You’ve got to love the ingenuity of the G.I. Joe fandom. Not merely content to attend the annual G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention and purchase the “official” exclusives at both JoeCon and the San Diego Comic Con, this fandom started producing its own exclusive figures. For three years now a group of die-hard Joe fans based out of Indianapolis have run their own “Coil Con“– with exhibitors, special guests, and even an exclusive figure.
Held on September 8, 2012, Coil Con features specials guests including James Kavanaugh (author- RAHC Guide), Robert Atkins (artist – G.I. Joe, Snake Eyes), Gary “Gyre-Viper” Head (archivist, podcaster – Joe SpecOps podcast), and Gary Godsoe (podcaster – What’s On Joe Mind). However, since you can’t take any of them home with you– let’s talk about who you CAN bring back.
Meet Zilant— the Coil Guerilla Fighter!
Coil Con 2012 exclusive: Zilant, Cobra Guerilla Fighter
Here’s the official description:
A legendary creature from Russian and Tatar myth, the zilant is a fearsome winged snake. Sometimes helpful, sometimes destructive, they are known for fiercely protecting their homes from incursion.
Zilant was born in a small town in the Eastern European nation of Tatahkstan where he grew up sharing his father’s passion for building and flying ultralight aircraft. After Tatahkstan chose to remain independent following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Zilant joined his nation’s fledgling armed forces, committing himself to keeping his land free from occupying forces. When Tatahkstan was later ravaged by heavy fighting between G.I. Joe and Cobra, Zilant was able to escape the carnage in one of his father’s aircraft. Driven by a desire to rid his homeland of outside oppression, he joined the COIL and used their resources to raise a homegrown force to repel both foreign armies. He combined it with his knowledge of light aircraft to become an authority in the development and use of ultralight aircraft, gliders and windsuits as a method of covertly inserting special ops troops.
Recently, there’s been a new force intent on invading his homeland, so Zilant is taking action once again. He thought that he had faced and defeated his enemies, but is this new man his ultimate enemy?
In one fell swoop we’ve got a background for both the name and the character! Hand-crafted by customizer (and now figure designer) extraordinaire Jay Hunger, these figures are sure to appeal to Joe fans seeking to add more “flavor” to their collections. The only place to snag this figure is at Coil Con 2012 so mark your calendars for September 8, 2012 and head to Coil Con to snag your Zilant while supplies last!
For more information, check out: http://www.coilcon.com
