How to Fully Enjoy the G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra Movie

As the time for the premiere of the new G.I. Joe movie ("G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra") comes near, it may be a good idea for you to get a basic primer on the world of G.I. Joe. As a child of the 80's, I ate, slept, and drank G.I. Joe in my pre-teen years, and the affinity for all things Joe has not left me to this day. I can remember getting the action figures, cutting out the file cards on the back of the packages, and filing them away like I was a covert intelligence officer. For the uninitiated, the upcoming G.I. Joe movie may be a little confusing if you're not familiar with the characters, and with the two main opposing forces (G.I. Joe and Cobra). This article was written with the G.I. Joe novice in mind, to help him/her get ready to watch and enjoy the upcoming blockbuster with confidence.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Some G.I. Joe comic books
• Some G.I. Joe cartoon videos
• Money for the actual G.I. Joe movie

1. Learn who the good guys and bad guys are. The most basic point to remember is that G.I. Joe represents all that is good, and Cobra represents all that is evil. G.I. Joe is a special operations unit, so secret that the U.S. Government doesn't even officially acknowledge that they exist. Each member of G.I. Joe is a highly trained expert in their individual field. Some of the most popular characters on the good side are Hawk, Snake Eyes, and Scarlett. Cobra is an evil organization whose sole purpose is to wreak havoc in all nations so as to bring about a rule of absolute power. Some of the most popular characters on the Cobra side are Cobra Commander, Destro, Baroness, and Storm Shadow.

2. Learn the friendships and rivalries and within each camp. For instance, every G.I. Joe fan knows that the number-one rivalry that exists is between the two ninjas, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. I haven't met a man my age that did not want to be one of those two characters in his younger years. Snake Eyes always wears black, and Storm Shadow always wears white. Also, on the friendship side, keep in mind certain special connections, such as Snake Eyes with Scarlett and Destro with Baroness.

3. It may do you some good to go to your local video rental store and rent the old G.I. Joe cartoons that used to come on television. When I say I grew up on those cartoons, I really did. The cartoons will really help you get a grasp of the type of conflicts that G.I. Joe and Cobra used to engage in when the television series was running. It will also give you some additional insight into the main characters and their personalities as well.

4. Last but not least, if you can get a hold of some of the older G.I. Joe comic books, they are solid gold. I still have quite a few of them from the mid-1980's, and they're like a treasure trove to me. One of the best ones you could ever read is G.I. Joe Number 21, where Snake Eyes covertly breaks into the Cobra compound to rescue Scarlett...the coolest thing about it is that there is no written dialogue in the entire comic book-the whole story is told with pictures only. Most G.I. Joe comic fans agree that it is a masterpiece.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember: Knowing is half the battle!
• Get to the theater early on August 7th (2009) for this one...you want to make sure that you have a seat!!!

Resources

• Official G.I. Joe movie site