HCC788 - 1990 TOPSIDE! Weird G.I. Joe action figure review!

Winterfest: e/4V0uAT2N9
JoeFest: www.joefestusa...
hcc788.com/
Patreon: / hcc788
Facebook: / hcc788
Instagram: / hcc788
Threads: www.threads.ne...
Bluesky: bsky.app/profi...
Topside on YoJoe.com:
www.yojoe.com/...
Topside on 3DJoes.com:
www.3djoes.com...
After Action Report vol 1, Roger Taft & Josh Eggebeen, Rising Sun Publishing Group, 2021
G.I. Joe Collector's Book, Hasbro, Inc., Pawtucket, RI, 1993.
The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe, 3rd ed., Mark Bellomo, Krause Publications, Stevens Point, WI, 2018
The Art of G.i. joe, R. Carson Mataxis and Chad Hucal, Locomotion Media Group, 2023
Creating G.I. Joe, vol 2, Dan Klingensmith, Steel City Publishing, Chandler AZ, 2016
"Peter Twist, Historical Consultant," Historical Twist,
historicaltwis...
"Mae West - Vest," National Naval Aviation Museum,
www.history.na...
Mae West:
en.wikipedia.o...
Image:
By Unknown journalist photographer - Los Angeles Times Archive, Public Domain, commons.wikime...
Topside on HalfBattle.com:
www.halfbattle....
An Officer and a Gentleman:
www.imdb.com/t...
Topside on JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page:
www.myuselessk...
Now You Know: The Unauthorized Guide to G.I. joe TV & Comics, Lars Pearson,
Mad Norwegian Press, Des Moines, IA, 2002
Topside on JoePedia:
gijoe.fandom.c...
Larry Hama:
en.wikipedia.o...
Image;
By Alex Lozupone - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
commons.wikime...
Spider-Man (2002) Columbia Pictures

[@martinvasquez818]

Wow! Really?! Ten years! Congratulations! 🥳🥳🥳👏👏👏👏

[@benjaminkitaura498]

Topside is basically the Navy and Gi Joe version of Scrap Iron. It’s a good figure especially if you have the battle platform or the USS Flag or the Killer Whale.

[@christianhafer9819]

Fantastic figure.

[@TK-yz3wt]

Also during this time frame, late 80s to early 90s there was a cap firing gimmick used in some toylines before the missile launcher gimmick. Bravestar, Cops and Robocop had toys with the cap firing gimmick. Cops had one character's last name Sneeden whose file card said he was related to a member of special missions force: Beachead's son. TF had Marisa Fairborne who is implied to be Flint's daughter.

[@casonnelson6947]

Fantastic review! Speaking as a former seaman (Merchant Marine), the unpainted clasps on the life vest are pretty accurate, as such clasps are usually either vinyl coated or plastic of the same color. I hope you enjoy Kentucky! You won't be too far from me. I'd love to meet you, but my National Guard unit drills that weekend.

[@ludicrousslim]

Were they standard issue, along with grey sweatpants and a 4' piece of rope?

[@DareDevilDave75]

This review was great, but I’ve got to see that Blowtorch review! Blowtorch, and the Vamp II where my first toys in the Joe line. They are what set all of this craziness in motion.

[@alfredpedneau9598]

He should have had 2 more accessory !!! Like a 9 mil and a Rambo knife !!!

[@raycerx87]

Happy ten years, HCC788!

[@andrewandrew4568]

Congratulations on the video and hitting 10 years. Your videos and livestreams are great. Thanks.

[@lesteralvarez903]

Good review Commander! Hopefully you can review Blowtorch on the next pole. Yo Joe....

[@cyberius7042]

I just started getting into GI Joe in 89, and Topside was one of my first figures. He was the closest to a "plain" Navy man available at the time and his accessories were practical and fairly realistic. A finepoint sharpie to the eyes fixed his major issue for me.

