G.I. Joe Convention 2014: Zombies vs. Eco-Warriors Theme Announced!

G.I. Joe Con 2014

 

Zombies are EVERYWHERE these days– from The Walking Dead, to Resident Evil and lastly at the G.I. Joe Convention 2014!

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club has released the brochure for the 2014 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention in Dallas, Texas and this year’s theme ties directly into the current craze of “zombie-mania”.  It features the return of the neon-clad Eco Warriors as well as a group referred to as the “Zombie Hunters” vs. Cobra’ s own squad of undead environmental misfits.

Here’s the description for the 1:18 scale set:

COBRA forces have acquired the “Compound Z” formula and have started testing it on their own soldiers. They believe by creating zombie warriors they can rule the World and turn its population into mindless creatures. G.I. JOE headquarters is split on how to handle the zombie affliction: save or eradicate?

GENERAL HAWK has formed two groups to solve this deadly problem. Who will be successful? Will it be the Zombie Hunters whose mission is to eradicate those infected or
will it be the E.C.O. (Emergency Chemical Operations) Force trying to rescue and find an antidote for those afflicted? And, what about the team members who become zombies, are they a casualty of war? If too many are turned, who will be left to complete their mission? Only time will tell and it’s running out!

The 2014 G.I. JOE vs. COBRA 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:

Zombie Hunters: Outback, T’J BangSteel Brigade Commander

E.C.O. Force: Flint, Ozone, Clean-Sweep

Cobra Lab-Rats x 2, Toxo-Vipers x 3, Toxo-Zombies x 3, and Repulsor with Dawg (NEW K-9).
Each of these great teams comes with classic weapons, accessories, figure stands and file cards in this exciting fifteen figure boxed set.

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Review: Figure Subscription Service Cobra Sniper Black Out!

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service Cobra Sniper Black Out

It’s another Figure Subscription Service review– this team featuring Cobra Sniper Black Out!!!

Black Out debuted in 2003 as part of the Spy Troops series of G.I. Joe figures and immediately grabbed the attention of fans because of his compelling file card story.  He was the dark counterpart to the G.I. Joe team’s own Barrel Roll– the “bad brother” who went over the forces of Cobra and was implicated in the disappearance of his own sister.  It’s the kind of plotting that would make for an interesting movie and another shining example of the importance of file cards in the G.I. Joe line.  Thanks to the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club, Black Out was made available to those who signed up for the first Figure Subscription Service as the mystery 13th figure and shipped at the same time as his brother Barrel Roll!

Does the Black Out figure measure up to the standards of the Figure Subscription Service?  Is he up to the task of carrying out his feud with Barrel Roll in collections everywhere? Check out the review in the Collector’s Club Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!

Review: 2013 G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Iceberg Incentive Figure

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Renewal figure Iceberg

There’s nothing like a cold front to put a Joe fan in the mood for an arctic trooper!  Case in point: my G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Iceberg Renewal Incentive figure arrived last year on the hottest day of the year thus far.  It was June and the mercury was about to escape from the thermometer– so I wasn’t really thinking that it was an idea time to review poor ole Iceberg.

Flash forward a few months and it’s freezing outside!  In other words– it’s PERFECT weather for an Iceberg review!

Was this figure worth the cost of renewing my membership in the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club for an additional year?  DOes Iceberg turn into a killer whale when dipped in water? Check out the review in the Collector’s Club Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!

Cobra 1st Legion Hosts Toy Drive to Support Oakland Hospital

Cobra First Legion

Once again, the Cobra 1st Legion is embracing the spirit of giving– this time with a toy drive to benefit the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland!

It’s the time of year when everyone is encouraged to give to those who are less fortunate than themselves.  In that very spirit, the hard-working members of the Cobra 1st Legion have organized their third annual toy drive.  They’re encouraging members of the community to drop off items that can help brighten the holidays for the patients at the Oakland Children’s Hospital.  This includes books, games, toys, and even personal hygiene items– all things that can help to bring a smile to a child’s face as they spent the holiday season undergoing treatment.  The Toy Drive runs from now until December 21st, 2013!

