Fun Publications debuts Action Figure Display System

Every collector has this dilemma– how best to display your loose figure collection?  There are never enough of the proprietary action figure stands that are usually included with most figures in a line but those aren’t always the most exciting things in the world.  Plus, nothing is more boring than row upon row of figures stacked in front of each other in a relatively static environment.  After all, a good display can really make a collection “POP!”  Enter a new solution from Fun Publications…

Fun Publications introduces a new and dynamic way to display!

Fort Worth, TX – April 19th, 2011 – Fun Publications, Inc, the promoter of BotCon, GIJoeCon and the operators of the Official Collectors’ Clubs for both Transformers and G.I. Joe under license from Hasbro, is proud to present a new and exciting offering to the action figure collecting community!

The company has developed an “Action Figure Display System” for use in displaying different brands of 4″ action figures such as G.I. Joe, Star Wars, Marvel Universe and many more. What sets this system apart from other “figure stands” on the market is the wide variety of ways it can be integrated into almost any collection. It is MORE than just a “stand”.

“We wanted to create something that gave collectors options for displaying their figures and give them the ability use their own imaginations in the process”, says Brian Savage of Fun Publications. “We think that collectors will come up with other uses beyond what we’ve already envisioned and that they will look forward to the additional add-ons and upgrades that we are already discussing.”

Diorama style backdrop cards can be used to create mini-environments utilizing an upright clip arm and another clip at the rear foot of the base. The upright arm can also be removed and the foot clip used to display file cards or other package elements. Carded figures can also be displayed along side an “out of package sample” as well.

The bases have two individual foot pegs, which allow unique posing ability for single figures, giving maximum stability, or two figures can be displayed together by allocating one foot peg to each figure. The stands can be aligned and share a common backdrop if so desired.

The multiple applications and modular construction are why this is called a “system” and not “figure stands”. The unique design will allow for the addition of other elements and modifications in the future to add even more flexibility to the “Action Figure Display System”.

About FUN PUBLICATIONS, INC.

For over 15 years, Fun Publications, Inc. has been a Hasbro licensee offering fans and collectors of pop culture memorabilia news, exclusive product and family events through different print offerings, websites, collector clubs and brand specific conventions such as GIJoeCon and BotCon.  Located in Fort Worth Texas, Fun Publications reaches a large audience, serving the United States and many other countries such as Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, Australia and Canada. For more information visit www.TransformersClub.com, www.GIJoeClub.com, www.GIJoeCon.com, and www.BotCon.com.

To order your own Action Figure Display System (AFDS), just visit the Club Store today!

Left-over Joe Con 2011 items at Club store

Okay, before you run off frantically to the club store trying to purchase a “Mission Brazil 2″ set, read the list carefully.  MOST of the 3.75” items were sold out by Joe Con 2011’s end.  However, here is a list of currently-available items at the club store.

Thanks to everyone who came to the convention, we all had a blast!
Most of the items we took to the convention sold out and the remaining ones
all have a limited quantity.

These are the only items left from the convention and are in the club store:

New GI Joe Items – Officer Level pricing:

4-7-11 -2011 GIJoeCon 12 inch Drive Into Danger Convention Boxed Set (1 pc)$325.00+shipping

4-8-11 -2011 GIJoeCon Convention Program w/Comic-Perfect enemies (1pc) $4.95+shipping

4-9-11 -2011 GIJoeCon 3.75 Action Figure Display System(figures/cards not included) pack of 3- $9+shipping

FREE downloadable backgrounds for the Action Figure Display System will soon be
available on GIJoeClub.com

4-13-11 -2011 GIJoeCon 3 3/4 Mission Brazil T-Shirt (XL) 1 pc$20+shipping

4-14-11 -2011 GIJoeCon 3 3/4 Mission Brazil T-Shirt (2XL) 1 pc$22+shipping

4-11-11 -2011 GIJoeCon 12 inch Drive Into Danger T-shirt-Medium (1 pc)$20+shipping

4-10-11 -2011 GIJoeCon 12 inch Drive Into Danger T-shirt-Large (1 pc)$20+shipping

4-12-11 -2011 GIJoeCon 12 inch Drive Into Danger T-shirt-(XL) 1 pc$20+shipping

To order, visit GIJoeClub.com today.

