Note: The torrent featured in this post contains G.I. Joe comics released between 1982-2003. If you are looking for G.I. Joe comics released after 2003, please see this article.
Since its debut in 1982, the comic book history of G.I. Joe has seen three separate publishers and four main-title series, all of which have been based on the Hasbro toyline of the same name. The first series was produced by Marvel Comics between 1984 and 1993, running for 155 issues and spawning several spin-off titles through out the course of its run; the second series was a short-lived run published by Dark Horse Comics in 1996; and the third and fourth series are in current production by Devil's Due (the first 25 issues of series three was published by Image) and also feature several spin-off books.
The torrent featured in this post contains the following series:
A Real American Hero
Hasbro relaunched their G.I. Joe franchise with G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. It was supported by a Marvel Comics series. It was unique at the time in that it was a comic book series that was promoted on television commercials which also supported the toy line. This 155-issue series is considered to be one of the longest-running comic book tie-ins to a toy line. Much of its success is to be credited to Larry Hama, who wrote the entire series save for a few issues with guest writers. Rather than treating the stories as a mere promotion for the toys, Hama wrote the series with seriousness and infused it with doses of realism, humor, and drama.
G.I. Joe Yearbooks
The four Yearbooks (1985-1988 ) collected some previous stories, summarized events, etc. and, aside from the first Yearbook, published new stories that tied into current events in the main title.
G.I. Joe: Special Missions
The success of the main title lead Marvel Comics to produce a secondary title, G.I. Joe: Special Missions which lasted 28 issues, with Herb Trimpe as the artist for nearly the entire run, with Dave Cockrun providing pencils on several issues. Spinning out of issue #50 of a story in the main title, the series featured more intense violence and a more ambiguous morality than the main title, while the enemies were conventional terrorists as well as Cobra itself.
G.I. Joe: Order of Battle
Order of Battle was a four-issue comic series that reprinted the data found on the action figures' file cards with some edits and all-new artwork of G.I. Joe characters by Herb Trimpe. Published in 1987, the first two issues featured G.I. Joe members while the third issue focused on the Cobra Organization, and the fourth featured various vehicles and equipment used by both organizations.
G.I. Joe and the Transformers
A four issue limited series that teamed-up the Joes with the other popular property of the 1980s, Transformers. The Joes and the Autobots must join forces to stop the Decepticons and Cobra from destroying the world. The story suffered from the need to have the events of the limited series reflect the events of the main G.I. Joe and Transformers titles published by Marvel Comics at the time.
G.I. Joe: European Missions and "Action Force"
Action Force was the British counterpart to the 3 3/4-inch G.I. Joe toyline. In 1988, the UK tie-in comic was re-launched as part of Marvel UK's decision to produce comics in the American monthly format. Known as Action Force Monthly in the UK, this was also published in the USA as G.I. Joe: European Missions, running for fifteen issues until its abrupt cancellation.
Blackthorne Publishing
Blackthorne Publishing released six bi-monthly issues of G.I.Joe in 3-D and one annual. Blackthorne also published three "How to draw G.I. Joe" issues. Only the first two issue of G.I. Joe in 3-D are in this torrent.
Dark Horse Comics
In 1996, the G.I. Joe toyline was relaunched with the G.I. Joe Extreme series. Dark Horse Comics acquired the rights to publish comics based on the G.I. Joe Extreme property. The first series was a four-issue limited series that was written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Tatsuya Ishida and introduced the main characters. The ongoing G.I. Joe Extreme series that was launched afterwards dropped the word "Extreme" from the title. The ongoing series lasted four issue before being canceled.
G.I. Joe A Real American Hero v2 1-25
In July 2001, Devil's Due acquired the rights to G.I. Joe and released a four-issue limited series thru Image Comics entitled G.I. Joe (vol. 1), written by Josh Blaylock with John Larter and Steve Kurth as the artists. The title quickly became known to the fans as A Real American Hero Volume 2 (following from Marvel's original series) or G.I. Joe Reinstated (the title of the first four-issue arc). A comics convention special was released before the first issue.
G. I. Joe: Battle Files
G.I. Joe: Battle Files gave profiles of the G.I. Joe and Cobra teams, as well as information on their vehicles. Battle Files was published between April and September of 2002.
G.I. Joe: Frontline
This series lasted eighteen issues and featured a rotative creative team for every story. The stories took place within the past and the present time. The first four issues featured a Larry Hama written story set during the end of the Marvel Comics' title of one of G.I. Joe's last missions.
G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers
This was a cross-production with Dreamwave Productions, who, at the time, held the license to create Transformers comics. Each studio released their own six-issue limited series which featured their own take on a crossover between the two franchises. Unlike previous efforts to bring the two properties together, the Devil's Due story takes place in an alternate present day where Cobra, just rising to prominence, has uncovered the Ark. Cobra steal the Transformers found inside, such as Optimus Prime, Ironhide and Ratchet, and adapt them into Cobra assault vehicles such as Cobra HISS tanks. G.I. Joe is formed to stop Cobra and receive unexpected help from Wheeljack and Bumblebee, who managed to avoid being taken by Cobra.
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