2015 GI Joe Convention Reveals.

I just wanted to jot down a few thoughts and organize a list of what was shown this year at the annual GI Joe Convention this year.  I wasn't there, unfortunately so I don't have images to show off of my own. Rather, let me lay out what I understand was revealed.

San Diego ComicCon exclusives:

• GI Joe "Crimson Strike" vehicle set - stunning silver and crimson Crimson Guard-themed repaint of the 30th Sky Striker, this time as a Cobra Vehicle along with a repaint of the 25th HISS tank with a new, futuristic turret gun in army green as a weapon of GI Joe.  The Sky Striker has been renamed the Cobra Scythe and the Hiss the GI Joe Chimera. Figures include new versions of: A.V.A.C, Alley Viper Officer, Steeler, and Grunt.  - will be available at SDCC at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at a retail estimate of ($99.99)

• GI Joe "Desert Duel" vehicle set - Repaint of the GI Joe Snow Cat , er, Wolfhound in purple, red, and silver decor called the Cobra Basilisk and a new, militarized and upgraded version of the AWE Striker called the GI Joe FOE Striker that includes the minigun from the Retaliation VAMP II and a tent.  Figures include a desert camo Chuckles resembling his IDW appearance and a repaint of the Crimson Horseman figure in purple, silver, and black dubbed the Elite Horseman Driver, also a new Night Fox version and a new release of the Cobra Air Trooper.  It will be available at SDCC at the Entertainment Earth/Toys R Us both.  Retail estimate ($59.99)

• SDCC GI Joe KREO set: no info yet

I'm not sure what the expected availability the dealers is going to be post convention.  Last year they were pretty scarce to non-existent, IIRC.

Retail Toys R Us vehicle set exclusives (and I would guess, BigBadToyStore would share in these as well just as they did last year):

•  GI Joe "Desert Duel": vehicle set - Repaint of the GI Joe Snow Cat , er, Wolfhound in purple, red, and silver decor called the Cobra Basilisk and a new, militarized and upgraded version of the AWE Striker called the GI Joe FOE Striker that includes the minigun from the Retaliation VAMP II and a tent.  I don't know how the colors will differ from the SDCC exclusive listed above but it includes only Chuckles and the Elite Horseman Driver. Retail estimate ($49.99)

•  GI Joe "Silent Strike": vehicle set - Black repaint of the 30th Anniversary Sky Striker with a repaint of ACE and an Orange painted 25th Anniversary HISS Driver and HISS Gunner with a futuristic updated turret and a similar colored HISS Tank Driver.  Also included are a new sniper character named Sightline that was created in honor of the late GI Joe guru and superfan, Gary "Goggles" "Gyre-Viper" Head.  Retail Estimate ($59.99)

 Retail Toys R Us Combo Packs:

• "Swamp Steam" Two-pk: Red Crockmaster repaint and Green POC Blowtorch
•  "Troop Build-Up": Iron Grenadiers and Steel Brigade troop builder 2-pk
• "Classic Clash" Two-pk: Storm Shadow in GI Joe regalia and repaint of POC Spirit
• "Hunt for Cobra Commander" Two-pk: Red/Black Cobra Commander and Shipwreck repaint w Polly
• "Marine Devastation" Two-pk: Concept Case Gung-Ho and Shadow Gaurd
• "Chase for the MASS Device" Three-pk: Includes Duke w Jetpack, Cobra Commander with 25th CLAW glider and CLAWS Trooper
• "Sneak Attack" Three-pk: Includes Bazooka, Firefly, and Dusty
• "Vanishing Act" Three-pk: Includes Torpedo, Hit-and-Run, Zartan
• "Rock Rampage" Three-pk: Includes 25th Alpine, Rock Viper, Cobra Shock Trooper

Two packs should retail at $14.99, Three packs at $19.99

This is comparable to what we had last year with some notable standouts:

1) It was very classy of Hasbro to throw together a figure and name it after Gary Head.  Those of you who suffer from Hasbro rage, please enter this in your personal calculus as an example of a classy move that illustrates that they are aware of us in the fandom and that we are important to them.  I am unaware of any other property that has given such a nod to their fans.

2) I have heard of a couple of collectors that have been on a personal mission to acquire a Green Blowtorch or the Red Crockmaster.  Rumors and speculations involve having these products being intended for the Pursuit of Cobra line and somehow misplaced into an unknown warehouse somewhere.  Looks like they've found em!.  Putting them both in a two-pack is a huge nod to those who have been looking forward to these figures for years.

