2008

The year 2008 (MMVIII) was the twenty-seventh year of the A Real American Hero brand.

Overview

The year 2008 saw the continuation of the 25th Anniversary line - what was originally meant to be a limited one-year series was now a verified success. But since the actual anniversary year was over, fans were left to come up with new terminology. As the now-retired Sigma 6 toys disappeared from the shelves, stores made various decisions about the new 4" line. Some locations devoted decent portions of aisles to the Joes, on a par with the now-struggling Transformers and always-popular Star Wars sections, while others did not stock the toys at all. Many retailers gave the figures a column next to cheaper The Corps! figures. Despite the inconsistency, finding figures was easier than during the 2007 Christmas season as the rate of new releases slowed to a manageable pace.

Fans mostly raved about the new designs for characters getting their first shot at a Generation 3 mold. Complaints primarily had to do with the sheer number of figures (hard on the pocketbook, but no worse than 2002-2005) and with the frequent reissues of Duke, Snake-Eyes, Cobra Commander, and Storm Shadow, already the most common figures (again, not a new problem). In any case, the G3 figures had come to dominate Joe discussion, and both old- and new-school collectors gravitated toward this line. Generation 3 saw its first vehicles released, first as the Target-exclusive "Attack on Cobra Island" series, followed by wide releases. The Comic Packs returned and received attention for their Doc mail-away promotion, which would begin shipping in May. Meanwhile, the summer convention, scheduled this year for June 27-29, would continue to feature old-sculpt repaints.

Devil's Due Publishing's license to produce G.I. Joe comics expired this year, and they brought a spectacular end to the A Real American Hero comics continuity begun in 1982 with the well-received "World War III" storyline.

Toys

Carded Figures

Generation 3 - Series 5 Sgt. Flash Snake-Eyes (ninja) Snow Job Crimson Guard Destro Generation 3 - Series 6 SSgt. Rock 'n Roll Lt. Torpedo Cobra Commander (armored) Generation 3 - Series 7 Duke (jetpack) Snake-Eyes v3 Spirit Wild Bill H.I.S.S. Driver Viper Generation 3 - Series 8 Flint (Tiger Force) Roadblock v2 Snake-Eyes (Arctic Trooper) Baroness Cobra Commander (w/ MASS crystals) Major Bludd Python Patrol Officer Generation 3 - Series 9 Barbecue Bazooka General Hawk Baroness B.A.T. Ninja Ku Leader Snow Serpent

Generation 3 - Series 10 Duke (Tiger Force) Mutt & Junkyard Cobra Bazooka Trooper Croc Master Para-Viper Wraith Generation 3 - Series 11 Sgt. Airborne Flint (Cobra disguise) Scarlett (Pilot) Specialist Trakker Eel Zartan Generation 3 - Series 12 Tripwire (w/ Desert element) Cobra Diver Cobra Trooper Crimson Guard (Python Patrol) Ninja Viper Buzzer

Toys "Я" Us exclusives

Cobra Night Watch Night Watch Officer Night Watch Trooper (x4) Crimson Guard Crimson Guard Squad Leader Crimson Guard (x4) Firefly vs. G.I. Joe Troopers Firefly G.I. Joe Trooper (x4) Snake-Eyes vs. Red Ninja Troopers Red Ninjas (x3) Red Ninja Leader Snake-Eyes Senior Ranking Officers Set 1 Duke Hawk Grunt Set 2 Cobra Commander Crimson Guard Officer Crimson Guard Trooper Set 3 Cobra Commander Cobra Officer Cobra Trooper

G.I. Joe Air Command Capt. Ace Skyduster Wild Bill G.I. Joe Sea Command Cutter Deep Six Lt. Torpedo Iron Grenadier Command Destro Iron Grenadier Officer Iron Grenadier Trooper

DVD Battles

The DVD Battles sets included figures based on the Sunbow series, a five-episode DVD and a piece to build the M.A.S.S. device.

