Category Archives: News

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

FPComics.com debuts– the comics arm of the Fun Publications

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With the 2012 Joe Convention getting underway in New Orleans, you might expect that most of the Joe-related news right now is going to be centered around “Darklon is an exclusive!” or “Ice Cream Soldier is the parachute figure!!”  Well, imagine my surprised when Ben Yee of BWTF.com posted a link to a new website…

http://www.fpcomics.com/

Currently more of a static image than a fully functioning website (although I suspect this is just a ‘preview’), FP Comics seems to be the publishing arm of Master Collector/Fun Publications.  It’s also a site where fans can order previous convention comics for both G.I. Joe and Transformers as well as a series called “Lydia vs. Zombies”.  (No idea what it’s about as the individual title links aren’t working right now.)  The current main pages indicates that comics will be available in the July edition of Previews from Diamond Comics Distributors.

It’s certainly an interesting move for the folks down at Cattle Baron Drive and one that could pay off for them in the future in a ‘print on demand’ kind of way.  With IDW Publishing regular Joe and TF titles I don’t know how much intial appeal this will have but if FP Comics starts to offer trade paperback versions of the monthly Joe news letter comics I know one particular site admin who will be placing an immediate pre-order.  (Seriously– the AT comic is surprisingly good!)

Check out the preview over at FPComics.com!

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Joe Con 2012: The exclusives revealed– sort of…

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Madmac41 is down on the scene at the 2012 Joe Con in New Orleans and has sent on this information regarding the 2012 Convention Exclusives.  (Thanks to his Golden Ticket.)

  • Annihilator 3-Pack (LE 650)
  • IG Ground Assault 2-Pack (LE 1,000)
  • Cobra Stealth Paratrooper (LE 500)
  • OG Attack Helicopter (LE 600)
  • Soviet Convoy Truck w/ 3 Tops (LE 500)

Also revealed was the attendee exclusive- a Russian repaint of the Snarler!  (Picture of Madmac41’s bike– courtesy of GeneralsJoes.com)

More details as they emerge…

 

EDIT– I received a pair of pics last night from Photonut showing Horrorshow and the sidecar of the Joe Con Snarler.  It looks like Stepan needs to lay off the borscht if he’s going to be riding shotgun any time soon!  Still, an updated Oktober Guard is something that has been top of many Joe fan’s “wish list” for some time now so it looks like the Club has another hit on their hands!

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MARS forces
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Brekhov sans hat
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Horrorshow
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Joe Con 2012: Oktober Guard sets might see second production run?!

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There are days that the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club surprises me– and today is one of those days.  It’s no secret that the 2012 Operation: Bear Trap convention sets sold out in near-record time.  Whether this was due to a smaller production run or the popularity of the Oktober Guard or both remains to be seen yet the Club sent out a surprising email over the weekend to its membership:

Hello all!

Just as a CHECK and we are NOT saying we are going to do this…..

We are curious as to how many of you did not get the Oktober Guard set and would still like to order one (boxed only)?  We don’t know if there is enough demand left to meet the MOQ (minimum order quantity) with the manufacturer.

In addition, we have NOT cleared any potential additional manufacturing quantities with Hasbro.  So that we have an idea and can better serve you with future sets, if you would be interested in a set (IF it were possible to make more and it was approved), please fill out the attached spreadsheet with ALL of the information requested by Monday, July 2nd and return it to this email’s return address (oktoberguard@gijoecon.com).  We will only analyze spreadsheets that are returned and will not count/look at information in the email as this is a huge task.

We will analyze the data and see how much demand is still pending and we will let you know soon after July second if there is enough demand to warrant a second run. There should be no variation in the two runs.

I don’t want anyone to get false hopes but we don’t know what the potential demand is unless we ask.  So, at this point assume that we will not be making any additional sets.

Thanks for helping us gauge your desires!

Brian

For years, the comment directed back at those who complained about the inaccessibility of convention sets (in terms of both price and production run) was that the sets were meant to be for those who attended the actual convention.  Now, with the release of this email the Collector’s Club seems to be indicating a real shift in their thinking– that maybe convention sets could be offered as “club sets” instead.   (Let’s face it, there is NO WAY IN HADES that these would be ready by the con which means that the number of Homefront Hero packages will increase if this goes through.)  There is no doubt in my mind that a second production run would see any sort of decreased cost– meaning that instead this will generate more revenue for the Club at a time when the economy and infrastructure needs have most likely tapped the coffers a bit.

