It's a great time to be a G.I. Joe fan. Now, is it a great time to be alive? Uh, that's a very existential start to a fun gift guide, but I will say this: distracting my anxiety-riddled brain with a whole new world of lore to untangle and collect actually made 2025 kind of tolerable. I already conquered X-Men and Star Wars. Now, G.I. Joe — I'm picking up where we left off in 2009.
Since my year has been ruled by all things Joe (rightfully so, as we'll get to when we get into the list), it only seems appropriate to write up a G.I. Joe gift guide for the nostalgic nerd, lapsed enthusiast, casual collector, actively enlisted, or five-star super fan in your life. Mind you, this is just a list of where my own G.I. Journey has taken me. May this directly influence you, or act as an arrow leading you off the battlefield and into the jungles of collecting. But hurry up, because unlike Cobra, Christmas can't be stopped.
And as with all Pop Heist lists, we're trying to avoid Amazon here — even if that's where I bought most of these items. Our goal is to direct you straight to the source, and then you can choose your own shopping adventure. But, yeah, nearly all of this can be found on that One Website to Rule Us All.
G.I. JOE TOYS
Big Bad Toy Store — Sale!: If you have no idea where to start, you can't go wrong with the BBTS sale section. These aren't bargain bin leftovers. Somehow, Big Bad can afford to put premium G.I. Joe figures (see: Super7's Ultimates! line) on steep discount. We're talking 50% to 70% off retail for icons like Duke and Cobra Commander (or Lady Jaye and a B.A.T., above). At these prices, you can afford to load up the cart and/ or run the risk of getting your G.I. Joe collecting bestie a double.
Speaking of doubles — in general, Joe collectors are into army building. This is maybe the one instance where giving someone something they already have can be a good thing. Now, which characters are army builders? Generally bad guys like the B.A.T.S., any character with "Viper" in their name, and any Joe character who looks like a generic soldier and has a generic name (greenshirt, trooper, soldier, sailor, etc.).
ReAction+ figures (Super7) — $20-$25: For the nostalgic nerd, lapsed enthusiast, or casual collector, there's no better gift than a Reaction+ action figure. This rapidly-expanding line was crafted by Super7 to ping every Gen Xer and millennial's radar. The o-ring construction is modeled after not just the look of '80s Joes, but the literal vibe of them. Super7 founder Brian Flynn told me so! But these aren't just remakes of figures that were on toy shelves in the '80s and '90s. No, these figures shine a light on the more obscure corners of the canon, presenting versions of characters that either never had a figure before or never had one quite like this. Take for example Once a Man Cobra Commander, glow-in-the-dark Crystal Poison Snake Eyes, or the legendary Pythona.
G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures (Hasbro) — $25-$50: Now we're in casual collector or actively enlisted mode, because Hasbro's Classified Series is no joke. Well, I mean, the line really started as no joke in 2020, offering straightforward, modern military redesigns of the classic Joes. Now, though? Classified is still no joke, but it's so much more fun. This year's seen some of the weirder designs in Joe history get modern updates (see: Sci-Fi, Cobra Commander's combat armor), and either one of those figures will bring a knowing smile to any Joe fan's face.
Vintage G.I. Joes ('82-'94) — $∞: Now we're in actively enlisted and five-star superfan territory. Hunting for vintage Joes is a tall order. Not only do you have to make sure the figure is intact (a snapped o-ring is easy to fix, but a broken thumb or crotch?), there are so many variables to consider when it comes to file cards and accessories. Oh — and Hasbro spent a good 20 years making repaints and upgraded 3.75" scale versions of all the classics that, to the undiscerning eye, are more or less identical to the real deals.
If you want to go down this rabbit hole, sites like 3D Joes and YoJoe are essential. It also helps to know if you're looking for loose figures, or figures with some (or all) of their weapons and gear, or figures with all of that and parts of the original packaging. The more complete a figure is, though, the more it's going to cost. A loose figure can go for between $5-$20, give or take an accessory; once you get into complete territory, you're looking at $40+ for a 40+ year old toy. Don't be afraid to talk to the store owner when it comes to this stuff, or have a similarly-minded nerd friend on speed dial. Hell, you can try @ing me on Bluesky and maybe I'll answer in time!
G.I. JOE COMICS
G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero! Compendium One (Image Comics) — $65: This massive tome collects the first 50 issues of the Marvel comic that started it all. Even if your acquaintance, co-worker, friend, or loved one has some or all of these issues, this collection is so impressive to behold that I can't imagine they'd mind having it on their shelf. The price tag is worth it.
Codename: G.I. Joe Deluxe Edition Book One (Image Comics) — $50: Perfect for the lapsed enthusiast, this hardcover book collects the first two limited series in the recent G.I. Joe comic relaunch. The new series is fantastic, and not just in a fan-service-y way. These are good comics, and any lapsed fan has to know what they're missing out on. And if you want to really splurge, go on and buy Book Two.
G.I. JOE STORAGE
Now we've reached the gifts for the five-star superfan. I'm including this section because I stumbled across a great way to store 3.75" Joes and I want to share ('tis the season, etc.). First, Evoretro Clamshell Cases hold pretty much any figure and all their accessories (excluding outliers like T.A.R.G.A.T., Rock 'N Roll v2, or Golobulus).
Then, you can fit 48 figures in those clamshell cases in an ArtBin Super Satchel Double Deep bin.
Those bins can be carried like a briefcase and they stack well. This works for me! Plus, they're a great place to put any G.I. Joe stickers you or your recipient come across.
Got any other G.I. Joe tips, tricks, recs, or requests? Let us know on Bluesky!
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