Rating: 
Summary: The "Snowjob" theory.......
Review: "They will fight for freedom whenever there's trouble, G.I. Joe is there. G.I. Joe!! Great American Hero. G.I. Joe is there".
With the beginning of these simple lyrics my Saturday mornings were never the same. I would rush to the television with my box of Frosted Flakes and pensively wait until I would see the blue of Cobra's shirts. Excitement would build, and I would be ready for the most engaging, most entertaining, most spectacular cartoon of the 80s. While some would follow as being "great" shows as well, G.I. Joe was the one that took the cake for young me. I would sing the songs, play with my figurines, and imagine that Cobra was crawling through my backyard ready to be attacked at any moment by my band of American rebels.
Ahhh, that was the life. Years later and I dare say "years" later, I found this series on Amazon, and I had to immediately purchase the set. To begin with, it came with an action figure, and my inner-child was already screaming on the floor begging my wife to buy it for me. When I got it home, I nervously opened the box, unsure as to what other memories of my childhood may escape the vault, I prepared for a cheap version of my childhood delight. To my surprise, it was outstanding. This is a great buy for anyone that remembers this program as well as I did growing up.
To begin, the transfer is outstanding. The sound is beautiful and it nearly felt as if those pesky gun-lasers were firing out of my television. It even includes (which some may find annoying) the original commercial breaks, which I only found more nostalgic. The two five-part "films" represented some of my favorite moments of G.I. Joe history. For those of you unfamiliar with the essentials of G.I. Joe, I have compiled a small list that will not only help you as you gather more about this program, but also as you buy this series.
1) There is a G.I. Joe named "Snowjob".
2) Cobra's weaponry never pierces the Joe's machines, yet only one shot from the G.I. Joes can send a Cobra vehicle into a million pieces.
3) More weaponry is used in one episode than the entire Iraq conflict
4) Destro's head will not rust, even in the rain.
5) Cobra is one of the most brilliant terrorist organizations around. Their knowledge of science is impeccable and should be studied more often in the college setting. The G.I. Joes do not have such smarts, but they can surely beat up the Cobra plan in a heartbeat.
6) Cobra infantry do not know how to aim.
7) No laser-bullet is wasted by a G.I. Joe.
8) Yes, there is a three way going on between Destro, Major Blood, and the Baroness (and later possibly Dr. Mindbender).
9) Every time (without question) the G.I. Joes do something good, they have to shout "YOOO JOE" no matter how many good things they hear in a matter of minutes.
10) I repeat, there is a G.I. Joe named "Snowjob" (Is anyone else laughing hysterically?)
Overall, this was a beautiful series that finally got the respect that it deserved. Thank you RINO for releasing this amazing package and for the products that you continually revitalize. G.I. Joe was a life-altering series, and I cannot wait to get my hands on more!
Grade: ***** out of *****
Rating:
Summary: Finally, another classic cartoon comes to dvd
Review: Along with The Transformers, this was one of my favortie cartoons ever, I can only hope that the same treatment will be give to G.I. Joe as was to The Transformers by Rhino, and that we can hope to see box sets of the G.I. Joe seasons following this one. I can't wait to see these episodes on dvd, to see Cobra Commander, Duke, and Snake-Eyes again will be fantastic. If you are a fan of G.I. Joe, this is a must, and the only way that Rhino will release more is if people buy the ones out there, so get this one and cross your fingers.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm totally geekin' out now...
Review: Although my Hasbro toys of choice back in the day were the TransFormers (and still are), I found the G.I. Joe cartoon show less hokey and a bit more watchable. Sure it had its fair share of cartoon silliness and really corny one-liners, and parts of the stories took some fairly ludicrous leaps in logic, but at least G.I. Joe's silliness, corniness, and leaps in logic weren't quite as over-the-top as those of that other phenomenally successful Hasbro toy-based show. Another advantage G.I. Joe had was that it played like an animated comic-book adventure; sometimes the animation art kinda reminded me of the artwork I'd see in the smattering of Marvel issues I used to own back in the day. 'Course, the comic-book connection ain't all that surprising, seeing as how the characters and stories were either conceptually sketched, written or otherwise overseen by such notable four-color phenoms as writers Ron Friedman, Marv Wolfman (both of whom are interviewed regarding their involvement in the G.I. Joe series in the Special Features), and the late former Marvel editor-in-chief Archie Goodwin.Both mini-series, "A Real American Hero" and "The Revenge of Cobra", have very similar stories. Each involves the good guys & bad guys racing around the world in an effort to be the first to grab three vital components to a super-weapon that will give its wielder unbelievable power. The only big difference of note between these two five-parters are the various characters that are introduced, and the settings. Other than that, the viewers is treated to the usual staples of laser-rifle gun play, close calls, amazing escapes from certain doom, planes & tanks blowing up, and brief knock-down drag-outs, all resulting in a nigh-nonexistent list of casualties. Oh yes, and Snake Eyes' look undergoes a considerable change between the two series. But in spite of the glaring similarities between these shows, I had a pretty good time goin' back to the womb and reliving those weekday afternoons of military adventure after somehow enduring yet another #ellish day of middle school. Sometimes (*SNIFF*) it felt like the Joes were the (*SOB*) only friends I had in this whole wide world (*GETTIN' MISTY*)-- a world filled with (*HEAVY SIGH*) spiteful classmates and unsympathetic yard duty attendants (the heartless fiends!). And people wonder why I'm such a social misfit... But, enough of the pity-party; on with the special features--which aren't all that much, really. The only added bonus to each platter is a twenty-minute interview with one of the show's writers (Marv Wolfman and Ron Friedman, respectively). Both guys give their backgrounds in the field of comic and TV writing, and then get into their experiences puttin' the show together. As one might expect, both eventually veer off into the characters being 'archetypes' and 'symbols' of the never-ending battle between good & evil, and other such pretentious pontifications. Ya know, the kinds of statements that make the work they did on the show seem far more important and earth-shattering than it actually was. But at least I gotta hand one thing to 'em: both Friedman and Wolfman admitted that, yes, part of the reason why the TV mini-series and subsequent ongoing series were created was to promote the new toy line. I also enjoyed Friedman's recollection of disclosing his writing credentials to his students at the USC film school class, and their reactions when he mentioned The TransFormers and G.I. Joe. Friedman also brought up his creepy encounter with a man in the military who wanted to show the guy his extensive collection of 80s G.I. Joe toys. The latter story is the main reason why I steer the #ell clear of comic-book-&-collectible-toy conventions. I might be a big geekin' get-a-lifer fanboy loser, but I'm not THAT far gone! Also thrown in is a booklet that gives a brief yet informative recap of G.I. Joe's history from the creation of the original toy line in 1964 on through to its apparent demise and resurrection as a 4-inch figure line and the creation of the cartoon show in the 80s. Also written down in the back of this booklet are synopses of each episode. Finally, there's the topper of all bonuses: an action figure of some classic character or another. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell ya which figure comes with this set, seein' as how I bought my set used, and missing the toy and all... 'Late
Rating:
Summary: He never gives up, he'll stay 'til the fight's won...
Review: As I was watching Rhino's excellent DVD of the first "G.I. Joe" mini-series, it struck me how easy it would be to adapt the adventure into a live action film. With sophisticated CGI capabilities these days, it would finally be feasible to portray the swooping Skystrikers, menacing tubeworms, and legions of fanatical Cobra infantrymen. And just picture a realistic Cobra Temple, complete with M.A.S.S. device! The story is all there; Duke's daring escape from Cobra's Arena of Sport (as opposed to the Arena of Lunch?), Snake-Eyes' sacrifice to save the other Joes from radiation poisoning, and the dramatic showdown at an active volcano. The only piece missing is a top-notch cast, and I have some thoughts in that area: Duke - Aaron Eckhart Scarlett - the cute intern from the Dell commercials (just dye her hair red) Snake-Eyes - Ray Park Stalker - Omar Epps Destro - the Rock Baroness - Catherine Zeta-Jones Major Bludd - Steve Buscemi Cobra Commander - David Spade I also watched the second disk in the set,"the Revenge of Cobra," (the one with the Weather Dominator) and have some ideas for characters like Blowtorch and Snow Job (don't mix up those code-names), but I'll save those for another review! Yo Joe!
Rating:
Summary: The original miniseries-uncut at last!
Review: G.I. Joe's first two miniseries, A Real American Hero and The Revenge of Cobra, are two of the more memorable adventures of G.I. Joe, but (like just about every Sunbow miniseries) was edited when it came to home video in the 80s. Recaps and previews were removed, scenes were edited, and the ends to some scenes re-edited. Rhino has again done an excellent job, as these episodes look and sound better than ever. The A Real American Hero miniseries (commonly referred to as The MASS Device by fans) looks particularly good now, as opposed to the almost disgusting quality of the original broadcast master. The only real complaint to be had is that there are no extras, but it was made fairly clear that a set with extras would be available later on. So, if you're impatient, or want to save a few bucks, you'll never want another copy of these episodes again.
Rating:
Summary: Yo Joe!
Review: I don't even have this new 2-disc G.I. JOE: THE ORIGINAL MINISERIES set, and I wish I did. The miniseries on this set are A REAL AMERICAN HERO (aka THE M.A.S.S. DEVICE) from 1983, and THE REVENGE OF COBRA (aka THE WEATHER DOMINATOR) from 1984. Both of them are digitally remastered from their original versions and remixed in Dolby 5.1 sound. The openings/closings and commercial bumpers are all there, too. Rhino did a fantastic job for releasing two of its TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION ONE DVD box sets. As a fan of G.I. JOE, I love its traditional theme music. I just wish I had that set, but my mom won't buy it for me because she says I'm "too old for cartoons." But when it comes to an '80s icon, I go buck wild!
Rating: 
Summary: Highly Anticipated; Grossly Disappointing
Review: I grew up on G.I. Joe the cartoon. And to find out that they were finally releasing the first two (and best) mini-series on DVD got my heart racing beyond belief. Sure enough, I ran out yesterday on my lunch break from work and bought this, eagerly anticipating getting home in the evening for a great dose of nostalgia from my youth. WHAT A RIP-OFF! Instead of presenting the mini-series as movies, what you get is both mini-series presented in their individual five parts. Now, true, this would not be so bad, but do you really need to see the introduction FIVE TIMES? Do your really need to see the "Previously on G.I. Joe" segment at the beginning of each episode when you just watched it? Do you really need to see the "Next Time on G.I. Joe" segment when it's coming right up? And WORST OF ALL... Do you really need to see the introduction and conclusion to commercial breaks included in the middle of the show?! I couldn't believe my eyes when right in the middle of the first episode, the screen went black and the G.I. Joe logo came up with the voice over saying "G.I. Joe will return in a moment", followed immediately by "Now back to G.I. Joe." Un...believable! Supposedly, there is a special edition complete with extra features being released in May. Hopefully, the people over at Rhino Home Video will grow a brain between now and then, and do this series justice by presenting it properly.
Rating:
Summary: JOE fans; rejoice!!!!
Review: i remember as a kid watching the miniseries with such glee and astonishment, the opening was sooo cool especially the part where stalker grabs the bomb from cobra and shoots it while airborne via J.U.M.P. pack. the animation was top notch except for the last epidsode (stake in the serpent's heart) i guess the japenese animators had to make that deadline. lol sure no one got shot, sunbow/marvel had to follow the FCC's rules of standards and practice(although there is a scene where a cobra trooper falls off a cliff in the second epidsode.) more like one of the first 30 minute commercials promoting the awesome toys at the time. .. too bad the series was cancelled after 2 seasons, and the MOVIE did nothing to save the series,it probably was the nail in the coffin..the DVD is bare bones meaning no extras, they (rhino) shouldv'e at least put those classic animated comic book commercials in between each epidsodes, GIJOE spots and tv series had the coolest jingles. a underground punk band the minibosses did a cool cover based on gi joe's all too familiar theme. and it rocks!!!
Rating:
Summary: GI JOE DVD
Review: I think this is sweet. I hope though that they will also come out with the series in seasons after these mini-series. Also I hope that rhino will buy rights to other old favorites like thundercats and maybe even the original he-man.
Rating:
Summary: It's been a long, long time
Review: I was pleased to learn of this set coming out several months ago. I'd been picking up Rhino's Transformers box sets and couldn't have been more pleased to see that they were adding GI Joe to the mix. This set contains the original two mini-series' of the show. The first one was aired in 1983 and the second one in 1984. GI Joe hadn't become a regular series until 1985, so these actually pre-date the daily afternoon series. Personally, I hadn't seen them since they had originally aired, as they were not part of the daily TV series rotation back then. The restoration is great. Bright colors, no dirt that I can see on the film, and fantastic sound over our stereo system. I'm a little puzzled as to why the recaps of each episode, though, were not restored. You can see the difference. Perhaps the episode recaps were added at the last minute. Some reviews complain about the series recaps, opening and closing credits, commercial bumpers, and so on, but I feel that they help add to the nostalgia of it all. That is the whole reason we are watching this stuff, right? I think it's the right way to go, as it just wouldn't feel right without them. Though it wouldn't hurt Rhino if they put an option in there to cut them out, for those who complain about them. For me, though, they are every bit as much of a part of it as the rest of the show. Overall, I certainly recommend that any fan of this classic cartoon and toy line pick this one up. You'll enjoy it. Plus, if this sells well, the regular series boxed sets can't be far behind. Thanks, Rhino, for bringing GI Joe and Transformers cartoons back to my television screen!
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