G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe(1984) is a show that I really enjoyed when it was on television. Its one of the few cartoons of the 1980s that I have fond memories of. It was a good promotional gig for the people who sold the toy figures. I'm shocked that nobody has made a live action version of G.I. Joe(1984) as the people in Hollywood seem to do with every other cartoon that was popular during the 1980s. G.I. Joe(1984) belongs to one of the best era in television animation.

I love this series. I developed an interest in it a couple of years ago and I've loved it ever since. THe battle between Joe and Cobra is very entertaining with colourful characters on both sides. I first saw the show when I was a kid. That was when the show was named ACTION FORCE in the UK. I now have the movie on video and the first half of Season One on DVD. The show has not disappointed me so far.

There's great voice work from 80s voice maestros like Chris Latta and Neil Ross. The humour in the show is very appealing as well as there are constantly petty power struggles in the Cobra ranks. Perhaps the introduction of Serpentor wasn't such a good idea, but the show still had good moments. I heard a rumour that there may be a real life GI JOE movie. I hope there will be. If it's based on the Devil'a Due comic that would be good because what I've seen of that comic is great. Here's hoping.

I have fond memories of watching G.I. Joe. I was in junior high when it became a regular series, and still remember coming home from school just in time to watch it.

It has plenty of action, there's no question about that. Nonetheless, one would gripe that, despite all the battle scenes, no one gets killed. But I suspected that the producers had managed to sneak some fatalities into the show every now and then. For example, I recall one occasion where a Cobra trooper falls during a gunfight, only to never get back up. And at other times, some characters (mainly Cobra troopers) stumble near explosions. I believe that they pulled off some casualties in such a way that many viewers are unlikely to notice.

One of my favorite episodes is the two-parter, "There's No Place Like Springfield." That's the one where Shipwreck supposedly had amnesia. It's a great mystery story.

Besides Shipwreck, my other favorite characters include: Lifeline, Duke, Snake Eyes, Zartan, Dr. Mindbender, Barbecue, and Blowtorch.

One interesting thing about Lifeline is that he is a medic, and refuses to touch a weapon. But one has to wonder why the toy action figure came with a pistol.

GI Joe was essentially an advertisement for the toys; it, like the comic, was designed to tie in with the toy line, to support the storyline of the comic and toys, and to introduce new characters and vehicles.

Given the constraints of the advertising medium, the show was pretty good. The characters seemed to develop over time, and there were identifiable (and diverging) personalities. Unfortunately, GI Joe suffers from the same problem may other cartoons that depict battle show; no one gets hurt or killed.

I don't want to sound like a sadist or cheap thrill seeker, but one would think that a show depicting two large armed forces continuously battling over the globe would suffer casualties. Planes were constantly shot down, but no one ever died. Highly unrealistic, and with Robotech showing at the same time, GI Joe lost its edge. It may have been more popular than Robotech, but couldn't maintain interest for very long. ...and then there's the episode where Cobra has a high-powered laser, and- no, doesn't try to destroy Joe- attempts to carve the Cobra logo onto the face of the moon. What an effective use of technology and power! Graffiti!

As a skeptical TV watcher (especially of old stuff) this is one of those 80s "made-for-kids" cartoons that can appeal to youth of today, as well as be interesting enough for teens/adults to watch.

This cartoon has the action, thrills and memorable characters that a 6 year old seeks, but has the literary complexity, subtle humour, and general excellent entertainment value that teens and adults would appreciate.

The Joes, a diverse team of commandos, fight the evil forces of Cobra day in and day out. Each Joe brings a different attribute and personality to the team (personalities that come to life thanks to the talented voice cast - read the credits, you'll see!)

The plots always entail an interesting and often elaborate storyline featuring a diabolical plot for world-domination by Cobra Commander and/or his subordinates (Destro, Baroness, Crimson Guard Twins, Maj. Bludd e.t.c...)

The art quality is excellent - it has an 80s super-hero comic style to it which adds a lot to that nostalgic effect. The animation is satisfactory; it varies between episodes.

Best part is learning the names (real and code) of all of the characters (good and bad), as there are literally tons of characters mixed into the salad bowl that is G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero.

For you 80s toon a-holics out there, this is an absolute MUST HAVE in your library. I only wish it was still on TV for today's generation to see.