Where Sunbow got it right!

[blayze5150]

I am at home sick today, so I am watching my old Sunbow cartoons. It got me to thinking, that while most collectors seem to consider the awesome comics written by Larry Hama as the canon for GI Joe (I know I do), there are some things I can't help but associate with GI Joe from the Sunbow cartoon series. For example: As bad as Destro's voice was, I always here that voice when I think of Destro. I also liked the GI Joe headquarters in Sunbow over the Pit in Marvel comics: something about a massive compound that resembles the '83 HQ that just makes sense, even though the cocept of the Pit was cool. Sunbow's Joe command team also seemed better defined: 1- Hawk, 2- Duke, 3- Flint, 4- Beachhead/Sgt. Slaughter. It would have been nice for Stalker to have been included in that, but it is what it is, and what it is isn't terrible. What are your best memories of Sunbow, and what good points did you take from the show?

[zedhatch]

Personally I have always thought the Bazooka/Alpine/Quick Kick team was a great combo in the toon (and never appeared that way in the comic).

There is tons of stuff I love about the toon though, that is what brought me into Joe full throttle.

[CrimsonGuard101]

The music! Its totally awesome, especially the intro...liek when the skystirkes break out from in front of the sun over the Maulers below...and then the music around Cobra Temple...all the trumpets and hissing sounds...

[zedhatch]

Chris Latta will always be cobra commander to me, every other voice will always be measured against his.

[ero]

Everything about Sunbow was awesome. It is GI Joe to me. While I like #27 (because I had it as a kid and read it) I think the comics are pretty bad. But then again, the comics fans say the same about Sunbow. What are you gonna do?

[dgnr82]

The music! Its totally awesome, especially the intro...liek when the skystirkes break out from in front of the sun over the Maulers below...and then the music around Cobra Temple...all the trumpets and hissing sounds...

I still believe that had Renegades had music like the Sunbow Cartoon, it would have been much better!

[CrimsonGuard101]

Everything about Sunbow was awesome. It is GI Joe to me. While I like #27 (because I had it as a kid and read it) I think the comics are pretty bad. But then again, the comics fans say the same about Sunbow. What are you gonna do?

Go watch more Sunbow :)

[ero]

Go watch more Sunbow :)

Daily. Like Quincy Jones said: "It's my orange juice."

Sure, he was talking about Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue," but you get the idea.

I can watch it any time, anywhere, and enjoy the hell out of it.

[CrimsonGuard101]

Daily. Like Quincy Jones said: "It's my orange juice."

Sure, he was talking about Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue," but you get the idea.

I can watch it any time, anywhere, and enjoy the hell out of it.

Exaclty, I enojoy it a smuch as I did when i was a kid, i dont find it campy or cheesey at all, it is what it is.

And 100% yes, Chris Catta will be etternally hard ot beat as the voice of both Starscream and Cobra Commander.

I still believe that had Renegades had music like the Sunbow Cartoon, it would have been much better!

It and ROC both could have benefited from better music...they always skimp on music these days :(

[Jacklefttown]

I agree about Sunbow CC & Destro's voices STILL being the ones I hear in my head, even all these years later.

I have the Footlocker DVD boxset (that I got for $50 bucks) and I watch them all the time. I truly can't wait for the DIC series to come out on DVD next year, since I have only seen "Operation: Dragonfire" when it was first shown. I totally don't remember any of it, except for Scoop and the fact that CC returns and immediately gets revenge on Serpentor by turning him into an iguana!

Was Cobra-La ever mentioned again?

[ero]

Was Cobra-La ever mentioned again?

Don't think so. But I believe they're considered done for by the end of the movie, even if Golobulous gets away.

[CrimsonGuard101]

Yeah they kinda consider the BET explosion the end of CObra La which didnt sit well with me...they are stil out there under the earths crust as far as I am concearned :)

[RogueReSCuE]

I live season 2 of sunbow. Why I like BeachHead and LowLight so much.

DIC seasons are terrible!!!!!!

[Unclassified]

all i ever knew were the toys then the cartoon. and when i found out about the 25th i beacame a toy collector(well gi joe and he-man collector). i always loved and knew the cartoon and will always continue to love and know the cartoon and anything associated with it. didn't read a joe comic til the 25th comic pack.

[Crimson Rage]

I was watching a few last night. "Cobra's Candidate", "Operation Mind Menace", "Battle for the Train of Gold" and the like. I love watching them, I really do, but they're BAD no matter which way you look at them.

[CrimsonGuard101]

I was watching a few last night. "Cobra's Candidate", "Operation Mind Menace", "Battle for the Train of Gold" and the like. I love watching them, I really do, but they're BAD no matter which way you look at them.

When you say "you" you mean you right? Cause I really don't know who you are referring too when you say "you look at em" (your personal opinion I am assuming) :) cause I 100% do not see it that way. I don't see anything bad with them to be honest, except the dreadnoks....they were always a bunch of, to quote Zartan on multiple occasions ,"bafoons"

[Angry.Android]

Nothing.

It's my firm belief that sunbow sucks.

[07GT500 COBRA]

I liked that Major Bludd played a more important role leading the Cobra troops than he did in the comic. He was more a spineless mercenary in the comic.

[Shipshape1983]

I always thought the cartoon and the comics were supposed to play off each other..

Thats why Duke was always on the show and hardly in the comics, while Hawk was always in the comics but hardly in the show..

Same with a bunch of other characters.

[figureware]

I really liked the more serious side to the show. I liked the reflection of 80's wealth and politics. The capitalistic drive of not only Extensive Enterprises and Cobra but GI Joe as well! somethings bothered me they were secret elite but had tv crews around them! they fought Cobra no one else (I get that) but they were so much better than Cobra and yet never won! That being said Countdown to Zartan was awesome as well as the one where shipwreck wakes up in Springfield! the second I saw that I knew I would someday have a toy version of that town!

[Monte Williams]

One thing it did right was hook kids like me who never read comic books.

Also, it was sporadically ambitious for a an '80s cartoon based on toys. The episode with Shipwreck and everyone melting was creepy and cool, for example.

Unfortunately, the subpar animation and towering absurdities of plot make it difficult for me to watch the show these days. Nostalgia only takes me so far.

[ero]

One thing it did right was hook kids like me who never read comic books.

Also, it was sporadically ambitious for a an '80s cartoon based on toys. The episode with Shipwreck and everyone melting was creepy and cool, for example.

Unfortunately, the subpar animation and towering absurdities of plot make it difficult for me to watch the show these days. Nostalgia only takes me so far.

