New G.I. Joe carded artwork poster available from 3DJoes.com!

3DJoes.com 1982 - 1985 card art poster project.

3DJoes.com 1982 – 1985 card art poster project.

Here at JBL, we’re suckers for good G.I. Joe artwork and the website 3DJoes.com.  So, imagine the utter glee that was experienced by one admin in particular when the following announcement went up on 3DJoes regarding their recent carded artwork poster project!

Carded 3DJoes” posters are here!

The first “Carded 3DJoes” poster is here! It features every single carded figure from 1982-1985. That’s 49 unforgettable Joes and Cobras on one 24″x36″ poster!Paper details: All 3DJoes posters are printed on 65 lb. sterling premium gloss paper stock. According to my printer, 65 pound paper is the thickest you can use and still roll them without creasing or damaging. It wont easily crease, pinch, or wrinkle. These posters are definitely frame worthy, but the paper is thick enough that if you just want to tack them up, that will work too.

Printing details: We use a four color printing process (CMYK), not digital. Four color prints are much higher quality than digital laser prints. To see behind the scenes at the printer, check out my “3DJoes of the 80s” album on Facebook.

Cost: All 3DJoes posters are an even $20 a piece, plus an estimated $9 for shipping. Comic/Collectibles dealers: please contact me for bulk purchase discounts. Orders of 20 or more are half off!

Why: Proceeds will help pay the $80/month that I’m paying to Arqball for their pro subscription. More info on that here: Pricing » Arqball Spin Blog  Fan response has been great and visitors enjoyed 47,000 spins last month, so hopefully I’ll sell plenty of posters!

Wow!  1982 – 1985 were considered by many to be the peak years of the original A Real American Hero toy line.  These were the years that introduced fans to most of the line’s core characters from Snake Eyes to Cobra Commander to Firefly to Shipwreck to the Dreadnoks!  49 nine of your favorite characters stunningly reproduced on heavy card stock in a gorgeous 24 x 36 image?  This promotion already had me at “poster” but the fact that this is also helping to offset site maintenance costs for 3DJoes.com just makes it a complete no-brainer!Seriously– we’re moving into third quarter now and that means holiday shopping has begun.  (Or, at least, you might want to think about getting started.)  What better gift for the Joe fan in your life than one of these posters hanging proudly on the wall of their office/den/Joe room!

Check out the “Carded Joes 82 – 85” page over at 3DJoes.com for ordering information!

Meet Larry Hama and Neil Ross at Retro Con 2013 this weekend!

Looking for something to do this weekend in the Philadelphia area?  Check out Retro Con 2013 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA!

Chock full of 80’s goodness, Retro Con has grown even larger in its second year!  Featuring a plethora of exciting guests, over 150 dealer tables, classic “star cars” (weather permitting), and even a special screening of Back to the Future on the big screen it’s bound to make fans of G.I. Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, classic video games, etc feel like a kid again.

Organized by uber-fans Tony and Rosemary (Ward) Tuski and featuring a door ticket price of only $14.00, it’s an affordable and fun way to indulge your inner nostalgia child!

Just check out this guest list:

  • Larry Hama – writer,artist for G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel, IDW, Devil’s Due) and writer for Hasbro’s file cards
  • Bob Budiansky – writer for Transformers (Marvel Comics) as well as author of Hasbro’s Tech Spec cards
  • Neil Ross – voice actor for G.I. Joe, Transformers, Voltron, InHumanoids and more! (Shipwreck, Dusty, Slag, Springer, Keith, Pidge, etc)
  • James Rolfe – the “Angry Video Game Nerd”, internet game reviewer
  • Don Fullilove – mayor “Goldie Wilson” from the Back to the Future trilogy
  • Mark Bellomo – author The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe: 1982 – 1994, Transformers: Identification & Price Guide, and Totally Tubular 80’s Toys!
  • Doug Walker – the Nostalgia Critic from www.thatguywiththeglasses.com
  • Mr. Lobo – host of the nationally syndicated Cinema Insomnia!
  • The Cobra 1st Legion – the ever-growing G.I. Joe costume organization! www.Cobra1stLegion.com
  • The Mandalorian Mercs!
  • And many more!

