History ComicBook / GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel

* ComicBookFantasyCasting: On three separate occasions, early issues of the comic featured civilian characters based on LaurelAndHardy.

The primary writer of the comic was LarryHama, who wrote all but a handful of issues over a twelve year run (as well as many of the character bios for the action figures). Prior to the relaunch, Hama had an idea for a MarvelUniverse comic called ''Fury Force'', which would have seen the son of NickFury put together a team to fight Hydra, Marvel's resident terrorist group; his ''G.I. Joe'' series was based primarily on this unused pitch. Despite a large amount of restrictions and interference from Hasbro, Hama was able to make the comic more mature than the cartoon. It allowed blood, characters to be killed off, and contained a functioning canon that developed a deep fleshed-out background for its universe.

The book proved to be very popular, in part because it was the first regular comic book to be regularly advertised on television, and at one point it was Marvel's bestselling comic. It was even given a spin-off comic in 1986, GI Joe: Special Missions, which focused less on Cobra and more on various dictators, terrorists, and more realistic enemies for the Joes to confront. This series lasted until 1989. A slide in popularity (and some would say quality) began and the regular series ended in 1994.

The book proved to be very popular, and at one point it was Marvel's bestselling comic. It was even given a spin-off comic in 1986, GI Joe: Special Missions, which focused less on Cobra and more on various dictators, terrorists, and more realistic enemies for the Joes to confront. This series lasted until 1989. A slide in popularity (and some would say quality) began and the regular series ended in 1994.

* WritingAroundTrademarks: A RunningGag is that nobody can remember the name of the X-19's pilot. That's because his name is Ghostrider, and Marvel [[GhostRider had a slightly more visible character with the same name]].

* WarIsHell

* ArtShift: The comic had several different artists during its run, but the most jarring was the period where Frank Springer and Rod Whigham were alternating the art chores on a string of issues.

* GasMaskMooks: Destro's Iron Grenadiers.
* GeneralFailure: Subverted with Cobra Commander. Unlike his cartoon counterpart, the comic version of Cobra Commander was quite competent and cunning. Most of his victories didn't involve beating the Joes on the battlefield, but tricking or distracting them until he could accomplish his ultimate goal. The creation of Cobra Island was the best example of this. There were several times that the Joes would turn this around on him--most notably when the Joes saved the original Pitt by convincing Cobra Commander that a facade was their main headquarters (as opposed to the underground complex). It should also be noted that WordOfGod stated Cobra Commander's greatest strength was not in superior tactics or grand strategies, but in inspiring the disenfranchised to join his cause.

* CovertGroupWithMundaneCover: The chaplains' assistants motor pool at Fort Wadsworth not only concealed the original Pit, but provided the cover operation for the Joes themselves, since a number of them were vehicular specialists. Still, the chaplains' assistants were always put off by those "ruffians" from the motor pool.

The primary writer of the comic was Larry Hama, who wrote all but a handful of issues over a twelve year run (as well as many of the character bios for the action figures). Prior to the relaunch, Hama had an idea for a MarvelUniverse comic called ''Fury Force'', which would have seen the son of NickFury put together a team to fight Hydra, Marvel's resident terrorist group; his ''G.I. Joe'' series was based primarily on this unused pitch. Despite a large amount of restrictions and interference from Hasbro, Hama was able to make the comic more mature than the cartoon. It allowed blood, characters to be killed off, and contained a functioning canon that developed a deep fleshed-out background for its universe.

The primary writer of the comic was Larry Hama, who wrote all but a handful of issues over a twelve year run. Prior to the relaunch, Hama had an idea for a MarvelUniverse comic called ''Fury Force'', which would have seen the son of NickFury put together a team to fight Hydra, Marvel's resident terrorist group; his ''G.I. Joe'' series was based primarily on this unused pitch. Despite a large amount of restrictions and interference from Hasbro, Hama was able to make the comic more mature than the cartoon. It allowed characters to be killed off and contained a functioning canon that developed a deep fleshed-out background for its universe.

* ColdWar: Since the series began in TheEighties, it was very much on and the Joes had several run-ins with the Soviets and other communist forces. The most frequent of these was the October Guard.

* GeneralFailure: Subverted with Cobra Commander. Unlike his cartoon counterpart, the comic version of Cobra Commander was quite competent and cunning. Most of his victories didn't involve beating the Joes on the battlefield, but tricking or distracting them until he could accomplish his ultimate goal. The creation of Cobra Island was the best example of this. There were several times that the Joes would turn this around on him. Most notably when the Joes saved the original Pitt by convincing Cobra Commander that a facade was their main headquarters (as opposed to the underground complex) It should also be noted that WordOfGod stated Cobra Commander's greatest strength was not in superior tactics or grand strategies, but in inspiring the disenfranchised to join his cause.

* KilledOffForReal: When a character died, 9 times out of 10 they stayed '''dead'''. A story arc that coincided with the Gulf War in the early 90's had the Joes engaging in a massive campaign against Cobra in the Iraq and Kuwait Expies of Benzheen and Trucial Abysmia. One issue had ''four'' Joes killed by a psychotic Cobra S.A.W. Viper and later that Viper's armored column kills off all but three of the remaining Joes on the team, not limited to RedShirts and unpopular Joes. This was seen mostly as housecleaning to get rid of a bloated roster of characters who got little to no book time-that or were in fact unpopular. Some characters ''did'' make reappearances after death- like [[spoiler:Cobra Commander, who'd been ousted and impersonated; Firefly, who was revealed as a ninja; Dr. Mindbender, who was cloned with cyborg implants; and Zartan, who's a shapeshifter.]] Sometimes due to them being KilledOffScreen, or out of extreme annoyance to the writer under pressure due to ExecutiveMeddling. [[spoiler:LarryHama was pressured to kill off Cobra Commander around the time of the 1987 animated movie's release due to Cobra Commander's apparent death in the movie, despite a new Cobra Commander figure being released that year. Hama came up with a story line that had one of his Crimson Guardsmen named Fred VII kill the Commander and take his place leading to an eventual civil war (Fred's incompetence rivaled the real Cobra Commander in the cartoons--shocking since he was a Crimson Guard, the best and brightest.) Cobra Commander stayed "dead" for many years having been revived off screen and rebuilding his fortune the same way he did last time--through pyramid and get rich quick schemes, among other means. Upon his reveal as being very much alive in Issue 98, he returned to Cobra Island and disposed of his traitorous underlings and became an even bigger madman. Even then, three of those survived being entombed.]]

* WhatKeptYou: In the silent issue where Snake-Eyes fights his way through Destro's castle to rescue Scarlett, she's already gotten free and acquired transportation out by the time he gets to her.

* DidNotDoTheResearch: Averted for the most part, Hama was a veteran and used his military experience to portray the Joes acting as real soldiers would.

Perhaps the most famous issue is issue # 21, which [[NoDialogueEpisode told a story without using any speech bubbles or sound effects]], has been endlessly homaged and parodied.

* [[Badass]]: Lots.

* [[BFG]]: Roadblock and his vehicle mounted "Ma Deuce" are the most notable.

* DirtyCommunists: Subverted and played straight. The October Guard and other Soviet troops were given a lot more depth than most fiction of them time. It was, however, made clear that they were still a threat to the mission. It should also be said that the [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny Borovia]] arc featured an Eastern Bloc gulag and guards as sadistic as any ever portrayed in fiction.

* Badass: Lots.