G.I. Joe FSS 3 Muskrat and Slice Reviews!

g.i. joe fss 3 shipment 2

The G.I. Joe FSS 3 Muskrat and Slice reviews are up!

It seems like just a few weeks ago that my esteemed colleague from JoeSightings.com and I put forward our thoughts on the first G.I. Joe FSS 3 shipment from the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club!  In their efforts to get their shipping schedule back on the track, the Club shipped out the next two figures just before the end of January.

So, what did Chris and I think of the unlikely duo of Muskrat and Slice?  Do a Swamp Fighter and a Ninja Commando go together like peanut butter and chocolate or is this a case of repaint overload?  Does Deadpool make another cameo appearance in the pictures again?  Or, more importantly, are these two figures worth adding to your G.I. Joe collection?

You can check out both reviews and find out two Joe fans’ opinions in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index!

Plus, feel free to leave your own comments below!

G.I. Joe FSS 3 Shipment 2 is Inbound!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service logo

G.I. Joe FSS 3.0 Shipment 2 had deployed just under the wire to make the January deadline!

Yesterday on Facebook, Alyosha of BrokenArrowToys.com shared images of his new arrived FSS 3.0 shipment!  Yes, we’re going to discuss the figures so if you’re one of the few folks out there that want to be surprised, look away.  (Seriously– we’re not going to play games.  Figures will be named.)

Okay, still here?

It’s Slice and Muskrat!

FSS 3 shipment 2

I’ve mirrored some of Alyosha’s images of G.I. Joe FSS 3.0 shipment 2 below.  Note: his Slice figure arrived with two right arms including one arms that was altered seemingly at the factory level to appear to be normal.  (The thumb on the left arm was sliced off.  Ironic, eh?  “Sliced”?  Get it?  Never mind…)

Muskrat is a repaint of the 2013 Nocturnal Fire version and Slice seems to be primarily built on the Renegades Storm Shadow/ Retaliation Red Ninja body so, aside from the color scheme and the new head, there’s not a lot that fans already haven’t seen here.   Still, these two guys are inbound so subscribers should keep their eyes peeled toward their mailbox this week for the new arrivals from the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club.

As always, stay tuned to JBL for a new review of these figures once they arrive at JBL HQ!

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 3.0 Ships Soon!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service logo

According to the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club, the first installments of Figure Subscription Service 3.0 should be shipping in the very near future!  Check out this email from the Club that dropped in member mailboxes yesterday:

Happy New Year!

Yesterday we unloaded the container for the FSS 3.0 figures.  We are working on getting out the first wave to you this week.  You should receive the first wave by Jan 23rd.  The second wave will go out the last week of the month.  This will get us caught up from all of the shipping and port delays.

For those of you on the subscription billing, we have set the two billing dates:  February 2nd and March 16th.  Please make sure your CC is good standing before those dates.  You can change your information in thesystem so you don’t miss out!   If you are planning on moving before the end of May, you can update your shipping information at the same link above.

Thanks for your support and we hope you enjoy your new figures!

 

Brian

Now, the question remains– who will be arriving in the first shipment?  Will it be the controversial Hit & Run figure that sparked much debate amid the fandom?  What about one of the five repainted figures from the 2013 Nocturnal Fire convention set?  Or will it be the odd choice of the Night Creeper Leader v2?

(My suspicion is that the v1 with the Tiger Striped pants that was originally teased in the FSS 3.0 announcement will be included in the 2015 Convention set.)

Regardless of who it is, subscribers should keep their Eagle Eyes turned toward their mailboxes over the next few weeks as two new Joe figures are on the way!

Last Call for G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 3.0

Today is the day– the final day to sign-up for the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 3.0.  In order to provide that final incentive, the Club released the following “group shot” yesterday.

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3.0Yes, it’s just a composite image of the previews shown thus far but it provides the only real “at a glance” look  at what subscribers will receive over the forthcoming months.

It’s an interesting roster– with many Nocturnal Fire alumni, three Cobra-affiliated ninjas, a member of Action Force, and the final member of the Stall family whose saga played out in the file cards of the G.I. Joe vs. Cobra era.

As an addition teaser, the Club showcased hard resin prototypes of three of the unique headsculpts from the line that were designed by the insanely talented Boss Fight Studio team.  Seen below are the sculpts for Bombstrike, Big Ben, and the Crimson Guard Immortal.