At the time, it was great animation. I'd say it's still better than some stuff now -- that goes for all of Sunbow.

[Monte Williams]

At the time, it was great animation. I'd say it's still better than some stuff now -- that goes for all of Sunbow.

Perhaps, but it has aged terribly. And even as a kid I remember cheerfully mocking some aspects of the animation; characters disappearing for a few frames at a time, etc.

[Barefoot Jedi]

I am at home sick today, so I am watching my old Sunbow cartoons. It got me to thinking, that while most collectors seem to consider the awesome comics written by Larry Hama as the canon for GI Joe (I know I do), there are some things I can't help but associate with GI Joe from the Sunbow cartoon series. For example: As bad as Destro's voice was, I always here that voice when I think of Destro. I also liked the GI Joe headquarters in Sunbow over the Pit in Marvel comics: something about a massive compound that resembles the '83 HQ that just makes sense, even though the cocept of the Pit was cool. Sunbow's Joe command team also seemed better defined: 1- Hawk, 2- Duke, 3- Flint, 4- Beachhead/Sgt. Slaughter. It would have been nice for Stalker to have been included in that, but it is what it is, and what it is isn't terrible. What are your best memories of Sunbow, and what good points did you take from the show?

I always combine the two in my mind. I think of GIJOE HQ as having the Sunbow-style HQ above the Pit.

And I agree with you on the Joe chain-of-command. I always liked that.

I also really liked the Destro/Zartan rivalry in Sunbow, especially Destro's disdain for the Dreadnoks.

[thairestauranteur]

I always like the dialogue in the first two mini series. Ron Friedman wrote most of the dialogue. He later went on to teach film classes as USC. Pretty smart man. Watch is interviews in the Shout discs. It is pretty educational.

[thairestauranteur]

What was even better than the Sunbow cartoon was the Sunbow cartoon clips which went into promoting the comic. Those animations were thousands of times better than the stuff which went into the daily show. Better camera angles, action, people in at the creative helm.

Check out the links for all of the comic animations. You will see what I mean about it being superior to the regular cartoon!


G.I.Joe Marvel comics animation commercial Pt1 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/EAa6LaXi4Zc)


G.I.Joe Comic Marvel comics animation commercial Pt2 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/zMIrc6_P-Vs)

[Barefoot Jedi]

What was even better than the Sunbow cartoon was the Sunbow cartoon clips which went into promoting the comic. Those animations were thousands of times better than the stuff which went into the daily show. Better camera angles, action, people in at the creative helm.

Check out the links for all of the comic animations. You will see what I mean about it being superior to the regular cartoon!


G.I.Joe Marvel comics animation commercial Pt1 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/EAa6LaXi4Zc)


G.I.Joe Comic Marvel comics animation commercial Pt2 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/zMIrc6_P-Vs)

Are those on DVDs anywhere?

Anyone know?

I would slit the throats of people I don't know for clean digital copies of the animation introducing the Iron Grenadier Destro, the DEMONs and AGPs.

[thairestauranteur]

I know what you mean. I wrote the Shout DVD producer Brian Ward if he would get those animations included on the new DVDs coming out but no word.

It would indeed be nice to get some clean digital copies of these. It was sort of the best of both worlds. Some of the story of the joe comic PLUS Sunbow animation. Too bad they were only 30 second shots!

[CLIFFjump3r]

I like 95% of the voice acting in Sunbow series, and that's what I imagine I'm hearing when I read the dialogue in ALL of the comics.
Particularly Destro, Zartan, and BeachHead. (I hated BeachHeads voice in the SpyTroops movie, surfer DUDE? REALLY?)

[Headman]

I consider the cartoon to be canon over the comics. Infact, the only reason I read any of the comics was to see characters that weren't featured in the show. I never found the stories to be particularly exciting. People can say the cartoon was childish but in the 1980's I was a child.

[Monte Williams]

People can say the cartoon was childish but in the 1980's I was a child.

And its a property created for children. Too many people lose sight of that.

[Cobra Terrorist]

As bad as Destro's voice was, I always here that voice when I think of Destro.

Blayze, you can't be serious! Arthur Berghardt's Destro was GREAT! I can't believe anyone even disputes this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNf5OEajaE4


Nothing.

It's my firm belief that sunbow sucks.

Oh, c'mon! Really? I admit that many an episode were ridiculous, but the Sunbow episodes WERE G.I.Joe to me back then. Even the dumbest of episodes have a certain charm to me, even now.

[Sunblow]

The Sunbow cartoon is where it's at (and I'm not just saying that as a former employee). Sure, the animation was not great, but you have to remember that this was in the era of syndicated cartoons, where shows had 65 episodes in a year. That's insane, people. This was an era before computers, where everything was hand drawn and hand painted. Plus, the designs weren't exactly over-simplified. There was a lot of line work in every character and every vehicle. In a way, I'm shocked that it looks as good as it does. They must have worked the Japanese animators to death...

I'd actually say that of all the '80s action cartoons, GI Joe aged the best. Compare "There's No Place Like Springfield" to any episode of He-Man, Thundercats, Silverhawks or even Transformers and you'll see what I mean...

[Monte Williams]

Sure, the animation was not great, but you have to remember that this was in the era of syndicated cartoons, where shows had 65 episodes in a year. That's insane, people. This was an era before computers, where everything was hand drawn and hand painted. Plus, the designs weren't exactly over-simplified. There was a lot of line work in every character and every vehicle. In a way, I'm shocked that it looks as good as it does.

All fair points, although there are still limits to the extent to which I can enjoy said animation as an adult.

And while its was audaciously redundant, minimalist and cookie-cutter, I'd argue that He-Man nonetheless looks much better than G.I. Joe these days.

[thairestauranteur]

Wally Burr was responsible for the terrific voice acting in the Sunbow production. I remember the "new" Destro voice in Resolute. Something that sounded like a poor imitation of Sean Connery. It was offensive.

Sunbow is the shit after all of these years. The new Japanimation weaned producers of the modern show have much to account for it they ever hope to surpass the old shows success.

Hey Headman, this one is for you! I am sure you will like this!

http://youtu.be/PtSl3Khf1aE

[Headman]

Wally Burr was responsible for the terrific voice acting in the Sunbow production. I remember the "new" Destro voice in Resolute. Something that sounded like a poor imitation of Sean Connery. It was offensive.

Sunbow is the shit after all of these years. The new Japanimation weaned producers of the modern show have much to account for it they ever hope to surpass the old shows success.

Hey Headman, this one is for you! I am sure you will like this!

