g.i joe: the complete collection, vol. 4 preview

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1. EDITORS

Justin Eisinger & Alonzo Simon

2. DESIGNER

Shawn Lee

ISBN: 978-1-61377-848-7 17 16 15 14 1 2 3 4

G.I. JOE: THE COM PLETE COLLECTION, VOLU ME 4. JANUARY 2014. FI RST PRINTING. HASBRO and its logo, G.I. JOE, and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2014 Hasbro.All Rights Reserved. The IDW logo is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works, LLC. Editorial offices: 5080 Santa Fe St., San Diego, CA 92109. Any similaritiesto persons living or dead are purely coincidental. With the exception of artwork used for review purposes, none of the contents of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Idea and Design Works, LLC.Printed in Korea. IDW Publishing does not read or accept unsolicited submissions of ideas, stories, or artwork.

Originally published by Marvel Comics as G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN H ERO issues #34–45 and by Hasbro as the 25th ANNIVERSARY COMIC PACK #36.5.

www.IDWPUBLISHING.com

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Ted Adams, CEO & PublisherGreg Goldstein, President & COORobbie Robbins, EVP/Sr. Graphic ArtistChris Ryall, Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-ChiefMatthew Ruzicka, CPA, Chief Financial OfficerAlan Payne, VP of SalesDirk Wood, VP of MarketingLorelei Bunjes, VP of Digital ServicesJeff Webber, VP of Digital Publishing & Business Development

IDW founded by Ted Adams, Alex Garner, Kris Oprisko, and Robbie Robbins

Special thanks to Hasbro’s Ed Lane, Joe Furfaro, Heather Hopkins, and Michael Kelly for their invaluable assistance.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

PG. 82 ISSUE #36 1/2, 2008: "A BAD DAY AT THE CIRCUS"

Written by Larry Hama - Art and Cover by Jeremy DaleThis comic was included as a bonus in Hasbro’s “25th Anniversary Comic Packs” product, as well as two action figures: Tomax &

Xamot, attired as they were featured in this comic pack.

PG. 107 ISSUE #37, JULY 1985: "TWIN BROTHERS"

Written by Larry Hama - Pencils by Frank Springer - Inks by Andy Mushynsky

Colors by George Roussos - Letters by Rick Parker - Edits by Denny O'Neil

Cover by Mike Zeck and John Beatty

PG. 131 ISSUE #38, AUGUST 1985: "JUDGEMENTS"

Written by Larry Hama - Pencils by Rod Whigham - Inks by Andy Mushynsky



PG. 8 ISSUE #34, APRIL 1985: "SHAKEDOWN!"




PG. 33 ISSUE #35, MAY 1985: "DREADNOKS ON THE LOOSE!"

Written by Larry Hama - Pencils by Rod Whigham, Mark Bright, Bob Camp, and Larry Hama

Inks by Andy Mushynsky and Mike Esposito - Colors by George Roussos - Letters by Rick Parker

Edits by Denny O'Neil - Cover by John Byrne

PG. 58 ISSUE #36, JUNE 1985: "ALL THE SHIPS AT SEA!"

Written by Larry Hama - Pencils by Rod Whigham, Mark Bright, Bob Camp, and Larry Hama

Inks by Andy Mushynsky and Mike Esposito - Colors by George Roussos - Letters by Rick Parker

Edits by Denny O'Neil - Cover by Michael Golden

PG. 228 ISSUE #42, DECEMBER 1985: "TIES THAT BIND"


Colors by George Roussos - Letters by Joe Rosen - Edits by Denny O'Neil

Cover by Mike Zeck and Dennis Janke

PG. 252 ISSUE #43, JANUARY 1986: "CROSSROADS"




PG. 277 ISSUE #44, FEBRUARY 1986: "IMPROVISATION ON A THEME"




PG. 155 ISSUE #39, SEPTEMBER 1985: "WALK THROUGH THE JUNGLE"




PG. 179 ISSUE #40, OCTOBER 1985: "HYDROFOIL"




PG. 204 ISSUE #41, NOVEMBER 1985: "STRATEGIC DIPLOMACY"

Written by Larry Hama - Pencils by Rod Whigham - Inks by Keith Williams



PG. 4 INTRODUCTION

Written by Mark W. Bellomo

PG. 302 ISSUE #45, MARCH 1986: "IN SEARCH OF CANDY"






As a devotee of the literary movement known as American modernism, on occasionI have received scholarly grants to support my research. I’m telling you thisnot to brag, but so you will know that I’ve acquired more than a passingfamiliarity with many of the authors who encompass this tenet: notable writerssuch as William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Robert Penn Warren, and T.S.Eliot. However, of all the modernist writers I’ve studied, the many manuscriptsI’ve pored over, the academic papers I’ve presented around the world, ErnestHemingway’s style and philosophy have captured my attention far more than theothers. Due to my intimate familiarity with Hemingway’s catalogue as well asthe original canonical issues of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero , I’ve notedcomparisons between Ernest Hemingway and Lawrence Hama in terms of theirallusiveness —their ability to make use of indirect, esoteric references intheir writing.

These two authors immersed themselves within their respective subjects to such

an advanced degree that casual readers may only see 1/8th

of what Hemingway andHama managed to place on the printed page, while 7/8ths of the stateliness oftheir prose (the “dignity” of their respective “icebergs” [the hidden contextof their allusions]) floats invisible and unseen yet critically important— lurking just under the surface.

Hemingway and Hama believed their readers were perceptive enough to embrace what literary critic Carlos Baker explained as the iceberg theory : where thesubstantive, empirical facts of a narrative (the first 1/8th of the iceberg)float noticeably above water, while the supporting structures of the story,replete with symbolism and hidden meanings (the other 7/8ths of the iceberg)operate covertly. In the RAH canon, these symbolic artifacts, images, aspects

of military nomenclature, and obscure historical references dot Larry Hama’sliterary landscape everywhere: from his using a hexagram of the I-Ching torepresent the relationship of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, to employing theconcepts of confrérie and fraternal brotherhood to guide interactions between

members of the G.I. Joe team. From Hama’s incorporation of a pervasivesubversive subtext when rendering the U.S.’ military industrial complex, toCobra Command’s development of their revolutionary “Siegie” (CrimsonGuardsmen–“C.G.”) project. From the singular items readers witness spilling outof Snake Eyes’ Department of Defense file (featured on the cover of RAH #26),to his ingenious parody of America’s “cookie-cutter” credo through the use ofthe town of Springfield.

These aforementioned supporting structures concocted by Hama—and many, many more—allowed his narrative to function on multiple levels… as did Hemingway’s.For instance, if you’re interested in reading a well-written adventure storyabout friends touring France and Spain while attending bullfights and drinkinglike fish, pick up The Sun Also Rises. On the most basic level, you’ll enjoyan expertly-written novel about expatriates—one that profoundly impacted

American pop culture in the 1920s and 1930s. However, by quickly reading thisbook, you’ll surely gloss over the secretive, allusive references made byHemingway and perhaps miss the book’s most crucial point. If you carefullyresearch every allusion, you might discover that the protagonist of the novelis tracing “The Way of St. James”—a major Christian pilgrimage route dating

back to medieval times, a sacred path known as the “Route of Santiago deCompostela.” Tens of thousands of people read The Sun Also Rises every year.Yet only a handful of them may realize the profound religious significance ofthis, one of the most important books in American literary history.

A religious significance concealed within the submerged part ofHemingway’s iceberg.

Similarly, in the countless interviews he’s conducted over the past 30 years,Mr. Hama has dropped the odd hint that there was something beatingimperceptibly beneath the surface of his fiction on the pages of RAH and

INTRODUCTION

SAVE THIS FORM. IT WILL NOT BE REPLACED IF LOST.



within the text of Hasbro’s Combat Command File Card biographies: thoseimpressive, codifying dossiers used to define each of the myriad G.I. Joe team

members and agents of Cobra Command. Those “clip ‘n save” bio cards that we aschildren of the 1980s used to read and re-read over and over until thosedossiers were beat up and dog-eared. Yet we managed to memorize a good deal ofthe text that narrated the back story of our favorite G.I. Joe team membersand agents of Cobra Command.

But what was the purpose of these allusions? Who cares about learning thatFlint’s original surname was Fairbairn and not—as Hasbro corrected it— Fairborne? What exactly occurred at the officers’ putsch that involved Tomaxand Xamot in 1960s Algeria? Who are the Montagnard tribesmen referred to inDuke’s original military dossier? Why is Shana M. O’Hara code-named Scarlett?Who does Mr. Hama actually allude to with the code name Wild Bill? What isThe Attica Gazette , and why would Major Bludd submit his poems to this curiouspublication? How is the Arashikage ninja clan’s tattoo emblematic and symbolicof the relationship between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow?

The list is quite extensive. Potentially, I could draft an entire concordance.There’s a reason why each and every volume of G.I. Joe: The Complete Collection possesses dozens upon dozens of pages chock full of these allusivenotes which are transformed by my editor into “Ops Briefs.” It is only byfirst defining and then understanding the military nomenclature, historicalevidence, cultural allegories, religious parables, and ideological tidbitsoffered by Mr. Hama that readers like me can begin to consider the complexnature of each 22-page comic book he authored. Perhaps that’s because when he

was writing G.I. Joe , Mr. Hama made use of the 17-volume set of the Departmentof Defense’s Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, the U.S. Army’sCombat Skills of the Fighting Soldier: U.S. Army Field Manual (FM 21-75); The Rifle Squads: Mechanized and Light Infantry (TC 7-1; The U.S. Army AdjutantGeneral Publications Center), and Long Range Patrol Operations by James W.

England, among many other tomes.

Which leads us to the most peculiar allusion Mr. Hama has made regarding hisapproach to writing RAH . During one particular telephone conversation a few years back, I asked him to state the greatest influence upon his crafting G.I.Joe , and he said: “The Junior Woodchucks.”

“You know. Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Carl Barks’ Donald Duck. From Walt Disney?”said Mr. Hama.

“What are you talking about? How are they influential to members of the G.I.Joe team?”

“There was this one issue starring the Junior Woodchucks in a bridge-buildingcompetition... that’s the one that influenced my storytelling the most.”

So I headed to one of my climate-controlled storage spaces. I pulled out a few long boxes from my well-protected late Silver Age Walt Disney Comics. Irecalled that it had to be from one of Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories from the 1950s starring the Junior Woodchucks. Open the comic bag. Take out thebook. Flip, flip, flip. Nope. Set it down. Open bag. Grab book. Flip, flip,flip. Nope. Open. Grab. Flip. Nope. After 40 or 50 of these iterations, thereit was: Walt Disney Comics and Stories #181 from October, 1955. An untitledstory written and drafted by Disney’s storytelling genius: Carl Barks.

In the story, three Junior Woodchucks (Disney’s equivalent to the Boy Scoutsof America), Huey, Dewey, and Louie—Donald Duck’s nephews—have been issued achallenge to enter into a bridge-building competition by the South DuckburgChickadee Patrol. Zaniness ensues (involving Donald mucking things up, as perusual), military references and acronyms are bandied about, the JuniorWoodchucks consult their omniscient Junior Woodchucks Guidebook and the threeJunior Woodchucks ultimately triumph over their adversaries.

Then it struck me. The issue I held in my hands possessed strikingsimilarities with various issues of G.I. Joe . For instance, didn’t Stalker,



Recondo, Roadblock, Gung-Ho, and Ripcord reach a river and build a bridgeacross it in issue #39, “Walk Through the Jungle”? Roadblock even referencedthe Boy Scouts (earning his Pioneering merit badge) within the context of thestory. During his lengthy run, Mr. Hama even re-used the concept of acronymsthat Barks peppered throughout his Woodchuck narratives. So then, there aresome striking similarities, but there is still much more to this “duck tale”:the Barks story is all about how to function as a team . It’s about troopershaving to cooperate with one another. Confrérie and the fraternal brotherhood.

Sound familiar?

Furthermore, from an artist’s creative standpoint, Hama knew that Barks wasall about cause and effect as graphic storytelling. Similar to the old ECComics artists of the late forties and early fifties: Johnny Craig, ReedCrandall, Jack Davis, and Wally Wood (who Hama worked under as an assistant).In EC Comics we saw cause and effect. Cinematic storytelling; storytellingthat made violent action seem more dangerous. Yet after 1954’s Seduction of the Innocent, people recoiled from this method of storytelling. In comic bookspost-Seduction, readers received less straightforward cause and effect (e.g.villain with axe chops victim’s head off), yet more vogueing—statuesquecharacters posing.

As dynamic as the work of Jack Kirby and Gil Kane were in the 1960s, when youlook at their action sequences, it’s essentially not cause-and-effect. InspectKirby’s Thor or his Fantastic Four of the 1960s, and you’ll observe an imageof Thor posing while swinging his hammer. You’ll witness a striking tableau ofDr. Doom shooting a ray gun at Reed Richards. It’s posturing. It’s vogueing:

motion in suspension. And this is not to impugn the obvious talents of MastersKirby and Kane and their brethren. It is pointing out that their artwork—as

with many great artists of the 1960s—was restricted by the Comics Code Authority as a result of the The Seduction. The CCA simply wouldn’t permitThor to smash Loki in the face with Mjolnir. The CCA couldn’t allow Hal Jordan

to cleave a villain in two with the “most powerful weapon in the universe.” After Seduction, The reader was missing out on the cause and effect thatsuperhero comic book artists might have created otherwise; these artists indeedhad to take an unconscious step backwards.

To quote Mr. Hama: “It was the Inquisition clamping down on the Renaissance.”

And although EC’s crime, horror, war, and science fiction titles were run outof business, and other publishers fell in line with the CCA, cause and effectcontinued to be seen in every other type of comic. Particularly those with a“cartoony” (I just hate that word) flair. In John Stanley’s Little Lulu. InWalt Kelly’s Pogo . And in Barks’ Disney stories, where his use of cause and

effect remained untouched because his utilization of this method applied toanthropomorphized ducks.

And although he deals with military themes, Mr. Hama continues in this vein.He rarely shows gratuitous violence as a result of cause and effect. Go backand look in the pages of G.I. Joe #21, “Silent Interlude,” (G .I . Joe : The Complete Collection, Vol. 2) arguably the greatest G.I. Joe story ever told.Really look at those pages as if this were the first time you were reading thebook. We don’t witness Storm Shadow’s sword slicing Scarlett out of her ropes; we never watch Snake Eyes landing from his parachute drop, or dispatching theCobra Soldiers on the roof of Destro’s castle. We witness that Snake Eyes hasa grenade, we observe that he throws it at the Red Ninja: and the Red Ninja isno more—without a multitude of blood and gore. Even in this infamous silentissue, Mr. Hama tried to utilize cause and effect to imply the violence thatappeared off-panel, for violence is more effective if you use your imagination.It’s like Lady Macbeth on stage right with blood all over hands. We don’t seethe murder. But we know she committed the act.

That’s why Snake Eyes wears a mask. Characterization itself is more effectiveif you use your imagination. The flash of light off-panel. The briefest ofilluminations and subtlest of hints that makes writing more poetic. What Mr.Hama—the writer—and you —the reader—imagine in your mind’s eye concocts a scenefar stronger than what any artist can draw.



