Saturday Supercast 20 - G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, Pt 2
July 17th, 2009Continuing the discussion of the 1st G.I. Joe mini, A Real American Hero, this episode of the Saturday Supercast delves into the final three episodes of the series which debuted on network TV back in September 1983. Again, joining Jerzy Drozd (editor and one of the creators of Sugary Serials) in this episode (you can find part 1 here) are Kevin Cross and Shawn Robare. This first story arc featured the introduction of the conflict between G.I. Joe (the codename for America’s daring, highly-trained special mission force) and Cobra (a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.) This mini series effectively set the tone for the episodes that would follow, not to mention having a drastic impact on the decade of animation that debuted in its wake.
The cartoon was produced by Sunbow who also went on to work on other series like the Transformers, Jem, the Visionaries, and the Inhumanoids. Though the title screens were left off for this mini series, the episodes talked about in this discussion include:
Part 3: The Worms of Death
Part 4: Duel in the Devil’s Cauldron
Part 5: A Stake in the Serpent’s Heart
We also talk about the FHE VHS home video release of this first mini series, Larry Hama (writer of the comic series as well as a consultant on the show), Ron Friedman (writer for this and a handful of other Sunbow shows), Arthur Burghardt (voice of Destro), Chris Latta (voice of Cobra Commander), Frank Welker (voice of Wild Bill), Michael Bell (Voice of Duke), and Rob Paulsen (voice of Tripwire). We also get into the underused original line-up of characters, in particular Steeler who gets a nice send off in the episode World’s Without End (parts 1 and 2), the myth of Hercules and Linus, Transformers Animated, the new live action G.I. Joe movie, The Rise of Cobra, the recent G.I. Joe cartoon Resolute, Warren Ellis, unmasking mysterious characters, the original Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon, Lancelot Link, Hasbro, getting into anime as a teenager, antihero boredom, and the great Jack Kirby. Again, in related news, you can find the 1st G.I. Joe mini series on the Season 1.1 DVD set put together by Shout! Factory, which was released this past Tuesday.
As for us, well you can find more of Jerzy’s work at:
Kevin is freelance illustrator, comic creator, and podcaster whose work can be found at:
Big Illustration Party Time Podcast
…and Shawn is a blogger and irregular podcaster whose stuff you can find at:
If you have any questions, comments, or heck, even complaints, you can drop us a line at Saturday Supercast!
The Sugary Serials theme song was preformed by Umberto.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
I’m curious what you guys think about the DiC series or the recent “Sigma 6″. Also, Destro in the live-movie is played by Christopher Eccleson, the ninth Doctor from the new Doctor Who. And totally agree on Resolute, and I’m not even that big a Joe fan. Plus the whole killing off of Bazooka and Major Blood didn’t seem right (especially to fans of those characters), and resolving the Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow feud just felt wrong.
How long ago did you record this review? The last new ep of Animated was quite some time ago.
July 18th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Hey ShadowWing - Can’t speak to the DiC series or Sigma 6 (didn’t get a chance to catch either show, though I seem to remember the DiC series being a little goofy, at least with more humor.) Maybe Jerzy or Kevin could pipe up about those (or HooveR?) As for Christopher Eccleson, yeah I love the actor, but feel he’s a bit miscast as Destro. Eccleson was amazing in the first few Cracker movies (the U.K. crime solving flicks starring Robbie Coltrana, a.k.a. Hagrid from the Harry Potter flicks.)
Yeah, Resolute seems like it depended a bit too much on shock value, but really it was only shocking to longtime fans, which makes it seem like it’s more concerned with taking jabs at that audience base. Same with how Cobra Commander all but apologized for “his actions” in the previous cartoons, saying that it was all a ruse to get his troops to work. It just makes fans of the older show who do like that version of CC feel stupid.
We recorded the show a little over a month ago, there was just a bit of preperation to get through before we launched the episode. Glad you took the time to listen and I hope you enjoyed it.
July 18th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Believe it or not, I have nothing but fond feelings for the DIC G.I. Joe series. It was certainly a bit of a dumbed-down version of the Sunbow iteration (they even used slide-whistle SFX when characters fell down), but it has its charms if you look at it as a sillier version for even younger kids.
