The folks at Kotaku have got their hands on the San Diego Comic Con exclusive Transformers / GI-Joe Crossover set.

The set contains the Jetfire Skystriker, Hound Vamp, Baroness with Ravage, Blugeon (recolour of Budo), Snake-eyes (with Autobot Symbol) and Blaster (geto-blaster mode) with his cassettes

You can read their review by clicking the link Kotaku

The Allspark has a nice advert for some New York Comic Con Kre-O Gi-Joe toys

USA Today have shown of pictures of some of the GI Joe Retaliation toys.  These toys will not be out in the UK, so GI Joe fans will need to import them or purchase them from places like All The Cool Stuff and Kapow Toys

Directed by Jon M. Chu and due out in theaters June 29, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is the follow-up to the 1980s military-tinged franchise's first cinematic affair three years ago, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which was the highest pop-culture point to date of three decades of comic books, cartoons and toys.

And with a new movie come new action figures of returning actors Channing Tatum as team leader Duke and Ray Park as the ninja Snake Eyes, franchise newbie Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as heavy machine gunner Roadblock, and many more. (For those who've been waiting for a toy to complement their John McClane action figure, Bruce Willis is in the flick, too, as "original Joe," Joe Colton.) ....

The article shows off toys including Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Duke, Cobra Commander, Cobra Trooper, Joe Trooper, Snake-Eyes, Stormshadow, Red Ninja and Zartan.

Click the news story to see the images

Our thanks go out to Dave Tree for letting us know that if you take a trip over and listen to Episode 28 of What's On Joe Mind, you will find out who is the 5th guest for Roll Out Roll Call: A fancast about the world of GI Joe » What's on JOE Mind?.

Along with Larry Hama & Robert Atkins, this new guest is another first for a UK show and is someone that is related to both Transformers and G.I-Joe.

We can also confirm that this will not be the last guests announced for the show, so stay with us as the excitement grows

JoeDeclassified.com have posted some new images images of the upcoming SDCC exclusive G.I.Joe/Transformers Crossover Starscream Sky Striker.  Gryre-Viper, who posted the the images, included the comment "Well, here they are... some first images of a one-seater SDCC Starscream that are NOT mocked-up 2-seater stock photos. Have fun identifying all the little easter eggs. ­

I DID NOT APPLY THESE STICKERS. THESE STICKERS WERE APPLIED FACTORY-SIDE.

Yes, Starscream is "longer" than the normal Sky Striker... or rather... Starscream has a "longer" nose. (He's a compulsive liar).  But NOT literally longer. It's just paint.  And NO I cannot get you one. But if you can't make it to SDCC this year and CAN make it to Coil Con (coilcon.com)... Starscream will be making an appearance so you can hug him and get all his decals stuck between your teeth.  As usual JoeDeclassified has cut off a portion of my photos so check out GeneralsJoes.com for more complete pics."

You can view the images in full ­­here.­

During the US Toy Fair 2011 is has been announced that one of this years Comic-Con 2011 exclusives will be a G.I. Joe / Transformers crossover set featuring a Skystriker jet painted in Starscream's colours and packaged with Cobra Commander who will come with a mini Megatron gun.  No images of these set are available at the present time but you can be sure some will be leaked or released officially over the coming weeks.

The Transformers panels themselves, as expected, did not contain anything new as everything had either already been leaked or was shown and talked about after the UK Toy Fair

A new non-official third-party product has been announced in Japan by xovergen of which is best described as a Rolling Thunder Optimus Prime.  The toy will be a Transformers - G.I-Joe crossover.

The announcement includes some early concept images of Rolling Thunder Optimus Prime that were drawn by Don Figueroa for the Transformers/GI Joe crossover comic.  The silhouette posted by Xovergen Production shows the alternate mode of Rolling Thunder Optimus Prime, or rather Supreme Tactical Commander-Grand Patriot as he will be released due to copyright laws with the announcement that he will be out at the end of the year.

Just back from the UK Toy fair via a length detour at the MCN Motorbike show that was also taking place in the eXcel centre in London.  We had hope to talk to Hasbro regarding the future of Transformers in the UK as well as both Transformers Revenge of the Fallen and G.I-Joe Rise Of Cobra, however we are unable to do so as the private area containing the Transformers and G.I-Joe toys and footage was closed at the demand of Hasbro US!

