A Real American Hero is the first G.I. Joe miniseries, in it the G.I. Joe Special Missions Force must contend with COBRA who, after the successful theft of a special broadcast satellite now threaten the world with a teleportation machine called the M.A.S.S. Device. G.I. Joe tracks down the original designer who advises that the only way to counter the weapon is to build a M.A.S.S. Device of their own. However to power the device properly three rare catalytic elements are needed. Now it's a race around the world and against the clock as G.I. Joe and COBRA go M.A.S.S. to M.A.S.S.