Joe Con 2016: Closer look at the SDCC G.I. Joe vs. Transformers set

JBL’s Armchair Coverage of Joe Con 2016 continues!

Friday typically isn’t a “big reveal” day at the annual Joe Con and this year was no exception.  Hasbro’s big panel doesn’t occur until 11:00am MST on Saturday and the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Roundtable event isn’t until 4:00pm MST as well.  However that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t anything major to see today.

The good folks from Hasbro put a few pieces in the display case today from this year’s forthcoming SDCC exclusive G.I. Joe vs. Transformers set!  It’s the first time that fans got an in person look at the upcoming releases of Powerglide as a Cobra Rattler and Soundwave as a Cobra HISS tank.  It was also the first opportunity for Joe fans to see convention exclusive Scarlett and Zartan figures.

I’ll admit– the items do look a bit better in these images than from the first batch of leaked images from ACToys.net.  Still, for $99 the set seems like it’s missing something especially after the 2013 set included a Skystriker, a VAMP, and three figures plus the exclusive Ravage figure.

There are some additional pictures posted over at HISSTank.com as well.  At this point I think it’s safe to say that part of Hasbro’s reveals for the Toys R Us exclusive line tomorrow will include a Cobra Rattler, a plane that hasn’t been released since the Target exclusive 25th Anniversary release.

Stay tuned to JBL for more coverage of Joe Con 2016 in Loveland, CO!

Joe con 2016 armchair coverage featured

 

SDCC 2015 Crimson Strike set review!

SDCC 2015 G.I. Joe Crimson Strike

The SDCC 2015 Crimson Strike set has landed at JBL!

G.I. Joe has had a pretty good run of SDCC exclusives over the past few years.  Starting with the infamous “Pimp Daddy Destro” and going all the way through the Danger at the Docks, fans have found themselves anticipating the announcement of each year’s newest piece.

The Crimson Strike is, by all means, a reverse of the forthcoming Silent Strike set that will debut at Toys R Us in August 2015.  Here, G.I. Joe and Cobra have essentially traded vehicles– with the Cobra Scythe taking to the air while the G.I. Joe Chimera attempts to stave off its attacks.  Somewhere on the ground, a random Alley Viper Officer runs around causing chaos.

Is the Crimson Strike set worth the effort to track down?  Does the HISS work as a G.I. Joe vehicle?  Is the Skystriker really flying for Cobra now?

Check out the review by either clicking on the picture above or by visiting the Exclusives Review Index!

A big thanks to both Hasbro and the folks at Hunter PR for helping JBL acquire this set!

Joe Con 2015: Images of Hasbro Vehicle Packs

We have new product images from Hasbro fresh from Joe Con 2015!

First off, I’d like to apologize for the tardiness of this posting.  I’ve been commuting back and forth to Joe Con each day which means my internet access has been restricted to the times that I’m actually back at JBL HQ.  However, let’s get on to the good stuff.

The Hasbro panel was today and Derryl DePriest and Mark Weber revealed a whole new slate of products that will be exclusive to both Toys R Us and BigBadToyStore.com.  The line is essentially a continuation of the 50th anniversary series and will be available on August 1, 2015.   Here are the vehicle set breakdowns and the images, both official and in case shots, for the vehicle packs:

Desert Duel Vehicle Pack

  • Cobra Basilisk w/ Elite Horseman
  • FOE (Forward Observation Encampment) Striker w/ Chuckles
  • NEW Chuckles head based on Mike Costa comic appearances

Desert Duel
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35 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – the HISS Tank!

Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: the HISS tank!

If Cobra has a signature vehicle, this is it!  Forget the CLAW, SNAKE armor, FANG, etc.  As a kid, the HISS tank grabbed my attention with his combination of perceived speed and firepower!  When you combine those details with the fact that I never owned one as a kid and you’ll fully understand my obsession with the vehicle.  In the first Joe film, audiences were treated to a modified Night Raven that was part of the M.A.R.S. arsenal.  This time around– we’re getting the full-blown Cobra treatment and it looks fantastic!  Just look at the shot– a series of HISS Tanks rolling on the U.S. Capital building.  Oh yeah, that’s not upping the stakes at all, he said sarcastically!

34 more days until this film EXPLODES on the big screen!