G.I. Joe Collector’s Club 1:18 Adventure Team Commander Review

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Fred Meyer

There’s just something about the Adventure Team Commander. He’s a former soldier who leads a team of adventurers and scientists in missions across the globe that range from disaster relief to artifact recovery to rescuing endangered species. In other words, he’s a “Man of Action” with a kung-fu grip!

Up until 2010, the Adventure Team Commander existed only in his original 1:6 scale form. (I’m not counting the various “Joe Colton” figures.) However, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club decided that that Adventure Team Commander was ready for a change and released him and his team in a series of 1:18 scale sets. Did the original “Man of Action” make the transition smoothly?

Check out the review in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index!

G.I. Joe Retaliation Cobra Night Viper Reviewed

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Fred Meyer

If the Cobra Night Viper is doing his job properly, he’s never seen. With that logic, these troopers must be some of the most effective Cobra Troopers in history as, up until recently, very few people have ever seen one at retail! Through some blind luck and the courtesy of another Joe fan, JBL is finally able to review the G.I. Joe Retaliation Wave 4 Cobra Night Viper!

Were these troops worth the wait? Do they hold up to months of searching?

Hit the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index and find out ONE Joe fan’s opinion!

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Dr. Venom Figure Review

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Fred Meyer

Dr. Venom– the original Cobra evil scientist.

Long before Dr. Mindbender stripped off his shirt and donned his monocle to create Serpentor, Dr. Venom was the scientific brains behind Cobra. His Brainwave Scanner, first introduced before the Marvel series completed its first year, has long since remained a key tool for interrogation. However, it wasn’t until 2010 that this fan-favorite was finally given the action figure treatment he so long deserved?

Did that figure live up to the decades-long wait? Find out the opinions of two Venom fans as Gary Godsoe of What’s On Joe Mind and I take a look at this evil action figure.

Check out the review in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index!

TheBreauxShow.com Interviews Boss Fight Studio!

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Fred Meyer

If there’s one thing I really missed seeing by not attending the 2014 G.I. Joe Convention this year it was the debut of the Boss Fight Studio Vitruvian HACKS line.

If you’ve not heard of Boss Fight Studio, then you’ve been living under a rock for the past year and have deprived yourself of all G.I. Joe news. They’re the talented studio of former Hasbro employees who have been responsible for the 2014 Zombie Initiative G.I. Joe convention set, design work on the Marauder Force Kickstarter action figure line, and now their own in house project “Vitruvian HACKS” which promises to be one of these most customize-able toy lines ever.

Mike Breaux, host of TheBreauxShow, was able to attend this year’s Joe Con and sat down with the geniuses from Boss Fight. It’s a quick five minute interview but it’s always a pleasure to watch folks who are passionate about their work talk about their products.

Questions? Comments? Discuss this in the JBL forums!

The JBL Forums are Back! (Also, Brand New!)

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Fred Meyer

The best laid plans of mice and men…

Yesterday, during an attempt to reduce the JBL forums database to a reasonable size (according to our hosting company) I inadvertently wiped out everything. That’s right– the last nearly 7 years of the current forums were obliterated with a keystroke.

There’s good news, however. The forums are back! However, there’s a change.

They’re brand NEW forums. The old data is gone and that means the old registrations are also gone. To resume activity on the forums, you’re going to need to re-register. So, stop on by and join in the rebuilding of the community!

https://joebattlelines.com/phpBB3/index.php

Now I can get back to working on reviews that will post next week!

Well… the JBL Forums Just Got Wiped Out…

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Fred Meyer

Well, it wasn’t Cobra, the Dreadnoks, Serpentor’s Coil, or even the Fatal Furries that killed the JBL forums. It wasn’t even an outside hacker or malicious attack.

Nope, it was a well-intended admin who had received a “database size exceeded” notice from his hosting company.

This morning about 11:00am CST while doing some maintenance I accidentally wiped out the database containing the JBL forums. That’s right– the entire forums. Every post, every poll, and every member from the last 7 years was erased in one quick keystroke. There is no backup, there is no turning back.

What does this mean going forward for the individuals who still used the forums? Well, it looks like I’ll be doing some rebuilding over the next few hours. I can put the structure back as closely as I can but the content will be gone. However, this is where you come in.

Let’s face it– the forums have been wiped out before. When we left EZboard and merged with the now-defunct RingofCollectors.com, the forums were rebuilt. When our database crashed after that, they were rebuilt. From the ashes of the old can arise the new– but only if people want it to. Once the new forums are rebuilt, stop on by. Register an account and post something. Start a topic, post a custom, create a poll– whatever you feel like. This is a chance to build something new from the ashes of something that had become a bit of a dinosaur.

