Joe Con 2017: JBL’s armchair coverage begins this evening

Joe Con 2017 coverage

Joe Con 2017 begins today at the Walt Disney World Hotel in Orlando!

While hundreds of Joe fans flock down to the Dolphin Hotel to celebrate their love of the original action figure, many of us are still sitting at home.  This includes the JBL admin who will not be attending this year.  However, that doesn’t mean that JBL can’t provide convention coverage once more!

Each day we’ll be providing armchair cover– a round up of the day’s events right here.  From panel live streams to pictures of the exclusives, we’ll be curating the best content from across the web into a single source so that all of us “Homefront Heroes” have a place to follow the events of Joe Con 2017.

Plus, Saturday night, join us at 3:30pm CST for a special “From the Convention Floor” episode of Just Another G.I. Joe Show with Mike Tinnel who broadcasting LIVE from Orlando as the Dealer’s Room closes.

Tune back in this evening at we’ll get our first glimpses of this year’s Joe Con 2017 set when Golden Ticket Package Pickup begins at 8:30pm EST.

It’s bound to be an interesting con this year.

Joe Con 2016 Sky Patrol Skystriker assembly video

Our good friends over at TheBreauxShow have released a video showing the assembly of the Joe Con 2016 Sky Patrol Skystriker!

Breaux Show Sky Patrol Skystriker Joe Con 2016Much like the JBL staff, our good friends over at TheBreauxShow.com weren’t able to attend Joe Con 2016 in person.  However, that didn’t stop intrepid videographer Mike Breaux from snagging an in stock Sky Patrol Skystriker from the Club Store.

This silver-hued beauty arrived late last week and to celebrate the Breaux Show put together a short assembly video of this Joe Con 2016 exclusive item.  While the general construction of the jet is familiar to most Joe fans through its multiple releases over the past few years, the time-lapse video really shows off the color scheme and deco of the Sky Patrol Skystriker!

Check out the embedded video below and be sure to check out more videos over on The Breaux Show YouTube Channel!

Joe Con 2016: Sky Patrol Skystrikers in Club Store

Joe Con 2016 is now one for the history books but we’ve got one last bit of news.  The Sky Patrol Skystrikers are now available online!

Joe Con 2016 Sky Patrol Skystriker

That’s right Joe fans– the remaining inventory of the silver finish Joe Con 2016 Sky Patrol Skystrikers are now up for sale to anyone with a Club membership.    They’re limited to two per member and each jet will set you back a cool $160.00 but for fans who were debating purchasing one on Ebay this is your chance to get one for retail!

Here’s the official verbiage describing this latest reissue of the G.I. Joe F-14 Tomcat:

LIMITED TO 2 PER MEMBERSHIP.

The Cobra Air Force won’t know what hit them with the Sky Patrol Sky Striker (XP-26) Combat Jet! This fantastic 3 3/4-inch scale aircraft has tons of moving parts and amazing detail. The Limited Edition convention exclusive Sky Patrol Sky Striker features a unique silver color scheme and has wings that sweep in and out, working landing gear and removable missile accessories.

Vehicle and accessories are packed in a silver metallic display box (Figure Not Included)

However, as the informercials say: “But wait, there’s more!” Continue reading

Joe Con 2016: G.I. Joe Collector’s Club news & FSS 5 lineup

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has completed the Joe Con 2016 Roundtable panel and it was a doozy!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club logo

Perhaps the biggest news of Joe Con 2016 concerning the Club came from the Hasbro panel held earlier in the day where it was revealed that Hasbro has decided to continue its relationship with Fun Publications through 2018.  Despite rumors and all evidence to the contrary earlier this year, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has a two-year lease on life! Whatever transpired in the months since the Club announced that all memberships would end on December 31, 2016 it certainly seemed to be beneficial for the folks at Fun Publications.  (Did the Save G.I. Joe petition have any impact?)

Next year’s convention will be June 15 – 18, 2017 at Walt Disney World!

Hasbro announcement

However, the most pressing question on the minds of most G.I. Joe fans out there was “What is the line-up for FSS 5?

Here are the “Quick Notes” from today’s panel…. including this year’s FSS announcement!

Introduction:

Brian Savage, David Lane, Lanny Lathem, and Pete Sinclair take the stage.

  • Contract for the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has been extended for two more years. The Club, FSS, and convention will continue through 2018.
  • Membership renewals will turn back on later this week.
  • If your membership ran out in May & June, go to the store, login, and add it to your cart. It should reapply to your account.
  • Contract was initially NOT renewed. However, this was changed and Brian thanked the fandom for their support, including the petition from Joe Colton.  Derryl DePriest is acknowledged as the person who turned things around for the Club.
  • The renewal only took place in the last two weeks.

