A few introductory thoughts…
Ron Friedman has died. It’s sad, because he wrote some important teleplays and screenplays that mean a lot to a generation of kids. But that sadness is lessened because he was 93. I know lots of people who didn’t make it that far! Congrats on a long life, Ron.
Continue readingFiled under Animation, G.I. Joe Behind the Scenes, Interviews
Between posting my four JoeFest ’25 articles and starting to post my Dallas-Ft. Worth G.I. Joe ’25 articles, Alan Hassenfeld died. I did not know him, and only briefly met him twice, but he appears throughout my book, and his fingerprints are all over G.I. Joe across several decades. It felt appropriate to write something about him here. This is a place where some folks come for G.I. Joe information and opinion, though there are certainly better articles on Hassenfeld from journalists, his friends, and people who worked with him.
Continue readingFiled under G.I. Joe Behind the Scenes, Toys and Toy Art
It’s sure been awhile since I posted here!
Today’s post has three pieces of art. All come from the 1984 “G.I. Joe Briefing Book” a thick three-ring binder of photocopies and memos that some folks writing for the Sunbow cartoon had. It was reference for all the character and vehicle names and looks, a page or two for each. Many entries start with a high-contrast black and white photocopy of some Hasbro package art, followed by a black and white photocopy of a Marvel Productions color model cel.
Continue readingFiled under Animation, G.I. Joe Behind the Scenes, Toys and Toy Art
This deserves its own post here at A Real American Book!. On November 9th, I moderated the “Living Legends: Larry Hama & Ron Wagner” panel at Assembly Required, a great G.I. Joe convention held annually in Des Moines, Iowa. These two guys are smart and funny, and it was a pleasure to run the chat.
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You probably come here for art, or maybe my essays, but some of the most interesting discoveries are text-only paperwork. It’s hard to make those exciting if you’re not already invested in them, but maybe I can try anyway.
Continue readingFiled under Animation, G.I. Joe Behind the Scenes
Around 2013 and 2014, IDW Publishing reprinted the original Marvel G.I. Joe comics in handsome, oversized hardcovers, a series called The Complete Collection. A limited edition run of these, called “Red Label” (available through your local comic retailer), “Blue Label,” and “Black Label” (available only from a special IDW website) included metaphorical bells and whistles. Only released for the first three volumes of The Complete, these “Label” versions were extremely limited, like quantities of 175 or 25 copies. They featured canvas covers, hand-assembled slipcases, and signature pages signed by the likes of Larry Hama, Herb Trimpe, and Russ Heath. Here are the Red Label editions:
Continue readingFiled under Back issues, Comic Books, G.I. Joe Behind the Scenes
My last few blog posts were about toy conventions, and my next four(!) will be too, so it’s time to return to the old bread and butter of A Real American Book!, which is toy development paperwork.
Continue readingFiled under G.I. Joe Behind the Scenes, Toys and Toy Art
A Real American Book! 