G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra Continues the Ongoing Battle!

The story behind G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra will excite some fans as will this be the final showdown?

GI JOE Wrath of Cobra Poster ImageFans of long running IPs can get a dose of what being an elite special force is like with G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra, a retro-style beat ‘em up side-scroller set in the legendary Hasbro owned universe. Developed Maple Powered Games and publisher Freedom Games, videogamers have to get ready for G.I. Joe’s biggest mission yet!

This game will be available on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG as well as Nintendo Switch in Q1 2024, as revealed at The MIX Next, a showcase expo where indie developers can show off their works in progress.

From the Press Release:

This legendary franchise returns for arcade-style beat’em up action with Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Roadblock, and other beloved franchise favourites. Navigate land, air, sea, and even space through iconic locations like Cobra Island, the Pit, Cobra’s top-secret underwater base, and more as you thwart the devious Cobra Commander’s latest scheme to take over the world.

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Listing All The Significant Events in the Transformers Timeline is Needed to Make Sense of the Big Picture

Here, we present a chart of everything you need to know in the Transformers timeline to know where this franchise is headed!

The order of which live-action Transformers movies to watch first is easy to figure out, but to understand where all the events fall into place in this Transformers timeline is haphazard. It requires rewatching the films again or looking at a good movie information page to review what’s significant. After catching the early access release of the latest film yesterday, I realised I had to make this chart in order to identify the master plan.

Transformers Rise of the Beasts Movie Poster

After Rise of the Beasts, the Optimus Prime we meet isn’t the same as the one from those early films. He’s a lot more rough at the edges, and to explain if he left Earth at some later point in time only to return again in Michael Bay’s film may well have long time viewers confused. That’s assuming this filmmaker’s movies are still important to the longer narrative. It’s possible that Hasbro and all the producers will have to decide to return to the present to address the story as it’s still left untold.

Even though Bumblebee is considered a soft reboot by ignoring the future by giving us tales set in the past, at some point the narrative has to return to the now to explain a huge plot hole.

Thus, we have the following points to consider from the Transformers timeline (spoiler alert):

17,000 B.C. (Transformers 2) – The First Cybertronians discover a method to harness the power of the Sun, and when one of them selects Earth’s solar system to burn out, he gets banished. His evil decision went against their prime directive.

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Transformers Earthspark Needs More Starscream! A DVD Release Early Season Wrapup

Although the home video release doesn’t offer any extra featurettes regarding behind-the-scenes production, hopefully a complete Transformers Earthspark release will change that.

Transformers Earthspark Episodes 1-10 DVD Release
Buy the Action Figures at the official Transformers Earthspark Amazon USA landing page.

Available for purchase on Amazon USA

Keeping up with Transformers Earthspark can be tough. It can be found on Paramount Plus, the streaming service and Nickelodeon (USA) but when not everyone subscribes to either, tuning in from another country requires patience. I’ve lost track of when YTV would finally offer the remaining episodes; this station didn’t immediately offer them and recently, this network started cycling the first half all over again rather than offer new episodes (to which not even Nick has aired).

What I’ve learned after acquiring the home video release is that it is great at connecting to the G1 series. Those classic moments were reproduced in cel animation, and that’s enough for me to say I love the presentation! Also, this new series evolves the premise that’s defined this franchise for a long time. There are certain episodes which had me wanting to pause and rewind to search for Easter eggs, and the mid-season finale “Age of Evolution” sets up a world where newly formed allegiances are challenged.

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[Victoria, BC] Quick Takes on Victoria’s Ultimate Hobby and Toy Fair Return!

[Victoria, BC] Quick Takes at Victoria's Ultimate Hobby & Toy Fair

Day one at Victoria’s Ultimate Hobby and Toy Fair shows this city was certainly anxious for its return. I saw a small lineup at the door when I arrived around 10:30am. I’m sure everyone wanted to find something cool to take home. I saw happy youths with nerf guns and adults with other nifty goods leaving as I was waiting to get inside.

I had only two goals in mind: see if I can pick up any LEGO Ninjago product (the selection was super slim) and if I can find that one elusive comic book to finish my Marvel’s ROM (Sorry, IDW) collection. I wondered if I could nail the Doctor Fate Series Three and Four. Mail order makes it too easy, but the thrill of the hunt is what makes attending shows like this fun. And quite often, I end up buying something else instead….

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Snake-Eyes G.I. Joe: Origins From the Perspective of a Long Time Fan

At some point of this ronin’s journey, this warrior will become a mute and/or disfigured to make him decide to keep his signature armour on for the most part, and that’s when G.I. Joe will recruit him.

Snake-Eyes G.I. Joe Origins Movie Poster.jpgSpoiler Alert

Trying to rejuvenate interest in a more than a half century old toy line can be tough. Not even Snake-Eyes–the most popular character–can save the franchise. He’s not even a G.I. Joe in the self-titled Origins film. It may be the first in a series which redefines key characters, and giving them a history to make them edgier than the typical cartoon portrayal. 

Just where Snake-Eyes (Henry Golding) learned martial arts is still a mystery. This  movie shows him as a diamond in the rough and this actor certainly knows how to play that up. There’s a lot of emotional baggage he has to shed before he can be that Ultimate Ninja. He first has to learn the way of bushido, and perhaps his heritage too. The latter is quickly revealed, but I hoped for more. I find the story really odd since it barely scratches the surface in what this individual knows as honour.

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Netflix’s Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy Hardly Lays Seige

Transfomers Seige on Amazon USABy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Ever since the Prime Wars trilogy and Cyberverse moved the action away from Earth and made the focus on the robots in disguise home world, keeping up with Hasbro’s ever changing Transformers franchise is not always worthwhile. The missing elements which made up why I loved the Generation One series and Prime (2010) are gone. In what’s missing is the idea of making a toon for kids to enjoy.

The War for Cybertron trilogy is more for the long time adult fan who always wanted that backstory told. The narrative that’s developed for part one of a three part arc is very dark and bleak. It hardly laid “siege” on my interest. Bumblebee is not the same fun loving bot that we know of. Megatron’s agenda to dominate gets a bigger development arc which suggests Rooster Teeth, Allspark Animation and Polygon Pictures were looking at some of IDW’s published works and going further with it.

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