G.I. Joe Team
Encyclopedia
G.I. Joe is the code name
of an elite
covert
special forces
unit operating under the control of the United States Military
in the fictional G.I. Joe
universe.
They are sometimes referred to as the G.I. Joe Team, the Joe Team or simply the Joes. The G.I. Joe Team was first introduced in the 1982 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
toy line from Hasbro
. Subsequently, comic books
and television cartoons based on the revamped toy line were also released. Prior to this, G.I. Joe was the name of the military and later adventure character that appeared throughout the 1960s and 1970s. From 1982 and on, the name is more identified with the group rather than the classic character.
Their famous battle cry is "Yo Joe!"
, the Air Force
, the Navy
, and the Coast Guard
. Additionally, a small number of G.I. Joe members come from foreign military services such as the British Army
and Australian Army
. Members are called from the best of their recruits. Each member brings to the team their own specialty.
published by Marvel Comics
, it is revealed that the team’s official code name is Special Counter-Terrorist Unit Delta. G.I. Joe was merely a nickname that became their official moniker. The original members of the Joe team were Hawk
, Stalker
, Scarlett
, Snake-Eyes, Breaker
, Clutch
, Rock ‘n Roll, Steeler
, Grand Slam
, Flash
, Short-Fuze
, Grunt
and Zap
. Later on, the team roster grew as more members are added.
The team is originally portrayed as a covert group with access to high tech military equipment. Their existence is denied to the public at large though this would change later in the series. Much like the real-life group Delta Force
, the existence of the Joe team is slowly revealed to the world as later stories involved them in high profile missions such as the Cobra Civil War and the liberation of Benzheen.
. While the world knows that such a group as G.I. Joe exists, the team’s missions remain classified. When a new enemy the Red Shadows surfaced, the Joe team is reduced to a skeleton crew. Despite this, they were eventually victorious but were still disbanded.
The disbandment, however, was just a ruse. The team is reformed with a core team while the former members are reserves. In the G.I. Joe: America’s Elite series, it is revealed that the Joe team has reformed, this time as the covert unit as they originally were.
created by IDW Publishing
the G.I. Joe team is a secret team operating under the United State Military that handles threats too great for the conventional military. People of exceptional skill in their fields are offered membership in the Joes. In order to join they are required to fake their own death and leave their previous life behind. The Joes operate out of a previously abandoned military base in the Nevada desert known as the Pit.
featuring G.I. Joe took many liberties when it came to the portrayal of a military unit. Many of the team members are trained to operate in multiple environments. They are also capable of piloting a wide variety of vehicles, such that even infantry
men such as Duke
and Flint
can pilot the Skystriker
and Conquest X-30 jet fighters. Even function is not an issue as sailors like Shipwreck are often seen in non-naval adventures. In contrast to the Marvel comic series, which ran at the same time as the Real American Hero cartoon, the team is not the covert organization of the comics but is well known to the public, being featured on documentary talk shows in the episode "20 Questions", and being greeted excitedly by a group of children in "The MacGuffin Device", implying a certain celebrity status.
has Hawk
(later General Hawk) as the team's commanding officer
(CO), while Duke
is the senior non-commissioned officer
(NCO) and second-in-command. However, a number of differences exist between the comics, cartoon and even the toyline.
The original comic book series
takes a more or less realistic approach with the military command hierarchy. In the early issues of the comic, overall command of the G.I. Joe team fell to BG/O-7
Lawrence J. Flagg
, until his death in issue 19 of the series. Flagg's main role was administrative and dealing with the The Pentagon
, while Hawk (a COL/O-6
) was the field leader with Stalker
(a SGT/E-5) the senior NCO and de facto
second-in-command. Note that this ignored the only other commissioned officer
Steeler
's grade of 2LT/O-1, although in practice it is not unknown for inexperienced officers to defer to experienced NCOs. Hawk was eventually promoted to Brigadier General in Flagg's place, but still retained a prominent role in the field rather than being a desk-jockey
. Unlike in the Sunbow cartoon series, Hawk is prominently featured from the very beginning. Corresponding with his release as an action figure, Duke is introduced later on and takes over as second-in-command. As a First Sergeant (MSG/E-8), Duke outranks the team's enlisted rank
s and NCOs which make up the majority of the team, and his seniority and experience are respected even by his superior officers such as Lt. Falcon
and Captain Grid-Iron. Vice Admiral
Keel-Haul is introduced in issue 36, and with a grade of VADM/O-9 technically outranks even Hawk. However other non-canonical sources suggest that Keel-Haul was only an honorary Joe team member, and thus the existing internal chain-of-command is preserved. The original G.I. Joe, General Joseph Colton (a character modeled after the original 12" G.I. Joe
toy) makes several appearances in the 86th, 127th, and 152nd issues of the series, but is not an official member of the team.