Keep your eyes peeled both here and on our Facebook page– that’s where the announcement that the new forums are LIVE will go up. Until then, all I can say is “Sorry gang… I’ll fix it.”

G.I. Joe Convention 2014: FSS 3.0 Line-Up Announced

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Fred Meyer

In recent years the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club roundtable panel has become one of the most anticipated G.I. Joe Convention events. The reason for this has been the announcement of the year’s forthcoming Figure Subscription Service line-up. At a time when the G.I. Joe brand is essentially absent from retail shelves, this “members only” service is the only avenue for many collectors to acquire new G.I. Joe figures.

This year JBL was unable to attend the G.I. Joe Convention in Dallas but fortunately good friend of the site Justin Bell of GeneralsJoes.com was on hand and live-tweeted the entire panel. I’m mirroring his images below with some thoughts on each character in the announced line-up.

First off, here’s the announced line-up for FSS 3.0:

Alpine v2
Big Ben
Bombstrike
Crimson Guard Immortal
Hit & Run
Muskrat
Night Creeper Leader
Psyche-Out
Repeater (original colors)
Slice
Spearhead (& Max)
Vypra

It’s a decent line-up that filled with characters that are sure to get fans excited. Granted, one quarter of the series will consist of repaints from the Nocturnal Fire 2013 convention set but that set had some of the best convention figures produced yet. Plus, given the oft-repeated mantra of how expensive everything is for the GIJCC, this level of cost-saving makes some logical sense. So, let’s break down the figures and some possible construction options.

Alpine v2:

Dipping back into the well of Valor vs. Venom, Alpine v2 will be seeing new life in the FSS. Construction for this one is a no-brainer; given the shorts and short sleeves this will most likely be built on a G.I. Joe Retaliation Kwinn body with the hard-to-find 25th Anniversary Alpine head plopped on top. It’s a relatively easy parts combination that requires next to no new tooling– although I’m surprised the Club went with the v2 “McDonald’s color scheme” as opposed to the Tiger Force Alpine that followed a few waves later.

Big Ben:

Big Ben is one of those Joes that came after “my era” of G.I. Joe. He’s one of the cast who was featured more in the DiC episodes and so slipped complete beyond my notice. However, he’s got a basic enough uniform that the club should be able to replicate his body design with ease, possibly topping it off with the 25th Anniversary Rock-n-Roll ammunition belts. It was confirmed at the panel that he will be getting a new head sculpt as seen in the sketches in the slide.

Bombstrike:

I’ve made no secret of my love for the new character that were introduced in the G.I. Joe vs. Cobra era and Bombstrike is no exception! Part of the “Stahl Family” storyline, she’s a welcome addition to my Joe collection! For constructions I’d be surprised if the lower body wasn’t based on the Rise of Cobra Cover Girl. The upper torso will either have to be be newly-tooled or the design altered as no female t-shirt torso exists. I could, however, see the GIJCC using the Renegades Scarlett body as well. A SOLID addition to the line-up!

Crimson Guard Immortal:

Okay, this is one that I didn’t see coming in any way but that’s not a bad thing! For this, I’d almost expect the Club to utilize the base body of the recent Retaliation Crimson Guard. For the padded chest armor, it all depends on how closely the Club wants to adhere to the original design as a myriad of body armor choices exist. While I have never had particularly strong feelings about the Crimson Guard Immortal this is an interesting entry in the line-up!

Hit & Run:

Justin would kill me for saying this but I’ve never been a huge fan of Hit & Run. I don’t dislike him but I’ve never really had any strong attachment to him. However, a lot of fans do and last year’s Nocturnal Fire version seems to have fallen short with many of them. So, at risk of duplicating the 2009 25th Anniversary Hit & Run the GIJCC is diving in with another attempt replicate the v1 design– this time based on the Concept Case version that was shown at Joe Con a few years ago. I have to admit, if he’s more poseable than the 25th version I’ll be quite pleased– even though it means I’ll now have 3 different generation 3 versions of Hit & Run and still not one functional version of Gung-Ho!

Muskrat:

YES! I’ve been a fan of the original Muskrat for years now and last year’s Nocturnal Fire version was a fantastic update! For this figure I pretty much a straight repaint of the 2013 Joe Con version but it looks like his boogie board will be added to the figure’s kit. Usually repaints like the FSS Tiger Force Shipwreck do nothing for me but in this case I’m very much looking forward to a more classic color scheme on Muskrat.

