Not really. I prefer the older character designs. The comics also really started to go downhill at this point. It's ironic that you love these figures but not Transformers, since it was this era of G.I. Joe that heavily crossed over with Transformers: Generation 2. Cobra was actually directly responsible for Megatron being upgraded into his green tank form, and in return, the Decepticons gave Cobra a transforming castle to use as their new HQ.
I was a diehard GI Joe fan and collector in the 80’s and 90’s. I probably had at least 80% of the entire line. I loved Ninja Force, don’t let anyone shame you for loving them too.
Well dammit Dan, every time I think I can't possibly love you any more, you make a video like this filled with pure joy. Every time I think you CANT POSSIBLY put more positivity into this community, you make a video like this with a finale that perfectly expresses what makes us all love our collecting. My version of this sentiment was gifted to me by a great friend and coworker who once told me to never pass up a chance to "cash a happy check." Don't ever change. Keep it coming and I look forward to another great year of joining you in your collecting journeys. Till next time my friend!
I had cleansweep and never really liked him until one of my friends told me "You know I really like that guy... He's got that Ghostbusters vibe... average blue collar joe just here to do his job" and you gotta admit, that's pretty unique, among GI Joes
I am so hyped your getting into GI Joe. I myself am a big GI Joe and Transformers fan, while my friend who's told me about your videos is a MotU and TMNT fan. I was blown away by how amazing your MotU guide book was and could only think "Damn I wish he was into GI Joe and did a book of that quality" and now.. here lies a little glimmer of hope that you might. Even if you don't, just glad to see another Joe collector out there!
Fun note, Cesspool's likeness was based on Vinnie D'Alleva (and also named after on the filecard) who was in charge of the line at the time the figure was released.
That Ninja Force Zartan with the mohawk just makes a great additional Dreadnok. The people at Hasbro are just going to have to come up with a new name for this version of Zartan and make an entirely new character.
I too got into G.I. Joe late. He-Man, Ghostbusters, TMNT, then G. I. Joe right around 1990, so I too have an affinity for these neon 90s Joes. Your shoebox could have been my own collection!
Such a great video and an amazing message at the end. It is so important to get reminded about that. Even as a collector in the vintage girl toy realm, I sometimes forget what it really is about. It is not about rarity, value, best condition or finding the craziest deals in the wild and it's not a competition but about the fun and the memories and friends we make along the way. Thank you for all you did on this channel and for the toy collecting world this year and all those years before.💯👏 I wish you a happy New Year and a colorful G.I.JOErney ahead in 2024 😁🎉
Some of my favourites include eco warriors, tiger force and ninja warriors. I couldn't care les what others thought about them. It's my collection and my childhood memories. Great collection Dan and always great to see the enthusiasm for other lines.
This is the most insane thing ever, this video was so important to me you may never actually grasp the depth, this video brought me back to a very special Christmas when my parents got me the ninja force, I have to say I'm EXACTLY the same type of collector, my mother said constantly, " if it's weird or gross in some way he loves it, " even stranger I've been collecting gijoe for about 15 years rebuilding something fun, I was late to motu as a kid, always wanted snake mountain for my cobras, got a huge bag of vintage figures and a vintage gray skull, plus a vintage snake mountain in an attic find!, Long story even longer, this put me in my current collecting habit, the opposite of you, I'm after all the weirdos of eternia, so yes, this was ultimate vindication from one collector to another, absolutely incredible 🤯
I want to give this a thousand likes! So much joy! I started collecting the Classified line this year because I too needed a new area to explore and you're right, the Joe community like so many others is amazing. Thanks for being such a force for good in the toy world, Dan.
I love these! 100% agree about the colors, it's absolutely one of the main things that drew me to the toys I loved as a kid (and still do!). These came out a little late for me but if I'd been a little younger I definitely would have collected these!
by the 90s my cousin and I had so many vehicles and figures. We used to drag them all out and have massive battles. Seeing these again brings so many memories back.
Well Pixel Dan, watching you talk about toy collecting and showing us your collections of beautiful vintage toy lines with such joy and childlike happiness, makes me feel so happy. Every time that I get to add another action figure to my collections, be it MOTU or Gi.Joe I get as excited as I did back when I was a little kid getting them gems for the first time. 😊
I have really enjoyed this journey! You can tell you found a bit of a spark this year and that’s exciting. Sometimes I feel that keeping my collection focused and limited to save on space I am missing out on some real fun. This year I actually picked up the rerelease of the TMNT core 4 turtles when I saw them on shelf. It surprised how much I enjoy having them in my collection. It was a little past my time as I was in high school when the cartoon hit. But it’s nice to explore new territory. Happy New Year to you, your family and everyone on here.
so fitting it Range Viper, as I ended up buying three of the Classified version of them. They are just so fricking cool looking. And yeah I grew up with the 90s GI Joe so I am the same way with you. I only one of my original figures left which is a Space B.A.T.
So glad to see you into G.I. Joe. I’m a Joe collector myself and what a lot of collectors don’t like about the late 80s and 90s figures is what I love! I have an almost complete (1982-1994) vintage collection. The vehicles take up a lot of space 😆
You’re a lot more controlled than I am 😂 I have a really bad habit of going “Oooo shiny thing” instead on concentrating on specific things. I recently started collecting The Corps (yes, the Joe KO line from the 80s). They’re cheap and plentiful and it been a tonne of fun.
Man, that shoebox full of stuff at the beginning looks sooooo familiar, all those brightly colored figures from the 90's. That Ninja Force Zartan was the only Zartan I had growing up. They even updated his design in the comics at the time to look like this, and he was helping the Ninja Force Joes on a mission which was pretty wild. Slice (the red one) and Dice were my favorites out of all the ninjas. Hoping we get more of these guys in Classified, we've got a few going already with that Arctic Mission Stormshadow and Nunchuck now...and hopefully they'll be able to make a more accurate Ninja Force Stormshadow as a general release for anybody who missed the Amazon exclusive that wanted him.
Yo Joe! My Joe story is convoluted. It was never as important to me as MotU, but I had some. My 1st set was stolen. My 2nd I gave to my cousin. Now, I only have a handful of vintage Joes, but I love Classified and heavily collect that. Your journey has been fun.