In the comic series by Devil’s Due Publishing, when Hawk becomes incapacitated, a new character, General Philip Rey, was introduced and given command. When the Joe team is disbanded and reformed once more, the original G.I. Joe, General Joseph Colton takes control with Duke as field commander.
The Sunbow animated series has a more liberal take as the first episode was aired a while after the first run of G.I. Joe action figures were released in 1982. As a result, the focus on much of the cartoon's first season was on newer characters rather than the originals (with the notable exception of Snake Eyes and Scarlett). This resulted in the first season of the series featuring Duke as the leader of the team, with Flint taking an active leadership role in later episodes as well. In the second season (to coincide with the release of his new action figure), Hawk was finally established as the overall commanding officer. In the first episode of the second season, Flint explains to Beach Head, “First comes Hawk, then Duke, then me, and finally you,” clearly stating the overall chain of command up to that point. Later episodes gave Sgt. Slaughter
a prominent leadership role as well.
In the early years, the toyline mostly held off on identifying the one character that served as the team's leader. The first run of the toy line featured Hawk as the highest ranking team member; however though his file card makes specific mention of his abilities as a leader, it falls short of explicitly naming him as the team’s commander. Duke, who appeared the following year, is not specifically mentioned as either the team's commander or second-in-command, but his file card extols his ability to command by winning respect and mentions his current assignment as acting First Sergeant of the team. Any question of the team's commanding officer ended in 1986 when Hawk's second action figure version was released and the character was officially billeted as the team's overall rather than field commander.
series is apparently the only Joe team not to be fully composed of US Army personnel from the beginning. The team is led by the mysterious Mr. Clancy. The comic series posits that the team was formed originally in the 1960s as a response to the rising threat of SKAR (Soldiers of Khaos, Anarchy and Ruin), the real continuity related to the characters is described as 2006 in the cartoon and 2009 in the comic. The Joe team is a much smaller elite unit, a far cry from their A Real American Hero incarnation.
Two Joe members exclusive to this comic line were Short Fuze and Tall Sally, both died at the end of the first mini-series.
The story established by the Sigma 6 animated series has the Joes take on a new code name, after Cobra destroyed their base of operations.
) and her ninja sensei Snake Eyes, consisting of Sergeant Hauser (Duke
), Corporal Hinton (Roadblock
), Private Lee (Tunnel Rat
), and Private Weems (Rip Cord
). Their purpose is to expose Cobra Industries for its illegal transgressions, but end up being framed for terrorism and extortion, a crime that they didn't commit
. Their new goal, in addition to exposing Cobra, is to clear their names.
Code name
A code name or cryptonym is a word or name used clandestinely to refer to another name or word. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage...
of an elite
Military elite
A military elite is a unit of soldiers or recruits picked for their competence and put in a special elite unit. Elite units enjoy some benefits as compared to other units, at least in the form of higher status, but often also higher pay and better equipment. Napoleon's Imperial Guard would be a...
covert
Covert operation
A covert operation is a military, intelligence or law enforcement operation that is carried clandestinely and, often, outside of official channels. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation...
special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit operating under the control of the United States Military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
in the fictional G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
universe.
They are sometimes referred to as the G.I. Joe Team, the Joe Team or simply the Joes. The G.I. Joe Team was first introduced in the 1982 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. 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...
toy line from Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
. Subsequently, comic books
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel Comics)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a comic book that was published by Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1994. Based on Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G.I. Joe into a pop-culture phenomenon. G.I...
and television cartoons based on the revamped toy line were also released. Prior to this, G.I. Joe was the name of the military and later adventure character that appeared throughout the 1960s and 1970s. From 1982 and on, the name is more identified with the group rather than the classic character.
Their famous battle cry is "Yo Joe!"
A Real American Hero
The G.I. Joe team is composed primarily of US Army personnel but is supplemented by representatives from other branches of the United States Armed Forces, namely the Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
. Additionally, a small number of G.I. Joe members come from foreign military services such as the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. Members are called from the best of their recruits. Each member brings to the team their own specialty.