Leftover 2011 Joe Con items

Hasbro’s profits down 71% in Q1 2011

According to Yahoo News, even Hasbro isn’t recession-proof:

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Hasbro Inc’s (NasdaqGS:HASNews) first-quarter profit fell almost 71 percent as it spent more to develop its new television network, while demand for games, puzzles and preschool toys weakened.

Shares of the second-largest U.S. toy company after Mattel Inc (NasdaqGS:MATNews) were down nearly 2 percent after the news on Thursday.

The maker of Nerf foam toys and Monopoly board games said it still expected both sales and earnings to rise in 2011.

Hasbro launched a children’s television network called “The Hub” in a joint venture with Discovery Communications Inc (NasdaqGS:DISCANews) late last year.

“The Hub was dilutive, more so than we and others had projected, in the first quarter,” Sterne Agee analyst Margaret Whitfield said, adding that she was not worried about it. “They are just getting going.”

Despite the weak start to the sales year, she urged investors to pick Hasbro over Mattel.

“Hasbro, over the longer term, has more growth opportunities than Mattel, with entertainment, with the cable TV and with the strong brand arsenal that it has to penetrate in globalized markets,” said Whitfield, who has a “buy” rating on both stocks.

Mattel is due to report its results on Friday. For a graphic comparing valuations of the two toy companies, click http://r.reuters.com/sak98r.

Hasbro has a huge entertainment lineup for this year, including toys based on movies such as “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” “Thor” and “Captain America: the First Avenger.” It is also planning to take Hasbro Studios television programs beyond the United States this year.

“The stage has been set for a strong year,” Chief Executive Officer Brian Goldner said.

In the first quarter, Hasbro’s net profit fell to $17.2 million, or 12 cents a share, from $58.9 million, or 40 cents a share, a year earlier.

Besides The Hub, Hasbro also invested more in emerging markets.

Sales were almost flat at $672 million, but beat the analysts’ average estimate of $660.4 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The revenue results included a $4.8 million foreign exchange benefit.

Globally, Hasbro’s sales of boys’ products rose 25 percent, but the company posted declines of 12 percent in games and puzzles, 13 percent in the girls’ unit and 18 percent in preschool toys.

Many retailers focused on clearing excess inventory from the holidays in the first quarter rather than ordering new toys from manufacturers, analysts have said.

Shares of Hasbro were down 1.7 percent at $44.01 in trading before the market opened.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

Source: Yahoo Finance

The key takeaways here are that it was a rough first quarter for our favorite Pawtucket toymaker, just as it was for retailers which focused more on clearing current inventory than they did on ordering new products.   Also, sales of boys products were up 25% while sales in other areas such as girls and games were down.  This means that division that is responsible for our favorite Real American Heroes is receiving some favorable numbers while other areas of the company aren’t looking so shiny.

With a full battery of new products hitting this year, bolstered by film-based lines featuring Transformers, Thor, and Captain America as well as the continued success of the Clone Wars animated series, I think it’s safe to say that Hasbro’s Q2 and Q3 numbers should be stronger.

Zed takes on “The Many Faces of Firefly” in a mega-review

The Many Faces of Firefly

The Many Faces of Firely @ ZedsJoeSite.com

It’s been forever since I’ve written a review for JBL.  However, that hasn’t stopped me from still reading reviews of Joe products both old and new.   As such, I’ve been LOVING the “Many Faces Of…” series that Zed has been posting over at ZedsJoeSite.com.  Sure, I may not always agree with his ratings but I still enjoy seeing such a comprehensive look at the many versions of a single character that Hasbro has inundated fans and collectors since the relaunch of G.I. Joe back in 2000.

It seemed a no-brainer that both Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow would be featured given the fact that they seem to have a new version released every third Thursday of the month.  However, I was extremely pleased to see that Zed takes on Cobra’s premiere saboteur in his latest installment!

Check out The Many Faces of Firefly over at Zed’s site!

