I remember that American Defense shirtless ninja. My Grandmother would often take me shopping at K-Mart so I'm sure I got him on one of those trips. He was a master of the back spin kick and gave Snake Eyes some trouble. I also had countless Corps figures to supplement my collection. The 80's were fun.
Oh now I remember this line! That shirtless ninja. Yeah I remember it especially from its full cover add on the back cover of lots of comics. Even had some vehicles and playsets? Yeah, K-Mart was definitely my go-to toy store, even after discovering Kaybees (K-B's?)
I'd call my toy line "G-Eye vs Joe". The main bad guy would have a G on his eye patch, and Joe Fistpunch would be the name of the leader of the good guys. Banking on the fact they cant trademark the name Joe, and the vs on the package would be super tiny, so it just looked like GEye Joe!
Hey, fan theory: I don't think the bad guy actually lost an eye, it's that Joe Fistpunch gave him a really bad black eye that just won't seem to heal and it's really sensitive.
Fun fact about Sgt. Rock, the illustrator of the packaging art and comics, Joe Kubert, created his own school to train future artists to work for big comic book companies, and I'm actually attending this year.
I had a complete collection of everything from 82 to 87..every figure and every vehicle including a complete flag and defiant as well as all the sears sets but had to sell them all right around this time last year. Lost my job and had to feed the family. Makes me wanna cry to this day
Corps are awesome, to this day they still make great figures. You should do a video on Crops. It's a great line and very popular with knock-off collectors.
Yes, the Corps! Are way more then a bootleg or ko. The Corps! Have a history all their own. I understand joe fans romantically think gijoe is the definition of standard but arah wouldn't be anything without MEGO and the o ring. Hell the first prototype cobras were mego chips toys. Hasbo ripped off design elements of mego's Eagle Force all the way up to 1986. With many of the Joe's and cobra characters being ripped off from those very designs. Check megotalk. for more on that. gijoe sued la-nard (not lan-ard ) pronouncing as its French. So la-nard got sued in 86 by Hasbro on using gung ho...bla bla, Hasbro got their way and lanard renamed the gung ho line as the corps. gijoe was countersued in the 90s by lanard and was settled out of court due to Hasbro using battle "corps" and lanard won and at the time Hasbro was shifting its operations against the comic onslaught by toybiz and ban dai xmen, power rangers, spawn etc. Not to mention hasbo merged with kenner and began focusing more on licensed products batman, jurassic park, alien, predator, Congo and Star Wars. Meanwhile Lanard kept on going. Gijoe like a pogo ball has bounced up and down since 1994. With sgt savage, gijoe extreme. Street fighter, mortal kombat. Bouncing again into a limited release in 1997-98 at toys r us, then coming back in a collection that lead into joe vs cobra, spy troops, valor vs venom, sigma 6, DTC, the 25th through 30th, collections rise of cobra, pursuit of cobra retaliation, ( which was delayed a full year and lost retailers support). Renegades, resolute, and retro, and now CLASSIFIED. All the while Lanard Corps! Kept on going from 1986 to now Lanard Corps! products have continued with new products and some older sets has stayed on task and available both domestic releases and highly successful Internationally. Lanard has 1 philosophy, Make Fun toys at a fair price point. Hasbo has 1 responsibility...its shareholders. Lanard will be bringing all new Corps! products to retailers for 2022 WITHOUT crowdfunding. And keeping products available at a fair price. Something Hasbro's gijoe cannot and hasn't done, hell the only Joe's you can get in 1:18 scale aren't even Hasbro's as retro ended. You only have super 7's 5poa to choose from unless you want CLASSIFIED. Lanard gives you the corps, Star Troopers, Jurassic Clash, Alien and Predator collections. ....all without price gouging fans and collectors. Nuff said #ThankLanardForBringingTheFun
I'm a 14 year old, I started collecting vintage action figures for nearly over a year now and your channel really helped me and gave me ideas! Do you have any tips on how and what to collect for a limited budget like 15 dollars a week? Anyway thanks for being there all this time with your amazing videos!
@@ice_chilled_waterm6097 I'm just glad to find someone your age that's interested in solid objects out here in the "real world" instead of virtual "objects" on a screen or headset. No offense. It warms my old codger late Gen X cynical heart to see the stuff I enjoyed in my 80s and 90s childhood has not been forgotten by younger ppl. Also, I would suggest narrowing your focus on just on or a few toy lines, scales, and/or eras of time to save on space and money. Ex: I have other things, but my main focus is GI Joe 1/16 scale. 80s-Present. Also, budget and delay gratification to get the better stuff you want and dig around. You'll find multiple prices for the same item. Even though the quality and accessories may vary.
@@dubuyajay9964 thanks, I think so too, It's very rare for a kid my age to be interested in this kind of stuff, it's all fortnite and whatnot nowadays so sometimes I just like to reflect on the past. Right now I'm collecting monsters in my pocket and toxic crusaders but I also like Tmnt, Bikermice from mars and street sharks too! Pleasure talking to you by the way!
@@ice_chilled_waterm6097 Ty Sir (?). I ironically have some Fortnite figures (not a fan of the game) because of the tiles you can make buildings out of and the weapon packs.
The General Patch figures with weapons that had the 'smell of battle' were actually kind of awesome. The weapons smelled like WD-40 for about a day after you took them out of the package and then it must have dissolved since they just smelled like plastic after that. Kind of a bizarre marketing plan.
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Lol. The people who created General Patch likely felt the smell of battle was exactly the smell of a third-rate garage and chop shop.
