A connection between cartoon Transformers and Joe, Fanon alert! Options

[Moroboshi Ataru]

Okay, so we know that the G.I. Joe cartoon and TF cartoon apparently take place in the same universe, via several links (Marissa being Flint's daughter, Old Snake, synthoids...I guess Hector Ramirez, although that's more of an "in-joke" cameo.)

Well, from time to time, I've thought of that early G1 episode that depicted the Autobots aiding the humans on how to develop technology to counter the Decepticons; Chip Chase was shown working at a plant/assembly line designing and manufacturing such tech, when the Decepticons attacked, Prime was injured (Later shot in the chest by Laserbeak), etc. And in any case, the technology by 2005-6 that the humans had was leaps and bounds ahead.

Pure fanon, but I figure this is as good an explanation as any as to why G.I. Joe would have such advanced weaponry (Laser rifles, hovercraft, etc) for the 1980's; Autobots help humans to improve tech, tech filters into hands of U.S. Army, Cobra steals secrets from scientists (This tendency is mentioned in Cobra Commander's file card) and gets their own. If you look at vehicles like the HAVOC, they look just like something that an Autobot on Cybertron would turn into.

Just a fun way of connecting things that I worked out. Sure, the Joe cartoon started airing earlier, chronologically, but the actual timeline within the shows themselves is ill-defined.

This post has been edited by Ataru: May 13 2009, 11:03 AM

[Pony of Merak]

Interesting theory Ataru, I think the same about veHicles like the Cibra H.I.S.S Tank and the Joe's Sky Hammer they really look something like a pretender´s vehicle mode.

[TheTurnipKing]

Personally, I'd rather see a Ben 10/Transformers Animated crossover...

[Copper Bezel]

Aw hael no. Titans or nothing. Srsly.

But for further srlsies - that relationship did happen in the G2 comic, so why not? The problem is that each show is iffy, in-joke canon in each other's universe, so you can't really say that it's "why" it happens that way - just a weird little potential connection.

[Detour]

Interesting theory, but given the fact that GIJoe used laser guns over a year before Transformers awoke on Earth kind of puts a kink in that.

[Moroboshi Ataru]

Yep, like I mentioned, the Joe cartoon came out earlier in the real world, but the chronology within the shows' universe doesn't necessarily have to synch up with reality. In any case, my first and only dip into fanon. (Welllll, some might call me on some contributions to AHM threads. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif) )

As a spinoff thought, I like the Animated characters for showing up in a world where very advanced tech already exists thanks to Megatron/Sumdac. The Autobots are popular with citizens, but because of their heroism, not simply because they're really big, advanced robots, and they don't always get respect (Rooting through garbage, having old man yell at them, having kid ask where the trailer goes... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif) )

This post has been edited by Ataru: May 13 2009, 02:24 PM

[Fortress Ironhol...]

Interesting theory Ataru, I think the same about veHicles like the Cibra H.I.S.S Tank and the Joe's Sky Hammer they really look something like a pretender´s vehicle mode.

The HISS Tank was nothing more than a glorified infantry fighting vehicle.

Its weapons were, according to the instructions, a pair of self-reloading grenade launchers (60 mm?); that's light enough to threaten infantry, light vehicles, and some structures, but not heavy enough for prolonged combat.

Additionally, the name stands for "High Speed Sentry" tank; its shape allows for both aerodynamics and the ability to ford water.

Plus, if you remove the turret (incredibly easy to do), you've got what appears to be space inside to seat about a squad of Cobra soldiers with full gear. The rear would have most likely been where the exit hatch would have been.

All in all, the purpose of the thing was to rush in, lay down fire, drop off a squad of troops (or recover them) and get out of there. It was never meant to be used as a main battle tank, contrary to how it was always shown in fiction. The Crimson Attack Tank, a redeco of the MOBAT, would have been a better choice as the tank was a glorified M60 MBT.


