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.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #179
Written by Larry Hama
Art by SL Gallant
Inks by Gary Erskine
Colors by J. Brown
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Covers by SL Gallant, Herb Trimpe & Larry Hama
IDW Publishing
Release Date: June 6, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Very few comics can pick up right where they left off 20 years ago and still maintain the level of creative goodness that G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #179 does. I believe that’s due in part to the creative team, but also to the minds of the audience. All it takes is opening the cover and you’re right back where you were a couple of decades ago. Sure, you might have a kid or two, a family, a house of your own. But inside we’re all the same 10 or 12 year old kids that loved reading this book. The book hasn’t changed. We have. A little.

Every G.I. Joe fan needs to buy Larry Hama a drink. If for nothing else, for the fact that he’s just awesome. This issue is action from cover to cover. I’ll be honest with you, there’s not much Joe action here, it’s a Cobra-centric issue as the forces of Cobra take on the Blue Ninja Clan, with the help of a Joe or two.

Cobra Annual 2012: Origin Of Cobra Commander
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by S L Gallant
Inks by Gary Erskine
Colors by J Brown
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Covers by menton3 and Robert Atkins
IDW Publishing
Release Date: January 11, 2012
Cover Price: $7.99

I was very nervous about reading Cobra Annual 2012. Wasn’t looking forward to it at all. I’m a big fan of non-origin origins. I liked that in the Marvel Comics’ G.I. Joe series, all you knew about Cobra Commander was that at some point in his life, he was a used car salesman who went off the deep end. Another great non-origin was that of He-Man. All we needed to know about him, he told us in the cartoon’s opening. In the back of my mind, I was really worried that the new Cobra Commander would be a tortured soul who’s mother never loved him, his father beat him, and on and on.