G.I. Joe first began as a series of action figures. The series contained "Action" figures representing all four branches of the US military. The Marine Corps was called "Action Marine," the U.S. Army was represented by "Action Soldier," "Action Sailors" was the U.S. Navy, and the Air Force was reimagined as an "Action Pilot." These action figures were not the super-powered heroes one might expect from Marvel or DC Comics. They were mostly human characters who had expertise in their fields.

Eventually, the G.I. Joe line of figures branched out into comic books and a cartoon show. The 1985 cartoon series contained your typical storylines of "good guys versus bad guys." The G.I. Joes were no longer generic heroes. They were America's premier fighting force who worked to take down the terrorist organization, Cobra. After every episode was a charming PSA with messages that told kids not to replicate what they saw on the show and to be kind to others around them.

To meet rising demands, toy manufacturers tried their best to recreate favorite fan characters. It wasn't surprising to see a brand new Duke figure on the shelf every few months. Some action figures amazed children, while others only amused them. Many of these figures appeared to be rushed into production. Our list compiles some of the worst G.I. Joe figures that didn't represent their respective character well.

20 At Least His Synchro-Tech Launcher is Impressive

When Cobra traveled into space to take over the universe, G.I. Joe formed a new sub-group. The Star Brigade was a group of astronauts that worked to protect the entire galaxy from the evil Cobra army. Along with the team was Greg Scott. He was a brilliant engineer who created the battle suits the team used to fight Cobra. Destro seriously injured Scott but didn't permanently remove him from battle. Scott's colleagues combined their efforts and recreated him into Robo-J.O.E.

Becoming a robotic man may sound exciting, especially during the time of shows like The Six Million Dollar Man. Robo-J.O.E.'s action figure is so bulky that it makes one wonder how he fought in battle. His artwork appears to place him in a sleek metal fighting suit. The figure dons a bright orange suit with black armor accents. The black armor is splattered with orange dots which wasn't part of the original design. The left side of his face isn't a metal headpiece and is poorly sculpted. He comes with a variety of firearm accessories. His Synchro-tech launcher fires projectiles, but that may be the only exciting part of this figure.

19 Both The Figure And Artwork Are Strange

Cobra has several interesting villains working for their organization. They recruited a brilliant scientist named Doctor Mindbender. As his name suggests, he is a master of mind control. He gained his abilities after testing out a machine meant to relieve dental patients from their pain. Unfortunately, the experiment went terribly wrong. The waves from the machine turned the good doctor evil instead. He found a home as part of Cobra's top fighters. Cobra often uses his services to recruit new soldiers to their army forcefully. After hearing about the doctor, one might assume he has a scary appearance.

Dr. Mindbender has interesting choices in supervillain attire that don't convert well as an action figure.

His artwork on the packaging does make him appear frightening at first glance. Dental drills are enough to scare most children and grown-ups. His figure looks less than impressive. Mindbender's entire right eye is missing, and only his monocle remains. His silver harness is oddly molded onto his body. His mustache resembles a cowboy and not the doctor in the artwork. The figure's facial features attempt to look evil and menacing but poorly represents the villain. Though this figure crudely resembles his character, we admit this is one of the most unique characters on Cobra's team.

18 A Failed Collaboration That Shouldn’t Exist

Street Fighter II introduced several creative characters. Blanka is a fighter from Brazil who can use electricity to shock his foes. He was a powerful choice for those who could control his moves. In 1992, Hasbro and Capcom decided to bring these digital fighters to life. The G.I. Joe Street Fighter II line was brought to fruition. All of the main characters from the series were recreated in action figure form. Unfortunately, all of the characters suffered from poor reimaginings.

Blanka was one of the Street Fighter II characters that was turned into an action figure. To create him, Hasbro used the body of Road Pig but sculpted a new head for the Brazilian fighter. His artwork displays a triangle of red hair on his chest and forearms, but they are missing from the figure. His hair is bright red but appears as a poorly maintained afro instead of Blank's signature Troll doll style. For some reason, Blanka came with a giant arsenal of firearms and a blaster. The Street Fighters didn't need weapons, except Vega, so these accessories are unnecessary. There is also a black rope tied around Blanka's left leg. Hasbro and Capcom took several creative liberties when designing Blanka's action figure.