If you’re in the Oakland, CA area, please drop off items to one of the sponsors listed on the poster below!  Or, if you’re out-of-the-area, contact the drop off points at one of the links below and inquire about how to send an item to be included.

Cobra 1st Toy Drive

Figure Subscription Service Skullbuster Reviewed!

Figure Subscription Service Skullbuster

Another day and another Figure Subscription Service review!  (Hmm… this could be habit forming!)

The purple-clad leader of the Cobra Range Vipers comprised the second half of the most recent FSS shipment and it’s his turn on the review stage.  Sure he’s got an unorthodox color scheme that seems more at home on Eternia but he’s also got the firepower to back up his choice of attire!  We’re now four figure into the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service 2.0 and I have the feeling that the best is yet to come.

How did Skullbuster from the Figure Subscription Service fare in the eyes of two G.I. Joe site admins?  Hit the Collector’s Club Review Index and find out!

Review: Figure Subscription Service Widescope!

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

Figure Subscription Service Widescope & Lamont

The G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service shipments have been hitting in rapid fire recently!  It was barely month ago shipment #1 dropped an all-Tiger Force deployment in the mailboxes of subscribers and shipment #2 arrived just before the Thanksgiving holiday!

New figures mean new reviews here at JBL and this time I’ve pulled in some help!  Chris “Werecat” Chung has jumped in to help discuss the latest addition to the generation 3 G.I. Joe figure roster: Widescope and his trusty pal Lamont!

What do two reviewers think of this newest SWAT team member from the Figure Subscription Service?  Hit the Collector’s Club Review Index and find out!  Also, check back tomorrow as Chris and I take on the Range Viper Commander better known as Skullbuster!

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!

Cross Country Announced as G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Renewal Figure

G.I. Joe Collector's Club Cross Country 2014

It’s that time of year again– when the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club reveals the membership renewal figures for the forthcoming year in an attempt to encourage fans to sign-up/renew their membership.   After a string of successful endeavors over the past few years including Dial-Tone, Footloose, and Iceberg the club pulls out all of the stops with this year’s reveal of HAVOC driver Cross Country!

Based on the debut 1986 version of Cross Country the figure looks pretty darned solid in this fan’s eyes and I’d be remiss if I didn’t sense the involvement of Boss Fight Studios in this design somewhere.  According to the Club:

2014 CROSS-COUNTRY (3 3/4-Inch Modern Era Action Figure)

CROSS-COUNTRY is the G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club FREE Membership Incentive Figure for 2014! This FREE figure will be sent to any G.I. Joe Club member that chooses the 3 3/4-inch figure option and whose membership is active by March 16th, 2014.

This club exclusive CROSS-COUNTRY action figure features a NEW head sculpt, NEW vest with holster, figure stand, classic file card and accessories, including: assault rifle, pistol, and NEW vehicle wrench. Members can expect to receive this bagged figure with all his accessories in late spring/early summer of 2014!

It’s a nice recreation/update of the original figure that brings Cross Country firmly into the Generation 3 era of 1:18 construction.  I do miss the character’s goofy grin that was so prevalent on the original 1986 design but I can live without also seeing his “chipmunk cheeks” recreated as well.  (Seriously, it looked he either had the mumps or was storing nuts for the winter in there!)  What is more surprising is that the GIJCC revealed the release of the “HAVOC Mk II” as an optional accessory for purchase later.  Essentially just a repainted Snowcat I’m not certain how it will go over with a membership that has already purchased two Figure Subscription Service waves in the past year.  Consider me definitely down for Cross Country and a probable “pass” on the HAVOC Mk II.

All of the renewal information for both 1:18 and 1:6 can be found at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club links below.

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!!!)