In 1964, Hasbro created GI Joe, the first dress up figure for boys. His 12 inch size and numerous moving joints established him as the standard by which other similar toys would be measured. In France, he went under the name of ‘Action Joe’ and was produced between 1976 and 1981.

This work revisits the origins of Action Joe, analyzes the technical characteristics of the dolls, and provides an exhaustive inventory of the French collection.

The full color illustrations in the book comprise many photos of the dolls, their uniforms, equipment and their vehicles. All the examples photographed come from the private collection of the author.