JoeDeclassified.com

As we enter into convention season, I find myself thinking about what I'll have autographed at each show as the opportunities present themselves. Sometimes it's an easy choice, if your going to meet an inker that only did 1 issue of G.I. Joe, well it's not a hard decision to have him autograph that particular issue. Other times it can be much harder, like say a Hasbro designer when you have no clue what he worked on.

Convention posters are a good option. They are not too specific, but they tie the autograph to the event where you met the person. I like autographs on figures over photo's: Kirk Bozigian on Law, Ron Rudat on Dusty or Leatherneck. I just think "things" display better than photo's. Just my personal taste.

Personally, I don't like to go out of my way for autographs, but when I get them, I like them to be on something appropriate to the person, if not downright iconic.


That brings me to my question. What's truly iconic in G.I. Joe?


My favorite autographed piece is the Optimus Prime role play helmet from the first movie. It's covered in autographs, and looks reasonably similar to most incarnations of Prime to be iconic. I don't have any Star Wars signatures, but if I did I'd go for a nice R2-D2 since he's the only character to appear in all 6 movies relatively unchanged. Darth Vader would be a good back up since he's so overwhelmingly iconic.

But G.I. Joe doesn't have that kind of stability does it? One might say Snake Eyes or Cobra Commander, but how often do they both change? Besides, what would you pick? I'm not going to pay $250 for the life sized Snake Eyes bust just to let people sign it. The Snake Eyes role play mask is a good cheap option, but a bit on the cheesy side. I kind of like the idea of a decent vintage HISS tank, but when you think about it, it's actually pretty small. Wouldn't take long to cover the thing in signatures.

If you could only pick 1 thing to have all your G.I. Joe autographs on, what would it be?

Roger

I don't now that I would pick just one thing. It would all depend on who I'm getting an autograph from. If it was the Rock, then I'd have him sign a MOC figure or a movie poster. If it were Larry Hama, I'd have him sign a copy of my favorite comic by him. I can't think of any one iconic Joe thing I'd have anybody and everybody sign.

Exactly my point. Just doesn't seem to be one does there?

Roger

Well if you want iconic and with enough space, get a Flagg You can even just bring a single deck piece to get signed then when it's full, grab the next one.

Seriously though, most of the iconic toys for GI Joe are just too small to have more than 1 signature on them. I think the best bet would be the 3 piece Cobra Commander Face Plate Helmet that was being sold at Party City in 2009 (or get a custom made one if the 3 piece one is too cheap looking)

BTW, the 3 piece one can be had for a little over $10 including shipping

Here's some pics of it in case you haven't seen one in person:




Disassembled:




Here's the edges, it's thin enough to be easily bent but retains the shape under it's own weight

Well, for me at the con, I always get the con comic signed by all in attendence. Then if the persons likeness was used as a character, then I get that characters filecards auto'ed. Basically, I get something signed that is relevent to that person that I can get at that convention.
Chris

At last year's Joelanta, I got Larry Hama to sign two of my 1986 Milton Bradley GI Joe cards - Snake Eyes & Stormshadow.
Maybe G.I. Joe #21 this year?

Well, I have this thing, that I'm more than happy to show at any opportunity:

Nice one Phillip.

I like the idea, and the look of the Cobra Comander helmet, but that thing is so dam flimsy.

Roger