Joe Con 2015: Tiger Force Dial-Tone preview

Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force vs Iron Grenadiers

As the date of Joe Con 2015 gets closer and closer the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has begun to unveil the figures that will comprise the 1:18 scale 15 figure set.  Today’s preview is an alumni of two previous Collector’s Club releases – feast your eyes on Dial-Tone:

Joe Con 2015 Tiger force dial-tone

TIGER FORCE COMMUNICATIONS: DIAL-TONE

– 25th Anniversary Modern Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– Highly Requested Character in traditional theme Tiger Force deco
– Includes G.I. Joe Logo Stand, 9mm Parabellum Submachine gun,
Computer case with Submachine gun, & Communications backpack
with positional microphone arm.

(Note: Photo depicts mock up and final product may slightly differ.)

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Joe Con 2015: Tiger Force vs. Iron Grenadiers theme!

 

Joe Con 2015 banner

The brochure for Joe Con 2015 is live and with it comes this year’s 1:18 theme: “Springfield Island: Peril in Paradise.”
That’s right kids– it’s the Tiger Force vs. the Iron Grenadiers, who were last seen in 2012’s Operation Bear Trap set.  Here’s the official description from the Club:

G.I. JOE intelligence reports that DESTRO has sent a regiment of his elite IRON GRENADIERS, led by GENERAL MAYHEM and executed a hostile takeover of a billionaire Montgomery Springfield, III’s tropical island in the South Pacific. The island’s private security force was no match for the blitzkrieg style attack by sea and air.

While the IRON GRENADIER leader’s exact plans are unknown, it is expected that this will become another primary location for them to stockpile munitions and test experimental M.A.R.S. technology. A G.I. JOE: TIGER FORCE unit, led by SGT. STALKER, is called in for this perilous mission to re-capture the island paradise and expel the IRON GRENADIERS at all costs. Getting onto the island will be extremely dangerous, but when the enemy sees the colors yellow and black, they will know that the TIGER FORCE team is hungry to fight and ready to attack!

The 2015 3 3/4-inch convention set contains highly requested teams and some new additions available for the first time in the modern era 25A action figure style.

This special edition set includes:

Tiger Force (six figures): Sgt. Stalker, Dial-Tone, Big Brawler, Wreckage, Recondo, Edwin “Lifeline” Steen.

Iron Grenadiers (nine figures): General Mayhem, Metal-Head, Undertow Officer, Iron Anvils x 3, Undertow x 3.

Okay… that’s totally not the direction that I would have predicted for this year’s set, aside from the Tiger Force inclusion.  The Iron Grenadiers were featured heavily just three years ago so their return seems a bit soon.  Ironically enough, this will also mark Dial-Tone’s THIRD release from the Club as he was both the renewal figure and part of Mission Brazil II in 2011.  Also, another member of the 1982 “Original 13” makes an appearance as Stalker is given the convention treatment.

There’s also the matter of everyone’s favorite “Not Outback” – Big Brawler, who is named after a long-time Club staff member.  However, to counter this, there’s also METAL-HEAD!  BANG!  BANG!!!

So far only Wreckage has been revealed so the Club has plenty of previews to tease in the coming weeks.

The entire brochure is up for your viewing pleasure at GIJoeCon.com!

What do you think of this roster?  Sound off in the comments below!

Joe Con 2015: Tiger Force Wreckage Previewed

G.I. Joe Collector's Convention

At long last, the first figure from the Joe Con 2015 convention set has been revealed!  Meet Tiger Force Wreckage!

Joe Con 2015 Tiger Force Wreckage

– 25th Anniversary Modern Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure
– 1st Modern Era Release based on 1988 prototype**
– Includes Harness with two removable Explosive Devices,
G.I. Joe Logo Stand, Assault Rifle, Pistol, Knife,
and Backpack with removable lid

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Joe Con 2015 features a Tiger Force theme?

G.I. Joe Collector's Convention

 

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club loves build up excitement to the official reveal of the each years Joe Con theme.  This year’s tease was slated to appear in the “G.I. Joe vs. Cobra #7” comic that shipped to retailers in December.  (The issue itself is a mass-market release of the 2014 “Zombie Initiative” comic.)

Thanks to John Stottman from Facebook’s closed G.I. Joe Discussion group, some fans got an early look at that teaser image over the weekend.  The ad features the Baroness with an automatic pistol standing in front of a semi-distinctive background– that just happens to contain what appear to be tiger stripes.

That’s right– it’s looking like the theme for Joe Con 2015 will feature the Tiger Force sub-team!

