87-88 are my favorite years for GI JOE! Lots of underrated stuff from this era!
@DasNordlicht914 ай бұрын
The Iron Grenadiers might probably have the best unifying design aesthetic for a subgroup in terms of figures and vehicles. The black/gold/red color scheme really fits them to a T.
@daviddalrymple22844 ай бұрын
This series is the next best thing to having the toys themselves. Thanks Michael!
@thebluelibra56864 ай бұрын
Awesome presentation, 1988 was right in the heyday of my childhood, so many great memories collecting these toys and playing with friends. It was my pleasure to restore and donate the BUGG to the 80's Toy Museum, along with Secto and the Hydro Vipers.
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks again! It was fun taking it out to the lake and getting some pics and video of it in its natural element.
@Gokou644 ай бұрын
Finally!! :) Love this series, looking forward for 1989!! :) Thank you Michael!
@RelaxIntoOblivion17 күн бұрын
What an amazing amount of work you put into these videos. Classified Series has brought me into GI Joe and all the great things that come with it. The fanbase really pours a great deal of love back into the franchise. Thanks for your hard work.
@shuey92994 ай бұрын
A blast from the past. I had several of these in 1988. Great episode!! 👍
@evilsdemise12874 ай бұрын
The toy line's best days may have been in the rearview mirror, but those commercial jingles (if you can call them that, they're more like 80s rock jams) made me want to get a mullet and go to the gym in my neon spandex! That underwater footage was awesome btw, great video all around!
@MnemonicSyntax4 ай бұрын
I don't even like GI Joe, and I love these retrospectives you do. Even for other lines I don't care about! Keep up the great work Michael!
@moyoamadi44564 ай бұрын
Awesome video Mr Mercy!!!!! The figures and vehicles are truly amazing and those commercial jingles are too good lol 😅
@garinsparks70414 ай бұрын
I was out on GI JOE & Transformers in 87. These have been INCREDIBLE learning about everything after I " Grew Up" THANK YOU Michael!!!
@JMK154 ай бұрын
1988 was a tremendous year. Love the commercial commentary and song drops.
@boogerf36794 ай бұрын
The jingle lyrics in the commercials are intense ! fun video !!!!
@onilpatel4 ай бұрын
LOL. "So what... there's lots of guys named 'John'..." is the best response I've heard to characters sharing a name.
@Ironhide_Edits4 ай бұрын
Awesome!!!!!! Keep up the very entertaining videos!
@co813852 ай бұрын
Once again, thanks for another great video! The little songs used in the toy commercials are hilarious!
@SamGuthrie19774 ай бұрын
The Phantom, Rolling Thunder, Mean Dog, and Bug were awesome vehicles, and there were a lot of great figures this year too. That said, 1988 is the year my collection stops.
@williamwright90794 ай бұрын
Some excellent figures in this year including my first ever joe : Spearhead! Thanks for the great video , dude!
@ToyGyani4 ай бұрын
The Efforts Put behind making this video is commendable. Everything is so Perfect about this video including Presentation & Commentary ! ✊ Yo Joe
@roberth.96644 ай бұрын
Those "Nobody beats G.I.Joe!" ads have got to be some of my favorite toy commercials ever made and I gotta give you props for including the best line in the ads "That's why the I.M.P. is so important to Cobra!"
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
That line cracked me up.
@Roadpigjohn3 ай бұрын
What a great video Michael... Great year of Joe figures for sure... Many of my favorites are here.😀💡✌️
@peteguanajuato4824 ай бұрын
Awesome video huge fan of GI Joe love your videos my friend thank you so much for bringing me back my childhood memories
@dabearcub4 ай бұрын
Just an all around beautiful year for GI JOE.
@treasuresfortrigger9154 ай бұрын
Wow ‘88 really was a beaut year! For me Hit n Run and Hydro Viper were my favourites! Amazing video Michael 🤩
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@ValkyrieMagnus3 ай бұрын
I love all your videos! So nostalgic for those toy lines. When I was a kid I wasn’t allowed to collect Gi Joe and Transformers so you know as an adult I had to buy all I could. Thanks for all the great videos you make!
