To suggest that the Nike SB Zoom Stefan Janoski does well with two-toned colorways adn a white vulc sole is a gross understatement.  Janoskis come in a range of variants these days, but you can always count on the application of a simple new colorway to demonstrate how much a great silhouette can do with so few colors.  The latest is a tonal brown suede combination of Umber and Boulder whose piping seems especially seamless with embroidered Swooshes streaking across the side panels in the same shade.  They’re a great go-to design if you need a versatile shoe on any but the sloppiest of winter days, and you’ll find them available now at select Nike SB stores including Flatspot.

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The recent release of the Nike Air Max JR have taken an unofficial formulaic approach of tonal colorways attributed to the teams that Ken Griffey Jr. played for. The last tonal-black pair we showed you was dubbed the ‘White Sox’, although Jr.’s time with the South Side was rather short. Here’s another look at the Tonal Red ‘Cincinnati Reds’ colorway – one we showed you back in March; it features a sinister Varsity Red covering the entire shoe with a white swoosh on the the toe as well as on accents on the lace-hoops. If the tonal team theme continues, how awesome would an all-Freshwater pair of JRs be? Check out the additional shots of this November 2011 release below and let us know what you think.

Nike Air Max JR
Varsity Red/Varsity Red-White
442478-600
11/2011
$160

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It wasn’t too terribly long ago that the phrase ‘cartoon sneakers’ conjured images of bargain-priced velcro-secured tiny kicks for toddlers.  And while everyone loves a good lenticular action scene on the side panels, it’s with some relief that we’ve seen a vast improvement in the execution of these kiddie-themed kicks as the big brands increase their collaborative networks.  The Muppets x adidas Originals AR 2.0 ‘Animal’ recognizes one of Jim Henson’s standout characters with a flashy bred design whose fuzzy lining probably feels something like the puppet whose face is pressed into the tongue.  These can be worn with or without the heavy metal-style studded straps, but your choice to wait on getting these from adidas Originals accounts like Mr. R Sports all but ensures you’ll miss out.

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Two Air Jordan III releases on consecutive weekends? Are we dreaming? On Black Friday, Jordan Brand will release the Air Jordan III ‘Black/Cement’, the final Air Jordan III ‘OG colorway’ release of 2011. In Europe, that release will be immediately followed by the drop of the Black Flip III. The Black Flips revisit the 2007 release of the original ‘Flip’, which first introduced the inverse blocking of the elephant print, and the verdict regarding which of the Flips is the better version is still up in the air. Jordan Brand release dates in Europe aren’t exactly the same for the U.S., as they typically fall within two weeks (before or after) the U.S. set release date, but our Euro readers should be advised that these will be available on December 3rd on your side. Check out these new images courtesy of Kicks-crew and if you can’t wait ’til December, grab a pair now on eBay.

Air Jordan III
Black/Metallic Silver
315767-001
12/03/11 (Euro)
$175

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With most Air Jordan Retros, the number comes right after the word ‘Jordan’.  But for the Air Jordan Retro V.1, the number is displaced to signify their status as an offshoot of the ever-evolving Jordan Brand Grown lifestyle series.  The V.1 takes the classic AJ1 silhouette, chops it down to ankle height and applies a vulcanized sole to give the familiar vamp a more casual feel.  And the changes don’t stop there either, with corded laces adding a slightly rugged touch and an Elephant print Swoosh connecting these back to the Air Jordan Legacy from which they were spawned.  Five new styles are slated for next summer; will you pick one of the white-based models or go the Cargo Khaki and Yellow Diamond route?  via CK

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It takes all kinds of sneakerheads to make up our little subculture, but few can match the sheer passion for the game demonstrated by New York’s Premium Pete.  The founder of SneakerTube.TV recently sat down with Complex.com to discuss what he’s seen over the past couple decades of sneaker culture, namely Pete’s Top 25 Sneakers of All-Time.  And as you might expect from one of the community’s elders, this ranking consists of a bunch of classic models that have proven their timeless value and a couple of surprises you might not have expected (is the Captain America-inspired Doernbecher x Nike Air Max 95 on your list?!).  Check out a sampling of what’s in store from the full list and then head over to Complex for the feature in its entirety.

