| G.I. Joe – Action Soldier |
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| Manufacturer |
HasbroHasbro is a U.S.-based, multinational toy and boardgame company. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States. The majority of its products, however, are manufactured overseas.-History:In 1923, two brothers—Henry...
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| Era |
1964–present |
| Category |
Action figure An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon from various movie, comic book, video game, or television program characters. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys...
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| Country |
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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| Web address |
Official G.I. Joe Hasbro site |
G.I. Joe is a line of military-themed articulated "action figures" produced by the
toyA toy is an object used in play. Toys are usually associated with children and pets, but it is not unusual for adult humans and some non-domesticated animals to play with toys. Many items are manufactured to serve as toys, but goods, or services produced for other purposes can also be used as toys...
company
HasbroHasbro is a U.S.-based, multinational toy and boardgame company. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States. The majority of its products, however, are manufactured overseas.-History:In 1923, two brothers—Henry...
. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces with the Action Soldier (Army), Action Sailor (Navy), Action Pilot (Air Force) and Action Marine (Marines). The term
G.I. stands for
Government Issue and became a generic term for U.S. soldiers (predating the action figures), especially ground forces. The development of G.I. Joe led to the coining of the term "action figure".
The G.I. Joe trademark has been used by Hasbro to title two different toy lines. The original 12-inch line that began in 1964 centered around realistic action figures. In the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, this line was licensed to
PalitoyPalitoy was the name of a British toy company.It manufactured some of the most popular toys in Britain, some original items and others under licence...
and known as
Action ManAction Man is an action figure boys' toy launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "moveable fighting man": G.I...
. In 1982, the line was relaunched in a 3 3/4-inch scale complete with vehicles, playsets, and a complex background story involving an ongoing struggle between the
G.I. Joe TeamG.I. Joe is the code name of a covert special forces unit in the G.I. Joe universe, under the control of the United States Army.They are sometimes referred to as the G.I. Joe Team, the Joe Team or simply the Joes. The G.I. Joe team first appeared in the 1982 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series...
and the evil Cobra Command. As the American line evolved into the
Real American Hero series, Action Man also changed, by using the same molds and being renamed as
Action ForceAction Force was a range of comic book characters and action figures initially based on Action Man.-First generation :First produced in 1982 by Palitoy Limited and released in two waves, the action figures were a response to falling sales of the company's larger Action Man range and the comparative...
.
America's Moveable Fighting Man (1964–1969)
In 1963, noting the commercial success of the
BarbieBarbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
doll for girls, Stan Weston, a toy creator and licensing agent, had merchandising rights to a
1963The year 1963 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1963.-Events:*January 13 - BBC Television broadcasts the play The Madhouse on Castle Street in the Sunday-Night Theatre strand...
American television show
The LieutenantThe Lieutenant is an American television series that appeared on NBC for the 1963-1964 television schedule. It was the first television series program ever created by Gene Roddenberry. It was produced by Arena Productions, one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most successful in-house production companies...
. He presented the show for viewing to Don Levine, the creative director of toy manufacturer Hasbro, both thought the plot of the adventures of Lieutenant played by
Gary LockwoodGary Lockwood is an American actor perhaps best known for his iconic 1968 role as the astronaut Dr. Frank Poole in 2001: A Space Odyssey. He is father of the actress Samantha Lockwood. Both currently live in Los Angeles.-Early life:Lockwood's birth name was John Gary Yurosek...
in the 1963 U.S Marine Corps seemed like a
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
. Weston came up with the idea of a line of Barbie-sized dolls with a military theme that would be marketed to boys. Levine visited a New York store called
The Soldier Shop that sold a variety of militaria including French porcelain dolls in accurate cloth Napoleonic uniforms that he combined with the posability of an artist's mannequin. Both men saw the potential of the idea and approved development. The prototypes were originally named "Rocky the Marine", "Skip the Sailor", and "Ace the Pilot", before Don Levine, inspired by the popular 1945 film
The Story of G.I. JoeThe Story of G.I. Joe , also credited in prints as Ernie Pyle's Story of G.I. Joe, is a war film directed by William Wellman, starring Burgess Meredith and Robert Mitchum. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Mitchum's only nomination for Best Supporting Actor.The story is a...
, decided on the generic name "G.I. Joe."
Hasbro, who had never made a doll before, produced large quantities of the figure and accessories in record time.
The line was launched on February 2, 1964, with a
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
theme (although some of the clothes and other items were actually of Korean-war vintage). The G.I. Joe figures were approximately the same physical scale as Barbie dolls— tall in 1/6
scaleA scale model is a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object . Very often the scale model is smaller than the original and used as a guide to making the object in full size...
, which would make the original figures 5 ft, 9 in tall in real life. There were originally four figures, one to represent each branch of the Armed Forces. Accessory packs (often called "blades" in the toy industry—the "razor" was the action figure and the "blades" were the accessory cards) containing additional gear and clothing were also released.
Unlike
Action Man the GI Joe figure did not come with a rifle. Each of the four branches of service had four different scenarios that had its own equipment and uniforms. For example a soldier or Marine would have a rifle, web gear, field pack, helmet and other equipment sold separately or in large sets. In 1999 Hasbro had competition from a company named 21st Century Toys who produced an action figure with highly detailed accessories called The (
Ultimate SoldierUltimate Soldier is a producer of toys. It makes 1/6, 1/18, and 1/32 scale figures and vehicles. It started in 1997 making 1/6 scale figures and uniforms, and now mostly makes 1/6 scale weapon sets as well as 1/18 and 1/32 scale toys....
)
Highlights
- In 1965, a black G.I. Joe figure was introduced in select markets.
- In 1966, soldiers from other countries (France, Germany, Japan, Australia, USSR and the UK) joined the G.I. Joe line up. A Green Beret figure from Vietnam was also issued in the same year.
- A Project Mercury
Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States. It ran from 1959 through 1963 with the goal of putting a human in orbit around the Earth...
-like space capsule and silver-suited astronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
figure was added to the series.
- In 1967, Talking figures were introduced.
- The first female G.I. Joe, the Action Nurse, was produced in 1967. It was a commercial failure, and another 12" female would not be released for 30 years.
Adventure Team (1970–1976)
By the late 1960s, in the wake of the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, Hasbro sought to downplay the war theme that had initially defined "G.I. Joe". The line became known as "The Adventures of G.I. Joe". In 1970, Hasbro settled on the name "Adventure Team", and relaunched G.I. Joe under the new, non-military banner. The clothes had an "AT" logo on them.
Highlights
- To coincide with the new direction, "Life-Like" flocked hair and beard, an innovation developed in England by Palitoy
Palitoy was the name of a British toy company.It manufactured some of the most popular toys in Britain, some original items and others under licence...
for their licensed version of Joe, Action ManAction Man is an action figure boys' toy launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "moveable fighting man": G.I...
, is introduced in 1970. A retooled African American Adventurer was also introduced, which came in two versions as did the others in the series, bearded or shaven.
- In 1974, named after the increasingly popular martial art, Hasbro introduced "Kung-Fu Grip" to the G.I. Joe line. This was another innovation that had been developed in the UK for Action Man. The hands were sculpted in a softer plastic that allowed the fingers to grip objects in a more lifelike fashion.
- In 1976, G.I. Joe was given eagle eye vision; a movable eye mechanism to allow the toy to appear to be looking around when a lever in the back of the head was moved. This would be the last major innovation for the original line of 12-inch figures.
A shift in play patterns
For its first ten years, G.I. Joe was a generic soldier/adventurer with only the slightest hints of a team concept existing. In 1975, after a failed bid to purchase the toy rights to the Six Million Dollar Man, Hasbro issued a bionic warrior figure named "Mike Power, Atomic Man", which sold over one million units. Also added to the Adventure Team was a superhero, Bulletman. Comics included with figures at the time featured "Eagle Eye" Joe, Atomic Man, and Bullet Man operating together. The Adventure Team was finally an actual team.
End of an era
The original 12-inch G.I. Joe line ended in America in 1976. At this time, Hasbro released a line of inexpensive, rotationally-molded mannequins in the G.I. Joe style called "The Defenders."
