The GI Joe brand may not be in the best of places with no retail releases in years and virtually no media support (besides some poopy comics), but the GI Joe fandom is keeping the brand fun, interesting and alive despite that. This week I’m featuring some content from around the community that I thought was really interesting from the past year.
As always, Forgotten Figure’s had Rarities month and displayed some very interesting items. I took a lot of interest in the Calcium Sandoz figures from Funskool, particularly the Hydro Viper which I had never seen prior to this.
Rarities – Funskool Calcium Sandoz Figures
The Canadian Consumer Distributing exclusive Cobra Combat Tank was another rather interesting piece highlighted. These early Joe exclusives really interest me, especially for how different much of the early line’s minimalist aesthetics were.
Rarities – Canadian Consumer Distributing Cobra Combat Tank
The Dragon Fortress had a great post highlighting every Cobra from 1991. Individually, a lot of these figures come across as hidden gems, but all together you start to get a picture of how good a year 1991 was.
1991: The Year Cobra Broke (a Tribute) – Cobra Convergence 3
Attica Gazette did a fantastic post demonstrating how he gets ideas for composing his photos. I personally feel like my own diorama compositions could use some work, so I found this post really helpful.
He also did a fun group event with Forgotten Figures and the Dragon Fortress showing off Tiger Force Tripwire. It was really neat seeing the three unique perspectives on the figure, so don’t forget to check out Forgotten Figure’s post here and Dragon Fortress’s post here as well.
Cobra Island’s been doing some great work reviewing and profiling almost all of the new factory customs as they get produced. I found this index pretty helpful, also be sure to check out his two most recent spotlight’s of the Snow Serpent Night Viper and Night Viper OG ReDeux.
Black Major Toys, Red Lasers Army & Letal Customs Review Gallery Index
There’s been some really fantastic dioramas posted as well, especially at ARAH Gallery. Here are a few of my favorites:
Lastly, you might be wondering what the most popular post here on the Viper Pit was for all of the past year. I was wondering that too, and not to much of my own surprise, it was my post on the TBM custom Python Troopers. Factory Customs are pretty much the only thing keeping GI Joe collecting alive these days, and that’s definitely where the interest is on my blog.
Black Major Custom Python Troopers
That’s all for now folks, see you next year here on the Viper Pit.
Factory customs occupy two of my spots in the 10 most popular 2018 posts, too. They’re very popular…with good reason.
It was great to do the TF Tripwire roundtable. It made my top 10, too. Let’s plan for another in 2019 for sure!
Here’s to another great year!
With the collector’s club closed, will factory customs explode in 2019?
Will I ever actually buy any? I doubt it. I like to see what’s made and read about them.
Very nice summary, Neko!
My most popular post was about the Red Laser’s Army General figure, which coincides with your theory that factory customs are all that is keeping G.I. Joe alive.
Another roundtable would be fun!