Transformers Go Hollywood - YouTube (http://youtu.be/PtSl3Khf1aE)

That was a pretty nice editing job. I lol'd when Spike was shooting at those annoying Gobot humans.

[thairestauranteur]

Superhero Fashion Emergency - YouTube (http://youtu.be/W19wr5rXVHk)

[Crimson Rage]

All fair points, although there are still limits to the extent to which I can enjoy said animation as an adult.

And while its was audaciously redundant, minimalist and cookie-cutter, I'd argue that He-Man nonetheless looks much better than G.I. Joe these days.

Absolutely agree about MOTU cartoon. I really have to be in the right mood to watch GI Joe, but I can watch MOTU any time. I just find it more colourful, crisper and a warmer experience.

[KENNY GUIDO]

Nothing.

It's my firm belief that sunbow sucks.



if they sucked why did they have the most popular cartoons at the time?

[Monte Williams]

if they sucked why did they have the most popular cartoons at the time?

By your logic, McDonald's produces gourmet cuisine.

[Monte Williams]

Absolutely agree about MOTU cartoon. I really have to be in the right mood to watch GI Joe, but I can watch MOTU any time. I just find it more colourful, crisper and a warmer experience.

Same here. G.I. Joe means a thousand times more to me than He-Man, but I've watched He-Man cartoons dozens of times in the past few years (mostly because of my daughter, admittedly, but still), whereas a friend was kind enough to burn the entire Sunbow series for me unsolicited, and I watched maybe 10 episodes in two years and then gave it all to another friend.

He-Man looks more polished, somehow, and while it's even more absurd than the old Joe cartoons, there's kind of a cheerful self-acceptance to the absurdity. It's a very inviting, unassuming cartoon.

It's crap, don't get me wrong. But it still holds up better than SunJoe.

[KENNY GUIDO]

By your logic, McDonald's produces gourmet cuisine.

of course you never heard of sunbows other popular series like

THE TRANSFORMERS
JEM
THE TICK


Yea, those all sucked.

[KENNY GUIDO]

he-man + orko=epic fail

[Hicks_Royel]

I'll never get over seeing those massive lists of voice actors names in the credits and trying to figure out how it was that everyone still ended up sounding like a variation of Duke.

[Snow Wolf]

The late Chris Latta provided pretty mmuch the same voice for Cobra Commander and Starscream...two charcaters that thought really highly of themselves and often acted in a cowardly fashion... a cartoon classic!

[Shogi]

I grew up on the cartoon. Honestly, I read an issue of the comic as a kid (The one where Snake Eyes goes under the Arashikage mind set and goes in to Bororvia (sp?)) it was so boring to me back then that I didn't bother reading another Marvel GI Joe comic til around 2006-2007 even when I was reading the Devils Due GI Joe comics in 2003, I refused to read a Marvel one.

There's so much good in the Joe cartoons, my only complaint is that Bazooka appears mentaly retarded in them.

As for bad episodes, no one is going to call out the Gamesmaster!? Seriously!?

Worlds Without End is what sealed the deal for me as a kid. That episode stuck with me for years I loved it so much.

[Jacklefttown]

Speaking of Chris Latta. did you guys know he did an episode of Seinfeld where he tries to rob Kramer in a subway car after the K-Man wins big at the track?

I can't seem to find the clip where he yells "Give me the money!" at Kramer. But you can hear the famous raspy voice!

I found this, though. The big thug in the leather trench & black hat is Latta.
kramer betting on a race - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiUjb2HRxEY)

[KENNY GUIDO]

every kid rushed home to watch gi joe and the transformers cartoons. they were the hottest cartoons in 85. he man had nothing on them. they were "history" by this time.

[zedhatch]

He-Man looks more polished, somehow, and while it's even more absurd than the old Joe cartoons, there's kind of a cheerful self-acceptance to the absurdity. It's a very inviting, unassuming cartoon.

It's crap, don't get me wrong. But it still holds up better than SunJoe.

I love both properties, but He-Man's toon looked cheaper than Joe to me (for lack of a better term).

There was static backgrounds, repeating/recucled action (Everytime He-man punched it was the same angle and recycled from previous shows, just with different backgrounds for instance), the absurdity I can accept (and often applaud to be honest) but to say it's more polished than the Sunbow GI Joe cartoon, I just cannot agree.

I will state one of the issues is Filmation was still useing the same techniques for over a decade (and had not attempted to advance) those techniques (ie recycling animation with different background) were ok in 1980 with Flash Gordon, Lone Ranger, Tarzan ect, but by 1985 they were antiquated and I knew that as a kid (even though I didn't know what antiquated meant yet LOL). But even now I can watch the He-Man shows and while I enjoy them, I can't help but notice these flaws, that filmation didn't try to advance, and that does effect the overall presentation. However that is all in context of the times which might not mean anything to many, but often is a huge factor with me.

[GI C]

I like 95% of the voice acting in Sunbow series, and that's what I imagine I'm hearing when I read the dialogue in ALL of the comics.
Particularly Destro, Zartan, and BeachHead. (I hated BeachHeads voice in the SpyTroops movie, surfer DUDE? REALLY?)

Yeah,if you look on the Beacheads file card his from freakin Alabama not LA.

[Cobra Terrorist]

Speaking of Chris Latta. did you guys know he did an episode of Seinfeld where he tries to rob Kramer in a subway car after the K-Man wins big at the track?

Yeah, I have seen that. Pretty cool. Did you know he was also briefly in the beginning of Road House? He's one of the crazy drunks at one of the tables. I can't remember exactly what he says.

I recently came across this clip of him doing stand-up . It's under the name Chris Collins, though. It's cool stuff! He seems like a nutcase - or cranked right up on cocaine, lol. I'm thinking both actually.

William Shatner hosts A&E "Evening at the Improv" 12/7/1992 Pt 4/6 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqPCT9vwhdg)

[SonOfMindbender]

The voice actors made the show hands down!! This does not include Operation Dragon Fire. Those voices were not great.

[SonOfMindbender]

Yeah, I have seen that. Pretty cool. Did you know he was also briefly in the beginning of Road House? He's one of the crazy drunks at one of the tables. I can't remember exactly what he says.

I recently came across this clip of him doing stand-up . It's under the name Chris Collins, though. It's cool stuff! He seems like a nutcase - or cranked right up on cocaine, lol. I'm thinking both actually.

William Shatner hosts A&E "Evening at the Improv" 12/7/1992 Pt 4/6 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqPCT9vwhdg)

Killer stuff. He was also in Roadhouse too.

[will_winkie]

i liked how in the cartoon they had more than one of each vehicle and they never really fased any out.

[JR0d28]

Man the guy that voiced Cobra Commander a fat guy? I always pictured this guy to look like a really evil bony old dude. Come to think of it at the end of the standup his shadow from hehind his head almost deplicts battle helmet cobra commander.





Yeah, I have seen that. Pretty cool. Did you know he was also briefly in the beginning of Road House? He's one of the crazy drunks at one of the tables. I can't remember exactly what he says.

I recently came across this clip of him doing stand-up . It's under the name Chris Collins, though. It's cool stuff! He seems like a nutcase - or cranked right up on cocaine, lol. I'm thinking both actually.

William Shatner hosts A&E "Evening at the Improv" 12/7/1992 Pt 4/6 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqPCT9vwhdg)

[KENNY GUIDO]

I love both properties, but He-Man's toon looked cheaper than Joe to me (for lack of a better term).

There was static backgrounds, repeating/recucled action (Everytime He-man punched it was the same angle and recycled from previous shows, just with different backgrounds for instance), the absurdity I can accept (and often applaud to be honest) but to say it's more polished than the Sunbow GI Joe cartoon, I just cannot agree.

I will state one of the issues is Filmation was still useing the same techniques for over a decade (and had not attempted to advance) those techniques (ie recycling animation with different background) were ok in 1980 with Flash Gordon, Lone Ranger, Tarzan ect, but by 1985 they were antiquated and I knew that as a kid (even though I didn't know what antiquated meant yet LOL). But even now I can watch the He-Man shows and while I enjoy them, I can't help but notice these flaws, that filmation didn't try to advance, and that does effect the overall presentation. However that is all in context of the times which might not mean anything to many, but often is a huge factor with me.

the thing I remember most that I hated about he man is that whenever they were in a rush (running) they would show the character in a 45 degree angle and the character would stop and look left to right as if ready to cross a street!

[ROC Solid Snake]

Sunbow WAS/IS Gi Joe for me; I never read the comics as a kid. A lot of "cartoon elitists" around here like to chime in with the obligatory "it wasn't believable" or it was "poorly written". NEWS FLASH: It's a freaking cartoon, not Shakespeare! How many of you as kids remember thinking " heyyyyy, wait a minute, this cartoon is poorly written"? None of you, that's how many. And it's not by happenstance that 1985 is regarded as GI Joe's "best year" in popularity and sales. For the beauty of the animation, the voice talent, product placement in the cartoon and pure nostalgia, Sunbow can't be beat. I have the footlocker set and I enjoy the cartoon as an adult, as much as I did as a kid!

[blayze5150]

The GI Joe and Transformers cartoons expanded my vocabulary. Seriously!

[Fox]

The cartoon was Joe for me. Before the cartoon they were just cool action figures. Started reading the comics soon after and I admit some of Hama stuff is really good. Then there was too much of every one's a ninja, every villain is now a good guy, everyone is related to Snake Eyes. Hama seemed incapable of providing any personality to characters besides his core ones.

Each mini-series & season of the cartoon introduced a new group of Joes. Each with dynamic personality and relationships with other characters. It is easy to blame the cartoon for some really stupid episode plots but it is a cartoon. Of course it is going to be cartoony. What the cartoon really did well was its portrayal of Snake Eyes. It showed that there was some feeling between him and Scarlett without being a soap opera. It showed he was a very capable but not invincible. Never directly declared he was a ninja and always kept him as the mysterious man in black.

[blayze5150]

The cartoon was Joe for me. Before the cartoon they were just cool action figures. Started reading the comics soon after and I admit some of Hama stuff is really good. Then there was too much of every one's a ninja, every villain is now a good guy, everyone is related to Snake Eyes. Hama seemed incapable of providing any personality to characters besides his core ones.

Each mini-series & season of the cartoon introduced a new group of Joes. Each with dynamic personality and relationships with other characters. It is easy to blame the cartoon for some really stupid episode plots but it is a cartoon. Of course it is going to be cartoony. What the cartoon really did well was its portrayal of Snake Eyes. It showed that there was some feeling between him and Scarlett without being a soap opera. It showed he was a very capable but not invincible. Never directly declared he was a ninja and always kept him as the mysterious man in black.
I always felt Sunbows portrayal of Snake Eyes was underrated. He was really at the forefront of the first 3 mini-series, yet wasn't overstated.

[KENNY GUIDO]

im surprised they didnt give a spin off!

[zweiman]

when i went back and watched all the dvds i was really disappointed in the lack of snake eyes.

[Monte Williams]

"It's a cartoon!" should never be used as an excuse to justify shoddy production values and inadequate narratives.

of course you never heard of sunbows other popular series like

THE TRANSFORMERS
JEM
THE TICK


Yea, those all sucked.


The Tick was Sunbow?!? I did not know that. I worry it might not hold up if I watched it today, but I did love The Tick at the time.

That said, yes, all the others you listed sucked, and sucked hard.

[zedhatch]

Yeah, I have seen that. Pretty cool. Did you know he was also briefly in the beginning of Road House? He's one of the crazy drunks at one of the tables. I can't remember exactly what he says.

I recently came across this clip of him doing stand-up . It's under the name Chris Collins, though. It's cool stuff! He seems like a nutcase - or cranked right up on cocaine, lol. I'm thinking both actually.

William Shatner hosts A&E "Evening at the Improv" 12/7/1992 Pt 4/6 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqPCT9vwhdg)

Shatner and Cobra Commander, in today's world this would be a geek fest LOL. Very cool though.

when i went back and watched all the dvds i was really disappointed in the lack of snake eyes.

No offence to the SE fans, but I found that refreshing about the cartoon, it focused on all those characters that were ignored cause SE was center stage in the comic (Recondo, Lady Jaye, Beachead, Roadblock, Clutch, ect, while not center stage at any point they got some much needed attention that they didn't in the comic).

Granted they overdid Shipwreck a bit, but he had loads of character too.

But I always felt the show expanded the roster of characters rather well.

[Shipshape1983]

Shatner and Cobra Commander, in today's world this would be a geek fest LOL. Very cool though.



No offence to the SE fans, but I found that refreshing about the cartoon, it focused on all those characters that were ignored cause SE was center stage in the comic (Recondo, Lady Jaye, Beachead, Roadblock, Clutch, ect, while not center stage at any point they got some much needed attention that they didn't in the comic).

Granted they overdid Shipwreck a bit, but he had loads of character too.