Super Joe (1977–1978)
In 1977, Hasbro released the Super Joe Adventure Team, and took the battle between good and evil to the stars. The figures were scaled down to 8 1/2 inches, similar in size to
MegoMego can refer to:*Mego Records, an Austrian record label.*Mego Corporation, a company that produced action figure toys during the 1970s and early 1980s.*Mego , a Greek motorcycle manufacturer.*Mego a fictional superhero...
's Superheroes line of action figures. The line was a hybrid of superhero and space action figures with new features incorporated such as battery powered back-pack lights and motorized accessories. The hero Super Joe characters, Super Joe Commander (Caucasian/African American) and Super Joe (Caucasian/African American) had a "1-2 Punch" that could be activated by pressing panels on the figure's back. The majority of these figures used Kung-Fu grip style plastic in the joints and hands. With age, the material degrades, leaving even unopened figures missing limbs and hands.
Unlike the original G.I. Joes, Super Joe was developed from the start with a play-pattern of Good vs Evil. Super Joe Commander and the Adventure Team (Man of Action, and Adventurer) with their alien comrades "The Night Fighters", Luminos and The Shield, fight against the evil Gor, King of the Terrons, Terron: The Beast from Beyond and his ally Darkon, the half-man half-monster.
Super Joe was discontinued by the end of 1978. The same basic body molds were used later by a subsidiary of
HasbroHasbro is a U.S.-based, multinational toy and boardgame company. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States. The majority of its products, however, are manufactured overseas.-History:In 1923, two brothers—Henry...
to produce a line of action figures based on the TV series
Space AcademySpace Academy was a live-action sci-fi children's television program, produced by Filmation and airing on CBS television on Saturday mornings from 1977 to 1979. A total of fifteen half-hour episodes were made over two seasons.-Cast:...
.
United Kingdom
From 1966 through 1984, Palitoy Ltd. produced a British version of the 12-inch G.I. Joe line, under the
Action ManAction Man is an action figure boys' toy launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "moveable fighting man": G.I...
name for the UK market. Initially, these were the exact same designs as the American figures, and at first the same military theme which included figures from World War II. The line later expanded the line to include all men of action, like football players and other sports figures. In the early 1980s, Palitoy responded to falling sales of Action Man by launching 'Action Force'—a new range of smaller military-themed figures in the style of the then-popular Star Wars line from Kenner. Later, when the U.S. Real American Hero line was released in the UK they were released under the '
Action ForceAction Force was a range of comic book characters and action figures initially based on Action Man.-First generation :First produced in 1982 by Palitoy Limited and released in two waves, the action figures were a response to falling sales of the company's larger Action Man range and the comparative...
' title, since the term 'G.I.' is not in common use in Britain. The figures had the same appearance and codenames as the American G.I. Joes, but their identities and histories were international rather than purely American or British. The range was later renamed G.I. Joe to bring it into line with international markets; however, the Action Man line retained its original name when it was revived in the early 1990s.
France
Group Action Joe was the French license for G.I. Joe. The Ceji company developed the line in 1976, using the life-like bodies developed by Hasbro that same year. Initial characters include an adventurer, a soldier, a cowboy, a black adventurer, a bearded adventurer and an Indian figure. A female figure, Jane, was quickly added. The line expanded in 1977 and other character were added with new features like Eagle Eyes.
Ceji updated several features and many new outfits were created. Some of them, like the French Republican Guard, are highly sought out by collectors. They also licensed other characters for the line, including Rahan (a French comic book caveman, 1978) and
ZorroZorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by pulp writer Johnston McCulley. He has been featured in several books, films, television series, and other media....
(licensed from Disney). For the French market, Ceji gave all members of the team a name to establish more individual identities. Production for the line ceased in 1981.
