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Top 10 G.I. Joe Toys of 2015

The last couple of years as I sat down to write this up, I think ‘oh, this will be easy this year…there was barely any product’!

Then I go through all of my reviews over the past 12 months and realize that for a line that is supposedly on prolonged life support, we still got some GREAT stuff in 2015. Really great stuff.

Now, I migrated to a new review system in 2015, one that makes calculating review scores a bit more granular. But, I’ll be honest… I still went by the seat of my pants on this rundown, and looked at these figures from the perspective of a 100 mile view. It can be tough to write up a review “hot off the presses” right when I get a figure in hand, because honestly, that’s often when I’m in love the most. It can be tough to be impartial that close to the newness of that toy for the first time.

So I whittled down the list and ultimately looked at figures that I could step away from for a little while and gauge my appreciation.

The results are after the break.

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The Full Force Series 2 Episode 6 is online

It’s a Christmas miracle! Those fine British folks celebrate the holidays with a Christmas themed episode covering all the latest end of year G.I. Joe and Action Force news and notes!

Also starting in this episode, the news will be brought to you by GeneralsJoes.com. Hear my dulcet tones as I reveal the latest news from the world of G.I. Joe and hand it off to the Full Force guys for discussion.

There’s a LOT to talk about with this episode, so make sure you head over to the Podbean site to check it out. The latest episode is also embedded below.

Keep your eyes on the Full Force Facebook Page for contest information and for the latest show notes.

FUULLL FOOOOOOORRRRRCE!

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Top 10 G.I. Joe News Stories of 2015

At any given time throughout 2015 it felt like a pretty slow news year for G.I. Joe, but as always, when you stop and look back, suddenly things don’t look quite so small.

Granted G.I. Joe product at retail was pretty much focused to a singular burst in late summer as the 50th Anniversary exploded, then faded, even though we got Convention product and FSS figures earlier in the year. With all that being said, it still feels like there were plenty of “banner moments” in G.I. Joe news for the year that was.

News was breaking right up until the last moment, and I’m actually a bit worried that if I post this prior to December 31st I might end up missing something!

Click the “read more” link below to check out the full list!

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What does the future hold for the G.I. Joe Collectors Club?

A few months ago word emerged that Hasbro had signed a deal with an International convention holder focused on developing a worldwide “Transformers Experience” and many folks feared what that meant for an annual Botcon. I’ll be honest, I kind of glossed over it myself, thinking that it was probably an entirely separate type of thing.

I might have been wrong.

According to AllSpark, word has emerged that the G.I. Joe and Transformers Collectors Club may be ending their agreement with Hasbro by the end of 2016.

There is no official word on this, so take it with a huge grain of salt right now, but a look at the Terms and Conditions on the Collectors Club membership renewals reveals the following:

Please note that at this time we are only accepting memberships and renewals for the 2016 calendar year.  All memberships will end with the December 2016 issue.  For example:  if your  membership renewal has a February start date, you will receive the FREE membership figure in the late spring along with 11 monthly issues.   If your membership renewal has a March start date, you will receive the FREE membership figure in the late spring and 10 monthly issues.  

You read that right, all memberships, regardless of when they were signed, are destined to expire at the end of 2016. That certainly seems to indicate 2016 as some cut off date for the joint agreement between Fun Publications and Hasbro.

As I said, there is NO official word on this yet and likely won’t be for a little while, but some puzzle pieces are starting to fit together, and the picture they’re painting isn’t a great one.

I know what a lot of people will think. A lot of people will think that this is great news, they’re tired of Fun Pub, it’s time to move on. But I think those same people need to stop and think ‘what are we moving on to?’

Whether you like them or not, Fun Publications was reponsible for over 30 G.I. Joe items in 2015, more than doubling Hasbro’s own Toys “R” Us exclusive product. Once that agreement ends (if it indeed does) what does that mean for future product?

I don’t think it means anything good.

Stay tuned for more on this developing story.