But I always felt the show expanded the roster of characters rather well.

OVERDID SHIPWRECK?! no way man! Shipwreck was one of the best parts of the show. I hated that he got NO LOVE in the comics at all.
I think Shipwreck should have gotten a spin off series. But put it on at 9PM so they spice it up a bit.

I can see it now!

Shipwreck in "The great hooker conundrum"

"Terror in Thailand" "Drunken European Vacation" "Shipwreck meets Captain Haddock"

"One Flew Over the Great Wall" "Shipwreck and Polly's Adventures in Annapolis"

the possibilities are endless!

[Monte Williams]

Shipwreck in "The great hooker conundrum"

"Terror in Thailand" "Drunken European Vacation" "Shipwreck meets Captain Haddock"

"One Flew Over the Great Wall" "Shipwreck and Polly's Adventures in Annapolis"

Great titles. I now want a Shipwreck/Brave and the Bold Aquaman crossover.

[KENNY GUIDO]

"It's a cartoon!" should never be used as an excuse to justify shoddy production values and inadequate narratives.




The Tick was Sunbow?!? I did not know that. I worry it might not hold up if I watched it today, but I did love The Tick at the time.

That said, yes, all the others you listed sucked, and sucked hard.

transformers sucked? even the movie raked in some good cash back then. as for gem, girls loved it.

[Monte Williams]

transformers sucked? even the movie raked in some good cash back then. as for gem, girls loved it.

Oh, well, if something makes money and some people like it, it must be good. My mistake.

[nero9000]

Was tempted to answer 'nowhere', but figured they must have had something good. Well, I liked Extensive Enterprises, and it was nice seeing some of the lesser Joes, though I haven't watched DIC yet. No demigod Snake-Eyes was a good call, but then they brought in Sgt.Slaughter.. and Shipwreck in every episode.

I recently suffered through the entire Sunbow series, and it made me realise I was never a big fan of it, even as a kid. Sure, it was good enough to watch, but I didn't become a hardcore Joe-fan until I started reading the comics after TF got cancelled. The TF-cartoon was always better, and still is, simply because you can do more cartoonish things in a sci-fi concept. When alien robots travel in time, it's ok, but when American soldiers do it, it's rubbish. And with robots you didn't have to miss all the time. If the Springfield eps were the most hardcore in Joe toon-land, check out Dark Awakening.

[zedhatch]

OVERDID SHIPWRECK?! no way man! Shipwreck was one of the best parts of the show. I hated that he got NO LOVE in the comics at all.
I think Shipwreck should have gotten a spin off series. But put it on at 9PM so they spice it up a bit.

I can see it now!

Shipwreck in "The great hooker conundrum"

"Terror in Thailand" "Drunken European Vacation" "Shipwreck meets Captain Haddock"

"One Flew Over the Great Wall" "Shipwreck and Polly's Adventures in Annapolis"

the possibilities are endless!

Those are good,

Don't get me wrong, I loved Shippy in the toon, but he was in like every ep almost. Just being honest LOL.

[zedhatch]

"It's a cartoon!" should never be used as an excuse to justify shoddy production values and inadequate narratives.




The Tick was Sunbow?!? I did not know that. I worry it might not hold up if I watched it today, but I did love The Tick at the time.

That said, yes, all the others you listed sucked, and sucked hard.

While I loved the Joe toon, I have always said TF had the better cartoon show, it just felt a bit more consistant and well thought out.

Sadly I used to watch Jem when nothing else was on, I kind of enjoyed it for what it was, granted I wouldn't watch it if I didn't have to, but it wasn't terrible.

[Monte Williams]

Sadly I used to watch Jem when nothing else was on, I kind of enjoyed it for what it was, granted I wouldn't watch it if I didn't have to, but it wasn't terrible.

Oh sure, I watched it. I also watched She-Ra.

Still, the point I was making to the Sunbow defenders is this: just 'cause I liked something in the '80s doesn't mean it was good. Hell, I liked the old ThunderCats cartoon back then, and it is unwatchable now.

[zedhatch]

Oh sure, I watched it. I also watched She-Ra.

Still, the point I was making to the Sunbow defenders is this: just 'cause I liked something in the '80s doesn't mean it was good. Hell, I liked the old ThunderCats cartoon back then, and it is unwatchable now.

Hell She-Ra was cool, I mean her spin kick was erotica to a kid in that age ;-).

Still I find myself periodicly running through the sunbow series on dvd, there are a few eps I can't stand (gamesmaster is just dumb, While I like Pyrmid of Darknesss, the fatal fluffies are horrid, ect) but for the most part I still enjoy the toon, it's fun to me anyway.

Granted I keep missing out on season 2, which I need to grab at some point soon.

However I have never seen many of the DIC eps, just a handfull, I always hear they are horrid (and the few I have seen seem to confirm it). I do often think the heat the Sunbow toon gets is really focused on the DIC series though (I notice a ton of things brought up actually are from the DIC series like Operation Dragonfire and the shopping spree ep).

Ironicly I could never get into THundercats, I have no idea why but it never appealed to me (nor does the new one).

[Monte Williams]

Wow, I'd have pegged you for a big fan of the new 'Cats cartoon. I'm only four or five episodes in, but I probably like it even more than Renegades.

[PitViper]

I love everything about the show. Still to this day I hear the opening notes of the theme and it makes me happy.

It wasn't until much later that I thought Storm Shadow/Snake-Eyes...probably because I read the comic much later. For me it was always Storm Shadow/Spirit, I loved their fight and dialouge during it.

I think because of that Spirit was my favorite Joe for a long ass time.

[KENNY GUIDO]

"It's a cartoon!" should never be used as an excuse to justify shoddy production values and inadequate narratives.




The Tick was Sunbow?!? I did not know that. I worry it might not hold up if I watched it today, but I did love The Tick at the time.

That said, yes, all the others you listed sucked, and sucked hard.

Those are good,

Don't get me wrong, I loved Shippy in the toon, but he was in like every ep almost. Just being honest LOL.

shipwreck was to gi joe like gilligan was to the island!

[KENNY GUIDO]

i have "yo joe" and the intro song as some of friends ringtones.

[ROC Solid Snake]

This is a Sunbow appreciation thread I thought. Being a contrarion doesn't make you any smarter or more sophisticated. Some of you poor bastards are evidently so unhappy or just such fucking ass-holes that you seem incapable of enjoying ANYTHING. Give the Tank and G.I. Joe a rest, and go sort out your problems.

[ROC Solid Snake]

shipwreck was to gi joe like gilligan was to the island!
Word!

