Yo Joe June, Day 30: The Original 13 Joes!

I made it through Yo Joe June! I gotta say it was a little challenging and loads of fun but I really had no plan or idea of how it was all gonna work out. I think it went well and I hope you enjoyed getting to see some new and exciting artwork with a few interesting stories! The one thing I did have planed for Yo Joe June, was this post! The original plan was always to showcase this accomplishment but I didn't realize until about halfway through that it would be our grand finale! 

Larry Hama is a legendary comic book creator who's worked as an Editor, Writer, Artist and probably every other job involved in the world of making comic books! We're discussing him here because Larry was the writer of the Marvel Comics run of GI Joe as well as writing the majority of the File Cards for the GI Joe action figures from Hasbro in the 1980s! The relaunch of GI Joe as "A Real American Hero" wouldn't be the same without Larry Hama!  

I first met Larry at Joe Con 2010 and it was an experience! I got to attend a dinner he was at and the highlight for me, was listening to him tell stories abut working at Marvel Comics in the 1980s! I got my first sketch from him in my sketchbook, at that convention and years later, I had Larry draw the final sketch in the book. But that's not what we're here to talk about. 

In 2019 I realized that Larry Hama would be a guest at 3 different conventions I was planning to attend! I love Larry's sketches and had 3 at this point and had no problem with the idea of getting more. But if I was going to collect several from Larry, I felt like I should have some kind of a plan. I went through a few ideas and realized, if I broke the original GI Joe team of 13 into 6 sketches, I could get them all! I was very excited about this plan, until the pandemic happened and shut the world down. Once conventions started kicking back into gear in 2022 and I got to see Larry again, I made my move! It took 2 years, 3 friends and 4 conventions but I now have sketches of the first 13 GI Joe team members, all by Larry Hama!

Sketch 1: Breaker, Grunt and Flash by Larry Hama!  

Why Breaker, Grunt and Flash? These were my first 3 GI Joe figures, all those years ago! Breaker was my first one and I thought he was so cool, with his backpack and hi-tech headset but I was a little bummed he didn't come with a gun. Next came Grunt and Flash, together! Now we had a team and some guns! That was an extremely fun time to be a kid! Larry was very open to my request for 3 characters, once I explained why and this one really makes me happy! Part of me sees the layout for a comic book panel when I look at this and part of me sees 3 action figures coming to life!

Sketch 2: Snake-Eyes and Scarlett by Larry Hama!  

After I got those first 3 figures as a kid, the flood gates basically burst open, so it was all kind of a blur. When planning out these sketches, I had to pair everyone up and this was the easiest pair! As I've mentioned, I enjoyed the GI Joe cartoon but it was Larry's comic book stories that brought these characters to life for me. The complicated relationship of Snake-Eyes and Scarlett was pretty intense stuff to young me! Larry was given reference of the version 1 Snake-Eyes and realized as he was handing the sketch over that he had drawn the visor by mistake but I wasn't about to have Larry redraw something for me! So as much as I'm a goggles Snake-Eyes fan over the visor, I can live with this minor mix-up.

Sketch 3: Stalker and Rock 'N' Roll by Larry Hama!

This was a tough combo to decide on. I went back and forth between pairing up Rock N Roll with Clutch and Stalker with Hawk but in the end, this was the team I wanted! Stalker was a pretty central character in the comics and I always enjoyed having him as a leader and a fighter. I think Rock N Roll was cool to everyone and I always loved the cover to issue 13 with Stalker, Rock N Roll and Scarlett in a gun battle from a taxi! Larry put some feeling into this one, it feels like they're in the middle of a firefight!

Sketch 4: Clutch and Steeler by Larry Hama!

 

In some ways it felt a little lazy to me that I paired up the two drivers but it just works! And these were my next favorite figures! Clutch was such a cocky, smart ass in the comics and the VAMP was a sweet vehicle, so of course I dug him! And Steeler was just cool. He had a visor and shoulder holster and he drove a tank! I think Larry did a super job with these two. I know he gets a lot of odd requests but this one had to have him scratching his head a little!  

Sketch 5: Zap and Short-Fuse by Larry Hama!

Zap and Short Fuse weren't 2 of my favorite characters as a kid. Zap I liked a little better but these 2 just weren't at the top of my list. I definitely appreciate them more now that I know them and understand them better. I really thought this one was going to throw Larry and I feel like it's the one he got into the most! There's a lot of detail in the whole mortar set up and Zap and his pose just seem super solid! I'm so happy with this one, it's always cool when the underdogs get a little extra love! 

Sketch 6: Colonel Hawk and Grand Slam by Larry Hama! 

These two were the last two kids to get picked! I never had the MMS that came with the original Hawk figure and by the time General Hawk came out, Duke and Flint were running my team! But Colonel Hawk in the comics was a pretty tough guy and I straight up gave Larry reference for Hawk's early comic book look. He questioned that as well as this team-up! I explained that I really liked Hawk's early look, which he described as "when we drew him like Duke!" And then I explained that this was the last piece I needed to complete my collection of the original 13 from him. Larry basically nodded and agreed. I've always liked Grand Slam, he looked sort of Star Wars and came with 2 different play sets but other than kicking Major Bludd in the face through a bus window, he didn't do much in the comics. All that being said, Larry didn't hold back on this one, either! I'm very pleased with these two charging into action!

I'm no Photoshop wizard but I did take a stab at putting these all together as one giant piece! I didn't try to do anything fancy, there's no need but I think this shot of the entire team, in battle, in Larry's style, works pretty damn well! 

Yo Joe June, Day 30: The Original GI Joe Team by Larry Hama!

And I REALLY have to thank my good friends, John Popa, Brandon Franklin and Landon Franklin! Without their help, this wouldn't be a reality, maybe ever! They were all good sports, none of them are big GI Joe fans but they all got a kick out of getting to talk to Larry and get a sketch from him! 

As a kid who grew up at just the right time in the 80's to get into GI Joe as a new toy series, comic book and cartoon, it was beyond awesome to be able to interact with Larry and collect these sketches by him of the characters he wrote and helped create that have been such a huge part of my life! 

Yo Joe!

Yo Joe June, Day 29: Firefly!

As I work on these it seems like I've had a lot of Cobra characters showing up, which surprises me because I'm one of those weirdos who prefers the good guys. But a quick check shows me that the good guys are actually ahead and winning, Like They're Supposed to be Doing! 

Today's post is another sketch out of my old GI Joe sketchbook! This one comes to us from Mid Ohio Con in 2010, by the infamous, Michael Golden! 

Yo Joe June, Day 29: Firefly by Michael Golden! 

It's hard to figure out where to start with this one, Michael Golden's a giant in the world of comics and some of his most memorable work was for GI Joe! His GI Joe yearbooks are legendary and his covers for the regular run at Marvel are outstanding! 

 

Michael Golden hasn't been a stranger to comic book conventions but at this Mid Ohio Con I finally decided to go for it and try to get Michael to draw in my GI Joe sketchbook! I had seen Michael at other shows and kind of ran some characters past him to gauge his interest and Firefly seemed to catch his attention. At that time, Michael didn't remember drawing Firefly outside of his work for Marvel, so it seemed like a plan! I think everyone appreciates Firefly as a Cobra villain, I know I do!

I checked on Michael's progress while he worked on this at his table and it was something else to see him drawing in my sketchbook, not to mention creating this killer piece! Michael seemed pleased with the finished sketch, especially his idea to do the camo pattern in pencil, to make it stand out from his inks! I was absolutely thrilled and still am! I feel very fortunate to have such a superb sketch from Michael Golden of such a  stellar character!
 

Yo Joe June, Day 28: Serpentor!

As Yo Joe June begins to wind down, it's actually getting harder to choose pieces to share! I'm trying not to repeat artists or characters too much so we can all enjoy a variety! There's way too many cool and unique characters in the GI Joe mythos for me to just keep sharing new versions of my favorites. Just like there are way too many amazing creators who I've been lucky enough to have draw, sketch or paint these characters! 

Yo Joe June, Day 28: Serpentor by Dan Govar! 

If you aren't familiar with Dan Govar's work, go check it out! As soon as you're done reading this post! And whatever genre of fun you're into, Dan has probably drawn it! Correction, Dan has probably painted it! Because Dan paints the hell out of everything he works on! Star Wars, Aliens, mermaids, Lord of the Rings, sea life, wild animals, the X-Men, Batman, dragons...Oh you HAVE to see his dragons! Anyway, the point is, he's not only super talented, he knows his way all over comics and pop culture! 

