Hasbro Pulse Con is coming October 22 – 23, 2021

HASBRO ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF THE SUCCESSFUL 2-DAY EVENT “HASBRO PULSE CON” ON OCTOBER 22-23, 2021 

Hosted by Jackie Jennings and Khleo Thomas, the Ultimate Pop Culture Celebration Promises Access to Iconic Fan Brands, G.I. JOE, Magic: The Gathering, NERF, Power Rangers, Transformers, Dungeons & Dragons, Ghostbusters, Fortnite, Marvel and Star Wars™, Plus Special Guest Appearances, Including the Cast of “Power Rangers Dino Fury”! 

Hasbro Pulse Con 2021 Will Be Livestreamed Exclusively on the  

Hasbro Pulse YouTube Channel  

View the Hasbro Pulse Con 2021 Sizzle Reel HERE! 

 

PAWTUCKET, RI – August 20, 2021 – Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) today announced the return of Hasbro Pulse Con 2021 on October 22-23, 2021, which promises fans in the US, Canada and UK one-of-a-kind experiences to celebrate the company’s iconic brands through engaging brand panels, exclusive content drops, over 50 new product reveals, celebrity appearances, exclusive Pulse Premium Member opportunities, fan interactivity and more. Hasbro Pulse Con will be livestreamed exclusively on the Hasbro Pulse YouTube Channel 

 Presenting fans with the best in entertainment and toys, Hasbro Pulse Con will showcase programming based on its iconic fan brands, including G.I. JOEMagic: The GatheringNERF, Power RangersTransformers and Dungeons & Dragons, along with premier partner brands Star Wars™, Marvel, GhostbustersFortnite, and more. Jackie Jennings, SYFY Wire on-air correspondent, writer, and producer, returns to Pulse Con to co-host the pop culture celebration and joins new co-host Khleo Thomas, actor, influencer, artist, and entrepreneur. The program will feature special guest appearances including the cast of Power Rangers Dino Fury as well to get fans excited for the show’s highly-anticipated return this fall: Russell Curry (Red Ranger), Kai Moya (Blue Ranger), Hunter Deno (Pink Ranger), Tessa Rao (Green Ranger), Chance Perez (Black Ranger) and Jordon Fite (Gold Ranger).  Continue reading

Designer Bobby Vala interviewed at Hasbro Pulse

Hasbro Pulse has a brand new article posted – an interview with designer Bobby Vala.  The subject?  The Cobra Missile Command Headquarters!

Cobra Missile Command Headquarters mockupI’m not going to lie– I LOVE the Cobra Missile Command Headquarters.  First, I ranted about it here on JBL. In addition, I raved about it over on Just Another G.I. Joe Show.  It’s been a “Holy Grail” item for me for years and this year’s convention exclusive release was essentially a dream come true.  (Save for its limited availability- but that’s a story for another time.) Yet, I found myself wondering “Why this playset?  Why now?”

In a rare opportunity, this admin was able to sit down and discuss this iconic playset and the process of its reconstruction with Hasbro designer Bobby Vala.  He discusses the process of recreating this iconic piece of A Real American Hero history as well as the process of updating the included figures to modern specs.  Bobby’s passion for this project shines through in every answer. As a result, it’s obvious that this was truly a labor of love!

Check it out over on Hasbro Pulse!  Plus, if you’d like to see more features like this, let us know in the comments below!

Cobra Missile Command Headquarters box front

Joe Con 2017: News from the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club roundtable

Gi joe con 2017 logo

Thanks to YoJoe.com, we have a LIVE feed from this year’s Collector’s Club Roundtable panel.  We’ll be updating this page with our notes as we can but we’ve embedded the LIVE feed below.

