Unmasking the Real Heroes: Dan Klingensmith Jr. on Preserving G.I. Joe’s Untold Legacy
Serpentorslair Interviews Creating G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero author Dan Klingensmith Jr.
What motivated you to take on such a massive undertaking?
What motivated me: Back in 2008 or 2009, I read an interview with Ron Rudat on YoJoe.com where he expressed that Marketing often received all the credit for the work he had done. At the time, I was working—and still work—in a team-based environment, and I knew firsthand that it takes a collaborative effort to make something as impactful as G.I. Joe a success. That statement stuck with me. It inspired me to dig deeper and uncover the full story by interviewing as many people as I could across the different departments that brought the brand to life during the ’80s and ’90s.
Share with us some details about the process?
The Process: The journey began by reaching out to several original team members who worked on G.I. Joe. I knew early on that without their support, the book wouldn’t get off the ground. From 2010 to 2014, I spent countless hours tracking people down, conducting interviews, and learning about their specific contributions to the brand. After several unsuccessful attempts to land a major publisher, I shifted gears and decided to self-publish. I continued on that path until finally securing the license in 2022. Creating the books was a massive undertaking—hours upon hours of interviews, scanning artwork, and pouring over old memos to uncover the rich history behind the characters and vehicles.
One of my favorite discoveries came from a memo revealing that Short-Fuze was originally intended to be the third character to receive a new head sculpt in 1983. In addition to writing the majority of the content (with Kirk Bozigian contributing to the “History of G.I. Joe” section in Volumes 1–4), I also took on the design and layout of all 15 books. A former Packaging Director offered early encouragement to push my creative boundaries with design, and my dad occasionally helped clean up some of the artwork. Final Thoughts: I’m incredibly proud of how the book series turned out. Along the way, I’ve met so many amazing people in the Joe community and formed lasting friendships with many former Hasbro team members. I’m honored that they trusted me to tell their stories and to share content that was never originally intended to be seen. It’s been a privilege to preserve and celebrate a brand that means so much to all of us.
If you’re interested in purchasing the books, please visit
https://www.creatinggijoe.com/
