Books I would write: Big Jim's P.A.C.K.

When I was a kid, I loved getting weird back issues whenever I had the rare chance to go to the comic shop. It was through those back issues that I was first exposed to Big Jim’s P.A.C.K.

Big Jim was Mattel’s answer to G.I. Joe and when Joe gained his Adventure Team, Jim gained his Professional Agents — Crime Killers. (Toy acronyms didn’t require much thought in those days.) I was about negative three when the toyline came out though, so unlike some of my friends online, cannot say I ever experienced them first hand in a store. But, the ad. The ad drew me in.

I cannot remember where I saw an ad for the group first, or even if it was a Marvel or DC book. But that glorious G.I. Joe-like team drawn by Jack Kirby instantly caught my attention. I wanted to know more about Warpath, Dr. Steel, The Whip and their much less interesting leader. I remember crafting narratives in my mind as a preteen with these weird characters, even designing a villainous unit for them to fight. (It would be a few more years before I learned about Zorak or the later 004 villains.)

Ultimately like so many great olden toylines, Big Jim is trapped under the ownership of a company that probably will never revive him (though he did get a memorial of sorts in an early 2000s episode of Max Steel.) But the P.A.C.K. is one of those teams that just deserves to have a good adventure series built around them. I doubt it will ever happen but you never know.

And Mattel, my email address is right there on the contact page if you're interested.

Great Art: Big Jim’s P.A.C.K. vs. Hydra by M.C. Wyman

I have been a fan of M.C. Wyman since the 90s when he was a regular on Marvel's B books, drawing dozens of issues over just a few years. Since then he seems to make a good bit of cash selling art on Ebay. I even commissioned a Lightweight piece off of him last year. One of my favorite of these later day pieces is this piece featuring Mattel's 70s answer to G.I. Joe, the always awesome (and Kirby designed) P.A.C.K. against Baron Strucker himself.

Remember to check out more great art at the Tumblr.

Books I would write: Big Jim's P.A.C.K.

When I was a kid, I loved getting weird back issues whenever I had the rare chance to go to the comic shop. It was through those back issues that I was first exposed to Big Jim’s P.A.C.K.

Big Jim was Mattel’s answer to G.I. Joe and when Joe gained his Adventure Team, Jim gained his Professional Agents — Crime Killers. (Toy acronyms didn’t require much thought in those days.) I was about negative three when the toyline came out though, so unlike some of my friends online, cannot say I ever experienced them first hand in a store. But, the ad. The ad drew me in.

I cannot remember where I saw an ad for the group first, or even if it was a Marvel or DC book. But that glorious G.I. Joe-like team drawn by Jack Kirby instantly caught my attention. I wanted to know more about Warpath, Dr. Steel, The Whip and their much less interesting leader. I remember crafting narratives in my mind as a preteen with these weird characters, even designing a villainous unit for them to fight. (It would be a few more years before I learned about Zorak or the later 004 villains.)

Ultimately like so many great olden toylines, Big Jim is trapped under the ownership of a company that probably will never revive him (though he did get a memorial of sorts in an early 2000s episode of Max Steel.) But the P.A.C.K. is one of those teams that just deserves to have a good adventure series built around them. I doubt it will ever happen but you never know.

And Mattel, my email address is right there on the contact page if you're interested.