Unstoppable comic creator Jim Marshall, the driving force behind Blood for the Baron website and more, is running a new Kickstarter for the Action Force Redux Trade Paperback, along with a new Masterplan magazine and the project Sourcebook, a not-for-profit project inspired by the Hasbro-owned property.
There’s just under two weeks to back this 21st anniversary Action Force Redux Kickstarter campaign, which will provide Jim with a working proof-of-concept, which he will then use to pitch Action Force Redux, his all-new weekly web-comic and monthly printed title, to some mainstream publishers.
For those who came in late, Action Force were original British 1982 UK toys and comics, which were bolstered with recoloured GI Joe and Cobra toys. Their enemies were Baron Ironblood and his Red Shadows.
In 1985, the Palitoy design team was suddenly laid off, meaning the entire Action Force range abruptly switched to 100 per cent GI Joe toys, albeit with different stickers, as well as rebranded vehicles from the previous years’ range.
Despite this behind-the-scenes turmoil, the weekly British comic Battle Action Force, an anthology mix of World War Two stories and Action Force promotional content, managed to somehow rise above all this craziness and retcon a coherent story.
“World Enemy Number One” saw Baron Ironblood betray his entire army of Red Shadows, only to reinvent himself as Cobra Commander. Red Jackal hunted him down, driven by revenge, only to be mockingly remoulded as Destro.
But even though the toys were no longer on the shelves, the Red Shadows refused to die. Time and again fan-favourites like the Black Major, Red Laser and the SAS returned to battle both Cobra and the new GI Joe-based Action Force.
The Palitoy’s Action Force: Redux web-comic launched on 24th February 2022, Blood For The Baron’s 19th anniversary and GI Jo’s 40th. It’s set in and around the events of “World Enemy Number One”, written to both flesh-out the fall of the Red Shadows and to explore the unanswered questions for the original characters who suddenly found themselves conscripted into the new order.
The Kickstarter offers the opportunity to get your hands on Action Force Redux – Masterplan, available for the very first time, detailing Jim Marshall’s odyssey as he sets out to learn anything and everything about the classic toy range by Palitoy.
The Action Force Redux – Masterplan is the perfect accompaniment to the Action Force Redux – Sourcebook (also available) and is a must-have for fans of Action Force Redux.
Plus, there’s the an all-new 100-page Action Force Redux book on offer, too, collecting material from Action Force Redux issues 001-004. Featuring a brand-new cover by 2000AD’s Patrick Goddard, the anthology stories are rearranged into read-order for the first time as a complete graphic novel. Every backer will also receive an exclusive A2 poster and A4 print of the incredible cover artwork.
The comic, written by BloodForTheBaron.com‘s Jim Marshall, features art created by an extraordinary lineup that includes Patrick Goddard (2000AD, Judge Dredd, Sniper Elite), Robert Atkins (GI Joe, Transformers, Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Brian Atkins (Final Street, Family Graves), Geoff Senior (Action Force, Transformers, Zoids, Death’s Head, Dragon’s Claws, To The Death), Alejandro Cabral (GI Joe, Action Force: Millerverse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, Tales from the Crypt, Eternal Descent), Mariano A’Q (Masters of the Universe), Wack! (MASK ’85, MASK ’86), and Michael Collins Otu and Rodolfo Valenzuela (Loaiza Fortun, Aztec).
“The cover artwork is the first piece of a planned triptych across Action Force Redux TPB volumes 02 and 03,” Jim enthuses. “The TPB 02 cover will feature the Action Force commanders Skip, Eagle, Leviathan and Sky Raider fighting for their lives! The TPB 03 cover will feature the forces of Cobra, mirroring the TPB 01 cover artwork. All three covers will be linked by a single explosive background.”
Finally, how about grabbing a copy of the Action Force Redux – Sourcebook? Written by Jim Marshall, this has been a staggering eight years in the making.
Jim was so inspired by the journey detailed in the Masterplan magazine, that he sat down and plotted his first set of Action Force graphic novels. Clocking in at over 43,500 words, the Action Force Redux – Sourcebook fully details the plotlines, breakdowns, continuity, layouts and much, much more for the entire 100-issue Action Force Redux comic book project and is the perfect accompaniment to the Action Force Redux – Masterplan… surely a must-have for fans of Action Force Redux.
There are combination packages of all three books above on offer as part of this Kickstarter, so if you’re a fan of Action Force, GI Joe, and comics, too… why are you still here?
Action Force and all related properties are copyright Hasbro, Inc. These are fan-based comics. After production costs, all profits are donated to the National Health Service and the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals.
• Check out the Action Force Redux Trade Paperback Kickstarter here
• Palitoy’s Action Force Redux is online at ActionForceRedux.com | Blood for the Baron is online at BloodForTheBaron.com Facebook (Regularly Updated) | Instagram | X
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Crowd Funding Projects, Digital Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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