Fighting Yank
Fighting
Yank also predated the 8 inch line as Mego's first original
product. Unfortunately, unknown to the company in NY, the Hong Kong
factory they contracted to produce a "knockoff of GI Joe"
literally duplicated parts of the original. The duplication included
the trademark "backwards" Joe thumb and Mego was forced
to settle with Hasbro out of court.
See John Michlig's GI Joe The Complete Story of America's Man of Action, for more. GREAT book! Two backwards thumbs up!