Category Archives: News

The latest news regarding the G.I. Joe brand is found here.

Hasbro Cinematic Universe gets its Writer’s Room

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Hasbro Cinematic Universe

The Hasbro Cinematic Universe is coming!

This afternoon media sites across the web received a press release with the official announcement of the formation of the Hasbro Cinematic Universe writer’s room.  Headed by Oscar-winning writer Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind), the group includes an incredibly talented collection of individuals whose credits range from film to television to comic books.

The Hasbro Cinematic Universe is getting real, people!

The full text of the press release is below: Continue reading →

HASCON: Is Hasbro planning their own brand convention?

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United States Patent & Trademark Office

HASCON is coming?

There’s been a lot of speculation over the fate of the annual Joe Con after it was revealed that Hasbro was ending its relationship with Fun Publications, the company that licensed the annual Botcon (Transformers) and Joe Con (G.I. Joe ) events.  Many fans wondered if there would even continue to be annual Hasbro-authorized events. Over the past weekend, Hasbro filed a trademark with the US Patent Office that might shed some light on the future of these brand events.

Thanks to the intrepid newshounds over at TFwiki, it was revealed that Hasbro officially filed for the trademark on “HASCON”.  The purpose of this trademark, according to the trademark office filing is:

Organizing and conducting conventions, exhibitions, fan clubs and gatherings for entertainment purposes and in the fields of toys, animation, comic books, fantasy, gaming, popular culture, science fiction, television and film.

It’s not a lot of information but it shows that Hasbro is at least intending to move forward in some fashion with a continuation of conventions.  What’s more interesting, at least to this Joe fan, is that this appears to be the only trademark filed.  There’s nothing for any derivation of “Joe Con”, “Bot Con” or even “Pony Con”.  (Say what you will– but the Pony fandom is HUGE.)

With only one seemingly comprehensive trademark filed is Hasbro testing the waters at having events that showcase all of their brands in one place?  Or is this merely a preemptive measure designed to secure a copyright before anyone else files for it?  Right now, we have very little information to go on.  However, it’s also way too soon to jump to any detailed conclusions.  Joe Con 2016 is scheduled for the end of June and I doubt any formal announcement would be made before that even has concluded.

What do you think of this development?  Would you be in favor of more unified Hasbro brand events?  Would you rather have your conventions separated by product line?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.

i can haz hascon

G.I Joe FSS 4 Review: Jammer & Pathfinder

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G.I. Joe FSS 4 Review Jammer & Pathfinder

It’s time for another G.I. Joe FSS 4 Review!

One’s a DiC era Jungle Warfare specialist with a penchant for heavy machine guns and landscaping equipment!  The other’s UK Z-Force communication specialist that bears a striking resemblance to the G.I. Joe team‘s original Ranger from Detroit.  Together, they keep the world safe for freedom!  That’s right Joe fans– this month’s G.I. Joe FSS 4 Review odd couple is none other than Pathfinder and Jammer!

It’s been nearly two weeks since the last G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 4 boxes arrived in the mailboxes of subscribers.  Chris and Fred took these figures and once again put them under the G.I. Joe FSS 4 review lens– and this time they even brought along a special consultant on one of the figures!

Are these two worth picking up? Do Chris and Fred find anything to agree on?  Does Deadpool continue his string of gratuitous cameo appearances?  These questions will indeed be answered in the latest G.I. Joe FSS 4 Review installments.  Check out both Jammer & Pathfinder over on the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index!

 

Botcon 2016: New G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers set coming

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A final G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers set has been revealed at Botcon 2016!

Fun Publications may be in its final year as the show-runner for both the annual Botcon and Joe Con events but that doesn’t mean that they’re slowing down on their exclusive products.  Yesterday at Botcon 2016, a brand new G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers set was unveiled– based on the launch of Transformers Generation 2 as it appeared in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol 1 #138 – #142!

GI Joe Vs. Transformers crossover set botcon 2016

Eagle-eyed fans will recognize the cast of this particular set but just in case you don’t, here’s the breakdown:

I’ve got to give the folks at Fun Publications credit– this is certain a more interesting-looking set than the second “Only Human” set featuring synthoid Arcee and Rodimus Prime.  Joe fans are going to want this set pretty much exclusively for the Ninja Force Scarlett figure and maybe the Dr. Biggles-Jones, the brilliant scientist who was featured heavily in those G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issues.  As far as Cobra Commander– it’s the same figure was last seen in the Dollar General series with some additional paint apps and equipped with the gun Megatron seen in the 2011 SDCC set.  I’m not a big enough Transformers fan to tell you if the Megatron and Ratbat figures are highly sought-after repaints or not.

