Gi Joe

Created by David Breger, G.I. Joe is an American cartoon soldier which was used in a comic strip for the US military magazines during World War II. The title G.I. Joe was taken from the military reference, 'Government issue'. The comic strip first appeared on June 17, 1942 in the military magazine 'YANK' and 'Stars and Stripes' newspaper. In 1945, 'The Story of G.I. Joe' was released under United Artists. The movie starred Burgess Meredith who played war correspondent Ernie Pyle. Almost twenty years later, realizing the success of the Barbie doll, Stan Weston, a toy creator and a licensing agent approached Don Levine at Hasbro. Hasbro saw great potential with the idea and in 1964 launched the G.I. Joe brand. The military-themed toy-line was produced by Hasbro which re-appeared in 1982. G.I. Joe became a popular cartoon television show which was supported by Marvel comics and was aired in the 1980's. Along with Marvel, Sunbow's animated promotions for the comic made G.I. Joe an ongoing cartoon. However, the action figures till today have proven to be the most wanted items from the G.I. Joe brand. The lineup of the action figures is too vast, however the primary figures are Duke, Flint, Snake-Eyes, Chuckles, Hawk, Lady Jane, Shipwreck, and Gung-Ho. The arch enemies of the G.I. Joe team are led by Cobra Commander and seconded by Baroness. Other figures under the Cobra organization are Copperhead, Destro, Ripper, Storm Shadow, Torch and many more. Hasbro's latest advancements of the G.I Joe action figures are the 'Sigma 6'. These figures are available in 8 inches or 2.5 inches including Duke, Snake-Eyes, and Storm Shadow to name a few. This set also includes new vehicles such as a Hovercycle for the G.I Joes and the Cobras. With an incredible history and an exciting future, the craze for G.I. Joe does not seem to end. From comic strips and action figures to animated cartoons and movies, G.I. Joe remains as popular today as it was when first introduced decades ago.