Here’s the details as we have them:

  • Rock-n-Roll v2 renewal figure
  • Night Stalker 3-pack coming
    • Includes African American

FSS 7 partial list:

  • CRYSTAL BALL
  • Extensive Enterprises Tomax
  • FSS 8 will dovetail with a one month gap between FSS 7

Next year’s con Chattanooga TN from June 21 – 24, 2018

As of now, Joe Con 2018 will be the final Fun Pub convention year

Derryl DePriest from Hasbro offered the following:

  • Effort being made to document ever Hasbro-owned piece of G.I. Joe package art, etc. (Including Battle Force 2000)
    • There are plans for this artwork from Hasbro
  • SDCC release—i09 already released:
    • Cobra Missile Command Headquarters
    • Roughly $54.00 plus tax
    • Based on original printed assembly from Hasbro archives
      • Updated the silhouettes in the background to reflect 30th Cobra Troopers
    • Bobby Vala is Hasbro designer who worked on this
    • “Mickey Mouse” Cobra Commander logo
  • No G.I. Joe product at retail this year or next year
    • Nothing at retail until the next piece of entertainment launches
    • Paramount will announce the next version
  • Future of Joe Con:
    • HASCON is the beginning of something new
      • Not the kind of convention that Joe Con is currently
      • Focused on celebrating a wide spectrum of brands
      • G.I. Joe VIP experience developed for Hascon on 9/8
        • Partnering with Dan Klingensmith of 375inchJoe.com
        • Largest gathering of G.I. Joe creators ever assembled
        • Special dinner event this year with the creators
        • Additional VIP merchandise and gifts for that dinner
        • $600 for this event
        • Derryl has been brought onto the HASCON team for fan outreach
      • More details to be announced in the next two weeks
      • Derryl is curating a series of “never-before-seen” package paintings and design artifacts (including products) that have never been released on display
    • The future of Joe Con is unknown as HASCON grows

SDCC 2017 exclusive: Cobra Missile Command Base

This year’s SDCC exclusive G.I. Joe item has leaked a bit early, thanks to the folks at io9.com!

sdcc 2017 cobra missile command

Sweet Colton’s Ghost!  It’s the Cobra Missile Command playset!!!

This bad boy is one of the rarest of the rare– a cardboard playset that was released exclusive to Sears back in 1982 when there was virtually no other product available.  It came with Cobra Commander, a Cobra Officer, and a Cobra Trooper along with a diorama that seemed inspired by Ken Adam’s designs from the James Bond franchise.

It was gorgeous.  It was also fragile as all get out, due to being cardboard.

Here’s the details direct from Hasbro:

G.I. Joe Cobra Missile Command Headquarters

(Ages 5 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $49.99/Available at Booth #3329 at Comic-Con International in San Diego)

Cobraaaa! One of the rarest of all G.I. Joe playsets is back! The G.I. Joe Cobra Missile Command Headquarters, this convention exclusive is a faithful reproduction of the original and iconic Cobra Missile Command Headquarters Set from 1982. It recreates the classic design of the original in exacting detail with a weathered finished, following the original die-lines with all new re-created graphics. Assemble the highly detailed, sturdy graphic board components to build a headquarters that includes missile base, missile support systems, cruise missile, control panel, movable elevator, work platform, and seats. The set also comes with reproductions of the three figures that came with the original set – Cobra Commander (with a logo that is an homage to the original, first version Cobra Commander logo), Cobra Officer, and Cobra Trooper. Set includes file cards for the figures, as well as a file card holder for the cards. The G.I. Joe Cobra Missile Command Headquarters will be for sale during San Diego Comic-Con 2017. Following the convention, a limited number will be available on HasbroToyShop.com .

Yes! Yes!  YES!!!  A “Mickey Mouse” variation based on the Retaliation Ultimate Cobra Commander and an update to the killer 30th Cobra Trooper?  For $50.00?!!

Consider this Joe fan SOLD!  I never had a Cobra Missile Command Headquarters as a kid and now I can.  Now we just have to receive confirmation if this is also the Hascon 2017 exclusive as well.

Yo freaking Joe!!!

 

Hascon is coming September 8 – 10, 2017

Hascon 2017 has been officially announced!

Hascon

It’s been rumored.  It’s been speculated.  Now it’s been announced.  Hascon, Hasbro’s combined property entertainment event, is coming to Providence Rhode, Island from September 8 – 10, 2017!

