G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 8 Captain Grid-Iron takes the field

We have our first preview from the final G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS 8 – the DiC era field commander Captain Grid-Iron!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS 8 Captain Grid-Iron

G.I. JOE INFANTRY OFFICER
Code Name: CAPTAIN GRID-IRON

(Inspired by the 1990 action figure.)
Features NEW helmet & re-tooled officer’s pistol!
Includes: removable helmet, armored vest, holster with pistol,
officer’s suppressor pistol, football “grenade” 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 will vary!

“Got to get tough– Yo Joe!  Got to get rough– Yo Joe!!!”

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G.I. Joe FSS 5 Scoop & Ambush reviews!

No, you’re not seeing things: JBL has finally posted the FSS 5 Scoop & Ambush reviews!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Scoop & AmbushChris and Fred have been whittling down the tremendous backlog of FSS reviews that has build up here at JBL over the past few months.  Long since photographed and written, our two interpid reviews finally take a look at two DiC-era Joes: Scoop and Ambush.  (Or, as Fred likes to refer to them: “Giraffe Boy & the Tangerine Dream“…)

They’re two Joes from the second-era of G.I. Joe animation that have been both been long overdue from an update.  However, was it worth the wait?  Do our intrepid reviews find this DiC duo to be worthwhile purchases?  Does Deadpool rear his scarred head once more in another gratuitous cameo?

Check out the reviews of the FSS Ambush and Scoop in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS Review Index and check back as we tackle more FSS 5 & FSS 6 reviews next week!

G.I. Joe FSS 6 Rampart steps up!

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club drops another FSS 6 preview in the form of Rampart!

G.I. Joe FSS 6 Rampart

G.I. JOE SHORELINE DEFENDER
Code Name: RAMPART

(Inspired by the 1990 action figure!)
Includes: removable harness, goggles, assault rifle,
rocket launcher, XM307 weapon with tri-pod,
and figure stand.

Well, there it is then– a look at FSS 6 Rampart. Continue reading

G.I. Joe FSS 6 Sub-Zero preview

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…

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G.I. Joe FSS 5 Darklon & Salvo reviews!

Two more G.I. Joe FSS 5 figures get the review treatment this week: Darklon & Salvo!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Shipment 3 darklon salvo

What is this?  Could it be?  Have the admins publisihed two MORE G.I. Joe FSS 5 reviews this week?  You bet your sweet Evader it’s true!!!  Fred and Chris are back with a look at the two latest figures to arrive from the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service: Darklon & Salvo!

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more mis-matched parir of characters from the latter half of the A Real American Hero run than these two.  One is a distant cousin of Destro whose fashion sense could best be described as “thrift store chic as assembled in a darkened room.”  The other is a towering anti-armor trooper whose basic philosophy on firepower is emblazoned on his hand-lettered t-shirt.

So what do our intrepid reviewers think of the G.I. Joe FSS 5 dynamic duo of Darklon and Salvo?  Does Darklon improve upon the original 1989 design or is it another faithful club recreation?  Does this second build of Salvo better satisfy the expectations of fans? (After all, the first Salvo build went over like 2016 Joe Con JUMP pack souvenir sets.)  Heck, does Deadpool return after his glaring omission in the last two reviews?

Head on over to the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Review Index and check out what two long-time Joe fans think of both Darklon and Salvo!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 shipment 3 is inbound!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 subscribers should start checking their mailboxes – shipment 3 is incoming!

G.I. Joe FSS 4 shipment

It’s that time again– when a new G.I. Joe FSS shipment hits the porches and mailboxes of subscribers everywhere!  However, after an error with the warehouse, fans are getting one shipment early.  Shipment 3 has deployed… well ahead of shipment 2 and, thanks to Alyosha of BrokenArrowToys.com, we’ve got an early look at just who is in the box.

For those of you that wish to remain spoiler-free, click no further.  To paraphrase the old pirate maps: “Here there be G.I. Joe FSS spoilers…” Continue reading

Unhappy with G.I. Joe FSS 5 Salvo? Let the Club know!

