I've been looking at a lot of the cardbacks lately, and I'm curious what people like the best. I really think the packaging helped sell the figures in the 80s, and the nostalgic factor now is helping them sell again. Anyway, Here is how I break them down (not including sub-teams like Sky Patrol or Ninja Force)

RAH v1
1982-1985 (Standard GI Joe logo, Explosion background)


RAH v2
1986-1989 (3D GI Joe logo, Digital Explosion background)


RAH v3
1990-1992 (Embossed GI Joe logo, Digital Explosion background, different colors gradient for Joes & Cobras)


RAH v4
1993 Battle Corp v1


RAH v5
1994 Battle Corp v2


RAHC v1 (Real American Hero Collection)
1997-1998 TRU exclusives


RAHC v2
2001-2002 Standard RAHC


GI Joe vs Cobra
2002


Spytroops
2003


Venom vs Valor
2004-2005


DTC (direct to consumer)
2005-2006


25th
2007-2008


What is your favorite (you can vote for up to 3)

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I can't believe I'm picking 25th over RAH, but the silver logo and border look really nice. I'm going to miss it.

Now if the poll was for art instead of style, then RAH wins hands down. While a few are nice, most of the 25th figure art has an amateurish Photoshop look to it, like some high school kid did them in his spare time. There are so many GOOD graphic artists looking for work, come on Hasbro!

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I've always been a fan of RAH V2 for the digital explosion - which was much much cooler back then. But once you put them side by side I'd have to say the 25th anniversary. It's a sharper and cleaner design while still holding true to what was great about the original (like the character artwork). The silver behind the toy works so much better than the random colors used in the original cardbacks which sometimes didn't match any other color found on the card.

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1 and 3. And actually, I only picked 3 because I'm not a fan of the digital explosion. The pic you posted of 25A Beachhead with basically v1-style cardart sold it for me. V1 is my favorite style, but V3 allows all my v2 fave figures to have proper background explosions

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I think the one from 94 (the picture with Lifeline) was eyecatching. I really like the 25th one too though. Shiny is nice.

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This one's hard - I love that digital explosion of version 2 (looks much better than the close-up digital explosion of version 3), but I never liked the 3D logo (and I hated it when they started making the G.I. Joe logo on vehicle stickers 3D). V1 logo with v2 explosion would have to be my ideal cardback.

Plus I voted for 25th - I don't really care one way or another about the silver, and some of the redone artwork looks dumb, but the nostalgia factor of walking into the store, and seeing explosion-back cards hanging on pegs is just too much win to be ignored.*

* Of course, after the wave of nostalgia is over, I am overcome with a different emotion when I see that the only figures hanging on the aforementioned pegs is Buzzer and Serpentor

ARAH V1, ARAH V2, and RAHC V1.

You cant beat the original cards 82 to 87, you just cant. No matter how sharp the 25th cards look, they arent the originals.

And the cards from 97-98 TRU, I dunno, they resemble the originals very well even though they are collages. They have a more similiar look to the originals than the 25th does. Plus, I remember when I saw Joes back in the stores that year, I was pretty happy about it!!

That's my favorite design. The overall darker look helps bring the characters more to life. The only carded figures in my collection is a complete set of '94 Star Brigade figs on those cards. They simply look too good to open or split up.

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Since we could vote for 3 I had to go with V1, V2, and 25th Anniversary. V1 and V2 for the superior artwork, and 25th for the sweet shiny logo and vintage appeal.

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I stand by my earlier vote, but I own that Lifeline card art. It's 11X17, like a test print or something. Bought it on eBay a few years ago. I love Lifeline and that image kicks ass.

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RAH V2

Tim 121RVC