GI Joe fans are lionise the 50th anniversary of the macrocosm ’s first action physical body ’s launching this calendar month . Over those five decade , the GI Joe brand has consider wild swings in its popularity — a barometer of the public ’s regard for the US military — and undergone legion conception evolutions .
Conceived by Don Levine , Hasbro ’s head of research and maturation and US Army Infantry Sergeant , as he rotated home from deployment in the Korean War , GI Joe ’s were originally foot up improbable posables . “ We protect each other and bonk each other , ” Levine told the AP this calendar week . “ Something had to be done to honour these people . ”
Levine sell Hasbro on the thought and in February of 1964 , the company debuted the “ transferable fight man ” outfitted in the uniforms of the four US military arm at the yearly toy fairish in New York City . GI Joe hit store shelves that Christmas , retailing for $ 4 a pop , and were an contiguous smash .
Unfortunately that initial upsurge of turmoil was efficaciously mash as the US recruit the Vietnam War and the popularity of the US armed forces quickly declined . sales event got so high-risk that the GI Joe line was axed completely in the 1970 ’s . It was n’t until 1982 that Hasbro resurrected the marque in the modern 3.5 inch variety and incorporated vehicles , accessory , and playsets — you know , “ merchandizing“—into the toy line .
GI Joe ’s popularity rocket throughout the 1980 ’s , was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2004 , and remains a popular brand to this daytime with a third installment of the movie series currently in production . And Cobra Commander is still at large . [ CBS – ABC – Stars and Stripes ]
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