[@the80sguy80]

Congrats on 10 years of your channel. I love watching your videos, and I must say you are by far one of my favorite youtube personalities. I would`ve liked to hear about those pork chop sandwiches, but maybe its that Marty Mcfly vest? There are alot of BTTF fans. Enjoyed the shout out to Les Nessman. Great review as always... 🫡

[@Transfixed]

I definitely left poor Topside on the pegs several times when browsing the toy aisle. But i appreciate him more as an adult and wish i'd gotten him.

[@mechaplatypus82]

Next weekend in Shep? That's 20 minutes from Louisville. See you there dude!

[@JonasGreenFethr]

“Scut Farkus! What a rotten name! We were trapped. There he stood, between us and the alley. Scut Farkus staring out at us with his yellow eyes. He had yellow eyes! So help me, God! Yellow eyes!”

[@ShaneBrayla-ed9qz]

I can’t remember if we did this with Metal-Head but with Topsides Bach pack we put the springs from a ballpoint pen in it to launch his missals

[@frogpond119]

def used this backpack as a jetpack as a kid

[@jeffbutler6564]

According to G. I. Joe: The Movie that missile can be used as an accessory for Chuckles to throw 😉 Not sure when I last read Topside’s file card but it must’ve been ages ago. I’ll definitely remember his background now. Thanks for a fun review! 🙌

[@CountryBwoy]

I always assumed that the extra missile/accessories were to replace one of you lost it. Like the extra button on a nice shirt

[@christianbrix4311]

Another top-notch review, and I love that you gave him yellow eyes in the thumbnail! I also noticed an excellent quote that rivals "Don't google Airtight!" in awesomeness: "Companionship?!?" "Squee!!! Squee!!!"

[@nickfrancis]

Let me get this right, the Patreons voted for "blonde eyes"?🤦🏾 Well congratulations on ten years, been with you the whole time brother!👍🏾

[@lauramileo03]

Good to have you back

[@Spring_Loaded_GIJOE]

Awesome review Brian! I too cannot stand his yellow eyes lol! I do love his accessories though, although I find it just as strange as you do that they included a 3rd missile with nowhere to place it. 🤔😂

[@GammaFitInc]

This is the only Joe figure from my hometown (Fort Wayne Indiana). I've always wondered if the makers at Hasbro had any direct or indirect connection to FW in the same way they chose file names and code names

[@peteoconnell3012]

If i remember right sailors would get tattoos of pigs and chicken on their feet as a sign of luck if a ship went down. Henceforth the reference to pigs with this character

[@violagreene4643]

Loved your Les Nessman reference.

[@user-do2ev2hr7h]

I guess you could always explain the eyes by saying he had jaundice.

[@wraith6776]

The eyes would have to be my biggest complaint.

[@leegray99]

Well done on ten years, I been subscribed for 8 of those 10

[@glennrobbins2372]

My son had him, and I thought he looked more like the classic Adventure Team Air Adventurer. Had he had red hair than the blonde, he would've been the 3 3/4 version of the Sea Adventurer.

[@timh3794]

Ten years brother! Thank you for everything! But damn I can’t not hear “Aflack” every single time u say “back pack”

[@Phantasia_Workshop]

Nice stinger for those who sit through the end credits 😂

[@J.dioramas]

Great show

[@thesavageland8815]

Great review CoCo on a not so great character. Yet I wouldn't mind having in my collection. Shout out to TOP SIDE I guy who can get uppercut and not even budge. Lol😂

[@Beer-can_full_of_toes]

I love how you blame the members for making you do this review lol I always liked Topside. I traded with a kid on the school bus to get mine because I liked him and couldn’t find him in stores. Yes I was also a kid back then. I agree he is a weird character though.

[@Jtr_ceral_killer]

the OG Torpedo, deep six, shripwreck and adm. keel-haul were better representations of the Navy. not once in my navy career did i see anyone dress like Topside. hated that Hasbro moved away from the more traditional aspects of G.I.Joe.

