JoeDeclassified.com

So there is a pretty big to do, on another board over the flyer you guys are handing out at the Con. The one with the "exclusives" on it
anyone care to explain it here?

figured it was much ado about nothing,

If you are referring to the thread on hisstank, you can see that Sam, owner of Declassified, addressed them directly. I have no problems addressing the "other site" directly because I consider the owners and operators of the site good friends or new friends as of this con and don't think the conversation or "issue" is a reflection of them in any manner. They have now closed the thread and I think that was a good move for their site.

So who am I? I am the guy who created these cards and have been circulating them for the last nine years. These cards were originally stem from a post from Todd "Magnum6Delta" who created Jungle Viper file cards. The overall response was, "that would be awesome if these showed up at con." I then recreated the art to make it print ready and the tradition was born. The goal was to always create file cards to supplement the club's renewal figure because they only provided us with business card sized file cards (our membership cards). The project evolved even further when I brought Gary "cmderinchief" as a good friend and someone to bounce ideas off of. These ideas implemented a lot of inside jokes that only con goers would really get. When things changed in my life, I extended the umbrella to members of Declassified (which I am also a proud member of) when I asked them to help donate and in return add the logo on the "front panel" of these cards.

Again, these cards have been around for years. It is absolutely flattering just how many come to my booth or find me every year to get a copy of these cards and routinely state that they have become a staple at con. In many ways, that flattery is the driving factor to doing these cards. Due to the addition of Declassified and their support, the last few years are the only reason why these cards have had any sort of visible sponsorship. I have turned down websites and other businesses' money to keep them advertisement free. Declass and WOJM are nonprofit. The only "for profit" advertising is my R.A.H.C. Guide and, well, when you put 40-60 hours into something like this every year and spend money on them, you can put a 1/4" logo on the back next to other very small logos. Those reading this post can take in the fact that, short of the puns interwoven into the pieces, I have always wanted them to look like something Hasbro would produce. However, when you hold one and stop to look at them, it is abundantly clear that these are not Hasbro produced. Some of the major appeal is how accurate they seem to be and how the jokes are so subtle. An example is in 2006, I changed the international child safety symbols into the Renegade symbols. The art throughout the years has been brilliant but a clear indicator that these fan produced. The gentleman who posted the initial image, and has subsequently apologized (which I accept and will pm him to inform him that I wrote this) cropped it in a way that took a way from the credits and other such indicator but are clearly showing the WOJM and R.A.H.C. Guide (my book) logos.

I will admit that this year, I went for a brass ring and really tried to outdo myself and the team by producing a piece that might, just might, be something for a Hasbro employee (I wasn't sure who was coming to con) to take to marketing and say, "these might be doable." To clarify to those who like to twist, I was in no way trying to puppet string or walk away saying, "your welcome" but I had a feeling that the Hasbro showing was going to be a lot less than usual and of the opinion, even more so now that we're kind of down and out, that we need to go to Hasbro and say, "hey, we're down, we're on board." I went to great lengths to write a Data Viper card with goal of Warden saying, "not bad, you were close." The jury's still out, I'm hoping for 80% on par. BTW, last year's "Figure Suggestion Service" was a device to show the club twelve figures that I feel are fan favorites and, in my naive understanding of Hasbro tooling, fairly easily to produce. It also had some "doable" seven packs and a Cobra La SDCC suggestion. Again, me trying to come to them with a very pretty petition. I am not talking an ounce of credit for Bombadier and Muskrat who were on the card.