Set 1: The M.A.S.S. Device Baroness Cobra Trooper Sgt. Stalker Snake-Eyes Set 2: The Revenge of Cobra Destro Lady Jaye Roadblock Weather Dominator Set 3: Arise, Serpentor, Arise! B.A.T. Dusty Montezuma's skeleton Serpentor

Set 4: The Pyramid of Darkness Cobra Commander Major Bludd Quick Kick Snake-Eyes Set 5: Best of '80s Episodes Alpine Cobra Commander Cobra Paratrooper Duke

Extreme Conditions

Set 1: Desert Assault Squad Cobra Officer Cobra Trooper (x3) Crimson Guard Major Bludd

Set 2: Arctic Assault Squad Scrap Iron Snow Serpent Officer Snow Serpent (x2) Tele-Viper Viper (x2)

Comic Packs

Comic Pack #1 Hawk Agent Scarlett Comic Pack #14 Breaker Destro Comic Pack #21 Snake-Eyes Storm Shadow Comic Pack #21B Snake-Eyes Storm Shadow Comic Pack #24 Cobra Commander Duke Comic Pack #25 Deep Six Ssgt. Rock 'n Roll Comic Pack #30 Ripper Torch Comic Pack #32½ Crimson Guard Scar-Face Comic Pack #36½ Tomax Xamot Comic Pack #86 Iron Grenadier Viper

Comic Pack #115 Ace Wild Weasel Comic Pack #4 Firefly Storm Shadow Comic Pack #5 Copperhead Shipwreck Comic Pack #6 Duke Red Star Comic Pack #7 Destro Iron Grenadier Comic Pack #8 Lt. Falcon Nemesis Immortal Comic Pack #9 Cobra Commander Tripwire Comic Pack #10 Hard Master Snake-Eyes Comic Pack #11 Beachhead Dataframe Comic Pack #12 Scrap-Iron Wild Bill

Equipment

• Armadillo w/ Steeler
• A.W.E. Striker w/ Leatherneck
• R.A.M. w/ Cpl. Breaker
• V.A.M.P. w/Double Clutch

• Air Chariot w/ Serpentor
• C.L.A.W. w/ Viper
• F.A.N.G. w/ Cobra Pilot
• Firebat w/ A.V.A.C.
• H.I.S.S. w/ H.I.S.S. Driver Commander
• Trubble Bubble w/ Tele-Viper

Target exclusives

Attack on Cobra Island: The first G3 vehicles were exclusive to Target stores, and all shared the "Attack on Cobra Island" branding.

• A.W.E. Striker w/ Crankcase
• Conquest X-30 w/ Lt. Slip Stream
• Night Specter w/ Grand Slam

• H.I.S.S. w/ Cobra Driver
• Rattler w/ Wild Weasel

Ultimate Battle Pack: The most expensive set of the year, this set included quite a few Joes and Cobras, plus vehicles for both sides.

• Short-Fuze
• Sgt. Stalker
• Steeler
• M.O.B.A.T.

• Cobra Commander
• Cobra Vehicle Gunner
• Destro
• H.I.S.S. Driver
• H.I.S.S. (red)
• Trubble Bubble (blue)

Collector's Club Exclusives

• Cobra Commander

Direct-to-Consumer - Series 4

• Airtight
• Cobra Officer
• Munitia
• Night-Viper
• Outback

Convention Exclusives

• Civilian Cobra Commander
• Sky B.A.T.
• S.W.A.T. three-pack
  • Long Arm
  • Low-Light
  • Shockblast
• Cobra Headhunters
  • Gristle
  • Headhunter B.A.T.s (x6)
  • Headhunter Guards (x2)
  • Headhunter Stormtroopers (x6)
  • Headhunter Driver
  • S.W.A.T. R.T.V. w/ Bullhorn
  • Hotwire's Mech w/ Hotwire

Mailaway offers

• Operation: Rescue Doc

Included with G3 Comic Packs. Cobra Commander sent a note boasting that he'd brainwashed Doc, the key to success of his newest evil plan.

Figures Available: Doc.

Comicbooks

Write up.

See detailed information here.

Animation

No animation was produced this year.