I read Classic GI Joe 4, 5, & 6 this past couple of days. Some thoughts...
There’s a great moment with Rip-Cord versus Zartan where you think Rip-Cord wins in #45. In reality, it was Zartan who defeats Rip-Cord. Hama, you sly bastard! Now I understand the Bongo the Bear profile I posted a few pages back.
Who knew I would be rooting for Rip-Cord?
How do you take down a bear? Put a satchel of explosives around his neck.
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Who knew Barbecue was Barbecue the Barbarian!
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I thought Norman and Harry Osborn were the only characters with the ridiculous Ditko Cornrows. Then theres’s this guy. Oy.
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Volume 4 and 5 (#31 to #50) has even more characters that I loved as a kid like Flint, Lady Jaye, Tomax & Xamot, Beachhead, Barbecue, Bazooka, and Sgt. Slaughter.
I like Serpentor as a kid but as an adult realized that the franchise jumped the shark with that character. The introduction of Serpentor in the cartoon takes GI Joe from a military fantasy into science fiction territory. Even though Serpentor has the same Frankenstein-esque origins, it seems like he fits into this world more. Perhaps it is because Hama writes him as a clever character rather than an over the top villain.
IDW begins publishing never before reprinted materials in Volume 6. The reproduction looks a bit rough at times and ruins the lettering.
![Image](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/LaughingSombrero/2012-01-29_11-03-15_462.jpg)
There are moments where the story continues in other GI Joe books. In hindsight, I wish that IDW would’ve published all the GI Joe books in chronological order. However, all these GI Joe titles are slowly being republished.
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I don’t remember if there was a toy of this cool Cobra helicopter carrier. That would’ve been cool to own as a kid.
![Image](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/LaughingSombrero/2012-01-29_11-09-07_337.jpg)
It’s interesting that I know this is the Marvel 25th Anniversary cover despite the missing characters. I guess those covers are ingrained in my head.
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Snake-Eyes riding a shark. God, is that cool.
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Early Todd McFarlane work!
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I never realized that the cover of #1 from Devil’s Due was an homage to Michael Golden's Yearbook #2.
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