IDW Limited has come out of the gates screaming with G.I. Joe content over the past month or so, already releasing the Marvel Complete Collection (volume 1) and the Danger Girl and G.I. Joe collection as well.  Soon to come is the IDW collection itself, and  Robert Atkins is doing some great signature plate work for the project!

Over on the Robert Atkins Art blog, he’s been detailing the work and previewing some of the Snake Eyes art he is providing for the project, and you should definitely keep tabs over there.  Some really gorgeous original stuff slated to come with the IDW Limited volumes, and Robert is far from done.

He mentioned on a recent Twitter post that he was moving onto Destro next.  Can’t wait to see more!  Keep on hitting up Robert Atkins blog for further details and keep watching IDW Limited for those pre-orders.

Robert Atkins has been a fan favorite G.I. Joe artist for the past few years, and as a result, he has built an impressive library of G.I. Joe themed artwork.  He’s offered prints for sale at many of his conventions, and this high quality work has pleased a bunch of G.I. Joe fans across the world.

Now, he is partnering with someone to offer a large collection of awesome G.I. Joe prints at a fantastic discount price.  The information is below:

Robert Atkins “Declassified”.

A limited edition of 100, numbered and signed featuring 30 color prints of some of Robert’s best GI Joe drawings.

30 11″x17″ color prints on heavyweight paper, suitable for framing packaged in a heavy duty archival box

Includes covers (sans text/headlines, etc) from GI Joe issues #1, #13, #14, #16, #17, #18 (4 variants), #21, Snake Eyes #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #9, #10, #13 (2 variants), #18, along with portraits of Cobra Commander, Zartan, Lady Jaye, Storm Shadow & Snake Eyes and more.

The color prints sell for $15 each at the conventions, so all 30 prints would cost you $450 individually. You can get this set of 30 prints for $200 plus shipping & handling.

First 10 orders get free shipping (domestic US only!). Email or paypal dirkv@groovedis.com for more info.

This is an awesome opportunity to own some great, high quality G.I. Joe prints at a fantastic price.  With only 100 of these available, they won’t last long, so grab ‘em while you can!  Check out images of some of these prints below:

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Every day brings us closer to the next launch of G.I. Joe titles from IDW Publishing.  Appropriately enough, the current iteration ends its run on issue #21, which is a landmark number when it comes to the G.I. Joe universe.  Check out the preview for this big issue below.

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G.I. JOE #21

Chuck Dixon (w) • Will Rosado (a) • Kenneth Loh (c)

General Hawk is retired from G.I. JOE, but COBRA isn’t through with him! A team of elite snakeheads targets the former honcho for capture and interrogation. But old soldiers never die, they kick butt and take names. Big one-against-all action as an outnumbered and outgunned Hawk shows us how he earned those stars.

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

*Variant cover:

Robert Atkins variant cover!

Bullet points:

• The return of GENERAL HAWK!
• FINAL ISSUE OF THE SERIES!!!
• Is this the end of G.I. Joe? No! Check this space next month!

The whole concept of a scene that spans multiple covers is something that I’ve really loved.  I can only imagine the challenge involved for an artist in making that kind of scene work.  It’s because of this that I find what Robert Atkins is doing over on his blog so fascinating.

He’s really laying out step-by-step what is going into his work on the covers for the series of G.I. Joe and Cobra issues soon to be released from IDW.  He is building a very cool looking scenario featuring a number of different characters in a number of different situations, yet making it all blend together quite nicely.

Check out his progress post right here (where he goes through the first two covers) and make sure you keep checking back as I’m sure he’ll post cover #3 as soon as he is able.  Very cool stuff from Robert Atkins.

Wednesday is now on the horizon, which means more new G.I. Joe comics from IDW Publishing.  Tomorrow brings us new issues of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #182.

Check out the previews for these two issues below.

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G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #182

Larry Hama (w) • Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema (a) • Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema (c)

DARKLON IS ON THE LOOSE! G.I. JOE has lost their prisoner, and it’s up to Outback and his team to recover the dangerous villain. Meanwhile, Zartan and COBRA COMMANDER formulate a plan that would move COBRA HQ to another coast. The villains take center stage in this issue of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

*Variant cover:

Variant Larry Hama sketch cover

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Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow #17

Chuck Dixon (w) • Atilio Rojo (a) • Ken Loh (c)

Is SNAKE EYES an asset to the Arashikage Clan or a liability? That’s a question that STORM SHADOW is asking himself as the wrath of Serpentor is turned upon them and SNAKE EYES becomes a target for the G.I. JOEs! Blistering ninja action and intrigue! Nothing is what it seems and loyalties are questioned as the life of the most dangerous JOE takes a turn!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

*Variant cover:

Variant Robert Atkins cover!

Bullet points:

• Ninja commando action that never lets up!

Anyone who has been going through What’s on Joe Mind withdrawls should have their appetite satisfied this morning with TWO new installments uploaded to our Podbean page!  Gary, Mike, and WOJM stalwart Greg all pitched in to bring us a live episode straight from the site of Coil Con itself.

But wait, that’s not all… we also get whirlwind guest appearances by Fred Doss, Director of and Beachhead from G.I. Joe: Initiate, Robert Atkins, artist from IDW, Todd from Kokomo Toys and Jay Hunger from CardedHeroes.com!  Check out the embedded players below, and Show Notes are after the jump.

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Hey, here’s a pleasant surprise.  I was looking for the previews for new comics hitting Wednesday this week, and look at that!  Jim Sorenson’s highly anticipated G.I. Joe: Field Manual has a preview!  According to Amazon.com this book will hit September 11th, and I am really looking forward to checking it out.

Amazon is having an amazing sale on the book right now, too.  Only $10.74, so pre-order that baby using the image link below.

