MANDO
Super Freak
I remember the Toyfare interview. He went on about Stalker being one of his favorites and how he had this whole back story that they never got into he also really liked the Dreadnoks.
Snake Eyes 1/6 Environment!!!
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Of course they're canon. At the time the Marvel series was the official G.I. JOR arc. It wasn't based on an existing storyline... it created the JOE stories and established the characters, their backstories, motivations, etc. Hama started on the books at the same time he was creating the characters and file cards. Like Dave said, they were all bundled together. The cartoon was what came after, and that was designed to do one thing and one thing only: sell toys to young kids. The Marvel series was actually pretty serious stuff.
Yep. He also resented the idea of Serpentor and hated, hated HATED the idea of Cobra-La. Which just further cements the fact that Larry Hama rules.
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MANDO
Super Freak
Yeah, while Serpentor was forced on him I think he handled it pretty well. Made the best of a crap situation, put it that way.
If memory serves he absolutely refused to wrtie-in Cobra-La and it wasn't just left out because the movie tanked.
If memory serves he absolutely refused to wrtie-in Cobra-La and it wasn't just left out because the movie tanked.
That is correct.
Yeah I remember him stating that he was annoyed that he had to "kill off" Cobra Commander in the comics for a while to make way for the Cobra-La toys. 
On a side note, I actually kinda like the Cobra Commander of the cartoon from a humorous entertainment standpoint... but he was certainly a wort on the ass of the Commander that Hama had established. That dude was bad ass. RESOLUTE came much closer there.
Here's the interview where he mentions being ticked about killing CC. A pretty interesting read:
JoeBattlelines: In the very beginning, GIJoe almost had a “Shield vs. Hydra” vibe to it. Was it difficult writing stories in a universe that was essentially a blank page at the time?
Larry Hama: I was terrified that I would run out of ideas by the third issue. I pretty much did. I didn’t really get rolling until I fully understood that it was all about the characters and not the plot.
JBL: In issue #1, like much of the Marvel series, the Joes come across as believable realistic people as opposed to over-the-top superheroes. The characters, in spite of the situations, have always been portrayed as “human”. Do you think this is a factor in enduring appeal of the cast of GIJoe?
LH: I would think so. I believe there is something inherently fascist about super-heroes. After all, they are better than the rest of us and putting themselves above the law to do something about it. A soldier is bound by a code of conduct, international law, and hopefully, honor.
JBL: In the earliest issues of the Marvel series, Scarlett and Snake Eyes were not yet revealed as a couple. (She actually had more “panel time” with Clutch!) Was the relationship between Ms. O’Hara and Joe’s most iconic character intended from the beginning or was it more of a natural evolution of the characters?
LH: It was gradual. At first there was no real thought about pairing up any characters. It was hard enough just getting through the action.
JBL: At times, the comic series roster seems to have been heavily influenced by the current offerings from Hasbro (Eco-Warriors, Ninja Force, etc) yet characters like Lady Jaye remained throughout the entire run, in spite of only having one figure released. How much freedom did you have in terms of character choice for any given issue?
LH: If a female character showed up, she pretty much stuck around no matter what! There were so few to work with! Hasbro would want the latest figures spotlighted, of course, but they didn’t pressure me about using the existing stable in any way I chose.
JBL: You’ve probably answered this question a million times before but are you surprised by the popularity of “Silent Interlude” over many of the other stories you wrote?
LH: That took a long time in coming. At first, readers hated it. They felt cheated that there were no words, that it could be “read” too quickly. That issue got LOTS of negative mail. But then, so did the annual that was drawn by Michael Golden. Readers complained that the drawing was too “cartoony.”
JBL: Do you have a favorite storyline from the Marvel run? If so, which one?
LH: The origin of Snake-Eyes and the battle of Cobra Islands were the most fun to write.
JBL: Are you referring to the Cobra Civil War (#74 - #76) or the creation of Cobra Island (#40)? It always seemed that no matter when the Joes set foot on that island, it always ended badly for them.
LH: The stuff that was done by Marshall Rogers and Ron Wagner. (Marvel GIJoe: A Real American Hero #74 - #76)
JBL: In the comic, Hawk was very much the central authority of the GIJoe team. The cartoon initially delegated command of the team to Duke, with Hawk showing up significantly later in the series. Was there any pressure to sideline Hawk in favor of the First Sergeant?
LH: Well, Hasbro was kind of honked about having a character named Hawk because of the political implications. That implication hadn’t even occurred to me. I was only concerned that it made no sense for the First Shirt to be in charge. The top sergeant runs the company, but it belongs to the commanding officer, who is ultimately responsible.
JBL: I was surprised as a young reader when Cobra Commander was killed in issue #61. When he returned in issue #100, he seemed “changed”—more outlandish than the calculating former used car salesman we’d come to know. Was this an intentional shift in the character’s personality?
