So, we’ve hit the 23rd and final issue of G.I. Joe: Origins, which also wraps up the excellent “Mad Monk” storyline. It hits comic shops tomorrow, but you can see the 5-page preview below. G.I. Joe: Origins #23
David Lapham (w) • Werther Dell’Edera (a) • Tom Feister (c)
Dr. Lester Horvath has transformed Michael Monk from a suicidal ex-soldier into the ultimate assassin. Now, the wolves are at the door and “the Mad Monk” has come to kill his one-time benefactor. It’s time for Dr. Horvath to play his final card in a game where death is assured, but the revelation of a single number may change everything.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Call out: FINAL ISSUE!
Many folks have been wondering exactly what Shadow Tracker looks like underneath that mask, but only Twink Viper has actually buckled down and yanked it off. Unfortunately he ended up ruining the figure in the process, but check out the fruits of his labor below:
no images were found
Ick.
I know in past test shots, we’ve just seen a skull underneath there, so this certainly looks like something new, though not necessarily any more pleasant. Here’s a lesson to ya, kids…keep his mask on. Thanks to Twink Viper for doing the deed and posting it up on Hiss Tank.
Chances are, if you’ve perused the internet looking for toy reviews, you’ve come across OAFE, or Online Action Figure Entertainment. They’ve been reviewing action figures online for over a decade, and in fact, I’ve drawn some comparisons between my personal style and theirs (something I consider a high compliment).
The guys over at OAFE don’t just toss a ton of images on a page and consider it a review, they compliment those images with intelligent, thought-provoking text. I certainly don’t agree with all of their opinions, but I cannot dispute their passion, knowledge, and expertise.
And, of course, who can argue their expertise when they label G.I. Joe: The Pursuit of Cobra as the best toyline of the year for 2010? I’ve often thought ever since the 90s, G.I. Joe has received the short end of the stick from the collector crowd. Often seen as “kids stuff” or catering to the lowest common denominator, the Pursuit of Cobra really changed things. No longer trying to sell down the G.I. Joe concept, Hasbro is instead ramping up detail, sculpt, accessories, and theme, and have really brought it all to the table. The Pursuit of Cobra is a once in a lifetime toyline, in my opinion, and has successfully met pretty much any desire I’ve ever had when it comes to a modern science fiction military line. It’s taken the best from Metal Gear and Call of Duty, thrown in some classic 80’s homages and has delivered in nearly every assortment.
Wave 4 is currently on the way to my home, and I literally cannot wait to tear into those packages, as every single figure in that assortment looks like it could blow me away.
I’m thrilled to see other collectors feeling the same way.
Kudos to the G.I. Joe design team for hitting a grand slam with this line, and kudos to OAFE (and other adult collectors) for finally realizing what we’ve known for a while. G.I. Joe rocks!
Well, not all of them today, but I at least got two of them done. The other two should be up tomorrow or the day after.
You can check out the reviews at the Pursuit of Cobra Review Index, or directly at the links below:
I’m not really much of a gamer myself, though I’m a pretty devout Halo fan. That being said, I don’t know much of anything about the game Crysis (or thus, Crysis 2). But apparently there are guys in there in crazy battle armor and with cool ass cybernetic parts.
Looking like Duke and Ripcord in Accelerator Suits and on steroids, there are currently Joescale Crysis 2 figures hitting Targets across the country. Ranging in price from $1.99 to $8.00 perhaps on how lucky you are. I haven’t seen them in person yet, but I’ll be damned if they don’t look pretty bad ass. To see some nice detail, check out images at JoeCustoms.com and HissTank.com.
There’s an embedded video below as well. For folks who don’t have a local Target, check out SmallJoes.com they have a pre-order going, too. These things look pretty damn cool, I gotta say.
We’ve heard and seen plenty about the Jurassic Park AWE Strikers in the past months, with no real sign or indication that they will ever see release. Hasbro in a recent Q & A actually mentioned that the line was canceled.
Canceled or not, we still see some indications that perhaps a release is pending, and the newest indication are some images of packaging mock ups by HissTank member Gyre-Viper. Along with these Jurassic Park mock ups, we also get a glimpse of the Alpha class HISS Scout vehicle. We have heard absolutely nothing lately about the release of these vehicles, and it seems pretty curious that we would already see these figures hitting with no word about the vehicles.
Curious…
Anyway, check out the mirrored images at the HissTank thread, or below.
You know, looking back at 2010, it was a pretty paltry year for G.I. Joe, quantity wise. When you think back 12 months to the end of 2009, we had been absolutely inundated with toys, essentially from July straight through to December, non stop. It was crazy. Then 2010 hit, and there was a sudden lapse in the beginning of the year…a miniature flood of product in the middle of the year, then another short lapse, and we’re now in another mini flood. It seemed to come in bursts.
However, unlike 2009 where we got absolutely drowned in product, yet much of it was the same sort of stuff regurgitated ad nauseum, 2010 gave us much smaller quantity, but a far better quality of toys. The Pursuit of Cobra hit and hit hard, and made a LOT of Joe fans forget all about their misery over the end of the 25th Anniversary line a year ago.
So, wading through this list of toys, I decided to take some time to pick my ten favorites, which are very likely NOT your ten favorites, but hey, that’s what gets discussions started, right?
Click the “Read the Rest of this Entry” link below to check out the full list. (more…)
Thanks to Kenny, who reminded me to get my DVR rolling tonight, I managed to get a promo for next week’s episode of G.I. Joe: Renegades. Episode 8 supposedly will introduce Scrap Iron. The full episode description as found on my Renegades SuperSite is as follows:
“Scrap-Iron kidnaps Tunnel Rat and uses him to test a weaponized exo-suit. Roadblock attempts a rescue by allowing himself to be kidnapped as well.”
From a conceptual standpoint, these Exo-Suits remind me a lot of the SNAKE Armor from the Marvel days. Robotic suits of armor that control the user’s mind…very interesting. Check out the embedded video below.
It’s nice to at least have 30 seconds of Renegades goodness tonight. I think I’m going to have withdrawls…
For many of us today was a vacation day, but the G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club has continued posting their images for the upcoming 2011 G.I. Joe Collectors Convention exclusive figures! The last one in line was Captain Claymore (of course, the one I’ve been looking forward to the most).
He is now up and posted and features all sorts of great features:
25th Anniverary Style Action Figure
Based on Classic TRU Exclusive Character
NEW Headsculpt and NEW Camo Helmet
Includes Stand, Machine Gun w/ bi-pod, Uzi, Removable Flashlight and Backpack
So a new head sculpt and a new camouflage helmet? Could this mean a Footloose is in the works? I certainly wouldn’t be surprised. The Club went with a black shirt it looks like, with the green tactical vest over it and the familiar yellow camouflage pants. I like, though I would have loved to have green camouflage to match Wet Suit and/or Leatherneck. Still, a great looking figure. For the most part, it looks like Outback from the neck down, with the new head. Pretty cool. Check out the images below.
So the fourth wave of the Pursuit of Cobra figures are trickling in, and ShockVal from Hiss Tank got his set in hand already! Not only that, but he’s posted some great images right here.
These new images have shed some light on the figures somewhat… Destro looks to mostly be the Arctic Threat version underneath the armor. Low Light looks to be some amalgamation from Pursuit of Cobra Beachhead and some others.
Regardless, some great pictures, including some without gear, and other images of just the gear. Check out the mirrored images below.