[Darkfire]

While I did watch the cartoon as a kid, played with the toys, I also read the comics (they were my older brothers). And I loved the cartoon back then, still do with the exception of the Sunbow Scarlett /Duke romance, I always thought Snake Eyes would kill or beat up Duke for messing with his woman.

My brother Mike (which was 6 years older than I), always got mad at me for reading his comics and said the cartoon was for me, but the comics were for him. At the time I believed him because people died in the comics but not in the cartoon. I know now he was just being a dick.

But for those of you that say and claim that the comics were horrible, that just goes to show that you have not read issues 1-120. The comics is what started it. Without Hama, the Sunbow Series never would have happened.

[KENNY GUIDO]

The comics were awsome. I got into them late, I think around issue #29 and I quickly picked up the past issues. they had excellent story lines and characters outside the joeverse (billy, kwinn, the october guard.)

for the life of me, i cant remember how they got into the real silly gi joe era toys.

[Headman]

Hama had a boner for a character who couldn't even talk. Sunbow Shipwreck >>>> Anything Hama did.

[GI abe444]

Love everything about the Sunbow days! It was great then and has stood the test of time now.

[PitViper]

I really don't know how anyone here could say a bad thing about the cartoon. Be it the production of the show itself or the nostaliga factor, 98% of everyone logged into this place is here because of Sunbow.

If you don't like the cartoon--I dunno, you're a Dick-Viper.

[Rainbow Viper]

What's with the Jem hate in this thread?! There were a couple episodes that were in both Jem and GI Joe that had basically the same plot. and I don't think the He-man cartoon is even comparable to gi joe. The same animation of He-man punching the screen was used a good 300 times in the series and all the padding used in it with everytime he and she-ra said "by the power of grayskull". don't get me wrong...I loved it, but just saying. anyhow like all the series I watched as a kid, I think some episodes are still very good while others are kind of unwatchable. and there were episodes as a kid I didn't like while others I would record and watch over and over. the voice work was memorable though. whenever I read the comics to this day I envision them speaking in those voices.

[KENNY GUIDO]

"fudg-iesss!"

[Primo_Baddest]

they made snake eyes blue!

[Gatchaman]

I loved Sunbow as a kid and still love it to this day. Since 2008 I have gone watched the whole series beginning to end about 5 times. Yes there are a couple episodes I might skip but honestly there are only 1 or two.

The best is episode is still the Mass Device. You could see that they took more time with that one. The art and animation is so much better then all the other stuff. Not to mention they had real gun fire sounds. :o)

I always loved the reddish brown billowing smoke they had in the back grounds of most of the battle shots. Very well done.

As someone else stated I do hate the fact that Bazooka is a bumbling buffoon. Not really the guy you expect to find in an secret elite fighting force made up of the best of the best. LOL

[blayze5150]

I watched "Cobra Claws are Coming to Town" today. I didn't remember the Sunbow series having a Christmas themed episode. Toys-for-Tots acting as trojan horses for shrunken Cobra troops. Epic!

[Colder Soldier]

The voices.
The music (intros and setting).
And foremost the "fantasy/sci-fi" setting. It was set in modern day, but it was very cool how there were so many fantasy elements that intertwined so well. Laser guns, uncharted territories, anti-gravity machines, giant mayan statues fighting giant cobra robots, etc.

[blksuperman2]

I loved the old Sunbow cartoons. Probably more so than any other 80s show. I never got into the comics and the only comic I had was the one where Mindbender and Destro were searching for DNA to make Serpentor. G.I. Joe was the only toy line that really tied into the cartoon. Transformers tried but nothing was in scale. If you had bumble bee he wasn't in scale to Hound. Soundwave towered over characters. I had the microscope guy (forget his name) and he was always my leader 'cause he was the tallest figure I had at the time. I also hated how the vehicles weren't in scale with each other either. I had RoadMaster and Optimus but RoadMaster was 1/3 the size Optimus was so you couldn't re-create the episode where the 2 collided.

Sunbow was the best 'cause their toys translated well to the cartoon and vice-versa. I can still watch these shows and enjoy them. I've pretty much bought the whole seasons of He-man, Thundercats, Transformers and Voltron. All of which I was in love w/ as a kid but G.I. Joe is the only thing that I can stomach on repeated viewing.

[Monte Williams]

I had the microscope guy (forget his name)

Perceptor, I believe.

And I hear ya, the scale issues with Transformers toys bother me even more now than they did then.

[blksuperman2]

Yeah that's it. Perceptor. lol thanks.

I loved both TF and G.I. Joe but I remember the fall of '87 like it was yesterday. Both shows were aired back to back in D.C. for years but that year they moved Joe to FOX and TF stayed on DC 20 which is now CW. So you had to choose whose side your were on. I chose Joe because I hated Rodimus with a passion.

[zedhatch]

Yeah that's it. Perceptor. lol thanks.

I loved both TF and G.I. Joe but I remember the fall of '87 like it was yesterday. Both shows were aired back to back in D.C. for years but that year they moved Joe to FOX and TF stayed on DC 20 which is now CW. So you had to choose whose side your were on. I chose Joe because I hated Rodimus with a passion.

I watched on WGN, both shows back to back every day around 4:30. Easy breezy.

[ero]

I consider the cartoon to be canon over the comics. Infact, the only reason I read any of the comics was to see characters that weren't featured in the show. I never found the stories to be particularly exciting. People can say the cartoon was childish but in the 1980's I was a child.

Me too. Also, that last line is going into my sig.

And while its was audaciously redundant, minimalist and cookie-cutter, I'd argue that He-Man nonetheless looks much better than G.I. Joe these days.

Absolutely agree about MOTU cartoon. I really have to be in the right mood to watch GI Joe, but I can watch MOTU any time. I just find it more colourful, crisper and a warmer experience.

For real? From the blatant, lazy reuse of cells (watch how many times He-Man punches the camera) to the way characters run and interact, it is of the lowest quality. I don't care what Lou Scheimer said. I love He-Man, but that's a cartoon I find almost unwatchable, unless I'm feeling ultra-nostalgic, and even then, it's kind of a chore. Never mind the voice acting and terrible, terrible scripts (Capt. Glenn's monologue in "Teela's Quest" is a good example.) What's too bad, too, is that they had cool concepts to work with, but the way the shows talk down to the viewer, it's clear Scheimer and Co. underestimated the intelligence of kids.

FilMation made terrible cartoons.


There's so much good in the Joe cartoons, my only complaint is that Bazooka appears mentaly retarded in them.