After a little investigation we found out that the reason for the closure was that there was a leak on Friday from the private area.  Hasbro US found out and swiftly told Hasbro UK to close the area and stop and further access.  This meant that Hasbro UK had to turn away retailers (their own customers) denying them the chance to see two of the main 2009 action figure lines that they would be stocking this year.  Some retailers were told that the reaosn for the closure was due to "someone getting in with a camera".  We heard later that that Hasbro US were investigating the leak using the CCTV footage from the private area as well as the names on the NDA's that were signed by all visitors.

Hasbro have released a press release from the Licensing International expo which is taking in New York including information on some of its plans for Transformers throughout 2009. You cna find a copy of the press release below

TRANSFORMERS: EVEN MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE IN 2009

TRANSFORMERS has become a global phenomenon inspiring comic books, video games, animated series, films and a convention dedicated to TRANSFORMERS collectors. Fans of all ages are fascinated by the alien robots from CYBERTRON that live on earth as "Robots in Disguise" and have the ability to change from robot mode to vehicle mode.

Excitement is already building for the next movie - TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN -- from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, due to hit theaters on June 26, 2009. With a cast of more than 250 licensees in 70 countries supporting the first blockbuster film release in 2007, Hasbro continues to expand the lineup of TRANSFORMERS licensed products that will come to market around the globe in conjunction with next year's movie release.

Shifting gears to TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED, Hasbro is set to deliver a wide variety of licensed products supporting this brand in 2008 starting with an animated television programming series called TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED being jointly developed by Cartoon Network and Hasbro and co-produced by Cartoon Network Studios. Paramount Home Entertainment is also on board to release two TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED home DVDs this summer.

Rounding out the TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED adventure is a just-released series of four titles from HarperCollins and pending publishing deals with Titan Publishing Group in the UK and Hemma in France. IDW will also release four digest-sized comic books targeting the younger audience and American Greetings will develop both stickers and greeting cards to ship this fall.

In addition, Hasbro has signed and extended more than 30 U.S. and international deals for TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED apparel and footwear. Licensees including AME, Kids Headquarters and Fruit of the Loom will deliver a wide array of apparel to market in the U.S. just in time for back-to-school while licensees like Adventure Diffusion, Blues Clothing and Cooneen Textiles will bring to market highly stylized fashions throughout France, Italy, Ireland and the Nordic region.

Plans call for European print and publishing licensees to release a range of stationery, posters, books, party goods and gifts and greeting cards across multiple countries, including France and the UK. Hasbro also has agreements in principle pending contract or signed licenses with companies including Alpa, Pyramid Posters (UK) and Gemma International (UK). Under pending deals, Editions Hemma would create a publishing program for France, and Durabo would bring out gifts and stationery for the Benelux countries.

Hasbro has agreements in principle under pending contracts for TRANSFORMERS domestic and houseware products to be sold across Europe as well as in Greece and Israel, as well as other key markets.

G.I. JOE: JOIN THE HEROES OF TOMORROW...TODAY

Hasbro is enlisting licensees around the globe to rally behind one of the greatest boys properties of all time - G.I. JOE. With the live-action G.I. JOE movie from Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, due out August 7, 2009, several major licensing deals have already been signed and many more are underway to bring fans a wide selection of "everything G.I. JOE."

Leading the publishing charge is IDW which will create an action-packed comic book series. IDW also has the rights to graphic novels. Under other pending deals, licensees will bring a number of G.I. JOE goods to market including graphic t-shirts, boys apparel, footwear, video games, electronics, children's books, paper goods, room decor, social expressions, bikes, skateboards, and camping and fishing gear.

NERF: BRING YOUR "A GAME" OR STAY HOME

As NERF approaches its 40th anniversary next year, the brand continues to deliver action-packed fun from innovative footballs to tactical dart blasters for generations of energetic kids. This year's licensing program will put NERF center field with the goal of building a winning global lifestyle sports property in 2008 and beyond. Fueled by the new look-and-feel of the brand which blends action, sports and edge, licensees have stepped up to the line to create incredibly fresh and hip products that scream "It's NERF or Nothin'."

Leading the momentum of the NERF licensing program will be the apparel line, particularly in the area of graphic t-shirts. Fortune Fashions will roll out cool and stylish tees for tween boys this summer with plans to broaden the assortment to include an array of other items such as hoodies and track pants in a multitude of colors and styles. Elan-Polo has also just released NERF-branded sports sandals bundled with a NERF ball - true inspiration to get kids up and moving.

