Episode 1589 Talkback - BOMC: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Vol. 1

Adam_Murdough

Get the lead out, soldier, and deploy with the Geeks to 1982 for an in-depth look at the beginnings of one of the most successful licensed comic series of all time: Marvel Comics' original G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! Join a task force of veteran Joe fans (and civilian ride-along Murd) as they debrief the first ten issues of that generation-defining series--loaded with high-tech ordnance, authentic military jargon, and all-out anti-terrorist action--to find out what makes 'em tick. (2:07:12)

Listen here. That's an order!

mwhitt80

How did I miss we were doing GI Joe Classic for a BoMC?

Ohh well I've the material multiple times. Can't wait to hear the episode.

JaceTheComicSource

I have been considering doing a G.I. Joe chronology podcast for The Comic Source. Basically the same format as The Top Cow Chronology, reading each issue in order and then recording a short podcast episode about it. Not in publishing order but in historical order. So the first stories covered would be the ones that occur furthest in the past. I talked to Larry Hama at Phoenix Fan Fest recently and asked him if he would be interested in being on the show. Just a matter of finding the time. I did get him to do a sketch for me, I gave him my Complete Collection Vol 1 and told him to draw whoever he wanted. A great guy and a great creator. Thanks for a good episode and I hope the geeks return to G.I.Joe at some point.

nweathington

Like Jamie D., my Joes talked and had kung fu grips. My first GI Joe "comics" were the Peter Pan Book and Records, similar to the Marvel and DC Power Records book and records (still have both GI Joe Adventure Team 45s I had as a kid). I was just a little too old for the new Joes to appeal to me (I was 12 when the first series of figures came out), though my younger brother was heavily into them and had tons of the figures and vehicles (and the Joe base). I watched a couple of episodes of the cartoon, but found it too ridiculous to follow. So I never bothered with the Marvel Joe comics. The only one I've read is the yearbook drawn by Michael Golden, because Michael Golden.

I'm sure I'd be in the same camp as Adam. I appreciate the rest of the geeks' enthusiasm for the series as a whole, but it's not enough to convince me when I have so many other books I want to read.

So why post? Just a minor clarification. It was implied in the conversation that Herb Trimpe designed Joe vehicles in the comic, but I'm pretty sure he didn't design anything. He talked several times about all the reference he had to do when drawing the series, something that burned him out on the book, but I've never heard him say anything about designing any of that stuff on his own. Yes, Cobra resulted from Hama telling Hasbro that there needed to be a bad guy, but I think Hasbro did the visual design work. Hama did create the Baroness and at least one other character whole cloth in the comic before they were later made into figures, and of course he and the artists created many minor background characters for the series, but to my knowledge, everything else started as a Hasbro design which Hama then fleshed out.

Regardless, I enjoyed the episode.

alienal

Started listening... Like Jamie I was more in the era of the larger doll-like figures, but I only had the one that did scuba-diving. In the 80's I did stumble onto a few issues of G.I.Joe when I was really in the military. They were quite big sellers at the PX/BX. I guess being in the military made me feel like I was a part of the story. (I sort of felt the same way when I read the comic called The 'Nam.) Anyway, since I didn't get G.I.Joe comics very often, I didn't know the characters that well, so it never really caught on with me. Like Chris said, however, I thought it was a pretty good comic because it seemed to put a positive light on the military and it alluded to many things going on politically at that time and in the future. Thanks for the episode: Chris and Shane's enthusiasm for the material ALMOST had me running to the online sellers to buy me some JOE!

CaptShazam

Like Shane, G.I. Joe was my first comic book. It was issue #12 of the Marvel series. I collected the series until issue #83. The grocery store I bought comics from stopped selling comics and the only comic book shop was 20 mins away and I was 12 so it was the end of the line. I have gone back and got the trades and I now collect continuation of the original series by Larry Hama.

Looking back at the stuff past issue #83 that I originally missed, I am amazed at how bad the Marvel series got over the last 25 issues before it was cancelled.

mwhitt80

Great episode guys. Maybe we can get some additional Joe Classic volumes in the future?