AWESOME PLAYSETS: G.I.JOE MOBILE COMMAND CENTER

   A couple of weeks ago I did an article on my SUMMER FINDS, that ended with my best find of the summer, a massive playset for the G.I.Joe A real American Hero toy line. The Mobile Command Center.

   Hasbro released the original 12 inch G.I.Joe in 1964. The first "action figure" would go from being an army man to being an adventure over the years. Then the line would be re imagined as a line of 7 inch figures in in the 70's called SuperJoe before being discontinued.  In 1983 the line would be brought back in a 3 3/4 inch scale under the name G.I.JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO.  This time there would be an entire team of Joe's all with unique names and specialties. There would also be a full team of bad guys known as the terrorist organization Cobra.
 
   The line was an instant hit. It spawned both a cartoon and a MARVEL comic. By 1987 the line was on it's seventh series. The Mobile Command Center was one of two vehicles that turned into a playset in the line that year. It originally retailed $34.99.

   The Command center in vehicle mode towers over other vehicles from the series. The cab could fit three figures. Complete it is equipped with gun's on the lower front, a radar dish/ missile launcher above the cab and, missile launchers up on top. Mine is not complete, I have the radar dish stand/ missile launcher but, not the radar dish and am missing the top missile launchers.

   The vehicle mode may look like a block on wheels but, once you unfold it into the Command center that is when this playset truly shines.

   It folds out backwards similar to a fisherman's box into a 3 story command center that can fit a lot of figures. All of the Joe's I own are pictured here, that's that's 26 Joe's and 2 members of Cobra (I have more Cobra Figures) set up in this and there is plenty more space to spare. I bet you could set up 50+ figures on here.

   Each floor is separated into it's own themed section. The first floor is a vehicle repair and fuel station. There is two gas hoses or, water hoses or, whatever you imagine them to be. There is a yellow crane arm that the hoses fit into to give you more play options. There is machinery laying around like an engine. There is a stair case leading to the next floor. There are even several places with pegs to securely hold your figures in place.

   The next floor up is more of a tech/ war room kind of room. With walls of computers and monitors.  The side computers flip down. That chair is on a track and can be moved straight back. There is a hidden prison cell that you can place a member of Cobra in. The stairs continue up to the third floor. Weirdly the first floor is the only one to have pegs for your figures.

   The third floor is longer that the other two due to having the roof of the vehicle swing down on both sides. The left side is basically just a balcony to attach the elevator to and the right side is a landing pad (I do not have a copter for the Joe's side so I placed the Cobra one there for demonstration). Besides that there is not much going on up here, there is still some platforms and steps. There may also be an escape slide that, your figures can use to slide down to ground level behind the Center.

  

   It also came with a slew of search lights and guns you can clip onto the walls to make it ready for an attack from Cobra.

Front view from the floor.

   This is one of the several playsets for the G.I.Joe A Real American Hero toyline. It is very cool with it's 3 floors and and vehicle mode. It's such a well liked item that it was re-released in 2003 when the REAL AMERICAN HERO line was brought back in full force.

   I hope you enjoyed this look back at a classic playset, it will not be the last so many great toy lines have had so many great place sets and I will continue to find them and write about them.

    For now Yo Joe!