Top Ten Classic G.I. Joe Comics

[@kszirovecz]

The first issue of Snake Eye's origin where we learn his backstory with Storm Shadow through his meeting with Soft Master while Stalker and Flagg reveal what happened in Vietnam and with his family should be #2.

[@titusrodney1168]

A trick: watch series on Kaldrostream. Me and my gf have been using them for watching all kinds of movies recently.

[@imranchandler1083]

@Titus Rodney Yea, I have been watching on KaldroStream for since november myself =)

[@cowetascore8476]

That's issue No. 26

[@jetfire851]

Another interesting fact about "Silent Interlude": it's the debut of Storm Shadow. So he first appeared in an issue where you never even find out his name!

[@MightyArgos]

Wild Weasel is an Air Force term that dates back to the 60's. It refers to a type of radar guided missile that is designed to destroy SAM missile emplacements and enemy radar so that bombers could make it to their targets safely. It is actually a great code name for an elite pilot.

[@jykvox869]

His File Card was great too, with him having a cybernetic lower-jaw, from getting the bottom blown off his face by a vulcan machine-gun (caught him from a side-angle). That's why he had that weird voice, cybernetic jaw, "Wiiiiilld Weeeaa-saall!!". But ... Who can get shot in the face by a vulcan machine gun, and live??? ... Bad-ass.

[@saturncrush]

👍🏾

[@WaltBTB]

@@jykvox869 Where did you read that he has a cybernetic jaw or got shot with a vulcan? Was this from some new version of him from a recent comic or something? His original origin said Wild Weasel had a distinctive speech cadence due to a mouth injury believed to be resulting from ground fire during a strafing run. Not trying to bag on you, I'm honestly curious where this other version is from.

[@danielherrin]

@@jykvox869 Didn't Brian Williams get hit in face with a Vulcan machine gun while saving Admiral Kirk from the Brog?

[@traviscreason1911]

155 should’ve been here too... sure, it’s the last issue, where the Joes are packing up the Pit... BUT it was the ONLY time ever in the series where the reader got to “”hear” Snake-Eyes’ voice, as he writes a letter back to Sean Collins (the son of Wade Collins, an old buddy from Vietnam who served with Snake-Eyes, Stalker, & Storm Shadow on LRRP with... and Snake & Stalker helped Wade relocate after he left his new job... with Cobra!). Since Sean wanted to join the military, and his father tried warning him about what it’s really like, encouraged Sean to write a “real warrior” ie Snake-Eyes... and what Snake-Eyes wrote back was honest, heartbreaking, sincere, and inspiring...all at once😍

[@everetth-top4760]

What about the one where Quick Kick and company get killed? That was a vicious issue.

[@markrishaug3635]

#19 "Joe Triumphs", with the deaths of Kwinn, General Flagg, Dr Venom, and Scar-Face, was a great issue, as was #39 and the final issue #152.

[@skullninjaraptor]

Great video, but dude 26 and 27? The origin of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow?

[@ArcTrooper269]

G.I. JOE DESERVES MORE RECOGNITION

[@Majesticon]

Assassination of Serpentor? Attack on the Citadel? Disappearance of Snake Eyes and Scarlet? Capture of Quick Kick, Stalker, Frostbite? Origin/Assasination of Cobra Commander? Billy's attempt to kill Cobra Commander? Unmasking? space shuttle mission?

[@Majesticon]

The death of Quinn?

[@sgtrock2175]

@@Majesticon Anything involving Kwinn was great. Number 2 and the whole run of issues beginning around #12 and running through #18 or 19 (can't remember) that wrapped up the Kwinn/Dr. Venom/Scarface arc. Great stuff that was certainly not dumbed down for kids. I was an early teenager when the series started and just ate it up. I enjoyed the more reality based Special Missions stories a lot. There were many great stories in its short run. The death of the October Guard being one that stands out, along with the one where Destro's troops were marauding through Southeast Asia and Hama drew parallels to what the Kmer Rouge did in Cambodia.

