Raptors verse is so tight, his self custom has a 401K.

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Nope - A pension. and 24 more years to retirement.

I posted my "verse" description a while back an no one read it - Too long and dreadfully dull. It was my mission to make G.I. Joe exist in the real world, and I figured out how to do it. Then it became my world.

But since then, I've run a number of parallel universes. After all, my favourite vehicle is still the swampsmasher.

- R

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Mine as a sub group of GI Joe that investigate the paranormal. Aliens, ghosts, other dimensional things....

So, who really knows how unrealistic it is...(creepy music)

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this thread just now made me realize that, for the most part, my joeverse is ARAH '82-'85 or '86.

with a little master collector thrown in for flavor. aaaand the superhero & other customs i've done that take a superhero 'persona' and make them into someone who could have been an ARAH 82-86 figure. Like my Alpha Flight team, etc. They aren't really superheroes anymore, but the essence of the character morphed into a Joe-like team.
so, as far out there as i go is ninjas and robots and clones... mostly.

that's as realistic as it gets.

my toy collection, on the other hand, is all over the place... literally. My wife is begging me to finish the joe room so i can put all this stuff in one room..

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I think this is a very good topic.

I think my JOEverse is pretty realistic nowadays, but back when I was younger I did have a bit more 'looser' universe.

Since one played with the figures that one had, it wasn't difficult to have the JOEs, Star Wars, Buck Rogers, and other lines crossing over. Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow sparred with Luke Skywalker, while Wild Bill flew the Millenium Falcon when Han was in carbonite.

If I remember right, I think I had the JOEs entering some sort of inter-galactic transporter that moved them from Earth into space. Boy am I glad there wasn't any movie to come along that was like that!

[looks at Stargate]




As I've said before, I was always more of a Marvel guy than a Cartoon guy. Nothing more than I didn't get the channel from NYC (Channel 11?) that carried it.

That said, I don't think everyone has laser pistols or rifles. Flash has a laser rifle that is more of a work industry laser. Sci-Fi has the next-gen version. The Laser-Vipers have two different types: one to cut and one to target designate.

Snake-Eyes is not super-human. He is an extremely dedicated soldier who is proficient in many skills. He is a commando first, and a ninja second. He straddles both worlds, using the skills learned from both sides to make him who he is. He is not a member of every single subteam and is used on the missions that require him.

Hawk is the head of the GIJOE team, whether it's a 13 person squad or the bigger unit.

Duke is an old warhorse that realizes he is nearing the end of his military career. He wants to be the field leader and not just a desk jockey, but is gradually seeing the need for the next wave of JOEs.

It might be blasphemy to some, but Alpine and Bazooka don't go on missions together. I have never understood why an anti-tank guy would be paired up with a mountain climber. I can see them as teammates that reported to the JOEs at the same time and are good friends in the barracks at HQ.

Cobra Commander is a serious threat. He can not be trusted and uses every means necessary to achieve his goals. He has studied the famous leaders of history and shares many of the same traits, even if he fails to think he does. Like every bad villain, he has no problems shooting the messenger, shooting underlings for no reason, and using intimidation tactics on her subordinates. He is a cross of the comics and the cartoon, meaning he is driven like the comics but his plans fail like the cartoon. His major flaw is that he has no formal military training and thinks he knows everything about tactics & strategy. He's just a former used car slaeman from Springfield that was driven to fight back. This has to be this way so that there is tension in Cobra whenever Serpentor (the very symbol of military leadership. strategy, & tactics) comes around.

I think many of us have looked at some of the various characters and have come up with own way of using them (see thread title) or making them acceptable/believable.
I think that my universe is pretty tame and realistic, although with some suspension of disbelief. I strive for realism to the point I had to explain to myself where all the new JOEs come from-that's where my idea for the GIJOE Recruiter and the GIJOE Recruitment Reserves came from.

