Category Archives: News

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

G.I. Joe FSS 6 Night Stalker Commander revealed

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The G.I. Joe FSS 6 Night Stalker Commander preview is live!

G.I. Joe FSS 6 Night Stalker Commander

COBRA NIGHT STALKER COMMANDER
Code Name: COBRA OFFICER
(Inspired by the 2007 GIJoeCon action figure!)
Includes: removable helmet, harness, sub machine gun,
suppressed pistol, knife, and figure stand.

NOTE: These modern era club exclusive action figures will not be exact replicas of their vintage counterparts. All images are Photoshop mock-up representations, final product, accessories and/or colors may vary!

Honestly, is anyone surprised by this one?  At all?  Actually, his is a no-brainer considering that the Female Cobra Troopers released by the Club earlier this year were HEAVILY influenced by the 2007 Joe Con Night Stalkers.  The Club merely re-purposed the female trooper build in black (and painted the bloody knee pads this time.)  A quick gear swap makes the figure stand out a bit more.  Plus, there’s the addition of the Rise of Cobra Baroness arms to set her apart from the rank and file.

This begs the question… is the Club planning on using the Night Stalkers in either next year’s Joe Con set or in another figure 3-pack? Continue reading →

G.I. Joe FSS 6 Sub-Zero preview

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The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has released the digital mock-up for FSS 6 Sub-Zero!

G.I. Joe FSS 6 Sub-zero

G.I. JOE WINTER OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Code Name: MARK “SUB-ZERO” HABERSHAW
(Inspired by the 1990 action figure!)
Includes: removable hooded coat, harness, pistol, snow shoes,
machine gun with bi-pod, tranquilizer rifle, dart cartridges,
backpack, mortar with bi-pod, and figure stand.

NOTE: These modern era club exclusive action figures will not be exact replicas of their vintage counterparts. All images are Photoshop mock-up representations, final product, accessories and/or colors may vary!

Hmm… interesting…

Continue reading →

G.I. Joe FSS 6 announcement and roster revealed!

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The signup for G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 6.0 is  now LIVE!

G.I. Joe FSS 6

With 33 days remaining until JoeCon 2017, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club revealed the pricing, roster, and subscriptions of FSS 6.0 on Friday.  Rather than waiting for the annual Collector’s Club round table for the reveal, the GIJCC opened the sign-up period right away!  Fans have until June 2, 2017 to sign up at the all-in price of $375 + shipping.  (Up from last year’s $336 + shipping.)

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 6.0

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 6.0 roster

(Image compiled by Andrew Gaska for the G.I. Joe and 1:18th Facebook Group)

So, here’s the official release from the folks at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club: Continue reading →

Just Another G.I. Joe Show – the Kickstarter Show

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This week’s episode of Just Another G.I. Joe Show was all focused on Kickstarter!

Just Another G.I. Joe ShowRight now, it seems that the most exciting projects to hit the G.I. Joe fandom are almost exclusively driven by Kickstarter.  As such, Mike invited several prominent founders to the show to discuss their projects as well as the ups and downs of the funding model.

The roster included:

The result is an hour and a half discussion that includes copyright protection, the design process, and even a reveal of some long-lost concept artwork.  The dialogue is uncensored, unedited, and engaging as our panel delves into why crowd-sourced funding is a viable option to help bring projects like this to life.

You can watch the episode here:

At JBL, we’ve discussed each of these projects previously.  Check out our coverage at these links:

Check out the entire archive of previous episodes and check out new episodes every other Saturday at 6pm CST LIVE on YouTube.  Mike and Fred will be live again on May 6th with another surprise guest and more live talk about our favorite Real American Heroes.

 

G.I. Joe FSS 5 General Flagg & Sneak Peek Reviews

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The G.I. Joe FSS 5 General Flagg & Sneak Peek reviews are LIVE!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 General Flagg Sneak Peek shipment 4

The best laid plans of mice and men…

After FAR too long of a delay, Chris and I take a look at the fourth shipment of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription service 5.0.  This set of figures was sent to subscribers back in March and contained General Flagg and the classic 1987 deco of Sneak Peek.  Unfortunately, that pesky “real life” got in the way for both of the reviewers and so these reviews were delayed until now.  (I’ll be adding additional photos to Flagg over the weekend. Pesky day jobs really sucked away some quality “hobby time” during the past month.)

General Flagg (the younger one) is rocking his 1994 deco while Sneak Peek is back for his second GIJCC release in his classic original colors.  This marks one more addition to the update rosters for both 1994 and 1987.  Now only Fast Draw is missing from the original ’87 single carded G.I. Joe team members.

Were these two figures worth the wait?  Are they a bargain at the FSS price?  Do either of the reviewers acknowledge Deadpool’s conspicuous absence this month?