Marvel Comics
In the first issue of the G.I. Joe comicsG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel Comics)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a comic book that was published by Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1994. Based on Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G.I. Joe into a pop-culture phenomenon. G.I...
published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, it is revealed that the team’s official code name is Special Counter-Terrorist Unit Delta. G.I. Joe was merely a nickname that became their official moniker. The original members of the Joe team were Hawk
Hawk (G.I. Joe)
Hawk is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books, toyline, and movie.-Profile:...
, Stalker
Stalker (G.I. Joe)
Stalker is the code name of Army Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He is one of very few characters from the first line of the toys to have a distinct appearance from the other action figures, as he is African-American. Stalker was a major...
, Scarlett
Scarlett (G.I. Joe)
Scarlett is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character is one of the original members of the fictional team and toy line. She is a major character of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and the...
, Snake-Eyes, Breaker
Breaker (G.I. Joe)
Breaker is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's original communications officer and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, Clutch
Clutch (G.I. Joe)
Clutch is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is one of the G.I. Joe Team's motor vehicle drivers and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, Rock ‘n Roll, Steeler
Steeler (G.I. Joe)
Steeler is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original tank commander and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, Grand Slam
Grand Slam (G.I. Joe)
Grand Slam is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. Grand Slam is the G.I. Joe Team's original laser artillery soldier.-Profile:...
, Flash
Flash (G.I. Joe)
Flash is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's original laser rifle trooper and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, Short-Fuze
Short-Fuze (G.I. Joe)
Short-Fuze is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original mortar soldier and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, Grunt
Grunt (G.I. Joe)
Grunt is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is an infantryman with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
and Zap
Zap (G.I. Joe)
Zap is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original bazooka soldier and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
. Later on, the team roster grew as more members are added.
The team is originally portrayed as a covert group with access to high tech military equipment. Their existence is denied to the public at large though this would change later in the series. Much like the real-life group Delta Force
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
, the existence of the Joe team is slowly revealed to the world as later stories involved them in high profile missions such as the Cobra Civil War and the liberation of Benzheen.
Devil's Due
In the comics series by Devil’s Due Publishing, the Joe team is recast as a group recognized by the public in the same way as actual United States Special Operations ForcesUnited States Special Operations Forces
United States Special Operations Forces under United States Special Operations Command are active and reserve component forces of U.S. Military...
. While the world knows that such a group as G.I. Joe exists, the team’s missions remain classified. When a new enemy the Red Shadows surfaced, the Joe team is reduced to a skeleton crew. Despite this, they were eventually victorious but were still disbanded.
The disbandment, however, was just a ruse. The team is reformed with a core team while the former members are reserves. In the G.I. Joe: America’s Elite series, it is revealed that the Joe team has reformed, this time as the covert unit as they originally were.
IDW
In the comics seriesG.I. Joe (IDW Publishing)
G.I. Joe is a comic book series by IDW Publishing, based upon Hasbro's G.I. Joe characters and toy line.The series is marketed as three ongoing series , two mini-series and a small series of one-shots...
created by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
the G.I. Joe team is a secret team operating under the United State Military that handles threats too great for the conventional military. People of exceptional skill in their fields are offered membership in the Joes. In order to join they are required to fake their own death and leave their previous life behind. The Joes operate out of a previously abandoned military base in the Nevada desert known as the Pit.
Animated series
The animated series and animated movieG.I. Joe: The Movie
G.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. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
featuring G.I. Joe took many liberties when it came to the portrayal of a military unit. Many of the team members are trained to operate in multiple environments. They are also capable of piloting a wide variety of vehicles, such that even infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
men such as Duke
Duke (G.I. Joe)
Duke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 lines of military-themed toys. The character is featured in both the animated series and comic books. Duke is portrayed by actor Channing Tatum in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of...
and Flint
Flint (G.I. Joe)
Flint is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He was originally created as a character for the Sunbow cartoon series in 1984, and later introduced into the comic book and produced as an action figure in 1985.-Profile:...
can pilot the Skystriker
Skystriker
In the fictional world of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Skystriker refers to two things: a jet fighter and a character.-Toys:The Skystriker XP-14F is a variable wing fighter aircraft, which first appeared in the 1983 edition of the hit cartoon series and toyline...
and Conquest X-30 jet fighters. Even function is not an issue as sailors like Shipwreck are often seen in non-naval adventures. In contrast to the Marvel comic series, which ran at the same time as the Real American Hero cartoon, the team is not the covert organization of the comics but is well known to the public, being featured on documentary talk shows in the episode "20 Questions", and being greeted excitedly by a group of children in "The MacGuffin Device", implying a certain celebrity status.
