GI Joe

GI Joe, also referred to as GIJoe, is a line of military-themed franchise comprising action figures, comics, animation series, etc. The term GI Joe, however, is almost exclusively used to refer to articulated GI Joe action figures that are manufactured and marketed by the Hasbro toy company. In fact, the development of the GI Joe action figures led to the coining of the term "action figure".

The GI Joe line was launched on February 2, 1964 and was created by Stan Weston, a toy maker and licensing agent, who was inspired by the success of Barbie doll. Initially launched as a line of 12-inch dolls representing the four branches of the US Military, Action Soldier (US Army), Action Sailor (US Navy), Action Pilot (US Air Force) and Action Marine (US Marine Corps), the series later saw many ups and downs. The term "GI Joe" stood for "Government Issue Joe", thus signifying the general make-up of US Armed Forces at that time. Also released were accessory packs containing guns, mines, clothing and other military equipment. In the UK, a licensed copy of Hasbro’s GI Joe was sold under the Action Man name. The early 1980s saw the launch of Action Force, a line of military toys and comic books revolving around Action Man. The Vietnam War saw Hasbro moving away from the war-theme, and marketing the line as The Adventures of GI Joe. This was later changed to Adventure Team in 1970 when Hasbro launched the GI Joe range in a non-military design. The GI Joe Adventure Team ceased production in 1976 due to decreased sales - fallout of rising fuel prices and mismanagement. Though, Hasbro made several attempts at rejuvenating the series throughout the late 1970s, none came to yield any results. GI Joe made a successful comeback in 1982 when Hasbro launched GI Joe: A Real American Hero, a new line of GI Joe toys in the 3-¾ inch scale. The adoption of the 3-¾ inch scale, also allowed the design and development of a range of vehicles that could be used with the action figures.

The GI Joe: A Real American Hero toy line was accompanied by an animation series. The massive surge in the popularity of the franchise saw a spurt in the growth of merchandise such as board games, t-shirts, posters, kites, etc. Around the same time, GI Joe comic books were launched by Marvel Comics. Both the GI Joe: A Real American Hero action figure line and the comic book series ceased production/publication in December 1994. The popularity of the series also saw many GI Joe video games being launched. The GI Joe: A Real American Hero comprised of many and varied sub-groups such as the GI Joe Tiger Force, Mega Marines, Renegades, Ninja Force, Night Force, Eco Warriors, Drug Elimination Force (DEF), Sky Patrol, Battleforce 2000, etc.

Collecting GI Joe figures and vehicles is a very popular hobby and is seen as the hallmark of a true fan of the franchise. There are specific websites and Internet group that feature extensive and exhaustive archives detailing each and every GI Joe figure and vehicle ever launched. GI Joe figures and vehicles that are no longer manufactured have become collectables and are highly sought after. Many GI Joe Tiger Force toys were released in the European market only; consequently, these are of extreme interest to collectors.