Category Archives: Collector’s Club

All news pertaining to the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club and their events will be posted here.

G.I. Joe FSS 5 General Flagg demands your attention!

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The G.I. Joe FSS 5 previews are coming fast and furious with General Flagg!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 General Flagg

G.I. JOE STRATEGIC COMMANDER: GENERAL FLAGG
(Based on the 1993 Battle Corps action figure!)Includes: removable hat, sub machine gun, top secret files briefcase, pistol, and figure stand.NOTE: All images are Photoshop representations, final product, accessories and/or colors may vary!

Hmm… this is an interesting take on the original 1993 General Flagg.   The jacket is from the 2013 Retaliation masked Firefly— which is “okay” but doesn’t really seem to this Joe fan like something that a general would wear.  (Maybe it’s a bit too biker in feel?) The legs are from 2011 Pursuit of Cobra Duke which are nice and functional and offer a decent range of motion.  The head choice also just seems a bit young to my eyes.  (More Airborne clones!  I don’t know how well the 2012 Brekhov hat is going to stay on that head.)  So, it’s a visually interesting update but one that seems just a bit off in terms of faithfulness to the vintage design.

We’re now four figures in on the previews.  Anyone else thinking that the sign-up is coming in two weeks? Continue reading →

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Darklon preview is live!

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Another day, another G.I. Joe FSS 5 preview featuring Darklon!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Darklon

IRON GRENADIER COURIER: DARKLON
(Based on the classic 1989 action figure!)

Includes: removable harness, scabbard belt with sword, re-tooled projectile rifle, auto pistol, courier case, pistol, and figure stand.

NOTE: All images are Photoshop representations, final product, accessories and/or colors may vary!

Holy 1989 homage, Destro! This Darklon is straight up an homage to the original version of the character from the A Real American Hero line.  Right off the bat, I’m seeing a reuse of the convention exclusive Darklon from 2012 head sculpt– which makes perfect sense to me.  I’m also seeing the legs of the 25th Anniversary Iron Grenadiers Destro which adds a nice bit of MARS cohesion.  As far as the rest of the build, it’s hard to tell with this heavily photo-shopped mock-up.  Still, it’s a decent look for the G.I. Joe FSS 5 build of Darklon.

With three reveals in three days, is the sign-up coming soon?

The G.I. Joe FSS 5 Roster:

  • Concealment Specialist – Ambush
  • Flamethrower – Charbroil (Classic deco)
  • 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)

Keep your eyes peeled to GIJoeClub.com and JBL for more G.I. Joe FSS 5 reveals!

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Meet G.I. Joe FSS 5 Ambush!

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Another G.I. Joe FSS 5 preview from the Collector’s Club – Concealment Specialist Ambush!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Ambush

G.I. JOE CONCEALMENT SPECIALIST: AMBUSH
(Based on the classic 1990 action figure!)

Includes: removable helmet, camouflage cape, grenade bandolier, assault rifle,
sub machine gun, camouflage net, and figure stand.

NOTE: All images are Photoshop representations, final product, accessories and/or colors may vary!

Is it me or is that the General Mayhem head from the Peril in Paradise Tiger Force Convention set?  It totally looks like it is and, since there’s no mention of a new head sculpt in the Club’s description that would appear to be the case.  So, Ambush will have a twin over in MARS.

Otherwise, Ambush looks decent– very evocative of his 1990 action figure debut. I’m seeing what appears to be the net from Shadow Tracker which is an “okay” substitute for the original Ambush’s build-a-blind feature.  Overall, he looks “good but not great” without any real new tooling to give him a more unique look.

The G.I. Joe FSS 5 Roster:

  • Concealment Specialist – Ambush
  • Flamethrower – Charbroil (Classic deco)
  • 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)

Keep your eyes peeled to GIJoeClub.com and JBL for more G.I. Joe FSS 5 reveals!

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G.I. Joe FSS 4 Tiger Force Outback, Sneak Peek and Doc

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JBL reviews the G.I. Joe FSS 4 Tiger Force Outback, Tiger Force Sneak Peek, and bonus Carla “Doc” Greer!

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Tiger Force Sneak Peek Tiger Force Outback Doc

Just last week subscribers in this wave of the  G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service received the final figures in the series.  Tiger Force Outback and Tiger Force Sneak Peek, based on the 1990 European exclusive figures, arrived along with the mysterious “13th bonus figure.”  Initially, fans speculated that this figure was going to be Tiger Force Jinx.

The internet speculation was wrong!  Instead, fans were treated to an ARAH generation 3 update to Carla “Doc” Greer!

Fred and Chris take on the task of reviewing Tiger Force Outback, Tiger Force Sneak Peek, and Carla “Doc” Greer.  As always, our two intrepid reviewer take a look what’s good and would could be improved with these latest Club releases. Were these figures worth the wait?  Does Fred finally agree that Tiger Force isn’t so bad? Will Chris like any of these G.I. Joe Collector’s Club figures? Does Deadpool make another cameo?

The answers to these questions can be found over at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index!  Afterwards, feel free to leave your own thoughts on these new figure in the comments below!

G.I. Joe FSS 4 final shipment is incoming!

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The final shipment of G.I. Joe FSS 4 is inbound!  That’s right Joe fans, Tiger Force Outback and Sneak Peek are on their way to subscribers as I type this.  However, this shipment is also noteworthy for containing the “Mysterious 13th Figure” whose identity remained cloaked under a veil of G.I. Joe Collector’s Club secrecy– until now.  Thanks to Alyosha of BrokenArrowToys.com, we have images of this final shipment!