So, is this a good idea or a bad one?

 

Alexx Shorts: Retaliation Cobra Trooper

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How long has it been since you’ve had to get a figure off the roof?  Parachutes are back!

Alexx Shorts: Retaliation Cobra Commander (with black variant)

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Why does Cobra Commander always wear either black or blue?  Is it because he is always taking a beating?

DVD: Renegades Season 1, Vol 2 and complete series Blu-Ray announced

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It’s about time that Joe fans had some good news!  The good folks over at Shout Factory posted this announcement today posted over at TVShowsOnDVD.com:

Following the Season 1, Volume 1 release earlier this week, Shout! Factory has alerted retailers that G.I. Joe: Renegades – Season 1, Volume 2 is coming to DVD on September 25th. On the same day, Shout! will also release all of that content combined onto a single release in Blu-ray Disc format with G.I. Joe: Renegades – Season 1. The 2-disc DVD title is $19.93 SRP, and the high-def 3-disc BD version costs $49.97 SRP. . We have art below that for the DVD version, but we’re still waiting on the Blu artwork:

I for one would like to say: “WOO HOO!!!”  While I didn’t have access to the series when it debuted on Hasbro’s HUB network, I was able to get caught up by “other means” and have recently concluded rewatching the entire series on Netflix via Xbox LIVE.  Honestly, Renegades is one of THE best incarnations of Joe in any media and one that really deserved more support than it received from both Hasbro and the HUB.
Hopefully there will be some actual SPECIAL FEATURES on the Blu-Ray.

Alexx Shorts: Dreadnoks 7-Pack

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YEAH, who wants to come in and read about Dreadnoks?  Anyone?  Come on!

G.I. Joe Renegades vol 1 released tomorrow on DVD

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There hasn’t been a lot of exciting news for Joe fans lately but Shout Factory manages to have one bright spot for the immediate future and that is the release of the first volume of G.I. Joe: Renegades on DVD tomorrow!  Netflix users have been enjoying the full series in HD for several weeks now but this marks the first official release of the series in any sort of “home video” format.  Sadly, it’s a bare-bones release with no special features included on the discs.  Still, it’s a good chance to enjoy this excellent short-lived series once again.

For Immediate Release

BRANDED AS RENEGADES FOR CRIMES THEY DIDN’T COMMIT, A GROUP
OF YOUNG HEROES IS FORCED TO TURN FUGITIVE AS THEY BATTLE
TO CLEAR THEIR NAMES AND EXPOSE THE EVIL THAT IS COBRA
G.I. JOE: RENEGADES
SEASON ONE, VOLUME 1

The First 13 Episodes from the First Season of Popular Animated
Series Produced by Hasbro Studios in a Collectible 2-DVD Set

OWN IT ON JUNE 5, 2012 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

This summer, prepare to join the action and witness the emergence of the heroic G.I. JOE team as a cadre of highly-trained specialists who are forced to band together to prevent the nefarious COBRA from achieving world domination. On June 5, 2012, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, will debut fan favorite animated series G.I. JOE: Renegades Season One, Volume 1 on DVD. Featuring the first 13 episodes from the first season, this collectible 2-DVD set is a must have for fans, kids and collectors and has a suggested retail price of $19.93. The initial product run of G.I. JOE: Renegades Season One, Volume 1 DVD set will include a Movie Cash offer to see the upcoming major motion picture G.I. JOE: Retaliation, in theaters June 29.

When a spy mission against Cobra Industries goes awry, a group of young G.I. JOE team members is forced to hit the road as fugitives. Now the team members – DUKE, SCARLETT, ROADBLOCK, TUNNEL RAT, RIPCORD, BREAKER and SNAKE EYES – must use their wits and elite training to prove their innocence to the world before being caught by the authorities, the COBRA organization or, worse yet, another elite military team called the Falcons.

