Shout Factory | 2009 | 480 mins. | Not Rated


As a kid growing up in the 1980’s, I vaguely remember seeing parts of G.I. Joe cartoons because my brother had it on. At the time, I was more enthralled with classic cartoons like Bugs Bunny, The Flintstones and The Smurfs which was very hot at the time. Now that my interest in cartoons has expanded to included almost all genres, I was excited to check out Shout Factory’s G.I. Joe A Real American Hero: Season 1.1 release. Containing 22 episodes, the set includes the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero miniseries that aired in 1983, the follow up miniseries The Revenge of Cobra which aired in 1984 and then the 12 episodes of the series, which ran throughout 1985-86.


The first miniseries, The M.A.S.S. Device (originally titled A Real American Hero) introduces us to the main characters in the G.I. Joe stable and sets the tone for the series and films that would follow later. There’s Duke, Flint, Snake Eyes (and the story of how he met Timber), Scarlett, Gung Ho and Spirit. On the Cobra side we meet Destro, Cobra Commander, Storm Shadow, Zartan, Baroness and Major Bludd. In a plot to take over the world, Destro develops a device for the Cobra Commander that can transport soldiers, weapons, and objects from one place to another. The only problem is that the device needs three things that are in very short supply in order to function: radioactive crystals found only in the Antarctic, water from the world’s deepest ocean trench and shavings from a meteor in a volcano. To keep Cobra from replenishing their supplies (and to help them construct their own device) the Joes are forced to race around the world and gather the valued materials.

The Revenge of the Cobra uses the same basic plot, replacing the transporter with a weather control device and the search for the three rare elements for the three main components of the device, which are scattered in exotic locations when the weapon gets blown apart. It’s this miniseries that introduced memorable characters Shipwreck, Storm Shadow, Spirit, and Zartan and his Dreadnoks.
It is Pyramid of Darkness that actually kicked off the G.I. Joe television series back in 1985. Pyramid represents a plan by Cobra and the Crimson Twins to take over the world by using a hijacked satellite to connect four huge energy cubes placed around the world which will cause the world to go dark, because electricity will no longer work. While Pyramid is an interesting concept, it’s also the weakest of the miniseries. I’m not sure if it’s Shipwreck’s parrot, Polly, who can actually talk, or what but somewhere Pyramid of Darkness gets lost in layers of goofiness.

Disc four contains seven standalone episodes from the series that have a decidedly different feel. There are probably a couple things a play here; forced for the first time to tell the Joes stories in a 22-minute format things feel rushed and underdeveloped; Ron Friedman, who wrote the miniseries didn’t write any of the individual episodes. As a result, the writing style and pace of the episodes is different; the result is a mixed bag. Among the best of the episodes is The Funhouse, in which Cobra Commander lures the Joes into a temple rigged with amusement park-style booby traps. Though I’m sure ardent Joe fans will be delighted with everything this set offers.

Below is the list of episodes contained on the set:

Disc One: The M.A.S.S. Device (Parts 1-5)
• “The Cobra Strikes”
• “Slaves of the Cobra Master”
• “The Worms Of Death”
• “Duel In The Devil’s Cauldron”
• “A Stake In The Serpent’s Heart”
Disc Two: The Revenge Of Cobra (Parts 1-5)
• “In The Cobra’s Pit”
• “The Vines Of Evil”
• “The Palace Of Doom”
• “Battle On The Roof Of The World”
• “Amusement Park Of Terror”
Disc Three: The Pyramid Of Darkness (Parts 1-5)
• “The Further Adventures of G.I. Joe”
• “Rendezvous In The City Of The Dead”
• “Three Cubes To Darkness”
• “Chaos In The Sea Of Lost Souls”
• “Knotting Cobra’s Coils”
Disc Four
• “Countdown For Zartan”
• “Red Rocket’s Glare”
• “Satellite Down”
• “Cobra Stops The World”
• “Jungle Trap”
• “Cobra’s Creatures”
• “The Funhouse”

G.I. Joe: Season 1.1 is presented in full screen, with 2.0 stereo soundtrack. The colors are bright and vibrant and the picture is largely free of debris. Yet another solid presentation by Shout Factory.

Spread across all four discs, the special features include the “Knowing is Half the Battle” P.S.A’s, a multi-part discussion with writer Ron Friedman, Hasbro G.I. Joe commercials, a presentation from the 1963 toy fair (where G.I. Joe was introduced) a printable script from Jungle Trap and some temporary tattoos.



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