The Angry Joe Day Photo Contest is OOOOoovaaah!

Midnight PST on the 26th has passed. It is now time for tasting and judgment! (Sorry, too much Iron Chief.)

Anyway, baring technical difficulties, winners should be announced on March 1st, ANGRY JOE DAY 2006! Get ready to party!

A big thanks out to those of you who entered. You're all winners in my book, in that you're all doing your part to keep the spirit of classic GI Joe alive. Keep this up, and Joe can never truly die.

And a special thanks to Sean Huxter who added a Target Talking Sailor to our list of prizes(Heck, I wish I could win that one!) and who will be the guest judge who decides who's going to win it! Thanks, Sean! You are one genuine Good Joe!

Here are the final Angry Joe Day Stats as I see them (correct me if I'm wrong).

Total entries (some entries consist of multiple photos or panels): 30

Total entrants: 16

I said that if we passed 25 entries and 15 entrants, I'd put the Navy Dolphin Handler in the prize pool (no pun intended). So folks, it's killing me to part with it, but it's done! Still that's only six prizes for sixteen entrants. I know some deserving entries will go home empty-handed, which is unfortunate. You guys have exceeded all my expectations.

(By the way, the above picture was filched from the friendly folks at Good Stuff to Go, a great place to shop. The actual item is still in sealed box.)

The LAST Angry Joe Day entry, courtesy of SailorDude!

Here's Joel's caption for the picture:

GI Joe 1964-2005
Action Man "He was my cousin. The Bastards!"
Power Joel "He was only 41 years old. I knew him most of my life. They cut him down in his prime!"
Cajun Tim "How did Power Gordon get here so fast?"
Power Thom "Power Joel...don't you think that you are a bit over dressed."
Power Joel "Power Thom...do you think that you could have washed up a little first."
Barbie "He looks better dead than Ken looks alive. Hey, where do I get my cheeseburger?"
Han Solo "Boy, when THEY kick someone to the curb they do it right! Look at that crappy coffin."
Max Steel "Dude, this is a bummer!"
Lanard "They could at LEAST closed his eyes."

The figures in this photo are:
In the coffin GI Joe Land Adventurer Mejier Special
From left to right:
Soldier of the World, Action Man, Top Cop, Barbie, Power Team (PT) Gordon, PT Cajun Tim, PT Power Joel, PT Power Thom, Construction Jack Carpenter, 21C German Soldier, Dragon Natalie, Lanard, Max Steel and Star Wars Hon Solo.


Joe obviously was riding off into the sunset when somebody shot him in the back! Could be Hasbro, but Construction Jack looks awfully damned pleased with himself. If I were a detective investigating this crime, he'd be my prime suspect.

Angry Joe Day Entry - Blane Jacobs

I've mostly been posting these in the order they came in, but it was tempting to save this one for last. After all, shouldn't things end with the hero riding off into the sunset?

Angry Joe Day Entry - One last from Justin Hogan

Here's what Justin has to say about this one:

here is one more
With the missing of Ken joe and actionman became underwear models to make money for rent

Angry Joe Day Entry - More from Justin Hogan

Says Justin about this:

I am right in the middle of moving
I thought since joe lost his job and had to move this is what i would look like
here he is with a couple of friends loading his stuff

Angry Joe Day Entry - C. Martin

Here's the back story on this one, from C. himself:

Steve,

Here's my Angry Joe Day entry. Well, when I say my, that's debatable.

See, I looked over my collection and had all these great ideas, but I was sick last night and didn't have the time or inclination to do any of them; Joe as a doorstop, Joe as a pencil holder, Joe as a toilet brush (flocked of course), Joe as a fill in for Buster with my custom Mythbusters figures...

So anyway, I was checking out Huxter's Adventure team page and saw the Aging Adventurer photo... and this idea just hit me. So, the Joe photo is not really mine, nor is the background, but I did photoshop it and come up with all the clever bits.

Enjoy!


C.

Given that the central image had been borrowed from Sean's site, I ran this past him before posting. He graciously gave it the thumbs-up, so here it is!

Angry Joe Day entry, Eliot

Eliot submits another animated GIF file, titled "Mad as hell." Since animated GIFs can't be posted directly to Blogger, Eliot sends this link to the image.

By the way, you might want to check out his Echo Team Headquarters blog. Lots of other great AT photos there.

Angry Joe Day entry: more from Omar's

Here's what OmarS has to say about this one:

"Here's another set of entries. This is a two parter-

What does Joe do since he's been retired?

He calls his other retired friends over and watches
The View."


I knew things were rough for Joe, but I had no idea!

