by generalsjoes | Jul 18, 2010 | Exclusives, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Reviews, G.I. Joe Toys, GeneralsJoes Review A Rama, Sigma 6 (8" Scale)
Another day, another review…but maybe this one’s cheating, I dunno.
I wrote up a review for the Canadian G.I. Joe Collectors’ Newsletter about a month ago on the JoeCustoms Convention Exclusive Lt. Stone figure. I’d always planned to get the review up on the site as well, just hadn’t gotten to it yet… until now.
Produced for JoeCon on a yearly basis, some enterprising folks from JoeCustoms.com have taken it upon themselves to do up some custom figures, but you have to be at the convention in person to pick them up. Of course, being the crazed Sigma 6 fan that I am, I was ecstatic to hear that Lt. Stone was getting the Real American Hero treatment this time around.
Check out the review in the Exclusives section, or just hit it up right here.
And if you want a chance to own one of these special figures in person, or just get to know the cool guys who make ’em, make JoeCustoms.com a regular hang out. Trust me, you’ll learn something new every day. Sometimes things you never even wanted to know.
by generalsjoes | Jul 17, 2010 | G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Toys, G.I. Joe: The Movie, GeneralsJoes Review A Rama
Hey, I said the Review-A-Rama would post a review a day…I never specified weekends off! So yes, it’s Saturday, and yes, there is another review posted for your viewing pleasure.
Gyre-Viper very kindly took the reigns during yesterday’s update with his awesome introspective with Bill Merklein, but today, we’re back to the more familiar formula. Check out the Rise of Cobra Review page, or just peek at the review itself right here.
by generalsjoes | Jul 16, 2010 | G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary, GeneralsJoes Review A Rama
So when I kicked off this nearly month-long review fest, I posted a public plea for any guest reviewers who wanted to pitch in…and someone has stepped up in a big way.
Although not a traditional review necessarily, Gyre-Viper took this opportunity to do something very cool. Through his time as a Joe fan, he’s made some connections, and one of those connections was with Bill Merklein. Bill Merklein is probably not a name most folks know, but believe me, you absolutely know his work. This is the man who sculpted somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 2-ups of some of the most treasured figures and characters in the vintage G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line up.
Probably one of his most infamous works, though, was a sculpt that he did for Rocky Balboa, another planned mail away exclusive that never came to pass.
Well, just for GeneralsJoes, Gyre-Viper called up Bill Merklein and spoke with him about his experience with Hasbro, and specifically his experience with the Rocky Balboa project, and he has decided to share this with the audience here. A very, very cool move, and one that I’m happy to be able to spread the word about.
Sometimes I don’t feel like there is enough appreciation of the “time gone by” and the history of G.I. Joe or the people involved. It is so awesome to get a behind the scenes look like this, and I really want to thank Gyre-Viper for making it happen. Click the “Read the Rest of this Entry” link below to check it all out, YouTube links and all. Just as a note, the YouTube videos are audio only, but still crammed with very cool information.
I could listen to this over and over…a huge thanks to Gyre-Viper and especially to Bill Merklein for not only taking the time here, but for lending his awesome talents to sculpting and designing some legendary toys that have created a devoted following nearly three decades later.
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by generalsjoes | Jul 15, 2010 | G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Toys, G.I. Joe: The Movie, GeneralsJoes Review A Rama
The GeneralsJoes July review-a-thon continues today with the third vehicle in the nearly unreleased G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Alpha Wave 3 vehicles. Check out the review page to see my thoughts on the Tiger Claw w/ Leatherneck!
by generalsjoes | Jul 14, 2010 | G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Toys, G.I. Joe: The Movie, GeneralsJoes Review A Rama
The July “Review-A-Rama” continues! You didn’t think G.I. Joe: Origins #17 was the only review I was going to do today, did you? 😉
I covered the Rise of Cobra Lavapod yesterday, and today I bring you a review for the Desert Rockslide w/ Dusty! I was not a huge fan of the Rockslide in Wave 1, but for some reason I am really liking this set a lot more than I thought I would. I’m not a big desert environment fan, I’m not a big Rockslide fan, yet I find some appeal in this one. Maybe it’s just in comparison with the Lavapod… whatever the reason, check out all of my thoughts right here!
by generalsjoes | Jul 14, 2010 | G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, GeneralsJoes Review A Rama, IDW
Now we’re getting somewhere. As the G.I. Joe titles have somewhat plodded along over the past 18 months, fans were wondering just where we were headed. Chuck Dixon seemed to be having a tough time getting his feet under him and figuring out a concrete direction or what the end goal of this whole adventure is.
But over the past few months, things have kind of started falling into place. Over in the main book things really picked up steam as Cobra became a more focal part of the G.I. Joe universe. The whole conspiracy theory concept with Dataframe and Snake Eyes got the ball rolling, and now G.I. Joe is making an active push towards uncovering the Cobra mystery. Characters are starting to come into focus and the layers are at least starting to be pulled back somewhat.
Meanwhile, in the G.I. Joe: Origins book, we’re getting some neat looks into the past of various members of G.I. Joe and Cobra…and with Issues #16 – 18 I think IDW had their work cut out for them. Zartan is both an icon and a mystery when it comes to his backstory. Is he superhuman? Is it all technology? A genetic disorder, or a mixture of all of the above? Which angle would IDW take and how would they explore his abilities and talents?
The answer? They’ve woven an interesting, captivating, and awesome backstory for the Cobra Master of Disguise that I have already fallen in love with. In Issue #16, they gave us Zartan’s background as an emotionless mercenary who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. They tied Zartan into Cobra, and then, right as things were getting going, he was disintegrated. Or was he?
Issue #17 picks up right where last issue left off…and to avoid any spoilers, I’ll continue the review after the jump.
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