This isn’t without precedent from the Club– Tiger Force was featured back in 2004 as part of the Dreadnok Rampage convention set and the FSS has featured Tiger Force versions of Shipwreck and Airtight.  There’s also the fact that Club recently produced an exclusive HAVOC Mk 2 based on a recolored Snowcat which was part of the theme back in 1988 as the Tiger Cat. Could this vehicle be making a con reappearance?

I’ll be honest– I’m pretty ambivalent on the theme.  I’ve never been a Tiger Force fan so this one just doesn’t resonate the same way that Night Force did a few years ago in the Nocturnal Fire theme.  However, there is one call out from the ad that has gone unnoticed in much of the discussion regarding the ad: both Hasbro and IDW are listed as attending.  Hasbro was noticeably absent at the 2014 50th anniversary convention and IDW hasn’t been in attendance since Kansas City 2009 to the best of my recollection.  Either way, keep your eyes turned to GIJoeCon.com for more information as the Club reveals it.

Take a look at the ad below and feel free to weigh in with your own thoughts.  Love it? Hate it?  Were you hoping for Sky Patrol?

(Click the image to see it full size)

2015 Joe Con Tiger Force teaser

Review: Figure Subscription Service Tiger Force Shipwreck

G.I. Joe Figure Subscription Service Tiger Force Shipwreck

After a long dry spell it would seem that the floodgates of new G.I. Joe products have been opened!  The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club recently shipped out the first installment of their Figure Subscription Service 2.0 and now the second shipment is on its way!  So, as fans are keeping an impatient surveillance on their mailboxes, JBL takes a look at the second half of the first shipment of FSS 2.0 – Tiger Force Shipwreck!

Can the G.I. Joe team’s salty sailor pull off the Tiger Force color scheme in generation 3 construction?  Check out the Collector’s Club Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!  (Feel free to leave your own comments below.)

Review: Figure Subscription Service Tiger Force Airtight

Figure Subscription Service Tiger Force Airtight

When it comes to new product, G.I. Joe fans are in the middle of a dry spell.  That last Retaliation wave only contained 3 new figures and is proving as elusive as finding a sasquatch in the middle of New York City.  However, last week the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club shipped the first two figures from their second Figure Subscription Service.  Here’s where I spoil the surprise– it was an all Tiger Force shipment!  I was initially pretty luke-warm about these two figures when they were announced however, sometimes having a figure in hand can make all the difference.

So, how does Airtight hold up? Check out the review of Tiger Force Airtight in the Collector’s Club Review Index here at JBL!  Look for Shipwreck to drop by Monday!

Figure Subscription Service 2.0 is Shipping!!!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service 2.0

It may be a long time until new G.I. Joe product is on store shelves but some fans will have a surprise waiting for them in their mailboxes very soon!  The first shipment of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service has shipped and a few lucky fans already have theirs in hand!

Caution: Spoilers ahead for those who want the shipment to be a surprise.  However, for the remaining 95% of the fandom, the identities will be revealed below.

Master customizer and all-around great guy Alyosha of Broken Arrow Toys posted a few quick shots of his shipment on Facebook over the weekend to reveal that the first shipment is a box of Tiger Force goodness!  That’s right Joe fans, Tiger Force Shipwreck and Airtight should be arriving on subscribers’ doors very very soon.

I have to admit– this shipment is a mixed bag for me.  Let me start off by saying that I’ve NEVER been a big fan of the original Tiger Force color scheme.  Sorry gang, but yellow and black striped shirts seem like they’d blend better at Mardi Gras than in any of the world’s jungles.  As such, I’ve never owned much in the way of Tiger Force ANYTHING save for the Valor vs. Venom Tiger Force Alpine & Crosshairs two-pack and the Toys R Us Exclusive Tiger Force 6 pack.  Not one vintage piece is found anywhere in my collection.  HOWEVER, I have to say that these are growing on me.  Airtight is probably the Joe whose original color scheme is closest to his original release and, well, Shipwreck is Shipwreck.  Thanks to Sunbow I have a soft spot in my Joe fan heart for the character and cut him a lot of slack.  (In some ways he’s Sunbow’s equivalent to Deadpool.)

Expect some reviews of the final product once they drop on my door step in the coming days.  However, so far I don’t hate them like I thought I would.  However, I’m going to go on record and say now that I’d still rather see some more 1:18 Adventure Team in the next FSS than I would more Tiger Force!  (Or Sgt. Savage!!!)

 

Tollbooth and Tiger Force Shipwreck are latest G.I. Joe FSS reveals!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service 2.0

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club unveiled two more mock-ups of figures that will be included in Figure Subscription Service 2.0 late last week!  (However, the admin of JBL had that day off and was away from the internet for most of the day.  Something about “wanting a three day weekend” or some such nonsense.)