Night Creeper Leader:

There’s a quote from the TV series Firefly regarding mercenary Jayne Cobb’s bright orange stocking cap that applies here:

“A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he’s not afraid of anything.”

Yep, that’s exactly how I feel about the bright orange tiger-striped ’93 Night Creeper Leader shown above. There’s something about a blind-folded martial artist in that outfit that is just visually striking! How can you go wrong with that color palate? (It’s certainly better than the “Minnesota Vikings” ’94 version.) I can’t wait to get this version because, well, he’s Grrr-EAT! (Yes, I went there.)

Psyche-Out:

Last year’s Noctural Fire convention set featured a stellar roster of both characters and figures but in the opinion of this Joe fan Psyche-Out was one of the best of the bunch. The GIJCC managed to recreate a vintage character in a plausibly updated fashion and took a character whose first version could be viewed as “kind of doofy” and made him a star of the set. I expect this figure to be a straight repaint of the 2013 convention version with no real changes to the character’s accessories.

Repeater:

For many fans, Repeater was one of the star’s of the 2013 Nocturnal Fire set! The updated convention version of the character was based on the G.I. Joe Retaliation Ultimate Roadblock body and added significant height and girth to the figure when compared to the original 1988 version. As with many of the Nocturnal Fire pieces, I don’t expect the Club to do anything new other than to re-release the Joe Con version with a more vintage color scheme.

Slice:

Well, it was bound to happen as the first FSS contained Dice. These two go together like peanut butter & chocolate or Batman and Robin. A very simple recipe for this figure exists, especially given the original Dice’s color scheme. The club has merely to take the Dollar General Storm Shadow figure and mold in primarily in red with only a black paint application. It’s a very simple recipe when the Dice mask has been previously tooled and released for years now. (It was initially released with the Temple Guardian Snake Eyes figure.)

Spearhead (& Max):

I reviewed the vintage Spearhead (& Max) figure years ago and was very excited to get an updated Night Force version of him last year as part of the Nocturnal Fire set. In fact, he was one of my favorite pieces in the entire set! As with the other Nocturnal Fire alumni, I expect a straight repaint with no real changes to the figure or the figure’s accessories. Yes, it’s a cost-saving step for the Club but anymore that is to be expected.

Vypra:

The original Vypra was a straight repaint of Jinx in darker colors– so I think it’s a safe best to assume that we’ll see the same here. The most logical choice would be to use the body from the SDCC Jinx as it most directly resembles the vintage figure. Perhaps we’ll see the kit from the FSS version of Jinx used again here?

So there you have it– one fan’s take on both the roster and the parts construction for the forthcoming G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 3.0! As of now I’ve not seen any details on when the sign-up period would begin. Given the fact that no prototypes (digital or otherwise) were shown it’s probably quite likely that the FSS sign-up won’t be for a few more months with the service to start shipping in late Fall 2014.

One thing to note– apparently the Club is aware of some of the dissatisfaction that subscribers had with the “13th Figure” this year.

A big thanks to Justin Bell of GeneralsJoes.com for live-tweeting the entire panel yesterday!

So, what are your thoughts? Are you in for FSS 3.0? Is this an easy pass? Feel free to leave your comments below or over at the discussion thread in the JBL forums!

G.I. Joe Convention 2014 Exclusives: What’s Still Available?

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Fred Meyer

I feel like this has to come with a disclaimer– I am not actually attending G.I. Joe Convention 2014 this year. However, thanks to some folks who are, I’ve had some pretty regular updates as to the status of many of the exclusives. So, here’s the rundown on the pieces that are offered for this year.

Zombie Initiative Set – Limited Run: AVAILABLE

Usually by this point at the convention, the 1:18 set is completely sold out. However, possibly due to late registration or other factors, the Zombie Initiative 15 piece is still available for attendees who haven’t previously registered.

Steel Brigade Pilot and VTOL – Limited Run of 800: SOLD OUT

This one caught a lot of folks by surprise with its hybrid design of both the 25th Sky Hawk and the later Pursuit of Cobra Ghost Hawk. Plus, as I was told by one particular Steel Brigade fan, “the camouflage on the pilot is AWESOME.”

Cobra Septic Tank HISS – Limited Run of 800: AVAILABLE

This is an interesting spin on the original Septic Tank HISS based on the DTC HISS frame. No pilot is included but it’s still there for a few more hours today at least.