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G.I. Joe: Field Manual

Jim Sorenson & Bill Forster  (w) • Various (a) • Bill Forster (c)

Relive your favorite memories of the classic G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon with the G.I. Joe Field Manual, Volume One—an amazing archive of beautiful animation models. From Roadblock to Zartan, from the Skystriker to the H.I.S.S. Tank, from the Weather Dominator to the U.S.S. Flagg, all of your favorite characters, vehicles, and world conquering devices are present in this amazing volume. Thrill to never-before-published production artwork and behind-the-scenes designs that made the classic 80′s Joe cartoon so memorable.

TPB • BW • $19.99 • 208 pages • 8.5” x 11” • ISBN 978-1-61377-350-5

Bullet points:

• Compiled and presented by the team behind Transformers: The Ark
• With over a thousand images from the first sixty five episodes of G.I. Joe and a new foreword from lead designer and comic-book legend Russ Heath.

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Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow #16

Chuck Dixon (w) • Robert Atkins (a) • Andrea Di Vito (c)

SERPENT’S SHADOW concludes here in the lair of the COBRA Commander! Snake Eyes, Storm shadow and the murderous Rika must free themselves from a trap set by the Commander in the only way they know how—KILL their way out! Will Snake Eyes show his hand and reveal his betrayal of the Arashikage or play this round out to the end?

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

*Variant covers:

Lee Ferguson & Sal Buscema cover!

Bullet Points:

• Non-stop ninja and commando action!
• Featuring the key villain from G.I. JOE: RETALIATION!

Coming right around the corner, September 8th is the third annual Coil Con.  Very special guests Robert Atkins (artist for IDW Publishing’s Snake Eyes & G.I. Joe) and Frederic Doss (actor from G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Transformers, and actor/director for G.I. Joe fanfilm G.I. Joe: Initiate) will be present at the show, and for the first time EVER, the first four minutes of G.I. Joe: Initiate will be available for attendees to watch.

Not to mention the fantastic exclusive figures (including Zilant, already revealed).  Check out the full press release below:

The COIL Club and Kokomo Toys are proud to present the third annual COIL Con on Saturday, September 8, 2012!  Join hundreds of G.I. Joe and toy fans at Kokomo Toys, located at 1244 E. Morgan Street, Kokomo, Indiana, just 40 minutes north of Indianapolis off of US-31.  Special guests at this year’s event will include IDW G.I. Joe comic book artist Robert Atkins, historian Gary Head and the Joe Declassified exhibit, RAHC Guide author James Kavanaugh Jr., and Gary Godsoe and Mike Irizarry from the “What’s On Joe Mind?” podcast.  Finally, COIL Con will feature the world premiere of the trailer for G.I. Joe: Initiate, the much-anticipated fan-film from actor/director Frederic Doss (Transformers, G.I. Joe: The Rise Of COBRA).  Mr. Doss and other cast and crew will also be in attendance to sign autographs and discuss the project.

            Attendees will be able to buy their favorite G.I. Joe figures and vehicles from Kokomo Toys and over a dozen G.I. Joe dealers on the sales floor under the big tent in front of the store.  For the second year, designer Jay Hunger will be selling COIL Con-Exclusive figures when the convention officially kicks off at 9 a.m.  These exclusives are extremely limited to 40 sets, so be there and ready to buy early!

            This year’s COIL Con will also feature the return of the Community Door Prize table!  Attendees are encouraged to bring new or unopened G.I. Joe toys to donate as door prizes (maximum three donations/prizes per guest).  These prizes serve as the purchase price for raffle tickets — attendees who bring a new G.I. Joe toy for the community will also win a new G.I. Joe toy!  Grand Door prizes will be provided by the COIL and awarded at 5 p.m.  All attendees are eligible to win Grand Door Prizes.  Past Community Door Prizes and Grand Door Prizes have included San Diego Comic Con Exclusives, customs from recognized artists, comic art and more!  Attendees must be present to win all Community and Grand Door Prizes.

            Grilled hot dogs will be available free for Conventioneers!  Canned soda and bottled water will be available for sale, and attendees are also welcome to provide their own beverages in coolers.  Restroom facilities and a misting tent will also be provided.  The COIL is the Midwest’s largest society of G.I. Joe collectors with chapters operating in Indianapolis, Dayton/Cincinnati, Columbus (OH), Cleveland, Fort Wayne, and Chicago.  For more information, including suggested lodging and directions and COIL Con Exclusive set contents, visit the COIL Club online at www.coilcon.com.

I had to work out a special… “deal” with Robert, but now that the deal is taken care of, I am allowing his name to be mentioned on GeneralsJoes again.  :D

Over on his awesome blog page, the IDW G.I. Joe cover artist has showcased some more G.I. Joe art, specifically a beautiful Scarlett piece drawn by him and colored by Simon Gough, and also a nice little snippet of a Snow Job piece which is apparently part of a much bigger project.

Interesting…

Check out the new additions to Robert Atkins Art right here!

And wow is it looking GOOD.  Knowing the guys behind the Canadian JoeCon like I do, I’m sure they are absolutely giddy about having a guy like Atkins draw their hand-made characters, and deservedly so.  A fantastic cover.  LOVE Atkin’s Black Ice.  The cover was colored by Simon Gough, and you can check it out at JoeCanuck.com.

The final cover can be seen below:

Now, not only do we get to see this fantastic cover, but as has become custom, Robert Atkins took to his terrific blog and gave us some fantastic in progress shots of creating this cover.  Hit up the links below to check out Robert Atkins talking about creating this fantastic cover:

• Robert Atkins Art – Canadian Joe Con Part 1
• Robert Atkins Art – Canadian J0e Con Part 2
• Robert Atkins Art – Canadian Joe Con Part 3

Soooo good.