3) That 25th Alpine has been going for over $50 on ebay for some time and the Shock Trooper and Rock Viper for $25 or more.  You can get them all soon for $19.99.  If you like to rage about scalpers, the 50th line should give you some peace of mind as Hasbro continues to combat high prices on the secondary market by filling a dearth of supply for some much wanted figures.

4) The Brand has chosen to tank the market for much desired figures like Low Light, who's carded POC value has dropped from over sixty dollars to about twenty-five now with it's 50th Release.  Prices have also fallen for Cobra Troopers and Shock Troopers.  Rock Vipers will soon be plentiful now too

Another thought that was shared was that GI Joe 3 is now in production.  The next big toy release will be in support of that film.  So this seems to officially put a cap on the 50th Anniversary Line which was almost wholly a giveaway to collectors.  As I let it soak in, I am really happy with what we received yet hope there is more ambitious creativity going into the next movie line.  The 50th Anniversary was a bunch of repaints with a few tweaks here and there.  I have been wanting GI Joe to move forward for some time by releasing new molds and new characters surrounding some new mass marketable theme.  Please, I don't mean this in jest and I hope it's not too soon but I'd like to point out that someone literally had to DIE to get a new character placed in the mythos during the 50th Line.  I hope GI Joe III brings new things and new themes to gather new fans.  Us existing fans will likely come along for the ride anyway.

Power Team Elite: A-10 Thunderbolt II - Review

The A-10 Thunderbolt is one of the most beloved aircraft in the current United States inventory.  This dedicated attack craft has acquitted itself admirably over the past few decades in supporting US and NATO ground forces through a number of middle eastern conflicts.  While it has a reputation as the ultimate airborne survivor on the battlefield due to its toughness, armor and redundant systems, it was slated for retirement and scrapping by the early 1990s for a perceived lack of versatility compared to faster fighter aircraft.  Luckily for the A-10 and its fans, necessity created by the Gulf War prevented its demise as it went on to serve on the front lines of a number of wars with distinction. From Desert Storm right up through recent assaults versus ISIS, it has always earned endearing commentary from active soldiers on the line who benefit from it's firepower and awe-inspiring presence as well as aircraft buffs who appreciate it's uniqueness and underdog status.

Today, back at home it faces another threat, again this time from budget cuts and the support needs of other more modern aircraft programs.  Thus far it has proven itself just as tough at weathering the politics of military appropriations as it has at shrugging off anti-aircraft and small-arms fire.  When the A-10 finally does see retirement, it will prove the old adage that the [politician's] pen is indeed mightier than the sword.

Awhile back I did a review of the 25th Anniversary Cobra Rattler which despite some differences was obviously inspired by the venerable A-10.  The Power Team Elite A-10 creates the possibility of them both existing together in the same universe so I'll do a future write-up of how they would compare.  

Now onto the review:

This will unfortunately be one of those reviews where I don't have the opportunity to show you the retail packaging because I received this as part of a loose lot that was missing many of the accessories.  I could have tried to ascertain what was included in the original package by referencing other online sources and product shots and then throw in substitutes from my existing stock, but the stuff that's missing is fairly common and unremarkable within the PTE line and I just don't feel the need to throw any fuel barrels, crummy pilots, or the ladder you've already seen into the mix to approximate completeness of the set (though I may do so in a future revision).  I do, however, seem to have the complete weapons compliment, ie: missiles and bombs.  I basically have what's important, so I'll just go from there.

For a toy, the PTE A-10 looks remarkably in proportion to the real bird pictured above, but that's not always a good thing.  Most full echo-sized class GI Joe and Cobra Aircraft are an amalgamation of (approximately) 1:32 and 1:18 scales.  To accommodate the modern GI Joe 4" figures, the cockpit area has to be larger proportionally than the body.  You can see from the picture below that 25th Ace can't quite sit low enough for the canopy to close, and he's not he only Joe/Cobra figure with this issue as I've tried several, and can't find a figure that fits well enough.  Of course, Power Team Elite is not a GI Joe product, it is it's own brand with it's own figures which fit great in the cockpit.  However, if you try proper O-ring 3.75" GI Joe figures in the pilot's seat, they fit just fine.  This leaves me in a conundrum.  I'm not sure when the PTE A-10 was designed and manufactured, but it's likely it was done around or within a few years of the modern scale.  At that point most GI Joe figures children had would have fit just fine, yet as a GI Joe blog I still must find fault with it for not having the flexibility to allow for the proper seating of the larger modern figures.

