G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Compendium Vol. 2

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero! Compendium #2

by Larry Hama, Herb Trimpe (Penciler), Ron Wagner (Penciler)

YOOOO JOE! 
 
Military and martial arts action explodes off the page in this one of a kind G.I. Joe compendium! Experience the Joes’ assault on the Terror-Drome, the return of Storm Shadow, the relentless Dreadnoks, and more!  
 
And what is the secret origin of the man known only as Cobra Commander? Find out in the comic phenomenon from Larry Hama that changed the pop-culture world forever.  
 
Collects G.I. A REAL AMERICAN HERO #51-78, G.I. JOE YEARBOOK #2-4, G.I. JOE SPECIAL MISSIONS #1-15.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction

1224 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Larry Hama is an American writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s.

During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows M*A*S*H and Saturday Night Live, and appeared on Broadway in two roles in the original 1976 production of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures.

He is best known to American comic book readers as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, based on the Hasbro action figures. He has also written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra. He created the character Bucky O'Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and television cartoon.

Reviews

[Sean Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look, I freely acknowledge that this rating is heavily influenced by the heady aphrodisiac of nostalgia, but I stand by it. GI Joe is non-stop action leavened by the occasional bit of humor and self-aware commentary on the insanity of the world we live in. Also, I think we can all agree that Flint CAN GET IT.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great extended stories in this volume. The quality of the art reproduction is suspect sometimes.

[STEVEN B ABBOTT · Rating 5 out of 5]

classic 80s awesomeness

The peak of the Marvel Real American Hero is in vol 2 including the classic build up and conclusion of the epic Cobra Civil War arch. I loved this series as a kid and still do today an adult. Action, adventure, and humor all rolled into one.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

These compendiums are pretty great. I always wanted to read GI Joe and reading 1200 pages at a clip electronically is the way to do it. This is not just the original series. By this time it was popular enough that it got a spinoff, Special Missions and annuals which for some reason were called Yearbooks instead. The absolute best part is the Cobra Civil War at the very end. It's a 3 faction battle on Cobra Island between Serpentor, Faux Cobra Commander and Destro with G.I. Joe caught in the middle. I always forget that Larry Hama was a Vietnam vet and able to get a lot of the military terminology correct. I am surprised at how much geopolitical things happening at the time Hama was able to pull into the comics. At one point some G.I. Joe members are captured and thrown into a POW camp for several months before being rescued. Anyway, I'm glad we don't have to wait too long for the 3rd compendium. These are great.

[Davide Pappalardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

This is even better than the first compendium. Larry Hama manages to put themes like politics, military tactics, gritty violence, terrorism, the exploitation of third-world countries by both sides in the Cold War, and a not-so-hidden distrust toward government bureaucrats, in what is basically a comic aimed at young readers. In the background, we have the struggle for power in the Cobra organization, some melodrama, and, of course, action and some plot twists.

[Phillip Murrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous compendium. I had issues 1-50 in the original 10-issue volumes. I thought they stopped making them, so I never got the rest. This compendium, and the next two, corrects this issue. Better yet, I got the first 15 Special Missions. They were even grittier than the regular comics. My only gripe is the blurb says issues 51-78, but it actually stopped at 76. I hope this means compendium 3 starts at 77.

[Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reprinting G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #51-78, G.I. JOE YEARBOOK #2-4, G.I. JOE SPECIAL MISSIONS #1-15. This was a great time for the title, you get the incredible standalone stories in Special Missions and some super exciting arcs in the main title such as when 3 members of the Joe team are held as P.O.W.s and a rescue is called for, you also get the exciting Cobra civil war.

[Devin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kickstarter version - ISBN 978-1-5343-5637-5

[James-Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure nostalgia from my late-elementary years!