17 Is She Supposed To Spook Us?

The Dreadnoks are a vicious group composed of some of the evilest villains in the G.I. Joe series. Their primary goal is to get rich. Within their group are Zartan's twin siblings: Zandar and Zarana. Zantar is a master of disguise and uses various techniques to hide his true identity. Zarana uses simpler methods than her brother. She is an expert actress and applies makeup to fool her enemies. She has the potential to make it far in the acting world, but it doesn't pay enough to keep her happy.

Zarana's base form has her wearing a pink shirt, a mohawk, and cowboy boots with spurs. We're not sure what went wrong with her action figure. Her hair isn't in a mohawk and is in different shades of pink. Her jeans aren't torn on the left side. And her face doesn't resemble her character at all. She appears to be angry with exaggerated eyebrows. Only a single line of red suggests she's wearing red lipstick. Her backpack accessory has no detail and doesn't include any painted accents. Her firearm appears silver in the artwork with a scary rotating blade. The accessory in the package looks like a flower was placed at the end of the barrel.

16 We Hope The Parachute Really Works

In 1964, Hasbro released the Action Pilot doll. He was one of the first original G.I. Joe figures inspired by the U.S. Air Force. Even though he is a fighter pilot, kids could make him do whatever they wanted. Children could take the toy on fantastic adventures. The artwork on the box depicts an older soldier, ready to fight to protect his country. His pilot suit is bright white to match his helmet. The only striking colors on his outfit are the yellow straps connecting his parachute to his body.

Once kids opened up the box, they may have felt disappointed to see the Action Pilot.

He doesn't come with a plane. The figure was of a tiny man wearing an orange flight suit. He's wearing a slightly darker orange harness. The artwork shows the fighter in white clothing, but it was changed to a bright hunter's orange instead. His helmet is at least white like in the illustration. The figure also comes with a backpack to connect his parachute. Though this figure is now considered a collector's item, those who are disappointed with this figure's appearance can at least have fun dropping him from high places to watch him safely parachute down.

15 Sludge Would Be An Improvement

Young, impressionable minds were inspired by the heroics of the G.I. Joe team. When people grew an interest in helping the environment in the early 1990s, toy makers wanted to help out. G.I. Joe introduced the Eco-Warriors. They were a sub-group of the Joe team. Cobra planned to cover the beautiful Earth with toxic waste. Since they kept failing at taking over the planet, they decided to hurt it instead. The Eco-Warriors specialized in cleaning up the planet while also destroying the evil Cobra villains. Sludge Vipers were Cobra's first line of toxic waste warriors who helped spread the hazardous material all over the globe.

Action figures were made for Cobra's Sludge Vipers. Their main appearance was a green uniform with yellow tactical gear. The figure has several differences from the original artwork. His uniform is more blue-green than green. The toy manufacturer completely missed painting the straps on his legs purple, even though his weapon is in the accurate color. The Sludge Viper's face visor is the most amusing part of this figure. It's so tiny that it makes us wonder how he can see. Thankfully, this toy retains the ability to change color from battle damage.

14 Elite Soldiers That Stand Out (In A Bad Way)

The G.I. Joe team features several sub-groups, including Ninja Force, Eco-Warriors, and Star Brigade. Cobra also has elite groups that specialize in helping their evil plans. The Alley Viper group specialize in combat. They will hurt anyone to help the Cobra cause. They were forced to fight Cobra's biggest threat, G.I. Joes, in Rio Lindo. They wanted to take over the town but in typical G.I. Joe fashion were defeated before they could carry out their mission.

The G.I. Joe Battle Corps line completely changed Cobra's elite urban assault troopers. On the artwork, they are wearing black armor with tiger-striped tights. The figure is entirely different. The face is the most glaring difference. It doesn't resemble the artwork at all. The character itself is in completely different colors. The artwork shows a striking black and red shield with the Cobra insignia. Instead, we get an unpainted piece of plastic that would make the G.I. Joe team laugh in this Alley Viper's unpainted face. The only bonus to this action figure is that his assault weapon can shoot. At least the manufacturer spends some time on making the accessories work.

13 Sorry, This Toy Doesn’t Activate With A “Bang”

Destro is an arms dealer who works for Cobra. He has his ruthless team outside of the Cobra villains. The Iron Grenadiers composed of Destro's bodyguards, guards of his estate, and hired help. They all work for financial gain and do quite well thanks to Destro's corrupt businesses. Metal-Head is part of the Iron Grenadiers. He is Destro's Anti-Tank Specialist. Strapped to his body are giant missiles that can take down any enemy threatening his boss

The G.I. Joe Battle Corps line changed the typical appearance of Destro's Anti-Tank Specialist.