Other licensees
The GI Joe line was also licensed to
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
under the Action Team name. In
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
,
GeypermanGeyperman was the name of a Spanish action figure manufactured by the company Geyper during the 1970s.Geyper, although a Hasbro licencee, used Palitoy's product line as the basis for their outfits...
was the Hasbro licensee, although the products were more based on Palitoy's line, down to the logo design. In
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Takara and Tsukuda licensed the figures under the names "GIJOE" and "Combat Man". In Italy, Polistil licensed the figures under the Action Team name (same as they were called in Germany). In
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, the line was released as "GI Joe" by Kenbrite; Palitoy also licensed their "ActionMan" line to TolToys . In
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
,
EstrelaEstrela is a toy manufacturer in Brazil. The company was founded in São Paulo in 1937, when it started producing dolls and wooden toy cars. In 1944 it became a publicly traded corporation. As of 2005, Carlos Tilkian is CEO of the company....
licensed the 12" figures under the name "Falcon" and the 3 3/4" figures under the name "Comandos em Ação". In
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
, the G.I. Joe figures were licensed by Veri-li enterprises under the name "Joe Super Temerario", and "Los Temerarios". The G.I Joe toy line was produced in
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
under the Funskool brand.
A Real American Hero (1982–1994)
1982 saw the highly successful relaunch of the G.I. Joe product line in a smaller, 3 3/4-inch scale, of the same type employed by the wildly popular
Star WarsStar Wars is an epic space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals...
figures. The 1982 relaunch pioneered several tactics in toy marketing, combining traditional advertising with an animated television mini-series and an ongoing comic book. The decision to use a smaller 3 3/4-inch scale for the figures also made it possible for Hasbro to produce a variety of matching vehicles and play sets that further expanded the appeal and commercial potential of the line.
G.I. Joe's increasing popularity supported an array of spin-off merchandising that included
posterA poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly textual. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and convey information...
s,
t-shirtA T-shirt is a shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's torso. A T-shirt is usually buttonless, collarless, and pocketless, with a round neck and short sleeves. The sleeves of the T-shirt extend at least slightly over the shoulder but not completely over the elbow...
s, video games,
board gameA board game is a game in which counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a "board"...
s, and kites. In 1985, both
Toy & Lamp and
Hobby World magazines ranked
G.I. Joe as the top-selling American toy.
The 3 3/4 inch line was canceled at the end of 1994. This was also the 30th Anniversary of G.I. Joe and accordingly, Hasbro released a series of 12-inch and 3 3/4 inch figures based on the Original Action Team figures from 1964. A select assortment of figures from the "Real American Hero" line were released as Toys "R" Us exclusives to celebrate the 15th anniversary. A second assortment followed in 1998.
Comics
G.I. Joe also appeared as a promotional comic book, produced by
Marvel ComicsMarvel Publishing, Inc., a company doing business as Marvel Comics, produces American comic books and related media. It forms a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc....
. The comic series released its final issue, #155, in December 1994, to coincide with the end of the original RAH toy line.
Cartoon
The basic premise of the 1985 series was "good vs. evil". The show's opening theme song included the narration: "G.I. Joe is the code name for America's daring, highly trained special mission force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against
CobraCobra is the fictional nemesis of the G.I. Joe team in the Hasbro action figure toylines G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, as well as their related media....
, a ruthless
terroristTerrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.At present, there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism...
organization determined to rule the world", explaining the show's premise.
The show featured physical fighting and high-tech weapons as a way to compensate for toned-down violence and lack of bullets in what was seen to be a children's program. The show also featured
public service announcementA public service announcement or community service announcement is a non-commercial advertisement broadcast on radio or television, for the public interest. PSAs are intended to modify public attitudes by raising awareness about specific issues. The most common topics of PSAs are health and safety...
s placed at the end of each show. These PSAs ended with the phrase: "Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.". the series ran from 1985-86.
In 1987, the series was followed with
G.I. Joe: The MovieG.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline....
