1983 Major Bludd: Mercenary (mail order and carded)

Major Bludd was available as a mail-in offer from January 25–February 28, 1983 (see the postcard offer above). Parents and kids alike wrote in wondering why they had to mail in faces instead of the Flag Points they had been saving for such offers. Hasbro responded with the letter below.

Later in 1983, Major Bludd would be released as a carded figure as part of series 2 (seen below). Major Bludd was the first swivel-arm figure. 

There are two versions of the poem on Major Bludd's file card. Above: earlier version. Below: revised version. Courtesy of Ryan Ihnken.

Creator Commentary

Kirk Bozigian (G.I. Joe Product Manager) and Ron Rudat (R&D Figure Designer) discuss Major Bludd's mechanical arm.

Kirk posits a diabolical theory for why Bob Prupis made kids cut the faces off of the Joes to redeem them for Major Bludd.