In the artwork on the package, Metal-Head is drawn as a giant, armored soldier. Metal-Head's picture doesn't appear threatening at all. His facial expression shows that he's laughing at himself rather than taking out enemies. His hair is also nicely in place, while his artwork shows a wild mane. Metal-Head is missing some of the accessories from his artwork, such as the metal accessory holder on his left thigh. His weapons also lack creativity. They're unpainted and in a bright purple and red, which don't even match Metal-Head's outfit. At least his tank-blaster can launch missiles.

12 More Cheetah Than Ninja

The G.I. Joe team isn't the only group filled with elite ninjas. Cobra has a few evil ninjas working on their side. Slice used to be part of the Arashikage clan before leaving for more evil ambitions. He didn't want to have to follow all of the rules of a typical ninja. He quickly rose to become the top swordsman of the Cobra. What he lacks in stealth abilities he makes up in brute strength. What makes Slice even more unique is that he doesn't use a sword like other ninjas. Instead of slicing, as his name implies, he darts his sword forward in a stabbing motion. Slice doesn't need to hide in the shadows to stalk his prey when they don't have a chance of surviving.

Slice may be Cobra's most ruthless ninja, but his action figure says otherwise. His normally red uniform is bright yellow. The dots that normally appear only on his midsection are now splattered all over his body. Slice resembles a cheetah more than a dangerous ninja. At least he comes with a wide variety of interesting ninja weapons to keep you distracted from his unusual attire.

11 At Least She Can Still Perform A Whirlwind Kick

Street Fighter II was first released on the Super Nintendo in 1992. The game exploded in popularity. During this time, the G.I. Joe toy line continued to be a success, but they were always seeking new opportunities. Capcom and Hasbro teamed up and developed a range of Street Fighter II action figures. Instead of keeping the characters looking similar to their video game counterparts, they were redesigned with new outfits. Chun Li was the only female part of the Street Fighter II roster, so she was obviously reimagined as a G.I. Joe figure.

Chun Li's G.I. Joe figure did not match her character. Her portrait didn't appear at all like her character portrait on the original game. Her figure's face was even more different from the source material. Chun Li's body was a Ninja Force Scarlett figure with a slightly different head with two side hair buns. She comes with an assortment of bright yellow weapons, even though she excels in hand-to-hand fighting. At least Chun Li came with spring-action feet that could stiffly perform her signature "Whirlwind Kick." Her figure looks extremely unhappy to be part of the Capcom and Hasbro collaboration.

10 We Wouldn’t Want To Clean This Up

Cobra may want to take over the Earth, but they come up with more ways to destroy the planet. In 1991, Cobra decided to unleash a torrent of toxic sludge over the planet. The G.I. Joe team wasn't going to let Cobra get away with their evil plan. The team developed a brand new sub-group, called the Eco-Warriors, or E-Force, that would clean up Cobra's toxic waste. The figure line based off of this series was unique. When they were exposed to water, it would change the colors of their uniforms. Some of the toys could even squirt water.

Toxo-Zombies were created thanks to the Cobra's toxic waste. They were disfigured due to the horrible after-effects of hazardous chemicals. Their armor does little to help hide their grotesque features.

The artwork makes the Toxo-Zombies appear as horrible zombies, but the figure next to it fails to bring this to life.

The action figure is not so impressive. It can change colors under water. It's zombie features are unimpressive. The red wounds on his body are just lines that look like misprints. The neon green and pink uniform don't make this zombie appear to be scary. The only interesting feature about this figure is that his weapon can shoot real water.

9 This Figure Doesn’t Appear Right Or Mighty

Salvo is G.I. Joe's top anti-armor trooper. He prefers to use missiles and rockets over firearms. In his first comic appearance, Salvo dual wielded a rocket launcher and landmine firearm. Not many G.I. Joe soldiers have Salvo's strength. Not only can he command these explosives, but he also can repair them.

What makes Salvo stand out is the slogan on his t-shirt that reads "The Right of Might." He can put his rocket launchers on his shoulders to strike down his foes with no hearing damage. In the comic and cartoon series, he is seen as a muscular man who specializes in using any explosive device, no matter how big or small.

