G.I. Joe: Stan Weston vs Hasbro

If you’ve read GI Joe: The Complete Story of America’s Favorite Man of Action* then you’re familiar with Stan Weston’s contribution to Hasbro’s G.I. Joe action figure series (Amazon.com search*): Weston took Hasbro’s Don Levine the rough idea of an action figure with moveable and interchangeable parts and Levine then pushed the idea through.

Well, now Weston’s in the news because he’s trying to reclaim the rights to the brand. I find the entire situation a bit strange since Weston, in my opinion, didn’t actually invent G.I. Joe. If the history outlined in GI Joe: The Complete Story of America’s Favorite Man of Action* is correct then it’s really the Hasbro staff who invented G.I. Joe. All Weston had was a rough idea, and ideas are cheap. It’s the execution that matters most.

This Hollywood Reporter story includes one line that really has me thinking:

“Weston seems to be implying that whatever the big toy company created, it was a work-made-for-hire where he is the statutory author.”

This lawsuit’s going to one to watch.

Related articles

• Action Figure Fury and Hasbro’s Monopoly on Action Figures (battlegrip.com)
• New 6-Inch “The Corps” Action Figures at Walmart (battlegrip.com)