Helmet: Vintage Funskool Dial-Tone Figure
The Rest: Marauders Task Force Parts

I have a special affinity for the '94 Joe line (minus the Lunartixx figures, of course). It was really the first year that I started getting nostalgic for G.I.Joe. I bought a few figures that year for the first time since 1985.

In 1994 I got Space Shot, Stalker, Ice Cream Soldier, Lifeline, Snowstorm, and Major Bludd, Flint, Metal Head, Shipwreck and the Viper. Buying 10 Joes in such a mediocre year is significant for me.

Now, I didn't particularly like the inferior card art or the new baseball sized file cards and I know that the accessories trees get a lot of flak, but I liked them. I thought it was a cool way to get past weapons that I just didn't have. I felt it was a kind of poor man's accessory pack. I knew even back then that Joe was in its way out, but I was happy with a lot of the figures that year. Some of them were pretty bonkers, but there was something charming about all the figures I bought that year.

I did not buy this version of Dial-Tone, but that was only because I never found him on the peg. If I had, I would definitely have snatched him up. I think the green and blue color palette is appealing and I liked the idea of the all the communication equipment being in the helmet so that a backpack was not needed...even though I didn't like the design of the helmet. '94 Dial-Tone is an understated figure. He looks more military that a lot of the other figures for that year. I even like the color of the weapons!