No price point was announced but considering that Fun Publications is ending its license with Hasbro at the end of the year I’ll bet that these are available at Joe Con 2016.

What do you think of this latest G.I. Joe vs the Transformers offering?  Are you interested in these sets?  Will you be keeping all of the figures or selling off the Transformers?  Let us know in the comments below.

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G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipment 3 is inbound! Plus, a look at #5!

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G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipment

G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipment 3 is now arriving!  That’s right– thanks to the accelerated delivery timetable of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club, FSS 4 shipments are hitting subscribers’ mailboxes about every three weeks!

Thanks to Alyosha of BrokenArrowToys.com, we’ve got a look at shipment #3 below.

Not only that, but a shipping error has resulted in one lucky fan getting shipment #5 early!  We’ve got a pics and link to his Ebay auction below as well.

So, you’ve been warned.  After the jump, we’re taking a look at TWO G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipments.

Continue reading →

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Barricade & Ice Ninja Reviews

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G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipment 2

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Barricade & Cobra Ice Ninja reviews are live!

It was just over a week ago that subscribers to G.I. Joe FSS 4 began receiving their second of six shipments with the latest two figures in the line.  Today, Chris and Fred pull Barricade and the Cobra Ice Ninja off of their cards and throw them under the review lights!

What did our two intrepid reviewers think of these latest figures from G.I. Joe FSS 4?  Did they break new barriers or were they met with a chilly reception? Does Fred keep trying to make inane ice and cold puns?  Does Deadpool make yet another cameo? (Like you had to ask…)

These questions and more are answered in two reviews chock-full of banter, obscure sci-fi references and more links to Wikipedia than you can shake a stick at!

Check out the reviews of Barricade and the Cobra Ice Ninja from G.I. Joe FSS 4 over at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index and let us know what you think in the comments below!

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club unveils Pythona!

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Pythona is revealed!!!

Today is the last day to sign up for a 2016 membership to the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club and the folks at Cattle Barron Drive have pulled out all of the stops in encouraging people to sign up by showing off a prototype for Pythona!

Not a digital mock-up.  Not a render but a painted sample of Pythona!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Pythona

Continue reading →

Reminder: No new G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Memberships after 3/16/16.

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G.I. Joe Collector's Club

Tis the season for news regarding the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club, it would seem.

A message posted earlier today on Facebook seems to add further credence to the rumors that Fun Publications is indeed closing out their tenure as the administrator of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club.  In the statement, the Club states that no new memberships will be accepted after March 16, 2016.  If you’d like to receive the free membership incentive Pythona figure (and we know that you do), you have to have an active membership before 3/16/2016!

Here’s the full text from Fun Publications: Continue reading →

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Shipment 2 is inbound!

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gi joe fss 4It’s true, Joe fans!  G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipment 2 is heading to your mailboxes! Subscribers should be their coveted brown cardboard boxes within the next few days as these “mystery figures” make their way all around the globe.

Thanks to Alyosha of Broken Arrow Toys, pictures of G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipment 2 have surfaced online.  We’re going to share them below so if you’re one of those fans that don’t want “teh sooprize reveeled” then avert your eyes as we’re holding back nothing.

g.i. joe fss 4 shipment 2 box(Boxed photo by Billy Carr)

Still there?  Seriously?  Okay, you’ve been warned.   Continue reading →

Fun Publications to end relationship with Hasbro in 2016

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fun publications hasbro

Fun Publications is ending its relationship with Hasbro in 2016.  This has been rumored for some time based on the changes to memberships for both the G.I. Joe and Transformers Collector’s Clubs.  While nothing official has been stated regarding this from either the folks on Cattle Barron Drive or Hasbro, a recent email to all Transformers Collector’s Club members offers us our most concrete evidence to date:

“All memberships will end December 31, 2016.  Hasbro looks forward to sharing new plans for the Collector’s Club with you in the future.”

Okay, let’s read that again.

“Hasbro looks forward to sharing new plans for the Collector’s Club with you in the future.”

Did you notice something?  Nowhere in that statement does it say “Hasbro is ending Transformers and G.I. Joe forever.” It does, however, indicate, that Hasbro will no longer be relying on Fun Publications to administer the Transformers Club and, by implied association, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club. Continue reading →