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3DJoes Cribs Episode 01 – Snackbar Ranch

Our buddy Carson over at 3DJoes has just released the premier episode of 3DJoes Cribs which takes a look at the home of Admiral Josh Snackbar and his nicely displayed toy room.

The video is really well produced and edited and was a very fun watch!  You should check it out on YouTube, and don’t forget to hit up 3DJoes.com for their fantastic  take at the history of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

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G.I. Joe Fan Roundtable Recap

It seems like lately my life has not allowed me the time to participate as heavily in the G.I. Joe community as I’d like. It’s been a long time since I could help out with the Full Force podcast (sorry, Chris and Pat!) and even longer since I produced regular content for GeneralsJoes.

For that reason I was pretty ecstatic that I actually had some free time that coincided with a Hasbro G.I. Joe Fan Roundtable and was able to dial in. As always, Emily, Lenny, Dustin and the others were incredibly gracious and accommodating to our litany of questions, most of which seemed to revolve around the HasLab HISS Tank (for good reason).

If you want to watch the video of the Roundtable in its entirety, Chris from The Full Force Podcast has it on his YouTube channel. I’ve also broken down some of the highlights below.

We started the conversation with Chris asking about the lack of a developmental update from the last live stream, in which Emily and Lenny typically reveal the names of a couple characters in the development pipeline. After some back and forth, Lenny revealed those two names: Ripper and Firefly!

In my mind, the inclusion of Firefly represents the Hasbro design team’s focus on vintage inspiration, as the COBRA Island Firefly was a pretty significant modern overhaul (and was somewhat limited by Target exclusivity). For the record, I did ask if Firefly would be neon green and was gently told no, though they were sure to elaborate saying that “nothing is off the table” and actually specifically identified Battle Corps Beachhead as a personal favorite. Never say never! To see my thoughts on the COBRA Island Firefly, check out my review!

Many of the questions throughout the conversations orbited around the hugely successful HISS Tank HasLab, talking about how HasLab has its own dedicated team, separate from the design team which makes things a bit more efficient (though Lenny did do the design work on the HISS Driver). From a design perspective they focused a lot of attention on the “real world aspect” of the vehicle, adding small details like the side mounted ladders and additional “greeble” to fill in some of the empty spaces. There was confirmation that (at this point anyway) there are no plans for tiers above the fourth stretch goal, though obviously the speed and level of funding might alter those plans. They also designed the HISS around a larger base figure to ensure that the vast majority of figures could fit. Lenny indicated that Roadblock, Gung Ho, figures of that sized “buck” should be able to fit, and that the HISS Driver was also one of those somewhat larger base figures. Speaking of size, Emily was sure to share a comparison photo–

Courtesy of the Adventures in Collecting Podcast

Another interesting point of the conversation was the delicate balance between product and cost, finding the right middle ground where collectors feel like they’re getting a premium product while it still being at least moderately affordable. They also kept troop builders in mind, though admitted doing so might be cost prohibitive for some. It was interesting to hear also that their first iteration of the HISS was too elaborate and expensive to consider as the final product.

They were also quick to point out that it’s not just about price, but also about providing something that can comfortably exist in our homes. Emily jokingly made reference to a USS Flagg saying that it would be close to 20 feet long and 5 feet high which simply isn’t a realistic expectation for people own and display.

Lenny also mentioned that they’re not really focused on “budget items” they would rather build something right for a little extra money than push through substandard product just to meet a price point. G.I. Joe has always focused it’s attention on quality and ingenuity and Classified is taking up that mantle.

One thing that I specifically wanted to ask unrelated to the HasLab was about the Classified aesthetic and how it’s shifted since it’s inception from a more modern tech-based look to something more beholden to the vintage designs. Lenny confirmed that this was a conscious choice and while at first he indicated it was more related to the arrival of the 40th Anniversary of A Real American Hero in 2022, he did admit that we should be expecting a similar approach going forward. With each figure they plan on looking at their designs and making subtle modern updates where it makes sense, but by and large the beginning template will reflect a vintage inspiration. While I understand this approach and it seems to be working for them, I’ll be whining until I get my GIJoe.Com Storm Shadow I’ve been dying for since the line started.