For those who seek the ultimate immersive NERF experience, Electronic Arts (EA) is developing the first interactive NERF "N-STRIKE" video game bundle for the Wii(TM). Based on the NERF N-STRIKE toy line, players will blast their way through action-packed battles in single or multiplayer modes. The NERF SWITCH SHOT EX-3 add-on accessory, the first ever 2-in-1 toy and game peripheral, will be included in the bundle and allow players to convert a real Dart Blaster into a Wii Blaster controller, further immersing fans into the ultimate virtual NERF experience.

Performance Designed Products is also on deck to amp up the digital showdown with an expanded line of NERF-molded video game accessories. Sold under the Pelican brand name, the NERF Sports Pack (tennis racket, golf club and baseball bat), NERF Wireless Controller, NERF skins and NERF DS Case are already hugely popular among gamers.

Under pending contract, Promotional Partners Worldwide will boost adrenaline levels in sports fans allowing armchair quarterbacks to fire off their own winning touchdown pass and hoopsters to sink a three-pointer at the buzzer with NERF-branded footballs and basketballs emblazoned with logos of their favorite college teams.

Ripping a page from the NERF playbook, the Entertainment and Licensing team will continue to ink deals that will deliver innovative "permission to play" lifestyle products to consumers. Currently, there are pending agreements to create products in the categories of sports, publishing, electronics, seasonal, room decor, novelty and accessories.

LITTLEST PET SHOP: IT KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER

The lifestyle-focused licensing program behind LITTLEST PET SHOP, the fastest growing brand among girls according to dollar sales, is continuing to grow "paw over tail" with more than 160 deals signed across all categories worldwide. To say that girls just can't get enough of LITTLEST PET SHOP would be an understatement. Hasbro has expanded its roster of licensees across all categories and girls can expect to be wowed with the lineup of new products due to hit retail shelves this year.

As an extension to the LITTLEST PET SHOP toy line, digital licensee EA will bring the magic of the property to life this fall with a series of video games for the Wii and Nintendo DS(TM) as well as the PC. Based on the platform, the interactive experience will allow girls to engage with 20-30 of the most popular pets in the collection by exploring three unique worlds, playing mini games, earning accessories and enjoying playsets from the 2008 toy line.

The LITTLEST PET SHOP apparel and accessories segment will soar in 2008 anchored by the largest graphic t-shirt line for girls in Hasbro's history. With the help of Fortune Fashions and others, Hasbro's goal is to continue to fill girls' dresser drawers with cool and sassy tees until they overflow. For girls who also like to keep LITTLEST PET SHOP "under cover" Leeward International, Cooneen Textiles (UK), Handcraft, Berkshire Accessories and TMI Australasia (Australia) are on board to deliver sleepwear, underwear and socks. In addition, girls can decorate their rooms with an exciting line of LITTLEST PET SHOP bedding from Franco in France and Zap in the UK.

This year will also feature a large selection of bags for all occasions from FAB/Starpoint in the U.S. and other licensees in countries like France and Benelux. Adding to the dazzle of stepping out in high LITTLEST PET SHOP style, Flik Flak Group will unveil the first LITTLEST PET SHOP Swatch watch collection in the U.S., while Fantabijoux (France) and Little Concepts (UK, Holland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland) will roll out jewelry lines.

For girls who prefer an unplugged LITTLEST PET SHOP adventure, more than 20 new titles will be released in 2008 by Scholastic, Reader's Digest and Bendon in North America and Latin America. Additionally, Scholastic plans to release its existing U.S. book catalog into the Australian and New Zealand markets this year. Eleven new book titles will be released by Editions Hemma (France) and Play Bac with an additional 10 to roll out from Ladybird/Penguin (UK). Five Mile Press (Australia) is also on board to release six new titles through 2009. Under pending agreements, the publishing program will also expand to Russia, Romania, Germany and Poland. Other publishing highlights include sticker and activity books from Panini (France), Redan (UK), Egmont International (Scandinavia, Poland), Noriel (Moldavia, Romania), and Big Balloon (Benelux). American Greetings will also develop LITTLEST PET SHOP greeting cards and party goods in 2008.