I look at each character and decide how to use them. For some there is only one 'look' for them. For example, Duke will mostly always be wearing his v1 uniform. However, I could see him is a Class A uniform for more formal situations, or wearing appropriate gear in certain environs (cold weather jacket over the v1 uniform). Ace will only be the pilot of the Skystriker, any other versions are different pilots (gray Ace is the Skystriker RIO, the F-16 one is a new character). There is only one Lifeline and anyone with the same codename (Sky Patrol Airborne, SideTrack vs Sidetrack, the two Long Range's, Thunderwing) is given a different one to avoid confusion. Bio-Vipers, Monstro-Vipers, and the Venom troops are limited in operation-they are more of lab accidents (the stuff of horror movies). Any of the surgically altered Cobra troops are okay (Strato-Viper, Hydro-Viper, etc). Croc Master v2 is wearing green body paint to blend in with the crocs. Serpentor is usable, given he's created from recovered DNA, but all his combined memories and thoughts are not real-they are historical notes he was subjected to while in the cloning vat (like Blanka in the Streetfighter movie). Robo-Joe. Robo-Joe is just a guy that has some prosthetic appendages and some computer interfaces that enable him to have movement (sort of a cross between a good unpowered Darth Vader and the six Million Dollar Man). I think he's more of a disabled soldier given the opportunity to be of use again. Dr. Mindbender v2 is more of a suit that has a bunch of tech gear that allows him to work in the field rather than cybernetic implants. There is no Lunatrix aliens or Cobra-La. Well, maybe Cobra-La if it is more of a 'cult' that dresses funny (think a non-powered Hellfire Club, cosplay, or the people that surgically turn themselves into animals) and is 'brainwashing' converts into thinking there are an ancient race.


Many of the vehicles do require the some adjusting to fit in. Many are awesome designs, while others are just meh...

-Destro's AGP (not 'anti-gravity' but powerful engines)
-SHARC: classic design, but used mostly 99% as a mini-sub. 1% Flying (flys and dives like jet skis do)
-Trubble Bubble: powerful engines for short flights and minimum ceilings
-Sky Hawk: nice design, but unrealistic. The 'bumblebee' of the JOE motor pool
-POGO: neat design, but rough on teeth and stomachs. I think it could be used as a cross between a Super Battle Droid and a Spider Droid for the BATs
-Sea Slug: only used as a water vehicle. No gliders.
-MCC: Won't fit in a C-5 to transport, so must be shipped by roll on/roll off Navy ships. Usually disguised as a building and only moves for defense purposes (disguise lost and imminent threat of destruction)
-BF 2000 Future Fortress: never used, 6 vehicles vs 1 Fortress? I'll take the vehicles
-Despoiler: sorta Destro's version of an air chariot...meh
-Arctic Blast: open cockpit cold weather vehicle? Hello, Blockbuster!
-Condor: Cobra experimental plane-not meant for combat
-Evader: modded motorcyle
-Razorback-based off of a construction vehicle like the Earthquake
-Mudfighter: more of an experimental plane
-Dominator: a tank/helo combo? not used
-General: used as a land version of the TTBP
-Retaliator: not used-Updraft flies the Locust (Dragonfly), or the one-man Locust
-Fort America: Ugggh! Clutch actually made this from salvaged junk parts and turned it into a fountain
-Patriot: so-so idea, but needs better tracks and propulsion
-1992 HQ: folding wings? not really used
-Armorbot: Destro saw ROTJ and wanted a chicken walker for MARS to sell
-Ninja Force ones: stationary training aids/parade floats



I guess that I am of two minds.

1) I want to have every member of the team be alive and all the vehicles in use

but

2) I have to accept that there are age issues, limited years allowed to serve in the military, injuries, teammembers coming in, teammembers leaving, etc. That's where the realism comes from.

And the fun of customizing and creating new characters!


I think I do accept some crossover ideas, as long as they are grounded in some form of reality.

-The JOEs could work with Scooby-Do, but he doesn't talk (more like Junkyard or Order) and the gang is more of a serious/credible team of experts. Not cartoony in any way, but could even be called, "Agent Fred ______, Agent Daphne ________, Agent Velma ______"

-Freddy Krueger and Jason could exist, but they aren't supernatural. They are just two serial killers with a penchant for melodrama and costumes.

-Stargate is just a theory. No active fields troops or trips.

Doc Brown could be a scientist/inventor that is kidnapped by Cobra. No time travel, no flying DeLoreans, and no hoverboards.

-There are no mutants with superpowers, however I can accept people that are born different due to some genetic chance of fate (extra fingers, siamese twins, etc)

-I can accept individuals like the Punisher, Black Widow, and other non-powered individuals. If they are trained by the military or other agencies, yes. If they use any type of mechanical devices (Scorpion, etc), or have a meta-gene (Black Canary), or are based on mythology (Thor, Wonder Woman)-no. No aliens from doomed planets, no themed costume vigilantes (Batman).

-Professor Henry Jones Jr could be referred to as an author of a textbook or an old college lecturer. Used for information. Could even be brought in to discuss his OSS war service or talk about a specific situation he encountered in his youth that the JOEs are looking into because of Cobra. No magic, no supernatural stuff...