[@user-si9fx4xb6v]

@Jtr_ceral_killer: I agree, it is really stunning just how far Hasbro got away from the more realistic military colors in the 1990's. Glad that every now and again, we got action figures that proper military colors, like Big Ben or Duke version 4.

[@christianhafer9819]

Top tier figure! I'm not crazy on the yellow eyes, honestly, but it doesn't ruin an otherwise exceptional figure. Really excellent.

[@johnsoehnlen4781]

Absolutely agree. It's a perfect Navy figure.

[@christianhafer9819]

@@johnsoehnlen4781 There he is! How've you been?

[@johnsoehnlen4781]

@@christianhafer9819 Doing ok. I've been working a lot plus clearing undergrowth in my woodlands. Plus slowly building up a few collections. I acquired a Sharc. Battle Platform, Skystriker, Dragonfly, Mauler, Whale, and vehicle drivers recently. Plus a Storage Shell Raphael. I'm trying to figure out how to start displaying stuff.

[@christianhafer9819]

@johnsoehnlen4781 You got a Killer Whale, or just the driver's? If so, how much was that? I need a Mauler. I have all the Storage Shell Turtles.

[@johnsoehnlen4781]

@@christianhafer9819 The Whale and Cutter were about $70 with maybe 3 items missing. One of the coolest vehicles there. The Mauler came with Heavy Metal and it's only missing 1 piece. It's better than the Mobat in my opinion.

[@jameswhite4370]

Hello HCC788 I'm a pig collector of the o-ring joes

[@ZimMan2]

looking at the existing paint apps, it would have been easy for them to cut the gray and use brown for both the rope belt and his eyes. very strange decisions here indeed.

[@kikacruz4560]

Cutter, Topside, Shipwreck

[@Slaytanica666]

I never thought he was a bad a Joe though, and I started in ‘84 (3 years old haha) I actually thought the colors weren’t too bad and the outfit looked like it could have come out in ‘86-‘88. He wasn’t HORRIBLE at least. I did have him with Cutter on the Whale normally. But the Yellow Eyes looked bad…he should have had Baby Blues.

[@leighneil]

Happy new year Hoddie Co Co!

[@Pegwarmers]

Happy New Year Hoodie!

[@Taffer-bx7uc]

That file card....

[@alfredpedneau9598]

What was the Vote count ???

[@Snowmation]

Those poor pigs. lol

[@robertsinfiniterealms1308]

I always kind of thought Topside was cool. Simple yet. Love the missel launcher. Mine did not have the extra missle (packing error?) and I never knew he had one until well into the 2000’s.

[@jedi69outcast]

When you do figure reviews you should match them to vehicles you think they would either pilot or drive or maybe be a good gunman or gun woman on maybe technical support as well

[@PookelyP]

Hello Hooded Cobra Commander🐍

[@CheapestBigSpender]

Surprised you didn't use the SNL Sean Connery "catch the....." clip

[@G7M9W]

For me, from day one Topside has always been one of the biggest "meh" figures of the line. There's nothing really "wrong" with the sculpt, but nothing right either. His uniform just seems too random too me (especially the Elly May rope belt). And, yeah, the yellow eyes. It was off putting not being able to see his eyes in the 1990 catalogue. As for the third rocket, that's for kids who'd lost Boba Fett's a decade earlier, of course!

[@mercedogre]

I think he makes a good pilot for the Devilfish

[@sirkowski]

Did he lose his belt?

[@Straight0uttaCrofton]

that third rocket goes into the bomb & missile rack on the U.S.S. Flagg

[@batandjoefan8108]

Topside looks more like a coastie to me.

[@at-atchinguns1680]

Love it.

[@WWJD85]

Topside raised the pigs that were used to make porkchop sandwiches.

[@vcry51394]

Does anyone know if Topside’s backpack was included with any other figure or anything else (e.g. an accessories Battle Pack) at some point after his initial release? That backpack seems very familiar to me, but I don’t recall ever owning the figure (unless he was so bland that I just forgot I ever bought him).

