G.I. Joe (1983) was one of
the many product-driven television series that aired in syndication
during the early '80s, following the unprecedented commercial success of
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. In the program, "G.I.
Joe" is not the name of an individual, but "the code name for America's
daring, highly trained special mission force." The members of this force
conduct a neverending battle against the "ruthless terrorist
organization" Cobra. The battles take the form of Jonny Quest-style
fantasy adventures, ostensibly set in the real world, but where anything
can happen. The Joes fight foes that range from a small herd of cloned
dinosaurs on a Pacific Island to the gods of ancient Egypt, whom they
encounter in the tomb reportedly laden with treasure. The dozens of
characters all have military-sounding code names--Deep Six, Gung Ho, Air
Tight, Snake Eyes, Ace, Bazooka, Ship Wreck, Toll Booth--and foiling
Cobra's plots requires not only all their strength, but every piece of
equipment toymaker Hasbro could devise (and sell).
Although the animation is minimal and the vocal performances stilted,
fans agree that the first two seasons and the feature, which were
animated by Sunbow/Marvel, are better than the later version of the
shows from DIC. But these cartoons are more likely to appeal to
nostalgic collectors of GI Joe toys and memorabilia than to students of
the art of animation. (Unrated, suitable for ages 8 and older: violence)
--Charles Solomon