Chain of Command
Most commonly, the G.I. Joe chain-of-commandCommand hierarchy
A command hierarchy is a group of people committed to carrying out orders "from the top", that is, of authority. It is part of a power structure: usually seen as the most vulnerable and also the most powerful part of it.-Sociology:...
has Hawk
Hawk (G.I. Joe)
Hawk is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books, toyline, and movie.-Profile:...
(later General Hawk) as the team's commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
(CO), while Duke
Duke (G.I. Joe)
Duke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 lines of military-themed toys. The character is featured in both the animated series and comic books. Duke is portrayed by actor Channing Tatum in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of...
is the senior non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
(NCO) and second-in-command. However, a number of differences exist between the comics, cartoon and even the toyline.
The original comic book series
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel Comics)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a comic book that was published by Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1994. Based on Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G.I. Joe into a pop-culture phenomenon. G.I...
takes a more or less realistic approach with the military command hierarchy. In the early issues of the comic, overall command of the G.I. Joe team fell to BG/O-7
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Lawrence J. Flagg
General Flagg
General Flagg is the code name as well as the rank and surname of two fictional characters from the toyline, cartoon and comic series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero....
, until his death in issue 19 of the series. Flagg's main role was administrative and dealing with the The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, while Hawk (a COL/O-6
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
) was the field leader with Stalker
Stalker (G.I. Joe)
Stalker is the code name of Army Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He is one of very few characters from the first line of the toys to have a distinct appearance from the other action figures, as he is African-American. Stalker was a major...
(a SGT/E-5) the senior NCO and de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
second-in-command. Note that this ignored the only other commissioned officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
Steeler
Steeler (G.I. Joe)
Steeler is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original tank commander and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
's grade of 2LT/O-1, although in practice it is not unknown for inexperienced officers to defer to experienced NCOs. Hawk was eventually promoted to Brigadier General in Flagg's place, but still retained a prominent role in the field rather than being a desk-jockey
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
. Unlike in the Sunbow cartoon series, Hawk is prominently featured from the very beginning. Corresponding with his release as an action figure, Duke is introduced later on and takes over as second-in-command. As a First Sergeant (MSG/E-8), Duke outranks the team's enlisted rank
Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...
s and NCOs which make up the majority of the team, and his seniority and experience are respected even by his superior officers such as Lt. Falcon
Lt. Falcon
Lt. Falcon is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is a green beret with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1987.-Profile:...
and Captain Grid-Iron. Vice Admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
Keel-Haul is introduced in issue 36, and with a grade of VADM/O-9 technically outranks even Hawk. However other non-canonical sources suggest that Keel-Haul was only an honorary Joe team member, and thus the existing internal chain-of-command is preserved. The original G.I. Joe, General Joseph Colton (a character modeled after the original 12" G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
toy) makes several appearances in the 86th, 127th, and 152nd issues of the series, but is not an official member of the team.
In the comic series by Devil’s Due Publishing, when Hawk becomes incapacitated, a new character, General Philip Rey, was introduced and given command. When the Joe team is disbanded and reformed once more, the original G.I. Joe, General Joseph Colton takes control with Duke as field commander.
The Sunbow animated series has a more liberal take as the first episode was aired a while after the first run of G.I. Joe action figures were released in 1982. As a result, the focus on much of the cartoon's first season was on newer characters rather than the originals (with the notable exception of Snake Eyes and Scarlett). This resulted in the first season of the series featuring Duke as the leader of the team, with Flint taking an active leadership role in later episodes as well. In the second season (to coincide with the release of his new action figure), Hawk was finally established as the overall commanding officer. In the first episode of the second season, Flint explains to Beach Head, “First comes Hawk, then Duke, then me, and finally you,” clearly stating the overall chain of command up to that point. Later episodes gave Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter (G.I. Joe)
Sgt. Slaughter is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline series based on the professional wrestler of the same name. Though the original G.I. Joe was based on the real life Sgt. Alvin York, Sgt. Slaughter was the first G.I. Joe figure accurately based on a real person...
a prominent leadership role as well.