G.I. Joe comics this week from IDW – Cobra Civil War #0

It looks like it’s time to start reading the Cobra Civil War.   IDW has this to say about Cobra Civil War #0

IDW's G.I. Joe: Cobra Civil War #0

Cobra Civil War #0

G.I. JOE: Cobra Civil War #0
Chuck Dixon, Mike Costa (w) • Javier Saltares, Antonio Fuso, Agustin Padilla (a) • Tom Feister, Fuso, Gabriele Dell’Otto  (c)

COBRA CIVIL WAR BEGINS HERE! The Commander is dead! Long live… Cobra Commander?! But the questions is, who will BE the NEXT Cobra Commander?! The role of Commander must be filled—now the most lethal and cunning Cobra operatives will COMPETE TO REIGN SUPREME. The winner—he who kills the most G.I. JOES—will take the reins of COBRA! Bonus: Ninja Force!!!!! Yeah, baby! 30 big pages of story at regular price! This is the place to jump on board and see what everyone’s been talking about!
*3 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1-to-1 basis
FC • 40 pages • $3.99

The hunt for the new Cobra Commander will run through all three new G.I. Joe series beginning with next month’s three debuts: G.I. Joe #1, Cobra #1, and Snake Eyes #1!

 

 

I have mixed feelings about this event.  While it is bound to make for some interesting reading, I feel that it happened almost a bit too quickly.  We had only just began to get a real glimpse of the current IDW Commander- less used-car salesman and pyramid scheme manager and more of a classic James Bond shadow leader– when he was assassinated by Chuckles in the now infamous single panel kill shot.  I’ve enjoyed IDW’s run on G.I. Joe so far when it has strayed into new territory so I’m still along for the ride.  Still… I think this event might have had more impact if readers had been exposed to the now-deceased Commander just a bit more.

The following are the titles are hitting comic shops this week from IDW Publishing

IDW PUBLISHING
Angel 100-Page Spectacular (Nick Runge Regular Cover), $7.99
Eternal Descent Volume 1 TP, $24.99
G.I. JOE Cobra Civil War #0 (Cover A Antonio Fuso), $3.99
G.I. JOE Cobra Civil War #0 (Cover B Gabriele Dell’Otto), $3.99
G.I. JOE Cobra Civil War #0 (Cover C Tom Feister), $3.99
G.I. JOE Cobra Civil War #0 (Javier Saltares Variant Cover), AR
G.I. JOE Cobra Civil War #0 (Tom Feister Cover Gallery Book), AR
G.I. JOE Cobra Civil War #0 (Incentive Lithograph), AR
G.I. JOE Cobra #1 (Hundred Penny Press Edition), $1.00
G.I. JOE Cobra Commander Tribute 100-Page Spectacular (Antonio Fuso Regular Cover), $7.99
Next Men #5 (John Byrne Regular Cover), $3.99
Next Men #5 (John Byrne Sketch Variant Cover), AR
Spike #7 (Of 8)(Nick Runge Regular Cover), $3.99
Spike #7 (Of 8)(Jenny Frison Variant Cover), AR
Star Trek Countdown #1 (Hundred Penny Press Edition), $1.00
Transformers #18 (Cover A Marcelo Matere), $3.99
Transformers #18 (Cover B Nick Roche), $3.99
Transformers #18 (Marcelo Matere Sketch Design Variant Cover), AR
Transformers Rising Storm #3 (Of 4)(Brian Rood Regular Cover), $3.99
Transformers Rising Storm #3 (Of 4)(Carlos Magno Variant Cover), AR

Source: http://www.comiclist.com/index.php/newreleases/this-week

 

 

RAHC Guide ordering information!!!

If you missed this year’s Collector’s Convention, you missed out on the opportunity to pick up a copy “in hand.”  However, James has come through with the promised information on how to order you very own copy and have it delivered to your door!

Hi gang, the moment is finally here!  I’m not going to set up a fancy lil e-mail, just type out the bare basics so please visit www.rahcguide.com to catch up on all the fan reviews of the R.A.H.C. Guide on your favorite message boards!!  With that being said, the cost of the book is $40 with $5 shipping and handling.  Payment can be paypalled via kuukuuson@hotmail.com.  You may send the payment as a gift but if you choose not to, please allow paypal to adjust your payment to accomodate paypal fees.  Orders will be held until total payment is made and you will be notified of any additional costs.  When you send your paypal payment, please include your address and any specific information for your order in the paypal notification as that is how I will be keeping track of your order.  I will copy and paste the address so please make sure it’s correct.  I will gladly entertain international orders so please contact me here (rahc.guide@gmail.com) so I can look into how much shipping is to your location.  
I am very excited to provide this book for you and can’t wait to hear your response!  Please remember that not only is this guide self published in limited quantities, it is being processed and shipped by myself and might take some time.  Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding!
Sincerely,
James “KuuKuuSon” Kavanaugh Jr.
Seriously– what are you waiting for?  Order your copy TODAY!  (I know I have.)