In addition there will be door prizes, a costume contest, and a chance to have your picture taken with such “star cars” as K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand), Black Beauty, a Jurassic Park jeep, a full-size TARDIS, the Delorean from Back to the Future, and more!

Seriously, this is the kind of event that makes me wish I wasn’t living in Central Illinois.  It promises to be a fun-filled day for all.  Plus, while you’re there, stop by and say hello to the cast of The Breaux Show, a weekly internet radio show covering genre news, movie reviews, and Deer Park Water.  (Yes, you read that correctly.)

For more information, check out www.RetroCons.com!

 Retro Con 2013

Cobra 1st Legion is on the move at local events!

The Cobra 1st Legion is on the move once again!  These dedicated cosplayers have wowed the fandom in the past not only with their amazing costumes but also with the high-quality photo shoots they’ve produced at locations such as Alcatraz Island!  However, this 200 member strong group isn’t just content to show off their uniforms– they’re also focused on increasing positive awareness of the G.I. Joe brand and focused on giving back to their communities!

The Legion has several events coming up in the near future– both entertainment and community driven!  You’ll be able to spot their members at the following:

For more information on the Legion, visit their Facebook page Cobra 1st Legion  or Cobra1stLegion.com and find out more about this dynamic group of individuals spreading the word about our favorite Real American Heroes!

Cobra 1st Legion

Coil Con IV is Saturday August 24! Midwest G.I. Joe gathering!

Coil Con 2013 logo

Last weekend the East Coast was treated to the New Jersey Collector’s Convention but this week it’s the Midwest’s turn!  Coil Con IV is coming to Kokomo Indiana on Saturday, August 24!

An annual tradition that has grown in attendance over the past four years, Coil Con promises a day filled with G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe, and more G.I. Joe.  The JoeDeclassified travelling exhibit will be in attendance, featuring concept art, prototypes, and all manner of insight into the world of design for our favorite Real American Heroes.  AVAC’s Lab will be on hand with custom cast parts.  Kokomo Toys is slated to have G.I. Joe Retaliation wave 3 in stock.  Numerous other dealers including ROMA Collectibles will be onsite to help fill in any holes in fans’ current collections.  Plus, they’ll be FREE hot dogs!   Starting at 9:00am EST on the grounds of Kokomo Toys, it promises to be an exciting day under the Coil Tent!

This year’s guest list includes a roster of personalities from across the Joe fandom including:

No Joe Convention would be complete without some sort of exclusive item to take home and Coil Con IV is no exception.  This year, fans can purchase the following limited-availability items:

  • Cobra Naja Bhoot with motorcycle vs. Jesse Mach with Street Hawk – $125.00 (Featuring head sculpt by Coby Brown!)
  • Naja Bhoot 28mm gaming miniature produced by Bryan K. Borgman creator of Kaiju-Kaos
  • Naja Bhoot exclusive print from attending artist Sean Forney

For more information on attending this exciting regional gathering, check out the official website: CoilCon.com!  Check back on Monday for some pictures of the event itself.

3DJoes.com wants your input on carded artwork poster!

3DJoes logo

At JBL, we’re big fans of the innovative website 3DJoes.com!  No other site on the web allows visitors to watch a seamless rotating image of classic ARAH-era figures.  Sure, it’s one thing to look at different static images showing front/back/side/etc but it’s another to see the entire figure in such a fluid manner.  Well, the folks at 3DJoes.com are developing another poster concept to help offset the costs of running the site and they need your help in deciding on the final form the project will take.

Here’s the official word from 3DJoes.com:

“The G.I. Joe Yearbook: A Visual Index of Carded Figures” page has been really popular, and several folks have recommended I make a poster of it. So, I started working on the first one tonight, featuring the 1982-1985 single carded figures. I figured this would be a good first group since they all featured the 2D G.I. Joe logo.

As I started designing the poster I realized they could all fit on one poster (without including the Tomax & Xamot two pack), or they could be split up over two posters (and the twins could be included). I’m torn over which I prefer. My gut is print them all on one poster, but I want to see what the rest of the community thinks before making a decision.