My knockoffs? _The Battle Brigade: Freedom Force!_ The gimmick? They'd only have vehicles and accessories, no figures. Instead of competing against (or trying to be confused with) Joe, they'd be supplements to make your genuine Joes even more awesome! Don't make the kids ask "This or GI Joe?", make them think "This'll be great for GI Joe!" Deluxe vehicles, sprawling "connect and combine" playsets of various biomes or high-tech locations sold in small chunks, themed "battle packs" with a small vehicle and scores of weapons, that sort of thing
Lanard are still doing The Corps! (Can't forget that exclamation point). They've even started packing mini comics in. And they've had a few licenses over the years such as the Rampage movie and currently they're doing some wonderfully affordable Alien and Predator toys.
Love this video. I was SO frustrated that my A-Team figures were just a bit off proportionately from my Joes. I apologize for our math, but it's "three and three quarters inch", not 3/4 inch size. All women will appreciate the proper scaling. . . if not in action figures.
Watching this video makes me want to get that A-team van and then try to do some customizing on GI Joe figures to make them look like the A-team. I picture BA dressed like RedDog from the Renegades.
there's sellers on ebay right now selling lots of lanard figures from china, i got a few and they are original lanard probably old stock from the factories
Your writing is incredible, your presence is amazing, and the editing, fantastic! Another beautifully nostalgic episode of my favo toy show BAR NONE. Top top top! Best of luck.
@@EdsRetroGeekOut I guess so. But I guess there is a reason it’s called Joe. Even in that universe. I don’t know that much about G.I. Joe to be honestly.
I had so many CORPS figures, they are what I remember seeing in the store. As a kid, I got most of my legit GI Joes from yard sales that I would go to with my grandparents. Yard sales of the 90’s were so great, I got so many GI Joe and TMNT figures that way.
I was only 6 in 87 . Yard sales were my only chance to get GI Joe stuff that was no longer in the stores. I got a Rattler one time for 50 cents. It didn't have all the missles but enough to fill the underside.i got a complete stinger with driver and x-30 with Slipstream and AWE Striker with Crankcase
Obviously for more info on Palitoy action force check out the series Analog Toys did on them! & Toy Galaxy has a great vid on them as well. The red shadows are such cool figs, I'm still looking for a kraken and Skeletron
@@ToyKennections I was bidding on a kraken but had to stop I usually have a number in mind where I'm out and they kept bidding so much crazy prices floating around during covid 😫
oh the corps! Those figures would always lose their thumbs if you played with original G.I. Joe weapons 😄 Action Force was a toy line you would often find in Belgian carnivals (kermis) in the late 80's. You would win them by fishing rubber ducks and collecting enough points to get them.
Knock-offs can be nice ways to fill out someone's collection from a toyline that was either too expensive or (for the kids with more funds) to keep a line going after the proper ones have run out.
I always remember getting a GI JOE knock off figure as a kid and I loved it lol never been able to find it since. He wore all red except no sleeves and black boots with silver buttons, had a black biker style spikey helmet but no visor and his face was a skull. As a kid I never bothered to note the line I just thought it looked cool and wish I paid more attention as I said I've never seen it since.
Action Force! I loved, and still do, both versions of Action Force. A great toy line, with so many links to GI Joe. Interesting to hear about some of the lesser known ones out there. Great video.
14:53 ! I remember those! They were the only bad-guys you could buy! So, i bought two sets and called them "The Twin Gang"! Ahh, those were the days....
Being from the UK, I had a few original Action Force figures but due to the articulation and being heavy into GI Joe, I tossed them to the side and forgot about them. Now being a lot older, I appreciate these figures a lot more now.
None of these action figures other than the 12" ones from the 60's and 70's seemed like GI Joe's to me and I was hoping you would cover the original Fighting yank and Johnny Canuck figures.
I grew up near Detroit. The Toys r us there sold Bronze Bombers. I had the helicopter figure set that was shown in your video. I remember putting it together was like building a model kit,it had so many pieces and the plastic was brittle like a model kit.
G.I. Joe was (at one time) a term meaning a standard, dime-a-dozen soldier. If I were to rip it off, I would use an older term with the same basic meaning. Doughboys.
Awesome video Ed, as always 😎👍 Joe KOs & bootlegs are my jam, and you covered the spectrum pretty well, even including lesser known lines like Power Commandos (i still need the rare second series 😅). My favorite to collect is Remco, as there always seems to be more series & variations to be discovered, and they had some awesome non-military lines too, like pirates, ninjas, and even wrestlers, all in 3.75-inch! 😳 Another unique entry you may not have come across is Bravo Company (sometimes Bravo Mission), a 5-P.O.A. line of generic military figures made of diecast metal, similar to Mego’s tiny Eagle Force figures, but in 3.75-in scale! 😧 There’s more obscure lines too, so hopefully you’ll do a part 2 someday 😉
There's a whole bunch more this is just what I know of and what looked fun to talk about 🤓 yeah the power commando's did use some of the bats figure heads and I think the whole interchangeable hand thing as bootleg parts. The second series looked even better
Great video! I remember a knock off carried by my local Walgreens in the early 90s that iirc came in nothing but a little plastic bag. Maybe it was a local thing only because I can’t find anything online
In Britain there is a company called "Airfix" that today deals with model kits and Railroad scenery. BUT during the 70s-80s they came out with a toyline called "Airfix Eagles" which were 3 3/4 inches tall and sold only in Great Britain and Europe. And i know this because if THIS MYSTERY: I live in Texas in the U.S.A. and 30 years ago I got one of these figures from a Walmart vending machine. The figure was still brand new despite its age, and when I asked i asked where they got the items they stocked the vending machines with, I was told it was from an on line supplier. I did send off an email but never got a reply. So, the mystery is....HOW did a 30+ year old toy in pristine condition sold only in Britain wind up in a quarter vending machine in Texas?
