Talking Toys: Viper Island (5/27/26)

 

Talking Toys: Viper Island (5/17/26)

 

Viper Island Episode: December 5, 2025

 

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Saturday Showcase: Tri-Klops

Tri-Klops Card Back from MOTU series

    I was very excited to see the Funko announcements a few weeks ago when I saw my favorite villain in the line-up for the latest Masters of the Universe line.
As you can tell from the title, that villain is the one and only Tri-Klops.  When I was a child, my must have He-Man villains were Beast Man, Trap Jaw, and Tri-Klops.  Tri-Klops was always my favorite out of the 3, so I decided I would do a post about how awesome this character is.  So, let's begin.

Alliance of Evil

BIO:

    Tri-Klops made his debut in the story, "The Terror of Tri-Klops!", which introduces him as a near-match for He-Man in terms of strength, summoned by Skeletor when he decides he needs a new warrior to take on He-Man.   He is a skilled hunter, swordsman, and spy.  He is very resourceful as a spy given that his helmet enables him to see all around him and thus be able to spot all attacks from behind.  Tri-Klops is also suggested to be a very cunning and formidable warrior.

    In the animated cartoons, Tri-Klops is an inter-dimensional bounty hunter and swordsman who can see in any direction. His eyes, which are on a rotating visor around his head, have different abilities in different versions; one common ability is the power to see through solid objects. He is also able to see in the dark and over long distances with his Night-vision and Dista-vision eyes. Tri-Klops wears the "Gammavision" ever since he was blinded in an accident. In both the 1983 and 2002 cartoons, his eyes can also shoot energy bolts, although this is not commonly used in other material. A well-known classic villain of the MOTU line, Tri-Klops was one of Skeletor's chief henchmen, stoic and obedient, and was frequently featured in the Filmation cartoon.

Defeat at the hands of He-Man

Character Specifics:

• Homeworld - Eternia
• Species - Human
• Gender - Male
• Hair Color - Black/Brown
• Affiliation - Evil Warriors
• Abilities - Distavision, Nightvision, and Gammavision
• Voiced by - Erik Gunden and Paul Dobson
• Debuted in 1983

Saturday Showcase: Low-Light

G.I. Joe Night Spotter Code Name: Low-Light

One of my favorite toys as a kid was G.I. Joe and one of my favorite Joes was  Low-Light.  Low-Light is a  character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line, comic books and animated series. He served as the G.I. Joe Team's Infantryman and debuted in 1986.

Low-Light as seen in the popular G.I. Joe cartoon series

ORIGIN:

His real name is Cooper G. MacBride, and his rank is that of Staff Sergeant E-6. Low-Light was born in Crosby, North Dakota.

As a child, Low-Light was afraid of the dark, timid with wild animals, and shy of loud noises, until one hunting expedition with his father. He lost his way in the impenetrable darkness, and was found three weeks later, with his flashlight, .22 rifle, and a grin from ear to ear. Ten years later, he was an instructor at the Army Marksmanship Program in Fort Benning and a self-taught expert on image intensification.

Breaking Through Cobra's Defenses

Affiliation:  G.I. Joe

Specialty:

• Infantryman
• Night Spotter (1986, 1989)
• Night Fighter (1991)
• Dinosaur Night Spotter (1993)
• Night Survivalist (2001)
• Night Spotter (2006)
• S.W.A.T. Sharpshooter (2008)
• Night Spotter (2011)

File Name:  MacBride, Cooper G.

Birth Place: Crosby, ND (1986)
                    Crosby, NM (1993 only)

Rank:  E-6 (Staff Sergeant)

Primary MOS:

• Infantry

Secondary MOS:

• Marksmanship Instructor (1986)
• Sharpshooter (1991)

Subgroups:

• Slaughter's Marauders

I got you in my sights!

Until next time, Yo Joe!

Saturday Showcase: Raptor

Raptor with Dr. Mindbender

    Today's Showcase features one of my favorite characters from COBRA organization.  His name is Raptor.  He was a "tracker" for COBRA and did come in handy from time to time, but that is not why I liked him.  I liked him because he was a kick ass action figure.  I mean, his suit was a giant falcon and he came with a falcon as well, so you put all that together and you have a must have toy.

Raptor, the kick-ass action figure

    Raptor's introduction to COBRA was by stealing minks off of one of COBRA's many farms, but rather than have him killed, Destro thought he could be of some use to the organization.  He was a very successful tracker, so Cobra Commander agreed to his involvement with COBRA. However, this is a role that would not last forever.

the Future of COBRA?

    You see, Fred VII (Crimson Corps), did not agree with the Commander wanting to leave COBRA to raise his son, Billy.  In fact, as the Commander was walking away, Fred VII shot and killed him (ARAH #61).  What does Raptor do?  He helps with the cover up.  You see, FredVII, knew that anyone could pose as the Commander as long they had his armor.  With that said, they buried Cobra Commander and Fred VII put on the armor and took his place.

Cobra Commander is ALIVE!

    Raptor ended up telling Dr. Mindbender about what happened to the original Commander.  Mindbender saw an opportunity to clone the Commander so they could dethrone Serpentor.  Well, when they went to get the body, they discovered that the Commander was alive and well.  This betrayal would eventually lead to his death.

Raptor, Big Boa, and Croc Master are ambushed by the Joes

    Although his career in the comics did not last long, his adventures as a toy lasted a lifetime.  In fact, I still have my Raptor action figure to this day.  Sure, he has seen better days, but he is complete and still has tight joints.  This concludes my showcase on Raptor.  I hope you enjoyed this post.  

Until next time, get your Read on.

First Appearance:

G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero #59

MARVEL

May 1987

Saturday Showcase: Footloose

Footloose sneaking up on COBRA (Vintage toy photography - Photographer Unknown)

    Today's showcase comes from my childhood and all the adventures I had in my backyard playing with my elite force of soldiers known as G.I. Joe as they stopped the terrorist organization known as COBRA.  One of my favorite Joes was Andrew "Footloose" Meyers.  As a toy, I loved his look but as a cartoon character I absolutely loved his personality.

Now with Swivel-Arm Battle Grip!

    Footloose first made his appearance in 1985 when he was released in the great G.I. Joe action figure line.  He, like so many others, then debuted as a cartoon.  He was voiced by the talented Will Ryan.  Also back in '85, Andrew made his first appearance in the Marvel G.I. Joe series, issue #37, to be exact.

   Issue #37 is one of my favorite comic covers hands down, in the G.I. Joe series.

     I just explain my love for Footloose.  He was just one of my favorite characters from the series and I always felt he could have been used more.  He should have been featured better in the films and if they ever make another one, he better be in it.

    Needless to say, I was happy when I saw his 25th Anniversary figure when the Joes started hitting shelves again.  I was also ecstatic when I first saw his card in the G.I. Joe Battleground app. (BTW I wish that game was still around.)

Footloose as seen in G.I. Joe Battleground

    I could give you more facts about Andrew "Footloose" Meyers, but I figured I would let his File Card say the rest.  Until next time, unleash your inner NERD!

Yo Joe!

Code Name: Footloose