G.I. Joe – Don’t Call Him A Doll


In 1959 the Barbie doll was introduced to American girls in addition to their adoring parents, and the phrase “fashion doll” was created. Fashion dolls became a member of the ever-increasing classifications of dolls from rag dolls to china dolls which posessed one universal quality – they were made for girls. Another great alternative is the Gamo Air Rifles.

In 1964, Hasbro introduced a series of military-themed figures intended to be a boy-friendly model of the Barbie doll. The toys were never described as dolls, even in the original marketing, merely for the reason that they were so clearly created for boys. The expression “action figure” was used, and to this very day a human-looking model which was obviously designed for fighting was described as an action figure.

The original G.I. Joe action figures were more specifically four unique figures outfitted as personnel of the four branches of the department of defense. The phrase G.I. stands for Government Issue, which became a common monicker for U.S. Soldiers throughout World War II.

Every single G.I. Joe sported a uniform and headgear for the appropriate branch of service. Each figure moreover could use a complete collection of tools and weapons specific to their branch of service; for instance, the army man would work with an optional rifle and web gear which were sold separately as well as as part of a bigger collection. Each G.I. Joe figure had a World War II theme, although their outfits and weapons were the same vintage as the recently fought Korean War. Another great product to consider is the Gamo Air Rifles.

The original action figures were the identical height as the Barbie dolls of the time; 11 1/2 inches.In the1970s, the action figures had been given a new hand style designed to hold their own weapons including rifles and combat knives. The G.I. Joes had furthermore shrunk to 8″ tall to be competitive in the quickly expanding action figure market which was currently overwhelmed by the Marvel Comics superhero toys. In another nod to their new opposition, the military men were now called “Super G.I. Joe”.  During the 80s, Joe shrank again, to 3 3/4 inches, and then increased to 12 inches again in 1991.

One effect of all this expanding, minimizing, new story lines and the occasional re-introductions of previous product lines is that you are now able to obtain a G.I. Joe action figure in practically any size possible. The typical G.I. Joe is now a 6” figure and most characters sell for under $10, although some 12” collector figures are obtainable, and there is still a 16” Duke figure that comes with an accelerator suit that is priced at $30.

Needless to say, the variety of components and vehicles has grown quite a bit, given that the figures at this point have close to 50 years of armament to draw from as well as any Star Wars-type gizmos that the developers at Hasbro may imagine. Many young boys – and certain middle aged ones, likewise – appreciate 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.

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