@CaptainPeconi4 ай бұрын
Great year and great episode Michael - one of my favs you’ve done for Joe. Crazy year with lots going on at that time!
@j119ster4 ай бұрын
I think this is the best yearly rundown on Gijoe! I can’t wait to see the rest of this series!
@farminglittlepeople96234 ай бұрын
Michael, Always a touch of brilliance on these History videos!🙏 Absolutely love any of the ones you produce. I learn so much!🙏
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks Bill! Blessings to you and your family.
@farminglittlepeople96234 ай бұрын
@@MichaelMercy Thanks Mike🙏
@jasontakeuchi45774 ай бұрын
Thank you for another fantastic review. I was with G.I.Joe since '82, and my last year of collecting was in '91. ( though later got into the modern 3 3/4 inch figures from '07- '11. Classified figures look awesome, now with vehicles to scale, but waaaaay too pricey for me lol ) The 80's in general, was a magical time growing up, so thank you for these trips down memory lane. Also, can we give a shout out to the singer in those " Nobody beats G.I.JOE " commercials? His voice truly packed a rocking punch. :)
@claudiob99092 ай бұрын
I'm from Dominican , I love Joe's best cartoon ever. Thanks for bring back memories
@Lasagabaster4 ай бұрын
Another amazing "HIstory of GIJoe" video, Michael! Thanks a lot!
@alexandergermanis6794 ай бұрын
The 88 line was still full of great figures. I do wish the ordnance on the Night Force vehicles had been glow-in-the-dark, though, instead of the decals. A friend of mine had most of them, and I'm still jealous to this day. Great vid!
@nike80nl4 ай бұрын
More than love your videos bro 👌✨. Thank you
@BobHansenJokes4 ай бұрын
I’m so glad you made this, so much to say! Super Trooper was my first disappointment toy as a youth; it was the first time I realized I was forcing myself to like something. I was a 86-88 Joe kid. I loved Toxo Viper, Astro Viper, Roadpig, and Grenadier Destro with small vehicle. And the IMP! Didn’t understand it then or now. But man these guys were just plain fun.
@danielmcgovern1154 ай бұрын
You do a great job with these. Looking forward to 1989. Thanks!
@MichaelTodaro4 ай бұрын
Great video and wonderful series. I hope you continue the series the entire way to 94. My journey with Joes was mostly 90-93 so I would love a recap of that.
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks! They're a lot of work so it won't be soon but I do plan on going all the way to '94 and beyond.
@2intheshadowsАй бұрын
Wow, another high quality video. You really do a great job. Super entertaining. Thank you for all the work.
@MichaelMercyАй бұрын
Glad you enjoy it!
@BeatleDustino3 ай бұрын
It’s crazy seeing this how many of these I had. Including several of the vehicles. I still remember getting the X-19 for Christmas. I think 88 was the year I had a nearly complete set of Joes.
@QuaimeVLee2 ай бұрын
Thanks for honoring the Iron Grenadiers. I was so excited to get the Demon for Christmas and to join it with the Despoiler.
@ScoobMeisterFlex4 ай бұрын
Heck yeah, this stands out so much, love this year!
@FADE_FROM_VIEW4 ай бұрын
Anecdotal perspective from a non-American collector; as a kid from New Zealand born in 1979, I was too young to really appreciate the initial run from ’82. I remember them being on store shelves, and being given a cobra fang for my third or first, but I was still engrossed in Kenner Star Wars and just discovering he-man around that time. GI Joe did not really drive hard into the market in New Zealand until late ‘86, so that year is the first one I remember, with 88 being very cemented in my memory. As such, tiger force gave me the opportunity to collect characters like Duke, flint, dusty and bazooka that I hadn’t been able to get first time around. I was absolutely obsessed with this year when I was nine years old, and between my brother and I, owned most of the figures from this run. Most of the smaller vehicles suck in my opinion because they deviate from the original military aesthetic which was the biggest appeal of the line in my opinion, and that only cool ones were at higher price points like the X19. as you’ve said Michael, we are definitely passed the golden years at this point in the line, but I still think 1988 offered some pretty cool offerings.
@chrismunce80853 ай бұрын
Michael, this video was FANTASTIC! Very well done sir!
