Hot Topics In the Toy World

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LATEST DISCUSSIONS:

  • Masters of the Askewniverse: I am not the biggest fan of Masters of the Universe. I had a few figures as a child, but the bulky builds and lack of articulation always made them things to play with when I couldn’t find other toys. However, I am a huge Kevin Smith fan, which puts me in a quandary. Watch, or don’t watch? Click Here.
  • A New Joe Film In Development? The new Snake Eyes movie has yet to be unleashed upon the world, but there is already chatter about the next G.I. Joe sequel. Does a continuing movie calendar mean more toys on the shelves? Click Here.
  • G.I. Joe Classified Wave 2? I’ve seen a couple of sites now that have analyzed the movie poster for an idea of what a second wave of 6-inch Classified G.I. Joe figures may be coming next. This one is much more thorough than the others. Click Here.

LINKS TO GREATNESS:

Banned of Brothers (discussion)

O-Ring and General Toy (discussion)

Lanard Corps (lists and discussion)

OGToys (ebay, IG, Twitter)

Forgotten Figures

G.I. Joe 365 Project (art, ART, ART!!!)

Black Major (Love the guy, but won’t provide his links unless he requests them. Respect!)

YoJoe Figure Archives (who doesn’t love these references?)

Hot Topics In the Toy World

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LATEST DISCUSSIONS:

  • Hector Garrido: There are news reports going around about the passing of Hector Garrido, who not only did a lot of the paint/artwork on G.I. Joe packaging, but did art for novels as well, including pieces of our childhood, such as Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Click Here.
  • 6″ Declassified Joes: Does anyone have any suggestions on what would be the best 6″ scale Sgt Slaughter to add to the G.I. Joe Classified series figures? Click Here.
  • SDCC: I just saw that the San Diego Comic Con was cancelled. That is going to make a lot of people unhappy, though I hope that everyone already anticipated the cancellation and planned accordingly. How is this going to impact you? Are there any other conventions you plan to go to, or have already been cancelled? What exclusives will still be sold online? Click Here.
  • Tiger King: I cannot stand Joe Exotic and the continued over-exposure of this Netflix garbage. Am I the only one who feels this way? And now Topps is creating a Garbage Pail Kid run for the series. Click Here.

LINKS TO GREATNESS:

Banned of Brothers (discussion)

O-Ring and General Toy (discussion)

Lanard Corps (lists and discussion)

OGToys (ebay, IG, Twitter)

Forgotten Figures

G.I. Joe 365 Project (art, ART, ART!!!)

Black Major (Love the guy, but won’t provide his links unless he requests them. Respect!)

YoJoe Figure Archives (who doesn’t love these references?)

Corps! Elite – Walmart Exclusive 3-Packs [2018]

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I was never really a Corps! action figure fan growing up. In fact, I do not really recall seeing G.I. Joe’s distant cousins until 2007 or so. This is when I began my second foray into collecting Joes after spotting Snake Eyes facing off with a much more modern looking Storm Shadow in a comic book advertisement. My first historic search for action figures on eBay not only resulted in all of those wonderful gems from my childhood, but these horrible, barrel-chested reserves made by Lanard.

As I launched headlong into re-collecting Joes (modern first, then vintage 1:18th scale figures), I filtered out all of those off-brand, Lanard military flunk outs and maintained my focus on a singular collecting point. Eventually, something odd began to happen. The more I saw o-ring figures from the ARAH line, the more the Lanard Corps! figures began to blend in and feel a bit more like home. Gone were the days of odd-shaped heads and turnip-shaped torsos pushing me away from the line. Rather, three-wheeled motorcycles and futuristic looking space-age football players (I don’t see him as a Capt. America type, as so many others do) with wacky names like Steve Wyoming began to demand my attention.

Ultimately, I gave in to the desire and began buying lots (and LOTS) of Corps! lots online. They were cheap, plentiful, and seemingly unwanted. I bought an entire collection off a friend. I began to store them in gallon bags. Then in huge drums. Well, 2 huge bins at least. And while collecting these wonderful o-ring rejects, their modern day counterparts started to beckon as well.

G.I. Joe’s migration from o-ring to New Sculpt (Joe vs. Cobra, Valor vs. Venom, etc…) was fairly ugly, bulky, and most just do not look natural (yes, I collect them anyway, and yes, there is some gold in them ‘thar hills). However, their migration from New Sculpt to the modern era of 25th anniversary style was a thing of beauty. Corps! made the migration along a much rockier trail, leaving me devoid of any interest in collecting their modern offerings. But something happened along the way.

Over the past couple of years, Corps! figures have taken on better articulation, better details and sculpting, and revamped design. Lanard has picked up several monster movie licenses, which has likely brought in more revenue to help infuse their military figure line. And that is great for the collector’s market. If you take a look at Corps! offerings that Walmart current offers as exclusive three-packs, there are some wonderful figures at a great price points; you can even buy online using coupons from Raise. Locally, these packs are selling for $5.00, making each figure less than $2.00. Each comes with a weapon or two, and a small, one man vehicle is included as a throw-in. You are getting four toys for less than the price of your diabetes burger at McEverywhere!