[@gatorcroc7212]

I love Larry Hama and Mike Zeck! Im so glad I got to meet both at East Coast Con! I also own the #21 issue signed by Larry Hama 9.6 grading .

[@My-Name-Isnt-Important]

Wild Weasel is when an aircraft is equipped with radar-seeking missiles, and is given the mission of flying around enemy territory with the goal of taking out their anti-aircraft installations. Its an extremely dangerous mission to undertake and one that few pilots would willingly do. Only extremely skilled pilots, that were also considered crazy, would agree to fly "Wild Weasel" during the Vietnam war.

[@jykvox869]

I'm the opposite on a thing you said. I *prefer* the more real world stuff. The further into fantasy they got (Ninja Snake-Eyes, after Commando Snake-Eyes), the less interesting it was.

[@caavoom]

Issue #2 should have been in the list

[@ThatC0nGuy]

AGREE!!!

[@cravencomics5887]

As a long time GI Joe reader, growing up reading these very books, I can say GREAT list! Especially SFX (I agree, highly underrated) and Shakedown which are personal favorites of mine. Of course, we all now which issue is number one, rightfully so.

[@TS7197]

"Wild Weasel" was a Vietnam War tactic employed by Air Force pilots to find NVA anti-aircraft batteries and destroy them. The code name makes perfect sense for a pilot of a ground attack pilot.

[@rongee7337]

DOPE I WISH I KEPT MY G.I.JOE COMICS AND ACTION FIGURES

[@alexavani6165]

Start buying comics now. I just listed G.I. Joe 94-96 here - www.ebay.com/itm/283453524474

[@ddsssa]

The best part is when Saw Viper killed a group of joes.

[@stueygriffith4671]

Number 1 gotta agree! even to this day, guys you didn't even know read the comic will talk about this book. So original. and when BUFFY released their silent episode, this came to mind immediately.

[@LegoManStu]

One of the early Joe deaths was in special missions 13 Mangler

[@rxhawk75]

I recently got issue #85, I think it’s actually my favorite, with #21 and #34 a close second and third.

[@truedeadman]

great choices of issues. i loved them all

[@R3troZone]

Only problem I have with your review is at #8. While GI Joe may have been "intended for 12 year olds", GI Joe Special Missions was not. It was purposely written with darker more realistically based storyline for the older readers.

[@skyfire43]

My favorite issue is #24 but I think #40 through #50 are all great issues.

[@DUARTE99]

Great list!

[@bencool8239]

#36,#47,#1

[@Bl00dwerK]

Love G.I. Joe. Great list...

[@jglizz8142]

Does.anybody remember when gi joe teamed up with the transformers

[@jykvox869]

Word. and the combined tech was supposed to lead into M.A.S.K. being in the universe, too.

[@thechad7643]

There have been a bunch of crossovers between the two. The best was dream waves stand alone six issue series which put the franchises in WWII. There was an attempt at a follow up set in the 80’s called “Divided Front” but only one issue got published before DW went under, but it was a fun single issue.

[@justliketomthumb427]

The Cobra Rattler pilot's code-name is actually derived from real world military terminology- during the VietNam War, 'Wild Weasel' was the call sign of American aircraft whose mission was to fly fast & low through a sector of North VietNam that was known to be heavily defended by various SAM missile & anti-aircraft (AAA) emplacements, in an effort to get the enemy crews to turn on their fire-control radars in an attempt to 'paint' the U.S. overflights, so they could be tracked & shot down. Other U.S. aircraft would accompany them at higher altitudes & when the North Vietnamese switched on their radar sets, the higher flying aircraft would then target that site & attempt to destroy it using HARM or Shrike anti-radiation missles that would follow the radar beam back to it's originating source. The pilots who had the nerve to basically offer themselves up as targets had an incredibly risky job & were usually chosen because they were the best of the best & had nerves of steel. An incredibly hairy task.

