We invite you to explore the pages of the 1988 Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog, which featured Hasbro’s greatest hits from the 1980s. For instance, readers had the chance to examine the latest Pretenders from the Transformers line. G.I. Joe also continued in this catalog. Beyond those two lines, Hasbro featured several new and interesting toy lines, like the Visionaries.
Page 98 of the 1988 Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog provided information on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero action figures and vehicles. While this toy line almost disappeared for good after the Vietnam War, it returned with a vengeance in the 1980s. Thanks to a collaboration with Marvel, Hasbro reinvented the G.I. Joes, giving them a new lease on life. Rather than just representing the armed forces, the Joes now were an elite team that fought against the vile forces of Cobra.
Turn Your Hasbro Toy Fair Catalogs and G.I. Joe Toys to Cash Today
On this page, Hasbro promoted number 6171, the Dreadnok Cycle. The Dreadnoks scavenged junkyards to develop this three-wheeled, terrorizing fighting machine. It featured rolling wheels, a pivoting front fork, a rotating turret, and elevating cannons.
Next, they presented number 6170, the Cobra Pogo (Ballistic Battle Ball). This one-man attack vehicle could overcome any battlefield obstacle. It featured three landing legs, propulsion tubing, missiles, a positionable machine gun, and an opening clamshell canopy.
After, they advertised number 6172, the G.I. Joe S.L.A.M. (Strategic Long-Range Artillery Machine). This anti-aircraft vehicle featured an elevating multi-barrelled cannon, extending stabilizer legs, rotating turret, tow hook, and ten mini-mite missiles.
Finally, Hasbro featured number 6087, the Battlefield Vehicle Assortment. This assortment featured three vehicles: the Cobra Buzz Boar, the G.I. Joe Road Toad, and the G.I. Joe Coastal Defender.
The Cobra Buzz Boar had a deadly cutting wheel that could burrow underground to attack from the rear. It came with a machine gun, removable missiles, and a pivoting door.
The G.I. Joe Road Toad also offered hours of fun. When a vehicle was hit, there was artillery fire all around, and Cobra could capture it at any moment. However, the Road Toad came to the rescue before the enemy could get there. It was able to winch most G.I. Joe vehicles onto its platform.
Meanwhile, the G.I. Joe Coastal Defender collapsed the walls and transformed G.I. Joe’s covert operations vehicle into an armed radar platform with ample fire and strategic capabilities. It featured a rotating radar dish and removable missiles.
We are glad to present these exciting exclusive scans of Hasbro’s 1988 Toy Fair Catalog. Continue to see even more exciting promotional images that Hasbro provided to retailers and representatives.
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About Our Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog Scans
To promote their upcoming slate of products, Hasbro handed out catalogs to attendees of toy fairs and other events. Each catalog was filled with information about their newest toys, even ones still in development. Thus, they often provided the first looks at action figures, playsets, vehicles, and more from their lines. Therefore, they have become valuable and rare collector’s items.
These Hasbro Toy Fair Catalogs featured toys from their beloved lines. For instance, the company was responsible for one of the most popular action figures of all time: G.I. Joe. They also partnered with Takara to bring the Transformers to the Western market. The company also dipped into the fantastical worlds of Air Raiders, Inhumanoids, and Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light. After Hasbro acquired Kenner, they also became the home of toy lines like Jurassic Park and Star Wars.
Hasbro used in-production prototypes in their images, as these catalogs were prepared before the lines were released. This meant that the featured toys often differed from the retail releases. Moreover, toys sometimes appeared only on these catalog pages, as they were canceled or never hit retail store shelves.
While Hasbro only handed these booklets out to trade professionals, we have now made them available to all. You can explore the toys featured in these catalogs with our Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog Scans. This is a rare treat since catalogs like these have become increasingly difficult to locate with each passing year.