For future reference, the Hasbro IP was protected under trademark, not copyright. It's a subtle distinction but still important. Tldr: copyright protects creative works of art. Trademark prevents consumer confusion.
Ed, love the videos! i also get a HUGE kick out of seeing you insert the old toy commercials into your videos. Don’t know if you’re aware, but that was a commercial for Red’s in Brooklyn. They sold pools, pool equipment, and they also dedicated a few aisles for toys. As a kid, I used to go there often for the occasional action figure. Seeing that commercial always brings me back. thanks!!!
Im a little sad that he didn't cover the 1960s G.I.JOE knock offs because every channel just covers the 1980s G.I.JOE knock offs.Ed,can you cover the 60s G.I.JOE knock offs.PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE? Im gonna subscribe for it.Im so exited for IT.
Haha yes! I remember my dad telling me, well you can get the pack with multiple soldiers or one GI Joe. I loved watching this. As far as a knock off brand 🤔 World police. Although I may have the movie Team America world police on the brain.
I never knew about Sgt Rock. Being it tied into an old comic is badass. My line would have been called The Camo crusaders. They would have been in more classic styles of dress like Falcon, Ripcord, Recondo, Footloose, Hit n Run.. Camo Crusaders vs the Evil Empire led by Dr. Nukes and his Atomic Bomber infantrymen. Right on!
I had that Corps Neon Green gasmask dude. And at 9:13 figure on the bottom right corner is obviously a Darklon repaint. That's one of my favorite Cobra figs, so I saw the gas mask and grenades around one leg, and boot knife on the other. Surprised they got away with that!!
I remember my dad taking me to toys r us before my bday to pick a gift..I wanted the G.I.Joe tomahawk but it was too pricey and I felt like a douche asking for it so I chose a Lanard Corps helicopter in the same desert camo and honestly it served me well for many years.
The only knock off Ibhad was a boat that kinda looked like the Water Moccasin. It was actually pretty cool looking and got the crap kicked out of it by the Killer Whale.
In Australia in the 80's/90's the biggest ripp off of the Joe's was C.O.R.P.S, I'm now assuming this was the Oz release of the corps. Either way much like you I was always happier getting 5-10 C.O.R.P.S over 1 Joe and always had fun with my toys :)
I literally had 3 real joes and then a big pack of lanards, the only downside is when you'd get the 2packs it would be the same figures as the ones I had. You had to wait for a year or so till they'd repaint em :'D
I love finding knock off GI Joe figures at like Goodwill or Salvation Army. I enjoy customizing them into my own style. I took the original A Team figure heads and put them on pieced together GI Joe bodies. I gave them custom paint jobs to make them more like the TV show characters.
I vaguely remember getting some Space Corps action figures and vehicles from the Dollar Store when I was about 9-10, so it must've been about 2002-ish. I reckon the figures in your video look similar enough to what I can recall, so that's pretty cool to know they came from somewhere! Like you said, Ed, even if they were just a knock-off, they were fun to play with
I don't remember, but I will check on it tomorrow morning when I go to Walmart. They also do Jurassic Park and a Jaws ripoff! The Jaws ripoff comes with either a girl or a male and then a Male diver and a boat with 2 big Sharks. I have actually bought 2 of the those, with the girl, for the Meg Sharks as opponents of my Godzilla and King Kong! Finding anything Kaiju sized, about 12" to 13" tall, is difficult as even a Jurassic Park T-Rex is a little undersized. And I really don't even need the other figures as I really only collect 5.5 to 6.5 figures so 3.75 and 4 inch figures are too small for my collection and I will probably put the extra figures in a Yard Sale. But these sets are only $15, for 2 Sharks, boat, 2 figures, and lots of little extras. Same with the Jurassic Park one, 2 articulated dinosaurs, good quality, not Jurassic Park good, but not bad, then there's two 3.75 (maybe 4") figures, big gate, cage for the smaller dinosaur, and I think a small jeep, for $15. So you get a lot for your money considering a single 3.75 Joe is like $10, and $20 for a 6" scale. I haven't been to Big Lots in awhile, they had scaled tanks for 3.75 figures with driver for $10-$12. Also, other sets like guard tower, machine gun nest, motorcycle, etc. with 2 figures for around $10-$12. I'll get back with you on those probably Monday when I get up that way. I can report on Wally tomorrow.
Okay, the Walmart brand is called 'Kid's Connection'. They had their normal sets for $15 and some special Christmas maxi sets for $40. They were out of the normal Dinosaur sets, I had been thinking of getting one, but did have deluxe $40, which was more than I was willing to spend today.
I have those mortal kombat figures. It would have been awesome to see some kind of horror/ monster themed toy line in the same style. Love me some knock offs!
I still have my G.I Joe style Mortal Kombat action figures to this day. I'm 38 years old and I still play with them. I'm thinking about getting the Street Fighter ones sometime. Mortal Kombat is my #1 favorite. Street Fighter is my #2.
I had a Sgt Rock with weapons and a boat and 4 of The Bad Guys . The Bad Guys came with cool weapons(sub machine gun and bazookas) that worked great with the Cobra figures.
I am always curious how the rules are with custom made figures actually. Cool vid again, i love these toy histories. Would love to see one on Captain Planet :D If it is episode worthy ^_^
I think the quantity is an issue if its low enough it won’t be a problem but in reality all of them are pretty much illegal to produce then again where do you draw the line
@@EdsRetroGeekOut ah ok, thanks for the answer :D. And yes i guess it's hard to draw a line, also hard to control everything i suppose. Thanks again :D ^_^
Providing a nemesis for everyone who named their KO Joes -- my card art explosion would say: "The Most Dangerous Enemy for *ALL* your 3 3/4" action heroes!!" *R.I.O.T.* Rogue Invader Opposition Teams!
