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!
No time for fancy intros– we’ve got news from the 2013 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention to discuss!
The con exclusives item list has been revealed as seen in this photo from GeneralsJoes.com:
Followed by the attendee bonus item– a Night Force Ferret! (Image courtesy of Madmac41)
Lastly, Todd Jordan of KokomoToys shared this image of Lady Jaye:
So, what do we have here?
Lots of emphasis on KRE-O this year– more than I originally expected and the FLAK takes me completely by surprise! I think many in the fandom expected the Night Boomer given the recent retooling of the Sky Striker.
I’ll be heading to Indy tomorrow so keep your eyes and ears on JBL for coverage of the 2013 Joe Con over the next few days. It’ll be good to get back to one for the first item in nearly 4 years!
According to the crew over at HISSTank.com, the 3rd shipment of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service is now shipping to fans! (That’s got to be the longest title ever.)
The GIJCC has asked that people not reveal what items are in the shipment until “everyone has theirs.” However, if you’re curious, just click the link below and check out the top of the page to see what figures are landing in the ring this month.
The last few years the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has been on a ROLL when it comes to renewal figures. From Dial-Tone to Footloose, it would seem that the Club can do no wrong when it comes to offering members an incentive to sign up for another year. That trend appears unbroken with the reveal this afternoon of a mock-up of this year’s incentive figure: Iceberg!
Here’s the official text from the GIJCC:
ICEBERG is the G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club FREE Membership Incentive Figure for 2013! This FREE figure will be sent to any 3 3/4-inch Officer level G.I. Joe Club member whose membership is active by March 16, 2013. Iceberg features a figure stand, classic file card and accessories, including: assault rifle, rocket launcher with shell, knife, sub-machine gun, snow board and backpack with attachment frame. Members can expect to receive this bagged figure with all his accessories in late spring/early summer of 2013!
If you join after the March 16th deadline, you will be eligible for the 2014 figure. Also, if you have missed any of the previous figures, check the official Club Store for availability. Please note that the 2010, 2011, and 2012 membership 3 3/4″ action figures are SOLD OUT!
Don’t miss out on these great exclusive figures! Renew your membership or sign up for the first time TODAY!
Call 1-817-448-9863 or CLICK HERE to join the Club!
Wow– I see all sorts of goodness there including 25th Snow Serpent parts as well as the snow board from the cancelled Pursuit of Cobra Arctic Duke action figure! Now, my only question is– does this figure turn into a whale or not?
Skyfall is here!
This isn’t entirely related to G.I. Joe but I just had to point out that the 50th anniversary installment in the James Bond franchise drops on DVD and Blu-Ray today. Why is this important to fans of America’s first action figure? Simple– the Bond franchise is the longest-running film series in history and has set the bar for so many elements of modern action cinema! From the use of practical effects and world record-breaking stunts to exotic locations and dynamic villains, the Bond films have entertained millions for the past 5 decades! Plus, the 007 series has had more than a “passing influence” on many aspects of G.I. Joe.
Years ago, a young Joe fan who happens to be writing this article was introduced to the world of 007 by his father, thanks to ABC’s frequent airing of the films on Sunday nights. As a kid, I was floored by the similarities between the early appearances of Cobra in both the Marvel Comics and the first Sunbow mini-series and the use of SPECTRE in the Sean Connery films. From the incredible lairs that evoked memories of the design of Ken Adams to the elaborate plots to disrupt the western world, Cobra was the kid-friendly version of a Bond villain. Heck, look at the Sears exclusive Missile Command Headquarters and you’ll see an homage to the volcano base in You Only Live Twice.
Even the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club is utilizing a Bond vibe in this year’s AMAZING 12″ Joe Con set Secret Mission to Dragon Island. One has only to look at the villain Sebastian Gorman in the set to see the uniform worn by Ernst Stavro Blofeld in two of his three cinematic performances. (I don’t count the beginning of For Your Eyes Only.) Plus, many of the sets applicable to the Man of Action are right out of James Bond films.
