Animated television shows are just as popular today as they were 20 or 30 years ago. The only difference is that today’s cartoons are aimed more towards adults than children. But ask anyone, especially if they are male, between the ages of 20 and 40, what they remember the most about their childhood and they will fondly say watching Saturday morning cartoons. Sure, today there are still Saturday morning cartoons, but arguably the golden age of Saturday morning cartoons was the 1970s and 1980s. What you might also recall about those 1980s cartoons is that they almost always had action figures that could be bought. The Hasbro Toy Company pretty much created both the Transformers and G.I. Joe cartoons to sell their toys. Now those cartoons are being made into blockbuster movie franchises. Coinciding with the release of the theatrical film, the first season of G.I. Joe: A Real American Heroarrives with hopes of cashing in.
G.I. Joe is the codename for a highly trained special mission force that works for the American government. Their purpose is to defend human freedom against Cobra, which is a ruthless, terrorist organization determined to rule the world. The main roster on the Joe side included General Hawk, Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Flint, Gung Ho, Spirit, Torpedo, and Shipwreck. The main villains on the Cobra side included, Destro, Cobra Commander, Storm Shadow, Zartan, Baroness, and the Dreadnaughts. Each episode basically had the Joes trying to stop Cobra Commander, and the rest of his allies, and all of their dastardly plans. This meant lots of action and violence, where no one really died because everyone was a bad shot.
In the beginning, G.I. Joe was just going to be a few animated mini-series put together. So the majority of this Season 1.1 DVD set is made up of 3 separate 5-episode miniseries. The first was all about Destro’s creation of the MASS device. The device was a machine that could teleport soldiers or equipment. While battling Cobra forces, Duke is captured and forced to fight in a gladiatorial arena. Meanwhile the Joe’s have managed to build their own MASS device. Rare elements are needed to fuel the device and the radioactive crystals nearly kill Snake Eyes. The second mini-series was called “The Revenge of Cobra”. This time Cobra creates the “Weather Dominator” so that they can again control the world. The final mini-series was called “The Pyramid of Darkness”. Basically in this one Cobra ran around the world putting down giant cubes, trying to destroy Joe’s space station and create a pyramid. After those three mini-series, the series got picked up for a full show. So the final seven episodes on this DVD set are all self-contained episodes. Some of the plots include a biker gang that terrorizes a restaurant, G.I. Joe in a Cobra funhouse, and a doctor who controls animals and insects.
As far as the quality of the stories on this DVD set, well it started off strong, but by the time they got to the self-contained episodes it wasn’t as strong. Also, despite the fact that every episode is basically Cobra creating evil plans to rule the world and Joe has to stop them, there is still lots of depth to be revealed about both sides of the Joe vs. Cobra war. There are definitely lots of fun characters that you get introduced to during this first half of the first season. In addition, the animation is not as bad as you would think for a show almost 30 years old.
Looking back on the first part of season 1 of G.I. Joe, you will find a show that could be corny and hokey at times with some of its outlandish plots. There are definitely cliches everywhere with Cobra always doing stupid things to cost them in the end, and stereotypical characters on both sides. Again, you know good always has to win over evil, but for the most part it’s always entertaining to find out how they do just that. Is G.I. Joe the best cartoon ever? Well if it’s not, it’s definitely near the top of the list. It has a simple story, but there is lots of interesting characters and crazy stories to be relived once more.
Disc One:
Episode 1 – The M.A.S.S. Device (Part 1): The Cobra Strikes
Cobra seizes control of a new satellite for use with a new transportation device and Duke is captured in the attempt. The G.I. Joe team learns that they must build their own device to defeat Cobra.
Episode 2 – The M.A.S.S. Device (Part 2): Slave of the Cobra Master
Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Snow Job & Flash travel to the Arctic Circle to retrieve the crystal minerals to fuel their MASS device, but Cobra ambushes them. Snake Eyes sacrifices himself to save the others. Duke manages to escape the Cobra base with the help of Selena and soon chased by Cobra. Duke’s injured and can’t remember anything except for the face of Selena.
Episode 3 – The M.A.S.S. Device (Part 3): The Worms of Death
The Joe and Cobra Teams battle for the undersea element and join forces to escape giant tubeworms on the ocean floor. A wolf and a blind man aid Snake Eyes after he escapes the crystal mines. The G.I. Joe attempts to stop Cobra by shutting down the Star Satelite. Snake Eyes rejoins the team with a new friend, Timber.
