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G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
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G.I Joe : A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys. Produced by Hasbro, the toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the present day.
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Encyclopedia
G.I Joe : A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys. Produced by Hasbro, the toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the present day. It was supported by two animated series as well as a major comic series published by Marvel Comics.
Origin
"A Real American Hero" was a revival of the original 12" (30cm) G.I. Joe brand of the 1960s and '70s. After the 12" figure had been absent from toy shelves for a few years, G.I. Joe was re-introduced in a 3 3/4" (9.5cm) action figure format following the success of the Star Wars and Micronauts 3 3/4" scale toylines.
Prior to G.I. Joe's relaunch in 1982, Larry Hama was developing an idea for a new comic book called Fury Force, which he was hoping would be an ongoing series for Marvel Comics. The original premise had the son of S.H.I.E.L.D director Nick Fury assembling a team of elite commandos to battle neo-Nazi terrorists HYDRA. The idea was nixed, but Hama used the basic premise when he learned of Hasbro's plans to resurrect the G.I. Joe toyline. Each G.I. Joe figure included a character biography, called a "file card". Hama was largely responsible for writing these file cards, especially for the first ten years. When developing many of the characters, he drew much from his own experiences in the US military.
The toyline was supported by a Marvel comic book series, which was written by Larry Hama, which gave him the chance to flesh out the characters even further. The 155-issue comic book series is one of the longest running comic tie-ins to a toyline. Sunbow's animated promotions for the comic paved the way for the ongoing cartoon series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, that ran in the 1980s, as well as a gamut of merchandising tie-ins. The overall premise for both the comic and cartoon storylines revolved around an elite counter-terrorist team, whose main purpose is to defend human freedom from Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. The comic series tried to feature threats and situations other than Cobra in the secondary G.I. Joe title, G.I. Joe: Special Missions. However, in all incarnations Cobra has remained the primary adversary of the G.I. Joe team.
Although the original line ended in 1994, several Toys 'R' Us exclusive figures and vehicles were released as part of a 15th anniversary line in 1997 and 1998, and the line was again revived as the "Real American Hero Collection" in 2000 to the mass market. In both cases, previous molds were reused and some characters had to be renamed due to copyright issues. Another relaunch was made in 2002 under the theme "G.I. Joe vs. Cobra" and new designs and characters were introduced. The comic was also relaunched when Devil's Due Publishing launched a new series in 2001, that aimed to continue the storyline of the Marvel series.
Hasbro.com officially announced a new line of "25th Anniversary" 4" G.I. Joe figures on January 18, 2007. The line is primarily based on the characters and designs from the early part of the Real American Hero line.
The toys
The figures were 3 3/4" (9.5cm) tall, at roughly 1:18th scale. Throughout the original toy line production from 1982 through 1994, figure construction remained relatively the same. The most notable changes were the second series' addition of "swivel-arm" articulation in 1983 which allowed the forearm to rotate above the elbow (initial figures could only bend their elbows), and the fourth series' ball joints replacing the former swivel necks, both dramatically increasing a figures poseability.
Likely inspired by the success of Kenner's Star Wars line of action figures, Hasbro designed vehicles and playsets to be used with the figures. They were influenced by theoretical or real military technologies that were being developed during the 1980s, or actually existed at some point in time. Some examples are the G.I. Joe Sky Striker fighter plane inspired by the F-14 Tomcat, the Cobra Rattler, which has similarities to the A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the Dragonfly, possibly inspired by the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. Examples of similar army equipment include the MOBAT tank, which resembled the M551 Sheridan tank and the Mobile Missile System (MMS), which was strikingly similar to the HAWK surface-to-air (SAM) missile system.
In 1994, Hasbro transferred control of the G.I. Joe toyline and brand name to the newly acquired Kenner division, who promptly cancelled the A Real American hero toyline and replaced it with the new "Sgt. Savage and his Screaming Eagles" toyline instead.
Characters
Popular characters
G.I. Joe has an extensive cast of characters, some of which have been re-released several times within the toyline due to popularity. Popular characters include:
- Hawk - Brigadier General Clayton Abernathy is the commanding officer of the Joe team. One of the first G.I. Joe figures, he was originally a colonel included with the Mobile Missile System (MMS). In 1986 he received a new, more distinctive figure, and was promoted to brigadier general (one star). Beginning in 1991, new versions of his figure are sometimes given a rank of major general (two stars), and he is sometimes known as Tomahawk or General Abernathy due to trademark issues.