So I think that's a thorough explanation of these cards and will subsequently link to this comment if there is ever an outcry of disappointment with future cards because I have no intentions of stopping the production of these. Nothing makes me happier at con than when people hold these in their hands and the look on their faces. I'm sure these are on the bottom of people's check lists for con and I'm just happy to be on the checklist. And sadly, I will break my pseudo calm internet demeanor to state that I am extremely disappointed in anyone that felt any outcry towards Declassified or "anyone that would do such a thing." While I have accepted the initial poster's apology, I can't get feel even remotely sorry for anyone that scoffs at a piece that's cropped and clearly a piece to enjoy. I'm flattered every year when I get about 10-20 guys thinking their for sale because they look so good but it's still pretty obvious that these are a fan project. I'm kind of bent out of shape when I come to con every year with the motivation of a gift to everyone there who helps make the community what it is and how important it is to me. The 100 "Dinner Exclusives" are a specifically designed as a small token of gratitude for my close friends (and anyone who gets to them first). The final kick in the pants is I was in a car accident at the end of February and the last thing I wanted to work on were these cards (along with the WOJM Hashtag cards) let alone produce my most challenging card art yet. Andrew Hall put in 40+ hours of his own personal time in the Data Viper and Kwinn alone. For free. While overall I hope this disappears into the internet void sooner than later, I think this is the most bent and disappointed with people in the hobby in the 12+ years I've been around. So, uh, thanks?

Look, I get it. We're not in the best spot. I know people want to believe. I heard a rumor that we were going to get a H.E.A.T. Viper three pack and I let it soak into my expectations that, for a moment, I let that sullen realization of what the actual club exclusives were. How ignorant and rookie is it of me to let a rumor penetrate my understanding of what's to come? It's because I wanted to believe. Well you can wish in one hand and $**t in the other and see which fills first. Those who believe in fan initiated projects beyond campaigns and motivational tactics need to wake up. I sincerely hope that naivety doesn't penetrate your day to day living.

I hope that this clarifies what was behind this year's cards and what will continue to be behind these cards. I'm sorry that I ended negatively but I do believe the bile that was projected in response to these cards does translate into purchasing patterns and negative brand awareness in modern day G.I. Joe collecting and turning people away from getting behind the brand. At the bare minimum, you're detracting from your own enjoyment of a hobby you choose to be involved in. I hope things pick up for the brand so that events like this will be far between, if not none at all.

Hey James, we have actually met at a couple of joe cons and I do have some of you excellent cards, you do amazing work and don't let anyone stop you from doing something you love. when the poster at the "tank" posted a picture he said it was a flyer, and he didn't show the whole card, had he done that I probably could have cleared up that mess over there a lot faster. I posted over here to let you guys know about the hubbubb going on over there, cause I know the good folks here would never intentionally do something to "trick" collectors. But seeing as how my situation has changed and I can't go the cons anymore I wanted more information before I posted anything. Anyway all that has been cleared up and now that the "trickery" has been explained we are just waiting for explanation of what "charity" is (that is the most quotations I have ever used)

Hey, glad you've liked them and picked them up before and sad that conventions aren't in the cards for you right now. I hope that changes. Again, I promptly made Colt Blue aware of this thread, it seems like a misunderstanding and he seems really cool. He's coming to Coil Con and can't wait to meet him. Maybe Coil Con or other smaller shows might be more in your budget as well. I love the "chill out, grill out" aspect of Coil Con and can't encourage people enough to attend. Oh, and btw, the remaining cards in question will be available there as well.

Glad to know you won't be stopping. I actually framed the Billy card from last year; that's how much I loved it. It was one of the coolest things I brought home from New Orleans. I feel like a dink for not picking up this year's card, but I have a long list of things I didn't get accomplished. There was way more Con than time for me in Indy. Hopefully I can get back in 2014 and make a point of getting the next one.

And thanks for the deal (twice) on the Steel Brigade figures this year. I enjoyed meeting and chatting with you.

I'm and avid hockey fan and a fan website I visit for my team often uses the phrase "don't get too high and don't get too low" when it comes to the team's play. I feel the phase has meaning to this situation. If you see something related to GIJoe that excites you but you know you don't have all the information, use the above phrase. Meaning don't start running down the street in your underwear screaming how Hasbro is making something completely awesome. But also don't start biting the heads off of people that you think duped you. I think that was the most disheartening part of this whole situation was that some people saw the DeClass group as the culprits of a sick joke without even looking at what these guys really do for the community. In the end the DeClass name was quickly cleared and the original poster made amends. But next time something like this happens, I hope the court of public opinion is not to quick to judge no matter who the suspect is.