Please go vote either on HissTank.com or OG13 and let me know which option you’d rather buy!

http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-joe-toys-vintage-discussion/373372-carded-3djoes-poster-s-i-need-your-input.html

https://www.og13.com/forums/showthread.php?8433-Carded-3DJoes-poster%28s%29-I-need-your-input!

Check out the two mirrored image options below and then head on over and make your voice heard as to which piece of wall art you’d rather display in your Joe room!

Option 1:

3djoes-option-1-jpg

Option 2:

3djoes-option-2a-jpg 3djoes-option-2b-jpg

NJCC giveaway Mirage revealed! Limited availability on August 18, 2013!

The New Jersey Collector’s (NJCC) returns to Cherry Hill this Sunday and they’ve got a full slate of giveaways/door prizes including another awesome fan-produced figure: Mega-Marine Mirage!

015-mirage-njcc-2013-exclusive_1376515440-jpg

The figure you’re looking at is completely fan-produced– courtesy of the talents of guys like Kevin Watts, raginspoon,CobraStickers.com, and the casting master, nova. An update to the original 1993 Mega-Marine figure, Mirage takes a 20 year old figure design and brings it firmly forward into the 21st century with style!

Here’s the word from the convention organizers, quoted from HissTank.com:

We are now just a few days away from the August 18th Summer NJCC, here is full gallery 40+ images of NJCC Mirage!

Mirage was introduced in 1993 as part of the Mega Marines subline of G.I. Joe A Real American Hero! Make sure to check back to see the full figure with card art and sticker sheet.

New Jersey Collectors Con Summer Show Date August 18th 2013!

Holiday Inn Cherry Hill – New Jersey
2175 West Marlton Pike (Rt. 70), Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Sunday, August 18th, 2013

The door prize announcements will start at 9AM and conclude at 3:30PM with our last door prize announcement.

9AM TRANSFORMERS CONSTRUCT-A-BOTS BUNDLE
10AM MARVEL LEGENDS SDCC 2013 THUNDERBOLTS SET
10AM SDCC GOLD PIMP DADDY DESTRO
11AM G.I. JOE vs TRANSFORMERS SDCC 2013 BOX SET
12AM MY LITTLE PONY SDCC EXCLUSIVE DJ PON-3
1PM BLACK SERIES BOBA FETT & HAN SOLO IN CARBONITE SDCC 2013 BOX SET
2PM MARVEL UNIVERSE DEADPOOL CORPS SDCC 2013 SET
3PM FORTRESS MAXIMUS ENCORE 23
3PM SDCC GOLD PIMP DADDY DESTRO
3:30PM TRANFORMERS SDCC 2013 METROPLEX BOX SET
3:30PM PX-01 GENESIS

I’ll be honest here– this figure is a knock-out in my opinion.  It’s a modern update of a classic design that is still immediately recognizable as Mirage!  The overall parts combo works to produce a figure that shows that fan-produced customs can meet if not exceed the quality of Hasbro-produced pieces at times.  My only regret with this figure is that I have no way to attend the con this weekend and therefore won’t be able to snag one.  For those of you who are lucky enough to do so, appreciate him for the 1:18 piece of plastic awesome that he is!

This is just proof that when the “A-Team” of nova, raginspoon, cobrastickers, and Kevin Watts come together on a project good things will happen.

Check out some pics of this amazing figure below:

New Jersey Collectors Con figure revealed as G.I. Joe’s Salvo!

Fans of custom figures in the G.I. Joe community are probably familiar with the name “Kevin Watts.”  Know for his imaginative parts use and mind-blowing painting skills, Kevin is the mastermind behind the Canv-HISS project showcased at the 2013 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention.  He’s also the project lead behind last year’s amazing Metal-Head fan figure that was given away at the New Jersey Collector’s Convention.  Well, it would seem that Kevin and his talented crew of customizers are back in action once again– and have revealed this year’s NJCC exclusive giveaway figure.

Salvo!

