Gi joe file cards6/12/2023 This sometimes even extended to main characters: for example, in the Beast Wars cartoon several characters were upgraded in Transmetals. Someone like Wolfang or Cybershark only got characterisation from the file card. As an example, Beast Wars only had 5 or 6 characters per faction on the cartoon, while there were plenty more characters who were toy only. This was especially effective for characters who never appeared on, say, a cartoon made to advertise the toyline. Where the Gobots toys had no faction identification or common theme (a car was just as likely to be a heroic Guardian as an evil Renegade), each Transformers toy identified not just the character's name, but their rank, function within their respective army, and enough information to get an idea of their personality. , for example, credits these for helping Transformers win out over their competitors like the Gobots. This is typically a simple but effective way to give life to toys, turning them from just "action figures" to full-blown characters. Many of Playmates' Star Trek figures take both options to provide a double dose of data, as does their Mysticons line. Typically, a file card appears on the back of the figure's blister card, although sometimes a trading card-like insert is used instead, especially if the figure comes with a large vehicle. Hasbro added file cards to many of their other lines, and several competitors (most notably Playmates Toys) followed their example, making this a popular trope for action figure packaging. As the line continued, Hama's writing became increasingly clever and elaborate he often added humor to the file cards (as this article shows). The file cards started simply, featuring basic information on each Joe or Cobra member's Backstory, personality, and abilities, usually accompanied with a quote by or about the character. According to this interview with Hama, he created these "dossiers" to keep track of the toy line's huge cast: "When the guys at Hasbro saw these first dossiers, they said, 'These would be cool on the back of the blister pack!'" Joe franchise in the early 1980s, Larry Hama was hired to write a comic book based on the figures. When Hasbro was preparing to revive the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero card that combines biographical data with subtle Biting-the-Hand Humor.Īn Action Figure File Card is a brief description of a particular character included on or inside its toy packaging. Enter your email address to subscribe.A G.I. Receive notifications of new posts by email. Got any requests? Leave a comment, and I might make a custom file card of your favorite hockey personality. Rangers Goaltender – Code Name: King Henrikīut players wouldn’t be the only ones who could have file cards. I imagine they’d look something like these.īlackhawks Captain – Code Name: Captain Serious So this got me thinking, what if NHL players had file cards that summed up what you needed to know about them? It would quickly get you up to speed if you haven’t been following their career, and help you decide if you were going to like them or not. All the figures looked awesome, so the file cards told you what kind of character the toy was supposed to be, which made picking one easier. As a nine-year old, standing in the toy aisle of K-Mart, with only enough scratch in my Ghostbusters wallet to get one figure, I had to make a tough choice each week. Joe action figures was that each one came with its own file card on the back of the toy packaging - a small profile about the character that you were supposed to cut out and save for future reference. Believe it or not, these file cards many times became a factor when deciding which figure to buy. Flint here has a degree in English literature.Īnother great thing about G.I. Joe figure’s toy packaging had a file card. Each figure had an interesting code name like Snake-Eyes, Shipwreck, Roadblock or Cobra Commander, had a ton of poseability - including swivel-arm battle grip! - and came with some pretty cool weapons. Like many kids growing up in the 1980s, I played with G.I.
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