I love the color changing ninja force figures. The pink color changing Nunchuk was my favorite growing up and is my all time favorite Joe. It’s the only one I have on card and I recently tracked down a prototype for it which is completely clear and looks really cool.
I was never a Ninja Force enthusiast, but as I age, I'm starting to like that Zartan, especially with the fact that you can store his knives on his leg, even if it is a precarious place for sheaths. The good thing about these later sub-teams is that you can find them for much cheaper and many are still on card.
I love this line too. I only had a Sgt. Slaughter, tank and a couple Ninja Force when I was a kid. Colorful stuff always draws my eye the most too. Been picking some of these up when I find them here in Japan... will be on the prowl for more when I visit Kentucky next month.
Thank you for sharing your experience collecting the GI Joes. The community (Toy collecting) is truly amazing and the memories makes this whole journey fun. Way to go Pixel Dan.... you nailed it buddy!
So Happy For Your Genuine Enthusiasm for the Ninja Force and the rest of the GI Joe toyline that is slowly getting you deep into the rabbit hole. No matter if they're the toyline nobody like you get to share your passion. I kinda miss my own childhood collection, but they were lost in a tragedy almost 20 years ago. I will never get the chance to get them back, but your journey to getting into this toyline was enough to inspire others that you don't need to know everything about it as long as there are people who would be open to accepting you no matter what. That doesn't happen to anyone, and can't wait to see what you'll be stumbling on your next GI Joe.
-every generation since the 40's-50's has had Gi Joe, so every generation has its idea of what it represents…as a lifelong Joe fan the older i get i like reaching back to try to relate to the stuff i didn't collect. Joe is the rare lifestyle/hobby that even when u get out of your comfort zone as a collector, it can still be valuable financially, historically, and inspire new collecting paths…
Mohawk zartan had the best spring throw ever I could have him chucking joes across the room like fist of the north star level feel to it, playability triumphs!
You basically described my very eerily similar G.I.Joe preferences and history. Whenever I interacted with G.I.Joe (first and foremost) fans/collectors, they always thought I was trolling them as well with the more crazier G.I. Joe stuff. G.I.Joe had pretty good longevity though whereas our beloved He-Man kinda crashed in 87. Good thing the TMNT hype was right there to lift us up from our MOTU hangover.
I know I've busted your chops a couple of times online, but it's all out of love. Knowing that you're now collecting one of my all time favorite toy lines is so cool! Yes the majority of your collection is the stuff I'd never own, it's so great that you're now one of us lol. I'm sure you'll eventually start to get the cool Joes, I'm very happy that you're happy with what you've got. Also, incase you haven't heard of or seen the Marauder Gun Runner figures, you should check them out. I've spent the last almost 4 years buying and customizing their figures to make ALL the Joe and Cobra figures I grew up loving. I've even gone back and bought most of the vehicles from the original line to go with my customs. I wish I could share the figures with you, but I know that probably won't happen. Anyway, welcome to the fold and good luck with getting the rest of the figures you want and I look forward to seeing you go after the figures you NEED (the non-bright Joes).
I totally agree Dan the bike is Ninja Force Zartan style, I really like him aswell, I’m a Classified collector now, and can’t wait to get some of these in Classified hopefully, we have Nunchuck on the way!
Probably one of my favorite videos of yours. I was deep into the Joe lines at this this time- Ninja Force, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, DEF. Same affinity you had.
The original Zartan was one of my favorite figures growing up. I didn't know about the Ninja Force variant until watching your videos this year. It's good to know he's out there. I'll definitely be looking for him!
The crazy Ninja Force is fascinating. I was into A Real American Hero during 84-86. I was on the way out. I had Crystal Ball and Raptor. Did you get the bird with Raptor? Oh I see it. The pets were fun additions to Joes. There are tons of Joes. You can have fun hunting them down.
Crystal Ball & Raptor are my among my favorite Cobras. I didn't gravitate toward Joe until around 1985-86 when the Dreadnoks started hitting big and Zarana arrived on shelves. Crystal Ball has the added fun of having his bio written by Stephen King and his son Owen Hill -- which as I was reaching the point where I was reading Stephen King gave Crystal Ball added oomph on my toy shelf.
Welcome to the GIJoe family. There is something for everyone in the GIJoe range. I wish you had discovered this journey sooner, you would have enjoyed Joecon. I still miss the conventions; made some of the best friends in my life through Joecon and the online community.
90's G.i.joe always have a spot in my heart and ninja force was one of my favorites!!!! Man I love your last message and is so true!....I hope you and everyone have a happy new year and a 2024 full of cool toys to collect!! Love the t-shirt btw!!
Loooove it! I got into GI Joe because of garage sale lots my Dad would buy... it didn't immediately appeal to me but gradually I fell in love.. especially with the characters that had animal friends. AND very much the weirdos. Perplexing my Grandma on a visit one time in 1987, I selected Croc Master as the toy I wanted...I was obsessed! And trying to recreate that magic the following year, it was Hyrdo Viper. Underrated! I lost touch with them by the end of the 80s and like most of my childhood stuff, it went back out in garage sales. But now I'm delighted by all the weird stuff that came out after my exit, and I WILL own a Ninja Force Zartan in 2024... because all I really see is Ninja Force Pixel Dan... 😍😁
My uncle sometimes brought me back some toys from the U.S. to Germany. So all of a sudden I had Serpentor, and it was the coolest thing ever. I might be wrong, but I don't think I ever saw one in toy stores over here. Same thing for Screech btw. We German kids didn't even know Screech existed. And I was incredibly surprised when I got him from my uncle out of the blue.
I share your journey wholeheartedly, despite having been a collector from day one. Destro himself was the reason why I loved the weirdos. My favorite of all time is Astroviper. Followed by Battle Armor Cobra Commander. And I have weathered for decades whatever put downs came my way. Onwards!
