vintage action figures Archives - Serpentor's Lair

We Had It So Good. So, So Good. – Part 1

July 27, 2026July 27, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s culture, 1980s memories, 1980s nostalgia, 80s kids, 80s toys, BMX bikes, Destro Designs, G.I. Joe, Gen X childhood, growing up in the 80s, Laser Tag, nostalgic storytelling, retro childhood, retro toys, Saturday morning cartoons, Stranger Things, toy collecting, Transformers, vintage action figures, Viper Den Studios1 Comment

By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios This last week I saw so much ’80s toy content in my timeline that I couldn’t help but think we had it so, so good. People have been saying it for years, and to a certain extent that’s exactly why Stranger Things became such a phenomenon. The show absolutely nailed what it felt like to grow up in the 1980s. Honestly, the early ’90s were just an extension of the ’80s—with worse clothes and, largely, worse music. The thing that really got me…

Realm of Eternia - Masters of the Universe

1983 Masters Of The Universe Vehicles Ranked on HALF THE BATTLE!

July 18, 2026July 18, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s toys, 1983 toys, 80s nostalgia, action figure collecting, Battle Cat, Battle Ram, Destro Designs, Eternia, Half The Battle, He-Man collectors, He-Man toys, He-Man vehicles, Masters of The Universe, Masters of the Universe 1983, Masters of the Universe review, Masters of the Universe vehicles, Mattel Masters of the Universe, MOTU, MOTU 1983, MOTU rankings, MOTU vehicles ranked, Panthor, retro toys, Skeletor, toy collecting, toy nostalgia, vintage action figures, vintage He-Man toys, vintage MOTU, Viper Den Studios, Wind Raider, YouTube toy review0 comment

On this weekends episode of Half The Battle, We rank All 1983 Masters of The Universe Vehicles! Check out this week’s video below and join in the conversation. And as always be sure and subscribe to my YouTube channel for all my latest videos!

Before the Algorithm Invaded the Toy Aisle: Was Action Figure Collecting Better Before Social Media?

July 15, 2026July 15, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1990s action figures, action figure collecting, action figure communities, action figure forums, Action Figure Hobby, Action Figure Insider, collecting before social media, collecting culture, collector community, early 2000s toy collecting, Fwooshnet, G.I. Joe collectors, He-Man.org, internet forums nostalgia, Nostalgic toy collecting, online toy forums, Raving Toy Maniac, Rebelscum, social media algorithms, social media influencers, Star Wars collecting, TFW2005, toxicity in collecting, toy collecting influencers, toy trading communities, Transformers collectors, vintage action figures, vintage toy collecting, vintage toy websites, YoJoe.com0 comment

I still remember when finding another serious action figure collector felt like discovering a hidden outpost. It was the late 1990s, the modem was screaming, the family computer occupied half a desk, and a single photograph of a new figure could take forever to load. Yet those slow evenings online felt exciting. There were no influencers posing beside walls of free products. There were no ten-minute reaction videos uploaded seconds after a reveal. There were only fans, message boards, and the shared thrill of finally locating someone who understood why…

The Toys Every Kid Wanted… But Never Actually Saw in Stores

May 11, 2026May 11, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s action figures, 1980s toy stores, 1980s toys, 80s nostalgia, 80s pop culture nostalgia, classic toy lines, Dino-Riders T Rex, forgotten 80s toys, hard to find 80s toys, He-Man rare figures, M.A.S.K. Thunderhawk, rare 80s toys, Rare G.I. Joe Figures, rare Masters of the Universe toys, rare vintage toys, Real Ghostbusters Slime Pit, retro toy collecting, SilverHawks toys, TMNT Technodrome, toy hunting in the 1980s, Toys R Us memories, Transformers Jetfire, USS Flagg, vintage action figures, vintage Transformers0 comment

In the 1980s, some toys became “shelf ghosts” not because kids imagined them, but because the toy aisle worked against them. A figure like G.I. Joe Sgt. Slaughter was not originally a normal retail release at all; YOJOE notes that he was available through Hasbro Direct mail order in early 1986, then only returned “on and off” from 1987 through 1989. Larger toys had their own problems: Snake Mountain was a big villain headquarters playset, the Technodrome was a huge 1990 TMNT playset at the height of Turtlemania, and Dino-Riders’…

12-Inch Comeback: Rediscovering G.I. Joe’s Forgotten Giants from 2009!