@dog67243 ай бұрын
Aw man , those elbow cracks on sky striker 😂 , beautiful collection budy 👍🏼😁
@haileyshannon75484 ай бұрын
I'm hooked on your GI Joe videos
@filmandpage11384 ай бұрын
Great video. It’s been a long stressful week. I needed this one.
@jakezzfunk88764 ай бұрын
Awesome Job Mike! 88' was a huge year for me and Joe. It gave me my all time fav Hit&Run the Rambo of GI Joe.
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Hit & Run rocks! I wasn't as much into GI Joe at the time but that was one I couldn't pass on in '88.
@porkchopsandwiches36064 ай бұрын
Another amazing vid! Thank you ❤. I think after watching this 88 is my favourite year!
@BRAWN12284 ай бұрын
DUDE!! This was so INCREDIBLY ENTERTAINING! Very well done!
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@RabbiJoeInJerusalem4 ай бұрын
I didn't have many Joes, but I made an exception for that magnificent Storm Shadow!
@majorcamo46454 ай бұрын
Been waiting for this for so long!!
@DrKirkDemenz4 ай бұрын
I was so surprised to see this I watched it instead of the video I'd planned to watch. Keep up the great work.
@justinforrest16134 ай бұрын
This was my year for joes. I was 5 by then. I remember this series the best. Had so many of these
@mjolnirmilitia5694 ай бұрын
Been watching you since 2019 thanks for the nexf episode of this Michael!
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks so much! Greatly appreciated. Blessings to you and yours.
@scramuelito814 ай бұрын
These videos are so good. 1988 had some great figures and vehicles (Shockwave, Hit & Run and the grossly underrated V2 of Destro are three of my all-time favourites). But the missteps were becoming more common and more pronounced: Charbroil, Windmill, Armadillo. The Cobra Island civil war series in the comics was also cool. Yo Joe!
@Steven-ip8xo4 ай бұрын
Hi Micheal, great video about History of GI Joe:1988 Edition, keep them coming, Also your latest video was outstanding, Also Awesome presentation, 1988 was right in the heyday of my childhood, so many great memories Collecting these toys and playing with my friends. Also 87-88 are my favorite years for GI Joe! Lots of underrated stuff from this era! Also Those " Nobody beats G.I. Joe" ads have got to be some of my favorite toy commercials ever made and I gotta give you props for inculding the best line in the ads "That's why the I..M.P. is so important to Cobra!" Also my favorite year for Joe, Also Time Machine! Also A blast from the past. Great episode!!👍 Also Wow 88 or should I say 1988 really was a beautiful year! For me Storm Shadow, Snake-Eyes, Hit & Run, Reapterer, Sgt Slaughter and Hydro Viper were my favorites! Amazing video Micheal🤩 Also Finally!!) Love this series, looking forward for 1989!!) Thank you Micheal! Also Awesome!!!! Keep up the very entertaining videos! Also Awesome video huge fan of GI Joe love your videos my friend thank you so much for bringing me back my childhood memories, Also The Efforts Put behind making this video is so commendable. Everything is so Perfect about this video inculding Presentation & Commentary! ✊ Yo Joe, Also These videos are so good. 1988 had some great figures and Vehicles(1.Reapeater,2.Storm Shadow,3. Shockwave, V2 Sgt. Slaughter, 4.Destro V2,5.Road Pig(Dreadnok), 5.Iron Grenadier, are seven of my all-time favorites) Also The Cobra Island Civil War was also cool. Yo Joe. Also Awesome video Micheal!!! The figures and Vehicles are truly amazing and those commercials are too good lol😅 Also Cool action figure collection ❤️😊🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 Also I agree with Xayzl Amazing look back at one of the best years of GI Joe. It's no surprise that the Warthog with Sarge is still my favorite of the year. Yo Joe! Also Hardball is a personal favorite gotta love the blooper man! Also Been watching you since 2019 thanks for the next episode of this Micheal! Also My best and most favorite Gi Joe's are from Budo(Kyle A. Jesso) to Storm Shadow, or from Repeater( Jeffery R. Therien) to Shockwave S.W.A.T. Specialist(Jason A. Faria), My Best and most favorite G.I. Joe Vehicles with figures( From Desert Fox 6W.D. to Warthog With Sgt. Slaughter) or from Rolling Thunder with Armadillo(Philo R. Make peace) to SkyStorm X-Wing Chopper(Windmill(Edward J. Roth), My best and favorite G.I. Joe Subgroup was Tiger Force from Bazooka Missile Specialist to Tripwire Mint Detection, or from Duke First Sergeant to Lifeline Medic, Also my best and most favorite G.I. Joe Tiger Force Vehicles with figures are: from Tiger Car with Frostbite to Tiger Paw, Also my second best and most favorite G.I. Joe Subgroup is : Night Force from Crazy Legs to Tunnel Rat, Also my favorite G.I. Joe Night Force Vehicles are from Night Blaster to Night Storm, Also my Best and most favorite G.i. Joe Subgroup is Battle Force 2000 and is 2nd Special 2 in 1 Pack from Avalanche and Blaster to Knockdown and Dodger, My Best and most favorite Cobra Agents and Villains are from Astro Viper Cobranaut to Toxo- Viper Cobra Hostile Environment Trooper, Also my best and most favorite Dreadnok was Road Pig(Donald Deluca), Also my best and most favorite Cobra Bad Guy/Villian Faction and Subgroup was The Iron Grenaders from Iron Grenader to Voltar(General Voltar) Destro's General, Also my best and most favorite Iron Grenader Vehicles with figures are: from Destro's Despoiler with Destro (James Mcullen Destro 6'3"(later)6'4",253ibs) leader of the Iron Grenaders and Weapons Manufacturer To A.G.P. with Nullifier Iron Grenaders A.G.P. Pilots, Also my best and most favorite Cobra Vehicles with figures are from Bugg(Cobra Bugg) with Secto Viper Cobra Bugg Driver to Stellar Stiletto(Cobra Stellar Stiletto) with Star Viper Cobra Stellar Stiletto Pilot, or from Bugg with Secto Viper to Adder(Cobra Adder) my best and most favorite G.I. Joe Motorized Action Packs from Double Machine Gun to Motar Launcher, My best and most favorite Cobra Motorized Action Packs from Battle Axe to Twin Missle Launchers, Also my best and most favorite G.I. Joe Motorized Mini Packs from ATV to Tank Car, and my best and most favorite Cobra Motorized Mini Packs from Gyrocopter to Rocket Sled, Also my best and most favorite G.I. Joe Mail Away Figures from Starduster to Super Trooper, Also The G.I. Joe 1988 Memorabilia from Lunchboxes to Sleeping Bags, Also my best and most favorite G.I. Joe books from Siege of Serpentor to The Sultan's Secret, Also the final four issues of the G.I. Joe Magazine was absolutely perfect, Also My best and most favorite Comic Books was G.I. Joe A Real American Hero(1st series)#67-81(1988), Also my best and most favorite 2nd Comic Books was G.I. Joe Special Missions(1st series)#9-16(February 1987- December 1988), and the fourth and final G.I. Joe Yearbook(1st series)#4(1988), Also my best and most favorite G.I. Joe Comic Books was G.I. Joe A Real American Hero(1st series)#67-81(January1987-December 1988), Also Crazy to see how many of these many of these have made it into the 6 inch Classified line already, Also Nice post Woot! Thanks Micheal, Also Special thanks and shout out to 3D Joes,2. Yo Joe,3.Sgt. Slaughter's Slaughterhouse,4.David Dishun,5.Peter Joe, and 6.Retropoils for the History of G.I. Joe 1988 Edition, Also Special thanks to the Pateron Tribe for your support! Also thanks for sharing Micheal keep up the good work stay safe out there in Canada stay healthy have a good day, Goodnight, good luck God bless and don't let anyone steal your joy YO JOE and Nerdmaste.🙂💪🟢🥊🇺🇲🦸🏋️👊🤩👍😎🎸🤨 3:17 am.