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Never (in this decade) has a sneaker caught the attention of non-sneaker media outlets like the Nike LeBron 9 ‘Cannon’ did. The military-inspired colorway of the ‘Cannon’ was deemed newsworthy by sports blogs, fashion blogs, gossip blogs, and even the biggest names in those respective categories, like ESPN and CNN. LeBron James debuted the ‘Cannon’ LeBron 9 during that star-studded South Florida All-Star Classic that was held in late September, and since then we’ve all been patiently awaiting the wide release (these dropped first in limited numbers at select retailers in Miami). The release date for cannon was originally set at November 4th, but Nike has just confirmed a minor postponement of this special edition colorway to December 3rd. November is already a jam-packed month with big-name kicks, so perhaps this delay is a blessing in disguise. Now that you have the new date circled on your calendars, are these worth the wait? If your patience is thinning, grab a pair right now on 2xwashoes on eBay.

Nike LeBron 9
Cannon/Volt-Slate Blue-Team Orange
469764-004
12/03/11
$170

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While there is no guarantee that the NBA season will begin in 2011, Nike Basketball will guarantee that all three of its signature Nike Basketball sneakers will release by 12/31/11. The Nike LeBron 9 has already hit stores, and recently we confirmed the release date of the Nike Zoom Kobe VII Supreme (late December). Rounding out the ‘Big Three’ is the Nike Zoom KD IV in the OKC Thunder ‘Away’ colorway; you can expect the first ‘inline’ colorway to hit stores on December 3rd, 2011, with other TB and high-energy colorways like the ‘Cool Grey‘ and ‘Mint Candy‘ versions in early/mid 2012. Must have for you? Let us know after the jump.

Nike Zoom KD IV
Black/Team Orange-Photo Blue
473679-001
12/03/11
$95

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Japan’s realmad HECTIC has been collaborating with New Balance for quite a while now, and often, their best work comes when bringing in even more notable names.  Several of these standouts have come from working with US streetwear and sneaker specialists Stussy and Undefeated, and now that the H574J ‘Ducky’ has gotten them off the 580MT silhouette, it’s time to push back toward a more traditional NB design.  The UNDFTD x Stussy x HECTIC x New Balance CM996 greets you right off the bat with a sense that the suede on these is as lush as any fan of classic runners would ever fantasize about pairing with its nylon mesh partner in crime.  These have a University of Michigan look about them with navy and gold sections sitting right beside one another; could we be talking about Rose Bowl and BCS Championship games for the Wolverines around the time of this pair’s November release?  We’ll have to wait and see if Big Blue really can go undefeated this season, but the opposite is clearly true, even if we have to be paitent for the official release date.  via FNG

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Combining pink with earthy shades on the Nike Air Force 1 Bespoke isn’t exactly unprecedented.  Then again, no two Bespokes are the same, so you know right from the jump that this pair’s going to have something special to offer; might it be the best pink-accented pair we’ve seen so far?  Regardless of whether it’s the absolute best, it’s impossible not to see the Neapolitan-flavored deliciousness manifested in this mixture of reflective 3M, ultra-premium leather and kevlar.  There are plenty of personal touches on these, ranging from the custom dubraes to heel embroidery commemorating designer Psy Chotik’s 25th birthday and a laser-etched lion on the other shoe in his honor.  Check out the huge run of detailed images we have after the jump and set your appointment with 21 Mercer today.  via SP

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And you say Chi city! Those words, spoken by rapper Common, can be taken either as a nod to his city or as the most likely response to the question “What was the best colorway of the Air Jordan X?”. For many years since their release, the ‘Chicago’ edition of the Air Jordan X city series releases has been one of the most sought after sneakers on the secondary market. Come next year though the Air Jordan X ‘Chicago’ will be hitting retail shelves again, allowing many of us to have another stab at locking down a pair of these grails. This version has some minor augmentations in comparison to the OG’s, with the most notable difference being the checkered lining on the insides. Follow us after the jump for a better look at this upcoming retro release and hit up SoleLand for a pre-order if you just can’t stand the wait.

Air Jordan X ‘Chicago’
White/Varsity Red-Black
310805-100
01/2012
$160

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About three years after the last Air Jordan 12.5 releases, the Jordan CMFT Max Air 12 debuted last November to push Air Jordan XII-based hybrids toward a more casual appeal.  The chukka-styled AJXII Clave seems like the next logical step, but maybe we’d wedge the upcoming Air Jordan XII Runner in between them.  The AJ12 Runner TXT has the low-cut silhouette of a typical running shoe but the sole leans so far to the ‘classic’ end of the scale that they have more of a ‘lifestyle’ look than the full-length Air Max’d CMFTs.  You can see two colorways slated for next summer by clicking on the jump below; is the ‘Playoffs’ pair the winner or would you rather rock the ‘Obsidian’?  via CK

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