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G.I. Joe: Origins #1
G.I. JOE: Origins Vol.1
It's a new era with new challenges and foes. It's a time of wars fought in city streets and in back alleys - not on open battle fields. There's no such thing as a civilian any more. To face these challenges, the United States military has forged a new group of the best of the best. To pull this team together, they've enlisted the help of their finest general: codenamed Hawk. And he's handpicked the finest fighting force the world has ever known: Duke, Scarlett, Stalker, Heavy Duty, and Snake Eyes! Together they are unbeatable! Together they are G.I. JOE! Now you can witness their origin and see how the world's best defense was forged!
128 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2009
About the author
Larry Hama
2,004 books154 followersLarry Hama is an American writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s.
During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows M*A*S*H and Saturday Night Live, and appeared on Broadway in two roles in the original 1976 production of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures.
He is best known to American comic book readers as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, based on the Hasbro action figures. He has also written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra. He created the character Bucky O'Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and television cartoon.
During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows M*A*S*H and Saturday Night Live, and appeared on Broadway in two roles in the original 1976 production of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures.
He is best known to American comic book readers as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, based on the Hasbro action figures. He has also written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra. He created the character Bucky O'Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and television cartoon.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 1, 2023
"Who was on that plane? It was Snake Eyes, wasn't it?" -- 'Chimera,' the worried bad guy
"Scared, huh?" -- Scarlett, the ailing heroine, grinning through her injuries
G.I. JOE: Origins both dips into the past - taking the fictional daring military special forces unit that premiered as a triple-threat of toy collection, comic book series, and animated TV show forty years (!) ago after a brief but successful initial run as an action figure line during the 1960's - and again modernizes / updates / reboots the JOE narrative with a combination of 21st century storyline, especially cruel villains, and increased graphic violence. So here we have a handful of future JOES - honed specialists from the various defense branches, although at this time they seem mainly pulled from the U.S. Army - brought together for their very first mission before they are even actually an official or sanctioned team. Facing off against an increasing number of combining "armed paramilitary tax-resistors turned bank robbers" (who are certainly more vicious than any of the usual antagonists you may recall back from the Reagan era), the eight featured members seem to be continually one step or more behind throughout their scenes and take a thorough shellacking by the conclusion. I was hooked, and it doesn't hurt that virtuoso scribe Larry Hama (a military veteran responsible for injecting some plausible touches and protocol since the 80's incarnation) is here to steer the plot.
"Scared, huh?" -- Scarlett, the ailing heroine, grinning through her injuries
G.I. JOE: Origins both dips into the past - taking the fictional daring military special forces unit that premiered as a triple-threat of toy collection, comic book series, and animated TV show forty years (!) ago after a brief but successful initial run as an action figure line during the 1960's - and again modernizes / updates / reboots the JOE narrative with a combination of 21st century storyline, especially cruel villains, and increased graphic violence. So here we have a handful of future JOES - honed specialists from the various defense branches, although at this time they seem mainly pulled from the U.S. Army - brought together for their very first mission before they are even actually an official or sanctioned team. Facing off against an increasing number of combining "armed paramilitary tax-resistors turned bank robbers" (who are certainly more vicious than any of the usual antagonists you may recall back from the Reagan era), the eight featured members seem to be continually one step or more behind throughout their scenes and take a thorough shellacking by the conclusion. I was hooked, and it doesn't hurt that virtuoso scribe Larry Hama (a military veteran responsible for injecting some plausible touches and protocol since the 80's incarnation) is here to steer the plot.
January 4, 2022
I finished it with a feeling of indifference. No good , no bad.
August 15, 2011
Not very good.
The dialogue was too clunky for adults, but there is a bit too much violence for this to be marketed to kids. So, I have no idea who is supposed to want to read this thing.
I really didn't like that the story kept flipping from one location to another every other page. It made it hard to get involved with what was happening at any particular time.
I know I've already said this, but the dialogue was awful.
We've got a job to do!
Also, there was nothing substantial to the plot. It almost felt like the author just wanted an excuse to toss military terminology around.
Unless you're just a huge fan of G.I. Joe, skip it.
The dialogue was too clunky for adults, but there is a bit too much violence for this to be marketed to kids. So, I have no idea who is supposed to want to read this thing.
I really didn't like that the story kept flipping from one location to another every other page. It made it hard to get involved with what was happening at any particular time.
I know I've already said this, but the dialogue was awful.
We've got a job to do!
Also, there was nothing substantial to the plot. It almost felt like the author just wanted an excuse to toss military terminology around.
Unless you're just a huge fan of G.I. Joe, skip it.
