Comics: G.I. Joe #8

Written by Chuck Dixon with art by Wil Rosado, G.I. Joe #8 concludes the Cobra Civil War as the contestants make their final moves and The Council chooses the new Cobra Commander.

Retrospective: The Best of 2011

Frustration from the glut of merchandise clogging retail pegs and blocking the release of subsequent waves of highly-anticipated figures seemed to be the theme of 2011. When new G.I. Joe figures finally made their way into our collections, the countless accessories, innovations in articulation, and intricately-detailed sculpts made the class of 2011 among the best we've ever seen in the 25th Anniversary-style era. Hasbro surprised with the release of the Sky Striker as part of the 30th Anniversary line, disappointed with the cancellation of the G.I. Joe: Renegades animated series, and energized with the trailer for the live-action movie sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Not to be outdone, licensees such as IDW Publishing and Sideshow Collectibles continued to impress with their offerings of G.I. Joe merchandise, an indication of the strength of the G.I. Joe brand. In retrospect of 2011, A Real American Hero, Generals Joes and The Terror Drome team up to bring you the best of G.I. Joe 2011.

Comics: G.I. Joe #7

Written by Chuck Dixon with art by Wil Rosado, G.I. Joe #7 continues the Cobra Civil War as the Joes face Cobra threats on two fronts: the crew on the Tuna realize the ship is not as secure as they thought, while Flint's team in Springfield recognize just how deadly a single B.A.T. can be.

Archive: Zombie-Viper - Cobra Trooper

The Zombie-Viper was released in the winter of 2011 as part of the fourth wave of figures in the G.I. Joe 30th Anniversary line. The 30th Anniversary line celebrates 30 years since the release of the modern, 3-3/4-inch G.I. Joe action figure. As part of the celebration, Hasbro not only included figures of classic characters from the 1982 A Real American Hero comic and television series, but also those from the G.I. Joe: Renegades animated series.

Zombies are experiencing a pop-culture resurgence. Capitalizing on the undead phenomenon, Hasbro began developing the Zombie-Viper story in the Pursuit of Cobra line. The Pursuit of Cobra's wave 5 Cobra Commander figure includes a case with a secret blue-colored element--a raw ingredient used to create Compound-Z. A series of experiments in secret Cobra labs saw the secret element developed into a weaponized chemical, which was stored in canisters included with the Hazard-Viper, as part of the first wave of 30th Anniversary figures. Finally, the newly created chemical, Compound-Z, is injected into Cobra infantry troopers via a hose-fed containment helmet, turning them into Cobra's undead soldiers--Zombie-Vipers.

Comics: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #172

Written by Larry Hama and art by S. L. Gallant, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #172 follows Flint's team escape from Darklonia with two critically wounded (and their Tomahawk not doing much better). Meanwhile, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and Billy confront the Blue Ninjas, a mysterious splinter faction of the Arashikage Clan

Sideshow Hints Next 12-Inch G.I. Joe Figures

Fielding questions--on Facebook--for their Ask Sideshow column, Sideshow Collectibles dropped a few of hints about the identity of their next G.I. Joe sixth-scale figures. According to Sideshow, they have a short list that includes Shipwreck and three other characters. Here's the question with Sideshow's response:

Question: "When can we expect to see Great Joes like Snow Job, Mutt w/Junkyard,and Gung-Ho?"

Answer: "Of the Joes that we would like to tackle next, you've named two of our favorite four. Shipwreck is missing from your list, but who has the other slot? Hmmm..."

Comics: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #171

Written by Larry Hama and art by S. L. Gallant, G.I Joe: A Real American Hero #171 follows Flint, Lady Jaye, and Roadblock on their mission to extract Darklon from his own country, while Sneak Peek debriefs Chuckles about his whereabouts for the last couple years.