I didn’t intend to turn this into a discourse on why a line of toys that I once actively filtered out of my searches ended up being something that I actively collect, but it appears to have become that exact kind of writing. Rather than add even more words and driving hits away from the site with unattactive verbosity, click through and look at the pictures of 2018’s figures, and see if they make a space of their own in your toyverse.

From the desk of co-founder Flint…

On the sixteenth anniversary of 9/11 current GI Joe writer Aubrey Sitterson (@aubreysitterson) took to Twitter to offer his own brand of social commentary. The reaction on social media was, as I can only guess, exactly what he intended. He is a “social medial consultant” after all, so it’s hard to imagine that such comments were meant to be innocuous.

The response to Sitterson’s tweet ranged from utter contempt to full support among fans. Some fans felt that Sitterson was not properly representing the GI Joe property with his comments, while others countered that using one’s freedom of speech embodies the ideals of a Real American Hero.

And of course, within a few tweets the name-calling, side taking and what is affectionately known as, nerd rage, ensued. Demands rang out for the publisher of the current GI Joe comic, IDW, to take swift action to remedy this perceived slight, and Sitterson’s supporters fired back. The back and forth, on both sides, has really gotten ugly and personal. Ain’t social media grand?

There is part of me that wants to throw OG13’s hat in the ring, and take a side on this matter. But I am not going to do that. For one, OG13 isn’t mine. It belongs to every one of the members who have posted here, past and present (even the ones we’ve banned. I think there was that one guy once), and I would never presume to speak for all of them. Instead, I would ask that all of the OG13 family make their own informed decision and act accordingly with their own moral compass pointed solidly due north.

If you decide that you want to stop buying IDW titles, or just ones that Sitterson writes, have at it. Money is power, and there is no greater protest than simply not buying what you don’t like.

We’ve had members write letters to IDW stating their opinions and asking for consideration as members of the GI Joe community. I’ve been privy to a few of the letters and e-mails too. Some are pretty powerful…..some are just hateful rants.

Others have taken to social media to loudly proclaim their feelings and thoughts.

Let’s not forgot those lurkers who are sitting back content to keep their thoughts to themselves and watch the rest of us press on (we know you’re there. Hi!).

I do caution our members on acting recklessly, however.  A poorly conceived (or maybe just poorly conveyed) message started this whole whirlwind. Be better than that, act with purpose and do not become incensed beyond the capability of rational thought if you don’t get exactly what you demand. Think critically about why you don’t support Sitterson’s comment, or conversely why you may support it, and convey your message with passion and resolve. Far too often we blurt forth our comments from a raw, emotional place without knowing why we feel that way. Convey the why. Why are you pissed off? Explain why! Don’t resort to name-calling and trite labels (right wing, left wing, conservative, liberal…horseshit, half of the people who spew these forth don’t understand the meaning anyway).

Pick a fight because it’s a fight worth picking, not simply because you can.

 

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***the above comment is that of co-founder Flint of OG13 and do not constitute a formal response or position from www.OG13.com ***

But I still have access to the admin page so I get to rant on the front page for a minute I guess.

OG13 Alum Score Win at Joe Con 2017!!

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OG13 represented HARD in the custom contests at Joe Con 2017

Miles Mayhem scored 2nd place for his Abandoned Rolling Thunder.

Miles

Ozzie92 scored 2nd in the Frankenjoes contest with Dr. Isotope.

FrankenJoe

Ian Lalonde (also known as Ian, lol) scored a 3rd for small diorama with his stellar updated Fang copter, as well as a 3rd place with Payload in the Frankenjoes.

Ian

Well done guys!!

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Vote NOW for September’s Custom of the Month!

custom of the month

 

To celebrate September’s passing, eight customs go head-to-head in a grueling 5 day battle to determine their superiority and claim the title of Custom of the Month! Let’s show our support for all these fine customs by casting your votes. Check the nomination list and pics below, and you can follow the individual links for more, but be sure to return here to vote!

Voting is single choice, so make yours count!

Voting is single choice, so make yours count! 

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Nerds With Attitude Podcast: Episodes 31 & 32

From Danny Boy to Fragnarock, we’ve got what you want to hear! Even if you don’t realize you want to hear it!

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We have a two-fer for you today! First up:

Episode 31: Oh Danny boy, the nerds, the nerds are calling. In this action packed episode we sit down with Danny Soler, OG NWA member. We’re talking Stranger Things, Rogue One and GI Joe subscription figures. All this and more from the upside down. Click here for episode 31!

… and if that weren’t enough, our latest masterpiece:

Episode 32: Fragnarock! Live long and prosper nerds! It’s a new episode. Kevin, Miggs, Scott, Andrew and Brian helm their battle stations and set news articles for stun. They’ve got superhero news from the big and small screen, tech updates, toy reviews and so much more. So boldly go and listen to this episode!

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Vote NOW for June’s Custom of the Month!

custom of the month

 

To celebrate June’s passing, seven customs go head-to-head in a grueling 5 day battle to determine their superiority and claim the title of Custom of the Month! Let’s show our support for all these fine customs by casting your votes. Check the nomination list and pics VIA THE LINK below, and you can follow the individual links for more, but be sure to vote!

Voting is single choice, so make yours count!

Voting is single choice, so make yours count! 

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