G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Wave 2 is SHIPPING!!

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Fred Meyer

Subscribers to the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service should start watching their mailboxes– the second shipment of figures for the FSS has started to arrive! Over at HISSTank.com, customizer and caster Raginspoon posted that he received his second box from the FSS– and has revealed what the figures are.

If you’re one of the folks that wants to be surprised, don’t click the link. It pretty much spoils everything and contains links to his Ebay auctions. However, if you’re like me, you’ve already clicked the link and know exactly who is arriving. Now, I’ve got no quarrel with anyone who chooses to reveal the newest arrivals– waiting like this can really drive me batty.

Keep checking those mailboxes folks– new Joes are on the way!

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Subscription Wave 2 ships in two weeks!

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Fred Meyer

Many G.I. Joe received an extra present just before the Christmas holiday– the first pair of figures from the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service had landed on their doorstep! Of course, as soon as those first two figures shipped, fans began to speculate as to when the next round would be arriving. Brian Savage sends out this update to let “eagle eyed” fans know that the wait is almost over:

We are getting ready to prepare the second shipment. We anticipate they they will ship about two weeks from now. Please have any address changes in the system by Wednesday (1/09/13) at 5pm Central Time.

Also, we are planning to do the installment billing for the second payment on or about January 21st. Please ensure that your credit card information is correct and that your debit cards have enough funds. Everyone’s billing amount is different so please refer to your first invoice to know what your amount will be. If you don’t have your invoice, you can log in and look at your order..

For those of you who paid in full, you can ignore the billing information.

Thanks for your support! We hope that you are enjoying your first figure shipment!

Now the speculation begins– with Jinx and Dice already shipped, who will be next?

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Collector’s Club: G.I. Joe FSS figures are shipping!!

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Fred Meyer

For those of you that signed up for the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service it’s time for some holiday cheer! The Club announced earlier in the week that some of the FSS orders would start shipping before the holidays and now it seems that some folks have already received theirs!

According to a thread over at HISSTank.com, board member Raginspoon and site admin Destro have received their figures. The Club initially asked that folks not discuss what figures were received until everyone had theirs so as “not to ruin the surprise”. (In other news, fairies are real and unicorns make good bacon!) However, as folks are excited to finally have some of these pieces in-hand pics have been posted over at HISSTank. I don’t want to jinx this with any spoilers but fans are going to be happy, no matter how they slice and dice the reports popping up on the web.

Here’s the shipping announcement from the Club, posted better late than never:

I hope that you are all having a great holiday season so far. Today it was confirmed that our container was aboard a train and headed to the Dallas terminal.

We still don’t have an exact delivery date to our warehouse, but we are anticipating that we will get some of the sets out before Christmas.

The Christmas holiday will probably see the shipments split so please have patience while they are enroute to you.

We now anticipate that they will all be shipped before New Years.

Merry Christmas!

Brian

Now, while you’re waiting for your first shipment to arrive, enjoy some PR pics of what is coming to subscribers:

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G.I. Joe: Initiate Episode 2 debuts!

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Fred Meyer

Looking for more G.I. Joe Initiate to satisfy your Joe video cravings? Look no further!

Okay, I’m a day late and a dollar short on posting this in a timely fashion. (We moved over Thanksgiving weekend and I’m still unpacking and trying to settle in.)

Regardless, Fred Doss and crew have put together a terrific second installment of this fan-produced Joe web series. Action, adventure, Beach Head, Mercer– this part has it all! Check it out below and then be sure to head on over to Facebook and give G.I. Joe: Initiate a “Like”! (Mark Zuckerberg tells us that those are important!)

For more details on the project, check out the official website!

G.I. Joe Retaliation Trailer #3 debuts!

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Fred Meyer

Feast your eyes on the latest trailer for G.I. Joe Retaliation– hitting theatres on March 29, 2012!

Honestly, this is the strongest trailer yet– at least in my eyes. A few new shots of Snake Eyes and Jinx preparing for their mountain assault, a longer shot of the HISS tank, more Bruce Willis, and a “buddy cop” moment between Roadblock and Duke– something that was lacking in the previous previews. Plus, it looks like Zartan throws the gauntlet down to several world leaders– and gets a dig in at North Korea in the process. It’s a win-win!

I’ll leave the bulk of the commentary up to the internet but this trailer has me more excited about things that I was previously.

New G.I. Joe Retaliation poster debuts!

