From Booklist
Before Ollie North, there was GI Joe. With his battle scar and extremely posable design, Joe took the mid-1960s toy world by storm. His sales waned later, and he was suspended for a few years, only to come back, smaller, as an action toy and attain new commercial heights. Recently, large-format Joes have come back, too. Santelmo takes us deep into Joe's world in a lavishly illustrated volume that includes important manufacturers' information for collectors as well as an entertaining history of America's favorite dress-up warrior. Santelmo describes how Joe was created as a Barbie doll for boys, at the same scale and with various uniforms to collect. His midlife slump coincided with a time when war was unpopular, but then the overwhelming success of Star Wars action figures reopened the market for toys dealing with fantasized death and destruction. Time for Joe to reemerge as an action toy sporting molded plastic clothing and an amazing array of weapons and vehicles. Mike Tribby
