New G.I. Joe book offers the ultimate salute to collecting
In an impressively and abundantly illustrated book, author and renowned toy expert Mark Bellomo creates an exhaustive reference to a childhood passion with “The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe, 1982-1994,” 3rd edition.
STEVENS POINT, Wis. – An all-new generation of G.I. Joe toys burst upon the scene in 1982. Coupled with a clever marketing strategy that had Hasbro selling the toys in concert with a Marvel Comics tie-in, both of which appeared on TV in bombastic 30-second animated commercials, G.I. Joe took the toy world by storm.
Today, with values of the toy line skyrocketing on the secondary market, that star shines brighter than ever before with collectors and nostalgia lovers alike.
In an impressively and abundantly illustrated book, author and renowned toy expert Mark Bellomo creates an exhaustive reference to a childhood passion with “The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe, 1982-1994,” 3rd edition. Bellomo documents with 1,300 pictures, hundreds of thousands of words, specifications, inside intel and current market values every G.I. Joe character, vehicle, playset, accessory and weapon system – as well as easily lost pieces for each – in this remarkably collectible vintage run.
Unlike the original 12-inch G.I. Joe of 1964 that represented four branches of the U.S. armed forces, the reimagined toy was transformed into an elite team of anti-terrorism specialists at a compact and dynamic 3 3/4-inches tall, battling a recurring enemy – Cobra Command.
Featuring an inspired and revealing Foreword by Kirk Bozigian, whose life is forever intertwined with G.I. Joe as a young fan and former Vice President of Boys Toys at Hasbro, Inc., no other book on the market provides the depth and breadth of information for this revolutionary line as found in this lively new edition of “The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe, 1982-1994.”
“Author Mark Bellomo – Code Name: Sgt. Archive – has spent countless hours collecting and documenting a unique year-by-year salute to Joe. The result is this breathtaking new hardcover edition,” Bozigian says. “It really is the most complete guide to the world’s Real American Hero – G.I. Joe!”
About the Author
Mark Bellomo is one of the top toy experts in the country. He is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Star Wars Action Figures, 1977-1985; The Ultimate Transformers Guide and Totally Tubular ’80s Toys. In addition, Mr. Bellomo is featured prominently in the hit Netflix documentary, The Toys That Made Us. He lives in Kingston, N.Y.
Paul Kennedy is Editorial Director of the Collectibles Group at AIM Media. He enjoys Mid-century design, photography, vintage movie posters and people with a good story to share. Kennedy has more than twenty-five years of experience in the antiques and collectibles field, including book publishing. Reach him at PKennedy@aimmedia.com.