[@jamiesands3331]

I remember buying like a dozen of these figures so our Flagg had more NAVY personnel.

[@jondukes7025]

They should have used the blue from the shirt for the eyes. On a second note, all the flair on your vest reminds me of the character from the movie Office Space. That characters name was…..Brian.

[@whozyourdaddy]

Sounds like a case of the Mondays.

[@torpedo8384]

Yellow eyes, so he’s a Soong type android obviously.

[@lukerothermel]

Do blow torch please

[@alexavani6165]

its a spare missle. His friend holds it.

[@MN-JUGGALOfam]

Ok at least we got him done and out the way...... I had 3 topside figure from a birthday one year so I've been done and over him since lol.... who r u doin next hcc788?

[@TerryTurner]

😎👍

[@xazylsclubhouse]

Great review on a less than great figure 😅

[@at-atchinguns1680]

I always wondered why 3 missles.

[@kaylemathewcomendador6964]

Your Patrons chose this guy over Mr. Porkchop Sandwiches meme guy? That’s kinda weird, as Topside ain’t the most well known Joe. Maybe they wanted a fairly obscure figure tackled that day. He’s kinda basic looking, but there’s nothing wrong with a basic looking character once in a while. Most collectors I’ve encountered treat him more like a army builder to hang out in places like the USS Flagg due to his basic look, although some swapping heads from other figures with him. Probably due to them finding an army of blonde eyed characters also kinda weird. I wonder why they didn’t consider using the blue paint for his shirt to give him blue eyes… And that file card makes it sound like he’s a hillbilly that wrestles pigs in his free time.

[@JCC1004]

I think the Pateron supporters always pick the goofball opinion just to confuse you. 😂

[@Kanas83]

I was born in Ft. Wayne

[@WWJD85]

So Scut Farkus joined GI Joe?

[@lukerothermel]

8years still no blow torch review

[@k-dawgbroadcasting5444]

How could you do this review and not go Deliverance? "Squeal like a pig boy!"

[@johnramey333]

greetings commander. great review as always. but i must bring to your attention.... codra commander issue 1 by image comics. please read asap

[@johnramey333]

cobra *

[@thousandwolves952]

If his helmat had a visor ot antenae it would have been wayyyy cooler.

[@DreamMadeProductions]

Here is to another 10 years! I honestly don't remember this guy and never had him. The blonde eye is really weird and is distracting. Otherwise the figure is really nice and would have been one I would have liked.

[@jameswhite4370]

I ment big collector lol

[@Helspar06]

The rope bit on the figure is probably supposed to be part of the life jacket, though implemented poorly. You probably wouldn't want to wear an actual floatation device into combat, usually that rope is supposed to hold it down to your chest so it doesn't float up over your head if you end up in the water.

[@VirginPrince]

Yellow eyes? Dude's got hepatitis.

[@gavinhelgeson2880]

I took a shot every time I heard … yellow eyes

[@lo1bo2]

I count seven colors on the figure plus flesh tone (yellow, light blue, white, orange, light gray, dark gray, and black), yet somehow the entire presentation doesn't do much for me.

[@curseoffenrir]

Heh the prototype has a peg leg. You know what they say, you don't eat a good pig all at once...

[@joshua2814]

I had yellow eyes once, but to be fair it was the whites of my eyes and I did end up in the hospital for that. 🙄

[@jonathanulrich4905]

If only his helmet looked like the file card.assault seaman! That’s unfortunate.is that a rope holding his pants up? Just seems like a forgettable Joe.

[@jeremyp7013]

I just don't know. Lots of talk about hot weiners seamen and stuff

[@campbellruleV1kiwiGI]

Topside is cool 😎 but my god the eyes 👀 are out the gate

[@kevingallagher188]

Ridiculous people who write about Fort Wayne as if it's Smallville. Learn about the place before you create such snobbish material. Fort Wayne is a large City.

[@lo1bo2]

I assumed his family's farm was in a rural area, and Fort Wayne was the closest city. But it could have been written more clearly.