Filecards and card art

[Swindle]

Here's an interesting thing I just noticed, both Breaker and Firefly have the over the back pose, to put focus on the backpacks (which I think Hasbro looked at as the major draws of the figures). Dial-Tone, Life-Line later on would use this pose as well, oh and Techno-Viper. Other and most common poses put the focus on the signarue weapon a character has and the pose invokes broad possible personality the figure has.

Another thing about the early Cobra File Cards, is they invert the role and file name





If we take the cards at their word, Cobra Commander is actually called Enemy Leader, Cobras are call The Enemy, as well as Cobra Officer.

GIJoe early filecards do not have this inversion problem.

Destro, Major Bludd filecards do not have the inversion problems, but Cobra Hiss Driver and Viper Pilot do in 83. Once you get to 85, the Cobra Troops, such as Crimson Guard, does this code name problem no longer exist.

[Felix]

Flash shows off his backpack too :-)

[Swindle]

So is Grunt's card art the most iconic from series 1?

I think Steeler comes with the coolest accessory, the Binocular Headset.

[Felix]

Jul 30, 2022 21:01:26 GMT -8 Swindle said:

So is Grunt's card art the most iconic from series 1?

I think Steeler comes with the coolest accessory, the Binocular Headset.

Probably the most iconic, yes.

Grunt was on the cover of the first catalogue.

*Edit*This also led to a LOT of confusion with kids and parents to Grunt actually being mistaken to be the character "G.I.JOE".

I swear his card art was on all the non-toy G.I.JOE products at the time, which didn't help with the confusion.
You better have the filecard handy to prove it!

Hasbro wasn't kidding about clipping and saving those :-)




I love the early 9-back cards




and then the switch to the 11-back cards which include the Cobra Soldier and Cobra Officer.

[Swindle]

Cobra Officers seem kind of proto versions of Crismon Guard doing the covert ops at defense plants and such.

The NBA logo is Jerry West. Always thought Grunt carried that status with GIJoe.

[Felix]

There was no difference between a CG and an Officer.

Except as a kid I saw Cobra Officer more as a character, rather than an army builder....I saw him more like Scarface.


Rock N' Roll was my favorite. I love that he's a surfer.

I always wanted to get a Manta and tie it onto the Vamp so Clutch and Rock N' Roll can be headed to the beach....want list.

[Bravo]

They got ordnance and ordinance mixed up on CC's file card...unless "pieces of legislation enacted by a municipal authority.
" are experimental weapons.

[Swindle]

Firefly's filecard is wild:
* No one knows his name or his face, not even Cobra Commander
* Full payment in advance, no guarantees and no refunds

Of course, I always remember the moment in Haul Down the Heavens as being a promo for what kids could do with him, also the odd moment for him is his eyes glowing before he knocks out Wildbill.



Later filecard would list out a vehicle figures to operate.  But the catch phrase, "I came, I saw, I blew it up"  embarrassing.  I do like in theory, Cobra Commander keeps going back to Firefly. But what's this idea of comparing him to a golden age painter, and the corny catch phrase, gives me Major Bludd writing bad poetry energy.  With Bludd, the contrast made sense, but this just makes Firefly look like a dork.

[Bravo]

He's the top saboteuer, now using a top to sabotage.

[Swindle]

Funskool GIJoe commercial, putting it in this thread randomly.

Go G.I. Joe! Go G.I. Joe! Go G.I. Joe! Go G.I. Joe! Go! Go! Go G.I. Joe!

So damn catchy.