For the Skyhawk, it appears to be an overly-simplified Harrier that's been reduced down to the literal bare minimum (such that there have been questions raised as to whether or not it could actually fly in real life).



Really, the Joe and Cobra arsenal didn't get too terribly unrealistic until ca. 1991, when Hasbro was trying to compete with series like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and others that didn't feel the need to play around in anything even remotely resembling reality.

[TheTurnipKing]

Interesting theory, but given the fact that GIJoe used laser guns over a year before Transformers awoke on Earth kind of puts a kink in that.

There are other potential sources for those weapons. Bear in mind that the Beast Wars would have been fought in and around the vicinity of the Ark, so other advanced robotic artifacts could have been recovered in the area. Indeed, underground mining for further advanced artifacts might have been what triggered the explosion that reacticated Teletraan 1.

There's wiggle room there.

[Moroboshi Ataru]

Heh, now we're getting into the vicinity of the Devil's Due crossover, where Cobra discovered the Ark. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif)

[Chris McFeely]

This actually works better than you'd think, at least as far as Japanese continuity is concerned - according to the huge ol' timeline published in the Kiss Players graphic novel, in Japanese cartoon continuity, G.I. Joe isn't actually formed until the early 1990s. So there ya go. Ain't no fanon! Lasers ahoy!

This post has been edited by Chris McFeely: May 13 2009, 04:40 PM

[Fortress Ironhol...]

Interesting theory, but given the fact that GIJoe used laser guns over a year before Transformers awoke on Earth kind of puts a kink in that.

There are other potential sources for those weapons. Bear in mind that the Beast Wars would have been fought in and around the vicinity of the Ark, so other advanced robotic artifacts could have been recovered in the area. Indeed, underground mining for further advanced artifacts might have been what triggered the explosion that reacticated Teletraan 1.

There's wiggle room there.

In real life, the US military was researching lasers for combat use in the late 1970s / early 1980s.

[Moroboshi Ataru]

I love how the Joe line in the 80's took a lot of inspiration from real-world military prototypes and concepts, and had an eye on what was in development. Just in terms of the thought put into it, I can appreciate it, somewhat in the same sense that I enjoy, say, some of Masamune Shirow's work for being extremely well-researched, and merging liberal creativity with actual ideas in play out there (Though Shirow admittedly goes into much, muuuuch more detail and depth...'cuz he can.) Nonetheless, Larry Hama and Hasbro really crafted that world in great detail, overall.

Even the more obscure Joes like Sky Patrol got great write-ups; their communications specialist was basically MacGuyver, in terms of coming up with equipment from gum and duct tape, another was a combat artist whose drawings are so detailed that the patrol used them instead of official maps, etc.

This post has been edited by Ataru: May 14 2009, 11:56 AM

[Fortress Ironhol...]

Even the more obscure Joes like Sky Patrol got great write-ups; their communications specialist was basically MacGuyver, in terms of coming up with equipment from gum and duct tape, another was a combat artist whose drawings are so detailed that the patrol used them instead of official maps, etc.

Unfortunately, tho, 1990-1992 was also the period where they started getting new copy writers in at Hasbro.

SP Airborne was supposed to have been the original 1983/4 Airborne, but the new guy botched it and created an entirely new character from scratch. Likewise, the 1991 Mercer redid him as a completely new guy because the writer didn't realize he was working with an original character. IIRC, there were a few other guys from the period who had their bios hugged with as well. Then there was the fact that each one of Low-Light's figure releases listed an entirely different state for his place of birth (his 1986 and 1991 versions had one state, while his 1989 and 1993 versions had the other).


Sadly, it happened again in 2002. Lifeline and Sidetrack got their bios chucked so that someone could give props to their buddies; although the copy writer in question was later fired, Hasbro's packaging department erroneously used the bad Lifeline bio for his Anti-Venom 6-pack release. Interestingly enough, Lifeline's new bio implies that he's the 1993 character Robo-Joe returned to normal.