@user-bx4nf5xl6c4 ай бұрын
This was the last year that I purchased new released figures, and it was a limited wave for me. I bought and still own Hit and Run, Stormshadow V2, Shockwave, Repeater, and Destro. Since getting back into collecting I have procured most of this year collection, but I will say that my favorite line of this year (as you aptly mentioned in the video Michael), was Tiger Force. I’m sure as a 12 year old Tiger Force wouldn’t have resonated with me, but as an adult collector, I love them!
@GeekOutLoud4 ай бұрын
The books unlocked a memory. I think I had one of those...but I also remember having some GIJoe choose your own adventure books.
@silverbricks_yt4 ай бұрын
This was a great video I really enjoy all your history of videos I’m able to learn so much that I didn’t know before. I didn’t know who half these characters were before, my favorite joes have always been the Original 13 plus Sergeant Slaughter. 🖖
@JohnSchafer-r4u23 күн бұрын
Thank you for the video I was out of G.I.Joe by that point in 1987😢.
@lexlewis5504 ай бұрын
Yes 1988 11 year old me had some great memories thank you for great Gi Joe toy line 🥹❤️
@johnsonbenjamin8872 ай бұрын
Man. These toys were so great. And these tv jingles went SO hard 😂
@pixelforge48584 ай бұрын
my favorite year for joe
@p.a.u.l.5554 ай бұрын
Damn, I forgot about the Gyro helicopter pack, I just finished work, watching my childhood, have a great weekend Michael 😊
@nathanridgway70094 ай бұрын
Hardball is a personal favorite gotta love the blooper man!
@StoneyHoliday4 ай бұрын
I had Joes before this but this was the year I turned 6 or 7 and really got into collecting Joes and this video is so tremendously nostalgic for me.
@janickgoudeau61264 ай бұрын
Got Rolling Thunder for the holidays in 1988. Epic military truck. Still have mine with deactivated icbms sorted away safe. The warthog was brilliant cause it could float in the pool: Duke & Sargent Slaughter, Clutch & Shipwreck were my hero leaders- We would get four friends together and play the GI-Joe board game on rainy days and play the 45rpm record from the comic hard cover books. The Cobra Rattler was everyone's favorite hands down.
@SamGray4 ай бұрын
My grandma bought me the BUGG and I loved it. It battled the Killer WHALE many times.
@ricconway87192 ай бұрын
Masterfully done!
@Kinkampoiana4 ай бұрын
SoOoo cooooooOOooooool !😍 Thank you !
@totalrobot4 ай бұрын
This was the first year I completely missed and would miss the rest of the ARAH line thereafter. 1987 got too weird and I was getting older.
@davidhoppes118Ай бұрын
This year must have been the best year for me. I had about half of the Joe vehicles.
@Tactical-92Yankee4 ай бұрын
I have the Tygra theme song in my itunes because it's that good. I dig how you used it for the Tiger Force. Cats are awesome creatures. Chilling with my Shadow cat now.
@shoked994 ай бұрын
Great video. Thanks. With a few exceptions, I recall 1988 being the last year for my childhood and ARAH.
@braveheart86124 ай бұрын
Very great the sequences with Aliens 2, thank you Michael.
@markheadley1254 ай бұрын
Cool action figure collection ❤😊🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
@kraft754 ай бұрын
Nice post! Woot! Thanks Michael Merci! 😂❤🙏🏽✌🏽🖖🏽
@OldManTheseDays4 ай бұрын
Love this. I’m totally unfamiliar with most of this, as it was after the point at which I stopped playing with toys (for the time being). Interesting stuff, thanks for the education 😁
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Lots of great releases in this year. Some of the best figures and vehicles of the whole run in my opinion. Warthog, Phantom, Rolling Thunder, Hit & Run, the whole Iron Grenadiers subgroup...great stuff!
@darren2514fv4 ай бұрын
Shockwave was used as a GI Joe codename to stop Hasbro from losing the trademark
@brushstroke37332 ай бұрын
Wow, is that life sized Snake Eyes shown in the intro a statue or costume? Either way, it looks incredible. It kind of blew my mind, like seeing Darth Vader for the first time. And thanks for these amazing retrospectives!
@dyl_pickle16-mta484 ай бұрын
Even though there was no animated series to go along with these new figures, that didn't stop them from being awesome.
