First and foremost, exciting news… next year’s Convention site and dates have been decided already! Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin June 15th – 17th 2017!
They also announced FSS 5.0, though there were no images available unfortunately… the 12 figures are as follows!
- Ambush
- Charbroil (classic deco, masked head not removable)
- Darklon (a more current version, convention version is considered a “prequel” design)
- General Flagg (based on the 2nd Battle Corps version from the 90s)
- Battle Corps COBRA Viper (based on the Iron Anvil look – light infantry Viper)
- Salvo (more of a Pursuit of Cobra version, not 100% vintage accurate)
- Scoop (with the helmet from Sky Patrol Airborne)
- Raptor!!!!!!11!
- Sneak Peek (standard release, may end up changing the vest a little)
- Steel Raven (based on the female SKAR Infantry Officer)
- Shattered Glass Xamot (the Shattered Glass version is very reminiscent of the Sunbow business suit)
- Action Force Z-Force Gaucho (based on the 50th Anniversary Gung Ho)
Along with the Figure Subscription Service, the Club announced a special three pack of female Cobra Troopers to compliment the Cobra Officer. The Cobra Trooper has a newly sculpted female masked head and removable helmet.
Heartwrencher and the 4 x 4 are still planned, but likely for a 2017 release.
That’s what we got! Exciting stuff, and here’s to more years of the G.I. Joe Convention!
Allow me to be the first to say “Woot!” I am definitely in on all this! Especially Darklon! I have been really bummed about missing out on the Convention Exclusive version, and while I love the classic-style deco, I’m stoked for a chace to get any version of him in modern sculpting. Plus AMBUSH! So much good stuff in the pipeline. And another chance to hit a Convention?! Man – I’m a happy Joe fan right now.
I will say I find it a bit hilarious that there are going to finally be so many female Cobra troopers now…after Marauders blazed the trail. I have quite a few female Cobra troops being made in China right now. 😉
Anyhow, good news! Thanks for the updates!
So is this basically confirmation that Hasbro has no real plans for Joe for at least the next two years?
Sounds about right, since Hasbro is still reluctant to give GI Joe any kind of push with a movie to back it up. It’s going to take at least that long, if not longer, to get any kind of Hasbro Cinematic Universe off the ground with the first movie.
Remember when GI Joe 3 was supposed to be out this year?
Except for the product coming to stores in November, including three new characters. Yes, they are repaints and part-swaps for the most part, but they are retail bound, and with solid troop-builder’s to boot. Sure, the 80’s isn’t coming back, but some product is better than no product.
I believe PantSuitNinja means Hasbro probably doesn’t have a cartoon or any other tie-in media on the horizon for the next 2 years. We already know the next movie is a no-go until Hasbro works out their whole cinematic universe. And while I too am grateful that we’re getting another round of TRU retail exclusives, Hasbro likely has no intention of advertising them in any way, you know, to sell them to kids.
In short, another 2 years of Hasbro sitting on their thumbs, waiting for the next live action movie to hopefully fix GI Joe and make it popular with kids again.
Yeah, that is basically what I meant. They have no big plans for the near future. I am actually quite okay with what they have going on right now with the Club and TRU except for the lack of vehicles, but it is clear they don’t sell well enough to keep making.
I betcha’ the 13th figure is Shattered Glass Tomax.
Shattered Glass Xamot is the same person. In Shattered Glass, it’s one guy with a split personality.
True! But he’s still a mirror image of Xamot, and therefore, an easy repaint. Plus, as the only “Shattered Glass” GI Joe figures, most people will likely just re-purpose them as Sunbow Extensive Enterprises Xamot and Tomax anyway.