With exciting, action-packed storytelling, spectacular animation, G.I. JOE Renegades, produced by Hasbro Studios, boasts an incredible voice cast, including Charlie Adler (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Lee Majors (Six Million Dollar Man), Clancy Brown (Shawshank Redemption), Jason Marsden (Batman: The Brave and the Bold), Johnny Messner (Tears of the Sun) and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Batman).

G.I. JOE: RENEGADES – SEASON ONE, VOLUME 1 DVD set
Street Date: June 5, 2012
Running Time: +/- 5 hours
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: English, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Stereo

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 THE TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Hub, Hasbro’s multiplatform 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. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. ©2012 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated boxed sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.

Taken from: http://tvshowsondvd.com/n/16672#ixzz1pHf4jpP7

Joe Con 2012: Oktober Guard sets are SOLD OUT! (Non-attending)

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The following email was sent out to Club Members earlier this afternoon:

Hello all!

It took just a little over 3 hours for the non-attending Oktober Guard sets to sell out!  We did not have that many to put online for those not coming to the convention. We wish there were more, but there are not.  Please do not call about these sets as there is nothing the customer representatives can do.

I have been asked how a member could not get a set.  Well the answer is that these are convention exclusives, not member exclusives.  They go first to the people attending the convention, then to non-attending fans.  It is very difficult to call the number from year to year and we try to make the best guess we can.

We sill have 12″ sets both attending and non-attending available.  There are just a few attending Oktober Guard sets left.  If you have already ordered one, you cannot order another.

Looking forward to a great convention!

See you in NOLA!

Brian

For those of you that missed out on the set– it looks Ebay is your only option now.  However, there are still a few remaining attending sets left so if you’re debating going to the Con, now is the time!

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Opinion: “The GI Joe Collector’s Club needs to be immediately disbanded”

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Once upon a time, if a person wanted to voice their opinion about a topic to the general public and and not do so in “real time”, he or she submitted a “Letter to the Editor”.  The author could write up their opinions and position and have it posted for all to see.  Along came technology and this concept evolved: businesses and institutions use social media to better communicate with their clients, fan clubs have forums and message boards, and groups of fans are able to come together in the form of online communities.  All of this breeds a climate where ideas can be freely exchanged and both praise and criticism can be shared.  It’s the “Letter to the Editor v3.0”.

No one can dispute the fact that 2012 has been a year of blunders and missteps for the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club.  Pretty much anything that could go wrong with the Club’s various endeavors has and the organization has been left scrambling to communicate details and a positive message.  However, it would seem that the issues might go back further than that.  Presented below is an item that dropped in my inbox today– an editorial from a long-time member of the Collector’s Club who has had enough.  It is presented in its entirety– with only the author’s identity removed at his/her request.

 The GI Joe Collector’s Club needs to be immediately disbanded: One betrayed former collector’s 11 year long rant

I’m done. DONE. I have enjoyed collecting both 12″ and 33/4″ GI Joe figures for over 20 years now. I’ve enjoyed it with my children.  I’ve enjoyed showing that what Daddy wore when he was in the service, while they were fascinated with characters like Snake Eyes and Destro.  But now, thanks solely to the GI Joe Collector’s Club, an organization who exists only to cater to people like me, I am so disgusted with the hobby as a whole, I am walking away.

Over the last 10 years, the GIJCC has become increasingly greedy, arrogant, mismanaged and unapologetic to the people it professes to serve. I blame it on the dollar signs I saw in the eyes of Brian Savage (the Club owner, directer, patriarch, resident Kool-Aid mixer, der Fuhrer, etc) when he got the OK from Hasbro to take over the Transformers Collector’s Club several years ago. The Transformers brand is a worldwide seller, with many more members with much, much deeper pockets. The GIJCC has been a small, family run club for many years, so giving them a cash cow like Botcon was bound to turn them into the money grubbing, greed-mongering, carpet-bagging bridge trolls they have become. But as I have watched their slow decline, I held out hope that the core tenets of my precious GI Joe fan club would remain unchanged in the face of it’s more lucrative younger brother, that they would still put on a family friendly event that we could afford, still put out product I can be proud to display and play with, and still make me and my children happy. As of today, I have had enough. Continue reading →