Sky Patrol discussion: Continue reading

Joe Con 2016: Armchair Coverage Begins!

joe con 2016 armchair coverage square

Joe Con 2016 has officially begun!

Sadly, this year it wasn’t in the cards for the JBL admin to attend what is Fun Publications final year as administrator of the annual G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention.  While I’ll miss not being able to catch up with some old friends and getting to see the new product reveals at Saturday’s Hasbro panel, it doesn’t mean that JBL will be going dark throughout the weekend.

Instead, we’ll be doing our best to provide comprehensive coverage of the event, thanks to the efforts of all of the other individuals attending.  We’ll provide links to coverage as it goes up on sites from HISSTank.com, to ToyNewsI.com, and even our fellow “at home” correspondants over at GeneralsJoes.com.

Sure, you’ll get some commentary along the way but that’s just part of the experience. Coverage of this year’s event will be archived on the 2016 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention page.

Now, on to the news!

Wednesday Golden Ticket Package Pickup:

Tonight was intended to be the Golden Ticket package pickup in which those individuals who spent the extra $300 to purchase the “Joe Con Speed Pass” get a first crack at their sets and at the bonus attendee exclusive item.  However, it was announced by the folks from Fun Publications that their “shipment was delayed at customs and then held up due to a sick driver” and that, hopefully, items will arrive by tomorrow and the Golden Ticket pickup will be at 3pm, with the rest attendee registration beginning at 6pm MST.

The t-shirts and the comics were on hand but were not permitted to be released until the sets arrive.

That’s all we know for now… so stay tuned to JBL for more Joe Con 2016 coverage!

G.I. Joe Con 2016 will be in Loveland, CO

gi joe con 2016

G.I. Joe Con 2016 will be held in Loveland, CO from June 16 – 19!

In an interesting move, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has moved the annual Joe Con back to summer.  Ever since the Club added the offiical Transformers BotCon to their slate of convention offerings, Joe Con has played second fiddle to the larger Transformer event.  Traditionally held during the summer, Joe Con has instead been relegated to either a Spring or even Fall event over the past decade.  Colorado also marks the return of a “Western Con”– something that hasn’t happened since the San Francisco con of 2002!

Here’s the official release text:

The 2016 G.I. Joe Collectors’ convention to be held June 16-19
 in the beautiful city of Loveland, Colorado

Fort Worth, TX – October 6, 2015 – Fun Publications, Inc., licensee for Hasbro’s official G.I. Joe Collectors’ Convention G.I.JoeCon, announced today that next year’s amazing convention will take place at the Embassy Suites Loveland Hotel June 16 through June 19 in Loveland Colorado, just north of Denver. Fans once again will come together from across the world to celebrate another exciting year of all things G.I. Joe at this fantastic event! You can make your hotel reservations now viaGIJoeCon.com.

 

In the coming weeks, G.I. Joe fans will be able to register for G.I.JoeCon 2016 through the GIJoeCon.com online registration system. Fans and collectors who register for G.I.JoeCon as either a Real American Hero or General package holder will receive an exclusive convention box set, admission to the Friday private sales room experience, priority seating at all panels and seminars throughout the weekend and admittance to the Saturday night Casino Night and Awards Party. Finally, American Hero or General package attendees will also receive a special bonus G.I. Joe item to go along with their convention box set. General Admission for non-registered guests will be available on Saturday and Sunday only.

 

For all the information regarding the G.I.JoeCon show activities, hotel updates and the exclusive figure offerings, stay tuned to GIJoeCon.com.

So, what do you think of the date change back to a summer con? Will you be attending? Will the theme be “Rocky Mountain High“?

For more information on Loveland Colorado, check out the Loveland Convention & Visitor’s Bureau!

Oktober Guard to be featured in the 2012 G.I. Joe Convention set!

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club posted an update for the 2012 Convention which includes a teaser image– featuring Daina of the Oktober Guard!

No other information is yet available but the thought of the return of the Russian version of G.I. Joe is sure to light a fire in the heart of many a Joe fan!

Check out the teaser image below and keep your eyes on JBL and the 2012 Convention page for more details!

GI Joe Podcasting RETURNS: “What’s on JOE Mind?” is here!

Ever miss chatting with your buds at JoeCon?  Ever wondered what Joe Talk would sound like on the radio?  Do you like Podcasts?  If you answered yes to any of these you need to check out the Joe Community’s #1 GI Joe Podcast, “What’s on JOE Mind?”  (WOJM for short)  Every week JBL forum members General Hawk, Crosshair, Cmderinchief and new guy chuckdawg1999 review the news of the last week and interview community personalities, some you might even know yourself!  Discuss it in our forums now and find links and notes to their past shows.  Check out the story after the break to read more about the show.

 

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