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Category: G.I.Joe

G.I.Joe 

1986: The Event Horizon of My G.I. Joe Childhood

Serpentorslair Staff, , 0 comment

By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios To me, the best year of G.I. Joe is 1986. The combination of figures, playsets, and flat-out iconic awesomeness can’t be matched. 1985 does a great job trying, but forget it. 1986 is where it was at. By this point, I had seen so many movies in the horror and action genres that I had a pretty good idea of what real action actually looked like. I’m going to break down all of the different figures and playsets over the course of a…

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G.I.Joe 

1985 Continues Its Dominance Over My Imagination with the Vehicles and Playsets!

Serpentorslair Staff, , 0 comment

By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios The G.I.Joe figures of 1985 are often regarded as the best—or second best behind 1986—in my opinion. And the same goes for the vehicles and playsets. First off, we’ll address the elephant in the room: the aircraft carrier. It’s the biggest, most insane playset ever made for any toy—ever. It’s so large that most people I knew didn’t have it. Hell, I didn’t know anyone who had it until a few years later. That said, those who do have it often regard it…

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G.I.Joe 

Remembering a Storyteller of Heroes: The Life and Legacy of Gerry Conway in G.I. Joe

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The world of animation and comics has lost a true craftsman with the passing of Gerry Conway—a writer whose imagination helped shape generations of storytelling across television, comics, and beyond. While many fans recognize his legendary contributions to Marvel and DC Comics, including co-creating characters like The Punisher, his work on the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon remains a meaningful part of his creative legacy. Conway’s journey into writing began early. Born in 1952, he broke into the comic book industry as a teenager, quickly making a name…

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G.I.Joe 

1985 Opened Doors to My Imagination I Hadn’t Known Were There

Serpentorslair Staff, , 0 comment

By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios 1985 started having things outside of G.I. Joe influence my head canon. For instance, movies that hit VHS wound up on my TV, and despite being almost 6 years old, I was watching things like The Terminator, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The Terminator scared the crap out of me, to be honest—but I loved it. That handgun with the laser dot… ugh, give me that, I used to say. But also, 55 episodes of G.I. Joe were released…

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G.I.Joe 

Snake Eyes: How Silence Makes Him the GOAT in a Unique Way

Serpentorslair Staff, , , 1 Comment

Story By By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios One of the reasons Snake Eyes is the GOAT that many don’t realize is the magic behind his silence. I’ve often said that when naming favorite Marvel and DC comic characters, Snake Eyes should be in that conversation. He transcends the G.I. Joe brand and stands among notable pop culture icons. Hell, my mom knows who Snake Eyes is—and she’s a hairdresser born in the ’60s. First, Larry Hama should be recognized as the GOAT comic writer for creating a character…

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G.I. Joe Classified G.I.Joe 

My Out-of-Body Experience Getting a H.I.S.S. HasLab

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By Destro Designs and Viper Den Studios There are a lot of people who dislike HasLab’s for a few reasons that I actually understand: the price point, the upfront cash, the year-long wait, and the exclusive, snooty feeling of elitism. I get it. Truly, I do. But… they’re so motherf***ing awesome. Just totally awesome. When I started collecting Classifieds in 2024, it was only the H.I.S.S. and Dragonfly. No-brainer which one I wanted. It was running around $500–$600 on Etsy, and I thought, “Eh, I’ll just get some Gridiron stuff.”…

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G.I.Joe 

1984 G.I. Joe: Dropping Iconic Figures Like It’s Nothing

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By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios After being completely bowled over by the Joes I got in 1983, my entire soul was ready for the absolute FIRE that ’84 brought. Legitimately, some of the most recognizable Joes—outside of Snake Eyes, Destro, and Cobra Commander—came out in ’84. The Baroness, Cobra’s Head of Intelligence and muse to Destro, came in with beauty and a whole DON’T MESS WITH ME attitude and voice. She sounded unhinged with that laugh, and her eyes matched it. I snatched her up for sure, along…

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G.I. Joe Classified G.I.Joe 

A Bittersweet Farewell and a Bold New Beginning in Toy Design G.I. Joe Classified Says Goodbye to Lenny!

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After two decades of creativity and collaboration at Hasbro, a beloved designer bids farewell to an era defined by iconic work on Spider-Man, Transformers, and the groundbreaking G.I. Joe Classified series. Now, with heartfelt gratitude for the community and colleagues who made the journey unforgettable, they step into an exciting new chapter with Boss Fight Studio, ready to build fresh worlds and push creative boundaries. After 20 incredible years, I’m stepping away from Hasbro and onto a new adventure with Boss Fight Studio, a decision that felt right for me…

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