Fear the Subscription!
Nostalgia Repair
Like many who grew up in the 1980s, I was a child much infatuated with the savvy marketing skills of Hasbro and the gamut of cartoon advertisements for toys of all shapes and sizes. And, like a few who, whether by chance, luck, or sheer laziness, never actually threw away or donated these childhood mementos, I still have some of them. Chief among the old toy boxes and cardboard packaging are my GI Joe 3.75″ action figures.
Now that I’m expecting, I decided to see if any of my old toys were salvageable. I’m not one to pre-determine what kind of gear is “gender appropriate” so to me it doesn’t matter if I have a boy or a girl; if the podling decides to go old-school with GI Joe and Cobra and make pew-pew noises where there are a lot of imaginary explosions and no deaths, I will be ready. And very eager to join in!
I was quite excited to discover that I had not thrown away most of my GI Joe figures, including their accessories. I have a smattering of toys from the first run in 1982 all the way to a couple from 1991. It is by no means a complete collection, but a good-enough amount to keep two kids occupied.
Unfortunately, it seemed that time was not kind to them and they were in various states of disrepair.
Battle Damage
Short Fuze (left) and Stalker are two examples of the condition I found my figures in. However, it’s not yet time to bring in the dumpster, because this type of damage is easily fixable, thanks to the internet! All I need is a small screwdriver and replace the old 1983 O-ring with a fresh supply from the hardware store. I haven’t checked if all my figures have a tiny screw in the back, as there are some which are glued in place and would require extensive surgery, but I do believe a good majority of them will be quick fixes.
I realize that the above figures are missing their thumbs, and they’re not the only two. Yes, it does mean they can’t hold a gun or rocket launcher, but that’s okay because I make them drivers for vehicles, like the APC!
I still have a few other brands like He-Man and Transformers, but for now my attentions will be towards the restoration of GI Joe and Cobra.
