We have arrived at #23 in our Impel Trading Card overview and review. How clumsy of me to not introduce our Joe Member depicted on the card first…
Here is Tripwire.
There are 6 versions of Tripwire made in the 3 3/4 inch series (http://www.yojoe.com/action/83/tripwire.shtml). My modest collection only includes the original 1983 version. Although I once had a Tiger Force figure, he seems to be MIA. In hand, I always found the figure a bit thin, slender. For a guy working explosives, I should have him wearing something extra padded. Then again, the Joes have always been a bit sci-fi, so maybe he’s wearing the equivalent of this guy below in future tech 🙂
In case you haven’t done so yet, go and check out the G.I. Joe reviews from Formbx257 on Youtube. I’ll post a link below to his Tripwire Review. What do you think of the figure? Let me know in the comments.
In the comics and cartoons, the character works great as comic relief between the often serious and dangerous missions of the Joes. The other Joes really need to have steel nerves and cool to go on a mission with Tripwire in the team. Not sure I could cope with someone like him on my team.
That’s it for this week. I’ll try and post #24 and #25 this year.
We have arrived at the 2oth card. I started this series back in February, and I´m trying to get some writing rhythm going so that I can get posts out more frequently. Any feedback and/or tips you may have, please let me know by adding a comment to one of the posts, sending a Tweet or email. Don´t hold back, every comment can help me become better at this 🙂
Now without further ado, let get talking about Card #20, Shockwave.
I have to confess, that I´m not very familiar with this figure. I never had it as a kid, and can´t say I ever saw him in the stores (or I just can´t remember seeing him).
Albeit that the figure never made an impression on me, I did have a TPB comic of the Special Missions (in DUTCH!) which included #22. In this issue, Lady Jaye, Chuckles, Hit & Run and Shockwave are enlisted by the FBI to assist in a hostage situation where a family is held captive by some terrorists. I won´t spoil the story here, but the ending of this story sure made an impact on little me back in the day. (A review of the story can be found here.)
The card art is a bit strange, the guy is a SWAT member, but is shown running through what appears to be a jungle setting. I suppose Joes should be able to work in any environment, so I´ll go with it. The card describes him as being a gifted singer. Was there ever a musical episode of the cartoon? Other than Cold Slither, I can´t think of any. Maybe there should be a Broadway version of G.I.Joe The Movie. Can you picture that magnificent intro played by a classical orchestra with a full musical cast on stage performing? EPIC!
Looking back, I don´t know why I haven´t looked harder to find a Shockwave figure. I really liked the story and he played a major part in it. Then again, by the time I read the comics (I only had 3 TPB of the Special Missions in Dutch), it would have been around 1994 (I was 12 or there about). After 1994, it was very hard to find Joes in the stores here and I was still far from discovering eBay and online shops.
Since April this year (see Comic book update), I have completed my Marvel ARAH run and thus my focus is shifting now back to collection more figures and vehicles. Of course, the odd paraphernalia associated with G.I. Joe and Trading Cards will always spark my interest. And Action Force, Funko Pops, The Corps (I´ve got my eye on The Beast right now, just waiting for a reasonable shipping cost), LEGO (or other building blocks that can be used with the Joe Kre-O´s), or well, basically anything geek.
That´s it for now. Come back next time when another one bites the … Sorry, no spoilers 😉
We’re back with the Impel Trading Cards! The following cards take us back to the Joe team after seeing some of the coolest vehicles and playsets.
Up next is card #19, David L. Katzenbogen, better known as Bazooka.
Apart from the big stache, he stands out because of the bright red football shirt, that appears to belong to New England Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan. The card art shows him defending a structure (the G.I. Joe Headquarters? – see the post on Card #18).
His filecard depicts him as a swift, strategic thinker. And in the comics, that seems to be the case. The Sunbow Cartoons, however, show Bazooka as being a bit of an oaf.
There are 8 figures made (4 as Bazooka, 3 as Sgt. Bazooka and 1 Sgt. Katzenbogen – Hasbro, get your rights straightened please). Of those, I only have the latest figure, the 2015 version (the fourth version named Bazooka). This figure was not dressed in red, but in 50 shades of blue as part of the 50th Anniversary line. He was packed in the Sneak Attack pack with Specialist Dusty and Firefly.
Before that, I already had the Kre-O version of Bazooka (that came with the Firebat Attack set). He is actually called Sgt. Katzenbogen here as well. This set also includes a Firebat with pilot and the Wolverine tank with Recondo as it’s driver – sadly no Cover Girl here 🙁
Recently, I have seen Bazooka die 2 times (once in G.I. Joe: Resolute – we got this on DVD here a while back and again in the IDW new run of G.I. Joe – issue 15). He seemed like a nice guy, liked by all the Joes. I leave you now with the words Stalker dedicated to his fellow Joe.