Nice overview, but one correction: Hasbro didn’t buy Palitoy in 1985. Palitoy was owned by General Mills who in 1985 spun their toy division off into Kenner Parker Toys which was bought by Tonka in 1987. Hasbro then bought Tonka in 1991 which included Kenner and Palitoy
My knockoff line would've been called "Wrestling Champions!" 3 3/4 high quality wrestling figures with belts, robes, jackets & a ring w/h cage & announcers. I would've included an audience background with the ring & special stage setups for Characters talk show segments ( Piper's Pit, Funeral Parlor etc). It would've been a Great long lasting line with multiple Characters. A line that I've imagined since I was 6yrs old, and have created privately.👍🏾
I read in an article somewhere that it was a woman who purchased many of the GI Joe molds and made them black action figures. I'm guessing it was Bronze Bombers.
Yes Yla Eason she created Olmec toys to produce toys like Sunman, Bronze Bombers and more. I do think the purchase of the molds was for the 90s version of those
I remember that American Defense shirtless ninja. My Grandmother would often take me shopping at K-Mart so I'm sure I got him on one of those trips. He was a master of the back spin kick and gave Snake Eyes some trouble. I also had countless Corps figures to supplement my collection. The 80's were fun.
Awesome 🤓 I love hearing these stories
Oh now I remember this line! That shirtless ninja. Yeah I remember it especially from its full cover add on the back cover of lots of comics. Even had some vehicles and playsets? Yeah, K-Mart was definitely my go-to toy store, even after discovering Kaybees (K-B's?)
I'd call my toy line "G-Eye vs Joe". The main bad guy would have a G on his eye patch, and Joe Fistpunch would be the name of the leader of the good guys. Banking on the fact they cant trademark the name Joe, and the vs on the package would be super tiny, so it just looked like GEye Joe!
"Fistpunch"😂😂
love it 🤣🤣
Hey, fan theory: I don't think the bad guy actually lost an eye, it's that Joe Fistpunch gave him a really bad black eye that just won't seem to heal and it's really sensitive.
That would be perfect 🙏🏻😂
Fun fact about Sgt. Rock, the illustrator of the packaging art and comics, Joe Kubert, created his own school to train future artists to work for big comic book companies, and I'm actually attending this year.
That’s awesome
That's dope! :D I hope you have a very successful career in comics and get to do lots of things you enjoy~!
I had a complete collection of everything from 82 to 87..every figure and every vehicle including a complete flag and defiant as well as all the sears sets but had to sell them all right around this time last year. Lost my job and had to feed the family. Makes me wanna cry to this day
Oh man, that's heartbreaking' but family comes first, there's always more time to collect joes.
A real shame, but at least the family is safe and all that stuff is out there ready to re-collect another day.
Lanard’s Gung Ho tactical river assault boat was a solid toy with great play value. Thanks for the video.
I have it from a 90s corps rerelease, it was fun indeed and fit a fair amount of figures on there. Thanks for watching 🤓
That boat kicked ass.
Corps are awesome, to this day they still make great figures. You should do a video on Crops. It's a great line and very popular with knock-off collectors.
if I ever get my hands on some more of the variants I definitely would wanna do a top ten on the corps :-D
Yes, the Corps! Are way more then a bootleg or ko. The Corps! Have a history all their own. I understand joe fans romantically think gijoe is the definition of standard but arah wouldn't be anything without MEGO and the o ring. Hell the first prototype cobras were mego chips toys. Hasbo ripped off design elements of mego's Eagle Force all the way up to 1986. With many of the Joe's and cobra characters being ripped off from those very designs. Check megotalk. for more on that. gijoe sued la-nard (not lan-ard ) pronouncing as its French. So la-nard got sued in 86 by Hasbro on using gung ho...bla bla, Hasbro got their way and lanard renamed the gung ho line as the corps. gijoe was countersued in the 90s by lanard and was settled out of court due to Hasbro using battle "corps" and lanard won and at the time Hasbro was shifting its operations against the comic onslaught by toybiz and ban dai xmen, power rangers, spawn etc. Not to mention hasbo merged with kenner and began focusing more on licensed products batman, jurassic park, alien, predator, Congo and Star Wars. Meanwhile Lanard kept on going.
Gijoe like a pogo ball has bounced up and down since 1994. With sgt savage, gijoe extreme. Street fighter, mortal kombat. Bouncing again into a limited release in 1997-98 at toys r us, then coming back in a collection that lead into joe vs cobra, spy troops, valor vs venom, sigma 6, DTC, the 25th through 30th, collections rise of cobra, pursuit of cobra retaliation, ( which was delayed a full year and lost retailers support). Renegades, resolute, and retro, and now CLASSIFIED.
All the while Lanard Corps! Kept on going from 1986 to now Lanard Corps! products have continued with new products and some older sets has stayed on task and available both domestic releases and highly successful Internationally. Lanard has 1 philosophy, Make Fun toys at a fair price point.
Hasbo has 1 responsibility...its shareholders.
Lanard will be bringing all new Corps! products to retailers for 2022 WITHOUT crowdfunding. And keeping products available at a fair price. Something Hasbro's gijoe cannot and hasn't done, hell the only Joe's you can get in 1:18 scale aren't even Hasbro's as retro ended. You only have super 7's 5poa to choose from unless you want CLASSIFIED.