New Jersey Comic Con Salvo

Right now, I really really HATE Kevin.  I had the same reaction after last year’s Metal-Head figure.  It’s not because it’s a bad figure or anything like that.  It’s due to the simple fact that there is no way I’ll be able to obtain one of these.  The figures are door-prizes– given away to attendees of the NJCC and are not officially sold in any other capacity.  Also, they’re custom figures produced by hand– meaning that the production run is INSANELY low.  I was fortunate to see a “prototype” of this figure at Joe Con this year and I can say that is doesn’t disappoint.

If you’re in the area, here’s information on the NJCC:

New Jersey Collector’s Con

Holiday Inn Cherry Hill – New Jersey
2175 West Marlton Pike (Rt. 70), Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Sunday, April 28th, 2013

NJCC Facebook page.

More information on this figure and the event can be found over at  HissTank.com.

Artist Ian Fell produces AMAZING G.I. Joe poster

I’m a sucker for good G.I. Joe artwork.  As such, you can imagine my reaction when I saw the following poster on Larry Hama’s Facebook page a few days ago.

G.I. Joe poster by Ian Fell

This image is literally a “who’s who” of the Joes that I grew up with.  From Gung-Ho to Clutch to Keel Haul, it’s a complete roster of my favorite era of Joes.  (1982 – 1987)  This was the era of Sunbow and the time frame in which my attention was FIRMLY focused on the world of A Real American Heroes.  It’s also the most “military” era of the 1:18 franchise IMHO.

Here’s what the artist has to say about this project– which was originally intended as gift to a few individuals at the 2013 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention:

I wanted to create something as a Thank You for all the work that has gone into G.I. Joe, an inspiration for me since I was a kid. This composition was inspired by Michael Golden’s G.I. Joe Yearbook #1 cover, Joes included are from 1982-1987. I handed a few of these out at the convention, and I hope the recipients enjoyed them. Thanks to everyone who keeps the Joes going!

My wife calls this piece “Where’s Wal-Joe?” Can you spot the Joes that are missing? (I’m hoping to add them in an updated revision. I ran out of time!) Click the image to see a larger version.

Normally, if I want a copy of an image like this I have to find the highest quality version I can online and settle for it serving as my desktop wallpaper for a few weeks.  However, the artist doesn’t seem content to leave my walls bare.  He’s currently offering copies of this amazing image online– FOR COST!  That’s right– for the cost of materials and shipping, a quality semi-gloss stock 11″ x 17″ copy of this image can adorn your wall– for a whopping $5.00.  That’s less than the cost of an extra-value meal at your favorite fast food joint.   Even better– Ian’s indicated that a Cobra version might be on the way.

To your order copy, visit IanFell.com and add this beauty to your wall!

2013 JoeCon: The rest of the custom figures on display!

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!

JoeCon 2013: G.I. Joe dioramas galore

In a previous JoeCon post I gushed for a bit over the custom G.I. Joe figures on display at the show.  If you thought the gushing was over, think again as this post covers one of my other favorite things here– the diorama displays.

This year at JoeCon there was no big Hasbro G.I. Joe display— no towering Cobra Mountain or bridge swarming with red ninjas.  However, that doesn’t mean that dioramas were in short supply.  Leave it to the G.I. Joe fans to step up once more and produce an impressive array of FAN-GENERATED dioramas that showcase just how much creativity exists in our fan community.

I won’t go into details over all of them but there were two displays that stand out in my mind even several hours later.  The first was the Kre-O USS Flagg display.  That’s right– someone produced a building block version of the Joe aircraft carrier– complete with fan designed jets and slew of Cobra troops.  It was a BEAUTIFUL piece that makes me wish that the Kre-O takes off to such an extent that a real set of this would be possible at retail.  Hey, a guy can dream, right?

The second stand-out piece was an AMAZING G.I. Joe vs. Cobra battle atop multiple steam punk vessels floating over a sea of clouds.  No, I’ve not been hitting the rum at this late hour– there was a battle among the clouds that was being waged a veritable “who’s who” of Joe characters– all in steam punk form.  This setup has to be seen to be truly appreciated for the work of art that it is.  Trust me when I say that I’ll be going back a few more times just to marvel at the incredible versions of Destro, the Baroness, Beach Head, and Cobra Commander that adorn this particular display.  (Oh yeah, and the rotors actually WORK!)

So, without further adieu (because I need sleep at this late/early hour), the pictures: