Transcript: G.I. Joe

Bif Bam Pow Wow
Episode “G.I. Joe”

Tom: Every since there were Barbie dolls for girls boys had to have their own dolls, action figure’s, and they’re probably just to keep us from undressing our sisters Barbie’s. Today we take a look at the action figure that started it all.
Welcome collectors and assorted man-children two another exciting episode of Bif Bam Pow Wow, I am Tom your anatomically correct and fully articulated host. Now once upon a time back when everything was still black and white we boys only had sticks and stones to play with. Then all along came a doll, a doll with razor stubble, guns, grenades, and the Kung fu grip. The year was 1964 and that doll was the baby Jesus, know it was actually G.I. Joe and it only felt like the second coming.
The world changed overnight and it is only gotten cooler and more fun ever since. Good Ol' Joe made it not only acceptable but necessary for us guys to spend pour entire allowance and every rainy day playing with dolls. Alright action figure is, don’t be so sensitive, dude come on. It did not take long for others and Hasbro to see the potential and G.I. Joe soon shocked the nation and awed parents and kids with its array of tie ins and accessories.
Now let’s get right to Tommy’s picks and pans, alright? I want to talk about Joe, past, present and maybe even see what the future holds. OK my fine feathered friends with Paramount finally regressing on a live action G.I. Joe film slated for 09, there’s going to be plenty of new merchandise tie ins. But for now I would like to mention some of my own G.I. Joe picks.
The first thing I want to talk about is G.I. Joe The Real American Hero issue number 21 from Marvel comics, it is the silent issue. Snake Eyes rescuing Scarlet from Storm Shadow, it is the first appearance of Storm Shadow it is ninja action all the way, so good, totally silent and action packed. Waaa!
Alright I also want to mention something that is near and dear to my heart, the G.I. Joe cartoon. We all remember it right? You come home from school, you sit on the couch and you watch G.I. Joe, the lasers flying everywhere and nobody getting shot, the planes exploding in the parachute coming down. It is like how did that guy not die? How does nobody die?
Oh, I also want to mention the G.I. Joe collector’s club exclusives. They are from Hasbro; they put these out in limited edition reproduction accessory sets for club members only. And this Green Beret set came out in 2007 in a run of only 1200 they’re awesome and instantly collectible.
Folks I cannot do a show without panning something, you know me right, well by now you do right? G.I. Joe, Transformers. It is a four issue limited series from Marvel and boy is it bad. Just really avoid it like the plague. Spend your dollars elsewhere, it is just so lame the art is lame, the read is lame, and the dialog is terrible. They just kind of forced the Joes together and the Transformers and it kind of works and absolutely no way at all.
If you have the original, I love this part, ladies and gentlemen believe it or not issue number 155 of G.I. Joe The Real American Hero which is the last issue in the entire G.I. Joe run is actually worth more than an issue number one. Shocked? I knew you would be, that is right, the print run on issue number 155 is a fraction of the print run on issue number one, so it is worth an exceptional amount more. We’re talking like probably $50.
Now folks I hope you have all your permission slip signed so passed them forward because we are going to take a little field trip to me an ultra cool family of G.I. Joe collectors.
Ron Biallas: Hi, I am Ron Biallas and this is my son Joe and my wife Beth, we are part of the G.I. Joe collectors club of Chicago, and yes we collect G.I. Joe and actually play with them. We actually play G.I. Joe’s together in the backyard here and this summer we made a new big building, like a world war two scene and we have an actual Germans in there that the G.I. Joes are coming to attack.
Beth: We love playing with G.I. Joes, we’ll of collecting them, and it is a wonderful way to teach your children about history as well as develop their imagination.
Ron Biallas: This is the Pearl Harbor series, this guy here is supposed to be an Israel soldier, you have got Grant right here, you have got Patton, you have got Eisenhower, and I have got them all. Hey Tom I got this at Graham Crackers it is the G.I. Joe jersey. My adventure team vehicle, that was awesome it just made the whole collection that is what it is all about right here.
Beth: If you are a local and you’re in the Chicago area and GI Joe interests you as much as it interests us please join us every second Saturday of the month at the Chamber public library from 10:00 until 12:00 to talk about G.I. Joe and play G.I. Joe, if you are not local than you can access information on the web through the national G.I. Joe club.
Joe: You can go to www.Mastercollector.com.
It is always good to meet kindred spirits we must arrange a play date with them some time, hmm. Well that is all we have for this episode of Romperroom, I’m going to leave you with a quote from the immortal Sergeant Slaughter, give your hearts to America Joes because your butts belong to me.