Angry Joe Day entries: MaxMike

A couple of cool entries from MaxMike up Washington way. Says Mike, "Here's my entry. Angry enough for ya?" Not sure how these speak to the theme, but angry they are! Angry Joe as fine-art.

UPDATE: Incoming mail from Mike. He forgot his caption (thus addressing the theme thing) -

"Knew there was something I forgot:

'Think 12 INCH IS DEAD, EH? TAKE THAT HASBRO!!!!'"

Happy Joe Day!

I'm way behind here. We spent the long weekend in Pasco, Washington for the Radcon gaming/science-fiction convention. This was our first time attending this convention, and we had a great time. I've little doubt we'll be returning next year. I hauled along some cold-weather Joes and a Yeti, hoping for a photo op, but although the temperatures hovered in the mid-20s, it was dry and clear. Can't say that I'm complaining about that. That's a long way to be driving in the snow.

When I got back though, I had a case of con-crud. I'm not used to the dry desert air, or the pollen over there (I have bad hay-fever), and hotel air is just never good for you. So I've had a bit of a cough and runny nose since we got back.

All of which has led me to neglect the blog a bit. I've got several Angry Joe Day entries stacked up here to post. I'll try to get to that tonight.

But getting to the "Happy Joe Day" title for this post, the best news since the cancellation of the 12" Joe line just hit. Take a look at this year's membership figure for the GI Joe Collector's club, the "Foreign Adventurer" and the wonderful accessory set that you can purchase to go with him. Here's the link.

So this means that if you join (or renew) by the deadline, you're going to get a flocked vintage-type figure with a unique headsculpt (previously used for the "Battle of Kursk" convention set), an AT tank-tee, and shorts. But for a mere $25 there will be a nifty accessory kit to turn this into a fully-outfitted figure. It consists of brown boots, a black AT Jumpsuit (not a two-piece black uniform like the Black Spider set, though they look superficially similar), shoulder-holster and pistol, AT dog-tag, brown boots, and (most exciting to me) a black AT bomber jacket with AT logos on the front breast-pocket position and on the back!

I just can't say how great this is. The only way it could have been better would have been the addition of KFG hands. Apparently there was some production problem that made this impossible, but we've been assured that KFG hands will be available on Club offerings sometime in the future, so that's something to look forward to.

Not only does this look like a great set on it's own, but it's loaded with kitbash potential. You could get THREE AT figures out of this, by putting the tee, jumpsuit, and jacket on three different figures.

Anyway, it's just great that we have something positive to celebrate Angry Joe Day with. This is what you guys get for keeping the spirit of Joe alive. A big Angry Joe Day victory growl goes out to the GI Joe Collector's Club.

Angry Joe Day entries - ScottE

Here are two more from ScottE:

"If there won't be any 1:6 Joes in the USA, then ScoutMaster Joe will
just have to get himself to the UK and team up with Action Man."










Of this second entry, Scott says:
"How can we undo this poor decision on Hasbro's part?
Perhaps a neuralizer, judiciously applied.

-poof-

"You just decided GIJoe needs to be put into full production immediately."

Angry Joe Day entries - Justin O'Hogan

Here are a few funnies from Justin O'Hogan. Says Justin:

"So just what has Joe been up to since the shelving of the line?
I was just wondering that when I came around a corner and here he was."












His original file name on the last picture speaks for itself:

this looks like a job for the kung fu grip.jpg

MORE new prizes

Well, folks, you have come through with more entries, and I'm holding to my promise to add more prizes. Actually through, the big hats-off this time has to go to my buddy Sean Huxter who offered out-of-the-blue to contribute a TC Talking Sailor to the prize pool! Thanks Sean! (I don't even have one of these myself.)

Also, considering that Sean was contributing the prize (and is even shipping it directly to the winner), I thought it only fair that Sean gets to decide who wins it. So consider Sean my special-guest-judge.

And just because I couldn't just sit on my hands, I'm adding a signed set of my "Age of Conan" novels to the pool as well.





So, to date our prizes are:

TC Talking Sailor GI Joe (courtesy Sean Huxter)
Valor Vs. Venom Wild Bill GI Joe
CC 10th Mountain Division GI Joe
Signed copy of "MechWarror Dark Age, Fortress of Lies"
Signed copy of my "Age of Conan, Anok, Heretic of Stygia" trilogy

Not to be sneezed at.

I must say, I'm delighted with the quantity and quality of entries so far. This is going to be a tough contest to judge. Heck, one reason to add more prizes is because I I'm going to hate sending some of these great entries home empty-handed, but not everyone can win.

Okay, I'm going to throw one more goal out there. If I can get 25 entries from at least 15 different people, I'll (gulp) throw in a GI Joe Navy Dolphin Handler.

