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August 14, 2009
From Fashion Dolls to "Action Figures"?
"G.I. Joe” – The mere mention of the name immediately conjures up images of heroism, patriotism and the kind of tough rigor required to get the job done. That’s the “G.I. Joe” millions of kids have known since he was first introduced by Hasbro in 1964. “Everybody has immediate recognition when you say that name,” says Lorenzo di Bonaventura, one of the producers of “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” due in Metro Manila cinemas starting August 7.
When “G.I. Joe” arrived on the scene, says Hasbro’s president and CEO Brian Goldner, who serves as a producer on the film, “the term ‘action figure’ was actually a new one. Boys would never be found playing with fashion dolls, but the idea of an action hero or action figure came along and really stuck.
For a little boy, it was the personification of a hero who could empower him to feel like he was part of the action.”
In “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” there’s Ripcord, an expert marksman and weapons specialist; Snake Eyes, a ninja warrior armed with Katana swords and a Glock pistol, skilled in martial arts, reconnaissance and infiltration; Scarlett, tough and bright, also a martial arts master and skilled with a gas-propelled Crossbow Pistol; Breaker, a specialist in deciphering covert electronics and technology; Heavy Duty, the team’s weapons specialist; General Hawk, who is the team’s commander; Courtney “Cover Girl” Kreiger, a runway model-turned-spy and General Hawk’s assistant; and, of course, Duke, a combat veteran with courage to spare: He’s the G.I. Joe’s leader and soldier personified.
“Each one has a particular skill they’re really good at, and the team counts on that skill,” says Di Bonaventura.
While a hugely-popular animated TV series debuted in 1985, it was a long-running series of comic books that truly helped retool “G.I. Joe” and give it its engaging mythology. The combination of new action figures, comic books and a TV show, helped propel “G.I. Joe” farther than it had ever been.
“They ignited the collective minds of the fans of that era,” says Goldner. “In fact, the “G.I. Joe” of the 1980s was more successful, globally, than the original.”
“G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra” is distributed by United Internatinal Pictures.
Posted by fashiondoll at August 14, 2009 11:49 PM