Very interesting how they’re really pushing this “Cobra as Elite Military Force” angle.  These images have all been very reminiscent of special ops, which is a neat twist.  Of course, with the Facebook page being a Cobra page, this positive reflection does make some sense.  Check out the Cobra Special Forces Facebook page, or hit up the mirrored image below.

Nah.  I’m nothing if not forgiving, so I’ll play nice and post the latest update for the What’s on Joe Mind podcast.  This episode the guys are joined by Sunbow voice actor Neil Ross, who voiced the indelible Shipwreck, one of the most popular characters in the G.I. Joe mythology!

They also tackle all the latest news and information, and talk about the GIJCC 2012 Convention Set in its entirety. I’m jealous that I didn’t get the chance to share my .02.  Ah, well, maybe I’ll make them revisit it tomorrow night.

Check out the latest episode on our Podbean page, or via the embedded player below, and don’t forget to hit the jump for our show notes.

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SHOW NOTES

What happens when Justin misses a show?  Well, we tend to have awesome interviews with voice actors.  So when Justin told us he would be missing this week’s show, we knew our interview would be a blast!  Joining us this week is Neil Ross, or otherwise known as the Sunbow voice of Shipwreck!  We talk to Neil for an hour about his many works – past and present.  Right before halftime, Shogi Scott reviews many of the souviner JoeCon exclusives from 2010.  In the second half, we start off with the mailbag and answer another JoeCon question, talk about Sideshow and our thoughts on the Operation Bear Trap set, and we get a text message from Chuck’s sister Barbra.  In the news we talk about the final reveals of the 2012 3.75″ JoeCon set, once again we mention that the JoeCon Brochure is out, local Filipino GI Joe  collector group, TS118 will be setting up displays and dioramas in the lobby of many movie theaters in the Philippines to help promote the hobby to new fans.  Retaliation and “Dollar Store” figures are the topic of discussion in our wrap up segment.  A few of the guys got their hands on early stuff, so hear what the guys thought of the new movie toys.  Its an exciting time to be a fan!  Sit back, and enjoy this double-nickle edition of WOJM!

Neil Ross

• NeilRoss.com
• IMDB
• WikiPedia

News and Intel

• GIJoeCon.com Convention Exclusive Oktober Guard vs. Iron Grenadiers
• GIJoeCon Convention Brochure
• G.I. Joe fans in the Philippines celebrating the premier of G.I. Joe: Retaliation
• 2010 “Vacation in the Shadows” Convention Set (which Shogi Reviewed)

They all reflect nicely on the film’s place in G.I. Joe continuity (a “reboot” without really being a “reboot”), and how much the toyline and comic influenced the story they are telling this time around.  Quite interesting to note as well is The Rock speaking about Roadblock’s time training with Snake Eyes, and specifying that the character does not have an Arashikage tattoo in the film, but he may have one for “the next film”.  He says that with tongue firmly in cheek, but it was certainly cool to see it mentioned.  Sounds more and more like the whole Roadblock as a ninja element is something being much more marketed for toy purposes, and not so much a major part of the film itself, especially since we already saw Roadblock train with Snake Eyes in the IDW Prequel limited series.

Check out the interview on ComingSoon.com, or the embedded video below.

We’ve seen our share of video interviews…  this one is exceptionally well presented and has some great information and insight.  Definitely check this one out.

You heard it during the Rise of Cobra tour when Stephen Sommers said how much of a fan of the franchise he was, and then shoe-horned his “Accelerator Suit” concept into a film where it probably didn’t belong.  Just listening to Jon Chu talk about the G.I. Joe property, his genuine excitement and interest in the brand is palpable, and it feels much more than an act that we sometimes get with other movie makers.  That doesn’t guarantee it’s a great film, but I think that is certainly points for it, and combined with all the great footage and imagery that we’ve seen, I find myself even more ecstatic for June 29th.

In this interview he talks about the reasons why you should see this movie this year, the shenanigans that go on on the set of the film, and what makes this G.I. Joe film different than the others.  Check out the interview on Comic Book Movie, and I’ve also embedded it below.

Check out Cobra Special Forces for the original image, and see it mirrored below.