Lanard gives you the corps, Star Troopers, Jurassic Clash, Alien and Predator collections. ....all without price gouging fans and collectors. Nuff said
#ThankLanardForBringingTheFun
I'm a 14 year old, I started collecting vintage action figures for nearly over a year now and your channel really helped me and gave me ideas! Do you have any tips on how and what to collect for a limited budget like 15 dollars a week? Anyway thanks for being there all this time with your amazing videos!
Try flea markets? Some do have toy vendors selling the old stuff.
@@dubuyajay9964 Thanks, will do!
@@ice_chilled_waterm6097 I'm just glad to find someone your age that's interested in solid objects out here in the "real world" instead of virtual "objects" on a screen or headset. No offense. It warms my old codger late Gen X cynical heart to see the stuff I enjoyed in my 80s and 90s childhood has not been forgotten by younger ppl. Also, I would suggest narrowing your focus on just on or a few toy lines, scales, and/or eras of time to save on space and money. Ex: I have other things, but my main focus is GI Joe 1/16 scale. 80s-Present. Also, budget and delay gratification to get the better stuff you want and dig around. You'll find multiple prices for the same item. Even though the quality and accessories may vary.
@@dubuyajay9964 thanks, I think so too, It's very rare for a kid my age to be interested in this kind of stuff, it's all fortnite and whatnot nowadays so sometimes I just like to reflect on the past. Right now I'm collecting monsters in my pocket and toxic crusaders but I also like Tmnt, Bikermice from mars and street sharks too! Pleasure talking to you by the way!
@@ice_chilled_waterm6097 Ty Sir (?). I ironically have some Fortnite figures (not a fan of the game) because of the tiles you can make buildings out of and the weapon packs.
The General Patch figures with weapons that had the 'smell of battle' were actually kind of awesome. The weapons smelled like WD-40 for about a day after you took them out of the package and then it must have dissolved since they just smelled like plastic after that. Kind of a bizarre marketing plan.
It probably intrigued enough to get people to wanna smel it 😄
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Lol. The people who created General Patch likely felt the smell of battle was exactly the smell of a third-rate garage and chop shop.
I loved the Lanard The Corps figures. Have a lot of this. Greetings from germany.
They're almost as good als the real ones 🤓
this is my favourite series of videos of this Chanel !!!!! amazing job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much! 🤓
I’ve just started collecting Joes in Japan, this was a great watch, thanks Ed!
Glad you enjoyed it! And I hope you find some good ones! :-D
My knockoffs? _The Battle Brigade: Freedom Force!_
The gimmick? They'd only have vehicles and accessories, no figures. Instead of competing against (or trying to be confused with) Joe, they'd be supplements to make your genuine Joes even more awesome! Don't make the kids ask "This or GI Joe?", make them think "This'll be great for GI Joe!"
Deluxe vehicles, sprawling "connect and combine" playsets of various biomes or high-tech locations sold in small chunks, themed "battle packs" with a small vehicle and scores of weapons, that sort of thing
that could work, just like the imperial Godzilla's and other monster that worked great with any motu figures. That's a great name as well
Lanard are still doing The Corps! (Can't forget that exclamation point). They've even started packing mini comics in. And they've had a few licenses over the years such as the Rampage movie and currently they're doing some wonderfully affordable Alien and Predator toys.
Love this video. I was SO frustrated that my A-Team figures were just a bit off proportionately from my Joes. I apologize for our math, but it's "three and three quarters inch", not 3/4 inch size. All women will appreciate the proper scaling. . . if not in action figures.
Yeah I realize that .75 now 😅 math is tough
Watching this video makes me want to get that A-team van and then try to do some customizing on GI Joe figures to make them look like the A-team. I picture BA dressed like RedDog from the Renegades.
there's sellers on ebay right now selling lots of lanard figures from china, i got a few and they are original lanard probably old stock from the factories
I’d love to find the multipack I had as a kid 😎🤘
Your writing is incredible, your presence is amazing, and the editing, fantastic! Another beautifully nostalgic episode of my favo toy show BAR NONE. Top top top! Best of luck.
Thanks buddy 🤓🤘
If I where to make up a Knock Off G.I. Joe line I probably would call it. ‘G.I. Soldiers’
that's clearer than Joe :-D
@@EdsRetroGeekOut I guess so. But I guess there is a reason it’s called Joe. Even in that universe. I don’t know that much about G.I. Joe to be honestly.
I had so many CORPS figures, they are what I remember seeing in the store. As a kid, I got most of my legit GI Joes from yard sales that I would go to with my grandparents. Yard sales of the 90’s were so great, I got so many GI Joe and TMNT figures that way.
I wish I knew about yard sales as a kid 😫
i still got all me Lanard CORPS figures from 86 to 90 and accessories
I was only 6 in 87 . Yard sales were my only chance to get GI Joe stuff that was no longer in the stores. I got a Rattler one time for 50 cents. It didn't have all the missles but enough to fill the underside.i got a complete stinger with driver and x-30 with Slipstream and AWE Striker with Crankcase
Awesome - thanks for including some Palitoy Action Force history in this!
Obviously for more info on Palitoy action force check out the series Analog Toys did on them! & Toy Galaxy has a great vid on them as well. The red shadows are such cool figs, I'm still looking for a kraken and Skeletron
@@EdsRetroGeekOut i certainly watch those channels. I was lucky to get a Skeletron and incomplete Kraken in 2018.
@@ToyKennections I was bidding on a kraken but had to stop I usually have a number in mind where I'm out and they kept bidding so much crazy prices floating around during covid 😫
oh the corps! Those figures would always lose their thumbs if you played with original G.I. Joe weapons 😄 Action Force was a toy line you would often find in Belgian carnivals (kermis) in the late 80's. You would win them by fishing rubber ducks and collecting enough points to get them.
