The milestone 300th issue of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero will also be the last one published at IDW. Larry Hama, who has led the storytelling in G.I. JOE comics since 1982, will pen the final issue with art by S.L. Gallant, Maria Keane on inks, J. Brown on colors, and lettering by Neil Uyetake. It will be published in November 2011.
Hama began writing G.I. JOE stories 40 years ago at Marvel, penning nearly every entry in the original 155-issue run. When IDW acquired the comic license in 2009, Hama returned to the series to write another lengthy run. Hama, who was recently inducted into the Will Eisner Awards Hall of Fame, reflected on his career writing G.I. Joe comics.
“I handed in the plot to G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #300, which is the final issue of the series for IDW, with a mix of sadness and amazement. Sad, that a storyline I began in 1982 is coming to an end, and amazement that it has lasted this long,” Hama said via IDW. “Back in 1982, it was common knowledge that a toy licensed comic lasted one to two years at the most, and toy companies were reluctant to let a series based on a toy line run longer than three years, lest they get stuck with warehouses full of unsaleable Cabbage Patch Dolls or Beanie Babies. Every year that G.I. JOE and Transformers made it to the next season seemed miraculous.
“I remember finishing the very first G.I. JOE story, and thinking to myself that that was it, those were all the ideas I had. I had no clue what to do for the next issue. So, I did what I’ve been doing now for 40 years: I jumped into the deep end of the pool and wrote page one without any idea about what would happen on page two. Then I slogged ahead, page by page, until I got to the end.
“I’ve never been concerned about ‘plot’ or ‘continuity.’ Most of G.I. JOE is a long, continuous ret-con. My main concern has always been the characters, getting them to stand up and walk around inside their own universe. My second concern is visual storytelling – making sure the story is carried along in an impactful way by the succession of images. The words always come dead last, and that’s why I don’t identify as a ‘writer,’ but as more of a ‘penciler with a word processor.’
“I did 155 issues at Marvel, and they pretty much gave me free reign to do what I pleased. When IDW got the license, they wisely chose to turn me loose with my own methods, and I happily produced a run that is only five issues short of my Marvel run. The editors and staff at IDW have been incredibly understanding and supportive. In particular, they’ve been highly respectful and considerate of all my odd working methods and peccadillos. I’m thankful to all of them. Now, however, I have come to the end and it truly feels like leaving home, leaving characters that have been my friends for four decades – many of which are, in fact, based on my actual friends and acquaintances – and I can feel a real emptiness looming.
“Somehow, though, I suspect the story doesn’t completely end here, that the story will go on and the PIT will not be in mothballs for long. See you in the next incarnation!”
G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #300 will see Cobra about to create their deadliest army ever by resurrecting dangerous villains and heroes.
“Issue 300 marks a milestone for a property that has been an enduring cornerstone of nostalgia for many, many fans,” Gallant said. “From the start, my goal was to create new books that felt like lost treasures from the original run, continuing the adventure for devoted, long-time fans while also working to expand the universe so those fans would enjoy sharing these stories with their own kids. The fight for freedom hasn’t ended – G.I. JOE is still here. Yo, Joe!”
The special issue will feature variant covers, including one by Jamie Sullivan that sets a new world record for the most characters on one cover with 313 unique, named G.I. JOE characters. Other variants were provided by Netho Diaz, Kieran McKeown, John Royle, and Ron Joseph.
