So not too long ago, while finishing up reading Action Comics#589 from John Byrne's run on Superman,
I went to go put it up on my comic book shelf. Well I just happened to notice the back of the comic, and I saw this:
Yep. American Defense. One of many truly cheap knock-offs of the popular GI Joe brand. What makes this one of, if not The ultimate rip-off of the Joes I think, is the advertising effort put forth by K-Mart. The dollar stores sure as hell don't advertise their knock-offs, but but then retail giant, K-Mart does. Huh. And I'm sure at the same time they were selling the real deal right next to each other on the store pegs. Crazy world we live I tell ya.
I never saw or played with these at the time, but I'm sure there's some you , ahem, older readers(coughRandomnerd, Shlomo, and Googumcough) that probably had or played with these.
Here's some examples of just how far the rip-off line went as far as went in copying the whole GI Joe experience:
Why there's even an archive site devoted specifically to these knock-off American heroes. Just crazy.
Finally, while I was browsing through my back issues of Wizard Magazine looking for an article, I picked up #101, and thumbed through it. To my surprise, on page 72, Some Wizard staffer mentioned that even back in February 2000(3 years before Daredevil, and 5 before Nolan re-energized the then broken franchise) Warner Bros were considering Affleck for the role as Batman. Take in account this was fresh off Affleck's performance in the blockbuster(wasn't it) movie Armageddon.
Wow. So I guess knowing that, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Affleck was always on Warner Bros. radar, just more know considering his roles and directorial performances in The Town and Argo. Damn.
Alright, that's me for this week.
Peace and chicken grease muthafuckasssssssssssssssss:)
12 comments:
Armageddon was fucken awful but Affleck still gets major props for Good Will Hunting, Boiler Room, Chasing Amy and of course Argo. yeah i remember those G.I.Joe knock offs i never bought any off them but somehow i ended up with the blue parachute guy minus the parachute. either i found him or someone gave him to me. as a toy line they weren't too bad actually they were very articulate which is always a big plus for action figures. hope you don't choke on that Dale.
I'm starting to wonder exactly how much older than you, in years, you think I am Dale? Careful now. Don't incur the wrath of the ginger.
I didn't have any of these. My mom didn't buy me any boy action figures (she was whacky like that) so I had Scarlet, and Princess Leia in multiple forms. And Barbie dolls, which let me tell you could do an excellent karate chop.
I do give Affleck props for the good stuff he's done. But the more his career goes on I think they're more like happy accidents. Like a monkey throwing poo, every once in a while he's gonna accurately plant one steaming pile write in someone's face. Okay, it's not a perfect metaphor, but hey...monkeys.
@Shlomo: Ha ha, not at all. But if I did, who'd go up and change your depends or give you some ensure for those dry days;)
Hey, it's not my fault you and Chuck(googum) are ten years older than me;)
@Ging: Alright, fine, I probably shouldn't have lumped you in the older category, even you are what, 4-5 years older than me?
Damn, hit a nerve and it wasn't even the one I was intending, ha!
Thanks for being good sports guys, you know I love you guys:)
As for Assflick, I think Ging might have something with that career theory. All I know is keep him the hell away from batman, which is decidedly not going to happen anytime soon. I'll watch the trailer when it comes out sure, but I truly don't see myself watching that trainwreck of a movie. I know me, and me wouldn't and doesn't, put up with that. Hell, I'd have preferred they went the Superman route, and cast an unknown.
AMEN!
And I was just kidding you about the age. :) I don't mind being older as long as I get to be prettier too.
Who wants to do their bit for humanity and help wish Rob Liefeld a happy birthday?
No?
Okay then, me neither[!]. I have the delightful tasks of carrying out cavity searches at work today and that seems MUCH more preferable.
Yay Cavity Searches! Yep. That felt much better than a Happy Birthday man who screwed up Captain America.
Random, I'm glad you feel like you do ginger, sexy has no age limits.
These knock offs pulled in a lot of green until it ran it's course or changed into Corps (who knows). But no toy line is greater or has the staying power of G.I.Joe.
the other power hitters are Transformers, Star Wars and yes Power Rangers. G.I.Joe is king of the mountain though, we kick ass and take no prisoners. That's just how we roll.
We never got those toys but we have $2 shops that now carry knock offs of everything. The Avengers, heck there's one package where Spider-Man is in a "Justice League" set. Like Diana would let in a dude who sticks to walls. I ask you, is that a power?
I didnt buy too many joes, they just seemed too dinky compared to transformers. My cousin did and he's in the SAS now while every time I bend a joint to 'transform' i break a hip, so I think there's a message for us all there.
Yeah, Dan. You're hardcore.
@Ging: You're still the preetiest one among us, so your crown is safe....until Dan gets a sex change and then you're on your own, lol.
@Dan: Do you just say bend a joint? (In my best internet Sam L voice)"You NEVER EVER, bend a motherfucking joint man!"
Ha ha, no I got yer point. Those early TF'ers were fragile and did break kinda easy. The Joes too sometimes. For awhile there I had my mom play doctor and unscrew whatever joes' rubberband snapped, and replaced it with a new one. A common wash machine one. Ahhh, those were the days. I quickly became an emergency tech myself, and soon mixed and match various joe parts like Dr. Frankenstein. Damn, those were the days....
We used to by clearance sale Joe's (the characters the stores could never sell), and melt parts of their bodies with cigarette lighters to give them realistic looking war wounds, then using sand and twigs etc, set up realistic looking dioramas of Joe's vs cobras in old goldfish bowls. They looked pretty cool :)
As for getting a sexchange lol I dont think that's on the to-do list, but it would be interesting to have that mutant power of having 'eyes in the back of my head' I'm always hearing about.
@Dan: Ha! I wish I was that clever back then. I pretty much just bashed em to death with rocks.
So yeah, your torture method sounds much better;)
Eyes in the back of your head eh?
What you do when you don't want 360 degree vision anymore?
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