I’m trying… I’m really trying not to get too far into the Kre-O world. The fact that I don’t have any Toys “R” Us stores within a 65 mile radius makes it pretty easy, but seeing great video reviews of them makes it hard all over again. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would pick up some of the blind bag sets, but I had no intention of investing lots of cash in the build sets. I don’t really have time to build these things, I don’t have the display space, and I’m still trying to figure out what to do with this huge box of BTR pieces have had taking up valuable space in my life for the past 10 years!
But… dammit, Pixel Dan. This review pretty much sold me on picking up the Battle Platform set if for nothing else than the Duke, Roadblock, Cobra Commander, and 2 Cobra Trooper Kre-Ons. They look like a whole lot of fun, and I know my daughter will also really be into them. You can also check out a high res gallery to compliment the review on Toy News International.
Check out the video below and join me on the dark side.
Thanks to artist Antonio Fuso for letting me know that he is currently selling some of his original art (including some of his terrific work on the IDW Cobra title). This artwork can be viewed on his Tumblr page right here. Over the past few years, the G.I. Joe: Cobra title has been one of the most unique, engaging, and entertaining comics I’ve read in a very long time, and much of that is due to the atmosphere and vision that Fuso brings to the table with his very unique artistic style.
Check out his Tumblr page for more details and to see if there’s something you like.
I know I used the whole mother flocker line when Bruce Willis was first announced as Joe Colton in the upcoming G.I. Joe: Retaliation film, but since he’s..well.. totally bald, I’m not sure that makes sense. This has been one of the figures that many folks out there have been waiting on pins and needles for. I mean, who doesn’t want a 1:18 scale Bruce Willis/John McLane figure for their G.I. Joe universe?
Even with mostly reused parts, the eerily accurate head sculpt really brings the character to life. Check out the full review on my G.I. Joe: Retaliation Review Page, or follow the link below:
Thanks to both Film Music Reporter and Varese Sarabande we have some details on the upcoming musical score for G.I. Joe: Retaliation. The score is slated to be released on April 2nd, shortly after the film’s theatrical debut, however the track list should be available within “the next couple of weeks”. The film is being scored by Henry Jackman, also known for his work on X-Men First Class, Wreck-It Ralph, and Kick Ass.
Along with details about the release, a short snippet of the story was released as well. Not many details that we don’t already know, but you can see that paragraph of details below. I suppose some of these details could be considered spoilers, but nothing too drastic.
Check out the details below:
“Music From The Motion Picture
G.I. JOE: RETALIATION
Music Composed by Henry Jackman (Wreck-It Ralph, X-Man: First Class, Kick-Ass)
G.I. JOE: RETALIATION features the G.I. Joe Team coming into a conflict with Zartan, Storm Shadow and Firefly, all serving under the newly released Cobra Commander. Zartan (who is still impersonating the President of the United States) frames all G.I. Joe operatives as traitors to the United States, exterminating most of them and leaving a small group of survivors. Zartan and the Commander now have all the world leaders under Cobra’s control, with their advanced warheads aimed at innocent populaces around the world. Badly beaten, outnumbered and outgunned, the Joes make a desperate plan to overthrow Cobra Commander and take back the world, with their secret black operation called the “Second American Revolution,” which involves the return of the original G.I. Joe General Joseph Colton (Bruce WIllis). Also starring Dwayne Johnson, with Channing Tatum, Arnold Vosloo, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, and Lee Byung-hun reprising their roles from G.I. Joe: The Rise Of C.O.B.R.A.
The high-octane score is from action veteran Henry Jackman, who provided the sonic punch for Kick-Ass and Wreck-It Ralph.
Paramount will open G.I. JOE: RETALIATION nationwide on March 28.”
Continuing his roll over on Twitter, Twitziller has come up with Reason #37 why G.I. Joe: Retaliation will rock as we march on towards…well… March. The film hits March 29th, a mere 37 days away.