Love this video! Loved the Ninja Force figures. I had Crystal Ball as well. I didn’t realize these figures were so hated as I collected Joes throughout the 80s. But I also collected the GI Joe comic and when the Ninja Force comic series came out, the art was amazing, the story was very dark and was very well done. Nothing like seeing a comic of GI Joe with Ninjas decapitating each other (the comic was quite graphic and amazing). Croc Master and Heat Viper were my two favorites growing up. Again, loved the video! Lots of memories.
Dan, Alley Viper is an all-time great figure. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You do you. I, like many, favor the older, more military style figures, however I appreciate the later figures for their wild and imaginative designs. Thanks for the great content.
Don't ever think it's too late to collect GI Joe or you won't be welcomed within the Joe collecting community. You like what you like no matter what era. Great video and awesome collection. I love that B.A.T. set you have. Never knew that existed.
Wow!!! Great vid!!! I just started collecting 90’s Joes this year. I was an 80’s kid for Joes, so a lot of what you said , I can relate to. Especially the DISCOVERIES!!! The GI JOE 90-94 Facebook group has become my Facebook home and love everything I’ve gotten this year from 90’s Joes!!! Great vid man👍🍻🤷♂️
I love Ninja Force, as well as the early GI Joe stuff. I had Joes and He-Man, I'd play with one for weeks, then when i got bored of them, i'd switch. Never played together, the scales were wrong.
I had very few GI Joes. I had Serpentor, version 3 of Cobra Commander, and a few others. I was never big on GI Joe though. I did watch the show of course. Those Joes I hung on to, like my two Crystal Ball figures, became stand-ins for other characters...usually goons for the Joker or Lex Luthor.
As someone who was into G.I. Joe heavily from 1985 onward, I actually didn't mind Ninja Force as a whole, but the two figures that really disappointed me were Snake Eyes and Scarlett, because Hasbro gave them a kicking action gimmick that resulted in taking away the traditional articulation and not only made them look awkward - due to their torsos being longer than they should be and their legs being shorter - but also made them awkward to play with in situations that did not involve using that gimmick. I would love to see those designs recreated on proper O-ring figures without the action gimmicks, though, as I do like the outfit designs. The other Ninja Force figures I had were Storm Shadow, Zartan, orange Slice, and Dice. I later found the red Slice loose but otherwise complete at a comic shop. Never got around to the others, but I enjoyed the ones I had. I do wish I'd kept them.
Great video. I was a supporter of you starting your JOE COLLECTION from your first pick up. That's a great little collection you have going. The gi joe community is one of the best hands down. Keep it up Dan. And YO JOE
I love, love, love this era of GI Joe! I was all about the ninjas and eco force. And those zartan and scarlet figures in particular were absolute favorites. For me, a lot of it was because they were main characters that hadn't seen a figure since their initial release. I clearly didn't care what he looked like, as long as I had a zartan. I wasn't a big fan of scarlet's weird leg articulation, though.
I love the neon, this is my era too! I remember the one Christmas I asked for GI Joes my parent gave me Nunchuck and some other normie who at least had a light up gun and I never asked for them again. As a TMNT and Bucky O'Hare fan, I now think if they'd gotten me some florescent Joes I'd probably be on the same collector journey as you.
Man good luck if you further your Joe collection, as a near lifelong collector the further in you get with the line the harder and more frustrating it becomes lol
Ninja Force is fantastic. That Snake-Eyes was my first, and got the Ninja Cycle for birthday one year way back when. Recently started slowly grabbing more. They’re just fun.
Awesome and thanks for sharing! I've always been a GI Joe fan and I had figures from the late 80's and early 90's run that included some of the Ninja Force figures. I also had some hand me down older figures as well. You must have done the Ninja Force Zartan on the last day of Toy Federations Retro Toy con because my son and I were there on Saturday when we got to meet you lol. Very cool and Thank you again for taking time to talk with us.
This video was great. Every used toy has some kind of story so it’s great to hear you go through your literal childhood in a box. Seeing the past meet the present in such a fun way is awesome. Can’t wait to see where the brand takes you next!
Personally, if someone asked what my favorite Joes were it was always Ninja Force. Zartan, NightCreeper, and Banzai were so fun to play with as a kid. 90s Joes kids probably had a lot of the ones from the 80s but the new ones made for us were Ninja Force, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat licenses Joes. I don’t care what die hard say- we grew up in the neon/nickelodeon era where everything was colorful. They will always be my favorite
There's so many odd G.I. Joe figures you might enjoy: Dr. Mindbender, Super Trooper, Ice Cream Soldier, Toxo Zombies, all the Mega Marines including Bio Viper and Monstro Viper just to name a few.
I was also mostly into He-Man and Ninja Turtles when I was younger but I did have some G.I. Joe and my favorites were the weirder characters like Serpentor, the Cobra-la characters, Croc master, most of the Cobra characters. Probably the only "military" character I cared about was Sgt Slaughter. I also really liked the scale and articulation, and the weirder vehicles.
Hi Pixel Dan, personally I like more and I collect the lines between 84 to 88, 89 more or less, but the ninja force line is excellent and awesome, congrats for collecting it, I also want to thank you for the final message and I hope all collectors around the world follow your tips, thank you for sharing another great year of collecting with us and happy new year to you and the entire Pixel family! Stay heavy and blessings! 🤘 😎
6:30 omg, I see at least 3 joes I had when I was 5-7yrs old. Sadly, I no longer have them because my dog age them. lol. My joes never survived the 90s because of my dog, but my TMNT and x-men figures did. I miss those joes from the 1989-1994 period, aka the red-headed step child joe toys.
Your childhood Joe collection looks very much like mine. Love the 90s stuff! I'm still debating turning my second HasLab HISS into an Eco Warriors Septic Tank! lol
T’Jbang is actually pronounced “cha-bang” it’s an Indonesian sai. I’ve always been a huge fan of G.I. Joe. My Dad was a huge fan of the original figures so my older brothers and I got G.I. Joe’s A LOT! They were affordable and there were a ton to choose from. I was always a fan of the ninjas and female characters. I’ve got a small collection of G.I. Joe Classified figures of my favorites as a kid (if they’ve made them) just got Zarana.
