I guess it’s only coincidence that I went from a “G.I.”-titled comic from DC to a “G.I.”-titled comic from Marvel as a one-two in my #WarComicsMonth reading. Then again, if I was going to make a concerted effort to read war comics for November, I was going to throw in at least one Joe book, especially considering the title was one of the first I truly collected.

Now, this is a story I’ve read before and own in trade paperback, and it is from about a year before my “prime” era of G.I. Joe, which was #45-66. I do have the individual issue, but that’s because a copy was in a Marvel Grab Bag that I picked up a little while ago. So I don’t have a childhood fondness for this comic the way I would if I had randomly received issue #46 or #55 (both of which I have … and are signed). Still, the Michael Golden cover brings me back to the days of looking for the comic on the stands, seeing it in Marvel three-packs at TSS, and thumbing through the back issue bins and grabbing what I could afford.

The cover, which I believe is by Michael Golden, shows the Joe Hovercraft taking on a Cobra A.S.P. and that is one of two fights that happens in the issue, which features a story about several sea-centered characters (plus Doc and Snow Job) being attacked by Cobra in the middle of the ocean and eventually using the Killer W.H.A.L.E. (the aforementioned hovercraft) to overpower the cobination of A.S.P.s, Rattlers, and Morays (the Cobra Hydrofoil, which was one of my favorite toys in the line). The second story is Scarlett and Snake-Eyes (who is in disguise) being ambushed by Crimson Guard clone Fred II and a bunch of Cobra operatives on the Staten Island Ferry and overcoming that attack as well.

I guess if there’s only one negative thing I have to say about this book it’s that it was printed on mondo paper using the flexographic printing process. The trade cleans it up pretty well, though. Anyway, that’s a nitpick on what’s a really enjoyable book and honestly I’d recommend seeing if you can find any of the old G.I. Joe books, especially from the first 60 or 70 issues. For a comic that was marketed to kids, they’re well-written and don’t “talk down” to their audience. I’d keep it if I didn’t already have it in trade.

Keep, Sell, Donate, or Trash?

Donate.