@charlesbailey78394 ай бұрын
I loved the Iron Grenadier line, they were so different, and the Stealth Fighter ,to me, was the best Aircraft since the Skystriler
@carlambroson88724 ай бұрын
Hit n Run was AWAYS my favorite Joe!!!
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Cream of the crop!
@maltesefalcon854 ай бұрын
crazy to see how many of these have made it into the 6 inch classified line already
@CB-ke7eq4 ай бұрын
Man, I wanted that Night Striker so bad since I had missed out of getting the Whale, but we were a Children's Palace family, not TRU 😄 Seriously though, this was maybe my favorite year of the RAH comic, the Cobra Island War was so memorable. Plus there were some good Special Missions stories in there too.
@nestorperena86295 күн бұрын
fun fact: the singer sacrificed his voice forever to give us the most radical gi joe toy commercials ever.
@TheCobraReport3 ай бұрын
While I thought most of the 88 line sucked, the Cobra Bugg and the Rolling Thunder were 2 of my all time favorite and most played with vehicles. somewhere in the sewers of Orlando is my original Rolling Thunder that rolled down a sewer drain. It was one of the first vehicles I replaced when i got back into collecting the line as an adult though. It was because of a youtube review of it and My daughter thought it was badass and we needed one. now we have 2 ;)
@chickhazzard4 ай бұрын
I had stopped collecting in 1987, (at 14) But couldn't Quite let go. When I saw the Warthog I had to get it. And I had to have a Tomhawk!...I only bought 1 figure (my very last.) Shockwave ! I love your work! I was never a fan of Most 80's toylines ....I watch all of your videos and feel the enthusiasm and love.
@clonebaw_2 ай бұрын
I love the how ever vehicle had a theme song.
@Commander_Bly3274 ай бұрын
These were after my time as a kid and have been an enigma to me, so I really appreciate this lore dump, sir! YO JOE! ✊🏻 Great production value, as always.
@francoisregis21554 ай бұрын
Great video interesting to see all the toys they made unfortunatly back then I wasn’t into Gi joe anymore I was more of a Lego fan. Years later back in 2000 when I started to collect Gi joe and got a few 87-88 figures.
@marcopiras768119 күн бұрын
Maybe someone just answered this question but: who his the guy who give voice to must of all the Joe's TV commercials? He's fricking outstanding! Like a hard rock vocalist
@ScoobMeisterFlex4 ай бұрын
Time Machine!
@Stefoshark4 ай бұрын
Hi friend, love your videos
@JoeBergquist4 ай бұрын
Always loved night force and tiger force. Some great vehicles in this year.
@Brando-Lee3725Ай бұрын
I forgot all about Super Trooper!!! I got the Fridge and Slaughter though. And I can't remember how I ended up with several drivers and pilots without having the vehicles. Not sure if I found them, traded for them or stole them! My dad was a janitor at an elementary school so he would bring me home all kinds of Star Wars and Joes from the lost and found or possibly confiscated hahaha!
@moyoamadi44564 ай бұрын
The night force line is badass for sure
@Zen_walker4 ай бұрын
Great video, several toys here I never knew about.
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@xazylsclubhouse4 ай бұрын
Amazing look back at one of the best years of GI Joe. It's no surprise that the Warthog with Sarge is my favourite of the year. Yo Joe!
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
Thanks! Sarge v3 is right up there with the first 2, especially with the helmet you gave him.
@xazylsclubhouse4 ай бұрын
@@MichaelMercy I got a brown version of that exact helmet at RonCon last year!
@MichaelMercy4 ай бұрын
@@xazylsclubhouse Lucky! Those RonCon Mud Force brown recolours are awesome. Got a Mud Force Road Toad at the 25th RonCon 2 years ago.
@xazylsclubhouse4 ай бұрын
@@MichaelMercy YO JONES!
@Rogue_TigerАй бұрын
The iron grenadiers are so cool yet they just had to make the vehicles and drivers look just strange. So many better options
@tonyjackson40789 күн бұрын
Aliens must have been a favorite, not only Repeaters Steadi-Cam but Charbroils flamethrower looks very similar to Ripley's movie climax weapon.
@coollectionFun4 ай бұрын
Thanks for the new video! Look forward to these. The best