G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Compendium Vol. 1

The G.I. Joe team is born as a covert force against Cobra, a terrorist group led by a hooded man. On their first mission the Joes rescue scientist Adele Burkhart, and soon they're up against the Baroness, Destro and the Dreadnoks. In #21, told without words, Snake Eyes breaks into a mountain base for Scarlett and duels the ninja Storm Shadow; both bear the same tattoo. Issues #26 and #27 tell Snake Eyes' origin: Vietnam, his family's death and the Arashikage clan, which falls apart when the Hard Master is murdered. In #45 the killer turns out to be Zartan. The volume closes with Dr. Mindbender creating Serpentor, a new leader who threatens Cobra Commander's place.

1. Behind the scenesIt grew out of a S.H.I.E.L.D. pitch

   Larry Hama had a pitch called Fury Force, a super-soldier team tied to S.H.I.E.L.D. When Hasbro signed with Marvel in 1981, it became G.I. Joe, and Archie Goodwin suggested Cobra as the recurring enemy.

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2. Behind the scenesThe first comic with a TV ad

   Issue #1 got a TV commercial in 1982, the first ever made to sell a comic book. Since it advertised the comic and not the toy, it could run about 30 seconds of animation instead of the 10 allowed for toy ads.

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3. Behind the scenesA whole issue without words

   In #21, Hama wanted to see if he could tell a complete story with no balloons, captions or sound effects. Readers complained at the time that it read too fast, and today it is the series' best-remembered issue.

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4. ReferenceThe movies started here

   Hama was hired as a creative consultant on The Rise of Cobra (2009), and the producer said the inspiration was Hama's comics, not the cartoon. The Joes' base in the film is the Pit, as in the 1980s comic.

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5. SetupLook at the tattoo

   On the last page of #21, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow turn out to have the same red tattoo on their arms. The series explains what it means a few issues later.

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