GIJoeCon 2018: Convention sets are still available!

GIJoeCon 2018 is now 91 days away and this year’s exclusive sets are still available!

GIJoeCon 2018 bannerOkay, that headline is slightly misleading.  The 1:18 Python Peril: Marauders to the Rescue 15 figure convention sets had previously sold out during the preview period. That’s right– before fans even had the reveals for all nine figure builds, the sets (both attending and non-attending) were gone! Apparently, announcing that this was the final year for a Fun Publications run event was good for sales!

The folks at the GIJCC, however, were able to secure an additional run from the factory and more Python Patrol vs. Slaughter’s Marauders sets were produced– both for Homefront Heroes and convention attendees.

As of this morning, those sets are STILL available!

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GIJoeCon 2018: Hardball swings for the fences!

The GIJoeCon 2018 previews continue with a look at the Slaughter’s Marauders take on Hardball!

GIJoeCon 2018 Slaughter's Maruaders Hardball front

SLAUGHTER’S MARAUDERS
MULTI-SHOT GRENADIER: HARDBALL

– 25th Anniversary Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure.
– First Modern Era Release of Character in SM design.
– Includes removable hat, harness, pistol with suppressor,
knife, re-tooled multi-shot grenade launcher, backpack,
and G.I. Joe Logo Stand.

“Multi-Shot Grenadier”… that makes me laugh. It should be “guy with a grenade launcher so big he’s going to blow up the world!!!”

Man, I love the character of Hardball!  Ever since I first encountered his vintage 1988 version I had an affinity for the character. He was never the most popular Joe nor did he get any screen time in animation.  Still, a guy who carries a launcher that large is a force to be reckoned with and the Club did just fine with this build! Continue reading

Joe Con 2017: Is a Hardball release in the near future?

Could a Collector’s Club release of fan favorite 1988 Joe Hardball be coming in the near future?

Joe Con 2017 is in full swing now and last night’s souvenir pickup for attendees provided a slew of images of this year’s exclusive figures.  Among those items is Corrosao, inspired by the Brazilian repaint of Battle Force 2000 team member Dee-Jay, from the Ultimate Enemies 2-pack.  Normally, in cases like this, all eyes are focused on the figure but in this case, it’s the accessory that caught my eye.

G.I. Joe Con 2017 Ultimate Enemies Corrosao

Ultimate Enemies Corrosao
Photo by “The Legendary” Tom Brooks of Reasonably Intelligent Rambling

Does that large blue grenade launcher look familiar?  Take a good look– it should:

G.I. Joe Repeater and Hardball

That’s right, Joe fans!  Corrosao is packing a freshly-tooled blue version of Hardball’s signature grenade launcher!  Given the Collector’s Club’s penchant for never using a newly-tooled part just once, this is a pretty strong indicator that Hardball could FINALLY be seeing a return to action figure format!  This could mean that our 1988 roster is getting that much closer to completion in the generation 3 construction.

Now, this begs the question: where would he fall into the Club’s release schedule?  FSS 7.0?  Annual membership renewal figure?  Joe Con 2018 convention set?  Hopefully we’ll find out the answer to this at tomorrow’s Collector’s Club Round Table panel.

Regardless, this is one of the most exciting bits of potential news to come out of Joe Con 2017 thus far, at least to this Joe fan!

Joe Con 2017 coverage