- Duke - Conrad S. Hauser is the First Sergeant and the team's field commander. Although the first Hawk figure predates him, Duke was featured as the commander of the Joe team in the animated series prior to Hawk's second incarnation as a figure in 1986, when he became the second-in-command. His figure was introduced in 1983 as a mail-away exclusive, and a regular retail release followed the next year.
- Snake-Eyes - One of the first figures introduced in 1982, Snake-Eyes (real name classified) is the mute disfigured commando upon which much of the comic book series' stories revolved. His 1985 figure included his wolf Timber. Snake-Eyes is one of the most popular figures in the entire line and is considered by some to be the one of the most renowned action figures of all time.
- Scarlett - Sergeant Shana M. O'Hara serves as the team's counter-intelligence specialist. She is also proficient in several martial arts and holds her own well against Cobra's troops. Scarlett was one of the original figures introduced in 1982.
- Stalker - Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson is a close friend of Snake-Eyes, and served on the same LRRP team in Vietnam along with Storm Shadow. Stalker was one of the original figures introduced in 1982.
- Roadblock - Sergeant Marvin F. Hinton is a heavy machine-gunner and strongman who's also a gourmet cook. He often carries the heavy Browning .50 calibre M2 Browning machine gun. His first figure was introduced in 1984.
- Flint - Dashiell Faireborn is a Warrant Officer. In both the comic and animated incarnations, he has a romantic relationship with Lady Jaye. His figure was introduced in 1985.
- Lady Jaye - Introduced in 1985, corporal Allison R. Hart-Burnett is a covert operative and intelligence operator.
- Rock 'n Roll - Blond-bearded Machine Gunner, surfer, and guitar player, Craig McConnel was one of the original figures introduced in 1982.
- Breaker - He is the G.I. Joe Team's original communications officer and one of the original figures introduced in 1982. His real name is Alvin R. Kibbey, his rank is that of corporal (E-4), and he has a habit of chewing bubblegum in any situation. He is familiar with all NATO and Warsaw Pact communication gear as well as most world export devices. His file card describes him as "efficient and self-assured and has an uncanny ability to turn adverse situations to his favor".
- Cover Girl - Former fashion model Courtney Krieger is one of G.I. Joe's tank drivers, specializing in the Wolverine missile tank, with which her first figure was packaged in 1983.
- Beachhead - Beachhead's real name is staff sergeant Wayne R. Sneeden, a US Army Ranger. Formerly stationed as a lane instructor at Ft. Benning, home of the Army Rangers. His figure was first released in 1986.
Enemies
- Cobra, also known as the Cobra Organization or Cobra Command, is the primary enemy of G.I. Joe. The group is led by the Cobra Commander. See the Cobra main page for more detailed information.
- Dreadnoks - Led by Zartan, the Dreadnoks are gang of bikers who pull jobs for Cobra when finesse is not required and brute force is needed. Zartan used them for backup and brought them with him when he joined Cobra.
- M.A.R.S. (Military Armaments Research Syndicate) is a private company under the leadership of James McCullen, 24th Baron of (Laird) Destro, who also fields his own private army of Iron Grenadiers which has matched forces with Cobra and G.I. Joe or any other organisation which has gotten in Destro's way as he pursues his own goals of supplying weapons and military technology. Using tactics such as sabotage and assassination, Destro has used his Iron Grenadiers to force otherwise peaceful nations into war so he can increase his weapons sales.
- Cobra-La - Cobra's predecessor group introduced in G.I. Joe: The Movie.
- Headhunters - A private army under the command of the drug dealer known as the Headman. They are the arch nemesis of the G.I. Joe sub-team, the Drug Elimination Force.
- Lunartix Empire - An assortment of hostile extraterrestrial lifeforms. The Lunartix aliens are opposed by G.I. Joe's Star Brigade team.
Sub-groups
The G.I. Joe line spawned several sub-lines of figures and vehicles packaged with distinctive group names and themes. Some of the most prominent of these were featured in the comic and cartoon series as well, and remain popular with collectors.
- Battleforce 2000 - A hi-tech group of Joes whose task is to field-test experimental weaponry in battlefield conditions.
- Drug Elimination Force (D.E.F.) - Led by DEA Agent Bulletproof, their mission is to stop the flow of illegal drugs into America. Their arch nemesis is the drug-running Headman, who leads the Headhunters. The rest of the D.E.F. team is made up of Shockwave, Cutter, and Mutt (with Junkyard). Other members include Barricade, Long Arm, Mace, Muskrat, and Law. The D.E.F. utilize the Shark 9000 intercept motor vessel.
- Eco-Warriors - Led by Flint, the Eco-Warriors' mission is to go after environmental criminals. Other memebrs include Clean-Sweep and Ozonem.
- Mega Marines - A group led by Gung-Ho to combat Cobra's Mega Monsters creation.
