1988 G.I. Joe Stead-Cam Maching Gunner: Repeater
By: Karl Stern (@dragonkingkarl, @wiwcool, karl@whenitwascool.com)
Repeater (File name: Jeffrey R. Therine) is basically described on his G.I. Joe file card as an under achieving loner. The action figure was only produced for two years, from 1988-90. Repeater was never a major player in the comic books or the cartoon series. Still, he's a pretty decent figure especially when you consider he was released in 1988 which had a lot of neon and ninjas in the line. Repeater is a Steadi-Cam Machine Gunner which is never really explained on the file card but it's pretty self evident that he is a machine gunner with a stabilizer attachment.
I never had Repeater as a kid, in fact, I don't even remember him. I bought him a year or so back after running across him in one of the few issues of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book he appeared in and looked him up. I thought the machine gun was pretty cool.
There is a small hook on his belt that attaches to the machine gun to help it pivot. The sculpt is otherwise unremarkable and I absolutely hate the moon shaped face sculpt. I do think it is cool that he is a pretty much straight up solider in an era where G.I. Joe was getting a little "out there".
Repeater also comes with a pretty non-descript standard backpack. I also am not sure how I feel about the green accents. I think dark brown might have been a better choice.
The figure looks much better straight on than in profile. You can't make out his sunken in face that way and the machine gun is pretty cool looking. I also like the fingerless glove and wish they had also put that on his right hand as well. Again, I think dark brown would have been a better choice for the vest.
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