David L. Katzenbogen died so that Bazooka could be born. Bazooka died so his fellow Joes could live. Bazooka gave it all for his country and for the Joes. He made some mean firehouse chili and he was always there where the lead was thickest. When the last bugle calls for you – pray you’re half the Joe your brother was.
Time to conquer the land and seas in Cobra style with the following cards in the superb Impel Trading Cards series.
First up is card #16, the H.I.S.S. (II).
This was the second Cobra vehicle I’ve had in my collection. The first one being the little Devastator. This H.I.S.S. however could carry 2 people in the cockpit, 1 trooper in the turret and up to 4 troopers in the back. For me, that meant I could transport all my Cobra’s in one go (Yes, I only had about 7 Cobras… insert sad kid face).
The description on the back talks about the H.I.S.S. model II, but the model depicted on the front is clearly the model I from 1983. The 1989 model II is lighter grey with bright red accents on the turret, guns and the windshield. As a kid, I never knew the older model existed, and I’m still looking to add one to my collection. I really like the first model better than the 1989 model, the triangularish shaped threads, the all black color and the red Cobra Sigil and number make for a more subdued tank than the grey and red from the model II. But it also looks more fierce and dangerous. And after reading the comics, I want that black model to put the Baroness in, she looks so badass driving a H.I.S.S.
Card #17 takes us into the water, fast and furious, the Cobra Moray Hydrofoil.
This is one big, bad boat. On the Box art of the toy, it features the driver Lamprey, but also a gathering of Cobra’s finest (sort of). Destro is manning the gun turret on top, the Baroness and Storm Shadow are on the aft dropping sea mines while Monkeywrench is shooting into the water (probably a Dreadnok survival technique for catching fish) and Buzzer is in the cockpit handling the searchlight. To say this is a strange selection for a mission is an understatement.
The card art here shows the Moray with all guns blazing and no real distinguishable troopers on board. Less detailed perhaps, but I like it. It shows the Moray is a force to be reckoned with when at sea and you best get out of it’s way.
I had discovered Carson Mataxis’ site; 3DJOES.com, a while ago. But only recently have I ordered the 3 books he created on the magnificent art of G.I.Joe. Check out his amazing site with full 3D pictures of most of the figures and vehicles now, the link to the Moray is here (the H.I.S.S. II is not online yet, but the model can be seen here. While you’re at the site, check out his books and posters and place your order to help him keep this site online and add more Joe awesomeness to the web! When the books arrive, I’ll post about it here, so keep an eye out for that.
As always, Happy Collecting and YoJoe! The next card we will be discussing is taking us back home, or to our home away from home at least 🙂
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Crashing through the sky
Comes the fearful cry COBRA! COBRA!
Armies of the night
Evil taking flight COBRA! COBRA!
The intro to the amazing G.I.JOE movie from 1987 is also the perfect introduction for the cards we’ll be discussing today. Check it out on YouTube (below) or pop in that DVD I know you own!
First up is the #14 card, the Night Raven.
The Night Raven is Cobra’s answer to the Skystriker. The plane was first released in 1986 and came with it’s pilot Strato-Viper and a Reconaissance Jet that could be attached to the rear of the plane. I can’t remember ever seeing this small jet depicted in the cartoon or the comics. On the Impel Trading Card, the cockpit is depicted with a blue lining, which is also unique I believe. It does look good on the plane. Please correct me if I’m wrong, cause I’d like to know and … yeah, guess you know the rest, cause it’s half the battle after all 🙂
I didn’t own this one as a kid, but it was one of the first bigger vehicles I acquired as a collector. I really like this plane, it has a very basis paint scheme of black and red, but it shows Cobra means business.
In 1990, the mold was reused (without the recon jet) to create the Sky Raven for the Joes. This shiny piece of kit, still settled cosy without it’s box, is one of the highlights of my growing collection.
The next card is #15, the Cobra Rattler.
Again a stunning plane. The colors of the toy is the deep Cobra blue that contrasts so good with the red Cobra logo.On the card though, it looks more greyish, even black. Still not bad, but I like the blue better.
The Rattler was released in 1984 and had Wild Weasel as it’s pilot. I still remember the amazing battle in the Marvel comic book (issue 34 – Shake Down!) where Ace and Wild Weasel battle it out high in the skies and low to the ground and in the end they — well, no spoilers here. If you haven’t read it, go do so, it’s one of the best issues. If you have, I’m sure you’re remembering this epic battle and you should re-read it as well 🙂
I’m really bummed that I don’t have the blue version in my collection (yet, I’m sure of that). I do have the 2002 repaint in gold with the Sound Attack feature and no turret cover. Still a very cool piece, but nothing like the 1984 original. Certainly not the Wild Weasel figure, that is just one generic looking Cobra Viper. The figure shown on the box, is actually far better looking (more like the Strato Viper than Wild Weasel, but still nicer than the one that’s in the box), but this was sadly never produced.
That’s all for this time. We’ve conquered the skies, so next time we’ll take on the land and seas with Cobra!
Happy collecting and Yo Joe!
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