-Lara Croft Tomb Raider brought in for archeological expertise. Again, no supernatural stuff, no magic, no T-Rex dinosaurs.

-Movies and TV shows can be referenced, either as entertainment or as 'real' depending on the situation. Example: Ghostbusters could be the informal nickname of some guys from NYC (like the Mythbusters) that do paranormal research. Whatever 'ghost hunting' gear they might have is untested, they mostly just do investigative work. The events of the movie haven't happened and probably won't-it's the idea they are in the same universe.

Or JOEs going to Hawaii and meeting a certain Detroit Tigers ballcap wearing PI that drives a red Ferrari.

Or a few of the JOEs that served in Viet Nam interacted with the guys from Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Tour of Duty.


-Jake Grafton from the Stephen Coonts novels is one of the Jugglers.

-Dale Brown's main character McLanahan(sp?) helped develop the X-19 for the JOEs.

-Doc Savage and his group could be a thinktank. He's called the 'Man of Bronze' because of his fondness for sunbathing.

-Mack Bolan met Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Stalker, and Wade Collins in Viet Nam. They also met Nile Barrabas too.

-James Bond can either be a book series, a movie series, or a fellow agent.

If a fellow agent, then substitute Cobra for Spectre:

"Do you expect me to talk, Baroness?"
"No, Commander Bond, Dahling, I expect you to die!"

(Personally I think 007 invading one of Cobra's over the top HQ's from the cartoon would be cool)

It's just liking something and then finding a plausible way to fit it in, even if it does conveniently ignore some aspects. Throw in the Hobbits, even if it means having the JOEs driving past a movie theatre and seeing fans in costumes.




-No Transformers.

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My joe verse is everywhere, Any repaint of a figure becomes fodder for new subgroups. Repaint vehicles or vehicles I don't like anymore get thrown togeather to make new ones. I got one LBC guy that's my super star, He goes on all the missions first. He takes on everything by himself and can ask for back up. The Enemy is cobra but mainly small tangents in varied weather fronts.

The Scope is huge of the 'verse. It used to be realistic, But reality sucks, So i went with more fantasy. So from the Deserts to Space with the Shuttle. Missions to other planets in prototype vehicles that usually get crashed on what ever planet they go to. Helping natives to Cobra to rid the universe of all different alien types. Most of my star wars stuff is used to compliment this idea. Light sabers are laser blasts. acc are just alien tech. A few times he teams up with Spartan 117 to take on some elite's and brutes which need big weapon support.

Fantasy > Reality.

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My joe-verse is as realistic as the comic book was, I think. Really, it follows the comic continuity up until the first Cobra civil war. In my joe-verse, Serpentor won (full description here). It's also quite a bit darker. I don't have aliens, and no ghosts as of yet. I do have mind control (Crystal Ball), a cyborg (Overkill), cybernetic limb replacements and enhancements (Golobulus, Lt. Stone), artificially created humans (Serpentor, of course, and Nemesis Enforcer), and the living dead (Mindbender and the venom troops). I also have the usual joe-style unrealistic vehicles like mechs, giant airships, mobile prisons, and the like. As far as other universes, I tend to try to keep my joe-verse pure, though I did incorporate Mikaela Banes from the Transformers movie. The Transformers comics did an alternate universe version of the movie where Megatron won and she becomes an underground resistance fighter. I thought the character was interesting and didn't have anything inherently 'transformerish' about her, so I included her. But other than that, I don't think I'll be bringing in any other properties (though I do blend Joe-lines...I've already done Lt. Stone from S6 and Iron Klaw from Extreme. I have plans for Action Man and Sgt. Savage at some point).

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Unrealistic in the fact that people don't die.

Other than the occasional Master Chief or Splinter Cell or Col. Nick Fury appearance it is fairly realistic.

I have GI Joe as a dept under the Defense department. Semper Paratus (Thanks Coast Guard) and all that rot. I have new Code Names for all the double dipped characters because GI Joe needs as many troops as it can. I include Action Man, Sgt Savage, Master Chief, Agent Fischer from splinter cell, Nick Fury, Sgt Slaughter, pretty much everyone i can!

