FSS 4 Tiger Force Outback Unveiled!

Tiger Force Outback steps out of the shadows in today’s FSS 4 reveal!

FSS 4 Tiger Force Outback

TIGER FORCE SURVIVALIST: STUART “OUTBACK” SELKIRK

(Based on the European exclusive Tiger Force action figure!)

Includes: NEW head sculpt, removable harness & flashlight, assault rifle, survival knife, backpack and figure stand.

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Update on G.I. Joe FSS & Joe Con 2015 Reviews

FSS Crimson Guard Immortal

Sigh… I hate this kind of post.  I really do.

Joe Con 2015 and G.I. Joe FSS reviews are coming.  Really.  I had photos shot for these reviews for weeks now and even have the web page built.  Joe Con 2015, Joe Con 2013, and the FSS reviews for Hit & Run, Alpine, Crimson Guard Immortal, Big Ben, and Frostbite are about 85% ready to go!

So, you might find yourself asking, what’s the holdup?

Between my current real-life job and some family obligations, I’ve just not had the time to sit down and really finish the writing.  Knock on wood I can sequester myself away this weekend for a bit and finalize my portion of the text.

However, I don’t want to leave folks hanging.  Below is a preview gallery of images from many of the G.I. Joe FSS and Joe Con 2015 reviews that will be hitting here soon.  Consider it a bit of a “mea culpa” for being so tardy.

 

GI Joe FSS 4 sign-up and reveals begin next week!

gi joe fss 4

GI Joe FSS 4 sign-up begins next week!

Color me surprised!  In a completely out-of-the-blue moment, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club sent the following email message to its members regarding GI Joe FSS 4:

Hello all!

Just a heads up that FSS 4.0 order period and reveals will start next week.

Watch your mailbox and GIJoeClub.com for more details!

These are great figures!

Brian

Wow… talk about striking while the iron is hot!  Fans have just had just a scant month and a half to digest the Joe Con 2015 FSS reveals and now it’s time to sign-up for the next round.

In case you’ve fuzzy, here’s the cast of characters:

Also, here’s a great roster image courtesy of ItsAllTrue.net:

gi joe fss 4

So, that’s the news concerning GI Joe FSS 4.  Stay tuned to JBL next week as we’ll posted each reveal as it’s revealed.  Hang on to your seats– it’s going to be a fun week!

Joe Con 2015: Club announces FSS 4 and renewal figure

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

At Joe Con 2015 the final “big announcement” panel was the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club annual round table.  Brian Savage, David Lane, Pete Sinclair, and Lanny Lathem took to the stage to discuss this year’s convention set as well as to unveil both the line-up for FSS 4.0 as well as next year’s renewal figure.

The crew from the Club was upfront about one thing– last year they took a lot of flack over the images used in the panel which were intended to illustrate the choice of character but that were not necessarily representative of the figure’s final deco.  As such, this year images were minimal as many of these figures are VERY early in the production process.

Also, figures released in the FSS are often chosen because they will NOT be released in that deco in a future convention set.  The FSS is a way to allow these characters to get to collectors and fill in gaps in individual collections.

We’ll start with FSS 4.0: Continue reading

Joe Con 2015: Price increases hurt this year for souvenirs

Joe Con 2015

Ah Joe Con 2015… you’ll go down as “the year the Club broke the fandom’s wallets.”

The Club Store is now open at Joe Con 2015 for the Golden Ticket holders and the prices for the exclusives have been revealed.    Hold on to your hats, kids!  This is going to hurt!

Joe Con 2015 Tiger Hawk

  • Iron Grenadier Air Assault 2 pack – $72
  • Tiger Shark w/ Felino – $83
  • Tiger Sting w/ “Sgt Kazenbogen” – $83
  • Tiger Force Helicopter Crew (Alpine, Skystriker, Frostbite) – $86
  • Tiger Hawk Helicopter – $168
  • Iron Anvil Officer Paratrooper – $34
  • KreO Tiger Force 6 pack – $39

Seriously… I appreciate the fact that Club’s expenses are higher this year because of having to air freight the souvenirs over to the US but seriously?!!  Due to poor planning and lack of appropriate timetables, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has essentially doubled the prices for the overall souvenirs.