Woah awesome i hardly see action force in belgium 😩
Knock-offs can be nice ways to fill out someone's collection from a toyline that was either too expensive or (for the kids with more funds) to keep a line going after the proper ones have run out.
That’s true 🤘
I always remember getting a GI JOE knock off figure as a kid and I loved it lol never been able to find it since. He wore all red except no sleeves and black boots with silver buttons, had a black biker style spikey helmet but no visor and his face was a skull. As a kid I never bothered to note the line I just thought it looked cool and wish I paid more attention as I said I've never seen it since.
Might be a lanard 🤓
"I'm going to blow!"
"I'm going in alone!"
🤣🤣🤣🤣 Action figures for what magazine 🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣
Instead of Gung Ho, the KO company should've used the name Gung Hung. Great informative video Ed, love your channel! Vintage rules!
🤣🤣👌 yes! And thanks for watching
Excellent episode again. Love your edit style and now I know... more about bootlegs/ knock offs... and knowing is half the battle😉👍
Thanks buddy 🤘😄
Since I'm Hispanic for my G.I Joe knock off toy line I would call it G.I Jose😂😂
Like Family Guy?
@@dubuyajay9964 Yes😂😂
Gi Joseeeeeeey 🤘
Those mortal Kombat g I joes we’re my jam. My favorite was sub zero and scorpion and the goro and Jonny cage set.
Did you get the Transparent Blue Sub-Zero?
Fatality! 🤘
@@dubuyajay9964 yeah.
@@Spectralhyena Yeah. That was the best one. I wish they did a clear Raiden and orange Scorpion.
@@dubuyajay9964 that would have been cool. Also if they did a mk3 set with sektor and cyrax as well as a cyborg smoke. And a unmasked sub zero.
I think this is your best video yet. Well done.
Thank you 🤓
Great episode ! I always learn a bunch of new stuff from your videos. Keep up the great work !
Thanks so much Ryan 🤓
Bruh did anyone realize the toy room behind him is just a picture of his toy room
it is for now, we're renovating the house 🤓
Great video as usual bro!
Thanks buddy 🤘
This was brilliant. Thank you again Ed. Peace from Perth.
Thank you for watching 🤓
Good job on action force, alot of people think they were knock offs, they were their own thing and have great back story.
Thanks 🤓
Excellent video again, Ed
Glad you enjoyed it
Yes! The Corps! I had lots of those! And they're still going!
Awesome 🤘
Can we call the Hasbro knockoffs, "Hasbruhs" from now on? That's corny, i know. As a kid, we called the GIJoe knockoffs, "GIJokes".
I Love That.
GIjokes 🤣🤣🤣🤘 yes
Action Force! I loved, and still do, both versions of Action Force. A great toy line, with so many links to GI Joe. Interesting to hear about some of the lesser known ones out there. Great video.
Action force had some great designs! 🤓🤘
14:53 ! I remember those! They were the only bad-guys you could buy! So, i bought two sets and called them "The Twin Gang"! Ahh, those were the days....
Epic 🤩
I'd make a knock-off GI Joe line, but all of the figures would be farmers.
I'd call it E I E I Joe.
lol.
lol.
lol.
🤣
3:39 Given that Sergeant Rock fights in the second World War, perhaps these were an appropriate substitute to the Gerries.
Such creative videos you’ve on this channel. I just subscribed!
Thank you so much 🙏🤓
Serpinto! Love it.
I had a couple of Sgt. Rock figures, but my parents got me real Joes as well. I loved them all.
Thanks buddy 🤘
Being from the UK, I had a few original Action Force figures but due to the articulation and being heavy into GI Joe, I tossed them to the side and forgot about them. Now being a lot older, I appreciate these figures a lot more now.
I just picked up a red shadows figure 🥳
None of these action figures other than the 12" ones from the 60's and 70's seemed like GI Joe's to me and I was hoping you would cover the original Fighting yank and Johnny Canuck figures.
I had many Corpse. Got different packs that were recoloured. I used them as mostly cannon fodder in our gijoe battles.
They do fill up the place quite nicely
I grew up near Detroit. The Toys r us there sold Bronze Bombers. I had the helicopter figure set that was shown in your video. I remember putting it together was like building a model kit,it had so many pieces and the plastic was brittle like a model kit.
Yeah they did have some quality issues ive heard
G.I. Joe was (at one time) a term meaning a standard, dime-a-dozen soldier. If I were to rip it off, I would use an older term with the same basic meaning. Doughboys.
oh wow I didn't know that 🤓 thanks for watching
Great video!
Gung Ho!! Dropping that knowledge!
🦑 thanks buddy
I honestly thought the Lanard figures were G.I. Joe figures until a few years ago until I saw their name on one of their legs.
Yeah they often come across as the real deal i actually really like a couple of those sculpts
as always...another great vid!!!
Thanks 🤓
Awesome video Ed, as always 😎👍 Joe KOs & bootlegs are my jam, and you covered the spectrum pretty well, even including lesser known lines like Power Commandos (i still need the rare second series 😅). My favorite to collect is Remco, as there always seems to be more series & variations to be discovered, and they had some awesome non-military lines too, like pirates, ninjas, and even wrestlers, all in 3.75-inch! 😳 Another unique entry you may not have come across is Bravo Company (sometimes Bravo Mission), a 5-P.O.A. line of generic military figures made of diecast metal, similar to Mego’s tiny Eagle Force figures, but in 3.75-in scale! 😧 There’s more obscure lines too, so hopefully you’ll do a part 2 someday 😉
There's a whole bunch more this is just what I know of and what looked fun to talk about 🤓 yeah the power commando's did use some of the bats figure heads and I think the whole interchangeable hand thing as bootleg parts. The second series looked even better
I would call mine line Ho Joe!!🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣
Great video! I remember a knock off carried by my local Walgreens in the early 90s that iirc came in nothing but a little plastic bag. Maybe it was a local thing only because I can’t find anything online
Cool 😁
I had that Star Force set to use as some weird set of bounty hunters with my Star Wars figures. They were shockingly well made for being knockoffs.
