Honestly, if you've ever tried to sit down and figure out gi joe in order, you know it’s basically like trying to untangle a box of Christmas lights that’s been in the attic since 1984. It is a mess. You’ve got the 12-inch "doll" era, the 3.75-inch "Real American Hero" explosion, about five different comic book continuities, and movies that keep rebooting themselves before the popcorn even gets cold.
It’s a lot.
But here’s the thing: GI Joe isn’t just one story. It’s a multi-generational hand-off. Whether you’re a 1960s purist or a kid who grew up on the 2020s Classified series, the "correct" order depends entirely on which rabbit hole you want to fall down. Let’s break it down so it actually makes sense.
The Toy Evolution: Where it All Started
Before the ninjas and the laser guns, GI Joe was just a guy. In 1964, Hasbro launched the "Moveable Fighting Man." He was 12 inches tall. He had a scar on his cheek and a thumbnail on the wrong side of his thumb (true story, it was a manufacturing quirk they kept to protect the trademark).
By the 1970s, things got weird. The Vietnam War made military toys a hard sell, so Joe joined the Adventure Team. This is the era of the "Kung Fu Grip" and fuzzy "Life-Like" hair. He wasn't fighting Cobra; he was fighting pygmy gorillas and searching for radioactive mummies.
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Then came 1982. The "Real American Hero" (ARAH) line changed everything. They shrunk the figures to 3.75 inches so they could sell you huge tanks and fighter jets. This is the timeline most people care about.
Watching the GI Joe Cartoons and Movies in Order
If you want to watch the "A Real American Hero" animated universe, don't just jump into Season 1. You'll be confused. The series actually started as high-budget mini-series that served as pilot episodes.
The Sunbow Era (The Gold Standard)
Basically, the 1980s cartoon by Sunbow/Marvel is what defined the characters we know. The "correct" viewing order for this specific run is:
- The M.A.S.S. Device (1983): The five-part mini-series that introduced the world to the Joes and the Weather Dominator.
- The Revenge of Cobra (1984): Another five-part epic.
- Season 1 (1985): This is where you get the classic episodes like "The Traitor" and "The Gamesmaster."
- Season 2 (1986): Serpentor is born. This is also where the show gets noticeably more "sci-fi" and weird.
- G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987): The big one. This was supposed to kill off Duke, but they changed it at the last second because kids cried when Optimus Prime died in the Transformers movie.
The DIC Era (Proceed with Caution)
After the movie, the animation rights went to a company called DIC. It’s... different. The budget was lower, the voices changed, and the Joes started wearing neon. If you’re a completionist, you watch Operation Dragonfire followed by the 1990-1992 seasons. But honestly? Most fans kinda pretend this doesn't exist.
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The Modern Reboots
The later shows don't connect to the 80s stuff. They are standalone universes.
- Sigma 6 (2005): Heavily anime-influenced.
- G.I. Joe: Resolute (2009): Written by Warren Ellis. It’s dark, violent, and brilliant. If you only watch one modern Joe show, make it this one.
- G.I. Joe: Renegades (2010): Sorta like The A-Team meets Joe. It’s actually really well-written but only lasted one season.
The Live-Action Movie Mess
Hollywood has tried three times to make this work. They are mostly reboots, so you don't necessarily need to watch them "in order," but here is how they released:
- The Rise of Cobra (2009): Channing Tatum as Duke. Lots of CGI "accelerator suits."
- Retaliation (2013): They basically killed off the previous cast and brought in The Rock (Roadblock) and Bruce Willis. It feels more like the cartoon but is still a wild ride.
- Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021): A complete reboot. It tells a totally different origin story for Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow that contradicts everything that came before.
The Larry Hama Reading Order: The Real "Lore"
If you want the "real" story, you have to read the comics. Specifically, the ones written by Larry Hama. He wrote the original Marvel run (155 issues) and is still writing the continuation today at Skybound.
The Hama-verse order is surprisingly stable:
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- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1–155 (Marvel, 1982-1994): The foundation.
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #155.5–300 (IDW, 2010-2022): Hama picks up right where he left off 15 years later.
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #301–Present (Skybound, 2023-Now): Still the same continuity!
There are other "alternate" comics like the Devil’s Due run or the new Energon Universe (which connects to Transformers), but if you want the "authentic" Joe experience, stick with Hama. He’s the guy who wrote the file cards on the back of the toy boxes, after all.
Making Sense of It All
Look, there is no "one true timeline." GI Joe is a brand that reinvents itself every decade to sell toys to a new generation of kids. But if you're a newcomer, start with the Sunbow 1983 mini-series or the Marvel Issue #1. They hold up surprisingly well because they treat the military tactics and the characters with a level of respect you don't usually see in "toy commercials."
Your Next Steps
- Start Small: Don't try to buy every toy or read every comic. Find a copy of Marvel’s G.I. Joe #21 (the "Silent Interlude"). It has no dialogue and is widely considered one of the best single-issue comics ever made.
- Watch Resolute: It’s only an hour long and shows you what GI Joe looks like when it’s allowed to be "adult."
- Check Out the Classified Series: If you’re looking for the current "hot" thing, the 6-inch Classified figures are some of the best toys Hasbro has ever produced.
The "Joe" world is huge, but once you find your entry point, it’s a blast. Yo Joe!