Introducing G.I. Joe Basic Training – a new series on YouTube

Looking to catch up on some G.I. Joe knowledge?  Check out G.I. Joe Basic Training!

g.i. joe basic trainingLet’s be honest– the G.I. Joe brand isn’t exactly a simple property for new fans to dive into.  In terms of A Real American Hero continuity you’ve got the original Marvel Comics series, followed by Devil’s Due Publishing (which was retconned away), and then IDW’s current titles.  In terms of animation there’s the classic Sunbow series, the DiC follow-up, Sgt. Savage, G.I. Joe: Extreme, Sigma 6, Resolute, and Renegades.  Let’s not forget the films in which Paramount pictures concocted a stew based on ingredients from many of the previous properties blended together with a healthy dose of creative license. All of this is just scratching the surface!

To new eyes, it can be a confusing mess of alternate versions of Ripcord and Snake Eyes, Baroness/Duke/Destro love triangles (thanks for that Rise of Cobra), and conflicting origins.  What’s a fan to do?

Enter “MacDowin”.  Long-time G.I. Joe fan and former YoJoe.com staffer, he’s taken on the task of producing short topical videos that shed some light on our favorite brand of “Real American Heroes.”  Focusing initially on the ARAH-side of things, the “G.I. Joe: Basic Training” series tackles a single aspect of the brand in a weekly video.

You can check out Episode 1: Continuity below!

I won’t lie– when MacDowin and I talked about this we discussed what a herculean undertaking this would be.  Where do you start?  Where do you end?  Does Ice Cream Soldier eventually get his own episode?

Thankfully, MacDowin was up to the task!  In fact, he’s current THREE episodes in with a fourth dropping soon. So, if you’re looking to catch up on your G.I. Joe facts or just want some Joe-related content in your YouTube feed, check out G.I. Joe: Basic Training!  If you like the episodes, hit the “subscribe” button so that you’ll never miss out on an single installment!

And now you know…

G.I. Joe #21 Silent Interlude Gets Animated

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Yes, this isn’t exactly “breaking news”.  However, in light of IDW’s forthcoming 30th Anniversary Silent Interlude hardcover release I found this to be pretty relevant.

A number of years ago, Youtube user xgivanx sat down and “animated” the most famous issue of Larry Hama’s Marvel G.I. Joe run.  It’s not as flashy as some of the more recent motion comics that Marvel has produced but this nine minute video is a fun way to revisit one of the most copied comic stories of all time.  With the state of Joe being what it is anymore it’s doubtful that we’d ever get a real motion comic version so in the meantime this will have to suffice.

So sit back and enjoy a little lunchtime theater.  It might help take the sting out of another Monday…

G.I. Joe vs. Transformers – Kre-O style!

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While the New York Comic Con may not be the font of new product news that many G.I. Joe fans were hoping for, all is not bleak in Joe-land!  New Kre-O sets and blind-bagged figures are dropping at Toys R Us stores across the nation.  To celebrate this, the good folks at Hunter PR passed on a stop-motion animation gem that is sure to put a smile on the face of even the most stodgy of Joe fans!

So, check out “G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers” — Kre-O style!

Flashback: 90’s Street Fighter 2 G.I. Joe Commercial

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The 90’s were an interesting time for G.I. Joe.  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with their bright neon colors were dominating store shelves and ninjas were EVERYWHERE in popular culture.  Video games were more popular than ever and a certain band of Real American Heroes didn’t seem to have the luster that they once did.

So, what was a toy line to do?  Well, as the saying goes:  if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!

G.I. Joe did what it did best and adapted– becoming more ninja-centric and much more neon.  The brand even co-opted Street Fighter II and tried to portray it as a “sister line”.  Results were mixed at best; you know you’re in trouble when the new-comers are beating up one of the main characters in your lineup.

Take a look at this 90’s gem that features live-action portrayals of both the Joes and the cast of Street Fighter II.

G.I. Joe Retaliation meets DiC in this video mash-up!

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I make no bones about the fact that I loved G.I. Joe Retaliation.  The film dropped in theatres a few days before my “milestone” birthday and complete washed away the bad taste that was left by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.  This was how a G.I. Joe SHOULD have been done and it succeeded in spite of the fact that it had to acknowledge the missteps of its predecessor.  Months later, my review of Retaliation still stands and I cannot wait to  snag the film when it hits Blu-Ray and DVD later this month.

I’ve also made it known that when it comes to G.I. Joe animation I’m a fan of Sunbow over DiC.  (As is MOST of the fandom.)  However, sometimes in life you stumble across a combination that is so different that it just works.  Much like the whole “you got your peanut butter on my chocolate…” ads from years ago, I saw this on Facebook earlier today and thought “Hey, you got your DiC on my Retaliation!”  Yet, the combination really really works.   So, while you’re waiting for Retaliation end up legally in your video collection in just 18 days, check out this awesome video mash-up!

G.I. Joe Retaliation hits stores on July 30, 2013!

New G.I. Joe Retaliation trailer and TV promo spot debut online

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The next 40 days until the debut of G.I. Joe Retaliation are going to be a whirlwind of activity in the media!  New TV promotional spots, new viral advertising and, thanks to Paramount Pictures’ International YouTube Channel, a new trailer.  Geared toward the Asian market, these new spots offer increased exposure for returning star Byung-hun Lee as Storm Shadow!  As more footage is leaked it appears to be increasingly likely that Storm Shadow may end up on the “side of angels” after all.  (Check out the kitchen sequence– both he and Colton appear to be in the same room!)

Here’s the trailer:

And the TV spot:

Is it March 29th yet?  The more I see of this film, the more excited I get!