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Fred Meyer

It’s been a while since there’s been anything new on the G.I. Joe: Retaliation front. The film is currently slated for a March 29, 2013 release date (which is only 2 days before a certain admin’s 40th birthday) and promotion for the spring debut hasn’t really ramped up yet. So, imagine my surprise yesterday when I saw this GEM of a poster hit the web.

Seriously– click to make this image larger and you’ll see why I like it so much. First off, it doesn’t come across as “G.I. Joe starring The Rock” nor is it “Channing Tatum IS G.I. JOE!” It’s an ensemble piece that highlights the more prominent core cast (and Duke). It’s also got one piece that was missing from so much of the promotion for both Rise of Cobra and Retaliation thus far– the Cobra logo. Hasbro has 30+ years invested in that single piece of branding and yet it was barely used in promoting any of the live action G.I. Joe endeavors thus far and that’s a real shame. I’d argue that the Cobra logo is the single most-recognized symbol in all of the G.I. Joe mythos.

Some of the older G.I. Joe fans out there might remember the ad campaign for the 1989 release of Batman, starring Michael Keaton. (Still, in my opinion, the BEST of the Batman films.) One particular commercial featured nothing but silence and a slow fade in of the Batman logo with the words “June 23” at the bottom. It was simple, effective, played on symbolism that the general public already knew, and ruined nothing of the film’s plot. Plus, it set itself apart from the usual “noise” found on TV by being silent. I can recall a conversation between my parents stopping because they thought something was wrong with the TV during the ad. In other words, it got their attention.

Regardless, the new Retaliation poster looks amazing in my opinion and is something that I’ll be trying to track down to add to the family room. It’s a far more interesting visual piece than the previous posters released.

G.I. Joe Con 2013: Indianapolis Indiana!!

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Fred Meyer

Sometimes an image speaks for itself– the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has announced the location of the 2013 Collector’s Convention. (Some of us are happy that it is only a 4 hour drive!)

The Club has posted the official 2013 Joe Con page with a link for reservations. Go now!! It’s just one week after the much delayed premiere of G.I. Joe Retaliation! Plus it looks like we’re dealing with a Night Force theme. Could a repaint of the 30th Crazylegs be in the works?

Here’s the official press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

G.I.JoeCon 2013 Coming to Indianapolis, Indiana April 4^th – April 7^th!

Fort Worth, TX – December 4th, 2012 – Fun Publications, Inc., licensee for Hasbro’s official G.I.Joe Collectors’ Convention, G.I.JoeCon, announced today that next year’s convention will take place at the JW Marriott from April 4^th thru April 7^th in the great city of Indianapolis. You can make your hotel reservations now at GIJoeCon.com.

In the coming weeks, Pop Culture enthusiasts from around the world will be able to register for G.I.JoeCon 2013 through the GIJoeCon.com online registration system. Fans and Collectors’ who register for G.I.JoeCon as a General OR American Hero package holder will receive either the 12-inch Secret Mission to Dragon Island or 3 3/4-inch Nocturnal Fire convention 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 Dinner event. Finally, General and American Hero package attendees will also receive a special bonus to go along with their convention box set. General Admission for non-registered guests will be available on Saturday and Sunday only.

For more information on G.I.JoeCon and all activities and the exclusive figure offerings, please visit GIJoeCon.com.
About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Hub, Hasbro’s multi-platform joint venture with Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) launched on October 10, 2010. The online home of The Hub is www.hubworld.com. The Hub logo and name are trademarks of Hub Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved.

About Fun Publications, Inc.
For nearly 20 years, Fun Publications, Inc. has been a Hasbro licensee offering fans and collectors of pop culture memorabilia news, exclusive product and family events through different print offerings, websites, collector clubs and brand specific conventions such as GIJoeCon and BotCon. Located in Fort Worth Texas, Fun Publications reaches a large audience, serving the United States and many other countries such as Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, Australia and Canada. For more information visit TransformersClub.com, GIJoeClub.com, GIJoeCon.com, and BotCon.com. BotCon is a registered trademark of Fun Publications, Inc. (C) 2012 Fun Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

In hand pics of the cancelled G.I. Joe Mindbender, Budo, Zap, and Nano-BAT from Rise of Cobra!