May 19, 2025May 19, 2025 Serpentorslair Staff2009 G.I. Joe toys, ARAH Short-Fuze, G.I. Joe 12 inch figures, G.I. Joe Chuckles Cobra Island, G.I. Joe collecting 2000s, G.I. Joe custom figures, G.I. Joe Outpost series, G.I. Joe Storm Shadow figure, G.I. Joe Storm Shadow unmasked, G.I. Joe uniform swap, movie G.I. Joe figures, retro G.I. Joe figures, Rise of Cobra G.I. Joe, Snowjob G.I. Joe, vintage action figures0 comment

Story By Mitchell Smith Welcome to The Outpost. Today I’m rolling it back a bit when GI Joe along with other companies still made 12 inch figures. In 2009 “The Rise of Cobra” was released along with several cool 3-3/4 inch figures and vehicles both from the movie along with some classic characters from our childhood such as Chuckles from the assault on Cobra Island pack. Along with these were also some really cool 12 inch figures from the Movie as well as figures based on the ARAH line like…

Ambush and Memories: The Last Christmas of G.I. Joe at The Outpost

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025 Serpentorslair Staff1990 G.I. Joe, 90s G.I. Joe toys, Aaron McMahon G.I. Joe, Ambush action figure, Ambush figure camo tent, Ambush G.I. Joe cartoon, Ambush G.I. Joe comics, Ambush G.I. Joe figure, Ambush infantryman G.I. Joe, childhood G.I. Joe memories, classic G.I. Joe characters, G.I. Joe 1990 figures, G.I. Joe Ambush, G.I. Joe Christmas memories, G.I. Joe Classified Series Ambush, G.I. Joe nostalgia, G.I. Joe Outpost, G.I. Joe toy collecting, G.I. Joe toy memories, G.I. Joe Walnut CA, original Ambush figure, vintage action figures, vintage G.I. Joe figures1 Comment

Story by Mitchell Smith Welcome to The Outpost. Today I’m dialing it back to 1990. I was entering high school and my G.I. Joe days were slowly fading away. I think my mom still felt bad for years we didn’t get much for Christmas or maybe she was just hanging on to her little boy. Either way this was the last year I would receive GI Joes for Christmas. It was only a handful of figures and one I received is a fan favorite. Ambush was a really cool looking…

Half The Battle

Exploring Venom’s Jackhammer – A Classic Vehicle from Kenner’s M.A.S.K. Toy Line!

February 22, 2025February 22, 2025 Serpentorslair Staff1980s cartoons, 80s toys, action figure vehicles, classic toy reviews, Half The Battle, Kenner M.A.S.K., Kenner vehicles, M.A.S.K. Jackhammer, M.A.S.K. toys, M.A.S.K. vs. Venom, retro toys, toy collecting, toy review, Venom Jackhammer, vintage action figures0 comment

On this weekend episode of Half The Battle we discuss Venom’s Jackhammer vehicle from Kenner’s MASK toy line! Be sure and join in the conversation in the comments below. And as always be sure and like share and subscribe to my YouTube channel if that’s your thing!

The Red Shadows – G.I. Joe’s Action Force Villains! ToyKennections Spotlight

February 22, 2025February 22, 2025 Serpentorslair Staff80s toys, Action Force, Action Force villains, Baron Ironblood, classic action figures, Cobra’s predecessor, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe history, G.I. Joe villains, Ken ToyKennections, Palitoy, retro toys, The Red Shadows, toy collecting, Toy Reviews, ToyKennections, vintage action figures0 comment

Today Ken from ToyKennections gives us a look at G.I. Joe’s Action Force mortal Enemy The Red Shadows! Check out the video below and share your thoughts with us in the comments. As always be sure to subscribe to ToyKennections channel on YouTube for all of Ken’s latest videos!

G.I.Joe Half The Battle

Half The Battle: Exploring the Legacy of G.I. Joe’s Steeler!

February 11, 2025February 11, 2025 Serpentorslair Staff80s Cartoons, classic G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe 1982, G.I. Joe A Real American Hero, G.I. Joe characters, G.I. Joe collectors, G.I. Joe history, Half The Battle, military toys, MOBAT tank, Steeler, Toy Reviews, vintage action figures, YouTube toy channels0 comment

On this week’s episode of Half The Battle we discuss one of the original G.I. Joe Characters, “Steeler“! Be sure and join in the conversation in the comments below. And as always be sure and like share and subscribe to my YouTube channel if that’s your thing!

The Breaking News Report

Exploring the History of the 1980s M.A.S.K. Toy Line “PART 2” with ToyKennections

December 21, 2024December 21, 2024 Serpentorslair Staff1980s M.A.S.K. toys, 80s toy nostalgia, classic 80s toys, collectible 80s toys, Ken ToyKennections, Ken’s MASK history video, MASK action figures, MASK cartoon and toys, MASK Rhino vehicle, MASK toy line history, MASK toy video, MASK toys explained, MASK toys fan video, MASK vehicles and figures, Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, retro toy breakdown, toy reviews YouTube, ToyKennections YouTube channel, vintage action figures, vintage toy collections0 comment

Today is “PART 2” of Ken from ToyKennections break down the rich history of the 1980’s MASK Toy lineup! Check out the video below and share your thoughts with us in the comments. As always be sure to subscribe to ToyKennections channel on YouTube for all of Ken’s latest videos!