. The film was not well received by fans.
in actuality,the film had been released direct-to-video in 1987 because of the less than commercial success of the transformers:the movie animated movie at the box office. the movie was also re-edited due to the original script having one of the main characters,1st sgt. duke hauser, dying at serpentor's hands,which was instead re-dubbed so that he was put into a coma and eventually recovered at movie's end(in part due to reaction coming in from optimus prime's death in tf:the ani movie).also,the main villain,cobra commander met his own sort of demise when he was turned into a living snake by mutant spores created by a new enemy,cobra-la,which also tied into his origin as well.
the animated series was cancelled after the movie was released,but was to make a significant return in 1989 with the animation company,DIC, taking over where claster/marvel left off. that year,DIC released a 5 part mini-series entitled, "operation:dragonfire",in which the joes faced off once again vs. cobra,as they tried to take control of an energy source known only as dragonfire.in this mini,the commander was also returned to a semi-human state by the energy itself,while serpentor,the cobra emperor was turned into an iguana. the animated series proved to be a bit of a success,as DIC made 2 more seasons(1990-91),but it wasn't of that great quality due to a smaller budget available,and the series itself ended after 1991.
although a direct-to video animated movie was made for the sgt. savage line,packaged w/an exclusive sgt. savage figure in 1994,the toy line was ended,possibly due in part to low sales,as well as the merger that happened late that year bet. kenner and hasbro into a single toy company,w/kenner bought outright by hasbro,and its operations merged into hasbro.
the real American hero was ended until about 1995,when claster productions once again came up w/a new animated series,this time based more on the then-new g.i. joe extreme toy line.unfortunately,although the series itself was of great quality,the toy line itself was not,and the series was cancelled after 2 seasons as well(1995-96).
once again,joe had no series on air until its resurgence in 2002 w/a new toy line,in which the line itself had several themes:
1.spy troops: the movie(2003)-in response to the resurgence of the real American hero toy line,hasbro released its 1st computer animated feature to coincide w/the release of its spy troops header line.
2.valor vs. venom(2004)-in response to sales from spy troops,hasbro commissioned a 2nd feature,entitled valor vs. venom,using computer graphics yet again.
by 2005,hasbro had entered into an exclusive agreement w/paramount pictures to have them distribute any future features based on the rah line,but by the time a 3rd movie was to be created,this time called,'attack of the bats',hasbro's sales on the rah line had once again slumped,and instead the project was scrapped altogether.
in 2006/07.the joes were featured once again in their own animated series tied into hasbro's new 8-inch line called sigma 6,which lasted only 2 seasons.sigma 6 did take over where valor vs. venom left off to an extent,as the series begins w/gen. hawk still recovering from his experience from being transformed by dr. mindbender's venom experiments,and duke leading the team.
in 2008,hasbro gave permission for a limited animated series to be released called g.i. joe:resolute,which was released online as minisodes,with the full series later broadcast on cartoon network's adult swim. this series took on a new look for the joes,as this series was more realisitic,in terms of showing actual people being shot,as well being killed on camera,which the original a.s. never had. this was in response to sales once again on the rise as the rah was re-released,this time in new sculpts of old figures,completely based on their original appearances during the 1980s.this series was given mixed reviews in part to its more realistic take on the joes vs. cobra.
as of this writing,no new animated series has been commissioned by hasbro to show the rah toy line,since the live-action movie was released in aug. of 2009 by paramount pictures.
Film
Stephen SommersStephen Sommers is an American screenwriter and film director, best known for The Mummy and its sequel, The Mummy Returns. He's also known for directing the action/horror film Van Helsing and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra....
has directed a big budget Hollywood action movie based on G.I. Joe. The first film,
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, in what is intended to be a franchise, stars
Channing TatumChanning Matthew Tatum is an American actor and occasional dancer. He began his career as a fashion model and now appears in film roles. He has appeared in a number of films, including She's the Man , Step Up , Fighting , Public Enemies , and G.I...
in the role of Duke, and
Joseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor, known for roles both as a child and as an adult. His career has spanned more than 20 years, during which time he has worked in at least 24 feature films, as well as a number of television shows and theater productions.Beginning in commercials as a...
in the role of
Cobra CommanderCobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...
. Tatum describes the film as being a cross between
X-MenX-Men is a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1 . Under a cloud of increasing anti-mutant sentiment, Professor Xavier creates a haven at his Westchester mansion to train young mutants to use their powers for the...
,
TransformersTransformer may refer to:* Transformer, a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling* Transformer , Lou Reed's 1972 rock album...
and Mission Impossible, "It's a huge $170 million movie. It's just a big kid sort of driven film."