I grew up with all the GI Joe cartoons, hearing Duke or flint yell, Yooo Joe, sends tingles down my spine, specially when Lady Jaye does it. I only had Snake Eyes when he came out, and i remember finding him ones, split in half, But just a week ago, i felt the urge to start collecting Joe's, mostly interested in the originals, the core group, like, Well, Lady Jaye, Flint, Duke, Cobra Commander. i would be happy with those, to start off with. If only i started collecting them in the 80's / 90's But turtles had my interest then, these days Giant japanese Robots have my attentions, they also fill up the room very fast. Which might be a reason for me to want to start collecting the Joe's xD Sadly though, even today, there are people that don't get enjoying these kinds of toys when you are an adult. probably because those people never had a childhood, and needed to grow up very fast, that find these things 'childish' You are lucky that your wife is able to enjoy your hobby as well.
I used to collect GI Joe figures mainly the modern line like for example Rise of Cobra movie toy line to about the 50th anniversary's toy line which was about 2009- 2014 or so. I got into them because of people on You Tube like for example a person who you had on show that you did years ago called That New Toy Smell. That person you had on the show was a big fan of the Gi Joe toy line. I really enjoy collecting them and there were cool ones like for example the Jungle Viper, Shadow Tracker, to even the Zombie Viper. I don't know if you know this but they did make a modern version of that Heat viper you like so much. I will say I have since sold my collection of modern GI Joes because I had a hard time finding the figures later in stores when they made figures in the line like the data viper to even Lifeline for example. That's what made me feel burnt out on collecting Gi Joe figures. Enjoy the video Pixel Dan and I agree with you with the statement you made in the video collect what you like and what makes you feel happy.
I was 4 when I got into He-man, which led to Ninja Turtles. However, in between, I was a transformers fan but could never afford them. My Transformers fandom got me heavily into Battle Beast. IT was Battle Beast that got me into G.I. Joe. It was ironically Range Viper, Rock Viper, Saw Viper that got me into the toys. I needed someone to fight my battle beast. I began to read the G.I. Joe comics, and that's when I went all in into G.I. Joe until it was cancelled in 1994. Luckily in its 25th anniversary, the figures came back. Also Cobra Commander was my childhood hero.
I love the colorful Joes, they're definitely the main appeal for me. I also got the exclusive Boba Fett B.A.T. at RetroToyCon in 2022. Loved the video, great collection of guys.
Certain ones. Think now re buying in Classified. Just got Nunchuck in and really fun fig.. Back in the day think had just Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes from ninja force. Had Raptor, Crystal Ball, the Hydro-viper, Heat-Vipee, and a few others. Later in I start getting some older joes and remember having Cesspool in those days. I'll be honest l really await to see some more Ninja Force and start the Eco Warriors in Classified. Toxo-Vipers, Cesspool, Eco Flint, and even the Zombies (Mole Rat started that and he had glow in the dark features)
Black hooded Cobra Commander is possibly my favorite Joe figure, and I recently bought him carded (my first carded Joe since I prefer most figures loose). And I grew up with the original helmeted CC and got a Battle Armor CC before the hooded one that became my favorite
Great how you love the weirder side of Gi Joe. Some of my favorites in your collection. I loved Raptor as a kid. Also the ninja's and eco-force. I started upgrading my childhood Gi Joe in the classified line and it's great.😅
I've thought for a while that if they were to do another GI Joe movie they should establish it as a world with a different aesthetic vibe to set the tone of a military superhero story. Maybe with a bit of an 80s/90s tone. I wouldn't go neon pink like some of the figures you show here, but I'd love to see a movie with recognisable versions of the ninjacycle, FANG 2 or even the classic orange/blue Alley Vipers. To me Joe has always been a colourful military fantasy.
You need Big Lob, Hardball, and Captain Grid-Iron. I plan to get all three if they appear in Classified and they'll form a team on my shelf as the Basketball/Baseball/Football specialists.
Love the colors too! And your cosplay is awesome--did Stina help you with it? 🙂 I personally don't collect GI Joes but as a TMNT fan and a kid of the 90s I appreciate the love of day glo and glow in the dark figs. Hope you and your family have a great 2024! 🎸🙌
I remembered that time I was aware of Ninja Force and Star Brigade... Also remembering that time my Aunt got me a Star Brigade Cobra BAT for my birthday..... However that time I was into BTAS and X-Men Animated the most. Now, thx to your review, passion and love of these bright neon figures got me interested... Hopefully the classified series design these 90s Joes in future (especially on NF Snake Eyes and of course NF Zartan)🤞. Destro is my most favourite cobra leader character (than CC and Serpentor that is) hopefully the classified series release the Iron Grenadier Destro which is my most favourite version of him....
Great video and great message. The neon 90s are my go to joes too. Still remember going to kbtoys to pick out those joes for good report cards with my mom. Thanks for what you do and happy New Year
and such a great video! glad the Joe community has embraced you, that community has been taking some hits by some of the other RUclipsrs out there, very encouraging that you have had a good experience!
Do you like Ninja Force?
I loved it as a kid and I still do... Yo Joe!
Yoooo Jooooeee!
Not really. I prefer the older character designs. The comics also really started to go downhill at this point. It's ironic that you love these figures but not Transformers, since it was this era of G.I. Joe that heavily crossed over with Transformers: Generation 2. Cobra was actually directly responsible for Megatron being upgraded into his green tank form, and in return, the Decepticons gave Cobra a transforming castle to use as their new HQ.
I had almost all at the 90's , just keep my ninja force storm shadow ,now I am trying to get all the classified series ninjas
There are hits and misses but they’re all pretty fun… and those commercials LOL!
I was a diehard GI Joe fan and collector in the 80’s and 90’s. I probably had at least 80% of the entire line. I loved Ninja Force, don’t let anyone shame you for loving them too.
Well dammit Dan, every time I think I can't possibly love you any more, you make a video like this filled with pure joy. Every time I think you CANT POSSIBLY put more positivity into this community, you make a video like this with a finale that perfectly expresses what makes us all love our collecting. My version of this sentiment was gifted to me by a great friend and coworker who once told me to never pass up a chance to "cash a happy check." Don't ever change. Keep it coming and I look forward to another great year of joining you in your collecting journeys. Till next time my friend!