MY LITTLE PONY: IT'S ALWAYS PARTY DAY IN PONYVILLE

Twenty-five years and 40 million ponies later, MY LITTLE PONY remains a sweeping sensation among little girls around the world. This year, as candles are lit, cupcakes devoured and tea sipped in honor of the big birthday, the celebration will continue when THQ launches MY LITTLE PONY: Pinkie Pie's Party on the Nintendo DS in the fall allowing girls to engage with the core cast of seven ponies while playing games and solving puzzles.

New stories will unfold as the publishing program continues to grow and thrive worldwide. With more than 24 million MY LITTLE PONY books sold since 2003, 18 new titles are planned for release in the U.S. with another 50 set for international debut this year from publishing houses, including Redan (UK), Pedigree Books Ltd. (UK), Panini (France), and Five Mile Press (Australia) with its highly anticipated Spring Tea Party book, as well as refreshing its entire back catalog of activity books. Distribution of the MY LITTLE PONY magazine has also been extended across all major territories in Europe including new partners in Eastern Europe. Additionally, American Greetings will continue to bring MY LITTLE PONY to life on a wide variety of social expressions products in 2008.

As a consistent top performer at key mass market retailers, MY LITTLE PONY graphic t-shirts from Fortune Fashions and apparel from Kids Headquarters continue to move off the shelves and onto the backs of girls of all ages. That program, along with underwear lines from Fruit of the Loom, which are also top-sellers at mass retailers, will expand in 2008 to feature new styles and logo treatments. Rounding out the MY LITTLE PONY fashion show will be jewelry by Little Concepts (UK).

MY LITTLE PONY apparel deals are also expanding on the international front. BC International (UK) will launch a new line of graphic tees for women, Silverknit (UK) will deliver adult sleepwear and underwear, Smith & Brooks (UK) is creating apparel and footwear lines, Cooneen Textiles (UK) will roll out sleepwear, Funtastic (Australia) is expanding its range in footwear and bedding, and TMI Australasia continues to dominate the Australian market with underwear and sleepwear. In addition, Carel (France), Madness Article (Spain), Santex (Benelux), Studiokids (Eastern Europe), and Cookie Company (Benelux) are on board to deliver apparel goods this year.

TONKA: STILL GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY

Just as TONKA has grown from the original two trucks to a full line featuring 100s of trucks, vehicles and playsets over the past 60 years, Hasbro is continuing to bulldoze forward its licensing program supporting the brand that has been paving the way for boys to be boys for decades.

The latest licensing agreements inked by Hasbro will allow tots to dig into the dirt with outdoor toys from Debut Sports or go off-road in an electric vehicle from TGA Electronic. Under pending deals there will also be plenty of fun indoor play items coming to market in the UK, Russia and Australia that will occupy hours of little boys' time.

Other TONKA-branded products on deck for 2008 include bedding from Caprice (Australia), retro tees and underwear from Design Works Clothing Co. PTY. Limited (Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), and baby wear from WILDCARD PTY. LTD. (Australia and New Zealand).

PLAYSKOOL: 80 YEARS OF BELIEVING IN PLAY

As Hasbro celebrates the 80th anniversary of PLAYSKOOL, its commitment to provide quality toys that enrich children while they play remains at the heart of the brand. Keeping in step with the PLAYSKOOL brand mantra, the Entertainment and Licensing division has put in place highly innovative programs that further entrench the brand with mom.

In 2008, Hasbro licensees will roll out a range of new PLAYSKOOL-branded products, from books to baby care items which will delight preschoolers and parents alike.

Little ones love a good story and the publishing program supporting the brand is going to deliver big this year. Featuring the fun, core cast of PLAYSKOOL characters from Digger the Dog to Tubby the Turtle, Kitty Kandu and Go Go Dino, Simon & Schuster has signed on to develop a new children's book series that will commence with the release of the first five titles this fall.

For the youngest PLAYSKOOL consumer, the successful direct-to-retail baby care line at CVS/pharmacy stores will feature newly added items throughout 2008.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS

Hasbro's wildly popular TRIVIAL PURSUIT board game has been bringing people together and driving the quest for wedges for 25 years. As the brand celebrates its silver anniversary, fans of the game will now have an opportunity to really get into the action this fall with TRIVIAL PURSUIT: America Plays, a television-based game show to be developed and distributed by Debmar-Mercury.

The TRIVIAL PURSUIT: America Plays game show has been designed to rely on user-generated content allowing viewers to submit TRIVIAL PURSUIT video questions that will in turn be asked of contestants. If the question is selected and stumps the contestant, the user who submitted the question can earn cash.

