General Flagg
Encyclopedia
General Flagg is the code name as well as the rank and surname of two fiction
al characters from the toyline, cartoon and comic series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
.
The two characters are Brigadier General
Lawrence J. Flagg (the USS Flagg
aircraft carrier was named after him) and Brigadier General James L. Flagg III, his son. Five generations of Flaggs before them made careers in the military. Both became commanding officers in the G.I. Joe Team
.
in the US Army. Hailing from a long family line of soldiers, General Flagg served the better part of his life in the Armed Forces. In the 1970s, he was responsible for creating Special Counter-Terrorist Group Delta, in response to rising terrorist threats, especially the evil Cobra Organization
. Flagg dubbed the team G.I. Joe, in honor of the team that had been headed by Lt. Joseph Colton some years before. General Flagg led the team in more of an advisory capacity, choosing Colonel Clayton "Hawk" Abernathy
as field leader, and allowing Hawk to make most of the membership and operations decisions.
run. He was the first commander of the G.I. Joe Team
and appeared in the first issue. He sends the team in to a Cobra fortress to rescue Dr. Adele Burkhardt, a nuclear physicist and pacifist. In the second issue, he sends a four-man Joe team to the arctic circle, to investigate the deaths of military men stationed there. In both situations, he works closely with General Austin, who would be an ally of the Joe team for years to come. He has a cameo directing the disposition of Cobra prisoners and related supplies.
In issue #5, Flagg becomes involved in the action, when Cobra's role in a military parade is uncovered by several men under his command. Flagg goes after Cobra Commander personally. The Cobra Commander fires one shot, creasing Flagg's temple, and then fades into the crowd. When questioned by one of his men why he did not fire back, as he is known for his pistol skills, General Flagg simply looks at several nearby children. He had not fired, because they had been too close to the action.
In issue #19, Cobra forces attack the Joe Headquarters, The Pit
. General Flagg is in the brig, which contains two prisoners, Major Bludd
and a prominent Cobra officer nicknamed "Scarface". Bludd escapes, killing Flagg in the process. General Flagg is buried in Arlington Cemetery, with most of the Joes attending. Cobra tries to attack the funeral with a Rattler plane. Before anyone is actually hurt, two new Joes, Duke
and Roadblock
shoot the plane down. It crashes and explodes in an open field.
In issue #42, the ill General Austin is mis-identified as General Flagg.
", along with his son. The America's Elite series also had General Flagg in a flashback to the early days of G.I. Joe. An undercover operative is using a public payphone to report to General Flagg; the man tries to convince his superior that many Cobra soldiers are not "bad", just confused.
, and a generic Cobra officer. This three-pack came with a reprint of the comic book G.I. Joe issue #5, where all three characters play prominent roles. Flagg's dossier on the package actually used the same text as the earlier "General Flagg" figures, which represented his son.
, Virginia
, is the son of General Lawrence Flagg. He is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute
, and in a short time, he is able to rise up to the rank of Brigadier General.
The figure was repainted and released as part of the "Battle Corps" line in 1993, and both figures came with an armored catapult that actually could shoot small projectiles.
According to his filecard, he always liked to be "in the thick of it" instead of shouting orders from a comfortable position. When leading his troops into a fight, he needs "devastating personal weapons", which is why he prefers the G.I. Joe "Brawler" vehicle. His strategies on battlefield have twice earned him the medal of valor and countless decorations, as he carries on his family's proud military tradition. His personal motto is: "I didn't reach the rank of general by standing in the shadows. I got out and earned it on the front lines".
He currently holds an honorary position with the G.I. Joe Team, though his primary role tends to be behind the scenes, warding off any machinations of administrators who would interfere with G.I. Joe operations. In the few instances that have called for it though, General Flagg has demonstrated the tenacity and character of his father, risking his neck alongside the men and women he's leading.
event, from the G.I. Joe: America's Elite
comic book series. He is shown in the full G.I. Joe character roster on the cover of issue #25, along with his father.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al characters from the toyline, cartoon and comic series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
.
The two characters are Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Lawrence J. Flagg (the USS Flagg
USS Flagg
The USS Flagg is a fictional U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier from the toy line, comic and cartoon series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. It is the G.I. Joe Team's primary sea going vessel...
aircraft carrier was named after him) and Brigadier General James L. Flagg III, his son. Five generations of Flaggs before them made careers in the military. Both became commanding officers in the G.I. Joe Team
G.I. Joe Team
G.I. Joe is the code name of an elite covert special forces unit operating under the control of the United States Military in the fictional G.I. Joe universe....
.
Original General Flagg
Lawrence J. Flagg was a Brigadier GeneralGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in the US Army. Hailing from a long family line of soldiers, General Flagg served the better part of his life in the Armed Forces. In the 1970s, he was responsible for creating Special Counter-Terrorist Group Delta, in response to rising terrorist threats, especially the evil Cobra Organization
Cobra Organization
Cobra Command, commonly referred to as Cobra, is the fictional nemesis of the G.I. Joe team in the Hasbro action figure toylines G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, as well as their related media....
. Flagg dubbed the team G.I. Joe, in honor of the team that had been headed by Lt. Joseph Colton some years before. General Flagg led the team in more of an advisory capacity, choosing Colonel Clayton "Hawk" Abernathy
Hawk (G.I. Joe)
Hawk is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books, toyline, and movie.-Profile:...
as field leader, and allowing Hawk to make most of the membership and operations decisions.
