The new animated G.I. Joe mini-series, G.I. Joe: Resolute, has been released and is available online—in the United States. A few clips have made their way onto YouTube, but these are not official and may be taken down. Canadians may have to wait to see the series’ official premiere on TeleToon, Friday, April 24, at 11:15 PM EST.

The short cartoon series, written by Warren Ellis (who wrote Transmetropolitan and Desolation Jones) and directed by Joaquim Dos Santos (who has directed many episodes of Justice League Unlimited), re-imagines the G.I. Joe characters and setting. G.I. Joe: Resolute is said to be darker, more violent, and the setting more contemporary, less laser-filled.

Resolute takes G.I. Joe away from the goofy programme-length toy commercials they were in the 80’s, and into gritty, “I don’t wear hockey pants” territory. That seems to be exactly what Hasbro, owners of the G.I. Joe brand, want. Warren Ellis claims to have told a Hasbro representative that he had “never even seen a G.I. Joe [and] couldn’t tell you what they look like,” to which the rep answered “Excellent, [you’re] just the guy we need.”

Resolute is also, without a doubt, meant to draw attention to the upcoming live-action adaptation of the series, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. The Rise of Cobra is set to be released in August of this year.