Described as a one-of-a-kind event, Hascon is slated to feature “live interactive experiences, exclusive products, talent appearances, panels” and much more.  The event, which will be held at the Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin Donuts Center promises to bring the company’s core brands together for an event that is targeted to both fans and families.  This includes Transformers, My Little Pony, Nerf, Magic the Gathering, Play-Doh, Monopoly, and G.I. Joe all featured under one single roof.

I’ll be honest– I’ve no idea how Hascon is going to play out.  It could be a fantastic event that proves to be more mass-audience friendly than some of the more focused individual property conventions.  It could be more wallet-friendly as Hasbro seeks to draw in both fans and families and not just cater to the top-tiers of the adult collector market.  In some ways, it could almost serve as a mini-Comic Con for Hasbro located right in their backyard as the company continues to try to expand its brand presence in the entertainment worth with the development of the Hasbro Cinematic Universe. (Are Play-Doh fans really going to travel for an event?  Are there actually Play-Doh fans?)

Right now there’s not much on the official Hascon website other than a sign-up form and a press release link but I expect that to change in the coming months.  Regardless, it’s nice to see G.I. Joe included in the list of properties being featured as the brand has become far more of a niche property over the past few years.

What do you think of this announcement?  Are you onboard for a combined-properties event?

i can haz hascon Continue reading

The Hasbro Cinematic Universe is getting closer!

For months, we’ve been hearing discussion of a Hasbro Cinematic Universe and fans have been curious as to what direction this will take.  Will storylines and familiar characters from properties like MASK, G.I. Joe, Visionaries, the Micronauts, and even ROM: The Spaceknight really be merged?  Or will they all merely occupy the same narrative space, much like the comic book teams of the Avengers and the X-Men did up through the early 2000’s?

Well, yesterday, we got not one but TWO news drops that shed some really light on the future of the Hasbro Shared Universe concept!

IDW Publishing’s Revolution:

idw revolution event

Entertainment Weekly published an interview with IDW Publishing Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall yesterday that discussed a five-issue biweekly series that will launch in September entitled “Revolution”.  The premise– a story that brings together ALL of the company’s Hasbro-licensed properties into a single storyline.  That’s right: G.I. Joe, the Transformers, the Micronauts, ROM, Action Man, and MASK will all be featured in this unifying story event.

Even more telling is the fact that after Revolution, all of these series will see new number one issues and a new status quo, according to Ryall, who also insists that this isn’t a reboot. Continue reading

HASCON: Is Hasbro planning their own brand convention?

United States Patent & Trademark Office

HASCON is coming?

There’s been a lot of speculation over the fate of the annual Joe Con after it was revealed that Hasbro was ending its relationship with Fun Publications, the company that licensed the annual Botcon (Transformers) and Joe Con (G.I. Joe ) events.  Many fans wondered if there would even continue to be annual Hasbro-authorized events. Over the past weekend, Hasbro filed a trademark with the US Patent Office that might shed some light on the future of these brand events.

Thanks to the intrepid newshounds over at TFwiki, it was revealed that Hasbro officially filed for the trademark on “HASCON”.  The purpose of this trademark, according to the trademark office filing is:

Organizing and conducting conventions, exhibitions, fan clubs and gatherings for entertainment purposes and in the fields of toys, animation, comic books, fantasy, gaming, popular culture, science fiction, television and film.

It’s not a lot of information but it shows that Hasbro is at least intending to move forward in some fashion with a continuation of conventions.  What’s more interesting, at least to this Joe fan, is that this appears to be the only trademark filed.  There’s nothing for any derivation of “Joe Con”, “Bot Con” or even “Pony Con”.  (Say what you will– but the Pony fandom is HUGE.)

With only one seemingly comprehensive trademark filed is Hasbro testing the waters at having events that showcase all of their brands in one place?  Or is this merely a preemptive measure designed to secure a copyright before anyone else files for it?  Right now, we have very little information to go on.  However, it’s also way too soon to jump to any detailed conclusions.  Joe Con 2016 is scheduled for the end of June and I doubt any formal announcement would be made before that even has concluded.

What do you think of this development?  Would you be in favor of more unified Hasbro brand events?  Would you rather have your conventions separated by product line?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.

i can haz hascon