G.I. Joe #21 Cover Art Hitting Heritage in January 2 2

[buttock]

On 1/20/2022 at 8:37 AM, Timely said:

Well, let’s face it, millions of children grew up on GI Joe. It’s no surprise one of the top key issues would sell at a price higher than most would expect. GI Joe is still relevant, with toys still being made and comics being produced. Transformers is another 80’s phenomenon that is even more successful! 
 

I think we can all agree the buy was a nostalgic purchase, not a buy based on it being one of the best covers artistically rendered in the 80’s. It’s an average cover. There are at least 15 other GI Joe covers I personally feel are better than #21, objectively putting nostalgia aside. 
 

Some collectors could care less about GI Joe #21 (as already stated) and others place it above all else! That’s what makes art and this hobby great!

I vividly remember conversations on the elementary school playground about this specific issue.  Everybody liked GI Joe, but issue 21, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and no words!  It instantly became a coveted issue and people were trading higher quality stuff for it if they didn't have a copy.  I know exactly the spot I was in and the two other kids present when we found out about it.  So in my little world, it was a big deal.  But to be honest, 26 & 27 were more memorable and more significant.  I probably read those issues 20 times.  

[Timely]

What was also mystifying from a collecting perspective, #2 was touted as having “lower distribution” and was priced higher than #1 for decades! That isn’t the case anymore, but what I do find interesting is that Snake Eyes isn’t on the cover of #1. Why is that? My only answer is that he does not fit into the soldier, army profile type. He’s a ninja. Someone at the top made the decision to leave him off the cover and that’s the only reason I can think of.

[J.Sid]

Was he (Snake Eyes) popular at the time issue#1 came out?

I watched that episode of "Toys that Made Us" and one of the most interesting parts was when they talked about how they just threw him in last minute because having a figure that required little/no painting would allow them bandwidth to do better paint jobs on the rest of the action figure line. The last thing they expected was for him to become their most popular character.

 

[Timely]

On 1/20/2022 at 11:13 AM, J.Sid said:

Was he (Snake Eyes) popular at the time issue#1 came out?

I watched that episode of "Toys that Made Us" and one of the most interesting parts was when they talked about how they just threw him in last minute because having a figure that required little/no painting would allow them bandwidth to do better paint jobs on the rest of the action figure line. The last thing they expected was for him to become their most popular character.

 

Snake Eyes was a nobody, they all were! But I believe Snake Eyes was the only major Joe left off the cover.

[Buzzetta]

On 1/20/2022 at 2:11 PM, Timely said:

Snake Eyes was a nobody, they all were! But I believe Snake Eyes was the only major Joe left off the cover.

 

On 1/20/2022 at 10:59 AM, Timely said:

What was also mystifying from a collecting perspective, #2 was touted as having “lower distribution” and was priced higher than #1 for decades! That isn’t the case anymore, but what I do find interesting is that Snake Eyes isn’t on the cover of #1. Why is that? My only answer is that he does not fit into the soldier, army profile type. He’s a ninja. Someone at the top made the decision to leave him off the cover and that’s the only reason I can think of.

 Absolutely correct. 

Hasbro regarded him as a 'throwaway' figure.  He was their money saver since he was the only figure composed of black plastic with absolutely no paint apps.  He utilized the preexisting molds of the other original figures even with the distinctive "H" for Hasbro as a belt buckle.  I don't think anyone at Hasbro had any idea that he would be as popular as he became.  His popularity is all due to Larry Hama.  Hama made him distinct and mysterious in issue 1 and 2 but GI Joe starts to become a vehicle for snake eyes within the next year.   

Hama did not introduce the ninja storyline until Marvel leaves him alone and Hasbro is pleased that their comics and toys are selling well. Stormshadow is the first figure to be a ninja and it is not until a year later than Hasbro sculpts Snake Eyes with a ninja-esque vibe and issues him a sword due to the popularity that Snake Eyes generates in the comic.  

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by Buzzetta

[Buzzetta]

On 1/20/2022 at 12:13 PM, J.Sid said:

Was he (Snake Eyes) popular at the time issue#1 came out?

I watched that episode of "Toys that Made Us" and one of the most interesting parts was when they talked about how they just threw him in last minute because having a figure that required little/no painting would allow them bandwidth to do better paint jobs on the rest of the action figure line. The last thing they expected was for him to become their most popular character.

 

There is an excellent series of book on the origins of GI Joe toys.  Dan Klingensmith has had access to many of the artists like Ron Rudat and creators of the 80's toy line like Kirk Bozigian and republished their notes and original concept ideas that led to the toys that we know today. 

https://www.creatinggijoe.com/

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by Buzzetta