I also prodded them a bit about an ongoing “narrative” for G.I. Joe: Classified and was told that’s not really in the works at the moment beyond some snippets on packaging as well as the diorama photos that they use to promote each release. Those are the only current plans for story elements based on this new Classified universe, which isn’t necessarily a surprise, though as a writer myself, story is very important to me so this was at least a bit disappointing to hear.

Last but not least there was (obviously) some conversations around the release cadence of figures this year and the fact that there was this huge gap in US distribution. Emily confirmed that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, though there are still pretty significant supply chain challenges. While she wasn’t sure if anything would get back to “normal” any time soon (what the heck is normal?) she did specify that going forward, we should not anticipate the large, six month gap we saw in 2022 from a release perspective. Already figures that were supposed to hit in April are slated to hit in the next few months and if anyone is like me, they just got a barrage of email notifications this past week about Spirit, Storm Shadow, Croc Master and COBRA Officer.

Now– about those Target exclusive Tiger Force and Python Patrol figures…

Once again, I want to give Emily, Lenny, Dustin and the whole Hasbro team a huge thanks for including myself and a plethora of other fans to participate in this roundtable. It’s been a while since I’ve been on one, but it was great to get a chance to participate again and to feel the emotion in the virtual room in the wake of the HasLab success and being on the precipice of a G.I. Joe: Classified resurgence! Yo Joe!

What’s on Joe Mind jumps back into the pool!

It’s been a little while since the fine folks of the What’s on Joe Mind podcast have blessed the G.I. Joe community with their presence, and in the past few months, a few things have changed with WOJM.

I’m thrilled to report, though, that the WOJM crew is BACK and bringing fresh audio gold to the masses.  Mike is joined by cosplay master Joe Colton and 3DJoes mastermind Carson, tossing out two brand-spanking new episodes!  One of them recaps the final JoeCon and the second is from the floor of Ohio Toy & Comic Show.  It’s fantastic to hear the guys (and girls) of WOJM back and you should absolutely give them a listen.  Also, make sure you’re following along on Facebook for the latest news and info about the podcast!

What’s on Joe Mind 2018 JoeCon Wrap Up Show

What’s on Joe Mind Ohio Toy & Comic Show Spectacular

Once again – fantastic to see everyone back behind the microphone, check out the latest episodes right here and now!  Good stuff from the fine folks at What’s on Joe Mind.

The Final JoeCon Recap 03 – The Sales Floor

So, when Hasbro has very little presence at JoeCon and there’s no real new product reveals, beyond the toy dealers, what is there on the sales floor to garner the interest of the fandom?

Turns out, there’s a whole bunch!

The sales floor this year was pretty amazing, actually, with a plethora of excellent dealers and a TON of G.I. Joe product (among other things).  As always, I didn’t get a ton of time to walk around, but the time I did spend was pretty incredible.  Chris Neal’s booth was astounding as usual, and I got a chance to have great conversations with Robert Atkins, Marauder John and Carson from 3D Joes.

Perhaps the most welcome and pleasant surprise, though, was the new product reveals that WERE there.  No, nothing G.I. Joe related, but several companies had a presence on the floor, introducing new product and upcoming releases.  Even if Hasbro themselves had little to share, for fans of 4″ scale action figures, there was still a LOT to love.

Complex

RagingSpoon had their brand new Complex base building kits on display and available for purchase, and by all accounts, they were exceptionally popular.  I saw folks buying all weekend long, putting things together, and really loving what they’re doing.  The diorama was amazing, and they also introduced a new “catwalk” addition that is in production phases now for a series 02 release.  Complex base building kits are still available for pre-order on SmallJoes.com and should be shipping within the next few weeks!  You can also check out my review of the Complex building kits right here on GeneralsJoes.

