G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

This five-part mini-series introduced the world to what would become (at least in my opinion) the best cartoon ever put on TV. All the ingredients which would become the hallmarks of the series were in place: superb animation, a wide array of complex heroes and villains, fervent patriotism and, most importantly, non-stop action.

In their first of countless conflicts with the terrorist organization Cobra, the G.I. Joe force--Duke, Scarlet, Lady Jaye, Snake Eyes, et al--face arms dealer Destro's nefarious MASS device. Their battle takes them around the world in a desperate race to retrieve the three elements which power MASS, from the frigid Arctic to the ocean floor. The showdowns are awesome and incessant, right up to the final assault on Cobra Commander's hidden temple.

I watched this show religiously as a kid, and now, in my mid-twenties, I find it just as stimulating as ever. For Cold War propaganda at its best, nothing tops G.I. Joe.

G.I.Joe is one of the greatest shows ever made and I say it deserves to be put back on tv. Then all the young kids can see something that their parents once watched when they were young. I also feel since the actors who were the voices of General Hawk and Cobra Commander have died the show should be put back on for their memory and to show respect to the actors who are still alive. This show should be back on because of the advice at the end of each episode that was endorsed by the National Child Safety Council. I say if a government group has endorsed a show it is good enough to have on tv!

As a kid growing up in the mid to late 80s, i enjoyed watching GI Joe as well as Transformers and Jem on local tv. I even had some of the figures. The miniseries of each season, which is available to watch on Youtube for free courtesy of Hasbro, is well done. The animation is top notch, and the era of the show reflects that. The main series that followed showed a psa before the end credits and ended with "Knowing is half the battle". G.I. Joeeee

G.I. Joe, what would my childhood have been like without you? A lot less awesome, that's what! This is the initial mini-series that launched the classic '80s G.I. Joe cartoon series. As we're told from the narration during the iconic theme song, G.I. Joe is the code name for America's daring highly-trained special mission force whose purpose is to defend human freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. In this mini-series, the Joes battle with Cobra over the MASS device while Duke is kidnapped and Snake Eyes suffers radiation poisoning. In addition to Duke and Snake Eyes, some of the Joes introduced in this first series include Scarlett, Stalker, Breaker, Snow Job, and Cover Girl. Snake Eyes also meets his pet wolf Timber in the third episode. Cobra here is Cobra Commander, Destro, Baroness, Major Bludd, and assorted nameless Cobra soldiers. The animation is nice for the '80s, which is a backhanded compliment I guess. I love '80s cartoons but freely admit the assembly line animation was not the best. But it gets the job done for TV and that's what matters. The exciting music is perfectly suited for an action adventure show. The voice work is exceptional with greats like Chris Latta, Michael Bell, Morgan Lofting, and Arthur Burghardt providing their talents to bring these characters to life. Any child of the '80s will instantly recognize their voices from this and other cartoons.

As with the rest of the G.I. Joe series, this first batch of episodes is action-packed with healthy doses of humor. G.I. Joe is one of the many '80s cartoons that's often dismissed as just "a commercial to sell toys" but, for those who actually watch the cartoons with an open mind, it's far more than that. The characters and concepts are interesting and unique. The writing is a cut above most TV cartoons from the time or before. Compare this to something like Super Friends and you'll see it's superior in every way. But, yeah, the toys were very cool also. It's an entertaining series that holds up very well today and plays well for young and old alike.

G.I. Joe was my favourite cartoon of all time. Although the female roles are few and far between I always loved G.I. Joe for more than just that.

I guess Sargent Conrad S "Duke" Hauser was the first fictional character that I ever had a crush on.

I am also a purist when it comes to cartoons like this and that the version of G.I. Joe that DIC came up with can never measure up to the Marvel/Sunbow version of G.I. Joe.