The answers to these burning questions and more are found in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index!

Support 3.75 Inch Joe Vol 4 on Kickstarter!

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If you haven’t already, it’s time to support 3.75 Inch Joe Vol 4 on Kickstarter!

3.75" Joe Tunnel Rat

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Dan Klingensmith’s incredible 3.75″ Joe series of books.  (Also known as 3.75 Inch Joe: Creating G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero) These meticulously researched volumes collect rare pieces of production artwork and pair them with insightful commentary from the classic line’s original designers.  The end result is nothing short of amazing– a brilliantly laid-out piece that long-time Joe fans will pore over for hours.

3.75" joe beach head preview

Author Dan Klingensmith is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter for 3.75 Inch Joe Vol 4.  As such, he’s revealed some of what will be included in this next amazing volume: Continue reading →

Cobra Sentinel Automaton project coming to Kickstarter

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Coming soon to Kickstarter: the Cobra Sentinel Automaton project!

G.I. Joe Cobra Sentinel from the Palace of Doom

Let’s face it– for many fans the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero animated series is THE version of Joe.  Debuting as a pair of syndicated mini-series, these cartoon adventures greeted countless school children as they rushed home from school each day to catch the next installment in the serial.  The cartoons showcased the vehicles and characters that were soon to dominate store shelves and children’s imaginations in the coming months.  However, as diverse as the roster of figures and vehicles was there some were moments in the story where the writers and animators introduced their own concepts.  One such moment occurred in the third episode of the “Revenge of Cobra” mini-series in episode cheekily-named “The Palace of Doom“:

Remember the Cobra Sentinel?  The giant snake-themed robot that went mano-et-mano with the giant temple guardian?  The mechanized monster just blew me away.  As a kid, I had to have one but sadly it was not meant to be.  The automaton that towered over Major Bludd existed only in the cartoon and was never produced in action figure form.  However, that is about to change. Continue reading →

G.I. Joe Club Female Cobra Troopers up for preorder

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The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club female Cobra Trooper 3-packs are up for pre-order!

G.I. Joe Club Female cobra troopers

Yes, this isn’t exactly “breaking news”– we’ve fallen a bit behind on the Club updates of late.  However, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club recently opened up pre-orders for the female Cobra Troopers 3-pack.   The set makes for an ideal compliment to the female Cobra Officer that was released at Toys R Us in Oct/Nov 2016 as part of the Cobra Legions 3-pack.

A set of three female Cobra Troopers will set fans back a cool $65.00.  This trio of femme fatales will arrived poly-bagged and will include all weapons shown as well as file cards and combat knives.

There’s been no official word on what the projected availability of these figures will be after the pre-order period.  (The projected shipping date is “early April” according to the product listing.) We can assume that the Club will have some on hand for attendees of the 2017 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention but that’s not guaranteed. Given how quickly the 2016 Toys R Us product disappeared from both store shelves and the website, these might be gone sooner rather than later.

So, if you’re looking to add some ladies to the ranks of the armies of the serpent, now’s your chance!

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Animal Warriors of the Kingdom Kickstarter returns in May

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Animal Warriors of the Kingdom returns to Kickstarter on May 1, 2017!  Check out the official announcement below!

spero-studios

Spero Studio was founded by Jason Bienvenu and Brandon Gary, inspired by the 4 scale, toy lines of the mid 70’s, 80’s & 90’s, Spero focuses on bringing back the fun and joy from these eras with high quality products featuring modern articulation and accessories!

Figure design and control art by Jason Bienvenu, beautifully sculpted by Jose Fernandez and Fabiano Carlos Coelho.

Animal Warriors of the Kingdom

ANIMAL WARRIORS OF THE KINGDOM™ Series One: will consist of Ape, Canine, and Feline warriors, including the series main protagonist the albino ape Pale and he’s vile nemesis Baron Kah Lee. Each figure features 17 points of articulation as well as weapon accessories.

THE FIGURES: are 1:18 scale figures similar to G.I. Joe, Marvel Universe, H.A.C.K.S, Marauders Task Force, Dime Novel Legends, Eagle Force Returns, Zombie Lab and Hellscreamerz figures. The figures are sculpted, colored and faithful of the comic book source material while remaining highly detailed with have great crossover potential for lines like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Vitruvian H.A.C.K.S.!