I don’t collect G.I. Joe but when I see someone with a large collection or display of them, I always love the more colorful characters.
I had cleansweep and never really liked him until one of my friends told me "You know I really like that guy... He's got that Ghostbusters vibe... average blue collar joe just here to do his job" and you gotta admit, that's pretty unique, among GI Joes
Toysplosion is my favourite of your recurring series, it's great to see it back!
Glad you enjoy it!
I am so hyped your getting into GI Joe. I myself am a big GI Joe and Transformers fan, while my friend who's told me about your videos is a MotU and TMNT fan. I was blown away by how amazing your MotU guide book was and could only think "Damn I wish he was into GI Joe and did a book of that quality" and now.. here lies a little glimmer of hope that you might. Even if you don't, just glad to see another Joe collector out there!
Fun note, Cesspool's likeness was based on Vinnie D'Alleva (and also named after on the filecard) who was in charge of the line at the time the figure was released.
D'Alleva must be a good sport to not mind his likeness being portrayed as "horribly disfigured".
That Ninja Force Zartan with the mohawk just makes a great additional Dreadnok.
The people at Hasbro are just going to have to come up with a new name for this version of Zartan and make an entirely new character.
I too got into G.I. Joe late. He-Man, Ghostbusters, TMNT, then G. I. Joe right around 1990, so I too have an affinity for these neon 90s Joes. Your shoebox could have been my own collection!
Such a great video and an amazing message at the end. It is so important to get reminded about that. Even as a collector in the vintage girl toy realm, I sometimes forget what it really is about. It is not about rarity, value, best condition or finding the craziest deals in the wild and it's not a competition but about the fun and the memories and friends we make along the way.
Thank you for all you did on this channel and for the toy collecting world this year and all those years before.💯👏
I wish you a happy New Year and a colorful G.I.JOErney ahead in 2024 😁🎉
It's pretty clear the 'Ninja Force' line was in response to the 'Mortal Kombat' phenomenon going full swing at the time.
Some of my favourites include eco warriors, tiger force and ninja warriors. I couldn't care les what others thought about them. It's my collection and my childhood memories. Great collection Dan and always great to see the enthusiasm for other lines.
This is the most insane thing ever, this video was so important to me you may never actually grasp the depth, this video brought me back to a very special Christmas when my parents got me the ninja force, I have to say I'm EXACTLY the same type of collector, my mother said constantly, " if it's weird or gross in some way he loves it, " even stranger I've been collecting gijoe for about 15 years rebuilding something fun, I was late to motu as a kid, always wanted snake mountain for my cobras, got a huge bag of vintage figures and a vintage gray skull, plus a vintage snake mountain in an attic find!, Long story even longer, this put me in my current collecting habit, the opposite of you, I'm after all the weirdos of eternia, so yes, this was ultimate vindication from one collector to another, absolutely incredible 🤯
I want to give this a thousand likes! So much joy! I started collecting the Classified line this year because I too needed a new area to explore and you're right, the Joe community like so many others is amazing. Thanks for being such a force for good in the toy world, Dan.
I love these! 100% agree about the colors, it's absolutely one of the main things that drew me to the toys I loved as a kid (and still do!). These came out a little late for me but if I'd been a little younger I definitely would have collected these!
by the 90s my cousin and I had so many vehicles and figures. We used to drag them all out and have massive battles. Seeing these again brings so many memories back.
Well Pixel Dan, watching you talk about toy collecting and showing us your collections of beautiful vintage toy lines with such joy and childlike happiness, makes me feel so happy. Every time that I get to add another action figure to my collections, be it MOTU or Gi.Joe I get as excited as I did back when I was a little kid getting them gems for the first time. 😊
I have really enjoyed this journey! You can tell you found a bit of a spark this year and that’s exciting.
Sometimes I feel that keeping my collection focused and limited to save on space I am missing out on some real fun.
This year I actually picked up the rerelease of the TMNT core 4 turtles when I saw them on shelf. It surprised how much I enjoy having them in my collection. It was a little past my time as I was in high school when the cartoon hit. But it’s nice to explore new territory.
Happy New Year to you, your family and everyone on here.
Happy New Year to you as well! Thanks for watching!
so fitting it Range Viper, as I ended up buying three of the Classified version of them. They are just so fricking cool looking.
And yeah I grew up with the 90s GI Joe so I am the same way with you. I only one of my original figures left which is a Space B.A.T.
Seeing your old box of Joe's kick started my memory. I had that blue and yellow Cobra Eel guy! Wow, nostalgia blast!
So glad to see you into G.I. Joe. I’m a Joe collector myself and what a lot of collectors don’t like about the late 80s and 90s figures is what I love! I have an almost complete (1982-1994) vintage collection. The vehicles take up a lot of space 😆
You’re a lot more controlled than I am 😂 I have a really bad habit of going “Oooo shiny thing” instead on concentrating on specific things.
I recently started collecting The Corps (yes, the Joe KO line from the 80s). They’re cheap and plentiful and it been a tonne of fun.
Man, that shoebox full of stuff at the beginning looks sooooo familiar, all those brightly colored figures from the 90's. That Ninja Force Zartan was the only Zartan I had growing up. They even updated his design in the comics at the time to look like this, and he was helping the Ninja Force Joes on a mission which was pretty wild. Slice (the red one) and Dice were my favorites out of all the ninjas. Hoping we get more of these guys in Classified, we've got a few going already with that Arctic Mission Stormshadow and Nunchuck now...and hopefully they'll be able to make a more accurate Ninja Force Stormshadow as a general release for anybody who missed the Amazon exclusive that wanted him.
Yo Joe! My Joe story is convoluted. It was never as important to me as MotU, but I had some. My 1st set was stolen. My 2nd I gave to my cousin. Now, I only have a handful of vintage Joes, but I love Classified and heavily collect that. Your journey has been fun.
Maybe Pixel Dan will get the new 6 inch version of Big Boa being released soon.
At least GI Joe Classified figures are coming in window boxes now.
I love the color changing ninja force figures. The pink color changing Nunchuk was my favorite growing up and is my all time favorite Joe. It’s the only one I have on card and I recently tracked down a prototype for it which is completely clear and looks really cool.
