The enduring legacy of the G.I. Joe line is that it had something for everyone. If you had all the money you could ever want, there were massive, expensive playsets for you to buy. But, if you only had a couple of bucks, you could still get a figure or a small vehicle/playset. The upside, though, was that the quality of the toy didn't change as you spent more money. An inexpensive item like the 1984 ASP features all the play value and sturdy construction of the larger, more expensive vehicles. It's fully compatible with more expensive toys and was even designed so that it could interact with other vehicles or stand on its own. This genius allowed the line to be for everyone.
As for the ASP, it's a great toy that's essential to a Cobra army. It provides anti-aircraft protection while also giving kids a way to use that tow hook on the HISS Tank. It looks good, holds a figure and matches the color scheme of the early Cobras. Here's the best of the 1984 ASP from around the web.
Canadian Exclusive ASP and Stinger Set
Mum got ASP as a last minute Xmas present in a supermarket no less on X mas Eve.
ReplyDeleteThose Snow Serpents though!
got mine at a grocery store called super duper. they always had a small toy section in an aisle opposite the cereal. I still remember leaving the store with my mom and the wind swirling around the leaves in the sunshine of a beautiful autumn afternoon near halloween and opening it up sitting on the trunk of the car while mom went to another store in the plaza
ReplyDeleteWould this Super Duper be in Buffalo, NY?
Deleteclose. just outside of rochester, ny.
DeleteBring back o-rings at grocery stores.
DeleteSadly, what I remember most about this thing was that it broke in lots of places when I tried to play with it. I think the tabs that held it upright and the gun shields broke off pretty easily.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. The ASP is essential. I never had one as a kid, but made up for it as an adult. I now have one for each of my HISS tanks. My only complaint is the small size of the cockpit. It's easy to overlook that issue tho. The color is great. The sculpt is great. The ASP logo is great. The function is great. Give Hasbro a 9/10 for this one.
ReplyDelete