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Fred Meyer

I think it’s safe to call Gyre-Viper the “Indiana Jones of the G.I. Joe fandom.” Venturing into the depths of the Chinese marketplace and scouring the internet for cancelled and rare items “that belong in a museum”, he manages to unearth more cancelled and prototype items than anyone out there. Some are good, some are bad but all are worth seeing.

His latest batch of finds includes some figures that never saw production in the ill-fated G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra movie line. Consisting mostly of parts from previous releases, this set of four would have given fans an update on Budo, Dr. Mindbender, Zap, and introduced the Nano-BAT to fans’ collections. While Zap is pretty easy to recreate by performing a simple head-swap and the Nano-BAT is seeing a release though the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service in the near future, I find myself sad when I realize that Budo and Mindbender won’t see a release in this form.

Here are a few mirrored pics but check out the entire treasure trove of images over at JoeDeclassified.com!

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Larry Hama sketch to benefit Wounded Warrior Project on Ebay

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Fred Meyer

Larry Hama is known as the “godfather of modern G.I. Joe”. A former soldier himself, this extremely talented writer conveyed a soldier’s perspective in his writing like few others could. No matter what the situation, readers of G.I. Joe always knew that Hama’s characters thought, felt, and acted like REAL people who were serving their country out of a sense of duty and honor– no matter what the cost. His writing inspired countless fans around the globe and has been cited by many as the reason they enlisted in the US Armed Forces. Mr. Hama didn’t glorify a soldier’s life– he presented it warts and all.

Now, Mr. Hama is doing something to “give back” to those who served but that bore the brunt of combat more than others. He’s auctioning off an original “Snake Eyes Homecoming” sketch— an homage to the flashbacks in Issue #36 of the original Marvel run– on Ebay with all proceeds from the sale to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Not only is this a change to own a one-of-a-kind piece of original Larry Hama artwork but more importantly it’s a chance to give something back to those who sacrificed their own well-being to protect ours.

Seriously guys, this is one of those moments where I’ll encourage everyone to “dig deep and give what they can.” If you can’t afford the sketch, make a donation to Wounded Warrior Project and help those who protect our freedoms and our liberties on a daily basis.

Ebay Listing: Snake-Eyes Homcoming sketch by Larry Hama (original pencil drawing)

The auction ends on November 18, 2012 just after 5:00pm CST.

Snake Eyes Homecoming Sketch by Larry Hama

G.I.Joe Con 2012: Operation Bear Trap sees second production run

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Fred Meyer

The 2012 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention sets featuring the Oktober Guard sold out in near record time. Those who were hoping to snag a non-attending Homefront Heroes set had to either be incredibly lucky to have been online when they were listed or have ties in the Springfield underground. Realizing that this rapid of a sellout leads to an unhappy membership, the GIJCC raised the possibility of a second production run but made no guarantees. Well, that run has now come to fruition. This email went out to all Collector’s Club members late yesterday:

“Attention Comrades!

The official G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club is proud to announce a special limited edition second-run of the “sold out” and extremely popular 2012 Operation: Bear Trap! convention set.

This exclusive Oktober Guard vs. Iron Grenadiers set includes fifteen modern era 3 3/4-inch action figures with weapons and accessories. You will get the classic Oktober Guard characters such as Colonel Brekhov, Daina, Schrage, Stormavik and Horror Show. Plus, for the first time ever… the Oktober Guard General: Iron Bear. The Iron Grenadiers have unique troop builders that include: Iron Grenadier Elite Troopers x4, Iron Grenadier Elite Guards x2, Iron Grenadier Heavy Weapon Specialists x2 and also for the first time ever… the Iron Grenadier General: Voltar!

Don’t miss this limited edition second-run of these fantastic Oktober Guard vs. Iron Grenadiers action figures. You must be an official G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club member to order. Visit the Club Store to pre-order before the Nov. 30th, 2012 deadline! (Product will be shipping in the spring of 2013, exact date TBD). Cost is $360 per set (plus shipping). Only boxed sets will be produced and the production run will only be what is pre-ordered. Don’t miss this final opportunity to own this highly sought after set! Check it out at GIJoeClub.com/shop.

For pictures of the individual figures from GIJoeCon.com click here!”

I don’t know what this bodes for the future but for those of you who missed this set, now is the time to try and snag a fantastic update on the Oktober Guard. Once this particular site admin gets finished moving and unpacks, the review of those figures might FINALLY be posted.

Here are a few shots of this awesome set from the Collector’s Club.