G.I. Joe Rescue Ops 2- Pack featuring Clutch and Ice Storm – Limited Run of 700: SOLD OUT

Clutch seems to be inspired by the much-desired concept case version from a few years ago while Ice Storm was an obscure Rise of Cobra vehicle pilot. Together- they fight zombies! Clutch seems to be the big draw of this particular set which will most likely sell out before the weekend is over.

Steel Brigade Zombie 3- Pack – Limited Run of 1,000: SOLD OUT

This is one that I can guarantee will sell out this weekend. Sure, it’s mostly just the Pursuit of Cobra Steel Brigade figure with Zombie Viper arms and a new head, but it’s a troop-builder pack and the only one that is available. Plus, given the prices that these are going for on Ebay, attendees looking to make a quick buck will be snatching the remaining ones quickly.

Night Force Paratrooper Crazy Legs – Limited Run of 1,000: SOLD OUT

That’s right kids– this year’s parachute figure is actually part of LAST year’s set! Due to logistics at the event in Indy, the paratrooper was changed to a Kre-O figure in 2013 but it would seem that the Club had already produced these guys. Rather than offering them up to 2013 attendees to complete their sets, Crazy Legs was put on hold and used this year. Apparently these sold out before all of the Golden Ticket holders could get through the line and, given the going rate on Ebay for them now, it would seem that the bulk of these figures were intended for re-sale. Good luck getting one– they’re currently trending over $100.00 each.

Carded Joseph Colton Action Figure – Limited Run of 1,000? : AVAILABLE

I have to admit that I have a LOT of fan boy love for this particular figure. Based on his classic first appearance in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic series published by Marvel Comics, this figure is essentially a Marvel Universe Professor Xavier with a 1:18 Adventure Team head and I love every bit of him! He’s going for big prices on Ebay but hopefully he’ll still be available for folks during and even after the con!

Currently I don’t have any information regarding the status of the Kre-0 multi-pack nor the carded Cross Country figures but I’ll update as I find out more.

G.I. Joe Convention 2014: Night Force Crazy Legs Revealed!

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Fred Meyer

I was hoping that Crazy Legs would make an appearance at G.I. Joe Convention 2014. In fact, I was hoping he’d be announced as part of FSS 3.0 which would most certainly be a terrific reason to sign-up for another go-round of the Club’s Figure Subscription Service. After all, last year’s Nocturnal Fire roster was nearly complete save for Lightfoot, Crazy Legs, and Sneak Peek. (Night Force Falcon came via the FSS.)

I never imagined he’d be this year’s parachute figure.

With a limited run of 1,000 pieces and a Golden Ticket limit of 3 per person, I have the feeling that this is going to be THE hard-to-get figure from this year’s Con. For those of you who are in attendance, be certain to snag one. For the rest of us who can’t attend this year– good luck in tracking one down for less than the cost of a mortgage payment.

Well played, GIJCC. Well played…

G.I. Joe Convention 2014: Eco-Striker and Souvenirs List

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Fred Meyer

G.I. Joe Convention 2014 has begun in Dallas, TX and we’ve got some early indication as to what exclusive items round out this year’s 1:18 Zombie Initiative convention set.

Last night an image of the attendee exclusive Eco-Striker was posted to the G.I. Joe Con Official Facebook page. Molded in blue and yellow plastic, this vehicle seems to compliment the “Neon 90’s” vibe the 1:18 set has going for it this year. The vehicle itself seems to be a reissue of the G.I. Joe Retaliation version released last year– complete with the spring-loaded missile launcher.

Over at GeneralsJoes.com, Justin has posted the descriptions and production numbers for the remaining souvenirs as found in the convention program/comic. It’s an interesting list that I’ve mirrored below:

Steel Brigade Pilot w/ VTOL (LE800)
Cobra Septic HISS Tank mk II (DTC HISS repaint by the looks of the comic art) (LE 800)
G.I. Joe Rescue Ops 2-Pack (no idea, and no clear insight based on internal comic art) (LE 700)
Steel Brigade Zombie 3-Pack (LE 1,000)
Kre-O Zombie Initiative 7 Pack (LE 600)
Night Force Para Trooper Crazy Legs (LE 500)

It’s the last piece on the list that is a real “kick in the o-ring” to this particular Joe fan! The amazing 2013 Convention set “Nocturnal Fire” featured terrific updates of the Night Force roster and yet the paratrooper Crazy Legs was missing– replaced with a Kre-O figure due to the logistics of the parachute drop. The fact that he was put off until this year means that many of last year’s attendees are going to be spending a pretty penny on trying to snag one on the secondary market just to complete their sets!

We’ll post more information as the weekend progresses!