GI Joe Collector’s Club Exclusive 40^th Anniversary Dress Pilot and Soldier Multi-Card.

Numbers 23 and 25 in the series

Summer 2005 marked an end to an era for a second time concerning vintage or vintage style Joes.  The introduction of a more marketable “animated” style of Joe left little room for it’s Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather (when you calculate the different incarnations of Joe give or take)  As vintage style collectors grew weary of trying to locate certain figures, it became abundantly clear the line was beginning it’s death spiral.  Some areas never received the product, where as other regions were left swimming in them.  So when Hasbro decided to pull the plug, it really came as no surprise to a lot of us.  Disappointment was more the word to describe the end of the road for Joe.  Not disappointed in the product, more-so, disappointed because some of the remaining sets were the most anticipated in the series. 

Seriously, who was not salivating in the idea of having a carded Breeches Buoy or Orange Air Sea Rescue?  The Official GI Joe Collector’s Club recognized the situation and lobbied Hasbro to allow them to complete the series on their own.  After much negotiation, the go ahead was given for Brian and his staff to pick up the banner and charge up the hill (79).  Soon the decision was made, the first two in the series would be:

#25 in the Series AF Dress Blues

And

#23 in the Series Soldier Small Card 

What?? Soldier small card?  What are they thinking?  There are SCUBAs and slickers and sleeping bags to be made, why the small cards?  When asked, Brian stated that the Soldier small card was in actuality a completed figure set.  Consisting of a figure, jacket, field pack, weapon, and helmet set.  Once opened and assembled Joe would be ready for his mission, no matter how severe, armed with is trusty M-1 with bayonet and six grenades clipped to his harness.  With the helmet on his head he is definitely ready for action.  I will admit, I was one of the folks who was skeptical about the choice of this figure to be made in the initial run but after opening and assembling this figure I knew right away he was going to be one of my favorite 40^th figures.

The AF Dress Pilot is also a complete figure set, true to the original and keeping in the tradition of the 40^th accuracies.  (no socks)  When I pulled the uniform off the card I was almost torn as to how I would apply the insignia (Captain’s bars and a nice set of wings) it was almost too nice a set to poke holes in with the prongs on the metal pieces.  As I turned the card over to cut the string that secured the insignias in place is when I discovered there are NO prongs.  Upon removal I discovered the double sided adhesive tape was added to the back of the parts.  A nice touch although if you’re a nail biter you will never get the protective covering off.  The uniform itself is very nicely done.  The tie is secured to a clear rubber band similar to how the original tie was made oh so many years ago.  The lapel of the jacket will need to be pressed into place.  This is a simple process and only takes a second.  All you need to do is gently fold the excess material at the base of the collar to the top of the upper snap. Then (with your parents permission) take a heated iron and press it flat.  The lapel stays in place and actually looks better than the original.  Make sure you iron the lapel straight to achieve a crisp look.