G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol. 1 - Review

Not many comics can claim to have over 300 issues, but G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero can! After four decades of writing these iconic action-figure characters, Larry Hama continues the Joes’ journey, now with a new publisher—Skybound!

I only started reading G.I. Joe stories in October 2024, beginning with the new Energon titles, and I loved them! Diving into A Real American Hero felt like a natural next step, and wow—jumping into this volume was both badass and challenging.

I love the crazy world of G.I. Joe, and this book certainly delivers on that craziness. The volume opens on Cobra Island, where Serpentor Khan and Dr. Mindbender unleash a bomb that essentially turns everyone within the blast radius into zombies. As much as I enjoy the wild, over-the-top nature of G.I. Joe, I have to admit this plot point left me scratching my head. Why on earth would the villain deliberately blow up the bomb with himself included in the radius, knowing it would zombify him? That said, the premise did lead to some epic moments with the Joes, so I can’t complain too much.

The story itself felt serviceable, but I do wonder if I made a mistake starting with issue #301, having read almost nothing of the series prior (aside from Joshua Williamson’s #1). This volume was described as a good starting point for new readers, and it did a decent job of explaining key elements. Even so, I felt I was missing a deeper understanding of the characters’ motives and intentions, which occasionally left me feeling a bit disconnected from the story.

Larry Hama’s writing also leans heavily into military jargon, which added an interesting layer of authenticity to the story. However, as someone who works in IT, I found myself clueless about some of the terms used (though I appreciated the little notes throughout the book that explained them).

What really shined for me was the artwork. Chris Mooneyham delivers a phenomenal five-issue arc packed with artistic goodness. His beautifully drawn characters, detailed backgrounds, and Francesco Segala’s gritty coloring create a tone that feels perfectly suited to the Joes’ world. The art style adds a sense of grounded intensity that balances out the crazier story elements.

Overall, I enjoyed this comic, but not as much as I had hoped. I’m still invested enough to pick up Volume 2 when it releases this January, as I remain intrigued by the characters and world. That said, I think I need to rewind the clock and start from the beginning of this massive series to gain a fuller appreciation and understanding of G.I. Joe lore.