Joe Con 2015 features a Tiger Force theme?

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G.I. Joe Collector's Convention

 

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club loves build up excitement to the official reveal of the each years Joe Con theme.  This year’s tease was slated to appear in the “G.I. Joe vs. Cobra #7” comic that shipped to retailers in December.  (The issue itself is a mass-market release of the 2014 “Zombie Initiative” comic.)

Thanks to John Stottman from Facebook’s closed G.I. Joe Discussion group, some fans got an early look at that teaser image over the weekend.  The ad features the Baroness with an automatic pistol standing in front of a semi-distinctive background– that just happens to contain what appear to be tiger stripes.

That’s right– it’s looking like the theme for Joe Con 2015 will feature the Tiger Force sub-team!

This isn’t without precedent from the Club– Tiger Force was featured back in 2004 as part of the Dreadnok Rampage convention set and the FSS has featured Tiger Force versions of Shipwreck and Airtight.  There’s also the fact that Club recently produced an exclusive HAVOC Mk 2 based on a recolored Snowcat which was part of the theme back in 1988 as the Tiger Cat. Could this vehicle be making a con reappearance?

I’ll be honest– I’m pretty ambivalent on the theme.  I’ve never been a Tiger Force fan so this one just doesn’t resonate the same way that Night Force did a few years ago in the Nocturnal Fire theme.  However, there is one call out from the ad that has gone unnoticed in much of the discussion regarding the ad: both Hasbro and IDW are listed as attending.  Hasbro was noticeably absent at the 2014 50th anniversary convention and IDW hasn’t been in attendance since Kansas City 2009 to the best of my recollection.  Either way, keep your eyes turned to GIJoeCon.com for more information as the Club reveals it.

Take a look at the ad below and feel free to weigh in with your own thoughts.  Love it? Hate it?  Were you hoping for Sky Patrol?

(Click the image to see it full size)

2015 Joe Con Tiger Force teaser

The Cobra CLAW has arrived! For REAL!

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1984 Cobra CLAW

Remember the Cobra CLAW?  You know, the then-futuristic powered glider that debuted back in 1984?

Apparently the future is NOW because Swiss aviation enthusiast Yves Rossy has released a spectacular video of his jet-powered glider taking to the skies of Dubai.  Sure, it lacks a dorsally-mounted laser cannon or wing tip missiles but otherwise this is for all intent and  purpose a real life CLAW!

First Howe & Howe Tech create the Ripsaw, a real-life HISS tank that was featured in G.I. Joe Retaliation, and now this?  Someone keep an eye on Microsoft for something resembling a Weather Dominator!  Or maybe Apple IS working on their own Pyramid of Darkness!

Check out the video below and check out more coverage at Jetman.com!

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS and Con Registration News

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G.I. Joe FSS 3.0 logo

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club sent out an email this morning to members regarding the status of FSS 3.0 orders as well as a tentative ETA on when to expect registration to open up for the 2015 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!

For all you comic collectors, the Diamond edition of the 2014 G.I. Joe vs Cobra Issue #7: “Zombie Initiative” is now in the store.

Our end of year and archive sale continues with quantities dwindling down to just a handful on many of the items.  In order for your items to arrive by Christmas, please place your orders by Friday.

The FSS 3.0 is on the water headed this way.  Because of the dock workers on the west coast issues and the seasonal delays, we don’t think we will get them until the first week in January.  Because of the delay, our current plan is to ship the first figures during the week of January 5 and follow up with the second shipment at the end of January to get us sort of back on track.  This puts the second billing for the installment plan buyers around the end of January/first of February and the final billing around the middle of March.  As soon as they arrive, we will set the official billing dates.  I’m also sending this info from the FSS email system so you may get 2 updates.

And finally, we anticipate the registration being available for GIJoeCon after the first of the year.  Please note that the hotel is about 70% full and is attached to the convention center.  You can make your reservation now by following the link at GIJoeCon.com.

Merry Christmas!
Brian

It looks like Spring 2015 is going to be a financially heavy time for some Joe fans with 2 FSS payments hitting before the 2015 Collector’s Convention. Again, no hard ETA on con registration other than “after the 1st” but hopefully registration will go more smoothly than it has in previous years.

Still, for fans who were watching their mailboxes expecting an early FSS Christmas present it just means the wait is going to be a little longer.

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Steel Brigade Deltas Have Landed on Ebay

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steel brigade delta

The Steel Brigade Delta has apparently invaded Ebay!  (Or at least one particular seller’s listings.)