IDW’s Tales from the Cobra Wars debuts!

In a new twist, IDW is publishing a prose short-story collection of all new G.I. Joe fiction!  Max Brooks (author of World War Z and G.I. Joe/Cobra) edits this brand new volume with tales featuring our favorite Joes and Cobras.  Aside from some movie tie-ins released in 2009 and the old Find-Your-Fate series, this marks one of the only times that Joe has been featured in prose!

I pre-ordered this book back in December on Amazon.com when it was first listed and I’m waiting for that box to hit my doorstep on Friday!  Consider my weekend reading already accounted for!

IDW's Tales from the Cobra Wars anthology

IDW's Tales from the Cobra Wars anthology

G.I. JOE: TALES FROM THE COBRA WARS
Max Brooks, Chuck Dixon, Matt Forbeck, Jon McGoran, Jonathan Maberry, John Skipp & Cody Goodfellow, Duane Swierczynski, Dennis Tafoya (w) • Gabriele Dell’Otto (c)
GI JOE: Tales from the Cobra Wars is an action-packed collection of all-original prose stories. Flint, Scarlett, Destro, the Baroness―they’re all here as the ongoing war between GI JOE and COBRA is depicted from every angle. This trade paperback presents eight novella-length tales, penned by today’s leading crime and thriller writers, such as Jonathan Maberry, Duane Swierczynski, Chuck Dixon, and Dennis Tafoya. Cobra Wars is edited by Max Brooks, who also supplies a new story, and features new illustrations for each story.
TPB • BW • $16.99 • 320 Pages • 6” x 9” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-881-5

 

If you’re still looking to order, Amazon.com has it available now for $11.55!  While you’re at it– they’ve got pre-orders up for G.I. Joe: Special Missions vol 4 and G.I. Joe Classic vol 11!

No love for Grand Slam? One fan’s rant…

G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary Grand Slam

25th Anniversary Grand Slam

Let me just preface this by saying that I cannot take credit for any of what follows.  Posted on RTM’s ToyBuzz forum earlier today by “Smitty”, the following article takes a humorous look at one fan’s frustration with the seeming anonymity of his favorite character: Specialist James J. Barney – code name: Grand Slam.

Due to the “temporary” nature of posts over at RTM, I’ve decided to re-post the text here.  Oh, and if you’re reading this Smitty– I too am a fan of Grand Slam!  (I’ve included some links to Grand Slam reviews at the end.)

Rant on, Smitty… Rant on.

It is with pride, and just a bit of anger that I declare myself part of an underground movement.

Though I cannot reveal our names or membership size, I can tell you we call ourselves:
F.O.O.G.S.
That is, Friends of ‘Ol Grand Slam.

Seriously, Grand Slam is easily the most obscure and under-utilized character of the first ten years of G.I. Joe: ARAH. And I have always had a thing for the underdog, the character that didn’t get much screen time. As a kid, I always wanted to know about the background characters.

Yeah, Batman is cool, but what would he be without Commissioner Gordon or Alfred to play off of?
Sure, we know Sherlock Holmes is the man, but where is he without Dr. Watson?
Mr. Bond? Where are you without Q?
Would Jack Lord have had a catch-phrase without Danny?
Who will be Javert to your Jean Valjean?
Ok. Sorry for the Les Mis reference.

What I’m getting at is that the background/support/3rd-string characters make up the fabric of any corporate culture, and GI Joe is no different.

So I’m going to get to the bottom of it by going straight to the horse’s mouth, to the source of all things Joe. Yes, an exclusive interview with the one, the only, the M*A*S*H* actor, Larry Hama. Yeah, the guy that put the screws to Major Frank Burns.

But before that, I want to adequately provide a chronicle of Grand Slam’s under-use, as it were; I will bring light to the vast right-wing conspiracy against him. A conspiracy that has provided many slights and abuses to our friend, James J. Barney of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Continue reading