Episode 4 – The M.A.S.S. Device (Part 4): Duel in the Devil’s Cauldron
G.I. Joe tries to throw off Cobra with a false surrender while mounting a mission to the Ring of Fire for the third element in South America. Destro sabotages their attepts & gains the meteorite. The Joe’s attack Cobra’s flying station and Destro takes off with some of the meteorite. Scarlett pursues Destro but is captured and taken hostage.
Episode 5 – The M.A.S.S. Device (Part 5): A Stake in the Serpent’s Heart
Destro returns to Cobra base and seizes control of the operation from the Cobra Commander. The now-captured Scarlett and Selena organize a slave revolt. Duke’s memories under sensory deprivation lead the Joe’s to the Cobra base where a final battle takes place. Cobra Commander is captured and taken to prison but Destro escapes. The battle is over but not the war!
Disc Two:
Episode 6 – The Revenge of Cobra (Part 1): In the Cobra’s Pit
Cobra attacks a Joe convoy carrying the laser core which results in Duke and Snake Eyes getting captured along with the laser core. Cobra Commander is briefly captured but the Baroness & Zartan with help of the Dreadnoks are rescued. Destro builds his Wather Dominator and uses it against the G.I. Joe team. Cobra demands that the world surrender to him. Flint, whose jet went down in an attempt to free his team mates, walks up on one of Destro’s new tests.
Episode 7 – The Revenge of Cobra (Part 2): The Vines of Evil
Flint & Mutt along with Junkyard manage to escape the Pit of Chaos as Roadblock sacrifices his spot on the makeshift helicopter. Meanwhile, Doc develops an energy mirror to counter attack Cobra’s Weather Dominator but Destro slams the Joe team with a hailstorm in Washington, D.C. During the battle, the G.I. Joe team blasts back the lightning energy bolts back at the Weather Dominator causing it to launch into orbit and separate into three pieces which scatter over the Earth. Elsewhere, Shipwreck attempts to ferry Flint, Mutt & Junkyard out of Cobra territory but are caught in a sandstorm.
Episode 8 – The Revenge of Cobra (Part 3): The Palace of Doom
As Flint, Mutt, and Shipwreck return to Joe Headquarters, the Joes and Cobras head to the Island of No Return and the jungle Palace of Doom to retrieve parts of the weather dominator.
Episode 9 – The Revenge of Cobra (Part 4): Battle on the Roof of the World
As G.I. Joe and Cobra race to retrieve the three parts, Zartan ensures that each side acquires one piece, and then steals the laser core at the Roof of the World.
Episode 10 – The Revenge of Cobra (Part 5): Amusement Park of Terror
Cobra steals the Joes’ piece of the dominator and assaults Zartan’s base. Now in possession of all three pieces, Destro seeks to rebuild the weather dominator. The Joes locate the Cobra Temple and attack it.
Disc Three:
Episode 11 – The Pyramid of Darkness (Part 1): The Further Adventures of G.I. Joe
Cobra briefly attacks a Joe shuttle launch long enough to load it with its own forces. Shipwreck and Snake Eyes are lost in Cobra territory and Zartan uses the shuttle to commandeer the Delta Space Station and destroy Joe Headquarters from space. Meanwhile, Cobra Commander reveals a plan to deprive most of the world of electricity.
Episode 12 – The Pyramid of Darkness (Part 2): Rendezvous in the City of the Dead
With G.I. Joe headquarters nearly destroyed, the Joes establish a temporary base on the U.S.S. Flagg. The Joes on the space station try to warn the team of Cobra’s plan to plant cubes at strategic locations to create an electricity-inhibiting pyramid over the northern hemisphere.
Episode 13 – The Pyramid of Darkness (Part 3): Three Cubes to Darkness
The Joes rush to prevent Cobra from planting its huge cubes as Shipwreck and Snake Eyes try to evade detection.
Episode 14 – The Pyramid of Darkness (Part 4): Chaos in the Sea of Lost Souls
Quick Kick joins Alpine and Bazooka while the Crimson Twins turn the tables on Cobra Commander by taking control of the space station and the Pyramid of Darkness.
Episode 15 – The Pyramid of Darkness (Part 5): Knotting Cobra’s Coils
As the Cobra leaders struggle for control of their organization, Quick Kick and Shipwreck lead the Joes in an assault on Cobra forces to destroy their pyramid-creating abilities.
Disc Four:
Episode 16 – Countdown for Zartan
Cobra kidnaps a French scientist and Zartan replaces him. Spirit investigates and is captured by Storm Shadow. The Joe Team head to the Defense Center and search for the bomb placed Zartan. Zartan reveals the location of the bomb and then escapes.
