We’re getting down towards the end of this massive top 10 list, breaking down all of the coolest things we saw in the Concept Case at the 2012 G.I. Joe Convention. Even though I strongly suspect that the G.I. Joe: Renegades vehicles have zero chance of ever being released (and according to JoeDeClassified’s interview with Derryl DePriest, he agrees with me) I can’t help but give them spots on this list.
I already talked about Flint’s Jeep with my number 4 ranking, but here at number 2 I had to focus on the big beast itself.
2 – G.I. Joe: Renegades Coyote
I think most of us fans of the G.I. Joe: Renegades animated series have been dreaming about the eventual release of the Coyote, but realistically I never expected it to happen. Considering the quick dismissal of the excellent Renegades animated series by Hasbro, even considering that they would invest big money in tooling up a new, larger sized vehicle, seems totally out of the realm of possibilities.
That being said, I was so blown away by the look, feel, and playability of the Coyote vehicle shown in the Concept Case, that I just had to mention it within the confines of the Top 10 list. I know it likely won’t be released, but it looks awesome, the press-button play feature is golden, and it would make the perfect endcap for a G.I. Joe: Renegades collection. I think that is perhaps what is so painful about the whole G.I. Joe: Renegades situation. The fact that we may not even get a complete Renegades team (where’s Roadblock, HASBLoowWW/??!1/?) and even if, by some massive stretch of the imagination, we do get Roadblock, there is probably a 2% chance we’ll ever see their trusty vehicle. So close, yet so damn far away.
But that won’t stop me from looking at the pictures of the Coyote from the 2012 G.I. Joe Convention Concept Case and dreaming a little dream…
Getting down to the nitty gritty, which is where you’ll find this particular figure on most people’s want lists. To be honest, if I had been asked a month ago what my most wanted figure would be, this guy would be pretty much have hit the top of the list without any competition.
Well, when Hasbro unveiled the Concept Case at this year’s G.I. Joe Convention suddenly there was a LOT of competition. Vehicles, figures, ideas… it almost relegated this guy to the “been there, done that” pile. But not quite.
One close up look at this figure will tell you that even for folks who don’t really care for the character are still getting a very good G.I. Joe toy.
3 – G.I. Joe: 30th Anniversary Kwinn
Of course one might ask, among a team of heavily armored, heavily equipped, future tech sporting super-soldiers, where does an Eskimo with shorts, a khaki shirt, and a weasel skull necklace fit in? That question has obviously been asked a lot, especially by Hasbro themselves as this poor guy (who is a fully tooled and ready for release figure) still has not gotten an opportunity to be released yet.
I think Hasbro pushed fans near the breaking point when they actually displayed him in a case full of unused (and perhaps never-to-be-used) concepts, but based on conversations with Hasbro at JoeCon, I think chances of Kwinn being released are probably around 85 – 90%. This is not a guy you need to worry about never getting your hands on. Regardless, he still stands proud pretty close to the top of my Top Ten list. Admittedly, though, based on responses I’m seeing from the Concept Case survey, I am in the minority for putting him this far back, which should be good news for all of you Kwinn fans out there.
Along with a couple other fan sites, the guys from JoeDeClassified and JoeBattleLines worked together to talk to Hasbro rep Derryl DePriest at ComicCon last weekend, and has posted the interview online here.
There is some great conversation throughout the entire scope of the interview, especially focusing on the possibilities of more Resolute or Renegades product beyond the scope of the Concept Case stuff, and while the answers certainly aren’t ones that I wanted to hear, it was very intriguing discussion, nonetheless.
Kudos to JoeDeClassified and JBL for gathering together some great discussion points. Check out the full interview here.
I’ve always been much more of an action figure and character guy than a vehicle guy, but even the cynical “vehicles take up too much damn space!” part of me fell in love with some of the vehicle concepts we saw at the G.I. Joe convention. As someone fully in love with G.I. Joe: Renegades, the minute I saw the Coyote and the Jeep in that case, my rational mind was completely overwhelmed by my drooling fanboy mind.
Combine that with the fact that Hasbro designers cited MASK as an inspiration for these vehicles? Sign me up.
4 – Flint’s Jeep from G.I. Joe: Renegades
I think most of us probably figured that the Coyote was in some form of production based on how heavily it was utilized throughout the G.I. Joe: Renegades animated series. Heck, the massive transport truck was practically a character in the show. But I’m fairly certain that the surprise I had at seeing Flint’s military Jeep in there was not only mine. Deco’ed in pretty straight up military greens, with a small light on top, the jeep bares only a passing resemblance to the one used on the show, but more importantly looks like a nicely sized, exceedingly fun play toy.
Combine that with the fact that there is a great button-key system that flips the Jeep from mere transport to gun-toting vehicle of awesomeness, and you have a can’t miss proposition. All I can do is think about what Major Bludd’s car from the animated series could possibly look at in toy form, and all I get all weepy inside.
It is a delicate balancing act between vehicle design, media accuracy, and play features, and by the looks of things, Hasbro hit every single right note with this one, and for that reason, it deserves one of the top spots on my list.
Just wanted to drop a line to remind folks that the Concept Case Survey is still rolling along, and Round 1 will end Friday, July 20th. Responses from Round 1 will be tabulated and I will post the actual SurveyMonkey charting to ensure 100% transparency.
Based on those results, I will set up Round 2 of the Survey to kick off, most likely next Monday, where the winners of Round 1 can face off against each other to get an idea of what the fans want!
Meanwhile, propaganda has started appearing online…the political machine is already at work. Ladies and gentlemen…Joe fans…I encourage you to vote with your hearts. But if you’re easily swayed…
Please be aware, as a neutral party, I believe in equal opportunity…if you have a candidate you want to endorse, find a creative way to express that, and let me know!
From one Convention right into another. Fresh off of our return to normal broadcasting schedule from the 2012 G.I. Joe Convention, the crew from What’s on Joe Mind immediately jumps to the next convention, this time the familiar ComicCon in San Diego.
With not much G.I. Joe news likely there, we bring in Arune Singh to talk about Marvel’s presence there and what we might expect from the House of Ideas. We also bring in Moira Hunger to talk in more detail about the IDW seminar at JoeCon and comic nerdery in general.
But it’s not all about Comics, there is a healthy helping of G.I. Joe talk as well. Check out our latest episode on our Podbean Page, or via the embedded players below. Show notes as always are after the jump.