[@justliketomthumb427]

From G.I. Joe Order Of Battle #3 (February 1987, Page 27), written by Larry Hama: "Wild Weasel cut his teeth in the bush wars of South America and Africa during the last decade. His knowledge of close support aircraft is wide and varied, ranging from jury-rigged civilian conversions to ultra state-of-the-art flying weapons platform replete with laser-guided missiles and ECM (electronic counter-measures) pods. It is rumored that a mouth injury inflicted by ground fire during a low-level strafing run was the cause of the characteristic sibilance in his speech pattern." MAYBE Wild Weasel got his start flying for the USAF, USN or USMC in Southeast Asia before he began his mercenary career flying for the highest bidder? NOW YOU KNOW...

[@eldrow]

What other issues would you suggest for a new Snake Eyes fan?

[@shepherd2220]

Snake eyes assassin unleashed was awesome.

[@xaviernolazco3059]

Greetings, will anyone know what the comic is where Stormshadow and Snake eyes fight vs the Black Dragon?

[@senseigoon451]

Has anyone ever seen that short film where it first plays the story where snake eyes is waiting on a blacksmith to make him a sword in a comic book type animation then clips that show storm shadow and snake eyes training in that clan and they’re balancing bowls of water while also fighting on some canes then where all those dudes end up fighting in a den looking place??? I remember seeing it as a kid but can’t find any evidence it even existed it was so badass someone help me

[@DuplicitousDark]

no mention issue of 109 or saw viper??

[@thechad7643]

mang kanor I’m not a fan of that arc. Duke refuses to gun down the Saw Viper execution style because he feels like it would be too cowardly. Then it’s heavily implied Snake Eyes did it for Duke when he drops Saw Viper’s rifle on their graves as an offering. Which is never really explained if that’s shade on Snake Eyes or Duke.

[@bencool8239]

Zartan,dredknocks,tomax and xamot..

[@thetruthtystick4026]

I have the one with the first appearance of dreadnots

[@davidmoses6434]

The issue where we find out that Firefly killed the Hard Master should've been included, too!

[@johnsoehnlen4781]

That was the first G.I. Joe comic I ever read.

[@ryanangelastro504]

At what issue should I stop reading?

[@chocos26]

More g.i. joe videos

[@mjberndt76]

My favorite was the transformers crossover, based during ww2

[@davidbogard8576]

Was her name Clark? She could lead boots well for a Cooper.

[@davidbogard8576]

Out.

[@cheeseburger12]

Although all those comics are great....if it was my list I'd remove 3, 9, and 6 and replace them with #1, #40, and #24. Number 1 being the first one and giving the Joes as regular army men their due. And the first time you see Cobra Commander. #40 has the Joes actually lose as Cobra creates a new home base! And number 24- the Escape of Cobra Commander! I much prefer my Storm-shadow as a cobra, him being on the good side can be cool but never in my top 10. And Snake-eyes being ninja exclusively is cool, but if you are going to put #21 at number 1 (and most people do) I'd rather not have too much of the top 10 as the Snake-eyes show. Besides, he's still in a lot of the list!

[@Majesticon]

wow, no Zartan issue at all? he was the most compelling character.

[@bujilou]

is there an omnibus with this whole series?

[@ClassicToonFan64]

You can buy the digital comics (Both the classic Marvel series and the recent IDW ones) through Amazon Kindle and Comixology.

[@rogerchavez6215]

Decent list but issues 26, 27 and 84 should be in any GI JOE top 10.

[@lukevankleef4245]

Can you truly READ a comic book if it has no dialog? Wouldn't it just be looking at it?

[@alanguages]

+Luke van Kleef Yes you can. It is visual storytelling, and the issue "Silent Interlude" was the best one in the series. IMO

[@lukevankleef4245]

alanguages Fair enough I suppose.