In the early years, the toyline mostly held off on identifying the one character that served as the team's leader. The first run of the toy line featured Hawk as the highest ranking team member; however though his file card makes specific mention of his abilities as a leader, it falls short of explicitly naming him as the team’s commander. Duke, who appeared the following year, is not specifically mentioned as either the team's commander or second-in-command, but his file card extols his ability to command by winning respect and mentions his current assignment as acting First Sergeant of the team. Any question of the team's commanding officer ended in 1986 when Hawk's second action figure version was released and the character was officially billeted as the team's overall rather than field commander.
Extreme series
The team from the G.I. Joe ExtremeG.I. Joe Extreme
G.I. Joe Extreme is the name of a short-lived line of military-themed toys by Hasbro, a two-season cartoon show by Sunbow Productions, and two 4-issue comic mini-series by Dark Horse Comics. It is a sequel of sorts to the previous G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero TV series, with a one-shot pack-in...
series is apparently the only Joe team not to be fully composed of US Army personnel from the beginning. The team is led by the mysterious Mr. Clancy. The comic series posits that the team was formed originally in the 1960s as a response to the rising threat of SKAR (Soldiers of Khaos, Anarchy and Ruin), the real continuity related to the characters is described as 2006 in the cartoon and 2009 in the comic. The Joe team is a much smaller elite unit, a far cry from their A Real American Hero incarnation.
Dark Horse Comics
Two 4-issue mini series of G.I. Joe Extreme were printed by Dark Horse, depicting the battles between the new Joe team and 2 new enemy groups, SKAR (a terrorist group bent for complete world domination, here led at the beginning by the Duchess of Mklavia) and Red Scream (an anti-globalist organization). References to the I.R.O.N. Army were made in the last issue published when the comic line was cancelled.Two Joe members exclusive to this comic line were Short Fuze and Tall Sally, both died at the end of the first mini-series.
Animated series
A cartoon series was produced by Gunther-Wahl Productions and distributed by Claster Television. It lasted 2 seasons and enjoyed certain acceptance amongst the fans. There were also exclusive characters included like Red McKnox, Tracker and Steel Raven.Sigma 6
In the G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 series, the Joe team is reduced to a smaller group, reflecting the Extreme team but using characters from the A Real American Hero series. Unlike the original A Real American Hero animated series, new characters are slowly reintroduced rather than featured en masse.The story established by the Sigma 6 animated series has the Joes take on a new code name, after Cobra destroyed their base of operations.
The Rise of Cobra
Unlike the previous version, G.I. Joe is an acronym for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, an international co-ed force of operatives who use hi-tech equipment. It's composed of not only the best of the United States Armed Forces, but also from various other Elite Armed Forces around the world. General Hawk states, 23 nations around the world have joined G.I. Joe including USA, UK, Morocco, Japan and possibly Egypt; the Pit is based in Egypt. The Joes also seem to have authority to operate freely worldwide and well funded due to its global backing.Renegades
The team in this series, dubbed the Renegades, is an ad hoc squad put together by Lieutenant O'Hara (ScarlettScarlett (G.I. Joe)
Scarlett is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character is one of the original members of the fictional team and toy line. She is a major character of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and the...
) and her ninja sensei Snake Eyes, consisting of Sergeant Hauser (Duke
Duke (G.I. Joe)
Duke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 lines of military-themed toys. The character is featured in both the animated series and comic books. Duke is portrayed by actor Channing Tatum in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of...
), Corporal Hinton (Roadblock
Roadblock (G.I. Joe)
Roadblock is a character from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toys, comics and cartoons. He is one of the most prominent African-Americans in the series. His primary function in G.I. Joe is as a heavy machine gunner and a secondary function as a cook.-Fictional character...
), Private Lee (Tunnel Rat
Tunnel Rat (G.I. Joe)
Tunnel Rat is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline. He has appeared in all cartoon and comic incarnations of the series.-Profile:...
), and Private Weems (Rip Cord
Rip Cord (G.I. Joe)
Rip Cord, also called Ripcord, is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. The character is first featured in the series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. He is the G.I...
). Their purpose is to expose Cobra Industries for its illegal transgressions, but end up being framed for terrorism and extortion, a crime that they didn't commit
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
. Their new goal, in addition to exposing Cobra, is to clear their names.
External links
- G.I. Joe Team at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page