GI Joe Overload (Joverload?)

It's funny, in the period of time between the postponement of GI JOE:RETALIATION and New Years there was little to no new GI Joe product on the shelves.  Sure, there was the Figure Subscription Service for the GIJCC, but for those of us who didn't want to take out a 2nd mortgage for some custom action figures it was a very dry period without our favorite Real American Hero(es).

Well, not anymore.  Seemingly overnight GI Joe has returned to retail shelves, true, it's nowhere near the presence they used to have, but compared to the last 8 months or so it's a freakin' bonanza!

And it's not just the Retaliation figures, fans now have their choice of three sizes of Joes, each with their own combination of cuteness and lethality.

I was really excited to see the Retaliation hanging on the pegs, it had been too long since I picked up a new GI Joe, even if it's $10.  Overall I have been very impressed with the 2nd wave of figures, especially Lady Jaye and Mouse from the Tactical Ninja (Wha?) 3 Pack.  Even derpy-eyed Joe Colton has his charms.  Now that I've got my fill, it's a short wait until the next waves arrives sometime in May (In-between is Joecon, at which time I will probably buy "a few" more figures.).

Also on the shelves are the GI Joe Microforce figures, and while I tried to resist buying them for a while, their cute little bodies and oversized heads won me over, and I caved.  I made sure to snag an Adventure Team Commander right off, and while the line seems overrun with ninjas, it is still a fun line to collect, and at $3 for a blind bag 2 pack, fairly affordable.

Finally, we come to the Toys R US exclusive GI Joe Kre-O line.  The words "Toys R Us Exclusive" make me shudder, as their distribution seems at best to be hit or miss.  I still have had no luck picking up an AT Commander Kreon, but the three sets I got are a lot of fun and are really faithful to their 3 3/4" counterparts. 

It makes it really hard to resist buying them right now, as TRU is running a buy one, get one 50% off sale right now, if you have thought about trying the line, now is a perfect time to dip your toe in the water.  Even if you don't have a TRU close buy, the sale is also running at toysrus.com so give them a try!  Hopefully the sales will be strong enough for more sets, I need a Kreon Adventure Team!

GI JOE: RETALIATION opens in a little over 4 weeks, so get ready, who knows when we'll see this much GI Joe stuff again!