LONG BOX // PUBLISHING HISTORY // UNCLASSIFIED
Forty years of G.I. Joe in print.
From Larry Hama's 155-issue Marvel run to Skybound's current Energon Universe line, the Joe-versus-Cobra war has run continuously in comics since 1982. Browse the six major publishing runs below. Issue-level catalogue and covers come online as the archive is indexed from the Grand Comics Database.
A Real American Hero
The flagship. Larry Hama wrote nearly the entire 155-issue run and built the whole mythos: Snake Eyes, the Arashikage clan, the origin of Cobra Commander, Springfield. Issue 21, Silent Interlude, is the near-wordless Storm Shadow landmark and one of the most influential single comics of the decade.
Reference record →Special Missions
A grittier companion title, also led by Hama, running self-contained black-ops stories with a grounded military tone. Traded the running soap-opera continuity for one-and-done operations.
Reference record →Action Force
The British weekly that recolored the US run for the Action Force branding, then commissioned original UK-only strips never seen stateside. A prized gap-filler for completists.
Reference record →A Real American Hero (Devil’s Due)
The 2000s revival that brought the original continuity back after Marvel ended it. Ran the relaunched A Real American Hero, Frontline, America’s Elite, and the G.I. Joe vs the Transformers crossovers.
Reference record →G.I. Joe (IDW)
A full continuity reboot plus, crucially, Larry Hama’s continuation of the ORIGINAL Marvel numbering from issue 156 onward, ignoring every reboot. For longtime readers, the true sequel to 1982 to 1994.
Reference record →G.I. Joe (Skybound, Energon Universe)
The current era. Part of the shared Energon Universe alongside Skybound’s Transformers. Solo lead-ins (Cobra Commander, Destro, Duke, Scarlett) preceded the main ongoing launched November 2024 by Joshua Williamson. Arcs include the Dreadnok War and The Hunt for Energon.
Reference record →Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Reference links point to the Grand Comics Database and fan wikis, used with attribution.
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