The lastest installment of the Full Force podcast is now online, as the boys are joined by members of the What’s on Joe Mind crew to talk about the year that was in 2015. Lots of news to cover, lots of great Joe talk, both foreign and domestic, and a whole lot of G.I. Joe podcasting fun.
Check out the latest episode on the Podbean page, or embedded below.
The G.I. Joe Kindle Worlds joint project G.I. Joe: Legacy continues this weekend with Bill Nedrow’s installment, focusing on Stiletto! This is book 2 in a four book series, following on the heels of Jim Beard’s story focusing on Marcus.
It’s a great project, and the first two installments have been very enjoyable to read. Yours truly will be penning the third book, followed by Troy Osgood in the four slot.
Check out G.I. Joe: Legacy Book 2 on Amazon right now, and be sure to get caught up with Book 1 as well. Each novella focuses on a particular decade, so get ready for the Neon Nineties coming up next month.
That’s right…the day has almost arrived! Boss Fight Studio sent out a Kickstarter update letting all of us excited Vitruvian HACKS fans know that the first shipment of these fantastic looking figures may be shipped to them within the next TWO DAYS.
In fact, that update was a few days ago, and we’ve now received confirmation from Boss Fight, that packages are indeed ON THE WAY! Boxes will be air dropped to Boss Fight HQ, where they will be packed and shipped to eager and waiting Kickstarter backers.
Great news! Along with this great update, they’ve sent along some excellent pictures from the factory floor, showing the latest update of this product. The time grows near!
Hi Boss-Fighters!
The first shipment is on its way from Shenzhen, China to BFS HQ in Massachusetts! This shipment contains Spartan, Stone Spartan, Medusa, Coral Gorgon, Black Racer, Talos, Gray Male Blank, and Fire Orange Male Blank. Production will finish on the remaining items after Chinese New Year and we’ll keep you updated on the progress. In the meantime, please enjoy these photos of V-HACKS getting packed and shipped!
Best,
BFS
Meanwhile, hit up Boss Fight Shop to stock up on any figures you may have missed, prices are great, and stock is running low.
In the 1960’s Hasbro, quite simply, wasn’t what it is today. Beginning in 1923, the Hassenfeld brothers formed a company selling textile remnants, then migrated to school supplies, and finally, in the 1940’s spun off into producing toys. In 1952 with the arrival of Mr. Potato Head, they finally had a big toy brand to call their own.
Meanwhile, Mattel was rolling hard and strong with Barbie, and while Hasbro was doing okay, it wasn’t in the same league as its west coast competition.
Then came 1963. Then came the revelation that they could do what Mattel is doing and make a Barbie…but make it a Barbie for boys.
G.I. Joe was born.
Pitched in 1963, the brand depended on a successful reception at Toy Fair in New York City to spring forward into production. Deals were made in New York, not in the backrooms in the months leading up to what is now essentially a press event. Brands literally lived and died by their presentation.
It all came down to this.
With the above film reel from 1963, Hasbro officially convinced American retailers to buy into this brand. In 1964 and 1965 G.I. Joe made up 75% of Hasbro’s sales, and while it dipped in the late 70’s, it rebounded in the 80s to become the first multi-media toyline release with a cartoon, comic book, and landmark series of highly articulated action figures all hitting at once. It was an incredible feat of marketing the likes of which had never been seen before, and have rarely been replicated to such perfection even 30+ years later.
It all came down to that nine minute video. The concept of Action Figures was born there, and lives on today.
Today, three decades later, G.I. Joe remains one of the most recognized American icons and toy brands around the world.
Yo Joe indeed!
It feels like forever since I’ve been able to say this, but a new episode of the What’s on Joe Mind podcast is HERE.
Rescued from technical purgatory by our esteemed editor Gary, the 46th Special Edition focused on the fun of JoeCon 2015 in Springfield, Illinois! It’s a review of the excellent 2015 G.I. Joe Convention hot on the heels of the four day foray into G.I. Joe fun and nerdery.
Go check out this latest special edition on our Podbean page, or check it out embedded below.
Last year, the G.I. Joe Collectors Club strongly indicated that they would provide a hint to the 2015 G.I. Joe Convention set in the Diamond Solicitation of their convention comic.
Sure enough, in the comic, an ad for the 2015 G.I. Joe Convention appeared, complete with a tiger pattern on the background. As we all know, last year’s set had Tiger Force elements.