As was posted previously, sign-up for FSS Round 2 is in full swing so the reveals are trickling out.  For the latest two mock-up unveilings, the GIJCC pulled out a classic repaint and a new-to-Generation-3 update of an ARAH vehicle driver.

Tollbooth:

I’ve always had a soft spot for the driver of the Bridge Layer.  Maybe it was because I received the original vehicle back in the 80’s as completely unexpected Christmas present or maybe it’s the fact that the driver carried a sledgehammer but something about the character made a strong impression upon this Joe fan.  The GIJCC chose well both in terms of parts and accessories– two of the construction cones that previously came with the 30th Techno-Viper are a perfect inclusion!  Plus, this is the first LOGICAL use of the mattock that was included with the Resolute Roadblock!  As Thomas O’ Mahoney suggested on JBL’s Facebook page, toss in a shovel from the G.I. Joe Retaliation Trooper and he’s ready to get to work on some battlefield fortifications!

Tiger Force Shipwreck:

When it comes to sub-teams, I prefer Night Force over Tiger Force.  (I’m still impatiently waiting for my 2013 Homefront Heroes Joe Con set to arrive!!!)  So, this figure isn’t exactly one that is high up on my personal Want List.  In fact, it’s pretty low on that totem pole.  It’s not that this is a bad figure design– the Club has done a really decent job of replicating the color scheme of the ARAH original.  It’s just that most of the Tiger Force color schemes were goofy in the 80’s and they’ve not aged particularly well.  Plus, this figure uses the 25th Anniversary 5 pack Shipwreck head which has never looked like Hector X. Delgado to me.   He’ll most likely end up on shelf behind my Tiger Force Flint and Tiger Force Duke figures.

Sign-up for FSS 2.0 runs through May 22, 2013!  After that, it’s secondary market prices which tend to skew higher.

 

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service 2 is now LIVE!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service 2.0

With a whirlwind of updates in the past 24 hours, the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has announced that sign-up for the Figure Subscription Service 2.0 is now LIVE!!!  You can subscribe for the next 13 figures from now through May 22, 2013!

It all started with this image that was posted on the GIJCC Facebook page yesterday afternoon:

This image confirmed the line-up that was revealed at the 2013 GIJCC Roundtable at Joe Con this year.  To recap, this was the roster that was revealed:

  • Widescope
  • Dragonsky
  • Night Force Falcon (with new equipment)
  • Bombadier (UK)
  • Tiger Force Tripwire (Brazil)
  • Tiger Force Shipwreck (Brazil)
  • Admiral Keel Haul
  • Tool Booth
  • Cesspool
  • Skullbuster
  • Cobra Desert Scorpion
  • Big Bear

At that meeting just a few mock-up images were shown as Lanny confirmed he’d only just been able to put them together before leaving for Indy.  Now, the Club has unveiled FOUR preview images: Skullbuster, Night Force Falcon, Dragonsky, and Tiger Force Airtight!

Here’s the official word on FSS 2.0 directly from the Club’s website:
[blockquote]

After the fantastic success of FSS 1.0, the G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club now brings you version 2.0! The FSS is only available to active club members. This service is an optional feature and is not included in the cost of your annual GIJCC membership.The FSS 2.0 subscription set will consist of twelve different carded 3 3/4″ figures. You will receive six shipments starting in approximately September/October of two figures each month. Figures will be shipped in a surprise sequence (figure pairs will be the same for everyone each month). It will be a surprise each month as to which figure pair you receive! Your last shipment (6th shipment) will include your FREE mystery carded 13th figure! The limited edition GIJCC Figure Subscription Service contains a variety of fan requested characters from all eras of the 3 3/4-inch G.I. Joe A Real American Hero collection. The assortment includes 25th Anniversary style figures of characters from the classic 80’s, 90’s, new-sculpt, foreign editions, and unreleased 25th Anniversary characters as well.

[/blockquote]

So there you have it!  The roster, a few teaser images, and the link to sign-up for FSS 2.0!  I have to admit, the first one made a believer out of me.  Yes, I’m not happy about the price of the figures or the subscription at all but then again, like a lot of Joe fans, I’m a man of limited means.  However, for the most part the quality and character selection of the first series has been very good and it’s now to the point that I eagerly anticipate the arrival of the brown cardboard box from the GIJCC each month.  So it’s a safe bet to say that this particular Joe addict is in for his next 13 figures from the GIJCC– even if my credit card cries a little.

For those of you on the fence, you’ve got until the 22nd.  Plus, JBL will begin reviewing all of the figures from FSS round 1 starting NEXT WEEK!