Regardless, the Bond films left a strong impression upon me and really have shaped my view of what makes for a good spy/action movie. It’ll be this bar that will be measured against when I watch G.I. Joe Retaliation in just a few weeks. Yes, the Bond movies have evolved over time– from the secret organizations of the 60’s, the near-parody of the 70’s, and all the way to the grim realism of the new Daniel Craig era. Like G.I. Joe, Bond is a product of his time reflecting the realities of the world in which he finds himself. He just happens to do it with style and flair. This past Christmas, my father surprised me with what has become my favorite gift in years – the Bond 50 Blu-Ray set. For days afterwards, I poured over the special features and the films like a relapsed dieter at the last Twinkie warehouse. The marketing department behind the set was clever, however. They left one empty tray in the box for the latest film in the franchise– a spot that will finally be filled tonight!
So, if you’re so inclined, run out today and snag a copy of Skyfall. Sit back in your favorite chair, pop in the disc and be prepared to watch 007 prove that “nobody does it better.” It’s a great way to relax and prepare for the arrival of G.I. Joe: Retaliation in just a few short weeks.
I’ll step off my soap box now and let you resume your regularly schedule G.I. Joe website. However, if you’re so inclined, here’s the trailer for Skyfall followed by the “mother of all Bond compilations” to watch. Enjoy!
50 Years of James Bond: The Movie
I’m a bit tardy on posting this but the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has unveiled the “man behind the mask” for their forthcoming Charbroil convention figure! Take a look and see if he looks familiar:
The GIJCC has shown us once again that a simple swap of color palate can produce an entirely new character. Eagle-eyed fans will recognize this as the Hydro-Viper from the stunning Defense of Cobra Island 7 pack released a few years ago that was recently reused as the Figure Subscription Service Dice figure!
I’ll admit it– the change in hair color works. (The Dice image is courtesy of GeneralsJoes.com.) It helps to differentiate Charbroil from Dice enough that they don’t appear to be twins at first glance. Sure, it’s a cost-saving method by the Club to reuse an existing figure tool for the head but it’s one that works for the most part. It’s nowhere near as bad as the case of limited genetics that was the original 1982 line-up!!
For more information on the 2013 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention, visit GIJoeCon.com!
No need for a lot of text… if you’re planning on attending the 2013 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention in Indianapolis, IN from March 4 – 7, 2013, you can register online now!
Go get ’em guys!
The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club sent the following email out to its membership. Apparently registration is a “maybe” for next week.
Hello all,
Well, we have had an unforseen issue that is being resolved. No registration this week. Maybe next week, I just don’t know.
I am just as frustrated with this as you are, so, I will no longer cry wolf. There are 3 programmers working on this intermittent
error and we do not have a timeframe. I’ll just tell you the earliest it could happen is Monday but, that is not a promise.Thanks for your patience,
Brian
Yeah… so, let’s just all look at pics of the Nocturnal Fire con set and hope for better news next week.
The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club sent out the following email last night to let members know that registration for the 2013 convention should go live TODAY!
Hello all,
Barring any unforseen issues we will start registration on Friday, February 1.
If you can’t log in, check your log in at gijoeclub.com/shop. If you have expired, you will not
be able to receive member pricing.If you are registering with another member, you will need their log in and password to receive
member pricing.If you complete your order with non-member pricing, we CANNOT adjust your pricing. Please
understand what you are ordering and confirm the pricing before you check out.Please take a look at the souvenir T-shirts, Hat and Beanie that you can add to your order at the end.
You will find pictures under the exclusives tab. The Night Force shirt and both hats glow in the dark.If you have not read the brochure, please do so before you register as you have 8 minutes to complete
your registration before the system puts your items back into stock. You cannot hold them in your
cart longer than that amount of time, however you can start over.Sets are limited and we cut the 12″ sets down by 1/3rd so they are really limited this year.
We do reserve the right to limit any member’s quantities if we deem them excessive.
Attending and Non-attending can both register Friday.
I’ll send out an email when the link is live.
Thanks for your patience, see you in Indy!
Brian
In a rare first, both attending and non-attending members can register at the same time! Normally non-attending registration must wait until attending applicants have gone first, typically dealing with a limited stock of convention sets remaining. Perhaps, after last year’s debacle with the near instantaneous sell-out of the Oktober Guard the Club has seen fit to increase production numbers to more reasonable levels, ensuring that more of their membership can enjoy the year’s convention set.
Also released were images of the 2013 convention t-shirts including an AWESOME GLOW-IN-THE-DARK Night Force t-shirt and hat!!!
For more registration info, keep your eyes and browsers peeled at GIJoeCon.com!