Over the past few days, Ebay seller fzwlcmfyr has listed over 50 auctions for the Steel Brigade Delta v1.  Originally included with the 2011 30th Anniversary VAMP Mk II, the Steel Brigade Delta proved to be a surprise hit with fans– to the point where the Collector’s Club released their own version as part of the 2014 Zombie Initiative convention set.  However, for troop builders the figure has proven to be a bit more challenging to acquire.

Until now.

The auctions on Ebay appear to be for complete figures– and include the figure’s helmet, rifle, and two combat knives as well as a figure stand. (Also included is the VAMP Mk II’s ammo belt and firing projectile.)  Most of these figures are currently listing under $11.00 which is a significant price drop from the prices they’ve been closing for in recent months.

So, if you wanted to stock up on this troop builder and still now blow your Holiday budget, now is your chance!

Check out the auctions while they’re still active and good luck!

G.I. Joe 50th Anniversary Arctic Threat Review

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g.i. joe 50th anniversary arctic threat

The G.I. Joe 50th Anniversary Arctic Threat review is long overdue!

Of all of the two-packs released thus far, this one features a pairing of characters that makes the most sense.  Snow Job is the G.I. Joe team’s premiere cold weather specialist and the Cobra Battle Android Troopers are immune to the frozen temperatures of the Arctic regions.  One is a highly trained specialized and championship marksman while the other is a relentless killing machine.  In almost any context, this is a recipe for excitement!

Is this two pack worth a purchase?  Or, is it along the lines of the “Heated Battle” which is still lingering on the pegs in stores?

Check out Snow Job and the Arctic BAT as part of the Arctic Threat review!  It’s posted in the 50th Anniversary Review Index!

Also, you can now get your 50th Anniversary fix at the Zone Comic Shop!  Check out their website for your current G.I. Joe needs!

Bond 24 is revealed as SPECTRE!

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James Bond 24 Spectre

Disclaimer: This has absolutely nothing to do directly with G.I. Joe.

Today in London, Eon Productions made the official announcement for the 24th installment in the James Bond franchise.  At a star-studded media event, audiences were introduced not only to the cast and the new car but also to the title for this landmark film.

SPECTRE

Just one word and it sends chills up and down the spine of long-time Bond fans everywhere.  Not seen in any real capacity since 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, this shadowy organization bent on global domination is poised to make its debut in the 21st century!

For those of you who are unaware of SPECTRE, it’s the Special Executive for Crime, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion.  It’s the mother of all secret terror organizations– and quite possibly the basis for other fictional organizations like HYDRA or even Cobra.  Led by the shadowy #1 (who was later revealed to be Ernst Stavro Blofeld), SPECTRE was revealed to be the organization behind most of the the Connery Bond’s cinematic foes.  From Dr. No, to Rosa Klebb, to Emilio Largo, SPECTRE provided the resources and the manpower for all manner of plots destined to throw the world into chaos.  It’s the stuff of classic spy thrillers and nobody did global secret organizations better than Bond.

Seriously, as a long time Bond fan, this news is incredible!  It shows that the series is maintain ties to its past while putting a fresh new spin on a cinematic franchise that has endured for over a half century.   November 6, 2015 cannot come soon enough!

You can watch an official video of the cast announcement below.

G.I.jOE Woos Jem in Honda Commercial

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g.i. joe jem honda

Even at 50, G.I.jOE still has a way with the ladies!

Honda’s current retro “Happy Honda Days” ad campaign has featured a number of classic toys having all manner of adventures in and around the latest Honda vehicles.  However, none of these spots have caught my eye as much as the ones featuring good old Adventure Team Commander G.I.jOE!  In this latest spot, Joe gets his “woo on” and serenades Jem in an effort to melt her icy heart.

Guess what– it works!

Also, Honda is apparently willing to donate $50,000 to the Orange County Children’s Hospital if the video is the “most viewed” from its Holiday Tunes playlist.  If you enjoyed it, consider giving it a share!

It’s good to see that someone is acknowledging the older figures in the G.I. Joe 50th Anniversary year.

Happy Thanksgiving from JBL!

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Thanksgiving Christmas G.I. Joe

 

Happy Thanksgiving from JBL!

Sure, it’s not “Joe news” but this time of year it’s nice to take time out of a crazy schedule to appreciate the things that you have.  In the United States, today is the day that millions of Americans sit down with family and friends over a sumptuous meal and try to remember all of the things that they have to be grateful for.  As such, JBL would like to extend some “thanks of our own” on this blustery morning here in Central Illinois.

I’d like to thank each and every person reading this message right now.  It sounds corny but it’s true.  JBL isn’t a for-profit site– content here isn’t created to try and generate revenue.  Instead, new reviews, articles, and the occasional bit of news are all posted to help serve as a resource for the G.I. Joe fans around the world.  As such, I’d like to thank you for stopping by for you’re the reason this site exists!

