G.I. Joe (1982) 1

Today’s emcee and the non-holiday have nothing in common beyond their name, but that’s good enough for us.

National Joe Day is geared toward the caffeine-laded morning libation that seems to fuel most of the United States. As gathered from the pic to the side and the title of the comic book, we’re focusing on the general issue Joe Hasbro built a company on in 1964.

Two of the most common nicknames for coffee are java and cup of joe. Java refers to the region where the earliest coffee plantations were established.

“Cup a…” is a little more mysterious.

G.I. Joe (1982) 1

One of the earliest origins stems from a revolt sailors showed against Secretary to the Navy for World War I Josephus Daniels. The federal employee banned coffee from naval ships in hopes of higher moral standards. This backfired and seamen began downing huge quantities of the black liquid in retaliation.

Another theory is joe is an abbreviated form of jamoke, a slang term mashing java and mocha together.

A third possibility is rooted in WWI, too. George Constant Louis Washington invented the first mass-produced instant coffee. An important supplier during the War to End all Wars, it is believed George was shorted to Geo and – possibly – misread as Joe.

Whichever your preference, enjoy the day with your own blend of morning brew and Joe of choice.

As for the master of ceremonies, GI Joe began as a 12-inch representation of America’s fighting forces Feb. 2, 1964, developed by Stanley Weston. When war fell out of favor during the Viet Nam conflict, Joe became more of an adventurer.

As the 1980s dawned and President Ronald Reagan rallied around old glory and increased defense spending, Joe returned to his fighting man mode. Albeit in smaller stature. With rising oil prices and the success of Kenner’s three-and-three-quarter-inch line of Star Wars figures, the Real American Hero shrank to a more affordable height.

While Hasbro had licensed out the name for comic books as early as 1967, Marvel became the publishing company most associated with his four-color exploits.

They would publish 155 issues.