Marvel Comics
The general is featured early on in the Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
run. He was the first commander of the G.I. Joe Team
G.I. Joe Team
G.I. Joe is the code name of an elite covert special forces unit operating under the control of the United States Military in the fictional G.I. Joe universe....
and appeared in the first issue. He sends the team in to a Cobra fortress to rescue Dr. Adele Burkhardt, a nuclear physicist and pacifist. In the second issue, he sends a four-man Joe team to the arctic circle, to investigate the deaths of military men stationed there. In both situations, he works closely with General Austin, who would be an ally of the Joe team for years to come. He has a cameo directing the disposition of Cobra prisoners and related supplies.
In issue #5, Flagg becomes involved in the action, when Cobra's role in a military parade is uncovered by several men under his command. Flagg goes after Cobra Commander personally. The Cobra Commander fires one shot, creasing Flagg's temple, and then fades into the crowd. When questioned by one of his men why he did not fire back, as he is known for his pistol skills, General Flagg simply looks at several nearby children. He had not fired, because they had been too close to the action.
In issue #19, Cobra forces attack the Joe Headquarters, The Pit
The Pit (G.I. Joe)
The Pit is the fictional headquarters of the specialist G.I. Joe team from the 1980s Marvel comic book created by Larry Hama. It is a multi-level underground base complete with training facilities, living quarters, a briefing room, and heavy equipment storage....
. General Flagg is in the brig, which contains two prisoners, Major Bludd
Major Bludd
Major Bludd , is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of the 1980s. Appearing in both the comic books and the cartoons, Major Bludd is one of the series villains, a mercenary working for the Cobra Organization.-Toy:Major Bludd first appeared in 1983, he has had 6...
and a prominent Cobra officer nicknamed "Scarface". Bludd escapes, killing Flagg in the process. General Flagg is buried in Arlington Cemetery, with most of the Joes attending. Cobra tries to attack the funeral with a Rattler plane. Before anyone is actually hurt, two new Joes, Duke
Duke (G.I. Joe)
Duke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 lines of military-themed toys. The character is featured in both the animated series and comic books. Duke is portrayed by actor Channing Tatum in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of...
and Roadblock
Roadblock (G.I. Joe)
Roadblock is a character from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toys, comics and cartoons. He is one of the most prominent African-Americans in the series. His primary function in G.I. Joe is as a heavy machine gunner and a secondary function as a cook.-Fictional character...
shoot the plane down. It crashes and explodes in an open field.
In issue #42, the ill General Austin is mis-identified as General Flagg.
Devil's Due
General Flagg is shown in the full G.I. Joe character roster, on the cover of the first issue of "World War IIIWorld War III (G.I. Joe)
World War III is the title of a 12-issue comic book story that took place in issues #25-36 of the comic G.I. Joe: America's Elite, published by Devil's Due Publishing. The plot concerns Cobra Command's final attempt to take over the world. It was generally well-received by critics...
", along with his son. The America's Elite series also had General Flagg in a flashback to the early days of G.I. Joe. An undercover operative is using a public payphone to report to General Flagg; the man tries to convince his superior that many Cobra soldiers are not "bad", just confused.
Sunbow cartoon
General Flagg appeared in the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon. He is shown in the first G.I. Joe animated mini-series "The MASS Device", but for the course of the series' run, he never appeared again. The character also carries excess weight, and his physical traits are more akin to the G.I. Joe character, General "Iron Butt" Austin.Toys
The original General Flagg did not receive his own action figure until 2004, when his figure was included in a "Comic Pack" release. Packaged with him was G.I. Joe member SteelerSteeler (G.I. Joe)
Steeler is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original tank commander and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, and a generic Cobra officer. This three-pack came with a reprint of the comic book G.I. Joe issue #5, where all three characters play prominent roles. Flagg's dossier on the package actually used the same text as the earlier "General Flagg" figures, which represented his son.
Son of General Flagg
General Flagg was released as part of the "A Real American Hero" toyline in 1992. James Longstreet Flagg III, born in AlexandriaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, is the son of General Lawrence Flagg. He is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, and in a short time, he is able to rise up to the rank of Brigadier General.
The figure was repainted and released as part of the "Battle Corps" line in 1993, and both figures came with an armored catapult that actually could shoot small projectiles.
According to his filecard, he always liked to be "in the thick of it" instead of shouting orders from a comfortable position. When leading his troops into a fight, he needs "devastating personal weapons", which is why he prefers the G.I. Joe "Brawler" vehicle. His strategies on battlefield have twice earned him the medal of valor and countless decorations, as he carries on his family's proud military tradition. His personal motto is: "I didn't reach the rank of general by standing in the shadows. I got out and earned it on the front lines".
He currently holds an honorary position with the G.I. Joe Team, though his primary role tends to be behind the scenes, warding off any machinations of administrators who would interfere with G.I. Joe operations. In the few instances that have called for it though, General Flagg has demonstrated the tenacity and character of his father, risking his neck alongside the men and women he's leading.
Devil's Due comics
His only appearance in comics continuity was in the World War IIIWorld War III (G.I. Joe)
World War III is the title of a 12-issue comic book story that took place in issues #25-36 of the comic G.I. Joe: America's Elite, published by Devil's Due Publishing. The plot concerns Cobra Command's final attempt to take over the world. It was generally well-received by critics...
event, from the G.I. Joe: America's Elite
G.I. Joe: America's Elite
G.I. Joe: America's Elite is a series of comic books set in the G.I. Joe universe that began publication in June 2005. The events of the series begin one year after the conclusion of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero . The Special Missions series features reservist G.I. Joes and expands on plots set...
comic book series. He is shown in the full G.I. Joe character roster on the cover of issue #25, along with his father.
External links
- General Flagg at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page