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:

  • Clouds on the box were shot out behind the Fun Publications office.
  • Head designs were done by Troy McKie.
  • Lanny showed 3D printed heads on the body mock-ups for the figures. This was then manipulated in Photoshop to generate the character mock-up image.
  • Club originally wanted to do all vehicles in vac-metalized chrome but factory was unwilling to do this process. Vac-metal coating isn’t environmental-friendly which creates production issues.
  • As a happy accident, they discovered that the Sky-Sweeper than fit “piggyback” on the Skystriker. Similar to the Night Raven and its shuttle.

12” Adventures of G.I. Joe Discussion:

  • Homage to 1960’s post-military/pre-Adventure Team Joe
  • Created all artwork from scratch as samples of original artwork were unavailable.
  • Lanny composited real 12” Joe figure interacting with a Larry Selman painted octopus artwork.
  • Child on the box is Brian’s son Maverick!
  • Side panels of individual figure box use vintage artwork.
  • Convention set artwork mimics the original vintage art.

 

Club Figures for 2016:

G.I. Joe vs Transformers Crossover set:

  • Set will be boxed, bookcase style with a blister pack inside with figures.
  • Based on Marvel Comics G.I. Joe #139
  • Pete suggested doing an inversion of the original cover with Cobra Commander holding a hologram of Megatron. The figure in the set is a hologram of Megatron, hence the translucent package.
  • Includes Ninja Force Scarlett, Dr. Sydney Biggles-Jones, and Cobra Commander that features comic accurate color scheme.
  • Also includes Black Cat (Ravage), Ratbat, and the Toaster (Blaster) boom box.

(Images Courtesy of YoJoe.com)

FSS 5.0:

Roster was affected by initial cancellation of contract—figures were chosen by what would be approved by Hasbro and what would fill in gaps in current collections.  Final mock-ups not available at this point.

  • Concealment Specialist – Ambush
  • Flamethrower – Charbroil (Classic deco – different from Night Force version, masked only)
  • Iron Grenadier Courier – Darklon (more modernized version than previous convention version)
  • G.I. Joe Strategic Commander – General Flagg (similar to Battle Corps version)
  • Cobra Battle Corps Cobra Viper – based on Iron Anvils from 2015 Convention version
  • Anti-Armor Trooper – Salvo (more Pursuit of Cobra styled, based on existing tooling)
  • Combat Journalist – Scoop (using the Sky Patrol Airborne head sculpt from this year’s con set)
  • Cobra Falconer – Raptor
  • Advanced Recon – Sneak Peek (based on FSS 4 Tiger Force version)
  • SKAR Infantry Officer – Steel Raven (based on Club magazine comics – FEMALE character)
  • Cobra Shattered Glass Xamot (from the Club Comic Adventure Team storyline with new head sculpt)
  • Z-Force Mechanic Gaucho (pairs with Jammer)
  • MYSTERY 13th figure (hints to follow)

 

3.75” Troop Builder 3-pack:

  • Female Cobra Troopers
  • Replaces Heartwrencher temporarily due to the renewal of the logistics
  • Features new head sculpt and removable helmet
  • Compliments Hasbro’s female Cobra Officer announced earlier today
  • Hopefully released by Fall/Winter 2016

 

3.75” Figure & Vehicle set:

  • Heartwrencher is still in the works
  • Based on sales of other figure/vehicle combinations
  • Released likely in 2017
  • Will feature new head sculpt

 

Renewal Figures:

  • Nothing to show at this time.

 

Thanks to the good folks at YoJoe.com, we also have a video of the presentation from Joe Con 2016: