G.I. Joe Heads To New Orleans

The G.I. JOE Convention also known as ‘GIJoeCon’, hosted by the G.I. JOE Collectors’ Club and Hasbro, returns to New Orleans for its 19th annual celebration taking place at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel. Not only did the city play host to a memorable GIJoeCon in 2006, but it was also the site of much of the filming of G.I. JOE: RETALIATION, the upcoming movie scheduled to hit theaters on March 29th, 2013 in 3D and stars Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki and more.

The festivities kick off on June 29th with a preview day for registered fans. The convention opens to the public on June 30th and July 1st. Attendees will get the opportunity to interact with G.I. JOE artists, creators, industry guests, and members of the Hasbro G.I. JOE brand and design teams, all paying tribute to the nearly 50-year history of the iconic brand that introduced the world’s first action figure.

This year’s convention will celebrate the iconic G.I. JOE brand in all of its incarnations, from the very first action figure to the many animated series and comic books, to the upcoming blockbuster film. Fans will also be given a sneak peek at upcoming G.I. JOE action figures by Hasbro. Additionally, attendees will have the chance to take a picture as their own G.I. JOE character in front of a giant action figure package!

In 2012 Hasbro also welcomes the launch of G.I. JOE: SPECIAL OPS from Syfy Games, the first ever online game based on the iconic G.I. JOE brand. In the arena-based combat game, players can join either the G.I JOE team or the villainous COBRA organization, accessing a huge catalogue of iconic heroes and villains along with spectacular weapons and vehicles. G.I. JOE: SPECIAL OPS will launch this summer on Facebook and SyfyGames.com, among other platforms worldwide.

“This is going to be a great year with a great location for GIJoeCon,” said Derryl DePriest, vice president of the G.I. JOE brand at Hasbro. “We’re very privileged to be in the city where G.I. JOE: RETALIATION was filmed. The convention will have something fun for G.I. JOE enthusiasts of any age, whether they’ve been a fan for 50 years, grew up with the animated series in the 80’s or just received their first action figure.”

The convention will be held at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel, located at 2 Poydras Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. General admission tickets are available at the door, $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 5-12 (free child’s admission with a paid adult). As always, admission is free for those 4 years old and under. General Admission tickets provide access to the showroom on Saturday, June 30th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or on Sunday, July 1st from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Additional details and pre-registration information can be found at GIJoeCon.com, or by calling (817) 448-9863.

Hasbro inaugurated the G.I. JOE Collectors’ Convention in 1994 to bring collectors, fans and the G.I. JOE team together to share in the history of the brand. The annual event attracts thousands of people for G.I. JOE-related presentations and activities, along with buying, selling and trading rare and vintage G.I. JOE action figures.