JoeDios.com Forums - View Single Post - if you could have had only one?

Remember Hasbro went to Marvel to establish the comic tie-in before they'd even finished designing the toy line, as it was the creative-types there who came up with the characters' personalities, Cobra, etc... I do wonder if they would have done a cartoon just as early if the law hadn't been so strict at the time with regards to cartoon series based on toys. That was why they made such a big deal out of the animated commercials for the comics, which were created before the book had even been written but just happened to feature action-packed footage of new toys and vehicles Hasbro wanted to give a particular push to...

To answer lesreh's earlier question; the cartoon was never broadcast on UK TV but we did have quite a few videos released, starting in 1987 or so when I would have been 7 (Hasbro only started marketing the Action Force toys with GI Joe-style packaging and continuity in the latter half of 1986). At least in my experience, the cartoons took on a more mythic status, since it was rare that any kid could find or afford all the videos. It became more of an event when you got to see them, like when you went to a schoolfriend's house who didn't live close enough for you to just hang out with every day.

I'd been reading comics (British kids' humor anthologies, Marvel super-heroes and various toy/TV tie-in titles) since about the age of 3, and while I didn't collect GI Joe (or Action Force) comics until the late 80s I did have a few and always had more innate respect for their depth & complexity. I was also used to seeing comics as the "real" continuity, probably due to the Marvel Universe being from the comics before any cartoons, and also because of the UK Transformers comic which had its letters pages answered by "actual Transformers" (Soundwave, Grimlock, Dreadwind & Hi-Test, Blaster, and Ratchet once...). They would often take letters asking about contradictions between the cartoons and the comics, with the explanation that the comics chronicled the "true" account of the TF's adventures and the people who made the cartoons didn't tend to have the full information...

06-23-2007, 03:33 AM	#17
Stormer Wasss once a man Offline --> Posts: 1,430 --> Join Date: Nov 2006	Remember Hasbro went to Marvel to establish the comic tie-in before they'd even finished designing the toy line, as it was the creative-types there who came up with the characters' personalities, Cobra, etc... I do wonder if they would have done a cartoon just as early if the law hadn't been so strict at the time with regards to cartoon series based on toys. That was why they made such a big deal out of the animated commercials for the comics, which were created before the book had even been written but just happened to feature action-packed footage of new toys and vehicles Hasbro wanted to give a particular push to... To answer lesreh's earlier question; the cartoon was never broadcast on UK TV but we did have quite a few videos released, starting in 1987 or so when I would have been 7 (Hasbro only started marketing the Action Force toys with GI Joe-style packaging and continuity in the latter half of 1986). At least in my experience, the cartoons took on a more mythic status, since it was rare that any kid could find or afford all the videos. It became more of an event when you got to see them, like when you went to a schoolfriend's house who didn't live close enough for you to just hang out with every day. I'd been reading comics (British kids' humor anthologies, Marvel super-heroes and various toy/TV tie-in titles) since about the age of 3, and while I didn't collect GI Joe (or Action Force) comics until the late 80s I did have a few and always had more innate respect for their depth & complexity. I was also used to seeing comics as the "real" continuity, probably due to the Marvel Universe being from the comics before any cartoons, and also because of the UK Transformers comic which had its letters pages answered by "actual Transformers" (Soundwave, Grimlock, Dreadwind & Hi-Test, Blaster, and Ratchet once...). They would often take letters asking about contradictions between the cartoons and the comics, with the explanation that the comics chronicled the "true" account of the TF's adventures and the people who made the cartoons didn't tend to have the full information... __________________ * * * * * Come check out my Flickr account for more pics of my collection and additional shots from my JoeDios photoshoots. Includes my "Class Reunion" and "Foes Of The Joes" sets, exclusive to Flickr! Last updated 2/5/10.