Special Price.

Since I sold out of the first listing of this book, we received another shipment.  Still, I am going to offer a special price on these books (at least for the time being).  So, please get your copy now.

This is a special price for the NEW improved Cardillo-DeSimone Guides. 

(Please note that people typically sell the two volumes separately for $12 each, so here you essentially get both volumes and you only have to carry around one book).    

This makes a GREAT gift and nice coffee table book as well.

I have updated the two books and printed them on a NICE gloss paper.

Initially, I was only allowing 1 copy per person, but with the new shipment, you may buy multiple copies if you would like.

The book basically the Red Book and the Blue Books Combined. minus the 12 inch figures.

The printing is MUCH improved over the 2009 version... (I know that not everyone was happy with the 2009 edition paper that my distributor used, so printed these myself). 

About this Book...

Due to  increases in plastic prices Hasbro, manufacturer of the original

12” GIJOE line,  began production of a newer smaller line of figures

commonly referred to by  collectors as the GIJOE: A Real American Hero

(ARAH) line.  This line of 3 ¾” figures consisted of  single carded

figures, figures boxed with larger vehicles or play sets and mail  away and

convention exclusives.  The  line is generally considered by collects to

span 1982 through 1994.  Hasbro briefly stopped production  introducing

both GIJOE Extreme and Sgt. Savage, but both failed to connect with

collectors.  In 1997 HASBRO  resurrected a newer line of figures based off

the ARAH line.

During this time of the ARAH line, James DeSimone, began touring  the

country purchasing GIJOE toys and created the G.I. Joe Collectors Club

where  he sent news letters to members and later hosted GIJOE Collector

Club toy  shows.

HASBRO eventually became interested in his efforts and worked in

conjunction with him to create these books documenting and categorizing the

ARAH  line.  The complete line is  catalogued in two books: the first was

published in 1992 and the second  published in 1994.  The books are

generally referred to by GI Joe collectors as “The Red Book” and “The

Blue Book”  and the two volumes are considered to be the definitive

source on GIJOE ARAH and  the ONLY Hasbro licensed book cataloguing each of

the figures produced.

The books are complete with the exception the absence of a few  figures.

Although aware of their  existence and sometimes intimately involved in

their production, the following  figures where intentionally omitted by

James, but are generally regarded by  collectors as being included in the

complete line collection.  The figures are as follows:

The first issue of Cobra Commander (1982) referred to GIJOE  collectors as

“Mickey Mouse Cobra Commander” due to the design of the Cobra  Emblem

on his chest.

Three convention figures: Steeler FX (1994), a reproduction of the  1983

Steeler that was identical except for the packaging and its availability at

the convention that year.  The  denotation “FX” refers to “Florida

Extravaganza”.  The Jinx Infiltrate (1994), a figure  that was authorized

by Hasbro, but too custom in nature to include in the  book.  The Black

Convention Pilot  (1994), identical to figure 531 with the exception of the

parachute.

Additionally, both the Steel Brigade and Starduster figures where  assumed

to have been produced with spare parts creating an unknown number of

variations.  It was later noted by  collectors there are five versions of

the first issue Steel Brigade and 4  Versions of the first issue

Starduster.

THE BOOK YOU ARE HOLDING RIGHT NOW IS THE  MERGER OF THOSE TWO VOLUMES

Other  books: We also suggest that you read the follow up to this book

published in  2009 depicting all of GIJOE figures produced from 1982 to mid

2006.  The book bares the same name as the red  book, but the publish date

is listed as 2009.  We also suggest that you pick up a copy  of Mark

Bellomo’s books which show great pictures of the vehicle lines and

provide much content on the figures themselves.

Follow  Chris Cardillo on Twitter @GI_Cardillo