Coil Con V is September 13, 2014 in Indianapolis!

Coil Con V

It’s that time of year again– Coil Con V is happening in just over a week!

Nothing says “end of summer” like Coil Con, the fan-run convention that brings together G.I. Joe collectors from across the Midwest!  This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever as the event has outgrown its previous venue in Kokomo, IN (at ever-amazing Kokomo Toys) and instead takes over the Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel in Indy!

In addition to a toy drive to benefit the Child Life initiative at the Indianapolis Children’s Hospital, this year’s event will feature a host of vendors, the door prize/raffle table, and the always exciting travelling exhibit of JoeDeclassified.com.  Plus, if you’ve not already seen it, check out this preview of Shrike, this year’s exclusive Coil Con figure!  (JBL received permission to mirror the images below.)  He’s the creation of Coil Club designers Jay Hunger & Brian Kauffman and will be part of a 2 figure set that’s limited to only 40 pieces!

This year’s roster of guests includes:

Check out the Coil Con V event page over at CoilCon.com for the full details and make preparations to join your fellow Joe fans in Indy in just over a week!

Plus, check out these photos from last year’s event held at Kokomo Toys!  C’mon– you KNOW you want to go!

Coil Con IV is Saturday August 24! Midwest G.I. Joe gathering!

Coil Con 2013 logo

Last weekend the East Coast was treated to the New Jersey Collector’s Convention but this week it’s the Midwest’s turn!  Coil Con IV is coming to Kokomo Indiana on Saturday, August 24!

An annual tradition that has grown in attendance over the past four years, Coil Con promises a day filled with G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe, and more G.I. Joe.  The JoeDeclassified travelling exhibit will be in attendance, featuring concept art, prototypes, and all manner of insight into the world of design for our favorite Real American Heroes.  AVAC’s Lab will be on hand with custom cast parts.  Kokomo Toys is slated to have G.I. Joe Retaliation wave 3 in stock.  Numerous other dealers including ROMA Collectibles will be onsite to help fill in any holes in fans’ current collections.  Plus, they’ll be FREE hot dogs!   Starting at 9:00am EST on the grounds of Kokomo Toys, it promises to be an exciting day under the Coil Tent!

This year’s guest list includes a roster of personalities from across the Joe fandom including:

No Joe Convention would be complete without some sort of exclusive item to take home and Coil Con IV is no exception.  This year, fans can purchase the following limited-availability items:

  • Cobra Naja Bhoot with motorcycle vs. Jesse Mach with Street Hawk – $125.00 (Featuring head sculpt by Coby Brown!)
  • Naja Bhoot 28mm gaming miniature produced by Bryan K. Borgman creator of Kaiju-Kaos
  • Naja Bhoot exclusive print from attending artist Sean Forney

For more information on attending this exciting regional gathering, check out the official website: CoilCon.com!  Check back on Monday for some pictures of the event itself.

2013 JoeCon: The final summary of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention has been posted!

2013 Joe Con

The 2013 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention has come and gone and the summary of this year’s JoeCon has been posted.

I’ve updated the G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention page with the latest con summary including links to all of the previously posted content as well as a final wrap-up of all things that I observed in Indy.  It’s not a complete record of EVERYTHING– simply because that wouldn’t have been possible.  For example, I missed out on the What’s on Joe Mind taping because of a call from Madmac41 that the Concept Vault figures had been put on display.  So, any omissions are not intentional slights– but rather a reflection of the fact that one person can only be in one place at a time.

Also, due to some registration wackiness, my convention set will be arriving when the Homefront Heroes sets ship.  However, I’ve got some quick images up and reviews of the souvenir items will begin THIS WEEK!  (Lady Jaye is most like going up first.)

It was a great overall experience to reconnect with so many friends I’ve not seen in years.

Anyway, check out the 2013 JoeCon Summary directly or hit up the G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention Index to peruse previous years!

G.I. Joe Retaliation reviews from around the Joe community

G.I. Joe Retaliation March 28

While tomorrow is the official release date, a few theater chains across the US had early screenings of G.I. Joe Retaliation last night and more showings this evening.  With showings come comments and reviews– many from site owners and long-time Joe fans.  In order to give fans a fair picture of the overall community vibe for the movie, I’ve collected Joe site and Joe fan reviews below.  These aren’t from paid media outlets but rather from folks just like you and I.  Just remember, everyone is entitled to their opinion– even if it isn’t necessarily in step with your own.

Note: some of these will contain spoilers to varying degrees.   Read at your own risk.

G.I. Joe Retaliation Reviews:

I’ll add more as I find them.  If you know of a Joe site with a review of the film, toss me a comment below and I’ll add it to the list!

G.I. Joe Con 2013: Bill Ratner joins the guest list!

Bill Ratner

If you’re a fan of the Sunbow G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series you’ll want to be at this year’s G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention!  Just added to the guest list is Bill Ratner- better know as the voice of Flint, the team’s premiere warrant officer!  Ratner will be joining Mary McDonald-Lewis (Lady Jaye) for what is sure to make for some exciting panels and fan interaction!  I mean– who didn’t like Flint?  (Plus, some of us remember Mr. Ratner from the Variety Arts Radio Network productions of The Adventures of Doc Savage!)

Check out the official announcement from the Club below:

01/28/2013 – We are thrilled to announce an additional guest to the GIJoeCon line-up. On hand for the entire weekend will be Bill Ratner, voice of Flint from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Heroanimated series!

Check out our special guest showcase and read their project bio’s…Click here! All will be scheduled for discussion panels and autograph sessions over the convention weekend.

Mr. Ratner was a guest on the popular What’s On Joe Mind podcast– featured in Episode #70!

For more information, visit GIJoeCon.com!

Coil Con 2012: Dodger announced as second exclusive!

G.I. Joe fans are an enterprising and industrious lot.  If there’s not a convention anywhere near them, then they’ll start they’re own.  More importantly, if they want an exclusive G.I. Joe figure for that event– they’ll make their own!   Take, for instance, the 2012 Coil Con Dodger:

 Dodger Coil Con 2012 Exclusive

“A simple and elegant reuse of existing tooling” would be my first comments on this figure.  It uses the AWESOME 30th Anniversary version of Duke for the body and the open mask head of the G.I. Joe Renegades Cobra Trooper to give it identity.  It’s an inspired parts choice that really evokes the original 1989 BF2K Dodger figure.   Coil resident designer/fabricator/”figure guy” Jay Hunger really knocked one out of the park with this one.  It really makes me wish I didn’t have a family-related conflict that weekend as I’d snatch these up like a second Renegades Storm Shadow at retail!

Coil Con will be held on September 8, 2012, at Kokomo Toys and features specials guests including:

For more information, visit http://www.coilcon.com

 

Coil Con 2012: Meet Zilant – Coil Guerilla Fighter

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 zilant

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

Podcast: G.I. Joe Declassified Spec Ops Episode 6 – Variations Awareness

Some time I ago I was privileged to be asked to contribute to a G.I. Joe podcast hosted by the now-legendary Gyre-Viper.  The Joe Declassified Spec Ops Podcast features some pretty in depth discussion regarding the G.I. Joe toy line and this episode is now slouch.  Starting off with the (then) debut of the Dollar General Joes, the conversation delves into some intriguing variations from the classic ARAH (Generation 1) line.  The cast was a veritable “who’s who” of the Joe community including members of the “What’s On Joe Mind” crew, PLuv from cornerstone community JoeCustoms.com, “variation king” Patrick Stewart, Gyre-Viper, and JoeDeclassified.com admin Sam “Nomad” Damon.  It’s a solid two hour “Joe jam session” that is definitely worth a listen.

Here’s the official synopsis:

The Joe Declassified: SPEC-OPS Team is joined by some very special guests… the mighty pluv of JoeCustoms.com and the one and only Leonardo T Dragon of JoeBattlelines.com//

For this episode we take on a hefty helping of variations and errors from the revered vaults of Pat “notpicard” Stewart.  Pat takes us through his categorizing process of what falls into variant and what gets marked an error and how that all fits into his work on YoJoe.com and around the community.  We also give the yet to be released discount repaints a quick once over… sort of gathering our thoughts on what they are, what they mean, and what they might be telling us about the future of the brand.  And to top it all off… Pat speaks to the functionality of YoJoe.com’s legendary archives… its achievements, criticisms, and everything in between.

You can find the images referenced in the episode here:

http://joedeclassified.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=579

As indicated above, there’s an entire gallery of accompanying images found over at the JoeDeclassified forum!  (See– there’s homework and supplemental material with this one!  I told you it was “in depth”!)

You can listen to the entire 2 hour podcast via the embedded link below or over at the Spec Ops Podbean page!

 

CardedHeroes.com: Kwinn figure reviewed!

Okay, I’m just going to come out and say it– I’m jealous!  Jay over at CardedHeroes.com has had the good fortune to review one of the most-anticipated figures in recent Joe memory: the Inuit Mercenary Kwinn!

kwinnpose4

This figure has been in “development hell” for some time now.  Originally slated to come out in the 30th Anniversary line, Kwinn’s fate is that of other figures such as the infamous Data-Viper– pushed back due to the movie line.   However, with the movie now being pushed back to March, Kwinn’s fate is even more uncertain.  Hasbro has stated that this figure will come out eventually and rumors have swirled of a NYCC exclusive but nothing official has ever been announced.

Regardless– thanks to a loan from Gary of “What’s on Joe Mind“, Jay was able to get his mitts on Kwinn and produce a review that makes me wish the figure were in my grabby little hands now.

Check out Jay’s review of Kwinn over at CardedHeroes.com!

Podcast: WOJM special edition #13 – the Retaliation fallout discussion

G.I. Joe Retiation - moved to March 29, 2013

Nothing moves as quickly as a fandom angered.  The crew of What’s On Joe Mind reacted with lighting speed yesterday and recorded an “emergency podcast” to discuss the news of the last minute change in release date for G.I. Joe: Retaliation that was announced late yesterday afternoon.

Here’s the official synopsis:

It is the news NO ONE wanted to read.  It was the news NO ONE wanted to believe.  Regardless what no one wanted, it is the new reality of the motion picture dedicated to our favorite hobby.  Instead of being released June 29, 2012, the movie that we’ve waited so long for and seemed only a few weeks away got moved to March 2013.  Join WOJM co-hosts Chuck, Justin, Mike and Gary along with special guests Arune Singh from Marvel Comics and Brian Truitt from USA Today as we have a roundtable discussion with a number of community leaders about what this move means to the line and its future.  While disbelief and frustration are the theme of the night, the cast looks hard toward what if any silver lining can be found and attempt to predict what the next 9 months will bring.  Its a raw, unedited recording of a roundtable of fans picking up the pieces from the day.  May 23, 2012 is the start of a new reality for GI Joe.  Hear what the gang has to say…

You can listen to the podcast below: