To be fair, this isn’t a house ad for a Marvel series, but I scanned this years ago from a Marvel comic, so I’m counting it.

Given recent events and my current feelings about the American military it feels a little weird to be writing about this, but G.I. Joe was a huge part of my childhood and, to a certain extent, my early twenties. As a child of eighties, the G.I. Joe animated series was “appointment television” Monday through Friday and watched the tape I made of the 1987 movie again and again. When it came to the toys, I was late to the party. I didn’t go through my G.I. Joe action figure phase until Christmas of 1986 but made up for lost time thanks to my very generous parents. The comics came later still. I didn’t get into the Marvel series until my early twenties when I found a solid run starting with issue 27 and ending with issue 106 as well as all four Yearbooks at a shop in Riverdale, Georgia called the Book Nook. Reading those comics and learning about the comic book side of G.I. Joe is still one of the best comic book reading experiences I have ever had.

So, despite being angry about what is going on the Middle East right now, I still have a love of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

It’s nuanced.

I was never a member of the Mobile Strike Force. This was the first of the G.I. Joe fan clubs from the Real American Hero days and, thus, before my time with the toys. I would join one of the later versions of the club but even after looking over the various iterations of the clubs at YoJoe.com (which you can find by clicking this link) I can’t remember exactly which one. I do remember one of the things that came with the club packet I got taught me how to read military time. Looking at what was part of the first club kit I wish I had been a member. When things get easier, I may try to hunt down the poster because it is really slick.

Part of me also wishes that I had started reading the Marvel series earlier. Part of me loves that I discovered the series later. It’s weird. I can say that the writing and the art holds up. I re-read some of the Marvel series a few years ago and the way writer Larry Hama was able to create a military soap opera, breathe life into a line of toys, and create complicated backstories for the characters, especially Cobra Commander and Snake-Eyes is still impressive.

I feel like I should end this by shouting, “Yo Joe!” but I am going to fight that urge. It feels to obvious.

More to follow…