I promised yesterday that I’d go back and take pictures of the remaining custom figures on display at JoeCon. Thankfully, there was enough of a break in the schedule today that I was able to fulfill that particular promise. Again, the custom work by these folks is not to be underestimated! Just some truly brilliant and exciting pieces shown here in Indianapolis.
G.I. Joe customizers– my hat goes off to you all!
The main events of JoeCon 2013 are winding down with today’s G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Round Table meeting. As usual, Lanny, Brian, David, and Pete broke down the design work that went into this year’s convention sets– including all of the various elements that made up the first-ever Kre-O exclusives. However, that’s not all that was discussed.
David Lane broke down the roster for the forthcoming Figure Subscription Service round 2. Sign-up should start sometime in April and run until early May– encompassing “two pay periods” but for less than 30 days. As far as the roster is concerned, David stated that the selections were based on the feedback received in the convention surveys; the more requested a figure, the better the likelihood it will receive consideration. When asked about Pythona and other Sunbow characters, the answer came back that they have appeared in the survey results but never in large enough numbers to warrant inclusion. (Somehow, Sure Fire gained enough of a following, however.)
The 2013 roster includes:
The next FSS could ship as soon as August 2013, leaving fans with only a one month gap between FSS 1 and 2.
Other tidbits from the panel include the goal of opening con registration six months before the event and having a more regular schedule for the event itself. Working with Kre-O figures proved to be a brand new challenge and may or may not happen again. Due to logistical issues with the height of the parachute drop, the paratrooper figure was changed to a Kreon to prove more practical at a lower height. Some of the Night Force convention figures also feature a glow-in-the-dark series of paint apps but not all.
Here are the slides from the presentation which include a few mock-ups of figures from FSS. These are merely digital creations at this time and are NOT physical prototypes.
This year at JoeCon many fans seemed disappointed that Hasbro didn’t have more to showcase in terms of new product. During the Hasbro panel, it was announced that there was nothing new to see due to the six month delay of the release of G.I. Joe Retaliation. So, attendees steeled themselves and found other news to be excited about.
I was sitting in the “What’s On Joe Mind” panel when my cell phone rang. It was Madmac41 telling me to get my keester down to the dealer’s room and bring my camera. So, I sauntered down, spotted him, and then dropped to my knees in awe. (Literally.) There, in the midst of the Hasbro case were new “concept case” figures and right smack dab in the middle of them was the greatest Marine to ever grace the team’s roster: GUNG-HO! (Suck it, Leatherneck.) Seriously– completely unannounced and unexpected.
There’s no guarantee that these figures will get made but are merely presented as means of gauging interest. So, this is one of the few times that I’ll ask anything of the fandom– if you have the opportunity, drop the name GUNG-HO at every opportunity. After all, he was one of the core characters in the Sunbow series as well as Larry Hama’s Marvel run.
With no further comments, here are the 2013 Concept Case figures:
Okay, it’s time for a game of “JoeCon Good News/Bad News”.
The good news is that Hasbro was on hand once again and has the ultra cool Toma– EAGLEHAWK helicopter on display. Not only do they have the prototype from Toy Fair but also John Warden was showcasing a production model of this amazing helicopter.
The bad news is that Derryl DePriest confirmed that we’ve pretty much seen all of the other non-exclusive Joe product for what may be the rest of the year. The items showcased at Toy Fair were on hand but that was it. Trust me, the product looks great in person and I’ll add more photos tomorrow but it’s a bit of a downer that we won’t see anything new for a bit.
The SDCC exclusives won’t be revealed at Joe Con but instead will be revealed at some point via USA Today.
Take a look at the images from wave 3 of Retaliation as well as the “Basic Figures” that once appeared at Dollar General earlier this year.
More pics to come as I get them uploaded.
JBL has landed at Joe Con and we’ve got some quick intel on the con exclusives. The Golden Ticket private sales are going on now so pics of the items should be hitting the web before too long.
Okay, since I don’t leave for JoeCon until tomorrow I’m a bit excited about the souvenir list going up tonight. Taking a pic from GeneralsJoes, KokomoToys, and JBL I’ve put together this comparison of the Concept Case Lady Jaye, the JoeCon carded version and the 25th Anniversary version:
It looks to be about 90% concept case version with the 25th upper torso and some crazy orange weapons.
Check back tomorrow for more Joe Con news!
G.I. Joe Retaliation is hitting theaters nationally as early as Tuesday night. With that in mind, JBL continues its reviews of the movie line with the Retaliation Cobra Trooper! While not entirely screen accurate, this figure from the first wave came complete with a removable helmet and a working parachute that hearkens back to the action figures of the 80’s. However, with wave 3 containing a screen accurate Cobra Trooper in the form of the Cobra Combat Ninja, is this figure worth picking up?
Check out the review in the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!
I won’t mince words– G.I. Joe Retaliation looks to be an improvement on its cinematic predecessor in just about every way imaginable. One of the most immediate examples of this would be found in the design of Cobra Commander. No longer does the leader of the armies of the serpent look like a bad example of cosplay at a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles convention. The Commander has been given a bold new look that long-time Joe fans will find surprisingly familiar. However, is this new figure worth picking up when there are 50 other version of him already on the market?
Check out Cobra Commander in the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!
The G.I. Joe Retaliation reviews continue as we’re now 9 days away from the film’s debut on March 28, 2013!
There’s no shortage of Snake Eyes action figures in the G.I. Joe figure line so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the team’s ninja commando has already had three figures released for the movie. However, only one of those figures is screen accurate– the Ninja Duel Snake Eyes from wave 2. Featuring an entirely new sculpt and increased articulation, this figure brings our favorite silent warrior’s updated look to your action figure shelf. Does this figure justify the purchase of yet “another” Snake Eyes or can you pass and save yourself some extra cash?
Check out the break down in the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!
G.I. Joe Retaliation reviews continue here at JBL!
He’s large and in charge and he just might be carrying the “people’s heavy machine gun!” That’s right– I’m talking about an action figure based on Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s portrayal of Roadblock in G.I. Joe Retaliation! In the second wave of figures Marvin S. Hinton is dubbed “Battle Kata Roadblock” based on his innovative modular weapon system. He’s also sporting a full Arashikage tattoo on his forearm. So, has Roadblock gone over to the “Ninja Side”? Is this figure worth the $9.99 sticker price?
Check out the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!