Especially since many of these vehicles are near duplicates of the vintage versions readily available on the secondary market.

The sad part is that one prices go up they rarely seem to go down.  I hope this isn’t the case with the Club but I have the feeling that I’m going to be disappointed.

Here are few quick images from Steve Unger, Jr and Jeff Patton of the G.I. Joe Discussion Facebook Group:

Joe Con 2015: Souvenir Item Details… sort of…

Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force vs Iron Grenadiers

Another piece of Joe Con 2015 news– this time related to the souvenir items.

Thanks to folks already in Springfield, IL we have this list of what’s coming:

  • Iron grenadiers air assault 2-pack LE 900  (Possibly TARGAT)
  • TF helicopter crew 3-pack LE 800 (Possibly Tiger Force Frostbite, Sky Striker, Tiger Force Alpine)
  • TF helicopter LE 600
  • Tiger shark w/felino LE 800
  • Tiger sting w/sgt katzenjammer-Bogen LE 800
  • Iron anvil officer w/parachute LE 600

So, it looks like the Tiger Force Tomahawk is going to indeed be “a thing” this year and the forthcoming Club exclusive Sharc submarine may be getting a Tiger Force repaint. (I’d rather have that over a straight up redo of the vintage Tiger Shark!)

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Joe Con 2015: Tiger Force Sgt. Stalker Preview

The reveals for the Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force vs. Iron Grenadiers set continue with at the Joe team’s first Ranger: Sgt. Stalker!

Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force Stalker

– 25th Anniversary Modern Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– NEW HEAD SCULPT with removable Beret and Tactical Vest
– Based on 2003 Design in traditional theme Tiger Force deco
– Includes G.I. Joe Logo Stand, Assault Rifle, Pistol,
M-2 Machine gun*, Backpack/Frame/Antenna & Phone
(*disassembles into 4- parts that attach to backpack frame!)

Once again, the Joe Con 2015 set is going back to the  2003 Toys R Us exclusive Tiger Force set for inspiration.  Lonzo R. Wilkinson gets an update that’s based on the o-ring Sgt Stalker v3 only without the vibrant blue paint apps of the original.

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Joe Con 2015: Tiger Force Big Brawler Unveiled

The reveals for the Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force vs. Iron Grenadiers set continue with a look at Big Brawler!

Tiger Force Big Brawler

– 25th Anniversary Modern Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– 1st Modern Era Character Release based on 2003 Tiger Force set
– Removable Bandana and Shoulder Harness
– Includes G.I. Joe Logo Stand, Minigun, Backpack with
Ammo Strip, Assault Rifle, Pistol, and Trophy Sword

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Joe Con 2015: Meet Tiger Force Lifeline

Joe Con 2015 banner

The reveals for the Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force vs. Iron Grenadiers set continue as the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club reveals the team’s medic Tiger Force Lifeline!

Tiger Force Lifeline

– 25th Anniversary Modern Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– Highly Requested Character in traditional theme Tiger Force deco
– Includes G.I. Joe Logo Stand, Removable Helmet, Pistol, Knife,
Tranquilizer gun, Rescue Board with straps, Rescue Case with
De-Fib Pads, Fluid bag/IV Line, Oxygen Mask and Oxygen Bottle

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Joe Con 2015: Tiger Force Recondo Revealed!

Joe Con 2015 banner

The reveals for the Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force vs. Iron Grenadiers set continue as the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club reveals Tiger Force Recondo!

Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force Recondo

– 25th Anniversary Modern Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– 1st Tiger Force Release based on 1988 prototype**
– Removable Hat and Shoulder Harness with Pistol
– Includes Marksman Rifle, Mambele (Sickle Sword),
G.I. Joe Logo Stand, and Backpack

Tiger Force Recondo made his retail debut on Toys R Us store shelves in 1988. However, that’s not the version the Club chose to release, instead going with an obscure deco that appeared only in a 1988 catalog.  To bring this design forward for Joe Con 2015, the folks at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club appear to have used the body of the 25th Anniversary Recondo with the arms of the Retaliation Kwinn figure.  It’s an interesting idea as hinged wrists have become a truly necessary part of the current style of construction and their absence in some recent figures has been very noticeable. Continue reading