I have probably have 20 sub team

(Anti-Venom Task Force, Tiger Force, Night Force, Eco Warriors, Mega Marines, Heavy Assault Squad, Desert Patrol, Winter Operations, Battle Corps, DEF, Ninja Force, Sky Patrol, BF2K,Renegades, Green Shirts, Steel Brigade, Special Missions Force, Marauders,Flight Wing, Air Cavalry, Star Brigade, Naval Ops, SEAL Team, Command Staff, Screaming Eagles, Intelligence Corps, Security Team, IT Department, Medical Corps, Original 13, Adventure Team)

So beyond People not dieing I keep it pretty real! I kind of like Raptors response

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This is a man with good taste in vehicles.

Focusing solely on my Joes, some of the shifts I've made towards realism, include Cobra-La now originates from one of Cobra's bleeding edge bio-tech labs. Golobulus is basically something of a mad scientist, who's experimented on himself, and whoever else happenes to be in the room, when the mood strikes him. Serpentor never happened. Due to the age of the corpses, all they were able to collect was mitochondrial DNA, which means they had half the DNA of the mothers of the greatest leaders in history. They didn't need a Cobra den mother, so the project was scrapped. (Seriously now, Cobra already has a leader, and he doesn't dress like a reject from the Tick's rogues gallery.)

I also ignore some of the later stuff, like Destro creating his own military organization. He's not a merc, he's an arms merchant. There's a difference.

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um,.. let me put it this way:

My D.E.F. force is commanded by the Punisher

The Super Troopers and Mega Marines use the Mellinum Falcon as a dropship. (and will soon be run by Iron Man)

the Co-pilot for the Defiant is a super Trooper turned Jedi.

a Custom Blade runs the Night Force, while Tiger Force is run by a custom Lion-O.

although Snake eyes runs the Ninjas, he answers to Batman. and (since there are so many snake eyes figures) Snake eyes was cloned, and there is a snake eyes in EVERY combat unit!

Every Combat Unit has either a droid(star wars), Daggit (Battlestar Galactica), Twikki(Buck Rogers), or V.I.N.C.I.E.N.T. (black Hole) in the group.

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My Joeverse is nothing too extraordinary. It's a cross between the cartoon and the comics. Cobra Commander does think up insane world domination schemes, but at the same time, I don't deal with ghosts or zombies. My Joes perform their intended duties, so Roadblock does not fly jets or choppers. Both factions have simple motorpools and nothing bigger than the APC. Both factions have reasonable budgets, so there's no insane air battles. Flight vehicles are mainly used in supporting roles and intel gathering. Sky-Hawks and Trouble-Bubbles fit, but lasers and BAT's, not so much. On a tanget, why are BAT's so popular? I would like to think that if I'm building the perfect automated death machine, it'd bear less resemblence to the human form. The human form is fine for lots of things, but it does have it's drawbacks. Killing machines don't need heads or legs. Robot-wise, PAC-RATS make much more sense. My Joes don't die, they get injured. And the one thing I recently decided is their universe is relatively timeless. They don't age, so the fight against good and evil will wage on until whenever...kinda like Batman vs the Joker.

And on another huge tangent, I've always wondered in real life, how silly Cobra could be in real life. If you can't find them, just follow the customer that places huge orders for Cobra-related apparel or Cobra-themed devices and accents. How many companies need Cobra plaques, statues, and hand-readers.

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my joeverse is very unrealistic, I borrow a huge deal from the cartoon - nobody really dies, Cobras are the worst shots in the world, and Fatal Fluffies are fair game. About the only thing I do divert from is that Bazooka's not an idiot.

Now I wish I could tell ya that i play with my Joes, but I don't anymore, I display them, I put them in dioramas, and generally admire them. All the story stuff happens in my head so really anything goes. It's not to say that I dont acknowledge things like Cobra-la, Ninja Force, Aliens, BF2000 and all the other oddities added to the line's demise, you just wouldn't see them displayed in my collection.

I know G.I. Joe's roots are in the military and some people like it hardcore, cussing, bloodshed and what have you. I like the innocence of the cartoon and play that out in my joeverse accordingly.

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Man, Bolan would've made one hell of a Joe. I'm reading the books every months and they're great!

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In mine, Snake Eyes trained Jack Bauer as a Delta.

C'mon do you think he got that badass all by himself?

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My universe is a cross between Black Hawk Down and Johnny Quest with a little S.H.I.E.L.D. thrown in... Try to stay as close to Hama's idea as possible (Chuck Dixon good choice as writer imho) b/c it should be militarily rooted but not a problem to throw in a little science-fiction! I like the idea that Cobra get hi tech stuff from MARS (That's what separates them from other terrorist group) but GI Joe goes at them at a relatively low tech angle (like the best modern military gear possible but with a rail gun here or there.)

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