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Previews for IDW G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #222 and Transformers vs G.I. Joe #10

Two new G.I. Joe issues from IDW Publishing hit comic shops tomorrow as the COBRA World Order continues in A Real American Hero #222 and the capers of the Transformers and G.I. Joe dive further into strangeness in Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #10.  Check out the previews below!

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #222: COBRA WORLD ORDER Part 4

Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant (a) • Phil Jimenez (c)

Cobra finally insinuates itself into the highest positions in the US government, while G.I. Joe approaches the highest powers in the pentagon for aid in the fight. But help comes from an unexpected ally that reveals the true nature of the COBRA WORLD ORDER!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:

  • COBRA WORLD ORDER comes to a head—COBRA’S true plan is finally revealed!

Transformers vs G.I. JOE #10

Tom Scioli, John Barber (w) • Scioli (a & c)

REMEMBER US?! The most titanic tale of the twenty-first century takes an unexpected twist—BUT WHEN HAS TRANSFORMERS VS. G.I. JOE DONE ANY LESS?! Expect the unexpected—then throw your expectations out the window!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:

  • Boom!
  • BOOM!
  • BOOOOOOOM!

IDW G.I. Joe title Solicitations for March, 2016

We’re neck deep in COBRA World Order, but still looking ahead to March to see where G.I. Joe might be next!  Check out all of the latest G.I. Joe oriented solicitation info from IDW below!

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G.I. JOE Deviations One-Shot—GEM OF THE MONTH

Paul Allor (w) • Corey Lewis (a & c)

In a world… where COBRA rules the planet! COBRA COMMANDER’s forces have won, the entire planet Earth now submits to COBRA rule… but the burdens of ruling over billions of people make COBRA COMMANDER anxious to the good old days. And he decides there’s just one group that can bring chaos back to this totalitarian order: G.I. JOE!

FC • 40 pages • $4.99

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G.I. JOE Deviations One-Shot—Subscription Variant

Paul Allor (w) • Corey Lewis (a) • Brian Shearer (c)

FC • 40 pages • $4.99

Bullet points:

  • Extra-length one-shot!
  • Find out what happens in a world… where COBRA turns the table on G.I. JOE… but they can’t wait to bring them back!
  • Part of IDW’s Deviations 5-week event!

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G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #226: Cobra Nation, Part 1

Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant (a & c)

G.I. Joe believes it can rest easy after stopping the COBRA WORLD ORDER… but they must now face a war at home as Cobra Commander amasses followers and maneuvers his hidden agents in order to turn the US into a COBRA NATION!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

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G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #226: Cobra Nation, Part 1—Subscription Variant

Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant (a) • Adam Riches (c)

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:

  • A new storyline will see G.I. JOE fighting on their home turf!
  • THE COBRA NATION WILL RISE UP!

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G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero, Vol. 14

Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant  (a) • Paul Pope (c)

G.I. JOE has been fighting the evil forces of COBRA for decades, but now COBRA is ready to unleash its master plan on an unsuspecting G.I. JOE, in “Cobra World Order!” Collects the prelude issue #0 and issues #219–221.

TPB • FC • $17.99 • 100 pages • ISBN: 978-1-63140-554-9

Bullet points:

  • The beginning of a new G.I. JOE epic tale!

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Street Fighter X G.I. JOE #2 (of 6)

Aubrey Sitterson (w) • Emilio Laiso (a) • Kagan McLeod (c)

The second day of the tournament pitting Street Fighter vs. G.I. JOE begins! Destro and M. Bison team up to provide Cobra with the ultimate weapon… but Guile, Snake Eyes, Ryu and Storm Shadow have a plan of their own to stop the Shadaloo tyrant. The World Warrior tournament heats up for the Street Fighter team and G.I. JOE alike!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

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Street Fighter X G.I. JOE #2 (of 6)Subscription Variant

Aubrey Sitterson (w) • Emilio Laiso (a) • Nick Pitarra (c)

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:

  • Your favorite Street Fighter characters face off against G.I. JOE for the first time ever!
  • Variant cover by Matthew Waite!

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