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G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed action figure (3 3/4 inches tall) that was suported by a Marvel Comic and a popular cartoon television show that ran in the 1980s. The basic premise being good vs.evil, GI Joe is America's highly capable branch of military whose purpose is to defend America and the world against enemy attack and all other evils, their main adversary being the COBRA Organization, a terrorist organization who'll stop at nothing to control the world. The cast of each group is full of colorful and eccentric characters, each having their own individual powers and abilities. The animated show, although dealt with war and fighting, still contained an almost "G" rating as characters were rarely, if ever, killed even in the most dire of circumstances (the most obvious example is that whenever an airplane was destroyed in combat, the characters inside were invariably shown parachuting out of the wreckage in the nick of time) . G.I. Joe has also appeared as a comic book, with many if its characters being made into action figures. The comics, in contrast with the cartoons, were much more realistic in their portrayal of violence; some characters were even killed off (but no major ones.) Comic book writer Larry Hama is credited with developing most of the characters for the updated toy collection. GI Joe, by definition according to its 1980s animated series, states "G.I. Joe is the code name for America's daring, highly-trained special mission force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against COBRA, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world."
G.I. Joes represent characters of all branches of the United States military, both male and female, to fight against their "enemy", the Cobras, also produced by Hasbro and marketed under the G.I. Joe brand.
The original G.I.Joe Action Figures were toys similar to Barbie. One character who could do anything as long has he was wearing the right outfit. This drove kids to beg their parents for Wetsuits, Flight Jackets, and MP Uniforms to dress their figures up in to complete any mission.
Later a much smaller G.I. Joe was created. These figures who were almost four inches (100 mm) tall also drove kids to beg their parents for toys but for a different reason. This time instead of needing a wetsuit for G.I. Joe to wear, the G.I. Joe Team needs a new member called Wetsuit whose military occupational speciality is a Navy SEAL The smaller G.I. Joes also had a variaty of additional weapons and vehicles which could be purchased to assist them on their missions.
So the main differnce is that the 12 in (305 mm) figure changes his cloths to meet any challenge while the 3 3/4 in (95 mm) team has a figure who can each meet various chalenges.
G.I. Joe's fictional technology was often driven by theoretical or real military technologies that were being developed during the 1980s. This was especially seen in 1986's Conquest X-30, a twin-engined fighter jet clearly inspired by the real-life X-29 research aircraft, and 1988's Phantom X-19, inspired by the apocryphal F-19 stealth fighter and the real-world F-117 Nighthawk. Because the real-world counterparts of these vehicles were seen as the next generation of actual combat machines, they were quickly and enthusiastically adapted into the G.I. Joe toy line.
Seeing the market success of the Barbie doll, Hasbro thought it needed to have an action figure with whom boys could relate. Because of that, in 1964, they launched the G.I. Joe brand, named after the aforementioned movie. At that time, the G.I. Joe figures were about the size of the Barbie dolls.
In 1967, G.I. Joe talking figures were introduced.
In 1969, soldiers of international armed forces joined the G.I. Joe line up, and Hasbro decided that the entire toy line will be named G.I. Joe. By 1974, the Kung Fu fever had arrived in the United States, so G.I. Joes started to be produced with a "kung fu grip."
In 1975, a bionic warrior figure named Atomic Man sold over one million copies. In 1976, The Intruders, a line of outer space arch rivals, was introduced.
In 1978, the petroleum crisis directly affected G.I. Joes. Since the toy is produced with plastic and petroleum is a major component in the manufacture of plastic, the cost of producing the toy rose substantially, so Hasbro decided to discontinue it.
This was only for a short period, however, as G.I. Joes made a comeback.
In 1982. The new figures were downsized, being produced at about the size of Star Wars action figures. This was the beginning of the 1980s G.I. Joe frenzy that would eventually lead to the production of posters, t-shirts, video games, board games, kites, animated movies, and even a cartoon series based on the characters. In 1983, DESTRO was introduced as one of the first characters at the service of the Cobra Commander.
In 1985, both Toy & Lamp and Hobby World magazines ranked G.I. Joe as the top-selling American toy.
In 1986, wrestler Sgt. Slaughter became the first real person to join the G.I. Joe forces. Football player William "Refrigerator" Perry followed suit in 1987. In 1988, Battle Force 2000 was introduced.
In 1991, the G.I. Joe Ecowarriors line was produced to raise environmental awareness. At this time also, Barbie-sized figures were re-introduced, as part of an exclusive contract with Target retail stores. In 1992, G.I. Joe joined the war on drugs by introducing the Drug Elimination Force (DEF) line of figures.
In 1993, it was decided to separate all G.I. Joes into separate, themed armies, such as the Hall of Fame Joes, the ones with the original figure size. In 1995, figures were released in a new, 4½-inch tall G.I. Joes size.
In 1994 the 3 3/4 inch line was cancled.
In 1996, G.I. Joe Extreme figures were introduced, alongside a comic book. In 1997, G.I. Janes were introduced, the first 12-inch female dolls in the G.I. Joe line-up since 1967. This doll is a helicopter pilot.
In 1997, the original G.I. Joe returned via the G.I. JOE MASTERPIECE EDITION (), a unique book-and-figure product.
In 1998, the definitive history of the product, G.I. JOE: THE COMPLETE STORY OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE MAN OF ACTION , by John Michlig (Chronicle Publishing), published.
In 2000, a Navajo Code Talker was introduced, the first G.I. Joe talking figure since the 1970s. The figures include a toy bomb that detonates if handled incorrectly.
In 2001, G.I. Joe honored the soldiers of Pearl Harbor by releasing a line of Pearl Harbor soldiers.
In 2001 new 3 3/4" G.I.Joes have be released under various names including GIJoe vs Cobra, Spy Troops, and Valor vs Venom.
In 2004 Hasbro sends cease and desist letters to the G.I. Joe computer game mod team. Development of the only ever G.I. Joe themed multiplayer computer game is killed. The direct-to-DVD feature film "G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom" debuts.
All major GI Joe characters are based on the action figures which were featured in the comic and animated series and commonly referred to by their code names.
The G.I. Joe brand has honored some real life persons that it deemed as Real American Heroes, as the G.I. Joe slogan says. Among those:
The character is such a part of the U.S. vernacular that a 1997 movie starring Demi Moore was called G.I. Jane.
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