Ninety percent of the U.S. has been cleared for the fall launch in syndication of TRIVIAL PURSUIT: America Plays with FOX affiliates in eight of the top 10 markets thus far including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Stations from Cox Broadcasting, CBS, Belo, Gannett, Scripps, Raycom Media and Weigel Broadcasting are also signed up for the fall broadcast.

MONOPOLY: OWN THE FUN - ANYTIME, ANYPLACE

It promises to be a very exciting year for one of the best-selling board game brands of all time - MONOPOLY. The highly anticipated release of MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition is slated for August in 50 countries and 37 languages, and several licensing programs supporting the brand are already in place to ratchet up the fun for fans around the world.

In a crowded graphic t-shirt market, MONOPOLY continues to resonate with consumers of all ages. From tees placed in the mass market by Fortune Fashions and in specialty stores by Junkfood Clothing to the highly successful direct-to-retail agreement with Steve & Barry's, fans keep expanding their MONOPOLY wardrobe.

In the digital arena, EA has released a variety of MONOPOLY digital game experiences for the iPod(R) and mobile handsets allowing players to own it all, anytime, anyplace. In addition, later this fall MONOPOLY comes to the Wii, PlayStation(R)2 and Xbox 360(TM) consoles. The MONOPOLY games are just the tip of the iceberg with EA, which secured the digital rights to 100s of Hasbro brands. Video games are also currently under development for next generation consoles, PC, mobile, handheld and online for SCRABBLE (for the U.S. and Canada), YAHTZEE, TRIVIAL PURSUIT, and OPERATION.

Hasbro is also continuing to expand its reach into non-traditional channels through an ongoing global agreement with Scientific Games for MONOPOLY as well as almost 20 other Hasbro brands to appear on a wide range of lottery platforms including instant and pull-tab tickets, on-line terminal generated games, mobile, Internet and interactive TV. Today, MONOPOLY remains the No. 1 licensed brand available for worldwide lotteries. In addition, WMS Gaming has been manufacturing MONOPOLY slot machines for more than 10 years and its latest games, MONOPOLY Big Event and MONOPOLY Up, Up & Away, are now staples at many of the world's top casinos.

Other Hasbro Game highlights include the six-year strategic partnership with Universal Pictures to produce at least four motion pictures based on some of Hasbro's best-known and beloved brands. Also under pending agreements, several international promotions will also be executed this year including Nestle Greece which would integrate TRIVIAL PURSUIT into select products distributed to grocery stores and MONOPOLY, TRIVIAL PURSUIT, TABOO and TWISTER getting TOTAL Cereal box time throughout France in summer 2008.

For the unplugged traveler, under a pending agreement, L.L. Bean would produce a compact SCRABBLE game that will be sold at retail and online later this year and MONOPOLY trivia books from Sterling Publishing are ideal for passing time while on the road. Hasbro has also started to build a strong licensing program supporting the newly acquired CRANIUM property.

Your grandparents remember a rah-rah line of 12-inch dolls with kung-fu grip, providing a male alternative to Barbie. Your older siblings (or, gasp!, parents) grew up with a highly stylized, action-packed, endearingly goofy cartoon franchise fueled by 3 3/4-inch action figures. You might recall anything from G.I. Joe Extreme to the Classic Collection, to pop-culture references like "knowing is half the battle."

Now, a star-powered G.I. Joe movie has begun filming. But the question remains: What will the movie's Joes be like? For the answer, we went straight to the only man who commands both Destro and General Hawk.

Brian Goldner is the chief operating officer at Hasbro, which first introduced Joe to action-minded adolescents in 1964, and is also the executive producer on the "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" movies. " 'G.I. Joe' has just gone into filming this past week, with a great cast and a tremendous story all based on the comics and the animation," Goldner said. "I think fans, and fans to come, will really love what we're doing."

(In the MTV Movies blog, Goldner talks about the possibility of G.I. Joe's classic vehicles showing up in the movie.)

Undoubtedly, such statements are as musical to the ears of longtime fans as the TV show's theme song. But stars like Dennis Quaid, Sienna Miller and Marlon Wayans have been met with varying degrees of enthusiasm from such fans, and Quaid himself recently confirmed that many beloved characters — including Wild Bill, Shipwreck and Tomax and Xamot — won't be in the flick.