Video games
There were several video game adaptations of G.I. Joe, including
Cobra StrikeCobra Strike may refer to:*G.I. Joe: Cobra Strike, a video game for the Atari 2600*Cobra Strike, a side project of musician Buckethead*Cobra Strike, a science fiction novel by Timothy Zahn...
by
Parker BrothersParker Brothers is a toy and game manufacturer and brand. Over nearly 130 years, the company published more than 1800 games; among their best known products are Monopoly, Cluedo , Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Ouija, Aggravation and Probe. Parker Brothers is currently a subsidiary of Hasbro.-...
for the
Atari 2600The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
and
IntellivisionThe Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Development of the console began in 1978, less than a year after the introduction of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. The word intellivision is a portmanteau of "intelligent television"...
(1983),
G.I. Joe by
EpyxEpyx, Inc. was a video game developer and publisher in the late 1970s and entire 1980s. The company was founded as Automated Simulations by Jim Connelley and Jon Freeman, originally using Epyx as a brand name for action-oriented games before renaming the company to match in 1983...
for the Apple II and the
Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January, 1982. Volume production started sometime in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$ 595...
(1985),
G.I. Joe by
TaxanTAXAN is a subsidiary of Kaga Electronics, a Japanese electronics company. It was founded in July 1981, and in the late-1980s and early-1990s, the US division published several video games on the NES and Game Boy....
for the
Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe and Australia in . In most of Asia, including Japan , China, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines, it was released as the , commonly abbreviated as the...
(1991),
Action Force by Virgin Games for the
Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January, 1982. Volume production started sometime in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$ 595...
(1987),
G.I. Joe by
Konamiis a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
for
arcadesAn arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, typically installed in businesses such as restaurants, public houses, video arcades, and Family Entertainment Centers...
(1992) and
G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor by
Capcomis a leading international developer and publisher of video games headquartered in Osaka, Japan. It was founded in 1979 as Japan Capsule Computers, a company devoted to the manufacturing and distribution of electronic game machines...
for the
Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe and Australia in . In most of Asia, including Japan , China, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines, it was released as the , commonly abbreviated as the...
(1992).
Now there is a new game for Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo DS to coincide with the new Gi joe film,G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
Short-lived lines
As a follow-up to the Real American Hero toyline,
Sgt. Savage and his Screaming Eagles figures debuted in 1995. It was canceled after only two waves of figures were released, due to low sales. In 1996,
G.I. Joe ExtremeG.I. Joe Extreme is a line of military-themed toys from Hasbro and the next major incarnation of G.I. Joe after G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero folded in 1994. The series ran from 1995 to 1997....
figures were introduced by Kenner Toys (who had merged with Hasbro in late 1994, taking over their boys toys production). Along with the release of toys, G.I. Joe Extreme featured a comic book, published by
Dark Horse ComicsDark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book publisher.Mike Richardson, the owner of several comic book shops in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, began to publish in 1986 with an anthology series called Dark Horse Presents, investing profits from his stores into Dark...
, and a Gunther-Wahl-produced cartoon series which ran for two seasons.
Return of the 12-inch G.I. Joe (1991–2005)
Hasbro began releasing new 12-inch G.I. Joe figures in 1991. The first figure,
DukeDuke is a fictional character from G.I. Joe, a line of military-themed toys. The character is featured in two series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, appearing in both the animated series and comic books....
, was marketed exclusively to
TargetTarget Corporation, usually known simply as Target, is an American retailing company that was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1902 as the Dayton Dry Goods Company. In 1962, the company opened its first Target store in nearby Roseville...
retail stores.
Hall of Fame (1992–1994)
Based on the Real American Hero toyline, the Hall of Fame series featured Mission Gear Outfits, vehicles, and featured popular characters like Snake-Eyes, Stalker, Gung-Ho, Cobra Commander, Destro, and Storm Shadow among others.
This was followed by an anniversary series based on the 1960s line—and was followed by the Hall of Fame Limited Editions, also based on 60s releases.
Masterpiece (1996–1997)
In 1997, the original G.I. Joe figure returned via the G.I. Joe Masterpiece Edition, a unique book-and-figure product.