Yeah, as an adult, I pick up on it more. But even then, he's still just so damn loveable. Fuck off, Resolute!


As for bad episodes, no one is going to call out the Gamesmaster!? Seriously!?

Um, helllooo? Bikini Baroness?? A disrobing Lady Jaye??

Call out I shall not.

every kid rushed home to watch gi joe and the transformers cartoons. they were the hottest cartoons in 85. he man had nothing on them. they were "history" by this time.

Word. Although I think the cartoons did air concurrently.

The voice actors made the show hands down!!

Agreed! That's what's missing from today's cartoons, too: dynamic voice acting. There was so much range from the voice actors in Sunbow Productions. It makes the difference. Go watch He-Man ... it's the same dude who voiced Prince Adam/He-Man who voices every extraneous character. And they don't even try to hide it. It's embarrassing.

Sunbow WAS/IS Gi Joe for me; I never read the comics as a kid. A lot of "cartoon elitists" around here like to chime in with the obligatory "it wasn't believable" or it was "poorly written". NEWS FLASH: It's a freaking cartoon, not Shakespeare! How many of you as kids remember thinking " heyyyyy, wait a minute, this cartoon is poorly written"? None of you, that's how many. And it's not by happenstance that 1985 is regarded as GI Joe's "best year" in popularity and sales. For the beauty of the animation, the voice talent, product placement in the cartoon and pure nostalgia, Sunbow can't be beat. I have the footlocker set and I enjoy the cartoon as an adult, as much as I did as a kid!

Yeah, no kidding. Those who say it's aged poorly are holding it to some impossible standard. Did "Citizen Kane" age poorly because it's in black and white? Does anybody like Star Wars with all the added CGI? (If you say yes, I will point you to the musical number in Jedi and ask that you publicly shame yourself.)

"It's a cartoon!" should never be used as an excuse to justify shoddy production values and inadequate narratives.


I think that's fair. But I also think you have to allow for context. In 1985, it was pretty good hand-drawn animation. And there is more plot, dialogue and narrative in just about every episode than in any other series from it's time. And it's got more going on per episode than an episode of Renegades.

Oh sure, I watched it. I also watched She-Ra.

Still, the point I was making to the Sunbow defenders is this: just 'cause I liked something in the '80s doesn't mean it was good. Hell, I liked the old ThunderCats cartoon back then, and it is unwatchable now.

Huh. I didn't watch it a whole lot in the '80s, but I think Thundercats held up pretty well. That intro still blows my mind, especially when Cheetara does that twisty leap. Epic. And I love the soundtrack and voice acting.

I really don't know how anyone here could say a bad thing about the cartoon. Be it the production of the show itself or the nostaliga factor, 98% of everyone logged into this place is here because of Sunbow.

If you don't like the cartoon--I dunno, you're a Dick-Viper.

Well said. And there's another line going into my sig. :)

[blayze5150]

Funny. All these years later, I still watch season 2 and say, "This is one of the new ones!"

[ero]

Funny. All these years later, I still watch season 2 and say, "This is one of the new ones!"

Ha! I love that. So true.

[Hmheggins2000]

I never really liked the comic story line. The backstory on some of the cobra and joes really didn't pull me in back then. Sumbow pull me in to Gi joe. Star Wars was on the way out and Joe was the perfect replacement toys. Sunbow made coming home from school a top priorty.

[Zombieboy]

I loved the comics more but the sunbow was a daily dose of Joe and offered different stories and different perspectives so i could deal with both

[blayze5150]

I never really liked the comic story line. The backstory on some of the cobra and joes really didn't pull me in back then. Sumbow pull me in to Gi joe. Star Wars was on the way out and Joe was the perfect replacement toys. Sunbow made coming home from school a top priorty.
GI Joe replaced Star Wars for me. I remember when POTF2 came out, I bought 'em, but I wanted Joes, not Star Wars! (Yeah, I know there was some stuff, but it's nowhere near as cool as it is now!)
I loved the comics more but the sunbow was a daily dose of Joe and offered different stories and different perspectives so i could deal with both
It's kinda funny: both were good for both GI Joe and Transformers, but with Joes the comics had the edge, but I thought the Transformers cartoons were a little better than the comics. Go figure!

[takedown]

I liked Sunbow, for the most part. Worlds Without End my favorite "Episodes" and Im glad Retaliation is a homage of sorts to those episodes. Wish I had more time to praise Sunbow. But I do have a concern that has plagued me ever since I was a teen, since my dad was in the Navy.

I did have a problem with Shipwreck. Why is he a Joe? He's a mercenary. He's a Chief Petty Officer, wearing the wrong uniform. An E-7 Chief (PO) doesnt wear dungarees and a dixie cup. He's hanging out with Cobra, and willing to work for anyone who paid his fee. He should have been Copperhead's First Mate.

If they were gonna make him an ex-cobra they should have integrated it into his character more like Mercer or Scoop. Then I would have liked him better. Like he was in the US Navy got in a bar brawl right before a promotion to E-7. Instead of the promotion, he got held back. So he quit the navy and he decided to become a part of Cobra. Decided to wear his Navy uniform with his improper rank, because he thought he deserved it. Then, Flint and Mutt came up and "Recruited" him. Would have made his "Springfield" episodes a lot more interesting.

[Monte Williams]

I don't know from military rank and whatnot, but I dig your idea about an ousted Navy sailor wearing a higher rank because he feels he deserves it.

[Some_Gamer_Dude]

I never watched Sunbow as a kid, nor much of TransFormers, I was a 90's kid, but my mum had bought me some, Ninja Force and a 12' Destro specifically, when I was really young because her younger brother played with Adventure Team when they were kids and she must have thought they were still cool toys.

But in the mid 2000's, I got my hands on all TransFormers G1 and a bulk of GI Joe, buying the American DVDs soon.

As a modern viewer for the most part, the only TransFormers episodes I remembered was Starscream's Brigade and MtmtE for the longest time, GI Joe was legions above TransFormers. I mean, TransFormers, while having some great, shared, VAs and a cast of visually interesting characters, it is a very childish series with characters that barely have character, rather generic character relations, boring and/or horrible stories for a bulk of the run and well, I wouldn't say I hate G1, but I am not a big fan. It's got too much going against it.

GI Joe had some clunkers, but not as many as TF. It's characters, well, aside from Duke(Not a fan), work well and have some depth, enough to make them likable as characters, something TransFormers won't get till post movie, and unfortunately GI Joe looses in the Dic series from what I can see in Dragonfire. The cast is fantastic. How Cobra Commander is depicted, a whiney, entitled little creep that is in no way intimidating. It's a great take on a villain.