I was never a Ninja Force enthusiast, but as I age, I'm starting to like that Zartan, especially with the fact that you can store his knives on his leg, even if it is a precarious place for sheaths. The good thing about these later sub-teams is that you can find them for much cheaper and many are still on card.
I love this line too. I only had a Sgt. Slaughter, tank and a couple Ninja Force when I was a kid. Colorful stuff always draws my eye the most too. Been picking some of these up when I find them here in Japan... will be on the prowl for more when I visit Kentucky next month.
Thank you for sharing your experience collecting the GI Joes. The community (Toy collecting) is truly amazing and the memories makes this whole journey fun.
Way to go Pixel Dan.... you nailed it buddy!
So Happy For Your Genuine Enthusiasm for the Ninja Force and the rest of the GI Joe toyline that is slowly getting you deep into the rabbit hole. No matter if they're the toyline nobody like you get to share your passion.
I kinda miss my own childhood collection, but they were lost in a tragedy almost 20 years ago. I will never get the chance to get them back, but your journey to getting into this toyline was enough to inspire others that you don't need to know everything about it as long as there are people who would be open to accepting you no matter what.
That doesn't happen to anyone, and can't wait to see what you'll be stumbling on your next GI Joe.
-every generation since the 40's-50's has had Gi Joe, so every generation has its idea of what it represents…as a lifelong Joe fan the older i get i like reaching back to try to relate to the stuff i didn't collect. Joe is the rare lifestyle/hobby that even when u get out of your comfort zone as a collector, it can still be valuable financially, historically, and inspire new collecting paths…
Mohawk zartan had the best spring throw ever I could have him chucking joes across the room like fist of the north star level feel to it, playability triumphs!
You basically described my very eerily similar G.I.Joe preferences and history. Whenever I interacted with G.I.Joe (first and foremost) fans/collectors, they always thought I was trolling them as well with the more crazier G.I. Joe stuff. G.I.Joe had pretty good longevity though whereas our beloved He-Man kinda crashed in 87. Good thing the TMNT hype was right there to lift us up from our MOTU hangover.
I know I've busted your chops a couple of times online, but it's all out of love. Knowing that you're now collecting one of my all time favorite toy lines is so cool! Yes the majority of your collection is the stuff I'd never own, it's so great that you're now one of us lol. I'm sure you'll eventually start to get the cool Joes, I'm very happy that you're happy with what you've got. Also, incase you haven't heard of or seen the Marauder Gun Runner figures, you should check them out. I've spent the last almost 4 years buying and customizing their figures to make ALL the Joe and Cobra figures I grew up loving. I've even gone back and bought most of the vehicles from the original line to go with my customs. I wish I could share the figures with you, but I know that probably won't happen. Anyway, welcome to the fold and good luck with getting the rest of the figures you want and I look forward to seeing you go after the figures you NEED (the non-bright Joes).
I totally agree Dan the bike is Ninja Force Zartan style, I really like him aswell, I’m a Classified collector now, and can’t wait to get some of these in Classified hopefully, we have Nunchuck on the way!
Probably one of my favorite videos of yours. I was deep into the Joe lines at this this time- Ninja Force, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, DEF. Same affinity you had.
The original Zartan was one of my favorite figures growing up. I didn't know about the Ninja Force variant until watching your videos this year. It's good to know he's out there. I'll definitely be looking for him!
The crazy Ninja Force is fascinating. I was into A Real American Hero during 84-86. I was on the way out. I had Crystal Ball and Raptor. Did you get the bird with Raptor? Oh I see it. The pets were fun additions to Joes. There are tons of Joes. You can have fun hunting them down.
Crystal Ball & Raptor are my among my favorite Cobras. I didn't gravitate toward Joe until around 1985-86 when the Dreadnoks started hitting big and Zarana arrived on shelves. Crystal Ball has the added fun of having his bio written by Stephen King and his son Owen Hill -- which as I was reaching the point where I was reading Stephen King gave Crystal Ball added oomph on my toy shelf.
Welcome to the GIJoe family. There is something for everyone in the GIJoe range.
I wish you had discovered this journey sooner, you would have enjoyed Joecon. I still miss the conventions; made some of the best friends in my life through Joecon and the online community.
90's G.i.joe always have a spot in my heart and ninja force was one of my favorites!!!! Man I love your last message and is so true!....I hope you and everyone have a happy new year and a 2024 full of cool toys to collect!!
Love the t-shirt btw!!
Joes are so cool! It was my favorite toy lineup back in the 80s
Loooove it!
I got into GI Joe because of garage sale lots my Dad would buy... it didn't immediately appeal to me but gradually I fell in love.. especially with the characters that had animal friends. AND very much the weirdos.
Perplexing my Grandma on a visit one time in 1987, I selected Croc Master as the toy I wanted...I was obsessed! And trying to recreate that magic the following year, it was Hyrdo Viper. Underrated!
I lost touch with them by the end of the 80s and like most of my childhood stuff, it went back out in garage sales.
But now I'm delighted by all the weird stuff that came out after my exit, and I WILL own a Ninja Force Zartan in 2024... because all I really see is Ninja Force Pixel Dan... 😍😁
My uncle sometimes brought me back some toys from the U.S. to Germany. So all of a sudden I had Serpentor, and it was the coolest thing ever. I might be wrong, but I don't think I ever saw one in toy stores over here. Same thing for Screech btw. We German kids didn't even know Screech existed. And I was incredibly surprised when I got him from my uncle out of the blue.
Awesome job dan and happy new year
I share your journey wholeheartedly, despite having been a collector from day one. Destro himself was the reason why I loved the weirdos. My favorite of all time is Astroviper. Followed by Battle Armor Cobra Commander. And I have weathered for decades whatever put downs came my way. Onwards!
Pixel Dan to Joefest 2024!!! We'd love to have you!!!!
Love this video! Loved the Ninja Force figures. I had Crystal Ball as well. I didn’t realize these figures were so hated as I collected Joes throughout the 80s. But I also collected the GI Joe comic and when the Ninja Force comic series came out, the art was amazing, the story was very dark and was very well done. Nothing like seeing a comic of GI Joe with Ninjas decapitating each other (the comic was quite graphic and amazing). Croc Master and Heat Viper were my two favorites growing up. Again, loved the video! Lots of memories.
