European Joe

Does size matter?

For some things, probably. For G.I. Joe figures, not really, I’ll gladly add any figure to my collection and – today – with these Just Play mini figures, that is no exception .

I found these whilst browsing on eBay and I hadn’t come across any of these before. The shipping took some time, but they arrived in just under a month after buying.

Each of the figures comes with a bonus foil card which is a nice plus. The figures themselves are ok looking, not that detailed, but given their size, that’s only fair. The brand is Just Play, but that doesn’t really suit these figures. They’re more like little statuettes or game board figures, maybe a little like those Warhammer figures? I heard of them, haven’t actually seen those up close, so I could be wrong.

On the back of the cards, like with Pokémon, they urge you collect them all… I have only seen these 3 and they only show these 3, so I guess that’s “Mission Accomplished” for me.

See you next time. Happy Collecting and YoJoe!

Somebody give that man a medal!

That somebody would be me and that man would also be me. Yes, I bought myself a medal. Not just any medal, more of a Challenge Coin. Since I won’t be making it to any U.S. convention any time soon, I don’t feel guilty about getting this.

That’s it for this short update. A bigger update is coming soon, keep you posted. Until then … Happy Collecting and YoJoe!

Is there a doctor in the house?

Quite a few actually, but the latest one is tiny. Really, really tiny.

I’ve been collecting these G.I. Joe Funko Pop figures for a while now and I do believe I have most of them, if not all. I’ve even got some of those giant pins. This time though, I’ve got my hands on the smallest Dr. Mindbender there probably is.

You’ve heard of Elf on a Shelf, now this is… a smaller Dr. on a small Dr.

Although it’s a very small figure, it actually does look quite detailed. I feel like there is a lot of hate for Funko Pops, and while it is true that they are just plastic statues without any real playability, I do think that it gives a new audience the chance to get to know G.I. Joe and thus the possibility of a bigger fan base for our beloved 3.75 and Classified lines.

I’ve created a miniature version of myself.

Enough of this bare chested dentist for now. And enough of this post. See you back again soon, until then… Happy Collecting and YoJoe!

Time to write! Or draw or doodle…

I’m back with some G.I. Joe paraphernalia you don’t see every day. These notebooks came into my collection via a fellow collector.

Printed in 1988 in Italy, these notebooks recycle G.I. Joe art, but adds a bit of cloud cover to it. That and the addition of some of the European flags, make for an interesting look. By the way, the Belgian flag is missing! The cover is actually somewhat of a wraparound image. Not quite sure about the connection between the Crimson Twins and the SkyStriker, but hey, it looks cool! The flags are continuing here, but more flags from around the world this time.

The second one shows the SkyStriker again, but this time from another angle.

Can you guess what is shown on the back cover?

This notebook has the epic Rattler versus SkyStriker battle.

The last notebook I got my hands on, shows the A.W.E. Striker.

Maybe another strange combo, but here we get Spirit on the back of the notebook.

In case you’re wondering what the inside looks like. No more suspension, the pages are all little squares. Cobra Trooper for scale 🙂

I’ll leave you with a closeup of the manufacturer’s logo and the print date with the Hasbro patent lettering. If you’d happen to come across other of these notebooks, let me know!

Happy Collecting and YoJoe!

A.I., G.I. Joe and a Chinese webshop… What could go wrong?

Regular readers/followers of the blog will know that I like to scour the internet shops to find special and original G.I. Joe related stuff. This time around I was browsing a certain Chinese webshop where you can shop like a billionaire, when I came across some G.I. Joe art I could not pass on. I’m not 100% sure, but I do believe that this may have been A.I. generated. I can’t really put my finger on it, but something feels off. What do you think?

The G.I. Joe logo is rendered true to its original logo. That’s a plus I guess, as for the rest… Well, they look like some military dudes and dudettes. The background is cool, too. I’m struggling to make something good out of this 🙂

The main character front and (a little of) center, could look a bit like Scarlett if you squint a bit and had a few drinks too many. The guy in the back then probably starts looking like Stalker. The bald guy reminds me of Von Totenschadel (see this post), not sure that’s a good thing.

The people on the right could be interpreted as (from left to right) Lady Jane, Flint (Falcon?) and General Hawk (he does look a bit older than the others).

The guy in the middel has to be Duke if I had to take an educated guess.

For fun and giggles, I asked AI to give me the names of the Joes depicted here. Truth be told, it immediately told me that they are not pulled directly from original art, but that they appear to be an artistic impression.

Center Figure (Red-haired woman in yellow-blue outfit)
This character resembles Scarlett, one of the original and most recognizable female Joes. Known for her red hair and combat skills, she’s often depicted in a bodysuit with a crossbow. The bikini-style outfit here is a more exaggerated, pin-up reinterpretation.
Man in Beret with Mustache (Left side)
Strong resemblance to Sgt. Slaughter, the drill instructor with a signature campaign hat or beret. He’s a fan-favorite and was even voiced by the real-life wrestler in the animated series.
Man in Green with Rifle (Right side)
Could be Flint, known for his shotgun and beret. Flint is a key field leader and often paired with Lady Jaye in the lore.
Other Soldiers in Background
These figures seem to be generic Joes or inspired by characters like Duke, Beachhead, or Gung-Ho, depending on their gear and facial features. The art style leans more toward homage than exact replication.

That’s all for now, until next time. Happy Collecting and YoJoe!