Angry Joe Day entry, Jeff Goff

Here's one from Jeff Goff. The Dragon reference cracks me up, never a bad thing.

By the way, a reminder with any of these picture posts that you can click on the small picture in the post to see the full-sized shot (where available). If you aren't doing this, the text in some posts may be darned hard (or impossible) to read, and you may be missing out on some really cool details. So if it catches your eye, you haven't seen the whole picture until you give it another click.

Angry Joe Day Entry, Brad Checkett

In Brad's three-part entry, Joe is looking for new ways to fill his spare time. Says Brad, "After no longer serving in the Armed Forces Gi Joe is spending his retirement in his backyard carving little pieces of wood. As you can see he has a lot of carving to do."

Angry Joe Day entry - Jayne, the sergeant majorette

And here's one from Jayne. Looks like Joe is getting really desperate for work. On the other hand, who doesn't like playing a villain?

Angry Joe Day entries, Omar S

Five entries from Omar. His descriptions:

Pic 1- G.I.Joe, Land Adventurer

Pic 2- Joe's office, empty since he's been cancelled.
:(

Pic 3- joe's newest recruits

Pic 4- 12" RAH Breaker, the way he should've been done

Pic 5- My take on how G.I.Joe should come back.

New Angry Joe Day prize added!

As I promised over on the Sandbox, if I got enough entries, there would be more prizes added. ScottE, entry brings us to ten entries from six participants. I said if we got ten entries from at least five participants, I'd add another prize.

So now I'm added a boxed 10th Mountain Division Joe as shown. Forgive the cruddy picture. I didn't have one of my own handy, and filched this off a catalog site somewhere. I'll try to post a better shot later.

Your new goal is fifteen entries from ten different participants, and then I'm going to impose on Sean Huxler's kind offer of a TC talking sailor. If we hit fifteen entries OR ten participants, I'll throw a signed set of my "Age of Conan" trilogy paperbacks into the prize pool. Beat that with a stick.

You can help, by getting the word out. I frequent a number of YahooGroups, but not all of them, nor do I hang out on JoeWorld On-line or any of the other web-based forums. Let them know about this. More entries, more prizes!

Is he insane? Possibly.

Angry Joe Day Entry - ScottE

I ran into a technical problem with this entry. Scott sent in an animated GIF file. Blogger lets me upload these, but converts them a JPG file of only one frame of the animation, and where's the fun in that?

Fortunately, Scott provided a link to the shot on JoeWorld Online where you can view the animated GIF in all its glory! Take a look, and let me know if you have any problems.

Angry Joe Day entries - David Eden 4

Says David:
"HeahÂ’s whut the baoys down to th daock waz asayin.

Lahst entry fer me, Steve!"





Love this on all sorts of levels: unusual subject matter, imaginative kitbashing, and that expression in the last panel kills me. Clearly Hasbro missed the boat (pun intended) when they make "Eagle Eye GI Joe" instead of "Bug-eye GI Joe."

Angry Joe Day Entry - David Eden 3

David says of this one: "I would like to send the folks at Hasbro down to you-know-where to meet THIS guy!"

Angry Joe Day entry - David Eden 2

Says David about this, "I am so ANGRY that Hasbro cancelled the 12” line that sometimes I feel…"

Angry Joe Day Entry - David Eden

The first of several entries from David Eden. Here's what he has to say about this one:

"Me Intruder and me very angry that Has-been cancelled Joes. Who me gonna wump now? Squidgy little Joes not worth it!"

Angry Joe Day entry, Joe Romano

Here's one from John Romano. Love the humor here.

Banzai

Thanks to those who have sent messages of support over our loss of Banzai. For anyone interested, you can find longer rememberance of the little guy over on my writing blog, Multiplex of the Mind.

Angry Joe Day entries, Tim "Kaber" Hare

A couple of entries from Kaber. Of these, Tim says:
"First Joe is angry about high gas prices.............."



"Then he's angry about the "Fast" food service at Mickey
D's............."



I'm not sure those were exactly the angry-Joe themes I had in mind, but you've got to admire the outstanding night photography and use of read forced-perspective backdrops. Beautiful work!

Angry Joe Day Entry: Mr. Klean

Here's an entry from Mr. Klean. If you're reading out there, Klean, I need a shipping address from you in case you win one of the prizes.

His title is "Joe Cancelled." Gotta love the understatement of those feet at the bottom of the picture.

Angry Joe Day Entry: Daniel Edwards

Here's the first entry in our "Angry Joe Day" photo contest. Says Daniel about the picture:

"I call it "Feedin' Time!" The AT Joes are disposing of the Sigma Six figure while at the same time checking out all of the cool equipment."