Classic Collection (1995–2004)
G.I. Janes were introduced in a series called the Classic Collection, the first 12-inch female dolls in the G.I. Joe line-up since 1967; this doll was a
helicopterA helicopter is an aircraft that is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, each rotor consisting of two or more rotor blades. Helicopters are classified as rotorcraft or rotary-wing aircraft to distinguish them from fixed-wing aircraft because the helicopter achieves lift with the...
pilot. The Classic Collection hearkened back to the original all military theme of G.I. Joe with fairly realistic uniforms and gear. Soldiers from Australia, Britain, and other nations, as well as United States forces were featured. The line also presented an all-new articulated G.I. Joe figure that formed the basis of many offerings until the 12" line was discontinued in the new millennium.
In 2000, a
NavajoThe Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland covering about 26,000 square miles , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...
Code Talker was introduced, one of only two 12-inch G.I. Joe talking figures (until this time) since the 1970s.
In 2001, G.I. Joe honored the events of the 1941
attack on Pearl HarborThe attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Japanese navy against the United States' naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941 , later resulting in the United...
by releasing a line of Pearl Harbor figures. In 2003 Hasbro announced the release of the 40th Anniversary G.I. Joe line. This line featured reproductions of the earliest G.I. Joe figures and accessories originally made in 1964.
In November 2006 a reproduction Land Adventurer G.I. Joe figure was released as an exclusive to Hot Topic stores. The figure was a reproduction of the Land Adventurer with the Kung Fu Grip and came in the "Coffin" style box. A reproduction Talking Adventure Team Commander was also released in a limited run of 1,970 issues.
Timeless Collection (1998–2003)
During the late 1990s Hasbro built on the renewed interest in authentic reproductions of G.I. Joe established by the Masterpiece Edition reproduction book/figure set; they bought the rights to the ME figure and released a range of store exclusive reproduction figure sets, with the character of the sixties G.I. Joe boxed sets.
Real American Hero Collection (2000–2002)
In 2000, Hasbro re-released a selection of 3 3/4" G.I. Joe figures and vehicles. This line lasted until 2002. The figures were sold in packs of two and consisted of repainted versions of figures from the Real American Hero line. Some of these repainted figures were assigned new identities: for example, the Baroness figure was repainted and sold as a new character called Chameleon, described on the packaging as
"the illegitimate half sister of Baroness".
G.I. Joe vs Cobra (2002–2005)
Beginning in 2002, newly designed collections of 3 3/4" G.I. Joe figures and vehicles were released. Each collection centered around a storyline or theme, such as "Spy Troops" and "Valor vs. Venom".
Direct-to-
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
features were animated for both the
G.I. Joe: Spy TroopsG.I. Joe: Spy Troops – The Movie is a 2003 direct-to-video CGI animated movie produced by Reel FX Studios.In 2003, Hasbro tried to follow Mattel’s success of the Barbie OVA movies by releasing a direct-to-video movie that tied into its own current toyline properties. Reel FX produced two G.I. Joe...
and
G.I. Joe: Valor vs. VenomG.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom is a direct-to-video CGI animated movie and sequel to G.I. Joe: Spy Troops. It was released in 2004 by Reel FX Creative Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Like Spy Troops, the film was written around the theme of the toys released that year. In this case, it...
collections, as well as a new trading card game based on the G.I. Joe vs. Cobra storyline. Both the 12" and 3 3/4" lines were put on hiatus prior to the release of the Sigma 6 line in 2005.
Direct to Consumer (DTC) (2005–2006)
The 3 3/4" line was reintroduced after a very brief hiatus via Hasbro's direct-to-consumer website HasbroToyShop.com and various online retailers. As a result of the line's success, some figures also became available at certain retailers, such as Toys "R" Us.
