The one about the real American heroes ...
If you ask most young boys, their fathers, and maybe even their grandfathers who a real American hero was to them growing up, you may get the same answer: G.I. Joe.
For generations, this toy brought joy to millions of military-crazed kids who were looking to choose good over evil — or evil over good. Whichever they desired.
Decades and billions of dollars later, Hasbro came up with an eclectic lineup of soldiers from all branches of the military, a popular cartoon, and even some not-so-popular movies. They literally cornered every aspect of the market.
But did you know…
1. Thanks, Barbie.
Did you know that G.I. Joe owes their existence to Barbie? I didn’t either. But apparently, without her, there would be no action figure. In 1963, toy creator Stanley Weston thought that since Barbie was so popular, he would come up with something similar for boys. He pitched the idea to Hasbro (then known as Hassenfeld Brother), and prototypes were created.
2. Hindsight is 20/20.
Although some say Don Levine, an executive at Hasbro, is the “father” of G.I. Joe, Stan Weston was the one to come up with the original concept.
When Weston pitched the idea for G.I. Joe to Hasbro, they gave him two offers to choose from. He could take $50,000 in cash and a 1% royalty, or $100,000 and no royalty. Guess which one he took? Yep. Ouch.
3. Yo, Adrian! How do you think I look in camo?
The famed Italian Stallion almost became a different type of American hero. Yep, Rocky Balboa almost became a member of this fierce fighting force. Apparently, a leaked character bio card let the cat out of the bag, and Balboa was to be wielding some sort of staff with boxing gloves attached to the ends. I mean, it would be terrifying to see a man running across the battlefield with that, right? Anyway, it didn’t happen, and probably for the best for both franchises.
4. It’s not a doll. It’s an ACTION FIGURE.
Every young boy who never wanted to be accused of playing with a doll can thank the creators of G.I. Joe. Hasbro coined the phrase in 1964 to help market it to young boys. Prior to Hasbro’s new term, toys such as these were referred to as “boys’ dolls” — not exactly an attractive name at the time.
5. G.I. cha-ching
Like many classic toys, some G.I Joes can be worth a pretty penny. The most expensive Joe ever sold was the 1963 prototype action figure, which was part of Don Levine’s personal collection. In 2003, it sold for $200,000 at a private auction.
6. Need to save money? Don’t give it a face.
Want to know why Snake Eyes is all black and wears a helmet? If you thought it was to stay hidden in the shadows and to protect a secret identity, you’re wrong.
It was actually a strategy to save money. Hasbro was looking for ways to cut costs, so they didn’t want to mold another face and add paint to the figure. The gamble paid off, and one of the most popular Joes was created.
7. Cobra Commander could’ve hooked you up with an extended warranty.
Before he became the famed villain of the Joes, Cobra Commander sold used Pontiacs. Yep, he was an average used car salesman trying to make ends meet. But after his brother, a military vet, was tragically lost in a car accident while driving drunk, Cobra Commander became obsessed with vindicating his death. His primary target? Snake Eyes, the surviving son of the family killed in the accident.
8. The Force killed the Joes.
Despite the toy’s popularity over the years, G.I. Joe reached its peak around 1986. By that time, sales were slowing as the competition with other action figures grew. After the death of Hasbro CEO and G.I. Joe enthusiast Stephen Hassenfeld in 1989, things started to decline quickly.
Two years later, Hasbro acquired Kenner, the producer of the Star Wars action figures. Attention for G.I. Joe became secondary, and in 1994, the toy line was discontinued.
9. So, how big was the army?
Although it may be hard to get an exact number, it’s estimated that the successful franchise sold 375 million action figures during its run. If you do the math, Hasbro made a nice chunk of change on these little fellas.
10. I say G.I. Joe, you say Action Force.
Make no mistake, G.I. Joe is an American toy line. However, in order for the franchise to translate to other cultures, some things needed to be changed to appeal to other audiences — including the name.
For example, if you were a fan in the U.K., you were served Action Force, not G.I. Joe. For the most part it’s the same, but you got a different name, a different theme song, and instead of an American fighting force, you got an international one. I haven’t seen the U.K. show or toys, but I’m sure ours was way cooler.
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Editorial: Nick
Illustration: Nick