What baffles me in this thread is people actually like He-man. I don't see the appeal, show or figures.

[ero]

What baffles me in this thread is people actually like He-man. I don't see the appeal, show or figures.

You were a '90s kid. It was the early '80s. You had to be there.

[Falcone]

You were a '90s kid. It was the early '80s. You had to be there.

Must be, because I am a 90's kid as well and don't see anything remotely good about He-man

[Shipshape1983]

I liked Sunbow, for the most part. Worlds Without End my favorite "Episodes" and Im glad Retaliation is a homage of sorts to those episodes. Wish I had more time to praise Sunbow. But I do have a concern that has plagued me ever since I was a teen, since my dad was in the Navy.

I did have a problem with Shipwreck. Why is he a Joe? He's a mercenary. He's a Chief Petty Officer, wearing the wrong uniform. An E-7 Chief (PO) doesnt wear dungarees and a dixie cup. He's hanging out with Cobra, and willing to work for anyone who paid his fee. He should have been Copperhead's First Mate.

If they were gonna make him an ex-cobra they should have integrated it into his character more like Mercer or Scoop. Then I would have liked him better. Like he was in the US Navy got in a bar brawl right before a promotion to E-7. Instead of the promotion, he got held back. So he quit the navy and he decided to become a part of Cobra. Decided to wear his Navy uniform with his improper rank, because he thought he deserved it. Then, Flint and Mutt came up and "Recruited" him. Would have made his "Springfield" episodes a lot more interesting.

maybe Shippy killed a sailor and took his uniform..

[CobraOfficer999]

Replacing Cobra Commander with the infinately more capable Emperoror Serpentor.

[SDawg]

Hawk-Duke-Flint-Beachhead is how I see my ranking too. Although I would put Stalker in between Flint and Beachhead.

[maczero]

For example: As bad as Destro's voice was, I always here that voice when I think of Destro.Funniest thing about Destro's voice is that it led a lot of people to think he's black.

[Van Hammer]

I like both the cartoons and the comics.

[Van Hammer]

I really like Season 2 but then again that may just be because 1986 is my favourite year of G.I. Joe.

[Sean_C]

maybe Shippy killed a sailor and took his uniform..

Watch "There's no Place Like Springfield", during his interrogation, we learn Shipwreck joined the US Navy as a teen, lying about his age.

"Growing up in the shadow of a San Diego Navy shipyards, Shipwreck wanted nothing more than become a sailor and even lied that he was seventeen so he could join at the age of sixteen. Traveling from Southeast Asia to the Florida Keys, Shipwreck saw the world as he fought river pirates and smugglers. And he met the Joes in a desert and joined them."

Joe Guide Summary (http://www.joeguide.com/summaries/theres_no_place_like_springfield_part_2/)

[Super Beast]

I live season 2 of sunbow. Why I like BeachHead and LowLight so much.

DIC seasons are terrible!!!!!!

You have to admit..Operation Dragon fire. The ONE noteworthy quote.

Cobra Commander: "I wass once a mannn!"

Low Light: Let's keep that in the past tense *Cocks weapon*

[Cobra_Seph]

for me nothing will beat the cartoon. i remember as a kid running down the stair from my room when i heard that intro song. is something you can't change once you had seen it. i remember every time the intro animation changed from the beginning of the cartoon series and the song still there to made me rush toward the living room and almost eat our TV screen with my face lolz. and i still feel that chill every time i play my dvd collection on my toy room. that feeling is something that will never change as long i remember those good old days

[Havok]

This is a great question, but one tanker hit upon it. The musical score of the sunbow cartoon was great at adding depth and emotion to scenes in the show a comic couldn't. I mean one of the key elements that made star wars so great was the score. Now granted sunbow used the same base score samples throughout the show. But I really enjoyed each one. And for those that argue the comic is better or the cartoon. They are both great for different reasons. But to me I've often wished a newer Gi joe cartoon could capture the magic again with a great score.

[Tuskegee Joe]

Hopefully the new folks working on the new toon will take some of what's said here in to heart. The movie sequel looks better (and more like what many knew + grew up with). Hopefully this formula that is working well for the sequel, will carry on an work well with the new toon.

[CVdelgado]

sunbow rules. that thing is an effin masterpiece compared to other cartoons of its day. i love everything about it. the crazy silly funny stupid shit and all the cool stuff too.

long live sunbow joe! i watch these ALL the time with my son. he loves them too.

i am up to #9 of the idw release of the classic marvel comic and #2 of special missions. those are great as well. i like to mix the continuities together in my head like a great joeverse smoothie.

[Tuskegee Joe]

i like to mix the continuities together in my head like a great joeverse smoothie.

Movie sequel toys blend a great mix of movie-likeness AND Sunbow-likeness. The new toon should definitely have the same successful blend. Whereas it looks like Sunbow, yet has a litte of the movie Sequel mixed in.

[Joe Fan 1]

Personally I have always thought the Bazooka/Alpine/Quick Kick team was a great combo in the toon (and never appeared that way in the comic).

I agree. Some of my fondest memories are the humor between Alpine and Bazooka. I also liked Quick Kick, but I knew I was going to find something good if Alpine and Bazooka were in the episode. I always enjoyed watching episodes that included them.

The music! Its totally awesome, especially the intro...liek when the skystirkes break out from in front of the sun over the Maulers below...and then the music around Cobra Temple...all the trumpets and hissing sounds...

Rewatching the episodes now on DVD I find that the show had such great music. Not just the intros/outros, but for the action scenes as well. I don't think I paid as much attention or had as much appreciation for it as a child but I do now.

Chris Latta will always be cobra commander to me, every other voice will always be measured against his.

I agree with you. In my mind no one can replace Chris Latta. He will always be Cobra Commander to me.

[DARKWIND]

What was even better than the Sunbow cartoon was the Sunbow cartoon clips which went into promoting the comic. Those animations were thousands of times better than the stuff which went into the daily show. Better camera angles, action, people in at the creative helm.

Check out the links for all of the comic animations. You will see what I mean about it being superior to the regular cartoon!


G.I.Joe Marvel comics animation commercial Pt1 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/EAa6LaXi4Zc)


G.I.Joe Comic Marvel comics animation commercial Pt2 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/zMIrc6_P-Vs)

I remember some of those, and it was AWESOME!!!!
Takes me back man!
As a matter of fact, the story when Destro stepped out on his own is the basis behind my Joeverse now.