G.I. Joe and the Transformers (toyline)
| This article is about the toy line homaging various crossovers between the Transformers and G.I. Joe brands. For 1986 comic crossover by Marvel Comics, see G.I. Joe and the Transformers (comic). For other crossovers with G.I. Joe, see G.I. Joe crossovers (disambiguation). |
G.I. Joe and the Transformers is the name under which crossovers in toy form between Transformers and the G.I. Joe franchise are sold.
Initially, the "toy line" was made up entirely of annually released sets available exclusively at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at San Diego Comic-Con, and subsequently at the Hasbro Toy Shop website, with the themes of the sets and the packaging design meant to commemorate the eponymous G.I. Joe and the Transformers comic book mini-series from Marvel Comics, including a continuation of the series' numbering. Those sets consisted entirely of redecos of figures and vehicles taken from the G.I. Joe line, with non-transforming G.I. Joe vehicles made to resemble Transformers characters.
Later, Fun Publications also released several crossover sets that were exclusively available through both the Transformers Collectors' Club store and the G.I. Joe Collectors' Club store under the same name. Those sets commemorated instances of crossovers between the two brands in season 3 of the original Transformers television series, and later also the issues of the Marvel G.I. Joe comic that served as a prelude to the Generation 2 comic, again using mostly redecos of G.I. Joe figures and vehicles but this time also including redecos of actual Transformers figures.
Even though the annual Hasbro Toy Shop/San Diego Comic-Con sets supposedly ended in 2013 with a set named "The Epic Conclusion!", 2016 saw the release of another set.
G.I. Joe and the Transformers-branded toys
Hasbro Toy Shop/San Diego Comic-Con exclusives
- 2011: Starscream Sky Striker with Cobra Commander (and Megatron accessory)
- 2012: Shockwave HISS tank with Destro and Constructicon B.A.T. (and Soundwave, Ravage, Laserbeak, and Ratbat accessories)
- 2013: The Epic Conclusion! (Jetfire Sky Striker and Hound VAMP with Ravage, Snake-Eyes, the Baroness, and Bludgeon (and Blaster, Steeljaw, Ramhorn, and Eject accessories))
- 2016: Scarlett, Zartan, Soundwave HISS tank and Rattler Powerglide
Transformers Collectors' Club/G.I. Joe Collectors' Club exclusives
- 2015: Marissa Faireborn with Afterbreaker
- 2015: Old Snake with Advanced Stealth B.A.T. duo (with Nightshrieks)
- 2016: G.I. Joe featuring Ninja Force and Transformers (Ninja Force: Scarlett, Dr. Sidney Biggles-Jones, Cobra Commander, Ratbat, Megatron, and Autobot Black Cat (and gun mode Megatron, Autobot Toaster, and three Crusticon accessories))
Other crossovers between Transformers and G.I. Joe in toy form
- An unproduced and unreleased G.I. Joe Transformer figure intended for the Generation 2 line.
- Energon Snow Cat's alternate mode is based on a "Snow Cat" SAM half-track.
- An unproduced Baroness & Ravage statue by First 4 Figures.
- The first proper crossover toy came with Titanium Series Cybertron Heroes Megatron, which took inspiration from the Dreamwave Productions comic Transformers/G.I. Joe and referred to the series' events on the back of its packaging.
- Transformers Collectors' Club Transformers Figure Subscription Service Series 3.0 Serpent O.R. represents Cobra member Serpentor.
- Combiner Wars Decepticon Viper's alternate mode is meant to homage a Cobra Rattler, including two Cobra insignias with integrated Decepticon insignia, whereas the robot mode's face mask is meant to resemble Wild Weasel's flight mask.
- The 2016 Collectors' Club exclusive Autobot Warrior Code Name: Arcee and Autobot Leader Code Name: Rodimus Prime figures, which represent the synthoid bodies from the cartoon episode "Only Human", use a combination of existing parts of various G.I. Joe figures (plus a few new parts). The packaging for both figures is simply branded Transformers, with a smaller "Transformers Collectors' Club" logo in the upper right corner, and no mention of G.I. Joe anywhere on the packaging. Despite this, they were available through both the Transformers and G.I. Joe Collectors' Club.
- In 2022, the Transformers Collaborative toyline finally broke the glass ceiling by releasing a Transformer that is actually to scale with and operable by G.I. Joe figures. "Megatron H.I.S.S. Tank" is a large, Commander Class-ish figure of the Decepticon leader that, as his name suggests, converts into a HISS tank. He is paired with a G.I. Joe Retro Collection "O-Ring" figure of the Baroness (i.e., a new mold to directly replicate her original 1984 toy), who can be seated in his cockpit or man his turret.