25th Anniversary (2007–2009)
2007 marked the 25th anniversary of the "Real American Hero" line. To commemorate the event, Hasbro released a "25th Anniversary" collection of newly sculpted 100mm figures (as opposed to the 3¾" scale of the RAH line) based on classic and new designs of many of the line's best known and most popular characters. The 25th Anniversary figures replaced the classic O-ring construction with a swivel chest feature and increased points of articulation beyond the standard shoulder, elbow and knees to swivel wrists, ankles and double-hinged knees. The 25th anniversary figures also include "Specialist Trakker", otherwise known as Matt Trakker the leader of
M.A.S.K.M.A.S.K. was an animated television series directed by several uncredited Japanese studios, KK C&D Asia, Studio Juno, Studio World, Ashi Production , and produced by the French-American DIC Enterprises, Inc and also the toyline of the same name sold by Kenner.-History:A total of 75 syndicated...
http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ProductsByBrand.htm?BR=520&ID=22594
Originally planned to consist of only two sets of five figures each (one G.I. Joe and one Cobra), the 25th Anniversary collection was well received by retailers and collectors and has since been expanded by Hasbro into a full-fledged toyline to run through 2009. The most recent releases in this line do not include the "25th Anniversary" branding but in all other respects constitute a continuation of the 25th Anniversary collection. Other waves set to be released in 2009 include the
ResoluteG.I. Joe: Resolute is an 11 episode animated series based on the G.I. Joe franchise. It was written by Warren Ellis, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, and produced by Sam Register. The series debuted on the web at Adult Swim Video April 18, 2009, with a Content Rating of TV-14-V, and premiered in its...
figures, which were introduced in wave 13 and had an animated feature premiere in April 2009.
as of this writing,the '25th ann.' line was cancelled,in favor of releasing figures for the upcoming live action movie,but the last 2 waves,totalling 14 figures were instead released as 2-7 figure exclusive packs,entitled 'defense and attack of cobra island',respectively,w/each set having 7 figures: one for the joes,the other for cobra.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
In July 2009, a series of figures based on the
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra movie have been released in the United States.
G.I. Joe: The Pursuit of Cobra (2010)
Starting in 2010, the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra line will transition into the Pursuit of Cobra line, which will include figures and vehicles not shown in the movie,most of which are retooled vehicles and figures which may,or may not have been scheduled for release for the 25th ann. line,as noted above due to its cancellation.
Sigma 6 (2005–2007)
2005 saw the introduction of a new line called
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero...
, consisting initially of an 8" scale selection of action figures distinguished by their extensive articulation and accessories. Sigma 6 combined entirely new characters with already familiar characters from the 3 3/4" "Real American Hero" line. Its release was accompanied by a television series produced by the
Japanese animationis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
studio
GONZO, stylized as GONZO, is a Japanese anime studio, owned by GDH group. In June 2006, it signed a long-term output deal with the anime television network, Animax, which will see Animax broadcasting all of Gonzo's anime titles across all of its networks around the world, including Japan, Asia, the...
and a comic book mini-series published by Devil's Due.(see above for info under animated section).
Hasbro also expanded the Sigma 6 line to include a 2 1/2" scale selection of vehicles, play sets, and figurines with limited articulation.
2007 saw the rebranding of the 8" line. The
Sigma Six branding was dropped in the spring of 2007. Subsequent 8" figures were branded simply as "G.I. Joe" action figures and divided into differently packaged sub-groups such as
Combat Squad,
Commandos, and
Adventure Team. The entire 8" product line was canceled by the end of 2007, although Hasbro considers the 8" figures a success and may revisit the scale in the future.
Real people honored with G.I. Joe figures
The G.I. Joe brand has made
promotionalPromotion involves disseminating information about a product, product line, brand, or company. It is one of the five key aspects of the marketing mix....
action figures based on real-life persons, both military and civilian, that the company deems
Real American Heroes.
See also
- 1:6 Scale Modeling
1:6 scale modeling, a.k.a. Playscale Miniaturism, is a hobby focusing on the collecting and/or customization of commercially produced 1:6 scale action figures and accessories....
, a.k.a. Playscale Miniaturism
- Action Man
Action Man is an action figure boys' toy launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "moveable fighting man": G.I...
- Action Force
Action Force was a range of comic book characters and action figures initially based on Action Man.-First generation :First produced in 1982 by Palitoy Limited and released in two waves, the action figures were a response to falling sales of the company's larger Action Man range and the comparative...
- List of G.I. Joe series
Official sites
Fansites
12" figures:
3.75" figures:
8" figures: