May19
Born this day, 1946.
May16
Rewind Wednesdays: Airborne’s Double Identities
on May 16th, 2012 at 11:14 amPosted In: Uncategorized
It seems to me, every version of Airborne (face, not outfit) has a reasonable facsimile in another Joe line?
The matches may not be “perfect”, but I think they’re pretty close.
Let’s take a look at Airborne and his “dopplegangers” and you can judge for yourself.
1. Airborne (ARAH) & Flash/Grand Slam (25th Anniversary)
Short hair; round face; puffy cheeks.
If 25th Airborne had used Flash’s head instead of the one it did, it might not have been as cool, but, it definitely would’ve been a closer match to the original and a more than acceptable update.
(I included Grand Slam to show the head with darker hair.)
2. Sgt. Airborne (Valor v Venom) & Lt. Torpedo (25th Anniversary)
This pic should need no explanation. Considering the different figure styles, the heads are practically mirror images.
3. Sgt. Airborne (25th Anniversary) & Countdown (ARAH)
If you were working backwards; making O-ring figures based on the 25th sculpts, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a closer match for 25th Airborne’s head than ARAH’s Countdown.
4. Air Raid (a.k.a. Airborne RoC) & Mercer (ARAH)
Given some of the updated ARAH heads in the 25th line, Air Raid and Mercer’s similar brown flat tops help make these heads more than close enough to be considered good enough.
5. Airborne (ARAH: Sky Patrol) & Red Star/SPC Altitude (25th Anniversary)
In 1990, Airborne’s codename was used by Robert Six.
Even if it’s not the Joe’s original helicopter assault trooper, this faux Airborne still has a modern look-a-like in Red Star/SPC Altitude.
Paint the hair blonde and I do believe you have a pretty good match . (And, for what it’s worth, it’d be a much better match than Red Star and ARAH Ripcord are.)
*The only Airborne not included is the one from G.I. Joe vs Cobra. It’s the same sculpt as the VvV version, but painted differently.
Photos courtesy YoJoe.com
May15
Old Trilogy Quotes with Prequel Knowledge: Darth Vader
on May 15th, 2012 at 2:28 pmPosted In: Star Wars
Admiral Motti: Don’t try to frighten us with your sorcerer’s ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the Rebel’s hidden fort…
Darth Vader: I find your lack of faith and definition of “ancient” disturbing. Firstly, people were following the Force as recently as twenty years ago and secondly, the only reason they stopped was because I killed them … with my “sorcerer’s ways”.
2. I’ve been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but a highly honoured Jedi knight who had saved your life many times and also sat with the elite on the Jedi council. Now, I am the master.”
May04
Like a lot of Star Wars fans, I like me some bounty hunters. They’re some of the coolest characters in the entire saga, but, the thing is, when you look at what they achieved, they’re basically rubbish. Take the Fetts.
The Fetts are generally regarded as the best bounty hunters in the galaxy, but we never saw Jango defeat anyone who actually defended themself and as soon as Boba was required to step up and do something other than look cool and let other people do the work for him, he ended up in a big hole; and not before he displayed his lack of prowess with a laser. (Perhaps Vader’s admonition to Fett about “no disintegrations” had more to do with a clumsy history than an overly aggressive approach to his prey. Kind of a Star Wars equivalent to “don’t eat the glue”.)
Click below for a rundown of bounty hunter feats and failures and let’s just see what this acclaimed group actually accomplished. (And no, I didn’t include comics, novels, video games, or that time Boba Fett destroyed Optimus Prime in your backyard. Just the movies.)
Continue reading “Rewind: Bounty Hunters – Bad or Sad?” »
Comment
Apr24
HASBRO BRINGS ‘MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE’ EXCITEMENT TO DALLAS WITH THE 18th ANNUAL TRANSFORMERS CONVENTION
The TRANSFORMERS Global Entertainment Phenomenon Rolls Into Texas With Special Guests, Interactive Experiences and Much More
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (April 24, 2012) – Thousands of TRANSFORMERS fans from around the world will celebrate the iconic brand from Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) in Dallas as the TRANSFORMERS fan convention known as “BOTCON” serves up a Texas-sized helping of AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS from April 27-29. Hasbro and the TRANSFORMERS Collectors’ Club, will be offering opportunities to engage in and learn about the TRANSFORMERS brand that can only be experienced at BOTCON.
In 2012, the TRANSFORMERS brand continues to deliver innovative and world class entertainment experiences based on its characters and compelling storyline. In addition to the second season of the award winning animated series Transformers Prime, the brand welcomes Transformers Rescue Bots, an animated series for a younger audience. Both series are produced by Hasbro Studios and currently air on The Hub television network in the U.S. For an entirely new immersive TRANSFORMERS experience the brand sees its colossal characters “brought to life” with the introduction of Universal Studios Hollywood’sSM epic new thrill ride, “Transformers
: The Ride—3D” opening this May. Working in collaboration with Michael Bay, who served as the ride’s Creative Consultant, the visionary special effects team at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and the innovative minds at Universal Creative, Universal Studios Hollywood’s new breakthrough mega-attraction will propel guests into the action-packed robotic world of TRANSFORMERS. As the theme park’s most ambitious ride ever built, this immersive experience is a technologically advanced motion-based, flight simulator thrill ride designed to catapult guests into an entirely new awe-inspiring 3D-HD TRANSFORMERS reality where they will be propelled along 2,000 feet of ride track and enveloped in 14 gigantic screens, many of which tower to heights of 60 feet tall.
Hasbro will also be celebrating two new major upcoming video games including the much buzzed about Transformers: Fall of Cybertron title launching August 28th from Activision and High Moon Studios with live game demos on the show floor, as well as the Transformers: Universe MMO from Jagex Studios. The brand also celebrates the continued popularity and new stories featured in TRANSFORMERS comics from the publishing team at IDW. Attendees at this year’s BOTCON will be able to experience the wide breadth of TRANSFORMERS offerings from these licensees and Hasbro including interactive exhibits, informative panels and hands-on interaction with toy designers as well experts and creators behind video games, publishing and animation based on the brand.
Attendees will be able to preview new and yet-to-be seen TRANSFORMERS toys from Hasbro’s 2012 product line including new TRANSFORMERS BOT SHOTS toys, figures based on the popular Transformers Prime animated series as well as figures based on the Transformers: Fall of Cybertron videogame. Hasbro’s KRE-O building set brand will also be featured at BOTCON for attendees to see and play with. KRE-O TRANSFORMERS products launching this fall will focus on a new theme called the QUEST FOR ENERGON, pitting the AUTOBOTS against the DECEPTICONS on a mission to keep the ultimate ENERGON weapon from falling into the wrong hands. Each new 2012 KRE-O TRANSFORMERS set is a 2-in-1 build featuring favorite TRANSFORMERS characters in vehicle and robot modes and includes several KREON figures and exclusive ENERGON bricks. BOTCON will also feature panel discussions and interactive workshops led by TRANSFORMERS experts and fan-favorite voice actors, as well as many dealer booths where fans can purchase official TRANSFORMERS toys and merchandise.
Additionally, Hasbro will host its third annual TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame induction ceremony, celebrating both the humans and the characters that have helped to garner world renown for the brand. The ceremony will take place during BOTCON and will honor fan-favorite TRANSFORMERS comic book author Simon Furman and the legendary voice actor Chris Latta, the original voice of STARSCREAM, who will become the first person posthumously inducted into the TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame. Both Furman and members of the Latta family will be on hand at the ceremony to accept the honor.
“TRANSFORMERS is one of the most iconic entertainment brands in the world”,” said Jerry Jivoin, global TRANSFORMERS brand director , Hasbro, Inc. “We look forward to bringing a world-class celebration of the TRANSFORMERS brand to Dallas and sharing the excitement of the brand with its biggest fans. With Transformers Prime burning up the airwaves, a remarkable new thrill ride, new comics from IDW and several new videogames based on the brand, it’s a great time for TRANSFORMERS fans, both new and old.”
BOTCON is North America’s largest annual official gathering of TRANSFORMERS fans and is open to both diehard and casual fans alike, as well as families and children who enjoy the iconic “ROBOTS IN DISGUISE”. The convention travels to different cities in the U.S. each year and this year will be held at the Hyatt Regency Dallas, located at 300 Reunion Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. BOTCON will be open to the public on April 28 – 29. Special activities are planned on April 27 for attendees who purchase multi-day packages.
BOTCON general admission sessions will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29. (On Saturday, doors are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Sunday, doors are open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Special multi-day packages and exclusive TRANSFORMERS products are available on a limited basis. General admission for adults (13 & up) is $20 and for children (12 & under) is $10. Children ages 4 and under will be admitted for free. Additional information can be found at www.BotCon.com or by calling 817-448-9863.
Fans can find the TRANSFORMERS brand on Facebook at www.Transformers.com/Facebook and on Youtube at www.Youtube.com/Transformers.
HAS-B
# # #
About Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS brand
First introduced in 1984 by Hasbro and Takara Tomy, the TRANSFORMERS brand has provided kids with hours of MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE fun with their action figures that convert from robot to vehicles and back again. Legions of kids around the world grew up creating fantastic adventures and battles set on both the planet CYBERTRON and Earth that featured the “good-guy” AUTOBOTS and the “bad-guy” DECEPTICONS. Since then, more than 7500 robots have been introduced in animated TV series, comic books and three live-action feature films.
About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Company’s Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for markets around the world. The Hub TV Network is part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), in the U.S. Through the company’s deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies.” Learn more at www.hasbro.com. 
2012 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
About Fun Publications, Inc.
For over 15 years, Fun Publications, Inc. has been a Hasbro licensee offering fans and collectors of pop culture memorabilia news, exclusive product and family events through different print offerings, websites, collector clubs and brand specific conventions such as G.I.JoeCon and BotCon. Located in Fort Worth Texas, Fun Publications reaches a large audience, serving the United States and many other countries such as Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, Australia and Canada. For more information visit TransformersClub.com, GIJoeClub.com, GIJoeCon.com, and BotCon.com. BotCon is a registered trademark of Fun Publications, Inc. (C) 2012 Fun Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Apr22
Old Trilogy Quotes with Prequel Knowledge: Yoda
on April 22nd, 2012 at 4:30 pmPosted In: Uncategorized
Obi-Wan: That boy is our last hope.
Yoda: No. There is another. The other baby do you remember? Bail Antilles? The plan? Ringing a bell is any of this ?
Apr20
Straight from Hasbro/Hunter PR, here are two upcoming Spider-man figures from Marvel’s Ultimate Universe.
First up, Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-man.
Next, a 6-inch Ultimate Spider-man.