The trooper's move to action figure was not as impressive as the explosions he creates. Salvo appears to be an older gentleman instead of a young soldier. The expression on his face is puzzled as if he's not sure if the sculpture depicted him correctly. The text on his shirt is extremely small and hard to read. At least Hasbro included a high amount of explosives with Salvo. He can have fun launching missiles instead of being disappointed by his action figure.

8 The World’s Worst Hunter

The G.I. Joe team is comprised of some of America's most valiant heroes. Where there are heroes, there are also villains. The Dreadnoks are a group of abhorred thieves and hunters who will do anything for money. One of the worst members of the group is Gnawgahyde. He was a poacher who first worked in Africa until his colleagues kicked him out of their group. Gnawgahyde doesn't believe any animal deserves respect, only to be treated like garbage. At the same time, he lives like an animal. His home is within the beauty of nature.

Gnawgahyde was transformed into an action figure. His figure looks nothing like his artwork. While his drawing has an angry expression on his face, his figure appears to be smiling too hard. His leopard print shirt has transformed into brown polka dots. We're not sure what's going on with the green lumber covering the lower half of his legs. He comes with an unpainted wild boar. We're not sure if it's Gnawgahyde's friend or something for him to hunt. If Gnawgahyde looked like his action figure in the cartoon and comic series, we're sure that animals he was hunting would have laughed him out of the wilderness.

7 He Wasn’t Ranked MVP For This Figure

The G.I. Joe force isn't made up of just soldiers. There are a variety of fighters on the team who have unlikely specialties. Captain Grid-Iron first served as the Quarterback of West Point's football team. He excelled in both sports and academia. Captain Grid-Iron graduated in the top ten students in his entire class. He could have moved on to the U.S. Army War College but decided to turn it down. He knew that he was destined for more magnificent adventures. His patience paid off. He got the opportunity to join the exclusive G.I. Joe team.

Captain Grid-Iron is obviously a huge football fan. He wears a modified football uniform along with tactical gear. All of his weapons are football-themed. Those features make his action figure appear even more terrible. Grid-Iron's shirt sleeves and leg guards have mismatched digital camo patterns.

This figure of Captain Grid-Iron fails to show off his tactical football-fanatic style.

To make this figure worse, the Captain's eyes are closed. How is a real American hero going to save the day when he's asleep? This figure failed quality assurance and has lost the big game.

6 Cobra’s Top Officer Doesn’t Impress Us

The G.I. Joe team has their Counter Intelligence expert, Scarlett. The Cobra team also has their top intelligence officer, the Baroness. She wears an outfit of black leather and tactical gear. She has long black hair to match along with circular glasses. Baroness is a ruthless villain who is an expert in wielding firearms along with piloting various aircraft. Cobra is lucky to have such a vicious villain on their team. The Baroness made her first debut in the Marvel Comics adaptation of the series. Fans couldn't get their hands on her first official figure until 1984.

The Cobra Intelligence Officer's first action figure was anything but impressive. On the artwork, she has a stern look on her face. The explosions are appearing behind her show that she means business. The facial expression on her face has an odd look of joy. Her eyes are tiny behind her molded glasses. Unfortunately, her glasses cannot be removed, but that's to be expected with this early 80s figure. There is only one line of red to indicate her red lipstick. The expression on this figure doesn't portray the Baroness as the cold-hearted officer we know and love.

5 The Ninja In Paint-Splattered Pants

The G.I. Joe series began as heroes from the four branches of the U.S. Military. As the series progressed, more factions were started. Storm Shadow began his sub-team of ninjas that were affiliated with the Arashikage clan. The force expanded to include Snake Eyes, Scarlett, and Jinx. They worked together to infiltrate small arms dealers but eventually were forced to fight against the Night Creepers. The Ninja Force recruited new team members, such as Banzai, the Rising Sun Ninja. Banzai was not born in the land of the rising sun, Japan. He is originally from New York but trained in the mountains of Tibet.

When you first think of ninjas, your mind may automatically think of figures cloaked in black. Banzai's artwork shows him as a bare-chested fighter with a random assortment of weapons on his chest. His only clothing is a pair of black gloves and boots with matching black and purple camo pants. On his face is a purple hockey mask. The actual figure managed to appear more comical than his artwork. His mask is like a sock on his face, only showing realistic blonde hair behind it. His patterned camo pants appear more like paint splatters. If you weren't a fan of Ninja Force, this figure would only add to your disappointment.