Wow… there was quite the reaction to yesterday’s G.I. Joe FSS 5 reveal of Salvo!

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club unveiled their take on the G.I. Joe anti-aircraft specialist on Thursday as part of the G.I. Joe FSS 5 reveals.  Let’s just say that the response was “less than positive.”

G.i. Joe fss 5 salvo comparison

 

From JBL’s own Facebook page, to GeneralsJoes.com, to the G.I. Joe Discussion Group, the fandom united in this displeasure with this particular figure build.  Typically, criticism of the Club’s product is met with disdain by certain pockets in the community but even those factions seemed to agree: the Salvo build was not what it should have been.

G.I. Joe Salvo Marvel Comics #114

However, as constructive as all of that discussion has been there’s only one place on the internet where the Club is guaranteed to pay attention to the reactions of its members and that is over at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club forums.  If you want the Club to see your comments regarding Salvo then head on over to this discussion thread and make your feelings known:

The best kind of feedback to leave is constructive criticism.  Let the Club know what you do like about the build used for Salvo but also let them know what you would like to see improved.  If you’d prefer to see Specialist Hasle build on a Retaliation Roadblock body (as the NJCC version was) then say so.  Or, if you think a more likely build is the one used for the recent Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force Big Brawler, say so!  The point is that if you want to see this figure changed, now is the time to speak up!

Be advised: the forum is only available to active members of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club.

Who knows?  Maybe the feedback of its membership can prompt the Club to course correct this time.  After all, it worked once before when people complained about the colors used for FSS 4 Hit & Run and Spearhead.  After all, isn’t the goal of the FSS to produce figures that the subscribers are going to be excited to purchase?

Hopefully, if enough positive criticism comes in, the Club will acknowledge the concerns of the fandom.  He at least deserves as much care and attention as went into producing figures like Tiger Force Big Brawler and FSS 1 Surefire.

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Salvo is a blast from the past

The G.I. Joe FSS 5 previews continue with a look at the anti-armor specialist Salvo!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Salvo

G.I. JOE ANTI-ARMOR TROOPER: SALVO
(Based on the classic 1990 action figure!)

Includes: removable helmet, rocket launcher with projectile, weapons case, pistol, and figure stand.

NOTE: All images are Photoshop representations, final product, accessories and/or colors may vary!

Hmm… not at all what I was expecting.  Not at all.   When Salvo was first announced I figured that the Club would favor the G.I. Joe Retaliation Roadblock body given the character’s apparent size as well the nature of the gear he toted.  The original 1990 figure was equipped with a MASSIVE missile launcher as was the later DTC Salvo figure.  Instead I’m seeing the legs that were used for the Resolute Duke action figure and, well, an upper torso that seems to lack the muscle mass of ALL of the previous releases.

And then there’s the helmet, which is a reuse of the head protection that was included with the Pursuit of Cobra Sci-Fi.

Again, not at all what I expected and, even though I’ll take a lot of flak for this, not at all in keeping with the character’s previous releases.  Of all of the G.I. Joe FSS 5 reveals thus far I find this one to be the most disappointing in terms of build.  (There are folks out there who will say that I’m nitpicking and that I should just be happy that we’re getting something but I prefer quality over quantity.)

After yesterday’s reveal of Gaucho and now Salvo, I’m not nearly as excited about this roster as I once was.

To subscribe to the FSS, head on over to GIJoeClub.com and JBL for more G.I. Joe FSS 5 reveals and news! Continue reading

Meet G.I. Joe FSS 5 Ambush!

Another G.I. Joe FSS 5 preview from the Collector’s Club – Concealment Specialist Ambush!

G.I. Joe FSS 5 Ambush

G.I. JOE CONCEALMENT SPECIALIST: AMBUSH
(Based on the classic 1990 action figure!)

Includes: removable helmet, camouflage cape, grenade bandolier, assault rifle,
sub machine gun, camouflage net, and figure stand.

NOTE: All images are Photoshop representations, final product, accessories and/or colors may vary!

Is it me or is that the General Mayhem head from the Peril in Paradise Tiger Force Convention set?  It totally looks like it is and, since there’s no mention of a new head sculpt in the Club’s description that would appear to be the case.  So, Ambush will have a twin over in MARS.

