Its time for the next Joe!

[MANDO]

How come Spirit can't turn into a (poorly rendered CGI) wolf?

 

[thenammagazine]

How come Spirit can't turn into a (poorly rendered CGI) wolf?

They gave him a bald eagle companion instead.

 

[kl241]

How come Spirit can't turn into a (poorly rendered CGI) wolf?

Because he's not a Lychan?

 

[MANDO]

I thought all American Indian's were lychans...

 

[EVILFACE]

They could always make Spirit from Resolute

That looks like Johnny Cash.

 

[DPrime]

So a Japanese guy can dress in full ninja gear and be cool but if a Native American braids his hair and wears buckskin trousers its suddenly "insulting"? Come on now, let's not get carried away with the selective political correctness.

Spirit was and still is awesome, and his gear was more modern than that of SS, Quick Kick, Jinx, Budo, etc. GI Joe has tons of characters that dress in culturally "traditional" attire, that doesn't mean its demeaning. If that was the case I'd be insulted by the Rowdy Roddy Piper figure, and yet I'm not. Well I'm not because of the kilt anyway.

No kidding.

No one goes around saying that about Storm Shadow, but you could make the exact same argument about him.

Heck, Budo too.

Roadblock goes around saying rhymes all the time.

Stalker, the only black man in the original team, was a friggin' gang leader in Detroit in his back story.

Quick Kick, an asian, dressed like Bruce Lee.

Every single female character was a knockout with huge breasts (at least in the media).

Point is, stereotypes abound in GI Joe, but none were expressed in particularly negative ways. I think it's pretty awesome that so many cultures were represented in a kids toy line/cartoon/comic, all working together as a team. Heck, in the cartoon they went out of their way to emphasize accents too (BBQ, Cross Country, etc). They probably had to be stereotypical to a certain degree to get the point across to kids, that no matter what background, colour or creed, you could still be a "Real American Hero".

 

[kl241]

That looks like Johnny Cash.

Or Rambo's down-syndromed brother played by Frank Stallone.

 

[DPrime]

Something like that would be completely out of Sideshow's hands.

I know, but I'd almost rather not see him made at all if it can't have the original name. I hate seeing stuff like "Agent Courtney "Cover Girl" Krieger", etc.

If Stalker came with a bone through his nose, a Zulu spear and a cheetah print loin cloth, you'd have a better argument.

Like I said in the other post, the only black guy on the team was a former gang member.

And when they finally added a second black guy to the team, he was a freakin' amateur rapper.

Not stereotypes?

 

[MANDO]

So on the subject of races and discrimination and all that, is anyone offended by Cross Country bearing the Confederate Flag???

The original figure had it sculpted in just not painted, and v2 has it on his back.

 

[karamazov80]

Like Spirit, he's just demonstrating his heritage, man. His heritage as a racist bigot in the south.

Didn't he wear a confederate hat, too?

 

[MANDO]

Didn't he wear a confederate hat, too?

Yep, and the second one had acid-washed jeans. True story.

 

[thenammagazine]

So on the subject of races and discrimination and all that, is anyone offended by Cross Country bearing the Confederate Flag???

The original figure had it sculpted in just not painted, and v2 has it on his back.

Absolutely!

Like Spirit, he's just demonstrating his heritage, man. His heritage as a racist bigot in the south.

Didn't he wear a confederate hat, too?

Yeah, I remember this guy and remember, even as a kid, passing up the kickass vehicle he came with because I had no desire to own him solely because of that being my perception of him (even though, now that I think about it, he was probably made to appeal to some of the Dukes of Hazzard audience).

 

[FLOSI]

Or Rambo's down-syndromed brother played by Frank Stallone.

And starring Frank Stallone as 'Spirit'

 

[thenammagazine]

And starring Frank Stallone as 'Spirit'

I always bust up when I stumble across one of his movies/videos. He's budget Sylvester.

 

[Skiman]

This is awesome!!!!

 

[Chris-R]

Like I said in the other post, the only black guy on the team was a former gang member.

I can buy that. the Armed Forces are a way out of that life for many inner city kids. Join up, see the world... that sort of thing

And when they finally added a second black guy to the team, he was a freakin' amateur rapper.

Not stereotypes?

If you listen to his delivery, Roadblock in the cartoon sounded a lot like Dolemite.

I hated the representation of Roadblock on the cartoon as a kid. He was cooler in the comic. Especially in issue 23, when he and Duke were tracking Major Bludd and the Baroness in the Alps.

I agree with nam. Spirit was pretty bad. His gun even shot arrows.

 

[FLOSI]

I can buy that. the Armed Forces are a way out of that life for many inner city kids. Join up, see the world... that sort of thing



If you listen to his delivery, Roadblock in the cartoon sounded a lot like Dolemite.

I hated the representation of Roadblock on the cartoon as a kid. He was cooler in the comic. Especially in issue 23, when he and Duke were tracking Major Bludd and the Baroness in the Alps.

I agree with nam. Spirit was pretty bad. His gun even shot arrows.

Most Joes were... I need to get my old comis out.

 

[Skiman]

TOONS FTW!!!!! until I get my hands on some comics...

 

[Khev]

No, but neither did Storm Shadow stroll around in traditional Japanese attire when not geared up for a mission.

So you didn't like how Spirit was portrayed in the comics. That doesn't mean his design was any more culturally insulting than Storm Shadow. If you go by the toon (where no one ever changed clothes) or the toy then Spirit is still less traditional in his attire than SS.

I agree with nam. Spirit was pretty bad. His gun even shot arrows.

"Arrows" is kind of a stretch. Darts? Sure. So I take it you were offended that SS used arrows as well then?

 

[FLOSI]

TOONS FTW!!!!! until I get my hands on some comics...

Old school Marvel, pick up a TPB, Ski! Amazing stuff!

Joe Comics >>>>> toons

And knowing is half the battle!