LH: It wasn’t planned. I guess it just happened. Maybe I was the one who changed. I was mighty honked about having been forced to kill off one our favorite characters to make the continuity match up to of all things, COBRA LA! It was because of stuff like that that I refused to watch any of the GI Joe animated material. I still have not seen any of it.
JBL: Going back to #61 for a moment, this was the issue that began the whole Borovia storyline involving Stalker, Quick Kick, Snow Job, and Outback where the latter is ordered to leave his comrades behind in order to get the message out regarding what really happened. It’s a very dark storyline- with the death of Spigou, the capture and torture of the Joes, and Outback’s chilly reception back at the PITT. Was there ever any concern that the storyline might be deemed “too dark” for a “children’s” comic?
LH: Was that actually any darker than the death of Kwinn? Also, why shouldn’t dark things happen in “children’s” reading material? Ever read the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales? In Robert Louis Stevenson’s “ Treasure Island” the child protagonist shoots a pirate in the face with flintlock pistol among other non PC actions. Times have changed! I remember as a kid, seeing illustrations in Bible stories for children of young David chopping off the fallen Goliath’s head. There was a particularly gruesome drawing or engraving of Absalom and the tree that gave me nightmares. It’s too easy to forget that the purpose of showing these dark events is to demonstrate that it is possible to triumph over them. Yes, bad things happen to good people, but we get over them and we move on, and we are stronger.
JBL: Is it daunting as a writer to encounter so many fans that hold your work in such high regard? I’ve talked to many Joe fans who credit your work on the Marvel comic as one of the reasons that they enlisted in the US Armed Forces. Did you ever imagine that a comic based on a toy line would have such a profound impact on so many?
LH: It was not something I wished to think about during the First Gulf War. It is a haunting responsibility. But, I have yet to receive a letter from a soldier saying I led them on or misrepresented the bad side.
https://joebattlelines.com/interviews/larryhama1.htm
JoeBattlelines: In the very beginning, GIJoe almost had a “Shield vs. Hydra” vibe to it. Was it difficult writing stories in a universe that was essentially a blank page at the time?
Larry Hama: I was terrified that I would run out of ideas by the third issue. I pretty much did. I didn’t really get rolling until I fully understood that it was all about the characters and not the plot.
JBL: In issue #1, like much of the Marvel series, the Joes come across as believable realistic people as opposed to over-the-top superheroes. The characters, in spite of the situations, have always been portrayed as “human”. Do you think this is a factor in enduring appeal of the cast of GIJoe?
LH: I would think so. I believe there is something inherently fascist about super-heroes. After all, they are better than the rest of us and putting themselves above the law to do something about it. A soldier is bound by a code of conduct, international law, and hopefully, honor.
JBL: In the earliest issues of the Marvel series, Scarlett and Snake Eyes were not yet revealed as a couple. (She actually had more “panel time” with Clutch!) Was the relationship between Ms. O’Hara and Joe’s most iconic character intended from the beginning or was it more of a natural evolution of the characters?
LH: It was gradual. At first there was no real thought about pairing up any characters. It was hard enough just getting through the action.
JBL: At times, the comic series roster seems to have been heavily influenced by the current offerings from Hasbro (Eco-Warriors, Ninja Force, etc) yet characters like Lady Jaye remained throughout the entire run, in spite of only having one figure released. How much freedom did you have in terms of character choice for any given issue?
LH: If a female character showed up, she pretty much stuck around no matter what! There were so few to work with! Hasbro would want the latest figures spotlighted, of course, but they didn’t pressure me about using the existing stable in any way I chose.
JBL: You’ve probably answered this question a million times before but are you surprised by the popularity of “Silent Interlude” over many of the other stories you wrote?
LH: That took a long time in coming. At first, readers hated it. They felt cheated that there were no words, that it could be “read” too quickly. That issue got LOTS of negative mail. But then, so did the annual that was drawn by Michael Golden. Readers complained that the drawing was too “cartoony.”
JBL: Do you have a favorite storyline from the Marvel run? If so, which one?
LH: The origin of Snake-Eyes and the battle of Cobra Islands were the most fun to write.
JBL: Are you referring to the Cobra Civil War (#74 - #76) or the creation of Cobra Island (#40)? It always seemed that no matter when the Joes set foot on that island, it always ended badly for them.
LH: The stuff that was done by Marshall Rogers and Ron Wagner. (Marvel GIJoe: A Real American Hero #74 - #76)
JBL: In the comic, Hawk was very much the central authority of the GIJoe team. The cartoon initially delegated command of the team to Duke, with Hawk showing up significantly later in the series. Was there any pressure to sideline Hawk in favor of the First Sergeant?
LH: Well, Hasbro was kind of honked about having a character named Hawk because of the political implications. That implication hadn’t even occurred to me. I was only concerned that it made no sense for the First Shirt to be in charge. The top sergeant runs the company, but it belongs to the commanding officer, who is ultimately responsible.