The issue is there is inadequate hip space for most modern figures, especially those with holsters or sheathes attached to the hip.  For a modern figure to fit it must: 1) have narrow enough hips with no attachments, sit down flat, and have a thin enough crotch so the legs can be placed together in a seated position.  After trying several the only one found so far that works is yellow Retaliation Jinx, who for me is far from the first choice I would use as a pilot.  It would take quit a bit of modification to fit most other modern figures.

The cockpit is simple with a few dials, but nothing too fancy.  Strangely enough, PTE elected to give the Thunderbolt's pilot a wheel instead of a proper joystick.  

Another thing I find a bit distracting about the A-10 from the perspective of a GI Joe collector is it's overall size.  Compared to the 30th Anniversary Skystriker, it's a little larger with slightly more wingspan.  In real life, the A-10 is a bit smaller.  I suppose this isn't a big deal, after all, Joe product isn't consistently in scale with itself, but it is worth mentioning.

For color, PTE went with a weathered medium gray similar to the pictures of the real bird near the top of the page.  The panel and surface detailing is pretty good, about the same level of detail that Hasbro toys typically have.  Absent, however, are any removable panels.  

I received this A-10 as a loose lot of two in an Ebay auction awhile back.  While I lack the figures, ladder, and other accessories that came with this, I have what I consider important: all the parts of the aircraft itself as well as all the ordinance that comes with this set.  Plus, I have a complete, unapplied sticker sheet and instructions seen later in the review.  If you've seen any Power Team Elite set or my other reviews, you would probably come to the conclusion that while the accessories are good to have for building a diorama with.  However,  the figures themselves are pretty lackluster lacking much detail and with limited, blocky articulation. 

The top picture shows all the bombs, missiles, and electronic devices that come with the aircraft, as well as the two tail fins that clip on the elevators.  The lower image showcases the weapon's load from left to right:

1. AGM-65 'Maverick' air-to-ground missiles (x2)
2. BL-755 cluster bombs (x2)
3. AIM-9 air-to-air infra-red missiles (x2)
4. Mark 82 iron bombs with JDAM guidance and airburst sensor (x4 with multiple ejector rack positioned above)
5. AN/ALQ-184 ECM Pod
6. AN/ALQ-131 ECM pod.

I find the armament a little confusing.  Why two ECM pods? the 184 is the more advanced of the two, and the maverick missile is a but dull looking.  On the other hand, there's a lot of things to hang on the pylons and once they are there it looks great.  It's always good to have options.  

Like the SU-27 and other PTE jets the A-10's ordinance mounts to I-beam pylons.  The trouble with these often are that they are not so precisely created.  Some accessories will slide on and off the pylon with just the right resistance, others fit too loosely on a particular pylon while some are a tough fit that you must force on.  They seem to be sturdy despite being long and thin, but I may suggest gently sanding problem pylons down to fit instead of muscling with plastic too hard.

From the above angle you can also see what some might consider a flaw with the wing design: they are hollow from the bottom.  It doesn't bug me too much because visually it has so much else going for it, but some purists may take exception to this economy of plastic.

These wings however are sturdy and won't break easily.  The rest of the body is rather rugged also, though I do have some concerns about the flat plastic sheet making the horizontal stabilizers.  I do consider this to be a toy for an older, more responsible child who would be less likely to strain that portion of the tail.   

To me, a proper Joe-scaled jet just isn't legitimate without an appropriate landing gear, and the A-10 doesn't disappoint.  The mechanisms are very simple and work very well, though the front gear sticks and could use a gentle sanding to close and open better.  Notice how the two wheels stick out of the nacelles just like on the real aircraft.  The landing gear is very sturdily constructed and should have no problems enduring rough handling.

Next to the front landing gear below, we see the A-10's "Pave Penny" laser spot tracker.  This allows the A-10 to spot where other aircraft are pointing their lasers in order to drop laser guided smart weapons at the target.  It hangs below the aircraft off it's side just as it does in real life.  Unfortunately this means that if you opt to sit the aircraft down with it's gear retracted, this thin piece of plastic will be supporting the aircraft.  While it's plastic is sturdy just as it is for the rest of the plane, it's something to be aware of so that it's not snapped off by accident.

Following Hasbro's inspiration, the set does come with some instructions and a very basic military sticker set seen below.  It's not nearly as intricate in the graphics as Hasbro product usually is, but in contrast Power Team Elite focuses more on a more authentic military look in it's toyline.  PTE Sticker quality seems to be on par with Hasbro's stuff (except for some of the terrible stickers of GI Joe's 25th Anniversary line) and offers lettering and numbering options that Hasbro never does. 

Quality/Appearance: B+

Very durable, some small concerns about it's structural soundness in the face of rough handling if it's tail.  Long, exposed pieces of plastic that could plausibly break off from mishandling, but judging by the sturdiness of the plastic itself, this is a rather small concern I think. 

Good fit and finish in appearance, good color.  Very good Joe-scaled interpretation of the real aircraft.

Play Value/Accessories: C (B+ if you are into O-Ring)

Modern figures mostly don't fit because the seat is to narrow.  O-Ring Joes probably mostly fit fine.  Maverick missiles are too plain, but missiles and ordinance are plentiful.  

Figure:NA

Mine didn't come with any, but who cares as these figures are substandard anyway; though I tend to not punish PTE for focusing on the vehicle rather than trying to compete with Hasbro's strengths.

 

Final Grade: B- (B+)

I think this is a very solid addition to a 3.75" figure air force, but there are obvious reservations to be had for the more modern 4" scale.  While GI Joe seems to have a very strong presence in air-to-air threats with the Sky Striker and the Conquest, I've always found their attack jets somewhat lacking.  The A-10 therefore fills a distinct need on the the GI Joe armory.

However, the A-10 hasn't seen retail release in years.  It is about as rare as the SU-27, maybe even more so.  It took me a long time before spotting a really good deal that probably passed beneath a lot of collector's radars since it was part of a lot that didn't include much info.  I feel fortunate to have this.

GI Joe: Conquest X-30 [25th Anniversary] - The Review

with Lt. Slipstream

This is a review I've looked forward to doing for some time.  Although I've recently acquired an appreciation for some of the classic yet physics-challenged vehicles of the line, my strongest affiliation as a GI Joe collector is towards vehicles that resemble (or approximate) real world military equipment. 

Enter the Conquest X-30:

The Conquest took over for the Sky Striker sometime, I believe, during the second season of the original cartoon series and from there it became the go-to jet fighter aircraft of the Joe team.  I will in a future post I'll talk about what I think are the comparative virtues of each vehicle the reason this happened from Hasbro's standpoint was to generate sales for a new vehicle.  Keep in mind that I don't think this is bad because after all, this is how a brand universe expands and gives us a greater number of choices as fans.  I know some view this as some sort of 'manipulation of children' into bugging their parents into buying them something new, but I think this view is too cynical.  I'm glad to have both this and the Sky Striker in my air fleet.

As for the Conquest itself, there is no direct inspiration for the Conquest in any military inventory.  It's unique forward-swept wing design was no doubt borrowed from the Grumman X-29 concept aircraft of similar configuration, but looking at them both it's clear they share little symmetry other than the forward sweep and canards.  What we have in the Conquest is a situation where the guys at Hasbro latched onto a known next-gen type of concept and ended up turning out something original and extraordinary in design while remaining within reach of the real world.  To me, this is where the much of the best product of the line comes from.  It's something that's just out of the grasp of the real world, but not too far gone to the point where it requires severe suspension of disbelief.

The X-30 (seen above) was a platform built to demonstrate the possibilities of a fighter with a forward-swept wing and canard elevator.  In it's simplest form, the idea behind forward swept wings is that while with conventional wings air moves towards and off the wingtips -generating drag as it does so, the forward sweep channels the air towards the fuselage which creates less drag on the aircraft.  Less drag means more speed and range. The greatest challenges of this type of design are the structural stresses the wings must endure from the resulting twisting action the force of lift places on them.

The experimental X-29 isn't the only real-world jet to feature forward swept wing and canards.  The Russian SU-47 'Berkut' also featured such a design and with it's twin engines and full tail resembles the Conquest more closely.

Neither of these real world comparables to the Conquest made into production, though the USSR insists it hasn't given up on the concept.  No active service military warplane utilizes a wing with a forward sleep, though commercial and civilian aircraft have incorporated them here-and-there.  The Conquest, therefore, stands apart from reality a bit, but not so much that it's outside the realm of possibility.  It is a plausible fighter, and one that showcases advanced design features that haven't made it into real combat aircraft, but could at some point.

Handsomely boxed in a motif depicting Conquests and Sky Strikers defending the FLAGG, this set was released in 2008 as part of the GI Joe 25th Anniversary line.  It's pilot, just as it was for it's initial release in 1986 is "Slip Stream", or Lt. Slip Stream.

