Originally airing in the early 1980s when Hasbro re-launched its classic toy line of military action heroes, this series introduced characters with unique personalities and his or her own military specialty. It was basically a 30-minute commercial but I loved every minute of it. I haven’t seen any of these episodes since watching them after school in youth. I may be clouded by nostalgia but I get a kick out of reliving the adventures of Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Flint, Lady Jaye and rest of the Joe team.
The animation style is crisp, with simple lines. The comic relief is often more cheesy than funny, and plots are a little thin but overall the stories are still entertaining. The 27 PSAs are spread amongst four discs are still fun to watch, with lessons for kids that still hold true, even if they are a little goofy.
This box set released by Shout Factory includes two five-episode mini-series that kicked off the show, along with the two seasons produced by Sunbow and Marvel Productions. Each DVD features colorful original art from the toy packages. The set doesn’t include the DIC-produced third season, which was no loss in my opinion, it does leave an empty slot for the 1987 GI Joe straight-to-video movie.
-95 episodes on a set of 17 DVDs
-A collectible 60-page book featuring special introduction by actor Seth Green
-1-GB “Dog Tag” Flash Drive (USB 2.0)
-2 G.I. Joe “Silent” Comics
-Arashikage and Cobra Rub-On Tattoos
-8 new retrospective featurettes including two that appear only on this set – a conversation with Larry Hama and a voice cast reunion
-The exclusive voice cast reunion features (in alphabetical order):
Michael Bell (Duke)
Gregg Berger (Spirit)
Arthur Burghardt (Destro)
Corey Burton (Tomax)
Richard Gautier (Serpentor)
Neil Ross (Shipwreck)
B.J. Ward (Scarlett)
-25 archival Hasbro toy commercials
-G.I. Joe’s original 1963 Toy Fair presentation
-"Knowing Is Half The Battle" PSAs
-Printable script for "Jungle Trap"
-Live-action fan film "Battle For The Serpent Stone"
Overall
This 35-hour collection may seem like a major investment but it certainly feels like it's worth it when you open the sturdy metal-edged footlocker. Any die-hard Joe fan will love the love the presentation of the set, the abundance of episodes and all the great bonus features. I know I do. Yo Joe!
ComicsOnline gives G.I. Joe the Complete Series 5 out of 5 reasons why knowing is half the battle!