It’s not a cheap subscription– with the subscription running $315.00 if paid in full with additional charges for both shipping and credit card processing.  (Or paid in three installments of $105.00 each.)  However, if you really want to obtain these figures and don’t want to have to deal with the hassle of tracking them down individually the subscription is the way to go– and the only way to guarantee receipt of the “mysterious 13th figure”.

To subscribe, visit the sign-up page for the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service 3.0 today.

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Reveals FSS Muskrat!

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club starts the week off with another preview from the roster of the Figure Subscription Service 3.0.  Today’s image of of the team’s expert swamp fighter- Muskrat!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3.0 Muskrat

I really like the 1988 version of Muskrat but I grew to like the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Nocturnal Fire version that was released just over a year ago.  However, as nice as the blue version is this green one is better!  Plus, for those fans out his boogie board the Club has produced a brand new version!

It is interesting to note that Muskrat has some changes to his kit including the Kwinn’s rifle and a different combat shotgun.  Plus, he comes equipped with the Pursuit of Cobra Recondo’s bear trap!. In addition, it looks like he’s sporting the Resolute Cobra Trooper’s backpack this time around.

I was a bit skeptical about the reuse of so many Nocturnal Fire characters in this round of the FSS but even this stodgy Joe fan has to admit that seeing the original color schemes on characters like Muskrat and Psyche-Out stokes the old fires of nostalgia more than just a little.

It’s another solid preview of a very solid roster.  If you’ve not already subscribed to FSS 3.0, you’ll want to do so before June 30, 2014!

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 3.0 Registration is LIVE!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service 3.0

 

“And so, it begins…”

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service 3.0 is now LIVE!  That’s right– as of now you can sign-up to receive all thirteen figures in this year’s line-up including:

  • Alpine v3
  • Big Ben
  • Bombstrike
  • Crimson Guard Immortal
  • Hit & Run
  • Muskrat
  • Night Creeper Leader
  • Psyche-Out
  • Repeater (original colors)
  • Slice
  • Spearhead (& Max)
  • Vypra

The sign-up period for the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 3.0 ends July 1, 2014 and the figures are slated to ship in October!  Follow this link to sign-up today!

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

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:

GIJCC FSS 3.0 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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3.0 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:

FSS 3.0 Night Creeper Leader preview

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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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):

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 Spearhead

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:

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 3 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 Con 2013: The first group shot of Nocturnal Fire is up!

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club released the first “composite image” of the 2013 1:18 scale Convention set Nocturnal Fire today!


(click to make larger)

Sure, we’ve seen the previews over the past week but there’s something about seeing all of the figures together in one shot that shows how everything comes together.  The Joes look good together while the Cobra forces are a bit less cohesive.  (You can’t blame Letal for this one– Crimson Asp and the SAW Vipers aren’t helping.)  Still, Cobra Mortal manages to look above it all in his spotless white uniform.  It’s a diverse group of figures pulling from a variety of sources of inspiration– and it’ll set Club members back a cool $360.00 to bring it home!

For registration information, keep your eyes peeled to both JBL and GIJoeCon.com!

G.I. Joe Con 2013: Muskrat & Psyche-Out revealed!

Another night and two more reveals by the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club from the 2013 Joe Con set!   Tonight’s unveiling? Muskrat & Psyche-Out!

NIGHT FORCE: SWAMP FIGHTER – MUSKRAT

– 25th Anniversary Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– Based on TRU Exclusive Action Figure from 1989
– NEW Head with a NEW Removable Boonie Hat,
Combat Vest is also Removable
– Includes G.I. Joe Logo Stand, Tactical Shotgun,
Machete, Pistol with Suppressor, and Knife

 

NIGHT FORCE: PSY OPS OFFICER – PSYCHE-OUT

– 25th Anniversary Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– Based on TRU Exclusive Action Figure from 1988
– NEW Head with NEW Removable Sonic Emitters,
[Attachments fit on Arms and Sonic Generator]
– Includes G.I. Joe Logo Stand, Assault Rifle, Pistol,
Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) Backpack,
Sonic Generator Device and Sonic Emitter Cones

I never thought I’d say this but of the two figure Psyche-Out is the CLEAR winner! From the headsculpt to the reuse of the 30th Duke body, he’s head and shoulders above most updates to classic designs. Muskrat is solid but the blue is throwing me off somewhat. However, as it has been pointed out to me the blue vest is removable. Otherwise, the club continues to hit a home run in terms of successful updates to classic characters.

Bring on Hit & Run and Repeater!