Below you’ll find the solicitations information and cover artwork for all of Dark Horse Comics comic book titles released on December 2, 2015. My personal faves this week are Mystery Girl #1 and This Damned Band #5!

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #192
Written by Larry Hama
Art by Sergio Cariello
Colors by J. Brown
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Editor: Carlos Guzman
Covers by SL Gallant & Gary Erskine with colors by J. Brown, and Larry Hama
IDW Publishing
Release Date: July 31, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #192 is, just like it has been since its return to publishing in 2005, a complete and totally fun read from cover to cover.

Writer Larry Hama deals with about 4 major plot lines in this issue, switching focus about every 2-4 pages on what’s going on. You might think that there’s not enough time to devote to each character or story, but this is where Hama succeeds. He brings a couple of the stories to a definite close (well, as much as you can in comics, and leaves the others ending with some great cliffhangers. What I love so much about this series is that I can’t wait for the next issue. You just don’t get that with a lot of other comics today. This series is definitely NOT “written for the trade” and that’s what’s so unique about it and so great about Hama’s story telling.

I love what IDW has done with the G.I. Joe property since taking it over a few years ago, from their new series to their efforts to reprint the original Marvel series. IDW has already published a nice line of trade paperbacks collecting that original series, and now they are starting a line of limited edition oversized hardcovers collecting the series.

G.I. Joe: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 ships in May and will collect the first twelve issues of G.I. Joe along with a bonus feature titled “Hot Potato,” all written by Larry Hama with art by Herb Trimpe. So, if you’re a Joe fan who is fired up this weekend because of the new movie and looking to spend a good wad of cash, IDW has just the thing for you.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #185
Written by Larry Hama
Pencils by S L Gallant
Inks by Gary Erskine
Colors by J Brown
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Editor: Carlos Guzman
Cover by Ron Frenz & Sal Buscema
IDW Publishing
Release Date: December 5, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #185 is the one hundredth and eighty-fifth issue of awesomeness. In a row. That’s a pretty good record, by any standards.

Writer and creator of the G.I. Joe that everyone knows and loves, Larry Hama, manages to do something that no other writer does: makes a completely believable, viable, military comic with soldiers dressed in the most RIDICULOUS outfits ever imagined. OK, so, everyone of my generation thought (and still thinks) that those fatigues are awesome, but, in reality, if any kind of soldier wore those clothes he would be shot and killed immediately. Probably by members of his own team. But, I digress. This issue continues the three main story lines and even introduces a couple more into the mix. PLUS-ZARTAN!!!!!! And, there’s a couple other surprise appearances that I won’t spoil for you. But, this is another solid issue of excitement and adventure that we’ve gotten since 1983 from this writer, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Thank God.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #184
Written by Larry Hama
Art by S L Gallant
Inks by Gary Erskine
Colors by J. Brown
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Covers by Ron Frenz & Larry Hama
IDW Publishing
Release Date: November 14, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE IDW’s current G.I. Joe books. And I’m over the moon excited about the relaunch next year. But, once a month, I’m transported back in time and reminded WHY I love this franchise in the first place. And that’s all thanks to this book. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #184 is just another example of that. And c’mon, it’s got Roadpig and Zarana on the cover too!!

How awesome is writer Larry Hama? He’s been writing this book for THIRTY YEARS (OK, the book wasn’t published for a little chunk of that, but still) and he hasn’t lost a beat with these characters and this concept. What impresses me most about his writing is that he’s able to mix the perfect amount of real life military adventure with the right amount of sci-fi to create situations that are both believable and unbelievable at the same time.