Short answers, pulled from the story.
The G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero franchise was created through a partnership between Hasbro and Marvel Comics initiated by their respective presidents in the early 1980s. Larry Hama served as the primary writer and architect behind the narrative soul of the line, adapting his Fury Force concept to fit the new mandate.
The original G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line officially ended in 1994 when Hasbro transferred control to the Kenner division. The line was subsequently replaced by G.I. Joe Extreme, though Hasbro revived the brand in 1997 and 1998 as the Real American Hero Collection.
The file cards provided detailed dossiers including education, training, birthplace, and military schools to give characters depth rarely seen in toys of that era. These cards were so comprehensive that they were later reprinted in a comic book mini-series called Order of Battle to correct grammar and misspellings.
The 1987 toy line featured a file card for Cobra hypnotist Crystal Ball that was supposedly written by bestselling horror novelist Stephen King. This addition added a layer of literary prestige to the franchise and demonstrated the attention to detail put into the line.
The 1983 TV series produced by Marvel Productions and Sunbow Productions ran in syndication from 1983 to 1986. A follow-up series produced by DIC Entertainment ran from 1989 to 1992, keeping the franchise alive during a period of declining toy sales.
In 1985, Hasbro added swivel-arm battle grip articulation to allow forearms to rotate above the elbows and gave action figure heads ball joints for up and down movement. The 1985 USS Flagg playset measured 18 inches long and became a testament to the scale and ambition of the line.