Eagle Force

Yes, it’s been a while since their Kickstarter was funded, but I’m happy to say things are moving right along for Eagle Force.  They had paint masters on display at the Dime Novel Legends booth and they’re looking pretty awesome!  I don’t have a precise time table for shipping yet, but it’s always cool to see the physical product out there in front of you.  It makes it a little more real.

Marauder Task Force

I was fortunate enough to get a chance to talk with Marauder John for a few minutes at the booth, and it’s always a huge pleasure.  He also had his amazing JoeCon exclusives on display along with test shots for the Exo-Suit, the K-9’s and some of the upcoming World War II Kickstarter figures!  Always a highlight of JoeCon to me.

Dime Novel Legends

Some physical samples of the upcoming Dime Novel Legends cowboy figures were also on display at the Chicken Fried Toys booth, and things look like they’re coming along very nicely there, too.  Things are still in the midst of the production process but it seems like they are moving right along.

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Animal Warriors of the Kingdom

Also at the Chicken Fried Toys booth was the latest samples from Animal Warriors of the Kingdom (Deluxe Wave up on Kickstarter now!) which featured a nice mix of samples of their Deluxe product as well as more regular releases as well.  Great stuff for 1:18 scale fans.

VSS

Okay, this blew me away!  An amazing project that looks to take a well-designed schematic and make “build to order” sets for the Venomous Sea Serpent, a COBRA-themed aircraft carrier/attack boat.  It looks like a spectacular display piece and it was great talking to the folks behind it.  More information can be found right here as well as in the Facebook group.

JoeDeclassified

I need to take a moment to talk about JoeDeclassified as well, even though I couldn’t take any pictures of their fantastic booth.  Pete Hubner was there with his 2-up collection and it was IN-SANE.  Dude even had a Hit & Run 2-up.  As always, the DeClassified guys were very awesome, had a fantastic freebie, and always a steady stream of people in and around their booth.  One of the highlights of JoeCon for sure.

All things considered, the sales floor was pretty amazing this year, full of great product, access to awesome Joe-lebrities and some really cool new reveals to keep things interesting.

The Final JoeCon Recap 02 – The Panels

I will admit it up front – I enjoy the seminars and panels, but they’re not necessarily always my priority.  There are so many friends to catch up with and so many things to do, that sometimes panel attendance is sacrificed to make room for other things.

This year, the G.I. Joe Collectors Club (and, more importantly – the fans) really pulled out all the stops to put together some amazing panels, many of which made the trip worthwhile.

I’ll say this up front – if you didn’t make it to JoeCon, do not despair!  The Full Force has the hook up for pretty much every single panel that happened at JoeCon.  Hit up The Full Force Facebook Page to check them all out.  The YoJoe.com Facebook page also has the majority of the panels available for viewing as well.

On Friday there were a number of panels, and Phil over at YoJoe did an AMAZING job chronicling them with images over on the YoJoe Facebook Page.  Definitely go check that out.

The Full Force and YoJoe both have full video recaps of the majority of the panels as well.

Day 01

Panels on Friday included ’95 and Beyond, which gave us a really fantastic look at what was planned for G.I. Joe’s future after its demise in 1994.  We got some great perspective on art and concepts from Battle Corps Rangers, Star Brigade, Manimals, X-Soldiers and more, and as a huge fan of the 90’s, I was eating this up.  Perhaps the best perspective came from Kirk Bozigian, who advised that their strategy in the 90’s was to combat any potential competition.  They truly saw G.I. Joe as an “umbrella brand” of sorts, which could do battle with any other action figures on the shelves, whether it was Star Wars, Power Rangers or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

We also got a great look at the history of the G.I. Joe Collectors Club Comic with a look back at the ongoing storyline from its start, all the way up through present day.  While I was a little put off that the Club neglected to mention the three-year Dio-Story that I wrote which appeared in the newsletter as a precursor to the actual comics, what the presentation contained was very informative and it was really interesting to see the way the comic evolved over the years.