Dan, Alley Viper is an all-time great figure. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You do you. I, like many, favor the older, more military style figures, however I appreciate the later figures for their wild and imaginative designs. Thanks for the great content.
Don't ever think it's too late to collect GI Joe or you won't be welcomed within the Joe collecting community. You like what you like no matter what era. Great video and awesome collection. I love that B.A.T. set you have. Never knew that existed.
Wow!!! Great vid!!! I just started collecting 90’s Joes this year. I was an 80’s kid for Joes, so a lot of what you said , I can relate to. Especially the DISCOVERIES!!! The GI JOE 90-94 Facebook group has become my Facebook home and love everything I’ve gotten this year from 90’s Joes!!! Great vid man👍🍻🤷♂️
I love Ninja Force, as well as the early GI Joe stuff. I had Joes and He-Man, I'd play with one for weeks, then when i got bored of them, i'd switch. Never played together, the scales were wrong.
I had very few GI Joes. I had Serpentor, version 3 of Cobra Commander, and a few others. I was never big on GI Joe though. I did watch the show of course. Those Joes I hung on to, like my two Crystal Ball figures, became stand-ins for other characters...usually goons for the Joker or Lex Luthor.
your excitement is contagious dan! go get those weirdos!
As someone who was into G.I. Joe heavily from 1985 onward, I actually didn't mind Ninja Force as a whole, but the two figures that really disappointed me were Snake Eyes and Scarlett, because Hasbro gave them a kicking action gimmick that resulted in taking away the traditional articulation and not only made them look awkward - due to their torsos being longer than they should be and their legs being shorter - but also made them awkward to play with in situations that did not involve using that gimmick. I would love to see those designs recreated on proper O-ring figures without the action gimmicks, though, as I do like the outfit designs.
The other Ninja Force figures I had were Storm Shadow, Zartan, orange Slice, and Dice. I later found the red Slice loose but otherwise complete at a comic shop. Never got around to the others, but I enjoyed the ones I had. I do wish I'd kept them.
Your wrap-up almost made me cry. Well said.
Great video. I was a supporter of you starting your JOE COLLECTION from your first pick up. That's a great little collection you have going. The gi joe community is one of the best hands down.
Keep it up Dan. And YO JOE
I love, love, love this era of GI Joe! I was all about the ninjas and eco force. And those zartan and scarlet figures in particular were absolute favorites. For me, a lot of it was because they were main characters that hadn't seen a figure since their initial release. I clearly didn't care what he looked like, as long as I had a zartan. I wasn't a big fan of scarlet's weird leg articulation, though.
I'm with you on esthetics, I love the neon colors and any character that doesn't looks like just some guy.
I love the neon, this is my era too! I remember the one Christmas I asked for GI Joes my parent gave me Nunchuck and some other normie who at least had a light up gun and I never asked for them again. As a TMNT and Bucky O'Hare fan, I now think if they'd gotten me some florescent Joes I'd probably be on the same collector journey as you.
I love ninja force Dan because of you now 😊
Man good luck if you further your Joe collection, as a near lifelong collector the further in you get with the line the harder and more frustrating it becomes lol
Ninja Force is fantastic. That Snake-Eyes was my first, and got the Ninja Cycle for birthday one year way back when. Recently started slowly grabbing more. They’re just fun.
Awesome and thanks for sharing! I've always been a GI Joe fan and I had figures from the late 80's and early 90's run that included some of the Ninja Force figures. I also had some hand me down older figures as well. You must have done the Ninja Force Zartan on the last day of Toy Federations Retro Toy con because my son and I were there on Saturday when we got to meet you lol. Very cool and Thank you again for taking time to talk with us.
That Toysplosion theme.... 😁
Absolutely fantastic video Dan. Bravo!
Collect what you collect.
Some of those are really cool looking.
Excellent video.
This video was great. Every used toy has some kind of story so it’s great to hear you go through your literal childhood in a box. Seeing the past meet the present in such a fun way is awesome. Can’t wait to see where the brand takes you next!
Personally, if someone asked what my favorite Joes were it was always Ninja Force. Zartan, NightCreeper, and Banzai were so fun to play with as a kid. 90s Joes kids probably had a lot of the ones from the 80s but the new ones made for us were Ninja Force, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat licenses Joes. I don’t care what die hard say- we grew up in the neon/nickelodeon era where everything was colorful. They will always be my favorite
There's so many odd G.I. Joe figures you might enjoy: Dr. Mindbender, Super Trooper, Ice Cream Soldier, Toxo Zombies, all the Mega Marines including Bio Viper and Monstro Viper just to name a few.
I was also mostly into He-Man and Ninja Turtles when I was younger but I did have some G.I. Joe and my favorites were the weirder characters like Serpentor, the Cobra-la characters, Croc master, most of the Cobra characters. Probably the only "military" character I cared about was Sgt Slaughter. I also really liked the scale and articulation, and the weirder vehicles.
Hi Pixel Dan, personally I like more and I collect the lines between 84 to 88, 89 more or less, but the ninja force line is excellent and awesome, congrats for collecting it, I also want to thank you for the final message and I hope all collectors around the world follow your tips, thank you for sharing another great year of collecting with us and happy new year to you and the entire Pixel family! Stay heavy and blessings! 🤘 😎
6:30 omg, I see at least 3 joes I had when I was 5-7yrs old. Sadly, I no longer have them because my dog age them. lol. My joes never survived the 90s because of my dog, but my TMNT and x-men figures did. I miss those joes from the 1989-1994 period, aka the red-headed step child joe toys.
I always thought the neon ninjas looked like something from a Godfrey Ho movie. Ridiculous? Yes. Do I love them? Also yes.