The Breaking News Report

Exploring the History of the 1980s M.A.S.K. Toy Line with ToyKennections

December 7, 2024December 7, 2024 Serpentorslair Staff1980s M.A.S.K. toys, 80s toy nostalgia, classic 80s toys, collectible 80s toys, Ken ToyKennections, Ken’s MASK history video, MASK action figures, MASK cartoon and toys, MASK Rhino vehicle, MASK toy line history, MASK toy video, MASK toys explained, MASK toys fan video, MASK vehicles and figures, Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, retro toy breakdown, toy reviews YouTube, ToyKennections YouTube channel, vintage action figures, vintage toy collections0 comment

Today Ken from ToyKennections breaks down the rich history of the 1980’s MASK Toy lineup! Check out the video below and share your thoughts with us in the comments. As always be sure to subscribe to ToyKennections channel on YouTube for all of Ken’s latest videos!

The Breaking News Report

Exploring the 80s BRAVESTARR Toy Line with ToyKennections’ Ken

October 20, 2024October 21, 2024 Serpentorslair Staff1980s toy lines, 80s toy review, BRAVESTARR collectibles, BRAVESTARR figures, BRAVESTARR Marshall Bravestarr, BRAVESTARR toy line, BRAVESTARR video review, classic 80s toys, Ken ToyKennections, retro toy review, retro toys YouTube channel, ToyKennections YouTube, vintage action figures0 comment

Today Ken from ToyKennections gives us a look at the 80s BRAVESTARR toy line! Check out the video below and share your thoughts with us in the comments. As always be sure to subscribe to ToyKennections channel on YouTube for all of Ken’s latest videos!

Realm of Eternia - Masters of the Universe

Toy Origins: The History of MOTU Zoar and Screeech!

September 21, 2024September 24, 2024 Serpentorslair StaffAction figure review, classic MOTU figures, He-Man toys, Ken toy collector, Ken ToyKennections, Masters of The Universe, Masters of the Universe figures, Masters of the Universe review, Mattel, MOTU, MOTU collectors, MOTU toys video, MOTU Zoar Screech, Screech figure, toy collecting, toy review YouTube, ToyKennections, ToyKennections YouTube, vintage action figures, vintage MOTU toys, Zoar and Screech figures, Zoar figure0 comment

Today Ken from ToyKennections gives us a look at the classic Mattel Masters Of The Universe Zoar and Screech Figures! Check out the video below and share your thoughts with us in the comments. As always be sure to subscribe to ToyKennections channel on YouTube for all of Ken’s latest videos!

The Origins of the 1987 G.I. Joe Figure and Character ‘Big Boa’

September 11, 2024September 12, 2024 Serpentorslair Staff1980s action figures, 1987 G.I. Joe figures, 25th Anniversary G.I. Joe, Big Boa, Big Boa G.I. Joe origins, Cobra drill instructor, Cobra figures, Cobra organization, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe characters, G.I. Joe collectors, G.I. Joe history, G.I. Joe legacy, G.I. Joe toy line, G.I. Joe toys, G.I. Joe villains, Hasbro, Rocky Balboa, Sgt. Slaughter, vintage action figures0 comment

The 1980s were a golden era for action figures, with Hasbro’s G.I. Joe line at the forefront of the toy industry. Among the many memorable characters introduced in the G.I. Joe universe, Big Boa stands out as one of the most unique and intriguing. Released in 1987, Big Boa was the Cobra organization’s brutish drill instructor, tasked with whipping new recruits into shape with his fierce training regimens. But how did this character come to be, and what was the story behind his creation? Concept and Development The character of…

Unveiling the Legacy of the 1980s Centurions Toy Line and Cartoon Series!

August 8, 2024August 10, 2024 Serpentorslair Staff1980s animated series, 1980s Centurions, 1980s pop culture, 1980s toys, 80s nostalgia, Ace McCloud, animated TV shows, Centurions action figures, Centurions cartoon series, Centurions characters, Centurions toy line, classic cartoons, Collectible toys, Crystal Kane, customizable action figures, Doc Terror, exo-frame technology, futuristic themes, Jake Rockwell, Kenner Products, kids' cartoons, Max Ray, multimedia franchises, Power Xtreme, retro toys, Ruby-Spears Productions, science fiction toys, toy and TV synergy, toy history, vintage action figures0 comment

The 1980s stand as a golden era for animated television shows and their accompanying toy lines. One that stands out is “The Centurions: Power Xtreme,” a series that left an indelible mark on many childhoods. A unique blend of high-tech adventure and imaginative play, the Centurions encapsulated the era’s fascination with technology and heroism. Let’s dive into the origins, concept, and impact of this remarkable series. The genesis of the Centurions toy line and cartoon series is a testament to the collaborative spirit of the 1980s entertainment industry. The brainchild…