Day 02

As they did with Day 1, YoJoe.com came through in a big way, with a full allotment of images from the second day of JoeCon panels.  Video recaps are also available on both The Full Force and YoJoe.

Saturday is always full of panel-related excitement and this year was no different.  By far the highlight of the Saturday line up was Behind the Scenes of G.I. Joe’s first Micro Movie, which was simply amazing.  Never before seen behind the scenes footage of the 90s commercials with captivating perspective from Kirk Bozigian and flawless presentation by Carson from 3DJoes.  I will remember this panel for a very, very long time.  Thankfully Carson also posted it up on his 3DJoes YouTube Page.

This panel was simply amazing.  Every single minute was filled with joyous nostalgia and some awesome nuggets of information (when Kirk was brought back to the Joe line in the late 80’s it was because Hasbro was concerned that sales of Real American Hero had dropped to EIGHTY-NINE MILLION DOLLARS).  Yes, DROPPED to 89 million.  Kirk was able, with the help of these landmark live action commercials, bring sales back up closer to 120 million dollars, numbers that are, frankly, staggering to me considering the landscape of today’s action figure world.

Seeing Wren Roberts and all of the other live action contributors jumping around through awesome sets, riding shotgun on a life sized Battle Wagon, with COBRA Commander screeching into the camera while squeezing slime was just way too cool, and I can’t give Carson and Kirk enough props for bringing that to the masses.  Pure gold.

Saturday was also filled with panels about the Adventure Team, Classic Collection 12″ figures as well as some terrific insider knowledge on vehicle prototyping and design work.  In the afternoon, I also joined Bill, Don, Jim and Derryl in the Kindle Worlds panel, talking about being a G.I. Joe author and how that has changed my life, allowing me to dovetail my love for G.I. Joe with being an independent author and creator.

Kindle-Worlds

Day two of JoeCon was a whirlwind as it always is, running from one event to another, trying to consume as much raw energy as possible, and this year really did not disappoint in that regard.

Day 03

(As always, check out the video recaps on The Full Force and YoJoe)

The third day of JoeCon in any given year is like day two, only with two less hours to cram it all in.  Again, this year was the same deal.  There were a handful of great panels to round off the final convention, including IDW artist extraordinaire Adam Riches talking about his artistic endeavors, and WOJM co-host (and cosplay wizard)  Joe Colton talking about the beauty of G.I. Joe cosplay.  There was also a 12″ oriented panel and of course… the already infamous “Last Panel”.

The last panel.  Saved for the end of the final day of JoeCon, Brian, Dave and Lanny hosted one final panel that was a mixture of everything.  They launched the panel by announcing some new figures they hope to release before the end of the year (you can see my recap of that information here) which elicited a terrific response from a certain British person in attendance.  Plus – TIGER  FORCE HIT & RUN.  BOOSH.

But perhaps the most impactful moment of the entire weekend came in that final hour when Brian went through a presentation of every single JoeCon from start to finish, showing cascading images of attendees, which brought back some really terrific memories.  He also brought up some long time attendees to speak to the crowd, which included two of my co-hosts from What’s on Joe Mind, as well as folks from the 12″ and 4″ crowd.

It was an emotional moment for sure, an emotional moment that built upon a weekend full of them.  You can check out the full video of the last panel at both The Full Force Facebook Page and YoJoe on Facebook (Part 01, Part 02, and Part 03) as well.

I’ll  be honest  – there have been times at JoeCon when the panels didn’t necessarily “wow” me.  A lot of it is information I’ve heard before.  But this year, the presenters really killed it and provided a wealth of terrific content that added both knowledge and emotion to the entire JoeCon experience.

Truly fantastic.

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