Otherwise, Ambush looks decent– very evocative of his 1990 action figure debut. I’m seeing what appears to be the net from Shadow Tracker which is an “okay” substitute for the original Ambush’s build-a-blind feature.  Overall, he looks “good but not great” without any real new tooling to give him a more unique look.

The G.I. Joe FSS 5 Roster:

  • Concealment Specialist – Ambush
  • Flamethrower – Charbroil (Classic deco)
  • Iron Grenadier Courier – Darklon (more modernized version than previous convention version)
  • G.I. Joe Strategic Commander – General Flagg (similar to Battle Corps version)
  • Cobra Battle Corps Cobra Viper – based on Iron Anvils from 2015 Convention version
  • Anti-Armor Trooper – Salvo (more Pursuit of Cobra styled, based on existing tooling)
  • Combat Journalist – Scoop (using the Sky Patrol Airborne head sculpt from this year’s con set)
  • Cobra Falconer – Raptor
  • Advanced Recon – Sneak Peek (based on FSS 4 Tiger Force version)
  • SKAR Infantry Officer – Steel Raven (based on Club magazine comics – FEMALE character)
  • Cobra Shattered Glass Xamot (from the Club Comic Adventure Team storyline with new head sculpt)
  • Z-Force Mechanic Gaucho (pairs with Jammer)

Keep your eyes peeled to GIJoeClub.com and JBL for more G.I. Joe FSS 5 reveals!

G.I. Joe FSS 4 final shipment is incoming!

The final shipment of G.I. Joe FSS 4 is inbound!  That’s right Joe fans, Tiger Force Outback and Sneak Peek are on their way to subscribers as I type this.  However, this shipment is also noteworthy for containing the “Mysterious 13th Figure” whose identity remained cloaked under a veil of G.I. Joe Collector’s Club secrecy– until now.  Thanks to Alyosha of BrokenArrowToys.com, we have images of this final shipment!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service logo

First, let’s take a look at the two figures we knew were coming– Tiger Force Outback and Tiger Force Sneak Peek.

Tiger Force Outback:

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Tiger Force Outback

I look at Tiger Force Outback and I hear the immortal words of Winston Zedmore from the original Ghostbusters film:

“Man, I have seen $#!% that will turn you WHITE!”

If you’ve been reading the comics in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club monthly magazines then you’ve likely read the Club’s rationale for why Outback is suddenly a candidate for the position of Grecian Formula spokesman.  According to those comics, after the events of the Compound Z incident, Stuart Selkirk found his hair irrevocably changed due to the exposure to the Z+ formula.  As cheesy as that might sound, it’s honestly the best explanation for why he went from being a ginger in 1987 to a Santa Claus stand-in in 1990.  In addition, he’s sporting a styling new head which looks a bit less like Chuck Norris than the 2009 25th Anniversary version did.  Plus he now has hinged wrists!

Tiger Force Sneak Peek:

G.I. Joe FSS 4 Tiger Force Sneak Peek

I feel like I start off every single Tiger Force review or article with the phrase “I’m not a big fan of Tiger Force.”  However, I have to say that it’s good to see both Sneak Peek FINALLY see representation in the generation 3 construction style and the color orange being used for Tiger Force.  (Chris and I discuss this in the “Peril in Paradise” reviews that I’ve yet to post.  I know… the admin sucks…)  Much like Outback, Sneak Peek underwent a bit of a color change from his debut in 1987 to his 1991 European Tiger Force release.  The Club version is pretty faithful to the European color scheme– and it’s surprisingly solid.  (Did I just start to warm up to Tiger Force?  Say it ain’t so!)  I do like the fact that we got a newly tooled periscope and can only hope that we also see both a standard and a Night Force version of Sneak Peek in the near future!  After all, my Joe Con 2013 Nocturnal Fire set isn’t going to complete itself!

And now, the moment that folks have been waiting for– the reveal of the 13th figure.  If you don’t want to know… turn back now!

Seriously… Continue reading