Thanks, Daniel, for getting our contest off to a great start.

He was a good cat

Sadly, for those of you have been following the situation (and thanks to those who have sent messages of support or concern), I have to report that we lost our cat Banzai last night after a long battle with liver problems. We bottle fed him for six weeks, hoping he'd turn around, but it wasn't to be.

After a couple-day rally that made us think he might be getting better, he became very weak and strongly fought being fed. He was curled up in his (open) cat-carrier last night while we were watching a DVD. The movie had just ended when he howled loudly, like a kitten calling mama. We went in to check on him, and he calmed down immediately when I petted him. He just seemed to be calling us so he wouldn't be alone. He seemed to fall into a quite coma, his breathing became slightly labored, and he went peacefully, which is about the best we could hope for, under the circumstances. We buried him in the corner of the front yard, where I can see him from my office/Joe room.

He was a great little cat, always full of mischief, as you can see from this picture. But fat and fuzzy as he was, he managed to walk through that whole set, with all its little bits and details, and never knock over a thing.

I'm going to miss him climbing down, monkey style, the 9-foot cat ladder that connects my wife's office in the attic with mine down in the converted garage. I can almost hear the little "wumpf!" as he jumps down onto the platform that serves as the landing for the ladder. (Perhaps knowing that was what I was thinking about, our other Cat, Oz, just appeared up there and climbed down. But he always steps lightly on the platform and announces himself with a little "meow." Banzai jumped down with that loud "wumph!" that was very distinctive.) I'm not ashamed to say I miss the little guy terribly.

Obviously, I could use some cheering up, and your Angry Joe Day photos will help in that respect. They're starting to trickle in (and I'll start posting shortly), but I need more, and the deal still stands. More entries and participants will generate more prizes. Make me happy, and make yourselves happy too, and send in your pictures.

Prizes! We got prizes!

Okay, I'm announcing the first of the prizes for the Angry Joe Day photo contest, a packaged "Valor vs. Venom" Wild Bill figure. This is one of my favorites in the series, with lots of kitbash potential. Worth it for the cowboy boots, hat, and the nice head sculpt alone. Also, I'm giving away a signed copy of my MechWarrior Dark Age novel, Fortress of Lies.

There may very well be more prizes. I've already got one more waiting in the wings, and a possibility of a donation by a third party. It just depends on how many entries I get. I'm not putting up five prizes here if I get three entries. Sorry. If the response is REALLY good, there's an especially choice Joe sitting here in the closet that I'm considering digging out, but only if the response is VERY good. You want this, you guys are going to have to work for it, because I want to keep it for myself!

So start filling up my in-box early, folks. Give me some incentive to announce more prizes!

And speaking of prizes, let me take a moment to plug Dave "Tanker's" 1/6th scale vehicle contest. He's just extended his deadline again to allow you guys to come up with more entries, and I'm one of the judges. So enter both contests, and win something!

Be sure to spread word of these to any 1/6th forums you frequent where you haven't already seen them posted. Thanks!

Angry? At myself!

Well, when I started this place up, one of my intentions was to host "Angry Joe Day?"

What, you ask, is Angry Joe Day? Well, last year, after the sad news came that Hasbro was pulling the plug on the 12" (and the 3 3/4") Joe lines, I announced a holiday in which we could all express our outrage in some healthy and creative way. Thus was born the first "Angry Joe Day," held on Feb. 1st, 2005.

You don't remember it? Well, neither did I. I realized a couple days ago that I'd let it slip my mind.

Well, given that there's only been one "Angry Joe Day" so far, to little fanfare, and that I am the God of Angry Joe Day (nobody else wanted the job), I am hereby announcing that "Angry Joe Day 2006" will be held on March 1st! (It somehow seems appropriate. It's a "what would Joe do?" thing. He'd "March First" is what Joe would do!)

Moreover, I am announcing a fun-photo contest. I'm looking for the best photos expressing one of the following themes: 12" Joe is canceled, and we're angry about it. 12' Joe in retirement. 12" Joe, we miss you. Or finally, Bring back the real GI Joe! Oh, yes, there will be prizes. I'll have to work out for details, but for sure there will be a genuine Joe or two, some signed books, and who knows what else?

Just email me the photos at j-steven-york@sff.net. (Rule update. Please include a SHIPPING ADDRESS with your entry, in case I need to get a prize out to you. I don't want to have to track you down afterwards if you're a winner.)

All entries fit for family viewing will be posted here, and by entering, you grant that right. Deadline is Feb. 26th, 2006. I am the judge. All bow before me. Bribes are welcome, but will be ignored for judging purposes. Void where prohibited by law or common sense.

Go out there and make me proud! Or at least, angry.