Warren Ellis Writing G.I. Joe Cartoon!
G.I. Joe: Resolute
July 2, 2008
Warren Ellis
The G.I. Joe Websites are all abuzz about G.I. Joe: Resolute, a series of ten 5-minute cartoon episodes with a 10-minute conclusion. Each episode is self-contained, but there is also an overall story arc. These short cartoons, which are targeted at adults, have a distinctly Vertigo flavor since they were written by veteran comic writer Warren Ellis and based on character designs by 100 Bullets cover artist Dave Johnson. In this series, which is rated "PG-13," the guns shoot bullets, not lasers and there are real consequences. Although there isn’t a lot of blood there is lots violence and a hint that major “characters may die.”
The G.I. Joe: Resolute cartoons will debut as Webisodes on the Hasbro Website early next year. Hasbro is also hoping to place the G.I. Joe: Resolute shorts on the Cartoon Network and then release them on DVD. In addition to releasing a DVD, Hasbro is planning a toy series based on the G.I. Joe: Resolute cartoons.
One of the five-minute shorts in which Snake Eyes saves Duke and Roadblock from a Cobra ambush was shown at the recently concluded 2008 JoeCon, and it got rave reviews from diehard fans such as those at the hisstank.com Website who reported: “It really was what you’ve been waiting for all these years. As they described it in the panel, while you were playing with these toys as a kid, or even watching the shows and reading the comics back then, what we saw today is what we thought we saw back then. And it's what we expect, and that’s why the new versions of the old stuff don't play with us now. But, this new direction, PG-13 based adult themed entertainment, should fill that gap.”
If the G.I. Joe: Resolute cartoons are successful, Hasbro has plans to do something similar for the Transformers. Given the interest in properties like G.I. Joe and Transformers from older collectors it just makes sense that Hasbro address the interests of this older audience in animation as it has in producing sophisticated toys that target collectors rather than kids.
