Rhode Island's Hasbro Celebrates 50 Years of G.I. Joe
GoLocalProv Lifestyle Team
Rhode Island's Hasbro Celebrates 50 Years of G.I. Joe
The toy was an enormous success when it debuted in 1964, flying off shelves at four dollars a piece. Billed as the world's first "action figure," G.I. Joe was the first ever moveable doll marketed to boys. Fifty years later, Pawtucket's Hasbro is an international success, and Joe has spawned a franchise of comic books, T.V. series, and blockbuster movies--not to mention the bestselling toys and accessories--that has endured for fifty years.
Take a look at G.I. Joe's rich 50 year history below.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTPawtucket's Hasbro Celebrates GI Joe's 50th Anniversary
The Original GI Joe
In 1964, Hasbro's factory in Pawtucket released the first ever action figure--they called it "G.I. Joe: America's Moveable Fighting Man."
The Original Lineup
The original prototypes for Hasbro's action figure include a sailor ("Skip), a marine ("Rocky"), and a pilot ("Ace"), but it was Joe who stole America's heart. The idea of Joe as part of a team would resurface decades later.
G.I. Joe Ages Gracefully
In the 1970s, America and G.I. Joe both saw big changes. Joe got hip with some realistic facial stubble, and added new moves to his arsenal with the "kung fu grip"--an innovation from Britain that allowed for Joe to grip objects.
New Characters
This was the decade that saw Joe joined by a host of other related characters (including Atomic Man, seen here). Joe was now part of a unit--and would continue to be throughout the franchise's history.
Joe in the 1980s
In the 1980s, G.I. Joe launched G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, immortalized in various media. Getting in line once more with the mood of the buying public, Joe was cleanshaven again, with even more innovations to the action figure.
Joe in Comics
Joe has been a hallmark of a variety of media, but his comic book incarnation is among the most beloved. He has existed in comics in one form or another since the 1940s, decade before the action figure was even manufactured. Here's a shot from a later story, based off the Real American Hero series from the 1980s.
Joe Moves into the 90s
In the 1990s, the G.I. Joe franchise continued to adapt and expand. Joe was outfitted with Desert Storm-style cameo for the Target Exclusive Duke action figure, seen here.
Joe in the 2000s
In the 2000s, Joe made the leap into his first blockbuster, with the character title of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra played by emerging star Channing Tatum. The movie spawned a video game adaptation and grossed over $300 million worldwide.
The 2010s
In the past few years, Joe has continued on his upwards trajectory. A sequel to the 2009 movie, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, grossed $375 million worldwide. Talks of a third movie by the same director are already in the mix.
G.I. Joe Today
All of the media platforms, spinoffs and hoopla surrounding this famous RI product ultimately boil down to one thing--the joy and imagination of the people who opened the box to find the original Joe in 1964. Those fans haven't forgotten--and you can bet that GIJoeCon, the annual Dallas fan-centered event, will be prepping for the fiftieth when they assemble this April.