Yeah they really had it down then 🤓👌
I remember having fun with my 5 joes
Awesome I had 3 real ones and a lotta lanards 😁
That's what she said. 🙄
In Britain there is a company called "Airfix" that today deals with model kits and Railroad scenery.
BUT during the 70s-80s they came out with a toyline called "Airfix Eagles" which were 3 3/4 inches tall and sold only in Great Britain and Europe.
And i know this because if THIS MYSTERY: I live in Texas in the U.S.A. and 30 years ago I got one of these figures from a Walmart vending machine.
The figure was still brand new despite its age, and when I asked i asked where they got the items they stocked the vending machines with, I was told it was from an on line supplier. I did send off an email but never got a reply.
So, the mystery is....HOW did a 30+ year old toy in pristine condition sold only in Britain wind up in a quarter vending machine in Texas?
Yeah that’s a crazy story I hope someone knows more 🤓
For future reference, the Hasbro IP was protected under trademark, not copyright. It's a subtle distinction but still important.
Tldr: copyright protects creative works of art. Trademark prevents consumer confusion.
Indeed that’s what them little letters are next to the names then 👌
Love the channel bro 🤘 I’m in Michigan where are you from ?
I’m from Belgium, thanks for watching! 🤘
@@EdsRetroGeekOut your welcome I love all your TMNT content I’m a huge tmnt fan
Great Video Ed.
Glad you enjoyed it 🤓
Hell yeah i love my Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat GI Joe figures still trying to complete the set
I wanna get some more too they look so good mixed in with the joes 😄
Great Video friend like always
Thank you 👍
Enjoyed this 😃
Thanks for watching 🤓
Ed, love the videos! i also get a HUGE kick out of seeing you insert the old toy commercials into your videos. Don’t know if you’re aware, but that was a commercial for Red’s in Brooklyn. They sold pools, pool equipment, and they also dedicated a few aisles for toys. As a kid, I used to go there often for the occasional action figure. Seeing that commercial always brings me back. thanks!!!
Something about that commercial caught my eye to pop it in. Never heard about it but cool to hear what it is from you. Knowing is half the battle 🥳
Im a little sad that he didn't cover the 1960s G.I.JOE knock offs because every channel just covers the 1980s G.I.JOE knock offs.Ed,can you cover the 60s G.I.JOE knock offs.PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE? Im gonna subscribe for it.Im so exited for IT.
I could try there’s a whole battle with the other big toy companies into play there as well 🤓
Lanard The Corps was awesome! I never got a single actual GiJoe XD
Loved those corps sets 🤘😁
Haha yes! I remember my dad telling me, well you can get the pack with multiple soldiers or one GI Joe. I loved watching this. As far as a knock off brand 🤔 World police. Although I may have the movie Team America world police on the brain.
Team america! I need to watch that again 🥳
Don't mess with the real gi Joe. 😀👍
GO JOE!
Always look forward to new episodes!
Thanks buddy 🤘
@@EdsRetroGeekOut my pleasure!
I remember the corps figures thumbs would always break off
They did break easily
I never knew about Sgt Rock. Being it tied into an old comic is badass.
My line would have been called The Camo crusaders. They would have been in more classic styles of dress like Falcon, Ripcord, Recondo, Footloose, Hit n Run..
Camo Crusaders vs the Evil Empire led by Dr. Nukes and his Atomic Bomber infantrymen. Right on!
Camo crusaders is a great name 😄
that is what I love about my GI Joes. I can react the episode let's play soldiers and there's my leather neck and gung ho ready to go.
I actually have one of those Galoob A-Team action figures. Well, most of one. The legs are broken off at the knees.
Yikes too bad about the quality on those 🤓
I had that Corps Neon Green gasmask dude. And at 9:13 figure on the bottom right corner is obviously a Darklon repaint. That's one of my favorite Cobra figs, so I saw the gas mask and grenades around one leg, and boot knife on the other. Surprised they got away with that!!
They tried 😅
This was awesome. Thanks for the information. I would have called my KO line Asskickers.
Haha 🤣🤣🤘 aw yeah
awesome video man thank u
Thanks for watching 🤓
@@EdsRetroGeekOut your welcome
I remember my dad taking me to toys r us before my bday to pick a gift..I wanted the G.I.Joe tomahawk but it was too pricey and I felt like a douche asking for it so I chose a Lanard Corps helicopter in the same desert camo and honestly it served me well for many years.
Never had the lanard helicopter but I had a boat type of vehicle which was awesome 🤘😁
The only knock off Ibhad was a boat that kinda looked like the Water Moccasin. It was actually pretty cool looking and got the crap kicked out of it by the Killer Whale.
I had the same thing! 🤘
In Australia in the 80's/90's the biggest ripp off of the Joe's was C.O.R.P.S, I'm now assuming this was the Oz release of the corps. Either way much like you I was always happier getting 5-10 C.O.R.P.S over 1 Joe and always had fun with my toys :)
I literally had 3 real joes and then a big pack of lanards, the only downside is when you'd get the 2packs it would be the same figures as the ones I had. You had to wait for a year or so till they'd repaint em :'D
it was funny watching the video because I saw figures I actually owned :'D
Corps! Great video!