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

First, let’s take a look at the two figures we knew were coming– Tiger Force Outback and Tiger Force Sneak Peek.

Tiger Force Outback:

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Tiger Force Outback

I look at Tiger Force Outback and I hear the immortal words of Winston Zedmore from the original Ghostbusters film:

“Man, I have seen $#!% that will turn you WHITE!”

If you’ve been reading the comics in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club monthly magazines then you’ve likely read the Club’s rationale for why Outback is suddenly a candidate for the position of Grecian Formula spokesman.  According to those comics, after the events of the Compound Z incident, Stuart Selkirk found his hair irrevocably changed due to the exposure to the Z+ formula.  As cheesy as that might sound, it’s honestly the best explanation for why he went from being a ginger in 1987 to a Santa Claus stand-in in 1990.  In addition, he’s sporting a styling new head which looks a bit less like Chuck Norris than the 2009 25th Anniversary version did.  Plus he now has hinged wrists!

Tiger Force Sneak Peek:

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Tiger Force Sneak Peek

I feel like I start off every single Tiger Force review or article with the phrase “I’m not a big fan of Tiger Force.”  However, I have to say that it’s good to see both Sneak Peek FINALLY see representation in the generation 3 construction style and the color orange being used for Tiger Force.  (Chris and I discuss this in the “Peril in Paradise” reviews that I’ve yet to post.  I know… the admin sucks…)  Much like Outback, Sneak Peek underwent a bit of a color change from his debut in 1987 to his 1991 European Tiger Force release.  The Club version is pretty faithful to the European color scheme– and it’s surprisingly solid.  (Did I just start to warm up to Tiger Force?  Say it ain’t so!)  I do like the fact that we got a newly tooled periscope and can only hope that we also see both a standard and a Night Force version of Sneak Peek in the near future!  After all, my Joe Con 2013 Nocturnal Fire set isn’t going to complete itself!

And now, the moment that folks have been waiting for– the reveal of the 13th figure.  If you don’t want to know… turn back now!

Seriously… Continue reading →

Carded Pythona and Mike Power now at the Collector’s Club Store

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The Carded Pythona figures and the Mike Power – Atomic Man 1:16 renewal figures are now available at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club store!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Pythona carded

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club really hit one out of the park this year with the Pythona membership renewal figure and attendees of Joe Con 2016 were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to by special carded versions while at the event in Loveland, CO a few weeks ago.  Now, members who weren’t able to make the trek to Colorado also have the opportunity to snag a carded Pythona of their very own!

I won’t sugar coat it– I love this figure.  (As you can tell from the review we posted about three weeks ago.)  She’s absolutely worth owning – both as a modern construction figure and as piece of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero history.  Considering that this is the first-ever figure of the Cobra-La Emissary/Assassin, this figure probably won’t stick around forever.

However, the Club isn’t just catering to the 1:18 crowd.  The latest additions to the Club store also include two options for acquiring the KILLER 1:6 updated Mike Power action figure!  The Atomic Man and his accessory set can be purchased individually or bundled together at a moderate savings.

If you’re going shopping, here are some handy direct links.  (Good for you, bad for your wallet.)  Each item is limited to one per membership.

Check out these and more exclusive items (Dr. Isotope anyone?) over at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club store!

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

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

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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.

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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

 

Joe Con 2016: Souvenir items revealed!

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joe con 2016 g.i. joe collector's convention

Joe Con 2016 souvenir item images have arrived!

Joe Con 2016 registration night has begun and the Golden Ticket holders are picking up their sets.  That means the line for the souvenirs at the Club Store is queuing up and we now have our first images of this year’s souvenirs!  Thanks to Mike Tinnel of the G.I. Joe Discussion Facebook Group, I’ve mirrored some images below.

  • G.I. Joe Glider 2-pack featuring Skymate and Cloudburst – $75.00
  • Heli-Vipers 3-pack – $85.00
  • Sky Patrol Skysweeper jet – $68.00
  • Cobra Hydra jet with Aero-Viper – $85.00
  • Sky Patrol Skystriker – $160.00
  • Sky Patrol JUMP 6-pack – $55.00
  • Cobra JUMP 6-pack – $55.00
  • Parachute drop figure: FREEFALL – $35.00

Bonus Attendee Item: Sky Patrol Air Raid figure

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I have to say– ANOTHER Skystriker?!!!  Plus a repaint of the RoC Skysweeper jet (which itself is a repurposed Firebat), a pair of Air Assault gliders, and faction-changed 2003 Skysweeper jet?  Fans of the late 1990’s era are going to LOVE this set but the more military-minded folks might just consider saving their pennies.

We’ll have more images from Joe Con 2016 as they become available!  Stay tuned for more Joe Con 2016 Armchair Coverage from JBL!

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Closer look at G.I. Joe vs. Transformers Ninja Force Scarlett

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The June 2016 issue of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club magazine is hitting member mailboxes and with it comes a better look at the forthcoming G.I. Joe vs. Transformers set Ninja Force Scarlett.

G.I. Joe Ninja Force Scarlett cover

So, how’s Scarlett looking?  To the eyes of this Joe fan, pretty good!  I see the Renegades Scarlett head and what appears to be the upper torso of the Retaliation Jinx combined with the arms of the SDCC Zarana figure.  The upper legs might be from the 25th Anniversary Scarlett and the boots, well, those are a mystery right now.  It looks to be a solid parts combination that does a pretty decent job of recreating the original 1993 Ninja Force Scarlett figure while still following the Club’s pattern of primarily reusing existing parts.

Continue reading →