G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom

G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom
Directed by	Dale Carman
Produced by	Daley Miller Steve Drucker
Written by	Garfield Reeves-Stevens Judith Reeves-Stevens
Starring	John Payne Lisa Ann Beley Michael Dobson Scott McNeil
Production company	Reel FX Creative Studios Hasbro
Distributed by	Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date	September 14, 2004
Running time	80 min.
Language	English

G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom is a direct-to-video CGI animated movie and sequel to G.I. Joe: Spy Troops. It was released in 2004 by Reel FX Creative Studios and distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment. Like Spy Troops, the film was written around the theme of the toys released that year. In this case, it was Valor vs. Venom which introduced a new villain group, Cobra’s V-Troops.

The second movie in the Reel FX series has Cobra kidnapping the G.I. Joe commander General Hawk for nefarious purposes. Doctor Mindbender has invented a method to transform humans, into feral man-beasts that heed Cobra’s bidding. Mindbender calls the process "Venomization", wherein human DNA is fused with animal DNA. Cobra Commander’s plan is to brainwash and mutate Hawk into becoming the Venomized troops’ leader. Additionally, the Joe Team is in possession of a magnetic cannon, capable of delivering a cargo almost anywhere in the world, which is exactly the tool Cobra requires to Venomize the human population.

As in G.I. Joe: Spy Troops, elements from the comic series published by Devil’s Due are integrated into the story, such as the wrist-com gauntlets, and the not-quite-secret status of the G.I. Joe elite. Previous animated forays likewise portrayed the Joes as publicly recognized heroes. The Cobra V-Troops are introduced, but are never referred to as such, instead merely identified as "Venomized troops". From events occurring in this movie, most fans are led to believe that Valor vs. Venom is the precursor to G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. The most notable connection, is the mention of General Hawk being hospitalized for the series, because of having his genes scrambled by Cobra's experiments as well as Cobra Commanders arrest.

Hasbro also released a Valor vs. Venom toyline in 2004, to correspond with the characters from the movie. A second wave of Valor vs. Venom figures was released in 2005.

The following 3 ³⁄₄ inch collection was to be called G.I. Joe: Robot Revolution, and would have featured the Joes against Cobra robots and cyborgs. That toyline would likely have had its own movie, as a sequel to Valor vs. Venom, but the toyline was replaced by the 8-inch G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 toyline in 2006. However, Sigma 6 also deals with cybernetically-enhanced Cobras.