"We all really loved what G.I. Joe was about in the '80s; we loved that story arc and the concept of Joe vs. Cobra," said Goldner, explaining that the people who created those characters will return, even if some of their creations won't. Comics writer Larry Hama, Goldner confirmed, "is onboard, and he's working with us on the script.

"And you may see him in the movie," he added.

Noting that the flick, directed by "Mummy" mastermind Stephen Sommers, will largely sidestep the TV show and be more "about the comic books," Goldner revealed some of the major characters and plotlines the film will explore. "We all know of the Arashikage [ninja clan], and we all know of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, but we need to build that story," he explained. "We all know the story of Duke, and the story of the Baroness. ... We know the story of Destro, but do we really? We need to go back and tell the origin story of how you get a Scottish arms dealer, who comes forward in history — how does that happen?"

"And Cobra Commander," he added, referring to the evil terrorist leader who fan sites have reported will be portrayed by "Brick" star Joseph Gordon-Levitt. "In effect, this is all about the rise of Cobra Commander. ... For fans, they're really going to love this, because we take them on a journey. ... We have to go through the first chapter and then build from there."

Goldner was also eager to respond to the controversy over rumors that the patriotic nature of "G.I. Joe" was being toned down in order to be more appealing to a worldwide, post-9/11 audience. "Duke, in our story, really represents the pre-1983 G.I. Joe," he said, linking Channing Tatum's character to the dolls of the '60s and '70s. "If those fans that grew up on the 12-inch Army man are looking for where their anchor should be, it's in Duke; he's the leader of the team and clearly American.

"But the story, just like in the comic books, was a story that took us all over the world," he continued. "That's all we were really trying to get at. And everything else that fans have heard, about the early ideas or contemplations, that's really gone. ... We're talking about a story that's going to take us all over the world, from the desert to under the water, to the mountains to cities. ... Clearly, the American military is involved, as are other forces. But at the end of the day, the force that matters is the G.I. Joe force, and the Pit, and all the things that relate to that."

We caught up with Goldner at the New York Toy Fair, where he was giving fans a sneak preview of the G.I. Joe toys of the future. At the front of his thoughts, however, was the real-life stars who'd soon be creating the action figures' action. "We think it's amazing to have Channing Tatum as Duke, because I think he has a different kind of fanbase," said the executive producer, who in May will become Hasbro's CEO. "Clearly, Sienna Miller has a wonderful fanbase. Dennis Quaid as General Hawk, he has a tremendous fanbase. So bringing them all together, as an ensemble cast, is going to be really dynamic and something that people haven't seen before. But it'll still be very true to G.I. Joe."

The next question would seem to be a logical one: Will the Joes we know and love be replaced by toy versions of Marlon Wayans and Arnold Vosloo? "Well, what was so magical about the '80s G.I. Joe was the 3 3/4-inch product," Goldner said, revealing that the dimensions of the star-faced toys would be along the lines of the "Real American Hero" line. "[That size] gives people a chance to get all the figures but get all of the vehicles. So it's going to be in that scale. ... Very true to where we were in the 1980s, and then we'll take it forward.

"Steve Sommers is very different," Goldner said, contrasting him with "Transformers" director Michael Bay. "But he's perfect, because if you think about his movies like 'The Mummy,' it's the perfect action/adventure movie. If you think about what we're trying to do for G.I. Joe, really bringing back that '80s G.I. Joe from the Marvel comics — those first 155 issues are really our focus. If you think about that, you'll understand what we're trying to get at with all those characters and all the intricate relationships.

"I don't think you'd see this movie as wacky," he promised, alluding to some of the more eccentric characters from the cartoon show. "I think you're going to see this movie as being inspirational for younger kids and totally in the sweet spot for the guys who grew up on G.I. Joe."

In August 2009, we'll see it with our own eyes. In the meantime, "G.I. Joe" continues to shoot all over the world, with a budget so huge that it makes the U.S.S. Flagg aircraft carrier play set look like something you'd get at a 99-cent store.

• 1971 - GI-Joe bought to Japan as Combat Joe (sold by Takara)
• 1972 - Takara release Henshin Cyborg (based on GI-Joe body's)
• 1974 - Takara downsize Henshin Cyborg to Microman
• 1980 - Takara introduce the Diaclone line
• 1984 - Diaclone and Microman toys released in US as Transformers
• 1985 - Transformers released in Japan