Episode 17 – Red Rocket’s Glare
Extensive Enterprises uses biker gangs to terrorize Red Rocket diners, then buys them back at a lower price and replaces the diners’ rocket props with real rockets. But Roadblock’s family, unaware of EE’s connections to Cobra, refuses to sell their restaurant.
Episode 18 – Satellite Down
When Cobra uses a tractor beam to steal a spy satellite recently placed in space by the Joes, Breaker forces the satellite to crash in the jungles of Africa, but a tribe of hominid Primords complicates Joe and Cobra’s efforts to recover the technology.
Episode 19 – Cobra Stops the World
Cobra attacks crucial oil derricks, pipelines, and tankers, seeking to control the world’s fuel supplies. But G.I. Joe use Cobra Commander’s remote-control attacks to pinpoint his location.
Episode 20 – Jungle Trap
Cobra kidnaps scientist Dr. Shakur in order to harness the energy of Earth’s core and cause volcanic eruptions, but the Joes work through a number of traps to raid Cobra’s jungle base and destroy Cobra’s newest weapon.
Episode 21 – Cobra’s Creatures
Mutt, Junkyard, and Ripcord are kidnapped by Cobra, so that the evil scientist, Dr. Lucifer, can test his new invention, High Freq, a device which controls the minds of animals and insects, on Junkyard. Cobra use it to gain control of an army of animals to take over the world, and send Junkyard hunting after Mutt. In exchange for High Freq, Cobra agrees to break Dr. Lucifer’s love, Dr. Attilla, out of jail. GI Joe learns of this, and has Scarlett pose as Attilla, but it’s obvious to Lucifer she is not Attilla, and Scarlett is captured. Snake-Eyes and Spirit come to the rescue, using Timber and Freedom to sneak into Cobra’s jungle castle and rescue Ripcord and Scarlet, and stop High Freq.
Episode 22 – The Funhouse
Flint, Dusty, Bazooka, Alpine, and others have to break into a temple to stop Cobra from its next plan to take over the world. When the temple turns out to be a fun house with obstacles of death, the Joes have to find their way to Cobra Commander and save the day!
The video is given in fullscreen color with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Since the show is nearly 30 years old, there is lots of noticeable grain. The colors are also as vibrant as you would like, but considering the age it could have been worse. Not the best quality, but probably slightly better than when it originally aired on television.
The audio included is available in English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound. It’s pretty standard quality for a TV show that is this old.
“Looking Back with Writer Ron Friedman” Interviews –
The writer of the series, Ron Friedman, reminisces about the creation of the show and some of those early episodes in a three-part interview. This runs 10 minutes total. This is somewhat informative, but it eventually turns into a big “fluff” piece with Friedman pumping up his work like it was the greatest stuff ever written.
“Knowing Is Half the Battle” PSAs –
This is a collection 7 public service announcements from the 1980s starring the G.I. Joe characters. In each of these, they instructed kids what to do in case of emergencies like floods, fires, or getting lost.
“Archival Hasbro Toy Commercials” –
A collection of commercials from the 1980s on various G.I. Joe toys.
“G.I. Joe’s Original 1963 Toy Fair Presentation” –
This is a 12 minute short film that introduced the G.I. Joe toys to toy buyers and retail chains. All of the vintage Joe’s are on display with their assorted accessories. So here you can see how the whole G.I. Joe craze got started.
Printable Script –
There is script to the episode entitled “Jungle Trap” that you can print out.
Temporary Tattoos –
There is also a sheet temporary tattoos enclosed in the DVD set. You can have the G.I. Joe, Cobra, or Ninja symbol on your body now.
As far as nostalgia goes, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Season 1.1 is definite must-buy for fans of the series. However, you should know that the complete series is also available to buy in a unique packaging design. But it costs about $150, so this set is about 5 times cheaper. Shout! Factory looks to be releasing all of seasons individually, so if you can wait for each of the seasons to come out, this is the best way to go right now.
Shout Factory Home Entertainment presents G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Season 1.1. Created by Larry Hama. Starring Chris Latta (voice), Michael Bell (voice), Frank Welker (voice), Arthur Burghardt (voice), Neil Ross (voice), Bill Ratner (voice), Zach Hoffman (voice), Morgan Lofting (voice), Mary McDonald-Lewis (voice), B.J. Ward (voice), and Ed Gilbert (voice). Running time: 480 minutes. Rated: Not Rated. Released on DVD: July 14, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