I’d also toss a shout out to all of the various G.I. Joe creators I’ve met and interacted with over the years.  Without each of your unique talents and vision, the brand that we know today wouldn’t exist.  I know I’m going to miss a plenty of names but to folks like Larry Hama, Kirk Bozigian, Chuck Dixon, Buzz Dixon, Ron Wagner, Herb Trimpe, Brandon Jerwa, Josh Blaylock, Mike O’Sullivan, Ron Rudat, the late Don Levine, the crew from Boss Fight Studio, and others– thank you for your vision, creativity, and perseverance. Sure, Joe seems to have fallen on some hard time lately but the vibrant fandom is keeping the memory of “Man of Action” and “Real American Hero” alive today.

Also, to all of the friends that I’ve made through this hobby, just a quick note of thanks.  I won’t list all of you but I just wanted to say thanks for the support and the acknowledgement that “JBL is still there!”

Lastly, to the men and women of our Armed Forces, I’d like to say thank you.  Past and present, you are truly the REAL American Heroes!

May you all enjoy a blessed day!

Plus, check back next week as we round out the 50th Anniversary Reviews!

JBL Thanksgiving

JoeBattlelines Turns 11 Years Old!

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JoeBattlelines birthday

 

Today is JoeBattlelines.com’s 11th anniversary of going online!

It was 11 years ago today that the domain “JoeBattlelines” was registered with Network Solutions and that Sgt.Savage.com officially changed hands.  Who knew that a simple offer of help with a website would result in over a decade of being a website admin?  In internet terms, eleven years makes both me and this site practically a fossil!

It was back in 2003 that I reached out to Brian “Savage” Peterson, owner of SgtSavage.com to ask if he could use any help with the website.  The reply I got back wasn’t at all what I expected– he apparently was familiar with my work at the now-defunct RingofCollectors.com and told me that I had 24 hours to come up with a domain name because he was turning the keys of the site over to me.  What followed was a hasty brainstorming session with my friend Thad and the result was “JoeBattlelines.com”.  To this day I don’t remember who came up with the name or why– I just remember that this was the best option we had.  (Back in the day you couldn’t use “G.I. Joe” or any Hasbro copyrighted term in your site name w/o express permission.)

It was a real learning curve experience for me.  I’d only helped create content for websites before but any experience that I had in managing the “behind the scenes” technical aspects of a site was entirely self-taught.  Heck, JBL’s oldest archived design was created by Brian Savage Peterson!

I won’t lie to you– the site isn’t nearly as prominent as it once was.  Part of this is due to the shifting patterns of the fandom, first toward newer website and then to Facebook groups.  There was also a period of burnout that hit this particular site admin starting around November of 2008 which lasted for a few years.  In that time, the site languished as only a ship without a rudder can.  It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I decided to blow the cobwebs off and re-stoke the boilers to build up some steam around here.

If you’re reading this, thanks for sticking with the site.  Thanks for following the topics in the forums, the event coverage, and the rambling reviews of a guy who discovered G.I. Joe back in 1982 and who never lost that love of those Real American Heroes.  Thanks for putting up with an update schedule that can only be described as “inconsistent” at best.  JBL has never been the biggest site, nor has it been the most talked about, or the most promoted, but it’s been here for far longer than I’d ever envisioned and it’ll be around as long as I’m able to keep the lights on.

Veterans Day – Thank You For Your Service

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Veterans Day Thank you for your service

 

Today is Veterans Day.  Scheduled to coincide with Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War 1, it is a day set aside to honor ALL members of the Armed Forces, both active and retired, for their sacrifice and their duty in the service of their country.

By the very nature of its subject matter, the G.I. Joe fandom attracts members of the Armed Forces.  To all of you, I can only say “thank you”– for the hours/days/weeks spent away from family, for the risks that you endured, and for the sacrifices that you made in order to safe guard the freedoms that permit me to sit here right now and type a message such as this.  Without your efforts and your examples, I might not live in a great nation such as ours.

To anyone else reading this that, for whatever reason, did not chose the path of service, please take a moment today and reflect upon the efforts of our Armed Services veterans.  Think of what they have given so that we can life in a Land of Liberty and where our freedoms are guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.  Take a moment today if you encounter someone who is either a past or current member of the Armed Forces and thank them for their service.  It isn’t about the mission– today is about the brave men and women who put themselves between the civilian population and harm’s way and do everything in their power to ensure that the tide doesn’t turn against.

Veterans Day is more than just a “day off of school” or “some really good sales.”  It is a day set aside, on the armistice of what was dubbed “The Great War”, to honor our nation’s TRUE Real American Heroes.

My words are inadequate to express my feelings of gratitude to you all.  Thank you.