JBL: I was surprised as a young reader when Cobra Commander was killed in issue #61. When he returned in issue #100, he seemed “changed”—more outlandish than the calculating former used car salesman we’d come to know. Was this an intentional shift in the character’s personality?
LH: It wasn’t planned. I guess it just happened. Maybe I was the one who changed. I was mighty honked about having been forced to kill off one our favorite characters to make the continuity match up to of all things, COBRA LA! It was because of stuff like that that I refused to watch any of the GI Joe animated material. I still have not seen any of it.
JBL: Going back to #61 for a moment, this was the issue that began the whole Borovia storyline involving Stalker, Quick Kick, Snow Job, and Outback where the latter is ordered to leave his comrades behind in order to get the message out regarding what really happened. It’s a very dark storyline- with the death of Spigou, the capture and torture of the Joes, and Outback’s chilly reception back at the PITT. Was there ever any concern that the storyline might be deemed “too dark” for a “children’s” comic?
LH: Was that actually any darker than the death of Kwinn? Also, why shouldn’t dark things happen in “children’s” reading material? Ever read the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales? In Robert Louis Stevenson’s “ Treasure Island” the child protagonist shoots a pirate in the face with flintlock pistol among other non PC actions. Times have changed! I remember as a kid, seeing illustrations in Bible stories for children of young David chopping off the fallen Goliath’s head. There was a particularly gruesome drawing or engraving of Absalom and the tree that gave me nightmares. It’s too easy to forget that the purpose of showing these dark events is to demonstrate that it is possible to triumph over them. Yes, bad things happen to good people, but we get over them and we move on, and we are stronger.
JBL: Is it daunting as a writer to encounter so many fans that hold your work in such high regard? I’ve talked to many Joe fans who credit your work on the Marvel comic as one of the reasons that they enlisted in the US Armed Forces. Did you ever imagine that a comic based on a toy line would have such a profound impact on so many?
LH: It was not something I wished to think about during the First Gulf War. It is a haunting responsibility. But, I have yet to receive a letter from a soldier saying I led them on or misrepresented the bad side.
https://joebattlelines.com/interviews/larryhama1.htm
MANDO
Super Freak
Thanks for posting that, Khev, I hadn't caught it before! 
Oh, man... I love the Borovia arc. One of my favorites from the series.
Awesome!
Oh, man... I love the Borovia arc. One of my favorites from the series.
Where Snake and Scarkett fake their deaths to rescuse Stalker, Snow Job and Quick Kick. Everyone brands Outback a traitor for leaving the fallen behind and the Stalker (I blieve) clears his name. One of the few arcs that had a tie-in with Special Missions too. Good stuff.
Awesome!
DinoDB1975
Super Freak
Thanks for posting that, Khev, I hadn't caught it before!
Oh, man... I love the Borovia arc. One of my favorites from the series.
Where Snake and Scarkett fake their deaths to rescuse Stalker, Snow Job and Quick Kick. Everyone brands Outback a traitor for leaving the fallen behind and the Stalker (I blieve) clears his name. One of the few arcs that had a tie-in with Special Missions too. Good stuff.
Awesome!
Yes, that was one of my favorite story arcs. Hama was at the top of his game, and I loved the Ron Wagner pencils...best penciler that was on the series, IMO. Two other highlights for me:
1) Hama tying in the I Ching of the Arishikage Clan with the rescue team: Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and Jinx representing the unbroken lines while Scarlett, Billy, and the Blind Master represented the broken lines.
Little nuances like that highlighted Hama's writing for me.
2) Stalker's sniper dual with the commandant of the prison camp.
Anybody ever read Nth Man by Hama and Wagner as well? It was essentially a 13 issue limited series, but it was Hama at his best again. Worth a read.
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Hell yeah. Nth Man was awesome.
D. Martin
Super Freak
EVILFACE
Insufferable S.O.B.
Hama fleshed Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow out pretty good, but that was about it. Because of that, they dominated the series. It would have been better to have multiple writers on the series IMHO.
LOL
It was just more bull???? so they can make more vehicles and figures.
I have to admit, when I was 10 when I watched it, it was cool seeing cobra commander's silver face mask falling off while turning into a snake.
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So this thing is up for giftcard. That means I could get it for $80. Is it worth it???
thenammagazine
Super Freak
$80 for a polystone wolf?
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LOL. Nah, for the Recon at Waypoint. I really don't care that much about the wolf.
ProgMatinee
circlesendwheretheybegin
probably sell the wolf off and recoup some of the cost.
LOL. Nah, for the Recon at Waypoint. I really don't care that much about the wolf.
If you do get it and do not really want the wolf let me know I want him real bad but not that into the rest of the dio
D
DarthNeil
Guest
That's a little more tempting-- but I used my two $25 gift cards to pick up two AOTC Clone Troopers... If I get my hands on another one I might pick this up.
But. . .it sold out. Now it is not only in-stock, but on the clearance rack? How could this be? [/sarcastic post]
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