Despite its huge success and impressive lasting power, the story of GI Joe begins inauspiciously enough. In 1942, cartoonist David Breger was asked to create a comic strip for United States military magazines. The strip he created was "GI Joe". In 1945, a popular movie was released under the title The Story of GI Joe. In the mid-1960's, spurred by the popularity of Barbie dolls, Hasbro decided to created a line for boys. These GI Joe's were known as action figures (this is where the term originated), so boys wouldn't be stigmatized for playing with dolls.
The GI Joe line had a number of ups and down. Production stopped for a while in the early '70s due to the unpopularity of the Vietnam War. Then, in the late '70s, when petroleum prices were high, production stopped again. However, time and again, the GI Joe line bounced back.
The GI Joe line of action figures has spawned numerous different models (including versions for each branch of the armed services), specialty divisions, and even expanded into other media, including a television cartoon and comic book. Today, new versions as well as vintage GI Joe are still popular with kids and collectors alike.
At Happy Toy Depot, we cater both to the novice and the seasoned enthusiast. We carry a number of vintage GI Joes, each in mint condition, still in the package. We understand how seriously collectors take their collections, and collectors of vintage GI Joe are no different. Our supply of vintage GI Joes is constantly changing, so we ask that you check back often if you can't find what you're looking for today. Or send us an email, as we may be able to locate the item for you. Happy Toy Depot also ships to practically anywhere in the world.