4 Are Alien Bounty Hunters Supposed To Be This Adorable?

G.I. Joe has fascinated fans for years. It's not surprising that toy companies would want to change up the formula to increase sales. The Joes were fighting on Earth for decades, and it was time for them to take the fight to other planets. That's where the Star Brigade arrives. The Joes were sent to space to take down the Cobra threat. While they were fighting space terrorists, other aliens were looking to have some fun. Predacon, who bears a striking resemblance to another alien bounty hunter, the Predator, was introduced into the series. He worked with other aliens within the Lunartix Empire to take down the Star Brigade.

The Predacon appears to be a scary alien fighter who's ready to destroy planets on the box art illustration.

He is extremely muscular and has four arms. All of his arms wield dangerous firearms. If that wasn't enough to take down the heroes, he could use the spikes on his jaw or his sharp fangs. His figure is anything but horrifying. His tentacle hair is now thick dreadlocks. Predacon's mouth is closed, and he appears to be smiling instead of growling. And his eyes are also much larger, giving him a sweet puppy-dog look. The only thing impressive about this figure are his detailed legs.

3 The Most Relaxed Commander

The Talking Adventure Team Commander was released in 1973. Not much is known about this character, as his adventures were meant to be played out by children. This soldier had realistic clothing and removable boots. This fighter could talk when his Adventure Team pendant was pulled. He was an advanced figure in the early 70s. He could shout out commands to his fellow team members. The commander was released in several different countries. His Canadian release could speak in French.

The box art for the Talking Adventure Team Commander makes the team commander seem like a tough looking soldier. The actual figure is not that impressive. His facial features seem sleepy and indifferent. The last thing this commander wants to do is to command around any troops. His "life-like hair and beard" are extremely fluffy. He is meant to appear like a soldier who is too concerned with fighting the enemy than saving them, but he has an odd resemblance to the famous late painter, Bob Ross. If you were hoping for a battle-hardened fighter, you might want to pass on this action commander. If you wanted a figure that could lounge around enjoying life, this figure might be right up your alley.

2 The Orange Is A Warning: You Should Not Buy This Figure

After years of being Earth's mightiest heroes, it's no surprise that the creators wanted to do more unique storylines for the franchise. They developed the Star Brigade, a side faction of the G.I. Joes that fought in space. They were advertised as astronauts who would protect Earth from Cobra. Not only was Cobra trying to take over space, but the Lunartix Empire wanted to control the galaxy. One of the Lunartix Empire's fearsome fighters was Carcass. This alien is a "Destroyer" and ruthlessly hunted down those who stood in his way.

The official action figure for Carcass was not so scary. His artwork depicts him as an orange beast with clawed hands, alligator-like jaws, and glowing green eyes. Somehow this alien could use a laser blaster, making him a threat both up close and far away. The figure of Carcass was not as impressive. His chest was slightly translucent, showing an odd green stomach inside of his alien body. His arms appeared long as if he were a robot. And his orange body is too bright. He resembles a cautionary orange that hunters usually have to wear. Since his fists are closed, we have no idea how he will wield all of those firearms enclosed in the packaging. Aliens seemed like a unique idea until we saw this failed figure.

1 Unique, But Unimpressive

Agent Scarlett was first introduced in 1982. She was one of the original members of the G.I. Joe team. Scarlett is often featured in the cartoon, comics, and most recently in the live-action film adaptations. Scarlett's specialty is Counter Intelligence, but she is also a master of acrobatics and martial arts. To match her physical ability is her genius intelligence. Scarlett is not only a master of hand-to-hand combat, but she is also proficient in a wide variety of firearms. Over the years, she has become a vital part of the team.

Scarlett's first action figure was released when she originally debuted. She was a unique mold since the other characters had obvious male characteristics.

Though Scarlett is displayed as a serious hero in a leotard on her painted artwork, her figure is a little less impressive.

Her facial details aren't painted on her unique head mold. Her features appear to be more confused than battle ready. And her face is unique compared to her male counterparts, but it doesn't represent her character well. As an added disappointment, the only accessory she has is a crossbow. Every other accessory on Scarlett is molded to her body. We applaud Hasbro for trying, but this first figure of Scarlett was disappointing.