by generalsjoes | Nov 24, 2010 | 12" Scale, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Reviews, G.I. Joe Toys, Sideshow, Sideshow Reviews
Yeah, I’m well aware that this figure has been out for a while, and we’ve gotten Flint and Beachhead since he was released…I’m a bit behind the times. But when I had an opportunity to pick up a Sideshow Duke, I decided to jump on it, if only for iconic reasons. At this point I’ve accepted the fact that I’m never going to own every Sideshow figure, it’s just not in the budget. So, for that reason, I figure I have to be choosy and grab the impactful characters. Duke certainly fits that bill.
I’ve reviewed a few Sideshow figures already, Snake Eyes and the Cobra Trooper. I had somewhat mixed results from the two of them, and honestly, Duke totally blows them out of the water. Great articulation, very nice design, awesome accessories…this one is the total package.
You can read the full review right here.
by generalsjoes | Nov 11, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been enthusiastically following the G.I. Joe: Cobra ongoing series, even as it deviates from the more standard Cobra coverage and goes into the Coil’s more “cult like” tendencies. I really enjoy this dynamic between the underground almost supernatural cult angle and the polished brick & mortar corporate structure, and somehow make them all mesh together in a seamless way.
I’m not sure they quite pulled it off by the end of this arc, but they did tell a pretty interesting tale. I’ll be honest, though, I’m ready to move along and see what Chuckles has in store for us starting again with issue #10.
To avoid spoilers, I will continue the review after the jump.
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by generalsjoes | Nov 10, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
During New York ComicCon it was revealed that the G.I. Joe: Origins title was going to be fading away, and to be honest, I wasn’t extremely bothered by the news. Sure, it’s one less G.I. Joe title on the shelves, but beyond snippets into the backgrounds of various characters, what were we really missing?
Well, then I remembered Issues #16 – 18…the Zartan origin. That was good stuff. Very good stuff. Probably the best three issue run during the Origins series, which is pretty ironic, considering it was written by Chuck Dixon, who has been infamous for his up and down roller coaster through the main G.I. Joe title.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the Hama stuff at the beginning, but I’m ready to start moving on. I’m ready to start evolving the story, and not continuing to mull about in the past. Origins going away was no big shakes. What was more important to me was how was it going to leave?
Well, turns out, as one of the last stories to run within G.I. Joe: Origins, the mysterious tale of Michael Monk might just end the series on a very high note.
To avoid spoilers, click the “Read the rest of the story” link below for the full review.
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by generalsjoes | Nov 1, 2010 | G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary, G.I. Joe Reviews, Miscellaneous Reviews
Most G.I. Joe fans who have been around know the name Mark Bellomo. Long time G.I. Joe fan, toy authority, and writer of the Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe Volume 1 and the Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe: Volume 2, Mr. Bellomo has been around the block for a long time, and is about as well educated a toy guy as I’ve met in my decades within this industry.
As such, whenever he’s producing a new volume, I always pay close attention. This time around, he chose not to focus on a singular toyline and instead broadened his attention to an entire decade, working with Krause Publications to release Totally Tubular Toys of the 80’s.
I’ve gotten my hands on this fine new book, and I’ve posted a review for it right here. Trust me, if you’re a child of the 80’s, you want this book. If you know a child of the 80’s, you want this book. If you just like the toys from the 80’s, you want this book. A terrific read that manages to go above and beyond mere toys, and really look at the entire commercial structure of our favorite decade.
Check out the review here.
And if you like the looks of the book, keep your eyes peeled to GeneralsJoes this week, as I’ll be interviewing the author Mark Bellomo and posting it later this week. He’s a smart guy who knows the industry well, and always has some great insight. It’ll be a must read, I guarantee it.
by generalsjoes | Oct 26, 2010 | G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary, G.I. Joe Reviews, G.I. Joe Toys, Miscellaneous Reviews, Pursuit of COBRA
So, yeah, those 25th Anniversary stands are cool and all, with the names plastered on ’em. But how useful are they really? With that funky tiered shape, and a pretty small area for actual feet to be placed, I’ve had my share of frustration with them. But SmallJoes is to the rescue!
With a couple of decades of experience with figure stands, the SmallJoes guys have engineered a nicely sized, well balanced, and 4-pegged figure stand (in black and clear!) to use with most modern era action figures, including G.I. Joe, Star Wars, Marvel, and others. They were kind enough to send me a nice sampling, and I have reviewed them right here.
Short answer? They’re great. They’re the same size and overall shape as the G.I. Joe ones, yet manage to cram in a lot more flexibility and functionality. Can’t go wrong.
by generalsjoes | Oct 4, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
Even after reading just the first issue of G.I. Joe: Cobra way back when, I knew we were in for something special. A very gritty take on the G.I. Joe universe, it presented heroes and villains with the lines of their morality completely blurred and had Chuckles going way into the dark in order to get the job done.
When it was announced that G.I. Joe: Cobra would be an ongoing series starting this year, I will admit, I was a bit conflicted. Would the series really be able to keep its legs as a monthly title? How could the universe retain its darkness and complexity of personalities going month-to-month? Well, to answer those questions…no, it can’t quite maintain the same level of darkness, but that doesn’t mean it gets any worse. To read the full review hit the jump below. Spoilers abound.
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