The 29th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Yo Joe!!!

I remember that battle cry from the G.I. Joe Cartoons I used to watch when i was a kid (well I'm still a kid at heart).  Yeah G.I. Joe, what a comic book series that was.  I didn't realize this but growing up with the cartoons and all I was a big big fan of G.I. Joe, how did i come to this conclusion?  Well, I discovered I bought a lot of G.I. Joe comics over the years.  This was from a time when Marvel Comics were publishing G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero.

Thanks for dropping by for the Real American Hero....wait no, ahh The 29th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast.  Follow me as I take you down memory lane to relive our childhood.  I can't remember how or what attracted me to G.I. Joe, it's a mystery to me still as I type away remembering the comics I read growing up.  Was it because growing up I watched a lot of old TV series like Combat, Black Sheep Squadron and the like.  I guess when you're a kid growing up, you don't really know anything about the ugly nature of war, just that there was a good side and the bad side, Good versus Evil.  That sort of thing.

Well G.I. Joe was that to me and I loved it.  I have a few of the G.I. Joe comics I bought many many years ago, let's have a look at some of them okay?

This is my first ever issue of G.I. Joe A Real American Hero # 8.  The cover is by Mike Vosburg and Jack Abel.  For some reason the bookstore, one of only two bookstores that carried comics back in the day had just copies and copies of this issue.  Every week I go and check out what they have and this issue was the only one they had, it was as if they were producing this issue themselves.  Issue 8 featured Scripts and Art by the Late Herb Trimpe.  This was surprising to me because I always thought Larry Hama was the writer but I guess he needed a break.

 I'm jumping ahead a lot of issues now to G.I. Joe # 44, now this issue features a nice cover by mike Zeck and John Beatty.  The issue was written by Larry Hama, pencils by Rod Wingham and Inks by Andy Mushynsky.  In this issue a group of new Joes and Lady Jaye are on training maneuvers when they are captured by Cobra using experimental plant spores, and Cobra's new ally, Dr. Mindbender wishes to test them vs. his new weapon and the B.A.T.S. in an abandoned junkyard. The new Joes turn the tables, however, and Lady Jaye tells them they passed their test vs. Cobra with flying colors.  I remember reading this issue over and over and over which is why this issue is in okay condition, the only thing I can't stand is the price tag.  It's still stuck to the cover, oh well.

Issue 45 is one of my all time favorites.  This issues features yet another great Mike Zeck/John Beatty cover, story wise, Ripcord disobeys orders and parachutes onto Cobra Island looking for info on the missing Candy, and in a fight with Zartan, Ripcord is wounded, with Zartan taking his place to fool the Joes who have been sent to retrieve him. This issue features one of the best fight sequences I have ever seen, tense and exciting, Larry Hama crafted a great story but wait there's more.  Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes learn that Zartan killed The Hard Master and head to Cobra Island for revenge as Hawk is made Commander In Chief of the G.I. Joe team due to Austin stepping down after his heart attack.  What a great comic book!!  If you thought this issue was exciting, than take a look at this next one!!

 G.I. Joe # 46.  This issue looks to be in great condition I think.  If it looks glossy to you it's because I used some left over plastic I used to wrap my school text books and I wrapped this issue so it wouldn't be damaged, it looks like it's in fine condition, yeah I think fine is a better description, Fine.
The excitement continues in this issue where Ripcord (as Zartan) is taken into the new Cobra base on Cobra Island, and Professor Appel discovers the deception when he sees Candy's picture on his person and Ripcord explains to him about where Candy is (or isn't right now). The Joes, meanwhile, launch a recon/search and rescue for Ripcord, then rescue him (actually Zartan), but Spirit's suspicious of him when he notices the bullet wound's all wrong on his person. Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow land on the island about to get whom they think is Zartan (the Hard Master's killer), when Appel launches the experimental new minifighter, saving Ripcord from harm. This covers also features Mike Zeck's pencils and Inks as well.  Beautiful cover huh?   

Another beautiful cover from Mike Zeck who also did the inking for this cover, G.I. Joe # 47. In this issue the Joes launch a sea assault to rescue the recon team on Cobra Island, as the Baroness fatally shoots Storm Shadow as he aids Snake-Eyes in his escape. Zartan (as Ripcord), is drugged and flown back to the Pit for medical aid, and Doc notices something strange when he sees Zartan's holographic disguise disappear for a second due to the drugs at the Pit. Ripcord (as Zartan), lands at Springfield airport, tended to by the unsuspecting Dreadnoks. 

I remember reading as many issue of G.I. Joe I could get.  Each month Larry Hama would put the Joes up against Cobra and somehow even though the Joes would win, Cobra Commander and his squad would get away some how.  The stories were intense, gripping and enjoyable.  I loved this series but eventually some drastic artistic changes were made later and those changes were not for me so I dropped G.I. Joe.  

A few years ago 80's favorites like G.I. Joe and Transformers saw a rise in popularity again, everyone who enjoyed the stories they read in these pages relived them with new issues, new stories, new characters and new battles to fight.  I'll have more of G.I. Joe to share with you next time.  I hope you enjoyed the broadcast.

Oh hey before I go, I want to give a big shout out to the fine folks at  collectorsden.co.uk   If you're a collector like me, then I invite you to visit their website or follow them on twitter  Collectors Den ‏@collectorsdenuk  You can share your collection if you want, go on visit them and have a look at what they have for you as well.  Thank you guys!

Before I forget, if you have the time, check out www.facebook.com/thecosmiccomicbookbroadcast/
you could maybe like the page and maybe follow me on blogspot as well, or not. heh heh

Until the next Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast and that's going to be the 30th Broadcast(!!) you take care, remember you're always welcome here and oh yeah YO JOE!!!!!