There’s an episode called “Stuck on You” where Cobra Commander and Pathfinder are lost in a jungle, and an amorous ape is chasing Cobra Commander around the whole time. In “The Ghost of Alcatraz”, Cobra Commander and Destro are locked up in prison, and not only do the authorities NOT remove Cobra Commander & Destro’s armor/helmets, there’s a scene where Cobra Commander is making soup (while singing “Someone’s in the Kitchen with Cobra”), and he tastes it through his mask. A totally over-the-top, nearly parodical interpretation of the series.
But here’s why I think this works: while the DIC show certainly skirted the edges of violating those characters with their more light-hearted take, it’s less of a violation than Resolute because it’s still operating in that cartoonish fantasy world. I think you can go less and less realistic with a story like G.I. Joe, but when you start heading towards the realistic end of the scale, you run the risk of breaking the symbols that make the franchise so great.
That said, the DIC series doesn’t hold a candle to the Sunbow version. I’m just explaining that I enjoyed it for what it is.
July 18th, 2009 at 9:52 am
I liked DIC’s first attempt, the “Operation Dragonfire” miniseries, but while I see your points and there were individual episodes I can enjoy (some in the right mood, like Cobra Commander reading to kids or the Bob Hope analog), I can’t watch the series the same way I did the Sunbow episodes. (Although I could easily make a connection with the “Viper” who will vipe your vindows–probably one of my favorite episodes.) A few years ago I recaught the anti-drug “Head Man” two parter, and found it harder to sit through then I did when I was a teen, but I couldn’t say it wasn’t edited for time. (The original was syndicated but I’m pretty sure the recatch was on a cable channel.) At least the series makes sense in it’s world, even if they went with Scarlett/Snake Eyes instead of Scarlett/Duke. (That’s pretty much the only point I give Ellis in addressing that, even if it wasn’t necessary.)
Sigma 6 was ok, but the only other Joe series I was really into were the two CGI movies I saw on Cartoon Network. Almost forgot about those, though. I think they were direct-to-video.
I can’t see Eccleson (who also did a good job on the few Heroes episodes I was able to watch before realizing it just wasn’t any fun) as Destro, either, but isn’t Snake Eyes being played by the same guy who played Darth Maul, one of the few good things about the Star Wars prequels?
July 18th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Jerzy - Wow, “Someone’s in the Kitchen with Cobra”? That sounds crazy. I need to see that now.
ShadowWing - Yeah, I dug the animation in Resolute, but much of the rest of it just hurt my head. Hell, I even really dig Steve Blum as a voice actor (he played Spike in Cowboy Bebop), but considering he practically voiced a third of the cast he just didn’t bring enough range.
As far as the live action movie goes, I really do think Ray Park was inspired casting for Snake Eyes, and I even really dig Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an actor, but again, not as Cobra Commander. Who knows, the film still has a chance to win me over.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
[…] (and the comments section, including rambling from yours truly) from Sugary Serials‘, “Saturday Supercast” about the various versions of G.I. Joe, from cartoons to the new live-action movie. […]
August 4th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Man, that was great you guys! Loved the show! I’m going out at lunch and buy the gi joe dvd! really looking forward to more ep. Cool when something lives up to the one’s expectations! BTW I’m crossing my fingers over the movie… MAN if they have the original themesong somewhere, I’ll be one happy camper!
October 14th, 2009 at 5:56 am
Hey guys I just want to say THANK YOU for the upload of this podcast!!! I have been a fan of Sunbeam Animation since its inception, however I never really knew anything about the making of the cartoons or the company itself….I would love to see you guys do more commentary on cartoons from the late 70’s early 80’s….thanks again NABO RAWK !
October 21st, 2009 at 4:58 am
Ted - Glad you’re digging the show Ted. If we can even get to have the level of interesting deconstruction as the Idiot Engine manages, I think we’d be happy!
Nabo - Thanks man, glad we could pull the curtain of Sunbow back a little. We’re working on some more shows, so stay tuned.