G.I. Joe Night Force Night Striker TRU Exclusive AFA 80 ** POP 3, 2nd-Highest Grade, Only 5 Higher ** (Hasbro, 1988)....

Description

G.I. Joe Night Force Night Striker TRU Exclusive AFA 80 ** POP 3, 2nd-Highest Grade, Only 5 Higher ** (Hasbro, 1988). Released in 1988 as a Toys "R" Us exclusive as part of the Night Force subset, the Night Striker reworked the classic 1984 Killer W.H.A.L.E. hovercraft into one of the more recognizable vehicle redecos of the vintage era. The Night Force color palette gave the already military-styled hovercraft a darker and more tactical appearance compared to the standard 1984 release. This example has been professionally graded AFA 80 NM and stands as a Pop 3 second-highest graded example, with only five graded higher. From the collection of Derryl DePriest. The Night Striker demonstrates how dramatically Night Force could alter the identity of an existing vehicle without changing the underlying design. By applying the subset's distinctive color scheme to the W.H.A.L.E. hovercraft, Hasbro created a markedly different presentation while retaining the proven tooling beneath it.

More Information: Derryl DePriest is a longtime toy industry executive and pop culture historian who served as Vice President of Global Brand Management at Hasbro from 2001 to 2018, overseeing major initiatives for Star Wars and G.I. Joe during a transformative era for collector-focused product. During his tenure, Hasbro launched key lines including The Vintage Collection and the 6-inch Star Wars: The Black Series, both of which reshaped modern action figure presentation and articulation standards. A lifelong G.I. Joe enthusiast and recognized liaison between Hasbro and the collector community, DePriest later authored Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Archive Edition and has contributed extensively to documenting the history of G.I. Joe. Items offered from his collection reflect the perspective of an executive who helped guide some of the most influential collector-driven brands of the modern era.


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