The G.I. Joe comic book series has a huge fan following. With comics, cartoons, toys, and movies this genre will always be popular. They even got "The Rock" to play Roadblock in 2013. Larry Hama originally wrote this series of comics for the first 155 issues. Hasbro created it from a successful G.I. Joe toy line up. The G.I. Joe toys range from military action figures to tanks. From this toy based heroes, Hasbro decided to push a comic book. The first issue has many first appearances that are a must have for collectors and a deciding factor for any self-respecting speculator. Twelve characters first appear in this one comic book alone. The criminal Cobra Commander, secretive Snake-Eyes or the beautiful Baroness these are just some of the highlighted characters. Is this book speculation or long term collection buy and hold?
The soundtrack for Hasbro's beloved and crazy toy commercials is playing in my head while I write this. Proof advertising works and the "GEE- EYE-JOEEE!" jingle has seeped into the popular culture. This is largely in part due to Lara Hama's writing for the comic book. He kept it real, so to speak, by using his own military experience to use real military terms and tactics in the G.I. Joe series to make it believable for the fans. To quote Hama," Based on Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G.I. Joe into a pop-culture phenomenon." (source: Hama).
The second biggest key in the "G.I. Joe A Real American Hero" comic book series is G.I. Joe #1. This first comic has practically the whole Joe team and some villain first appearances: 1st Hawk, Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Clutch, Rock 'n' Roll, Stalker, Breaker, Flash, Grand Slam, Short Fuse, Grunt, Cobra Commander and the Baroness. This book was created by Larry Hama (writer) and Herb Trimpe (art). This comic has consistent returns with (7.0) returning a mortar exploding positive +144.4%. Go, Joe! The average current cost of grade (7.0) is around $36 FMV on eBay. The near mint to mint condition comic of G.I. Joe #1 is $300 roughly according to about the last three actual sales (GoCollect).
The "Silent Issue" is the first appearance of Storm Shadow a ruthless ninja working for Cobra. G.I. Joe #21. This is the first Marvel comic to have a completely "Silent Issue" with no talking between the characters. This issue is famous for being silent and the first Storm Shadow. It is a lot more popular and expensive than even the number one Joe above. This is the key to own of the G.I. Joe comic book series volume #1. The (9.8) mint to near mint for G.I. Joe #21 has a fair market value of $750. FMV or fair market value is just another way of saying "the average." The most consistent returns are in the (9.4) grade range. With 44 sales over the last 15 years and positive +38.6% return on investment for some lucky speculator.
"G.I. Joe was also the first comic book to be advertised on television, in what has been called a "historically crucial moment in media convergence." (source: Wiki-Johnson) The best thing about these "Joe" books is they are both reasonably priced; especially the number one, it is truly cheap for the number of first appearances you get. There exists a huge fan base for the toys and the comics with these characters. The fan base goes back all the way to the 1950's with toy G.I. Joe jeeps and tanks. Even though, the movies have not done their patriotic duty and have let down the franchise, in my opinion. The cultural acceptance and huge fan base gives these books the "Go Joe" stamp of approval. Don't be a dirty dog face, get up out of that foxhole and grab a copy of G.I. Joe #1, or #21.
