Mark Bellomo Talks G.I. Joe, Toys and More

If you're a longtime toy collector, add this episode of What's On Joe Mind to your "must listen to" queue. Toy collector and author Mark Bellomo, who's penned  The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe 1982-1994, Transformers: Identification and Price Guide, Totally Tubular '80s Toys and several other toy collecting guides, joins the WOJM crew in a thought provoking discussion about the influences of societal change on toy collecting. The guys discuss growing up collecting toys, what it takes to make it as a toy line today, and how the G.I. Joe brand must evolve in order to be embraced by future generations. The conversation starts at about 9:20 if you want to scrub right into it. Bellomo, whose collection spans several pop culture eras and many toy lines, was featured on Flophouse Films' Collectable Spectacle series, where he discussed his collecting habits and philosophy on the hobby.

Dollar General Storm Shadow Video Review

Our luck hasn't been very good when it comes to Dollar General's line of G.I. Joe figures. We love the card art, think the characters look pretty good aesthetically and would love to get our hands on them, but our efforts to track them down have been fruitless, thus far. Thankfully, there's Pixel Dan to the rescue with a review of the Dollar General Storm Shadow figure. Based on the 1992 Ninja Force version of Storm Shadow, Dan helps you decide if Storm Shadow is worth adding to your collection...if you can find him, that is.

Community Reaction to G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Yesterday's announcement that G.I. Joe: Retaliation would be delayed until March, with barely a month to go until its scheduled release, surprised a lot of people (including a few at Hasbro, according to our sources). Months of anticipation built through marketing hype came to a screeching halt when the news of the date change broke and, at one point, it was a trending topic on Twitter, meaning it had transcended the G.I. Joe fandom. As a means of catharsis, What's on Joe Mind recorded a raw, unedited special episode with a roundtable of G.I. Joe collecting minds to make sense of the news and discuss it's impact on the G.I. Joe brand both now and in the future.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation Storm Shadow Video Review by Pixel Dan

Continuing to give a comprehensive look at Hasbro's first wave of G.I. Joe: Retaliation figures, "Pixel" Dan Eardley tackles Cobra ninja Storm Shadow. While the figure is not movie accurate, it does feature the full gamut of articulation we've come to expect in a G.I. Joe figure, which can't be said for all of the figures in the first wave, sadly. To Hasbro's credit, they did acknowledge both movie accuracy and articulation earlier this year at Toy Fair, so they should come as no surprise.  When you're done watching Pixel Dan's Storm Shadow review, but sure to visit his new site, Pixel-Dan.com, for more in-depth toy reviews including Hasbro's G.I. Joe: Retaliation Snake Eyes.

What's On Joe Mind Talks G.I. JoeCon 2012

The release of the G.I. JoeCon 2012 convention brochure, by the G.I. Joe Collectors' Club, means JoeCon is right around the corner. The five page dossier covers a lot of ground from pre-show tours to registration packages and all that information can be a bit daunting for first-time attendees and veteran con-goers alike. Enter What's on Joe Mind with a special edition episode! Follow along as Gary and Justin break down the brochure and share their experiences and insights on what you can expect at this year's show.

G.I. Joe: Retaliaion Zartan Figure Video Review

When Hasbro revealed their G.I. Joe: Retaliation lineup earlier this year at Toy Fair, Zartan caught the eye of many G.I. Joe: Renegades fans. The figure has an uncanny resemblance to the character as he appeared in the Hub's short-lived animated reboot and it begged the question--was this figure originally slated to be part of the Renegades line or is it a new sculpt created for the movie line (for the record, Hasbro says the figure is an homage and not a leftover)? Whatever you believe,  "Pixel" Dan Eardley in-depth look at Zartan will let you know how he measures up and if he's worth adding to your collection.

Hasbro's G.I. Joe: Retaliation Figures Reviewed by Pixel Dan

Pixel Dan is on a reviewing rampage since taking the wraps off his new Web site at Pixel-Dan.com. This week's critiques include a pair of figures from the first wave of Hasbro's G.I. Joe: Retaliation movie line--Cobra Commander and Roadblock. As these figures begin to trickle out to retail, Dan helps you decide if they're worth adding to your collection.

Sideshow-Style, Hasbro-Sized Environments

Collectors are notorious for wanting what they can't have. Many of us are spoiled by growing up in the golden era of toys where seven-foot aircraft carriers, floating hovercrafts and mobile command centers--capable of storing a battalion of your finest troops--were the norm.  While we get that occasional big-ticket item they're few and far between. Taking the highly sought after playset concept and adding a twist of Sideshow influence with his artistic genius, Carl BouMansour has created a collection of highly-detailed, environment-style display pieces that many of us dream of owning. Carl has found the perfect balance of realism and displayability in his work and his pieces compliment the advances in figure technology nicely. The U.K. native's works include Star Wars, Indiana Jones and of course, G.I. Joe (or in Carl's case, Action Force) and can be seen in detail on his Flickr photo gallery.

Zombie-Viper Reviewed Pixel Dan Style

If you're a Masters of the Universe Classics collector, Dan Eardley is a household name. Pixel Dan's well written, in-depth and timely reviews of Mattel's classics line do a fantastic job of helping collectors decide if a particular item is a must buy for them. While admittedly not a G.I. Joe completest, Dan does pick up the occasional G.I. Joe item he deems cool. It's not surprise then, that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to pick up one of Hasbro's 30th Anniversary Zombie-Vipers, which he spotted on the pegs of his local brick and mortar. In typical Pixel Dan fashion, here's his review of Hasbro's 30th Anniversary Zombie-Viper.

First In-Hand Look at G.I. Joe: Retaliation Figures

G.I. Joe news super-site GeneralsJoes is offering the first in-hand look at some of Hasbro's upcoming G.I. Joe: Retaliation figures. Starting today with Kamakura, the site will showcase several items they acquired--prior to this summer's retail release--over the next few days. Citing fan concerns over articulation and design in the Retaliation line as the motivation for posting the photo reviews early, GeneralsJoes hopes to inform collectors about what they can expect from the upcoming movie line. Be sure to keep an eye on GeneralsJoes.com throughout the week for updates.

Get Your What's On Joe Mind Fix

The guys behind G.I. Joe fancast What's on Joe Mind? have gone on a recording bender! Besides their usual weekly episode the team has put together two special edition episodes, this week, for your listening pleasure. Episode 42 covers the sights and sounds of Toy Fair, while Special Edition Episode 7 features an interview with the visionary behind G.I. Joe, Larry Hama. If that wasn't enough, Special Edition Episode 8 offers a look at G.I. Joe collecting from an different perspective--the perspective of the significant other. Be sure to give the newest episodes a listen by visiting What's on Joe Mind on podbean.

What's On Joe Mind? Episode 39

Episode 39 of G.I. Joe fancast What's on Joe Mind? is now available. Episode highlights include a chat with guest Chris Sims of ComicAlliance.com; guest news on Roll Out/Roll Call 3; the unfortunate reports that no G.I. Joe: Retaliation merchandise was shown at U.K. Toy Fair; and thoughts on HissTank.com's March Madness thread, which pairs down the top 64 characters collectors would like to see done in modern-era style.

G.I. Joe Fan Film Trailer Strikes Sequel Director's Facebook Wall

With rumors swirling about characters, cast, plot, release date and even the title, there is one constant when it comes to the follow-up to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra--die hard fans are hoping this big-screen adaptation of G.I. Joe stays true to the original canon. If the anticipated June 29, 2012 release date of Paramount's sequel has you itching for a dose of Joe in the meantime, check out the trailer for the upcoming fan film Operation: Red Retrieval, directed by Mark Cheng. The short trailer showcases an authenticity and action-style G.I. Joe enthusiasts have been yearning for since their disappointment with The Rise of Cobra. In fact, someone even posted the trailer's YouTube link on sequel director Jon M. Chu's Facebook wall. For additional footage and details on Cheng's promising endeavor, visit Operation: Red Retrieval's official site.