And that’s what makes G.I. Joe’s use of violence acceptable to the CCA.Because it’s not the violence that you utilize cause and effect for: it’s thecharacterization. Yes, there are a few action bits that are choreographed inthat manner, but the action/violence is set there to bolster who thecharacters are in the fiction. It’s the pulling together of it all as a fullpackage, with plot driven by character.

Larry Hama never wrote one comic book of his 155-issue RAH run with a plot set

ahead of time. He simply knew the characters, felt the characters, andexplored them. He never planned or plotted or schemed how anything was goingto end. In the final two panels of “Silent Interlude,” he didn’t even know that Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow were going to tear their sleeves; he didn’trealize their sleeves would tear until about page fifteen.

How these soldiers react to certain situations is how you render theircharacter. With this organic impetus added to the dynamic nature of character,predetermination doesn’t work. As a writer, we shouldn’t be thinking “Hmm… Whathappens next?” We should be thinking about getting these characters on theirfeet; getting them moving. For if you predetermine situations, you’re forcingthe issue. Writers need to attain meaning by allowing characters to have anaturalistic reaction to each other. Writing any other way seems like ascreed–a ranting piece of writing where all the characters are doing isreinforcing the author’s point-of-view, rather than reacting realistically toeach other or to an event.

You can see this in certain writers like Hammet, Hemingway, Barks, and Hama. A lack of choreographed events (bar an impetus for the adventure), where, inspite of the deconstruction of the plot, it is chronological and will follow areal, honest, truer chronology.

And that’s what Mr. Hama has always tried to pursue in his writing of G.I.

Joe : the truth. He obtains a truer narrative than most writers who’ve takenover the reins of G.I. Joe in the past because he’ll go to great lengths toobtain the truest way to render a soldier—and not just with his Hemingway-esque allusions: in his issues of G.I. Joe , soldiers don’t speak likesuperheroes; they refuse to talk like agents of espionage; they won’t converse

with each other like rock stars. Larry Hama’s soldiers speak like soldiers.They think like soldiers and they breathe like soldiers. Because Larry was asoldier; he was a vet who made sure that his characters—his “friends” (as he

was wont to refer to them)—act like soldiers. They don’t wear capes, don’thave sidekicks (animals, yes… sidekicks, no…), and rarely meddle in the affairsof civilians they are sworn to protect.

But if he’s effectively breathed life into his soldiers, why then would we not want to pursue the truth about the aforementioned allusions? Sure, we can giveMr. Hama’s issues of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero a cursory, casual read andappreciate them for being entertaining stories about valorous soldiers anddespicable terrorists. Yet again, it’s like reading The Sun Also Rises andenjoying it as an adventure/romance novel, yet not comprehending Jake Barnes’transformative religious pilgrimage.

But to you casual fans who read G.I. Joe for action and adventure, know thatyou just may be missing out on the hidden secrets of Mr. Hama’s iceberg, onhis declining to dumb-down his narratives, on his refusal to confuse realism

with truth, and on his proper literary comparison to Hemingway, Barks, andthose few other exceptional writers whose job it was to not only entertain,but to strive to give us a little bit more substance as well.

– Mark W. Bellomo

For the past fifteen years, Mark W. Bellomo has written hundreds of articles and a number of bestselling books on the topic of action figures, where he has cemented his rep utation as one of the world’s foremostexperts. Most recently, Bellomo provided forewords to IDW Publishing's Transformers: Classics and G.I. JOE: Special Missions trades, and he is currently presiding over the fifteen-volume hardcover project,G.I. JOE: The Complete Collection . Readers may view him as the subject of the 18-part YouTube documentary The Collectable Spectacle , or witness the fruits of his labors as a consultant for Syfy’s Collection Intervention . His latest books, are IDW’s The Art of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron , and Krause Publications’ Toys & Prices: The World’s Best Toy Guide .



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