Slipstream is very basic and a repaint of the 25th Anniversary Captain Ace, version 2 figure.  He has a new head sculpt and a paint scheme to match likeness of the original Conquest pilot.  He comes with no accessories (not even a stand).  His harness isn't normally removable and hinders his right hip articulation so that he can't be made to sit down easily.  A criticism I have of many of the 25th Anniversary figures is that some compromises were made between appearance and articulation, compromises that were solved in later lines of the modern era.  The 25th Ace at least had a removable flight helmet where Slipstream's is part of the head sculpt. To me, that alone makes the figure rather dated by comparison to modern 30th, Pursuit of Cobra, and 50th Anniversary lines.  Still, it works and has a decent appearance, even with it's flaws.

The Cockpit is roomy and should allow for the seating of most modern GI Joe figures.  The interior detail is fairly elaborate going so far as showing systems behind the pilot that are barely noticeable unless you really check.....It's hard to get enough light back there to photograph but the detailing is quite extensive for a toy.  Hasbro product shows a lot of attention to detail off-brand stuff often doesn't.

Visually, the Conquest is stunning.  Some take exception with the bright yellow colors on the missiles and (oddly) square thrust nozzles.  They do stand out to remind us that this is indeed a toy, but I don't find that they detract from the overall appearance noticeably (Note: there are earlier releases of the original with dark grey or black instead of yellow parts).  The grey plastic is beautifully understated and the symmetry very striking.  It's clean lines interrupted only by details of the control surfaces and panels worked into the mold.

I may have mentioned before in other reviews that I adore removable panels.  Being able to see what's under the hood of vehicles by carefully prying off well fitting plastic was, I think, pioneered by Hasbro when integrated into various GI Joe vehicles.  It provides not only play value and display opportunities, but a 'cool' factor rarely found elsewhere.

 

 

Everything with the Conquest isn't rosy, however.  The 25th Version includes those damnable stickers that plagued many vehicles of that Anniversary line.   These are the stickers where when you apply them, you better get it placed right the first time because if you try to remove it, it has the tendency to separate the decal layer from the adhesive on the back.  This renders stickers so effected as an eyesore that have a tendency to peel even further.  (See Below)

The left side of this [NO STEP] sticker separated when I had misapplied it and attempted to remove.  The right half is secured to the plastic correctly now, but half of it peeled away from it's adhesive layer and is just dangling.  Since I'm fairly particular about my sticker placement, this is a big minus for me.  Luckily Hasbro has stopped releasing these types of stickers in later vehicles starting with Rise of Cobra, but since this was the most recent release of the Conquest you are stuck with them unless you wish to purchase reproduction stickers from a third-party source.

Once applied, the stickers look mostly good.  The 'eyes' above aren't as transparent as I'd like but overall, properly applied, they're sharp and seem to be true to the original.  Thank goodness none of these stickers provide the difficulties the Sky Striker's front "swoop" sticker does, because that would be a mess.

The two pictures above give us a view of the Conquest's weaponry: two cannons in the nose right beneath the pilot's line of sight, two yellow missiles on each wing, and two fuel tanks.  Unlike later Hasbro jets it refrains from over-weaponizing a clean design or adding strange features.  More or less, it looks like a plausible jet fighter, and a cool looking one at that.  We'll speak more about the aircraft's weaponry during the evaluation.

The landing gear is novel and simple.  The rear locks into place both in the up and down position with a snap and the rear legs expand evenly with an inter-meshing gear coordinating them.  The front gear raises and lowers smoothly with the resistance of plastic-on-plastic, yet it doesn't quite seat flush with the body when fully retracted.  

The overall appearance and polish of the aircraft isn't quite up to scratch with that of the later 30th Anniversary Sky Striker, but it's build quality is far better than it's 25th Anniversary companion on the Cobra side, the Rattler.  It should survive quite a bit of play and abuse as nothing seems to be particularly fragile: the tail fins fall out a little too easily, but are formed of flexible plastic.  The wings are also sturdy and the landing gear is well built.  The plastic is a nice, smooth medium grey, but is a little too easy to scratch.  The missiles of the Conquest, unlike the 30th Anniversary Sky Striker's, stay on fairly well.  The quality is pretty good, overall.

Quality/Appearance:  B

Durable, but the stickers are poor and peel away from their adhesive.  Very cool overall form

Play Value/Accessories: B+

Everything works fine, has removable panels and retractable gear.  Good overall polish

Figure: C

Very plain, no stand.  Dated.

Final Grade: B

A highpoint in Hasbro product, to be sure.  It could use a little more polish and certainly dump those stickers whenever (if ever) this sees another release -and maybe give us an updated slipstream while they're at it.