Fast forward to this year… the Diamond Solicitation of the JoeCon comic hit shops last week, and there is another G.I. Joe Convention advertisement… but the background is different:
That’s right, it’s the clear blue sky.
Now, the G.I. Joe Collectors Club never stated this year’s comic would contain a hint to the JoeCon set, but if we’re to go by previous years, they could be throwing us a bone here.
Could we be seeing Sky Patrol in 2016?
And if so, who would they be facing off against? The G.I. Joe newsletter has been featuring Action Force pretty heavily, but I’m not sure how Action Force dovetails with Sky Patrol (especially considering they’re both good guys).
Who knows, the whole thing could be a red herring, but it’s certainly going to make for some interesting speculation. Hopefully we’ll hear more details about the 2016 G.I. Joe Con set soon! Keep watching GeneralsJoes and GIJoeClub.co for the latest info.
What’s to come after the COBRA World Order is still up for grabs, but IDW has provided their solicitation list for April, 2016 which reveals a bit more information on what’s to come in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero going forward. Also check out the details of Transformers vs. G.I. Joe and Street Fighter X G.I. Joe!
Street Fighter X G.I. JOE #3 (of 6)
Aubrey Sitterson (w) • Emilio Laiso (a) • Zach Howard (c)
With the first round of duels settled, the World Warrior Tournament enters the quarterfinals! But can the forces of G.I. Joe and their Street Fighter allies remain in the fight long enough to take down M. Bison himself? The time for titanic tussles has arrived!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Street Fighter X G.I. JOE #3 (of 6)—Subscription Variant
Aubrey Sitterson (w) • Emilio Laiso (a) • Chris Evenhuis (c)
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Bullet points:
Transformers vs G.I. JOE #12
Tom Scioli, John Barber (w) • Scioli (a & c)
WELCOME TO THE TERROR DROME! As the forces of COBRA plot a treacherous move, OPTIMUS PRIME descends in to CYBERTRONIAN hell in search of the MATRIX. They say the sun also rises… but will it be friend or foe?!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Transformers vs G.I. JOE #12—Subscription Variant
Tom Scioli, John Barber (w) • Scioli (a) • Giannis Milogiannis (c)
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Bullet points:
G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #227: Cobra Nation, Part 2
Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant (a & c)
Cobra Commander’s plan would be going perfectly—If he hadn’t messed with the wrong people: his own members of Cobra! Now Destro, Zartan, The Baroness, Tomax and Xamot want something from Cobra Commander… and if he wants his COBRA NATION to succeed, he’ll have to do just as they say!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #227: Cobra Nation, Part 2—Art Appreciation Variant
Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant (a) • Juan Carlos Ruiz (c)
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Bullet points:
The COBRA World Order moves at a rapid pace, with both Chuckles and Cover Girl wounded in action, the political machinations churn onward.
The latest installment of this series comes to your local comic shop tomorrow. Check out the preview below!
G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #224: COBRA WORLD ORDER Part 6
Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant (a) • Stephen Mooney (c)
Snake in the Grass! Just when G.I. JOE thinks its safe, COBRA reveals another layer to the Cobra World Order, as a close ally is revealed as a traitor. Can G.I. JOE survive this betrayal?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Bullet points:
All the way back in the mid 80s, during Season 3 of the Transformers animated series, the Sunbow writers made their clear link between the G.I. Joe and Transformers universes by introducing both Marissa Faireborn (daughter of Flint and Lady Jaye) and even more directly bringing forth the character of “Old Snake” a mysterious former terrorist who looked and sounded remarkably like COBRA Commander. Leveraging the whole idea of Synthoids only went to further that story.
For the first time ever, we get an Old Snake figure in the G.I. Joe scale, courtesy of the G.I. Joe and Transformers Collectors Club, and I’ve posted my review on the G.I. Joe Collectors Club review page. You can also click the direct link below.
Do you like your peanut butter in your chocolate? Some do, some don’t, but whatever your preference, the G.I. Joe and Transformers Collectors Clubs have taken steps to offer exclusives linking together the universes of G.I. Joe and Transformers, and their first entry into that world is Marissa Faireborn w/ Afterbreaker.
Actually released earlier last year, I only got the opportunity to pick this figure up a month or so ago, and am now getting around to the review. You can check out the review on the G.I. Joe Collectors Club review page, or the direct link below.