SERIES ONE WAVE ONE

FIGURE INCLUDES: 1 Figure, accessories as well as removable armor! Mix and match your figures weapons and gear to create unique army builders

pale

PALE: ADVENTURE ARMOR  –The young albino ape king sports his trademark Mohawk and red armor while wielding the ability to absorb his fallen enemies powers; however this gift comes at a great cost as their ghosts become attached to him and slowly drive him mad!

baron-hahlee

BARON KAH LEE – The tyrannical ruler over all of the Ape Kingdom. This devious villain rules with an Iron paw and will stop at nothing to secure his place at the thrown, including eliminating the rightful ruler, Pale the young ape king!  Create Kah Lee’s Elite Guard with alternate head accessory.

leon

LEON: This traveling hero roams from town to town fighting for honor and revenge. His people were among the first to be displaced and enslaved by the Baron’s reign.

chunari-soldiers

CHUNARIAN SOLDIERS -These heroic soldiers make up the backbone of the Chunarian army and guard the walls of the sanctuary jungle city of Chuh-Nar from enemies of every kind. Create the Captain of the Guard with alternate head accessory.

captain-brutus

CAPTAIN BRUTUS & THE HORRID KNIGHTS – Feral Mandrill soldiers meant to overwhelm and decimate rival armies; what they lack in fighting skill they make up for with sheer numbers and unhinged savagery! Create the Horrid Knights with alternate head accessory.

horrid

HORRID ASSASSINS – Only slightly less vile than the mandrills these chimps are deadly with a bow but can wield a blade when in a bind. These apes rain hate down on opposing armies as the city gates give way to the steady push of the horrid!

STRETCH GOAL FIGURES! Sneak Peak

SERIES ONE WAVE TWO

stencher

STENCHER! This skunk is his own one animal army, his wretched stench can incapacitate almost anyone; and if his fowl odder doesn’t defeat you his formidable fighting skills will.

For more information, follow Animal Warriors of the Kingdom on Facebook or visit SperoToys.com!

Super Joe returns at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club store

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Super Joe has returned and he’s at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club store!

Super Joe last adventure

In the history of G.I. Joe, no chapter may be more obscure than Super Joe.  The line followed the popular 12″ Adventure Team era which ran from 1970 – 1976 was a response to the rising price of oil and the increasingly popularity of science fiction and space opera, thanks to the premiere of Star Wars.  As a result, G.I. Joe was transformed into Super Joe, an 8 inch tall warrior armed with a light-up vest and alien opponents.  The series ran from 1977 – 1978 when it disappeared from store shelves with little fanfare.  This appeared to be the end of the line for the Super Joe concept– until the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club announced two new exclusive 12″ scale items in the Club Store.

Yes, it would seem that Super Joe has returned.  Sort of…

Here’s what’s available:

Super Joe Commander w/Terron:

superjoe500px

The Super Joe Commander is an homage to the classic 1977 figure— minus the signature light-up chest harness.  The figure retains the signature jumpsuit and the classic beard but instead has to make due with a hand-held flashlight.  Sure, it’s a far cry from the original accessory but let’s be honest– tooling up an entirely new harness for what is essentially a one-off figure isn’t exactly viable for the niche 1:6 G.I. Joe fan base.  However, Joe’s not alone as he comes with a miniature version of Terron, the dreaded light-sensitive monster that was a signature piece of the classic 1970’s line.  Terron is a lot smaller than fans may remember and, in all honesty, appears to be a repaint of the Safari Ltd Desert Dragon that is available at online retailers.

Darkon-Gor:

darkon500px

Okay, I’m going to give the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club props for this design.  The original Gor was a reptillian monster with a light ray in his chest and who was dubbed “King of the Terrons.”  Darkon was a green-skinned humanoid billed as “half human/half monster”.  In essence, he was a green release of the Super Joe Commander with no backstory offered to explain his bizarre moniker.  The Club, every thrifty, merged these two concepts with that of their 2013 1:6 convention set “Secret Mission to Dragon Island” to produce Darkon-Gor.  Essentially, the James Bond-inspired villian from that set, Sebastian Gorman, has been transformed into this bizarre half-man/half-monster concept– allowing the club to reuse the Joe Con head sculpt once more.  Darkon-Gor comes with a recreation of the original Darkon’s lightning bolt weapon.

club-darkon-gor
super-joe-commander
terron
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While I’m not a huge Super Joe fan myself, I find these sets fascinating.  As a kid I apparently had a Super Joe Commander– something I discovered decades later while cleaning out boxes at my parents house.  However I was only four years old when the line debuted and have no memory of this at all.  Still, while these aren’t the Club’s usual vintage-obsessed near-recreations, they do some fairly close to the mark in terms of capturing the feel and style of the original Super Joe line.  Plus, by moving Super Joe from 8″ to 12″ they help this errant part of G.I. Joe history find a more permanent place in the 1:6 scale mythos that the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has been building for the past several years.

Now if only some Super Joe concepts would make it into a future 1:18 Figure Subscription Service!

The pair of these figures will set collectors back a cool $154.00 plus shipping and are available for preorder at the G.I. Joe Club store.

And now you know…