January 5, 2026
Trade paperback collection covering the first mission of the G.I. Joe team. Duke and Scarlet get airdropped into the Nevada desert on a secret mission that is partly training, partly a test, and partly a real mission, in a way that really doesn't make any sense.
Meanwhile a villain named Chimera (who I guess might go on to eventually become one of the better-known villains like Cobra Commander? Maybe?) singlehandedly fights off a SWAT team, and generally make all of law enforcement look incompetent as he pulls of an escalating series of crimes, leading to the launching of a deadly plan from a secret base. The kind of plan with an unnecessary countdown and some monologuing to explain it. Clearly Chimera did not read The Watchmen.
I did like seeing the early formation of the bond between Scarlet and Snake Eyes.
I did not like Scarlet getting damseled. I was also not thrilled that the story introduced a character who was more interesting than anyone on the Joe team and proceeded to kill her about a fourth of the way through the book.
Meanwhile a villain named Chimera (who I guess might go on to eventually become one of the better-known villains like Cobra Commander? Maybe?) singlehandedly fights off a SWAT team, and generally make all of law enforcement look incompetent as he pulls of an escalating series of crimes, leading to the launching of a deadly plan from a secret base. The kind of plan with an unnecessary countdown and some monologuing to explain it. Clearly Chimera did not read The Watchmen.
I did like seeing the early formation of the bond between Scarlet and Snake Eyes.
I did not like Scarlet getting damseled. I was also not thrilled that the story introduced a character who was more interesting than anyone on the Joe team and proceeded to kill her about a fourth of the way through the book.
October 17, 2020
GI Joe: Origins, Issues 1-5. One last alternate branch in the GI Joe universe left and I can get back to the original Larry Hama Marvel continuity.
Reading it in chronological order, so starting with the Origins series. So far off to a great start. It’s an action packed story with some unexpected twists. Definitely worth reading. Nice job IDW!
Of course everyone always has to give their unique take on how Snake Eyes got his face injuries. This is the third different one I think I’ve seen. Comes with the territory I suppose.
Reading it in chronological order, so starting with the Origins series. So far off to a great start. It’s an action packed story with some unexpected twists. Definitely worth reading. Nice job IDW!
Of course everyone always has to give their unique take on how Snake Eyes got his face injuries. This is the third different one I think I’ve seen. Comes with the territory I suppose.
June 7, 2020
The people sh-tting on this don't have a clue what they're talking about. This is exactly how a comic should be written, and drawn. In fact, the film should have followed this. If Dave Johnson (who drew the covers for the first 6 issues of the main series) also did the covers here, then it would be a 5/5.
Read
June 13, 2020Freebie. Très intéressant, ça semble une bonne série.
November 23, 2020
I came into this not knowing anything about G.I. Joe, and this story didn't do much to compel me to learn more.
August 11, 2016
Rating: 3 Stars out of 5
This was certainly...uh...interesting.
G.I Joe tells the origins of G.I. Joe, I suppose, though there's very little of the story that actually delves into any sort of backstory for any of the characters. I'm guessing it's more a story of how some of the group members came together and what one of their first missions was.
First, let me say that I'm a fairly big G.I. Joe fan, and this is the first comic I've read based on the franchise. So I was planning on enjoying this.
And I did...at least in part.
The Good
1. The Art
I thought that the art for the book was pretty nice. The artist seemed to capture the atmosphere of the story they wanted to tell, and the Joes looked like themselves. Characters were easily recognizable, and everything looked nice. It fit well with the tone of the story.
2. Basically everything including Snake Eyes
(Then again, he is my favorite character, so I might be slightly biased). Let's just say I never expected to see Snakes in a hoodie. Or injured at a hospital. Or throwing doctor's masks and IV poles at the bad guys.
He does spend an awful lot of his time here either in a wheelchair or in a bed watching TV, but when he finally kicks into action mode at the end, it's pretty awesome. As you'd expect.
The Not-So-Good
1. The story
What's going on? Who are we trying to fight again? Who is the baddie? How many bad guys are there, and why are they scattered, and why are Duke and Scarlett being dropped off in a desert with no mission plans and why do they have to rescue Snakes from a hospital that I assume he could have left on his own and why are the villains trying to gas the population of America AND give some irresistible business offer at the same time, and why can't the Joes just send out an email saying, "Hey, don't accept that business thing because it's bad!" And just!
WHY WHY WHY WHY WHO WHAT HOW WHEN WHY?!
Maybe it's my simplistic brain or something, but I couldn't keep what was going on here straight. It was incredibly confusing. I found myself debating if I had missed something, like a previous comic issue, but no! This IS Vol. 1. It really doesn't help that the story flashes all over the place. We change location and setting about every two pages, and almost every time we're introduced to something new, and sometimes unrelated to what's going on in the main story. I think I would have enjoyed what was being told, if only it was explained.
Suffice it to say, It was all confusing and clunky!
Oh, and speaking of clunky things...
2. The Dialogue
This one goes hand in hand with the story one. In fact, a lot of the problems with the script probably lie in the fact that the story being told here isn't coherent.
Now, I don't expect my Joe cartoons to have award winning dialogue. Usually I'm just bracing myself for some cheesy one liners. But the dialogue in this was pretty...meh.
The military talk was really overdone, I think. I know they're JOES, but that doesn't mean that they have to always be using it. And some of the other writing is just very clunky. It's not kiddie-fied at all, but it's also not sophisticated enough for an older audience to be drawn in.
3. Characters other than Snake Eyes
And you know what, I'll even throw Snake Eyes into this category too. Our main group of Joes here, (Duke, Scarlett, Rock and Roll, Heavy Duty, Snakes, and Breaker) get screen time, but very little development to their characters. Yes, I have ideas already of what they're like, but this is a different incarnation of them. Because of that, I really want the author to delve into them. Who are these people? What are they like as individuals? What are their strengths BEYOND their military skills? Why should I care about them apart from the fact that I'm familiar with other versions of them and their action figures, huh?
I don't think that's asking too much.
Summary:
So...all in all, I have to say I was a little disappointed in this. It wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't great. It wasn't even fun, really. The tone of this book is dark, so there's no room for any intentional corniness or fun adventure scenes. That's a shame, because some lightheartedness would have been a welcome relief from the dark story that I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND!
(Have I gotten that point across yet?)
I'd only recommend this to you if you're a really big G.I. Joe fan. It's too confusing for a casual fan or someone who isn't as devoted to the franchise or the characters. I'm guessing that if you want a Joe comic, there are better ones out there. And I'm off to find them!
(Obligatory Snake-Eyes-is-awesome gif. How could I pass up on the opportunity to use one?)
This was certainly...uh...interesting.
G.I Joe tells the origins of G.I. Joe, I suppose, though there's very little of the story that actually delves into any sort of backstory for any of the characters. I'm guessing it's more a story of how some of the group members came together and what one of their first missions was.
First, let me say that I'm a fairly big G.I. Joe fan, and this is the first comic I've read based on the franchise. So I was planning on enjoying this.
And I did...at least in part.
The Good
1. The Art
I thought that the art for the book was pretty nice. The artist seemed to capture the atmosphere of the story they wanted to tell, and the Joes looked like themselves. Characters were easily recognizable, and everything looked nice. It fit well with the tone of the story.
2. Basically everything including Snake Eyes
(Then again, he is my favorite character, so I might be slightly biased). Let's just say I never expected to see Snakes in a hoodie. Or injured at a hospital. Or throwing doctor's masks and IV poles at the bad guys.
He does spend an awful lot of his time here either in a wheelchair or in a bed watching TV, but when he finally kicks into action mode at the end, it's pretty awesome. As you'd expect.
The Not-So-Good
1. The story
What's going on? Who are we trying to fight again? Who is the baddie? How many bad guys are there, and why are they scattered, and why are Duke and Scarlett being dropped off in a desert with no mission plans and why do they have to rescue Snakes from a hospital that I assume he could have left on his own and why are the villains trying to gas the population of America AND give some irresistible business offer at the same time, and why can't the Joes just send out an email saying, "Hey, don't accept that business thing because it's bad!" And just!
WHY WHY WHY WHY WHO WHAT HOW WHEN WHY?!
Maybe it's my simplistic brain or something, but I couldn't keep what was going on here straight. It was incredibly confusing. I found myself debating if I had missed something, like a previous comic issue, but no! This IS Vol. 1. It really doesn't help that the story flashes all over the place. We change location and setting about every two pages, and almost every time we're introduced to something new, and sometimes unrelated to what's going on in the main story. I think I would have enjoyed what was being told, if only it was explained.
Suffice it to say, It was all confusing and clunky!
Oh, and speaking of clunky things...
2. The Dialogue
This one goes hand in hand with the story one. In fact, a lot of the problems with the script probably lie in the fact that the story being told here isn't coherent.
Now, I don't expect my Joe cartoons to have award winning dialogue. Usually I'm just bracing myself for some cheesy one liners. But the dialogue in this was pretty...meh.
The military talk was really overdone, I think. I know they're JOES, but that doesn't mean that they have to always be using it. And some of the other writing is just very clunky. It's not kiddie-fied at all, but it's also not sophisticated enough for an older audience to be drawn in.