- Night Force - A group led by Lt. Falcon which conducts missions under the cover of night. The toys were Toys R Us exclusives that were repaints of previous figures.
- Ninja Force - A team led by Storm Shadow which is made up of several former members of the Arishikage ninja clan in order to aid the Joes in rescuing Destro from a vengeful Cobra Commander.
- Renegades - This team, led by Sgt. Slaughter, is not officially a part of G.I. Joe. They take on missions that are considered too sensitive to involve the Joes. Mercer, Red Dog, and Taurus are part of the group.
- Sky Patrol - A team lead by Skydive that specialises in airborne reconnaissance and survey of enemy territory.
- Slaughter's Marauders - Another group led by Sgt. Slaughter. They engage in quick strikes, first ground assaults, and make the way for Joe ground forces. The figures from this subline were repainted figures from previous years, but the vehicles were new designs derived from modifying existing toys. Their uniforms have a common color theme (brown, green, and blue).
- Sonic Fighters - A team led by Lt. Falcon that uses sonic-powered weapons. The second wave of figures were labeled as "Super Sonic Fighters" and "Talking Battle Commanders." The team utilizes the Fortress America and the AH-74 Desert Apache.
- Star Brigade - A team led by Payload that specializes in space combat. The sub-series originally started as part of the Real American Hero toyline but was later spun-off into its own storyline that had the team combatting the Lunartix Empire.
- Tiger Force - A team that uses captured enemy equipment to strike the enemy deep behind their lines. Their uniforms and vehicles have tiger stripe-patterned camouflage. The toys were repainted figures and vehicles, primarily from the 1983-1985 lineup. Several other Tiger Force figures were released in European markets only.
Line history
A Real American Hero (1982-1994)
1982
The first eleven characters were introduced in carded packs while four others were bundled with vehicles. The launch of the toy line was supported by a comic series from Marvel Comics and a series of animated commercials, several of which advertised the comic itself, a first for its time. The first series of action figures had straight arms with elbow joints. While it is common for many characters to share the same mold for producing a body part, it was much more noticeable in the first year as for the original thirteen G.I. Joe figure, only six head molds were created. Three unique molds were assigned to Stalker, Snake-Eyes, and Scarlett, while the other ten characters utilized one of three generic heads. Despite these limitations, the new toyline was a success.
1983 to 1985
With the success of the first line of toys, Hasbro expanded the line the next year with new characters and more original body part designs. In 1983, "swivel-arm battle grip" articulation and some extra tweaks were added to the new characters and the existing figures in order to make them more poseable. In 1985, the base of the action figures' heads were given a ball joint which gave the figures' heads the ability to look up and down.
The years from 1983 to 1985 are considered by many to be the golden years of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero for several reasons. Two five-part mini-series were followed by a popular animated series, and the tie-in comic was one of Marvel's most successful series at the time. Many of the most popular characters were introduced around this time. Vehicles and playsets became bigger and seemed to top the design of the previous year, culminating in 1985's impressive USS Flagg playset, an aircraft carrier that measured 7 ½ feet long.
1986
Like Hasbro's other main franchise at the time, Transformers, G.I. Joe saw its popularity peak around this time but at the same time, it would be the last year that it would receive most of its multimedia support. This was to be the final year of the Sunbow cartoon series, which was a prime component of G.I. Joe's marketing. This year is also notable for the overhauling of toy packaging, which the background artwork being chaned from the familiar explosion background to a pixilated pattern of a red, yellow, and white explosion.
Both the Joe and Cobra factions received new commanders to lead their teams, and many of new characters were created to replace previously phased out figures. Specifically, a new Marine, a new Navy SEAL, a new Ranger, and a new medic, along with a new Cobra laser trooper, a new snow trooper, and new infantryman characters, were featured.
1987
The long awaited G.I. Joe: The Movie was released direct-to-video after the box office failure of Transformers: The Movie and My Little Pony: The Movie. The movie was initially released on syndicated television and was met with mixed reviews. Introducing a heavy science-fiction/fantasy element to Cobra, known as Cobra-La, it was intended to set up the status quo for Sunbow's intended third season of the animated series. In toy stores, two of the largest playsets of the entire line were introduced: the G.I. Joe Defiant space shuttle and the Mobile Command Center. Before the end of the year, the G.I. Joe special team Battleforce 2000 was introduced in time for Christmas.
1988
Even without an animated series, G.I. Joe continued to sell well. A new enemy, Destro's Iron Grenadiers, was introduced. The new Cobra line-up was composed mainly of Viper-type henchmen. Issue #86 of the comics series celebrated the 25th anniversary of the G.I. Joe toy line in general. Another G.I. Joe sub-group was introduced before the year's end: Tiger Force, a line of classic characters and vehicles re-colored with Tiger-striped camouflage patterns.
1989
Classic character nostalgia seemed to play a factor in 1989. The relative success of Tiger Force the year before led to the introduction of Slaughter's Marauders and Cobra's Python Patrol. By this time however, the lack of an animated series was taking its toll on the toy line's performance. In response, DiC Entertainment, who had picked up the rights to produce a new G.I. Joe television series two years earlier, finally began airing new episodes with a five-part miniseries entited "Operation: Dragonfire".
1990
The lackluster performance of 1989 convinced Hasbro to scale back on production. They concentrated on the action figure line-up and reduced the number of new vehicles for that year. The timely premiere of the new animated series would prove instrumental in giving the toy line another lease on life. In time for this renewed success is a slightly redesigned G.I. Joe logo.
1991 to 1992
Once more, Hasbro concentrated on action figures rather than vehicles, and coming up with new gimmicks for them. Special teams such as Ninja Force, Eco-Warriors, and Star Brigade were introduced. The second animated series lasted for only one more season before being cancelled.
1993 to 1994
In the final two years of the line, characters who were not part of any sub-group were branded as part of the all-encompassing Battle Corps. The background for the card art was replaced by a design featuring laser-like lines. The Star Brigade sub-series was revamped with a more science-fiction storyline involving an extraterrestrial enemy, the Lunartix Empire. The characters from the Street Fighter II videogame became part of the G.I. Joe line up as Hasbro bought the toy rights to the characters. Although the line would officially end in 1994, design elements of the G.I. Joe figures and vehicles would continue in later toy-lines, such as a line based on Street Fighter's motion picture (starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia), as well as another based on the game's equally popular competitor, Mortal Kombat. 1985's AWE Striker vehicle was also converted to accommodate larger figures for Hasbro's Stargate line.
The Real American Hero Collection (1997-1998) - Toys "R" Us exclusives
In 1997, G.I. Joe returned in a limited Toys "R" Us exclusive line. The Real American Hero Collection, as it is called, included Team Packs of three figures grouped together by a common theme such as Commando and Cobra Command, and Mission Packs, which featured classic figures packaged with a small vehicle like a Cobra Flight Pod or Silver Mirage motorcycle. The "Stars and Stripes" boxed set was also released, featuring members of the original thirteen Joes from 1982. The line continued as a Toys "R" Us exclusive in 1998.
The Real American Hero Collection (2000-2002) - wide release
In 2000 (there weren't any figures released in 1999), The Real American Hero Collection continued, this time in wide release. Figures were sold in two packs and continued using the original molds as well as 'kit-bashed' figures made from parts of various molds. The wide release of The Real American Hero Collection continued through 2001.
In 2002, the line was limited to one wave, which was only available to online retailers. Also in 2002, a set called the Sound Attack 8 pack was released as an exclusive to BJ's Wholesale Club and Fred Meyer stores.
One of the rarest G.I. Joe figures, the so-called "Pimp Daddy Destro" (or PDD for short), was released for a short time in 2007 before being replaced in production by the regular version in the Cobra Command Team pack. It is said that only a handful were released into the market.
G.I. Joe vs. Cobra (2002-2006)
The A Real American Hero concept was relaunched in a newly-sculpted design as G.I. Joe vs. Cobra, subsequently becoming the Spy Troops, Valor Vs. Venom and "Direct-to-Consumer" (or DTC) lines.
GI Joe 25th Anniversary line (2007-2009)
Hasbro announced the release of G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary Edition figures, which features figures primarily based on A Real American Hero designs but with updated sculpting. The line continued through 2008, and Hasbro has revealed that it will continue into 2009, with a new line of figures to coincide with the release of the G.I. Joe movie.
Comics
Animated series
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero spawned two animated series in two different periods, each produced by different animation companies.
Legacy
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero continues to play a large part in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. This version of G.I. Joe is still much recognized by many people who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, overshadowing the original G.I. Joe. Despite being an American-centric property, its popularity was able to cross over to several countries.
See also
External links
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- - 9.5cm (3 3/4") G.I. Joe Reference and Resource Site
- - detailed reference site
- - Daily News, G.I. Joe figure & comic reviews, and forums
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- at the Internet Movie Database
- - G.I. Joe cartoon guide
- - Canadian Based G.I. Joe site : Official Canadian Joe Meet
- - Custom G.I. Joe figures, forums and resources.
- Collectors helping collectors find the newest Joes.
- - Collector's resources and regularly updated news.
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