archives: Action Marine

#3638: Original Action Team

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , , ,

ACTION MARINE, ACTION PILOT, ACTION SAILOR, ACTION SOLDIER, & ACTION PILOT ASTRONAUT

G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0117: The 3 3/4-inch G.I. Joe line has twice had a period of stagnation ushered in by a 30th anniversary celebration.

I feel like I’ve probably talked about my introductions to G.I. Joe here before, having first learned of the franchise through its 12-inch origins, and finding my first real love of the line with Adventure Team.  My first exposure to the 3 3/4 inch stuff wasn’t actually a Hasbro product at all.  In fact, it was via Fun 4 All’s “keychains” from the late ’90s, which, though I didn’t know it at the time, were making use of molds from Hasbro’s celebration of the franchise’s 30th anniversary, which saw them shrink some of the original 12-inch Joes down the the smaller scale.  It was a good many years before I actually encountered those original down-scaled figures, but when I did, I opted to go big or go home, with a whole big batch of them.

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

The Action Marine, Action Pilot, Action Sailor, Action Soldier, and Action Pilot Astronaut were released as the “Original Action Team” boxed set in 1994, as part of the “Commemorative Collection” sub-line of the G.I. Joe line.

ACTION MARINE

The Action Marine was one of the two figures in this set that also got single releases the same year, with no modifications, largely because there were no real notable changes to the Marine’s basic look in the main line, or at least not ones that just a repaint could cover.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 14 points of articulation.  This sculpt is, of course, the one that inspired the keychain.  That version was a much softer take on it, so it gets a better chance to shine here.  It’s certainly a sharper look, and more accurate to the 12-inch figures.  I especially like the likeness on the head.  This one’s still got the issue with the shoulders looking rather disconnected, which remains odd, but at least it’s consistent?  His paint work is much like the sculpt: similar to the key chain, but a bit sharper and cleaner.  The finish is matte, rather than shiny, which works a bit better.  The Marine, regardless of release, included a rifle (with mount), backpack, missile launcher, raft, and oar.

ACTION PILOT

The Action Pilot got a single release the same year, but he got two different looks, albeit only in a color-oriented sense.  The sculpt was the same between the two, and, is again the one that inspired the keychain release.  It’s a little sharper, and more defined, allowing you to see how many smaller details went into the whole assembly.  He gets us a standard Joe head, this time without even the peghole needed for the keychain release.  Definitely one of the best parts of this set.  As noted above, the main difference for this release is the color scheme.  While the single was based on the actual toy colors of the fully kitted out Pilot from the original line, this one instead goes for his colors from the illustration on the front of the original Action Pilot box.  It’s a color scheme that the key chains never touched, which is pretty cool.  The Pilot was packed with the same rifle as the Marine (but in olive instead of black), a pistol, backpack, helmet with mask, and a parachute.

ACTION SAILOR

Like the Pilot, the Action Sailor got a single release covering one look, while the boxed set version covered another, once again going for a differentiation of color, rather than sculpt.  The Sailor is actually the one figure here for whom I’ve already looked at both the Hasbro and Fun 4 All versions of the sculpt, since I looked at the single Sailor in addition to the keychain.  It remains my favorite of the 30th sculpts, regardless of which version it is.  There’s just something really strong about how the frogman look translated into the smaller scale, and Hasbro really made the whole thing flow really nicely.  The single release went with the standard black wetsuit look, but the boxed set goes for the later Adventures of G.I. Joe orange-suited look.  It’s a pretty drastically different look, and also one of the best known variations from the original line, so a solid choice (so solid that it’s the one variant look that Fun 4 All copied when they did their own boxed set release).  I also enjoy it because it’s a precursor to Adventure Team, which is, as noted, my favorite incarnation of the brand.  The Sailor is packed with his scuba tank and hose, a pair of flippers, a harpoon gun, flashlight, and seasled with attached missile launcher.

ACTION SOLDIER

Like the Marine, the Action Soldier’s single release is the same as the boxed set version.  The basic Soldier’s a basic soldier, so it makes sense, just like with the Marine.  He’s once more the inspiration for the keychain release.  As I noted on that one, the Soldier is a little bit skinnier than the other three, for whatever reason.  I don’t know if it’s just a difference of how the details read, but it does seem a bit less pronounced on this original version of the mold, which is a plus.  His paint work is notably pretty drab, as you’d expect, but it works pretty well, and makes him nice and generic.  The soldier was packed with a backpack, pistol, rifle, stand, missile launcher (with mount), and a bunker display piece.  While the Marine’s accessories are the same between both of his releases, the Soldier’s accessories change all of the “tree” parts to black, rather than the brown of the single.

ACTION PILOT ASTRONAUT

Hey, look, it’s something new!  Yes, there’s one truly exclusive element to this set, and that’s the Astronaut.  So unique, in fact, that he didn’t even get retooled into a keychain by Fun 4 All.  Feels like a missed opportunity if you ask me.  This one’s sculpt was totally unique, and it’s pretty solid.  I don’t know that it quite beats the Sailor or the Pilot sculpts in my book, but it’s still a very good one.  I particularly like all of the stitching on the suit; it adds a nice touch of realism.  The Astronaut’s paint work is pretty basic, with a lot of molded silver, but the paint application that’s there is clean enough.  The Astronaut notably gets fewer accessories, but also makes up for that in sizing, since he gets his helmet (with working visor), and a whole space capsule.  My release is actually the international version, as noted by the presence of Canadian markings on the capsule, in place of the American markings from the domestic release (though the actual Astronaut was always marked with a US flag no matter the release; I guess even if Canada finances the mission, it’s still an American who goes into space).

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I’ve wanted a set of the 30th figures for a while.  Honestly, I wanted *this* set, since the Astronaut was only in this one, and I love the whole capsule set-up.  Back in 2020, during some very rough days for me, All Time Toys got a rather sizable 12-inch Joe collection, which I spent many early mornings working on listing, filling my time after dropping Jess off for her treatments.  It gave me something I knew very well to put my focus into, and it made a real difference in my mental state when I very much needed it.  This set was in that collection, the one, lone 3 3/4-inch piece included, and, well, maybe I needed more of a distraction, I guess, but it called to me.  I didn’t ultimately have much time to appreciate it, at least not for a couple of years, but I finally got the chance to open it up more recently…well, it made for a nice distraction.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#1812: G.I. Joe Keychains

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , , ,

ACTION SOLDIER, ACTION PILOT, ACTION DIVER, & ACTION MARINE

G.I. JOE: CLASSIC COLLECTION — KEYCHAINS (FUN 4 ALL)

Hey, you guys remember when I looked at that G.I. Joe keychain a while back?  Wasn’t that pretty cool? I sure thought so! Here’s another four of those. 

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

These four were released as a boxed set as part of Fun 4 All’s G.I. Joe: Classic Collection in 1998.  They used the same molds as the single-packed keychains, but in alternate color schemes.  Like the previously reviewed Action Marine, all four “keychains” are fully articulated figures with a removable keychain attachment.  And, just like that figure, all four of mine are missing said attachment, because I didn’t really buy them to be keychains.

ACTION SOLDIER

The most standard member of the team is the Action Soldier, a member of the US Army Corps.  This one in particular is wearing MP gear, showcasing a slight variant.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 14 points of articulation.  The Action Soldier features a few parts in common with the previously reviewed Marine.  They share a head, pelvis, and upper legs.  The other parts are unique to the Soldiers.  For whatever reason, the Soldier actually has a slightly smaller build than the other three figures, despite the original 12-inch Joes all using the same basic body.  But, I guess a little bit of variety isn’t the worst thing.  The sculpt is a decent offering, though he’s definitely on the softer side detailing-wise.  His paint is the main defining part of this releases.  It’s okay, but rather on the simple side. He lacks any sort of paint on his torso, not even on his web gear or grenades.  Also, what paint he does have is rather prone to chipping, though the Soldier has held up the best of the four in this set.

ACTION PILOT

The pilot is one of the more intricately designed of these figures; unlike the Marine and the Soldier, he and the Diver are actually based on fully decked-out Joes with parts from some of the supplemental sets.  He’s seen here in his full pilot’s gear…or he would be if mine weren’t missing a few pieces.  The Pilot is sporting an all-new sculpt, and while it’s still not quite up to Hasbro par, it’s certainly a stronger sculpt than either of the other two I’ve looked at, and is perhaps the strongest in the set.  The details are more numerous, and the overall construction is a bit less rudimentary.  He also gives us our only true look at the “standard” Joe head, which is a decent replica of the old 12-inch figures.  His paintwork is fairly decent, and certainly better spread out and more complete than the Soldier’s.  The blue/yellow combo is another non-standard look, but it works well, and it’s slightly less situational than the others in the set.  The Pilot was the only one of these to actually include an accessory, which was a removable helmet.  Unfortunately, I’ve lost mine, which is a real shame.

ACTION DIVER

Like the Pilot, the Action Diver is a more intricately designed figure, also patterned on a fully kitted-out 12-inch Joe.  The frogman get-up is actually one of my favorite classic Joe designs, and by far the most distinctive of the Navy looks.  The sculpt is rivaled only by the Pilot in terms of quality.  He’s got one of the most organic sculpts of the bunch, and definitely the one with the sharpest detailing.  I also really dig that clear visor on the goggles; it’s a small touch that really helps the figure.  Unfortunately, the Diver has one main drawback: he’s the member of the set most affected by the low quality plastic used for these figures.  On both versions of the Diver own, the front piece of the pelvis has broken off; it’s a minor issue, and still leaves you with a workable figure, but it’s annoying to say the least.  The Diver is actually the only figure in this set to get more paintwork than his single-carded release.  Since he’s molded in orange (an alternate color scheme that actually hails form Adventures of GI Joe, the less military-themed precursor to Adventure Team), all of the straps and such are actually painted black, whereas the regular figure was just molded in black and thereby left them unpainted.

ACTION MARINE

The final piece of this set is the one figure I’ve looked at before, more or less.  These keychains were based on Hasbro’s commemorative 30th Anniversary figures from 1994, and while those figures included alternate color schemes for both the Pilot and the Diver, the Marine and Soldier didn’t get second releases, so these had to be made up.  The Marine gets a desert camo look, which certainly makes him quickly identifiable as distinct from the standard release.  Also, for whatever reason, he swaps out his lower legs for those of the Soldier, giving him tucked-in boots.  Not 100% sure why, but it certainly works.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

As I noted in my Marine review, it was these keychains that introduced me to 3 3/4-inch Joes.  This set was actually the last of the keychain offerings I procured.  After finding the standard releases of the Diver, the Pilot, and the Marine, I was quite thrilled to find this pack at the KB just outside the town where my family vacationed over the summers.  At the time, I was in the midst of quite a G.I. Joe kick, and these really hit the spot.  Admittedly, they aren’t the greatest offerings.  They’re fun, but definitely lower quality than a lot of figures from the same era.

#0938: Action Marine

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , ,

ACTION MARINE

GI JOE: CLASSIC COLLECTION– KEYCHAINS (FUN 4 ALL)

Marine1 (2)

1994 marked the 30th Anniversary of the original G.I. Joe figures. At the time, G.I. Joe was in a bit of an odd spot. The 3 ¾ inch line had started to die down, but the 12 inch line had not yet come back in full force. To celebrate the anniversary, Hasbro sort of combined the two, releasing the original 12-inch Joes, but this time in the smaller scale. Four years later, Fun 4 All, perhaps one of the only not-Hasbro-companies to ever do G.I. Joe toys, made use of Hasbro’s molds to produce a line of keychains…sort of. Yes, they had the key chain bits attached, but by-and-large, this felt like an excuse for Fun 4 All to produce a set of G.I. Joe figures. And why not? Well, let’s have a look at one of the “keychains” they produced, the Action Marine.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Marine2 (2)The Action Marine was one of the four keychains offered in Fun 4 All’s G.I. Joe: Classic Collection – Keychains line, offered starting 1998. All four keychains were fully articulated figures, which a detachable keychain piece (which is missing from my Action Marine. You can clearly see my main interest in these). The figure is 3 ¾ inches tall and has 14 points of articulation. The sculpt of this figure is a slightly altered version of Hasbro’s Action Marine from 1994. The only real difference between the two (apart from the slightly lower quality of the plastic used by Fun 4 All) is the addition of a loop between the shoulder blades to allow for the keychain’s attachment. The overall sculpt isn’t bad. He’s more or less on par with any of the vintage 3 3/4-inch Joes. Some pieces of the sculpt seem a bit more rudimentary, most noticeably the shoulders, which don’t mesh together organically. In addition, the lower quality of the plastic means that some of the finer details from the original sculpt are lost, which gives him all around simpler look. Still, he’s far from horrible; certainly better than some other figures in the scale. In addition to the step down in plastic quality, there’s also a step down in the quality of the paint. It’s still not bad, mind you. The colors are appropriate, and the level of detail on the camo is decent. However, the paint has a tendency to chip, especially on the hands, and the application is rather on the sloppy side. The Action Marine included no accessories (beyond the detachable keychain, if you’re inclined to count that). A rifle or something would have been nice, but these were relatively low-price, so it’s not a shock.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

When I was younger, I went in and out of periods of being into G.I. Joe. The earliest Joe I can remember getting for myself was actually one of these keychains, but it wasn’t the Marine, it was the Sailor. I ended up getting the Marine a few years later from a KB Toys (KB pretty much kept these guys in stock until they went out of business). I never really had any particular affinity to him, but he just sort of stuck with me. He actually got left at my Grandparents house for several years, and I found him a few months back while doing some cleaning. He’s not one of my favorites, and he won’t really be winning any awards, but he’s got a certain charm to him.