3. Characters other than Snake Eyes
And you know what, I'll even throw Snake Eyes into this category too. Our main group of Joes here, (Duke, Scarlett, Rock and Roll, Heavy Duty, Snakes, and Breaker) get screen time, but very little development to their characters. Yes, I have ideas already of what they're like, but this is a different incarnation of them. Because of that, I really want the author to delve into them. Who are these people? What are they like as individuals? What are their strengths BEYOND their military skills? Why should I care about them apart from the fact that I'm familiar with other versions of them and their action figures, huh?
I don't think that's asking too much.
Summary:
So...all in all, I have to say I was a little disappointed in this. It wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't great. It wasn't even fun, really. The tone of this book is dark, so there's no room for any intentional corniness or fun adventure scenes. That's a shame, because some lightheartedness would have been a welcome relief from the dark story that I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND!
(Have I gotten that point across yet?)
I'd only recommend this to you if you're a really big G.I. Joe fan. It's too confusing for a casual fan or someone who isn't as devoted to the franchise or the characters. I'm guessing that if you want a Joe comic, there are better ones out there. And I'm off to find them!
(Obligatory Snake-Eyes-is-awesome gif. How could I pass up on the opportunity to use one?)
August 21, 2019
I've never read any of the G.I Joe graphic novels before, but a good friend of mine has recommended them , knowing my love of characterisations.
This first one introduces the novice reader to a few of the main characters, including Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Heavy Duty and Rock & Roll. These are all names I'm familair with but seeing the characters start to be built upon has opened me to another world to become immersed in.
A good introduction to the classic series, I can't wait to see more.
This first one introduces the novice reader to a few of the main characters, including Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Heavy Duty and Rock & Roll. These are all names I'm familair with but seeing the characters start to be built upon has opened me to another world to become immersed in.
A good introduction to the classic series, I can't wait to see more.
August 25, 2013
Wish we could rate by half stars. This was a good translation of the former G.I. Joe comic into a graphic novel.The scenery of war has changed, no longer in an open battlefield or in the jungles.No war has moved into the towns and cities.The enemy no longer is defined and could even be a neighbor or someone down the street.To combat this new threat a new kind of soldier is needed.
General Hawk is tasked with putting together this new team and in the midst of what was suppose to be an observation it goes to operational. A mad man is on the loose and must be stopped.It falls upon the newly formed Joe's to find and stop him before he completes his mission.
This was a good story and the art work was great.We see how the team was put together and we get the back ground on the transformation of "snake man" into Snake Eyes.While the military jargon is a little over played it is defined in lower tabs.These are great reads for the fans of G.I Joe as well as those who are considered hard or challenged readers. Look forward to more in this series.
General Hawk is tasked with putting together this new team and in the midst of what was suppose to be an observation it goes to operational. A mad man is on the loose and must be stopped.It falls upon the newly formed Joe's to find and stop him before he completes his mission.
This was a good story and the art work was great.We see how the team was put together and we get the back ground on the transformation of "snake man" into Snake Eyes.While the military jargon is a little over played it is defined in lower tabs.These are great reads for the fans of G.I Joe as well as those who are considered hard or challenged readers. Look forward to more in this series.
November 5, 2011
This was a great reimagining of how the G.I.Joe team came together, by the original creator no less. The military slang was interesting, up to a point. After awhile it seemed a little forced, but they were all "translated" into normal lingo at the bottom of the panel.
I also like how the characters spoke about different military tactics, though this seemed repetitive after awhile also. And it was nice to see the enemy sound competent, if overconfident at times.
I liked the art. Great expressions and unique character looks. Snake eyes was fun to see slowly become Snake eyes. I don't understand why they changed Roadblock's name. Maybe that was a George Lucas change by Larry Hama.
Can't wait to read more.
I also like how the characters spoke about different military tactics, though this seemed repetitive after awhile also. And it was nice to see the enemy sound competent, if overconfident at times.
I liked the art. Great expressions and unique character looks. Snake eyes was fun to see slowly become Snake eyes. I don't understand why they changed Roadblock's name. Maybe that was a George Lucas change by Larry Hama.
Can't wait to read more.
August 27, 2010
Pretty good read; better than I was expecting, actually, and not just a spark for my '80s nostalgia. This is a nice intro to a new G.I. Joe world, much better than the recent crummy live-action movie (Rise of Cobra).
August 15, 2015
Another good volume. I'm really enjoying the IDW reboot.
February 5, 2016
An excellent blend of the comic superhero style storytelling and a military war comics. Huge cast of characters and a great evil villain and organization balances the series well. Very recommended.
January 31, 2016
Decent origin story for the GI Joe team. Art and writing are about what you'd expect, nothing special. Fans of the characters will probably enjoy it.
October 16, 2011
Public library copy.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews