Joe Con 2016: Altitude & Night Vulture revealed

When it comes to Joe Con 2016 the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club isn’t letting any grass grow under their feet!  Another day and two more image previews from the 1:18 Sky Patrol set have been revealed.  Tonight, feast your eyes on Altitude and the Night Vulture.

Altitude:

Joe Con 2016 Sky Patrol Altitude

SKY PATROL RECON SCOUT:
JOHN-EDWARD “ALTITUDE” JONES

– 25th Anniversary Modern Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– Highly Requested Character from 1990’s Sky Patrol Team
– Includes removable Helmet and Visor, Assault Rifle, Knife,
Parachute-style backpack, and G.I. Joe Logo Stand.

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2013 JoeCon: Hasbro panel detail summary

If you’ve been you’ve been following the JoeCon coverage here at JBL over the past few days– thank you!  It’s been several years since I’ve been both at a con and an active part of the Joe community and there was some personal apprehension about coming back to this event after being away for nearly 4 years.  However, I can honestly say that it’s good to be back in action again.

Earlier today, I posted live coverage of the Hasbro panel on Twitter.  What follows here is a more detailed summary of the information that was presented earlier.

Hasbro had a very small presence at JoeCon this year.  Consisting solely of Derryl DePriest and John Warden and a single display case, fan weren’t quite sure what to expect.  In fact, the Dynamic Duo from Pawtucket opened their presentation by saying that they were showing the same slide show that was used at Toy Fair and that nothing new would be presented.  However, some good information came out of their discussion.

In terms of G.I. Joe Retaliation, the highly anticipated wave 3 will be available later this year– and it’s looking like late July/early August.  The order has been sent to the factories in China and production has begun.  Figures like Kwinn, Data Viper, Ultimate Duke, Ultimate Roadblock, and Ultimate Flint will be hitting stores with a great deal of fan and retailer anticipation.  During this part of the discussion, John Warden broke down some interesting facts for the wave.

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JoeCon 2013 – Hasbro pics (what there is of them)

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.

Today is G.I. Joe Retaliation day – G.I. Joe

It’s time for the final image in Twitziller‘s fantastic “40 Reasons to be Excited for G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with the best reason of them all – G.I. Joe!

g.i. joe retaliation - joe colton

 

Some things just speak for themselves.  When Larry Hama first introduced Joe Colton into the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero title I was floored!  It was the first honest attempt to draw a connection between the world of the 12″ Joes and the Adventure Team and the 1:18 ARAH era.  In a flawless move, Larry gave a name to the 12″ Adventure Team Commander and made him the inspiration for the then-current team.  Brilliant!!!

When Jon M. Chu and his team set out to cast the movie there was one name to which they looked to bring such an iconic character to life: Bruce Willis.  No other American actor today has the presence, cinematic history, and attitude to bring General Colton to life– even if he doesn’t have “life-like hair and beard.”  Bravo, team.  Bravo.

Now we’re at the end— G.I. Joe Retaliation is now in theatres.  So, quit lolly-gagging around looking at your computer and go out and see the movie already!   Yo Joe!!

A HUGE thanks to Twitziller for all of his hard work in crafting these images.  We’ve never met, good sir, but when we do the first brew is on me.

 

Happy G.I. Joe Retaliation Day!!!

g.i. joe retaliation flag

That’s right– today is March 28, 2013!  It’s the premiere of G.I. Joe Retaliation!!!!

We’ve waited months for this and now the day has finally arrived.  This weekend fans will flock to see that latest live action adventure of our favorite Real American Hero on the big screen and I have the feeling that they’re going to love it.

The film is currently sitting at 42% over at RottenTomatoes.com with the critics but 82% of audiences have enjoyed it thus far.  I’ve managed to see it twice now (cough FANBOY, cough) and have enjoyed myself both times.  It’s a film that holds up to a repeated viewing rather well.  You can read JBL’s Review of G.I. Joe Retaliation RIGHT HERE as well as other reviews from around the fandom.

My advice– go and see it for yourself.  Get some popcorn, a large drink, and prepare to kick back and relax for next hour and forty minutes as the Joes once again prove themselves to be Real American Heroes!

HAPPY RETALIATION DAY!!!

2 days to G.I. Joe Retaliation – battle kata gear

Twitziller nears the conclusion of his “40 Reasons to Be Excited for G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with “battle kata gear.”

G.I. Joe Retaliation battle kata gear

Honestly this is a tricky one to write up because it’s not really overtly featured in the film.  The Battle Kata Roadblock figure showcased the full extend of the variable weapons system wielded by Roadblock rather effectively.  It’s a dynamic concept and one that can offer a soldier in combat more options than they can shake a stick at.  Plus, it’s hard not to look at the image above and think just how cool that pistol is.

Check out the rest of Twitziller’s series of images below.  Tomorrow is RETALIATION DAY!!!

G.I. Joe Retaliation reviews from around the Joe community

G.I. Joe Retaliation March 28

While tomorrow is the official release date, a few theater chains across the US had early screenings of G.I. Joe Retaliation last night and more showings this evening.  With showings come comments and reviews– many from site owners and long-time Joe fans.  In order to give fans a fair picture of the overall community vibe for the movie, I’ve collected Joe site and Joe fan reviews below.  These aren’t from paid media outlets but rather from folks just like you and I.  Just remember, everyone is entitled to their opinion– even if it isn’t necessarily in step with your own.

Note: some of these will contain spoilers to varying degrees.   Read at your own risk.

G.I. Joe Retaliation Reviews:

I’ll add more as I find them.  If you know of a Joe site with a review of the film, toss me a comment below and I’ll add it to the list!

JBL reviews G.I. Joe Retaliation

G.I Joe Retaliation movie poster

To borrow a phrase from one of the recent Star Trek series “It’s been a long road, getting from there to here.”  Two years since Rise of Cobra and then an unexpected nine month delay before G.I. Joe fans were treated to a second attempt at a big screen franchise of their favorite Real American Heroes.  Nearly three years since G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra tore apart the G.I. Joe fandom and tarnished the image of the once-dominant brand as a kitschy modern day remake of Mega-Force.  This time, however, things appeared to be different.  Director Jon M. Chu, better known for his Justin Bieber documentary, set to direct a script from the talented duo that brought us Zombieland.  Admittedly, all were fans of the incredible comic run by the “godfather of G.I. Joe” Larry Hama and promised a film that was more true to its comic roots than RoC.  However, I’d heard that song and dance before but tonight felt different.  The lights dimmed and I sat with friends in a surprise early birthday celebration organized by my wonderful girlfriend Amanda.  Was this a film to redeem the brand, the fandom, and reignite the enthusiasm of many disheartened fans?

Read on and find out one Joe fan’s opinion…

JBL Reviews G.I. Joe Retaliation  (mostly spoiler-free)

 

Feel free to add your own comments below!

3 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – Lighting!

Twitziller counts down the final days to G.I. Joe Retaliation‘s full release in the US with “lighting”!

day 3 - lighting

In film, lighting is one of the myriad tools available to a director to paint a scene.  In the black and white era, it provided a necessary contrast and was used to place subtle emphasis on a particular element.  In G.I. Joe Retaliation, lighting plays a crucial element in framing the scenes.  With action set during the day and the night, how light plays across the various elements will set mood and tone.  Audiences will see how effectively it used in just a few days.

You can view the entire series released thus far below:

JBL Review: G.I. Joe Retaliation Cobra Trooper

g.i. joe retaliation cobra trooper

 

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!