Your childhood Joe collection looks very much like mine. Love the 90s stuff! I'm still debating turning my second HasLab HISS into an Eco Warriors Septic Tank! lol
T’Jbang is actually pronounced “cha-bang” it’s an Indonesian sai. I’ve always been a huge fan of G.I. Joe. My Dad was a huge fan of the original figures so my older brothers and I got G.I. Joe’s A LOT! They were affordable and there were a ton to choose from. I was always a fan of the ninjas and female characters. I’ve got a small collection of G.I. Joe Classified figures of my favorites as a kid (if they’ve made them) just got Zarana.
Thanks for letting me know!
I grew up with all the GI Joe cartoons, hearing Duke or flint yell, Yooo Joe, sends tingles down my spine, specially when Lady Jaye does it. I only had Snake Eyes when he came out, and i remember finding him ones, split in half,
But just a week ago, i felt the urge to start collecting Joe's, mostly interested in the originals, the core group, like, Well, Lady Jaye, Flint, Duke, Cobra Commander. i would be happy with those, to start off with.
If only i started collecting them in the 80's / 90's But turtles had my interest then, these days Giant japanese Robots have my attentions, they also fill up the room very fast.
Which might be a reason for me to want to start collecting the Joe's xD
Sadly though, even today, there are people that don't get enjoying these kinds of toys when you are an adult.
probably because those people never had a childhood, and needed to grow up very fast, that find these things 'childish' You are lucky that your wife is able to enjoy your hobby as well.
I used to collect GI Joe figures mainly the modern line like for example Rise of Cobra movie toy line to about the 50th anniversary's toy line which was about 2009- 2014 or so. I got into them because of people on You Tube like for example a person who you had on show that you did years ago called That New Toy Smell. That person you had on the show was a big fan of the Gi Joe toy line. I really enjoy collecting them and there were cool ones like for example the Jungle Viper, Shadow Tracker, to even the Zombie Viper. I don't know if you know this but they did make a modern version of that Heat viper you like so much. I will say I have since sold my collection of modern GI Joes because I had a hard time finding the figures later in stores when they made figures in the line like the data viper to even Lifeline for example. That's what made me feel burnt out on collecting Gi Joe figures. Enjoy the video Pixel Dan and I agree with you with the statement you made in the video collect what you like and what makes you feel happy.
Brett is a solid dude! Love that guy.
I was 4 when I got into He-man, which led to Ninja Turtles. However, in between, I was a transformers fan but could never afford them. My Transformers fandom got me heavily into Battle Beast. IT was Battle Beast that got me into G.I. Joe. It was ironically Range Viper, Rock Viper, Saw Viper that got me into the toys. I needed someone to fight my battle beast. I began to read the G.I. Joe comics, and that's when I went all in into G.I. Joe until it was cancelled in 1994. Luckily in its 25th anniversary, the figures came back. Also Cobra Commander was my childhood hero.
I love the colorful Joes, they're definitely the main appeal for me. I also got the exclusive Boba Fett B.A.T. at RetroToyCon in 2022. Loved the video, great collection of guys.
I LOVED all the different themes! Ninja Force, Star Brigade, the one with the big mutants.(U forget the name)
Certain ones. Think now re buying in Classified. Just got Nunchuck in and really fun fig..
Back in the day think had just Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes from ninja force. Had Raptor, Crystal Ball, the Hydro-viper, Heat-Vipee, and a few others.
Later in I start getting some older joes and remember having Cesspool in those days.
I'll be honest l really await to see some more Ninja Force and start the Eco Warriors in Classified. Toxo-Vipers, Cesspool, Eco Flint, and even the Zombies (Mole Rat started that and he had glow in the dark features)
Black hooded Cobra Commander is possibly my favorite Joe figure, and I recently bought him carded (my first carded Joe since I prefer most figures loose).
And I grew up with the original helmeted CC and got a Battle Armor CC before the hooded one that became my favorite
That Sanke Eyes gimmick is cool.
Hey Dan! Great video. A wise collector once told me, collect what you love. I too, like the weirdos 😂
Great how you love the weirder side of Gi Joe. Some of my favorites in your collection. I loved Raptor as a kid. Also the ninja's and eco-force. I started upgrading my childhood Gi Joe in the classified line and it's great.😅
Awesome GI JOE Collection
I've thought for a while that if they were to do another GI Joe movie they should establish it as a world with a different aesthetic vibe to set the tone of a military superhero story. Maybe with a bit of an 80s/90s tone.
I wouldn't go neon pink like some of the figures you show here, but I'd love to see a movie with recognisable versions of the ninjacycle, FANG 2 or even the classic orange/blue Alley Vipers. To me Joe has always been a colourful military fantasy.
You need Big Lob, Hardball, and Captain Grid-Iron. I plan to get all three if they appear in Classified and they'll form a team on my shelf as the Basketball/Baseball/Football specialists.
Love the colors too! And your cosplay is awesome--did Stina help you with it? 🙂 I personally don't collect GI Joes but as a TMNT fan and a kid of the 90s I appreciate the love of day glo and glow in the dark figs. Hope you and your family have a great 2024! 🎸🙌
I remembered that time I was aware of Ninja Force and Star Brigade... Also remembering that time my Aunt got me a Star Brigade Cobra BAT for my birthday..... However that time I was into BTAS and X-Men Animated the most. Now, thx to your review, passion and love of these bright neon figures got me interested... Hopefully the classified series design these 90s Joes in future (especially on NF Snake Eyes and of course NF Zartan)🤞. Destro is my most favourite cobra leader character (than CC and Serpentor that is) hopefully the classified series release the Iron Grenadier Destro which is my most favourite version of him....
Great video and great message. The neon 90s are my go to joes too. Still remember going to kbtoys to pick out those joes for good report cards with my mom. Thanks for what you do and happy New Year
Awesome stuff, Dan! Welcome to the fold!
I aged out of the 90s era Joe, but I love the fact that the bright color joes are your favorites!
and such a great video! glad the Joe community has embraced you, that community has been taking some hits by some of the other RUclipsrs out there, very encouraging that you have had a good experience!
I still have my color change snake eyes and storm shadow too. The thumbs always break off. Bushido and Nunchuk also
I liked how they had both the Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter brands.. you could set them up as if they were fighting
Great job dan. This was very well done. Its always about the fun.
When is Pixel Dan going to add the USS Flagg play set to his collection?
It's only 7 feet long.