John Kim 
If you were part of the lucky generation that had the privilege of watching Michael Jordan in his prime (or simply, the 90’s), you’d have a sheer overflow of heroic tales to tell about the man. The truth is that there really is never-ending list of stories to tell, and this weekend’s Air Jordan “Fear Pack” recital shows that Jordan Brand is definitely going about it in the right way; a great concept, stunning colorways, and can’t miss models – three ingredients that sum up to one of the best releases of 2013.
Jordan Brand has gone down this road before by creating a series of sneaker releases behind an iconic approach, and we expect it to continue as the Air Jordan continues to blossom like a fine wine – just look at the already impressive track record that reaches back to 1995. Continue on for a look back at some memorable Air Jordan Pack releases and stay tuned for the official release of the Fear Pack this Saturday at select Jordan Brand retailers.
What: Air Jordan X “City Series”
When: 1995
Why: The Air Jordan X “City Series” was dispersed among random stores with each of the five colorways depicting different NBA teams. Contrary to popular belief, these were not regional exclusives.
What: Air Jordan IX “Kilroy Pack”
When: 2012
Why: Jordan Brand revisited the story of Johnny Kilroy and the five other alter egos that MJ employed during his retirement.
What: Air Jordan IV “Thunder and Lightning”
When: 2006
Why: One of the earliest homages to Jordan’s Motorsports passion is the Thunder & Lightning Pack, which released as online-exclusives in 2006.
What: Air Jordan Tokyo 23
When: 2011
Why: Jordan Brand extended its reach to Japan and opened its first-ever online store out there. So why not cook up some special editions?
What: Air Jordan II “Candy Pack”
When: 2010
Why: Perfect for the upcoming Halloween holiday; the “Candy Pack” was a trio of AJ2s colored up in bright tonal compositions.
What: Air Jordan IV “Laser”
When: 2005
Why: There was a period when Nike went crazy with laser-etching. We thank the sneaker gods it reached the AJ4.
What: Air Jordan Silver Anniversary Pack
When: 2010
Why: The Air Jordan legacy turned the big 25. For some reason, it stopped at just five models.
What: Air Jordan XX Regional Exclusives
When: 2005
Why: To broaden the excitement around the new model, three different colorways for the East (Tan), West (Blue), and Midwest (Red) were dropped.
What: Air Jordan Nightvision Pack
When: 2013
Why: To energize the debut of the Air Jordan XX8, Jordan Brand created the “Nightvision” Pack, which included the Air Jordan XX8, two sig models, and two Retros.
What: Air Jordan “Road to the Gold”
When: 2012
Why: Jordan Brand released several Olympic-inspired kicks, but the Road to the Gold Pack highlighted the old (Air Jordan 1/KO) and the new (Jordan Super.Fly).
What: Air Jordan 1 Mid “Armed Forces”
When: 2008
Why: The Armed Forces deserve all the praise they can get.
What: Air Jordan “Fear” Pack
When: 2013
Why: The Air Jordan III, IV, and V re-imagined with the concept of “Fear”.