#37:
One of the most unheralded G.I. Joe characters in the 30 year history of the brand, Flint has always been one of my “go to” guys when it came to my G.I. Joe roster. Sure, he got some great face time in the Sunbow animated series, but I never felt like his character was captured perfectly. To me, the indelible vision I have of Flint is the sequence from G.I. Joe #53, where a squad of Cobra Eels is sneaking in to sabotage the PIT, and as Flint tells Lady Jaye to run for it, he dives head first into the entire squad, taking them on hand-to-hand.
Flint’s battle prowess is only matched by his intelligence, being a Rhodes Scholar, and I’m excited that he appears to be a major player in G.I. Joe: Retaliation. I’ve enjoyed DJ Cotrona in other things I’ve seen him in, and I’m looking forward to his take on Dash Fairborne.
Check out previous entries below, and you can see the full list on GeneralsJoes right here.
I took a break from figure reviews yesterday and covered Issue #1 of the new IDW G.I. Joe title… but I’m back at the toy review game today with G.I. Joe: Retaliation Wave 2.5 Dark Ninja. When this tooling was first used in the G.I. Joe: Renegades Storm Shadow, I didn’t even hesitate to call it one of the greatest figures that Hasbro has ever done.
Now we’ve got about four or five different figures using this tooling, and while they all maintain the high quality of the original use, as freshness wears off, the impact these figures make is effected. Check out the full review on my G.I. Joe: Retaliation Review Page or at the link below:
Well, this certainly comes as a surprise. Online retailers Big Bad Toy Store and Entertainment Earth have both opened up pre-orders for the now legendary “Dollar General” G.I. Joe figures. Based on the images shown, they appear to be the original decos and NOT the “running change” versions, but I’m thinking perhaps we shouldn’t take that as a guarantee.
Considering even the “running change” versions of these figures use the original figure on the package itself, I would not be at all surprised if that’s what is being offered here. I would hesitate to recommend people pre-order these blindly, but it might just be worth taking a chance, I don’t know. Check out the links below to stock up!
Keep in mind at BBTS, a few of the singles are already sold out, so going by the set may be your best bet. Pretty inexpensive, too! Check out my reviews for the original “Dollar General” G.I. Joe figures at the links below as well:
As one might suspect with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the current WWE champion, and also the feature lead in the upcoming G.I. Joe: Retaliation film, it only makes sense for World Wrestling Entertainment to play some role in promoting the movie.
In fact, both Adrianne Palicki and DJ Cotrona were at the Elimination Chamber PPV on Sunday night, and also appeared in WWE Raw last night to promote G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Just how much this promotion will impact ticket sales is unknown, but with The Rock’s huge following (both within wrestling circles and outside of them) it can only help.
Click the Read the Rest of the Story link below for the full press release!
Keeping up the daily tradition, Twitziller has posted another reason to look forward to G.I. Joe: Retaliation on his Twitter account! The latest reason can be seen below:
#38:
The term sandbox can mean many different things, and I love the dichotomy here. It truly is a sandbox in every sense of the word. Having the latest G.I. Joe story take place at least partly in a desert makes sense considering the global military landscape, but it also makes sense from the perspective of each of our 10 year old selves slamming our own action figures around in our sandbox. While most of us smacked our Snake Eyes and Destro action figures together in the sand, Director Jon Chu is doing what we only dreamed of. Taking these toys and making an actual world out of them. Let’s see what he can do.
Officially announced during NYCC last year, this next generation of G.I. Joe comics from IDW promised to shake things up and go in some different directions. Numerous interviews with series writer Fred VanLente promised some out of the box ideas and a significant evolution to what has been going on in years prior.
Previously a top secret special missions force where the members were officially deceased, the G.I. Joe team was to become a publicity darling, taking the battle to Cobra in front of TV cameras, and even in front of an embedded blogger. How exactly was this going to work?
Well, we’re all about to find out! G.I. Joe #1 hit comic stores this Wednesday, and with the hubbub surrounding it, I wanted to get the review done pronto. Click the Read the Rest of the Story link below for the full review.
Be warned, with the comic hitting stores tomorrow, there will be some spoilers below. I tried to keep them to a minimum, but I do reveal some story details. Proceed at your own risk!
