Why do most Gi Joe fans dislike Duke

[punishment-101]

Some nice replies. One person mentioned about Duke always being too "goody-good" or something like that, but at the same time, wasn't Optimus Prime the same way in the G1 TF cartoon?

 

 

That was me who said that Duke was to goody goody but what does Optimus Prime have to do with GI Joe?

 

My thoughts basically center around what Straight Edge said a few posts up, minus the fanfic evisceration, although that doesn't sound like a bad idea, thanks Straight edge.

[CapnJeffro]

Up until this topic I didn't even know there was an over-whelming distaste for the First Shirt of GI Joe. Duke has always been one of my favorites, with his v4 being my all time favorite renditioning of the character. Sure, he's over used, but that has, for the most part, been the case of main and well liked characters in toy lines - especially in the last 6 or 7 years.

[Eric]

I think it's important to point out that, for myself, what I said about Duke and not being his biggest fan applies to a lot of characters. Further, there are guys I dislike, where as with Duke it's more a feeling of indifference.

 

I suppose if Duke is expected to have some inherent greatness because of his position on the team or background and is therefore held to a higher likability standard, he deserves special mention for falling short of that, but otherwise, I don't think I'd single him out above any other characters.

[Viper Hunter]

I doubt using the term "most fans" is accurate either, and should be SOME fans don't like Duke.

 

I'd be willing to bet more fans dislike Snake Eyes than fans who dislike Duke?

 

The cartoon shoved Duke down our throats while the comic book apparently tried to make SE Spider Man? @lol@

[Gentleman]

Personally, I always hated Duke as an action figure. Well, at least V1. I remember being so mad at Hasbro for making a tough dude like Duke look like a joke in his plastic incarnation.

 

But that also happened with many other characters. For example, Flint. As a kid, I thought the figure was a joke. But, unlike with Duke, I grew to like the figure and it's one of my favorites. Not so with Duke. He's always been shite in my book.

 

Over and out.

[Kenny28]

I find the "goody goody" arguement kinda weak, honestly....it was the 80's. alot of 80's cartoon leader characters were disgustingly goody goody. It was all campy good guys vs bad guys half hour commercials...some pretty AWESOME commercials, but still...

[Toiletmonkey1]

Wheres chazz when you need him?

 

p.s i like duke

 

why i love duke

 

TM

[FUGAYZIE]

ive always liked the toon character of duke, never really did get into the comic. Yeah he was a bit of a goody goody but he was still a great character none the less.

[JayC]

I was never aware of any overly hatred of Duke by the fans. Like with most the characters, their portrayal in the cartoon was very different then it was in the comic. In the beginining Hawk was non-existant in the cartoon, where I don't recall Duke ever really having a strong presence in the Marvel days of the comic. Other then the story were he is tranporting Cobra Commander as a prisoner and Storm Shadow rescues him, I can't recall Duke really in the comic back then. I never disliked Duke but I did think it was funny how in the cartoon, he was always getting captured. In each of the first 3 mini-series Duke got captured by Cobra.

[ronin]

Skarapz - good one with that serpent stab remark. Can't stop laughing. LOL.

 

I never had a problem with Duke's character. Am a fan of both the comic and cartoon so I was genuinely interested in both the visual and character aspects of all the Joes and Cobras.

 

Duke makes for a great field leader on the team.

 

As for Duke's place in the cartoon leadership ranks, I think Flint's reply to Beach Head solves it in a nutshell:

 

BEACH HEAD

Huh-huh. Very funny. Now, if I was in charge....

 

FLINT

But you aren't, Beach Head. First comes Hawk, then Duke, then me, and finally...you.

[MarvelBoy1974]

I LOVE DUKE. My first exposure to GIJOE was via the cartoon and not the comic. I loved how Duke and Scarlett had a relationship. To me Duke was the Cyclops of GIJOE and Scarlett was the Jean Grey of GIJOE. Snake Eyes is the Wolverine of GIJOE secretly in love with Scarlett. Then in 1986 I saw General Hawk as the leader and was like, WTF? It wasn't until I started reading the comic book back issues that I disovered that Hawk came before Duke, and that Scarlett was with SE. The wierd part is that I like Hawk and Duke equally now. and Scarlett's relationship with SE has grown on me. There is just something about Duke that makes him stand out above other Joes.

 

 

In addition I always thought that Snake Eyes was the most over exposed. To me the stars of GIJOE will always be Duke, Scarlett, Cobra Commander. and the Baroness.

