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The Advent Of The G.I. Joe Action Figure
In 1959 the Barbie doll was produced for American girls and their adoring parents, and the description “fashion doll” was born. Fashion dolls joined the ever-increasing classifications of dolls from baby dolls to china dolls that shared one unifying trait – they were meant for girls. Another great alternative is the Gamo Air Rifles.
In 1964, Hasbro introduced a series of military-clothed figures intended to be a boy-friendly model of the Barbie doll. The toys were never described as dolls, even in the original commercials, basically for the reason that they were so obviously intended for boys. The phrase “action figure” was used, and forever afterward a human-looking piece of plastic which was obviously intended for fighting was referred to as an action figure.
The original G.I. Joe action figures were really four distinct figures dressed as personnel of the four branches of the armed services. The term G.I. means Government Issue, which had become a general term for U.S. Soldiers all through the Second World War.
Every G.I. Joe came with a uniform and headgear for the applicable branch of service. Each figure additionally came with a full line of gear needed for members of their branch of service; for instance, the army man would feature an optional rifle and web gear which were sold separately or sometimes as as part of a more substantial collection. Each G.I. Joe figure had a World War II theme, yet their clothing and equipment were the same vintage as the recently fought Korean War. Another great product to consider is the Gamo Air Rifles.
The very first G.I. Joes were exactly as tall as the Barbie dolls at that time; 11 1/2 inches.By the1970s, the G.I. Joes had been given a new hand style that allowed them to grab their own gear like rifles and combat knives. The G.I. Joes had then shrunk to 8″ tall to be better aligned with the rapidly growing action figure market which was then heavily populated by the Marvel Comics superhero figures. In another shot aimed at their latest rivals, the figures were now rebranded “Super G.I. Joe”. During the 80s, Joe shrank again, to 3 3/4 inches, and then grew to 12 inches all over again in 1991.
A happy result of all this growing, minimizing, new story lines and the spontaneous re-introductions of previous product lines is that you may currently get a G.I. Joe action figure in nearly any size possible. The typical figure is today a 6” figure and most characters sell for below $10, while some 12” collector action figures are out there, and there is also a 16” Duke figure in an accelerator suit that is priced at $30.
Of course, the amount of weapons and vehicles has multiplied several times, given that they now have just about 50 years of armament to draw from combined with any 22nd century gadgets that the designers at Hasbro may imagine. Quite a few young boys – and many fully grown ones, as well – like fighting and winning battles with their G.I. Joe action figures. Just don’t call them dolls. Another nice option is the Gamo Air Rifles.