I love finding knock off GI Joe figures at like Goodwill or Salvation Army. I enjoy customizing them into my own style. I took the original A Team figure heads and put them on pieced together GI Joe bodies. I gave them custom paint jobs to make them more like the TV show characters.
I vaguely remember getting some Space Corps action figures and vehicles from the Dollar Store when I was about 9-10, so it must've been about 2002-ish. I reckon the figures in your video look similar enough to what I can recall, so that's pretty cool to know they came from somewhere! Like you said, Ed, even if they were just a knock-off, they were fun to play with
Don't forget the Walmart and Big Lots soldiers that come out in different battle packs, a vehicle, or a tower, etc.
What were they called?! 🤓
I don't remember, but I will check on it tomorrow morning when I go to Walmart. They also do Jurassic Park and a Jaws ripoff! The Jaws ripoff comes with either a girl or a male and then a Male diver and a boat with 2 big Sharks. I have actually bought 2 of the those, with the girl, for the Meg Sharks as opponents of my Godzilla and King Kong! Finding anything Kaiju sized, about 12" to 13" tall, is difficult as even a Jurassic Park T-Rex is a little undersized. And I really don't even need the other figures as I really only collect 5.5 to 6.5 figures so 3.75 and 4 inch figures are too small for my collection and I will probably put the extra figures in a Yard Sale. But these sets are only $15, for 2 Sharks, boat, 2 figures, and lots of little extras. Same with the Jurassic Park one, 2 articulated dinosaurs, good quality, not Jurassic Park good, but not bad, then there's two 3.75 (maybe 4") figures, big gate, cage for the smaller dinosaur, and I think a small jeep, for $15. So you get a lot for your money considering a single 3.75 Joe is like $10, and $20 for a 6" scale. I haven't been to Big Lots in awhile, they had scaled tanks for 3.75 figures with driver for $10-$12. Also, other sets like guard tower, machine gun nest, motorcycle, etc. with 2 figures for around $10-$12. I'll get back with you on those probably Monday when I get up that way. I can report on Wally tomorrow.
Okay, the Walmart brand is called 'Kid's Connection'. They had their normal sets for $15 and some special Christmas maxi sets for $40. They were out of the normal Dinosaur sets, I had been thinking of getting one, but did have deluxe $40, which was more than I was willing to spend today.
I'm Gonna name my g.i.joe knockoff "idendeti crisis soldiers"
🤣🤣🤣
And at 9:13 top right looks like a Motor Viper repaint. A couple of those body sculpts look familiar too.
They copied endlessy 🥲
I have those mortal kombat figures. It would have been awesome to see some kind of horror/ monster themed toy line in the same style. Love me some knock offs!
Or the star brigade monster knock offs :-D
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Oh yeah! We need more figures like Lobotomaxx!
Yes! 🤩
I wish sgt rock came with a bit more detail and posability or at least an Andy kubert mini comic.
they look so standard 😫
😎video keep up the good work
Thanks for watching 🤓
I still have my G.I Joe style Mortal Kombat action figures to this day. I'm 38 years old and I still play with them. I'm thinking about getting the Street Fighter ones sometime. Mortal Kombat is my #1 favorite. Street Fighter is my #2.
Awesome 😁
My knock off line would be THE CORPS(E) - soldiers with the real smell of the battlefield and detachable body parts!
🤣🤣
I had a Sgt Rock with weapons and a boat and 4 of The Bad Guys . The Bad Guys came with cool weapons(sub machine gun and bazookas) that worked great with the Cobra figures.
Awesome 🥳
I am always curious how the rules are with custom made figures actually.
Cool vid again, i love these toy histories. Would love to see one on Captain Planet :D If it is episode worthy ^_^
I think the quantity is an issue if its low enough it won’t be a problem but in reality all of them are pretty much illegal to produce then again where do you draw the line
@@EdsRetroGeekOut ah ok, thanks for the answer :D. And yes i guess it's hard to draw a line, also hard to control everything i suppose. Thanks again :D ^_^
Providing a nemesis for everyone who named their KO Joes -- my card art explosion would say:
"The Most Dangerous Enemy for *ALL* your 3 3/4" action heroes!!"
*R.I.O.T.*
Rogue
Invader
Opposition
Teams!
Nicely 🤘
0:19 Captain Action!
Aw yeaah
Nice overview, but one correction: Hasbro didn’t buy Palitoy in 1985. Palitoy was owned by General Mills who in 1985 spun their toy division off into Kenner Parker Toys which was bought by Tonka in 1987. Hasbro then bought Tonka in 1991 which included Kenner and Palitoy
The plot thickens 😄👌 thanks for the info
my GI Joe knock off would be called, " mass produced propaganda plastic products of pop plunder, standard issue". lol
Not sure if it would perform well but if you pop an explosion on the card art you’re all good to go! 🤘😁
I appreciate General Patch not only being a GI Joe knockoff, but for also being a Nick Fury knockoff.
I remember that video when u went to go pick that guys stuff, good times!
Thanks buddy 😁
My knockoff line would've been called "Wrestling Champions!" 3 3/4 high quality wrestling figures with belts, robes, jackets & a ring w/h cage & announcers. I would've included an audience background with the ring & special stage setups for Characters talk show segments ( Piper's Pit, Funeral Parlor etc). It would've been a Great long lasting line with multiple Characters. A line that I've imagined since I was 6yrs old, and have created privately.👍🏾
I read in an article somewhere that it was a woman who purchased many of the GI Joe molds and made them black action figures. I'm guessing it was Bronze Bombers.
Yes Yla Eason she created Olmec toys to produce toys like Sunman, Bronze Bombers and more. I do think the purchase of the molds was for the 90s version of those