[pesatyel]

I LOVE DUKE. My first exposure to GIJOE was via the cartoon and not the comic. I loved how Duke and Scarlett had a relationship. To me Duke was the Cyclops of GIJOE and Scarlett was the Jean Grey of GIJOE. Snake Eyes is the Wolverine of GIJOE secretly in love with Scarlett. Then in 1986 I saw General Hawk as the leader and was like, WTF? It wasn't until I started reading the comic book back issues that I disovered that Hawk came before Duke, and that Scarlett was with SE. The wierd part is that I like Hawk and Duke equally now. and Scarlett's relationship with SE has grown on me. There is just something about Duke that makes him stand out above other Joes.

 

 

In addition I always thought that Snake Eyes was the most over exposed. To me the stars of GIJOE will always be Duke, Scarlett, Cobra Commander. and the Baroness.

 

 

Snake Eyes IS the most over exposed. Hell, for awhile it was G.I. Joe Starring Snake Eyes. I

'm sure had it lasted, it would have become Snake Eyes _{and some other G.I. Joes}.

[hamsterboy]

The only hatred I know of for Duke comes from Larry Hama. Read in an interview once on how much he hated Duke. Maybe that's where the idea about fans not liking him came from?

[blaster_e11]

remember that in france we only had the cartoon

 

still i don't like duke, because :

 

- i prefer flint as the leader of my team

- he tried and stole SE's babe

 

[Pit Viper]

I think another problem with Duke is that he only had that one ONE figure for so long. On the cartoon he was portrayed as the main character but it seemed like no kid actually had him.

[Big_Iron]

I like Duke just fine in the Comic and Cartoon...the only problem I had with Duke was his Figure...Green pants and a Tan Shirt...he wasn't green enough for the Jungle or Khaki enough for the Desert..I usually just popped his head onto another body so he could join whatever squad was going out on OPS....

[MaceWinduPreview]

I don't get the question... I don't see how or haven't noticed anyone stating they HATE Duke. Duke for me is like Captain America to the Avengers..

 

You want to dislike a commander, start with General Hawk, what exactly does his character do ? Oh yeah, stand back from a distance and bark orders that the Joes must follow but that Duke sometimes has to adjust b/c he has his ear to the ground and is on top of things.

[DPrime]

You want to dislike a commander, start with General Hawk, what exactly does his character do ? Oh yeah, stand back from a distance and bark orders that the Joes must follow but that Duke sometimes has to adjust b/c he has his ear to the ground and is on top of things.

 

Say wha???

 

http://www.yojoe.com/filecard/86/hawk2.shtml

[Rodimus Primal]

For me the introduction to GI Joe was through the cartoon so obviously I liked Duke's character as commander. I prefer him over Sgt Slaughter that's for sure. I originally disliked Hawk but began to like him more than Duke. I think its just the original toy that stunk.

[Eric]

The only hatred I know of for Duke comes from Larry Hama. Read in an interview once on how much he hated Duke. Maybe that's where the idea about fans not liking him came from?

 

I'd forgotten, but I read that, too. It was in an issue of Wizard Magazine or ToyFare. He said he didn't like Serpentor, either, among others.

[RobbieDigital]

As I kid I remember being more of a Flint guy than Duke......no apparent reason.....I think it was because I liked the Flint figure more than Duke......I just thought he was cooler....when I was younger thats all that mattered to me....I don't hate Duke in any way.....just never really got into him....plus they kinda made him a hard ass in the movie for Falcon's development. Which I thought was a waste.....its a shame.

[Eric]

The only hatred I know of for Duke comes from Larry Hama. Read in an interview once on how much he hated Duke. Maybe that's where the idea about fans not liking him came from?

 

I'd forgotten, but I read that, too. It was in an issue of Wizard Magazine or ToyFare. He said he didn't like Serpentor, either, among others.

 

To follow up, I found the issue of ToyFare. Larry's top 5 were (from 1 to 5): Serpentor, Sgt. Slaughter, The Fridge, Duke, and D.E.F. (Drug Elimination Force). I think he was partially relating them to how he used them (or couldn't use them) in the comic after their creation (either as toys or characters). Anyway, Larry Hama's direct quote on Duke:

 

"Duke never really jelled in my head. I made him first sergeant, but he never really fulfilled that purpose. The company commander is like the good cop and the first sergeant is the bad cop. Duke just always seemed like an afterthought."

 

So, there you have it, whatever "it" is.