G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero Omnibus, Vol. 1

by Larry Hama

The comic book adventures of the 1980s phenomenon that stormed toy-store shelves begin here! G.I. JOE is bringing the fight to Cobra!

This omnibus edition collects the first 12 issues of the Marvel Comics run, introducing classic characters such as Hawk, Scarlett, Stalker, Rock 'n' Roll, Snake Eyes, Cobra Commander, Baroness, The Oktober Guard, and more. Follow along as Cobra causes havoc around the world and The JOEs thwart them at every turn from their base, The Pit.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

304 pages, Paperback

Published September 4, 2018

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

[T.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first twelve issues of the classic 1980s G.I. Joe by Larry Hama are collected here in a new petite edition. Growing up, G.I. Joe issue #1 was the stuff of legend, and the series only gets better as the roster expands and Hama fleshes out favorite characters like Clutch, Scarlett, Breaker, and Snake Eyes. The dialogue and the action are bombastic. Highly readable, whether you're nostalgic or new to the crew. I'd have given this 5 stars, but for some reason they chose not to reprint issue #1's backup story, "Hot Potato," an adventure that had Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Rock 'n Roll pinned down in the desert. Plus, the "modern" cover art used to dress this up is ugly in comparison to the original covers, which are included along with some profile pinups. These stories are classic and should always be in print, so I'm glad IDW has continued to repackage them over the years. Hope they continue with the next 12 issues in volume 2, as that's when the series moves from great to iconic. Yo Joe!

[Brannigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with GI Joe. I loved the cartoon and toy line. I grew up in a small town in Wyoming and only read the comics on the rare family road trip when we passed through bigger cities so this was a fun read for me as it was the first time.

This collection is the first 12 issues or year of the comic and it shows as they use the same characters for the first ten issues before we start to see new Joes showing up. Even then the Joes they use half I feel like we’re never on the TV show or made into toys. “Clutch” does not ring a bell.

I really enjoyed the writing and art. The color palette is very 80’s but the line work was great. It really didn’t seem dated, definitely holds up better than the cartoon. The comic also shows people dying, unlike the cartoon. Cobra Commander is also not as stupid here as in the cartoon.

So I give it five stars for scratching that nostalgia itch, holding up well and being more believable than the cartoon.

[Mark Kosobucki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first issues of G.I.Joe comics. Some stories drag a bit and a lot of the crazier characters haven't been introduced yet. But these stories and illustrations are still great.

[Robert John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great start to am along set of stories.