The 90’s were an interesting time for G.I. Joe. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with their bright neon colors were dominating store shelves and ninjas were EVERYWHERE in popular culture. Video games were more popular than ever and a certain band of Real American Heroes didn’t seem to have the luster that they once did.
So, what was a toy line to do? Well, as the saying goes: if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!
G.I. Joe did what it did best and adapted– becoming more ninja-centric and much more neon. The brand even co-opted Street Fighter II and tried to portray it as a “sister line”. Results were mixed at best; you know you’re in trouble when the new-comers are beating up one of the main characters in your lineup.
Take a look at this 90’s gem that features live-action portrayals of both the Joes and the cast of Street Fighter II.
“NO WAY!”
*plop*
“WAY!”
“Oh, I like ’em!”
“That’s a lot of stuff!”
And my favorite:
“They look UNBEATABLE!”
LMAOF! I’ll take Wren Roberts’ Duke over Channing Tatum’s version anyday. Wren was awesome. 🙂
The 90’s were a sad time for us first generation Joe collectors, the guys who had been with the line since day one way back in 1982. Still, the Street Fighter era gave us a second shot at getting variants of vehicles like the Badger, Paralyzer, and even the classic Dreadnok Thunder Machine.
The commercials are also a hoot viewed from today’s perspective. Zany G.I. Joe is better than no G.I. Joe at all.