My good friend and fellow GI Joe art collector, jon Thurmond, didn't just introduce me to Dan, he pretty much walked me over to his table, introduced us and left me there in awe of Dan's work! Jon had gotten GI Joe artwork from Dan and I followed suite! I have several pieces, not all of which are GI Joe, and I almost shared the first GI Joe piece he did for me but I really wanted you to be able to see this one! 

As I mentioned, Dan can paint just about any animal, creature or alien you can think of! So, when looking for the next GI Joe character to have him do for me, I came to Serpentor! The guy's dressed as a giant snake and acts all regal, I figured Dan would be perfect! Dan, of course, had to take it a few steps farther and knock it out of the freaking park! 

It appears that even when Serpentor's chilling on his giant Cobra throne he looks like he could be deciding if he should assassinate you or take over your country! The texture to Serpentor's outfit are perfect, all those snakes add to his eeriness and the colors absolutely Pop!   

Now that you've seen what Dan can do, go check out some of his work online and hopefully you get the chance to see him at a convention. He'll be happy to meet you and thrilled to create a cool piece for you, too! 

 https://www.danielgovar.com/

 https://twitter.com/saulone

https://www.facebook.com/DanielGovar

 https://www.instagram.com/danielgovar/ 

Yo Joe June, Day 27: Scarlett and Snake-Eyes!

Tom Feister is no stranger to GI Joe, he's worked on many issues for IDW and Devil's Due! I feel like became friends with Tom the same time I got to know him as a creator and it was quite obvious, he was an old school, die hard GI Joe fan, too! 

Yo Joe June, Day 27: Scarlett and Snake-Eyes by Tom Feister!

 Tom can talk GI Joe all day, regardless if it's the Marvel Comics run or the 1980s cartoons. And as an artist he is always trying to find new and exciting ways to create. His covers for IDW were innovative and cool! He not only looks for new perspectives but just new ways to make each piece unique and dynamic! 

There's this cover of Zartan that Tom made using photos of real people to make up the image of Zartan, because as you know, Zartan can turn into other people! How ingenious! 

Or this one featuring Flint getting the better of Zartan. This one I just like because it's so intense! And I'm a Flint fan!

Or this cover of Ripcord which is impressive and exciting and shows off Tom's fantastic choice of palette, I love it! (I also own the original art ot this cover, thanks to Tom!)

I got a little off topic here but I think you can see why! So the "sketch" Tom did for me was whatever characters he wanted to do. I gave him my sketchbook and couldn't believe that this was what he created for me! Two of the coolest characters in a moment of calm but still looking bad ass! I think IDW missed out on an awesome cover from  Tom with this one but their loss is totally my gain!

Yo Joe June, Day 26: Cobra Commander!

 Obviously, my first thought when discussing GI Joe artwork is, comic book artists! However, they aren't the only artists to work on GI Joe. One great example is Dave Dorman! Dave is known for his painting of properties like Star Wars, Batman, Aliens, Predator and many others but Dave's also worked on GI Joe! 

Yo Joe June, Day 26: Cobra Commander by Dave Dorman! 

     Dave Dorman worked on GI Joe during it's early days, doing presentation artwork for Hasbro!He also painted covers for the GI Joe Fan Club newsletter and many of those were used on products like posters, puzzles and other fun item!

 

Dave's paintings have also graced the packages of statues and he's done some comic book covers for Devil's Due! 

While an original painting from Dave is a little out of my price range, I did have an opportunity to get a pencil sketch from him! Most people were getting sketches of Star Wars characters and many of those were on comic book sketch covers. I definitely consider myself a fan of Dave's Star Wars work but that's not what I was after!  

At the time I was working on collecting sketches of the original 13 members of the GI Joe team (that's a story for later!) so when the opportunity came up, I decided to go after the next logical step, Cobra! And I wasn't about to get a Cobra Officer or Trooper from Dave Dorman, so I got Cobra Commander, in his original look! 

Dave had already done a painting for the package art of a Cobra Commander statue, featuring the Commander in his mask, so I thought the helmet was a unique choice. Plus, Dave paints plenty of armor, so the helmet should be no issue! 

 As you can see above, Dave did a fantastic job with Cobra Commander and delivered about every element I could have wanted! So, while Dave Dorman might not be the most obvious choice for GI Joe art, I don't think it could have gone any better!

Yo Joe June, Day 25: Outback!

 Outback is one of those characters that seems to just work for everyone. He didn't get used much in the Marvel Comics or the cartoon but everyone seems to think he's pretty cool and accepts him. Which is great, because he is cool! 

Yo Joe June, Day 25, Outback by Ron Frenz! 

Ron Frenz is exactly the kind of artist I want to see on a super hero title! The guy not only gets it, he gets it with style! Ron cut his teeth in the trenches of the Marvel Bullpen and I don't think he's forgotten a single thing he's learned along the way! Ron has drawn pretty much every character at Marvel and a good chuck at DC! That being said, I always thought it was kind of odd the Ron didn't do much for GI Joe when it was at Marvel, just a pin-up of Gung-Ho in issue 126. 

Knowing that Ron can draw anyone in comics, I decided to add him to my GI Joe sketchbook in 2015. At this point I think IDW had Ron do a few covers but the whole idea of getting sketches is to have the artist do who you want! 

I don't remember there being much debate about choosing a character for Ron. Outback is a character I needed and I thought Ron would do a great job! Outback exudes a tough-guy feel and Ron can certainly draw some tough guys! 

I gotta say, Ron delivered in a way I wasn't expecting! Everything about this just looks perfect! From the creases in his pants, to his gear, to his gun and his beard, Outback was the right character for Ron! This guy looks like he's ready to get into some kind of trouble and the kind of guy you don't want to mess with! 

I do remember that Ron was excited that he got to tap into his John Buscema mental archives and bring some of that to this sketch! It just tells me that GI Joe needs more Ron Frenz!

Yo Joe June, Day 23: Scarlett!

I've always enjoyed the character of Scarlett, she's always been portrayed as strong, physically and emotionally and she's always been at the forefront of GI Joe. I also enjoy her relationship with Snake-Eyes (Sorry Duke fans but I'm a comic book fan before being a cartoon fan)! 

Yo Joe June, Day 23: Scarlett by Shannon Gallant! 

I don't actually have a ton of artwork featuring Scarlett. Maybe because as much as I enjoy her character, in my book she's number two to Lady Jaye! There's still no denying she's cool and one of the stars of GI Joe. She gets a lot of time in the spotlight and is probably one of the Top 10 recognizable characters from the franchise. 

Speaking of the franchise, Shannon Gallant is part of the longest running creative team on the GI Joe comic books! GI Joe is what made me aware of Shannon's work and I've had the pleasure of meeting him several times at conventions. I have a few sketches from him and all I can say is that you're missing out because I'm only sharing this one, for now! 

This one didn't actually come from a convention, this is from an online auction to support Breast Cancer Awareness in 2010. Shannon donated 3 original pieces that year, all of Scarlett, but I immediately knew this was the one I wanted. The toned paper really makes everything pop with his detailed inks and marker washes, Wow! Shannon really brought this image to life and in addition to being a badass shot of Scarlett (Even with the photo of Snake-eyes tucked into her belt!), the money went to a great cause, as well (Note the right side of Scarlett's hair is laying in the shape of the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon). 

And if you aren't familiar with Shannon and his work, shame on you! I already said he was on the longest run of GI Joe! Go look thru some of your GI Joe comics and you can check out his website! He even has a section for, GI Joe! 

https://slgallant.com/

Yo Joe June, Day 24: Snake-Eyes!

 All I can say about Mike Zeck's covers for GI Joe is that they made it all feel real! The energy and emotion on every character's face! The intensity of the firepower and the drama the covers created was just about as explosive as GI Joe could get!

You Joe June, Day 24: Snake-Eyes by Mike Zeck! 

 

Mike Zeck's covers definitely took GI Joe to another level! Mike hasn't visited very many of the same conventions as me but there have been a few and I've talked with Mike, who's such a nice guy, and I've bought some of his prints and gotten some books signed. But I never seemed to be able to get a sketch from him. Either he wasn't sketching or I couldn't make it happen. 

I last saw Mike at the Cincinnati Comic Expo in 2021. My goal at that show was to make another attempt to get a sketch from Mike. I had gotten some amazing sketches and commissions from so many artists from the Marvel days, I really wanted to include Mike in that. Too many creators from those early days are gone and I've loved being able to collect artwork from the one's that I could. 

I was the first one at Mike Zeck's table at Cincinnati and before he arrived, John Beatty showed up at the next table. John asked if I was there to get a sketch and then laughed at me because Mike had no plans to draw. I replied that I didn't mind. I had asked Mike for sketches in the past and he always politely turned me down,  I was just going to give him the opportunity to do so, again.

When Mike arrived, he set up his table and we made some small talk and then he asked if I was there for a sketch because he had no plans to draw. We talked a little more, all about comics in general, nothing very specific. He then explained that if I left my name and number on a piece of drawing paper, he would consider drawing something. It might just be a small remarque and it might be nothing, he was making no promises. I was thrilled to even be having that conversation!  

Later that day I saw that Mike was penciling what looked like a head sketch of Snake-Eyes and I couldn't believe it! I checked in with him and he confirmed that it had turned into more than a remarque and he would have it done the next day. 

The next day I watched from a distance as he brought this piece to life! I was completely blown away when I picked this up! Once of those times you feel like a small child meeting someone famous, it was something else! I tried to express just how grateful I was but I'm not sure he understood. 

This might not be the fanciest Snake-Eyes artwork you'll ever see but this really does mean the world to me! The shadows on the uniform are just so bold and Mike Zeck! The details in the sword and bandolier are extremely perfect! Just the pose and shape of the body are spot on! And best of all, Mike seemed pleased with his work! It doesn't get any better than that!

Yo Joe June, Day 22: Zartan!

 I can't stress enough, when an artist is a fan and wants to draw a character for you, have them do it! This isn't the first piece by Brian Hurtt in my GI Joe sketchbook but this one always blows me away! 

Yo Joe June, Day 22: Zartan by Brian Hurtt! 

Brian Hurtt did this for me at Heroes Con in 2010! This was during a time when it seems like we saw Brian 2-3 times a year! You know, before he got famous on awesome books like the Sixth Gun and Shadow Roads! Brian's still around but he's busier these days and we don't have time to hang out and talk comics like we used to. Or talk about GI Joe!

Brian was very excited I had a GI Joe sketchbook and there were a few characters he made it clear that he'd love to draw! One of them was, Zartan! I sort of saved Zartan for him until we crossed paths at Heroes and man, oh man! 

I'm mostly a comic book GI Joe fan, and less of a cartoon GI Joe fan, so Zartan should be deadly and sneaky and kind of mean! Zartan in a tree, waiting to take out his target with an arrow? Yeah, that works! 

Brian's a master with those inks and washes and this piece really shows it off! The leaves in the background spotlight Zartan nicely and the shadows on Zartan are just the best!

Yo Joe June, Day 21: Gung-Ho!

Gung-Ho was a character that always intrigued me. I think it was the fact that in the comic books and on his file card (Thanks for both of those, Larry Hama!) he was one of the first GI Joe members who really seemed tough! Like the kind of guy who would kick your ass for looking at him the wrong way! 

Yo Joe June, Day 21: Gung-Ho by Ron Wagner! 

Ron Wagner not only enjoyed a healthy run on Marvel's GI Joe and GI Joe Special Missions, he drew so many great super hero comic books! Morbius, Nth Man, Ghost Rider, Punisher, it seemed like he drew almost every title in the lat 80s and early 90s! Having drawn so many issues of GI Joe, I had to have something from Ron in my collection! 

I've never had the chance to meet Ron but luckily for me, Catskill Comics (https://catskillcomics.com/) handles Ron's commissions and original art sales! This isn't my first GI Joe commission from Ron, I'm saving that one for a future post, but this one's too cool not to share! 

Ron created such an impressive commission of Gung-Ho! He brought all the grittiness and power I think of him having, with some minor updates that are just perfect! That grenade launcher is exactly the upgrade I'd expect Gung-Ho to make and the uniform and attitude just rock!  

This piece not only delivers everything I could have wanted, it also proves that Ron Wagner has only gotten better over the years!

Yo Joe June, Day 20: Tele-Viper!

 The Tele-Vipers may not have had any super cool stories in the comic books or cartoons but there was just something about their design that made them a staple of the Cobra army! Maybe it was the crazy way words streamed across their goggles? 

Yo Joe June, Day 20: Tele-Viper by Dave Johnson! 

I've been a fan of Dave Johnson's artwork for years. His bold designs, deep shadows and unique style have just always worked for me. At Dragon Con in 2014, I decided to pull the trigger and add Dave to my GI Joe sketchbook! He's worked on many GI Joe covers and even the GI Joe Resolute cartoon (Another favorite of mine!), so he had to know at least some of the characters.

Deciding who to have Dave draw was another issue. Being such a talented creator, I naturally started looking at all the A-list characters but nothing really seemed right. Then I took a look at the other characters and came across the Tele-Viper! I had no real plans for a Tele-Viper sketch and Dave's style just might work. 

I'm so glad I had Dave do this for me! His style is absolutely perfect for the Tele-Viper design! The dark, sort of creepy, goggles! The "quilted" looking vest! That bold Cobra patch! And best of all, the retro-modern looking gear! Come on, the helmet and backpack totally make this sketch worth it! I honestly really dig the way Dave drew the words Tele-Viper, almost like they're scrolling across the sketch like his their scrolled across the goggles in the cartoon! 

Dave really brought some character to this "troop-builder" in a way I didn't think was possible! Now I just need someone to use this design in the comics or Classified line!

Yo Joe June, Day 19: Tomax and Xamot!

I just got home from Heroes Con 2023 and this was my GI Joe art pick-up from the convention! I have to tell you, if I could only get one GI Joe sketch, this is exactly who I want it from! I met Pat Quinn at Heroes Con a few years ago. My friend and fellow GI Joe art collector, Christopher Giles made me aware of him and now Pat can't get rid of me! 

Yo Joe June, Day 19: Tomax and Xamot by Pat Quinn! 

I have several sketches and commissions from Pat and he's not only the nicest guy to chat with, he knows his comics! I've gotten a variety of characters from him and he always makes each piece unique and fun! 

Case in point, Tomax and Xamot! Not only did Pat deliver a detailed and explosive looking sketch, complete with lots of firepower and a Cobra logo, the sharp-eyed viewer will catch that Tomax is in the shape of a T and Xamot is in the shape of an X!  And no, I didn't catch it, Pat had to tell me. But how freaking cool! I've always thought the twins were a little crazy, so I love their enthusiasm in this piece!

Pat has done several GI Joe comic books for Devil's Due but he's also a professor at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) where he gets to pass on his knowledge and skill to future creators! 

Please check out more of Pat's sensational artwork online and if you see him at a show, say Hi and check out what he's working on! 

 https://twitter.com/pqcomics

Yo Joe June, Day 18: Lady Jaye!

 If you ever have the opportunity to meet Todd Nauck at a comic book convention, don't cheat yourself! When you walk away you'll be convinced that Todd was there to meet you, he's like a fan who draws like a pro but still wants to meet and hang out with fans! 

Yo Joe June, Day 18: Lady Jaye by Todd Nauck!

I've met Todd Nauck at several conventions and I have commissioned artwork from him a few time, too. This however, is one of those rare instances where you stumble upon a piece the artist did and it's just too good to pass up! 

One day I was minding my own business, scrolling through social media and I came across this beauty! Actually, I think Todd had only posted the pencils at that point but the finished version appeared soon after! Here, Todd had been playing the original GI Joe cartoons from the 80s and just did this for fun because he was enjoying a nostalgia rush of GI Joe! I've said it before and I'll say it again, there's nothing better than when the artist is a fan, too!

So, a couple of things to keep in mind here. The first is that I love Todd Nauck, as a person and as a artist! He is just the absolute best at both! The second is that I love Lady Jaye, she's my favorite female character from GI Joe! Based on all of that I'm sure you can guess that I quickly contacted Todd, who was nice enough to sell me this fine piece of art! 

I admit I'm a little biased as far as both Todd and Lady Jaye go but you have to admit this is a phenomenal pin-up of Lady Jaye! She looks like she's directly out of the cartoon series but with a hint of modern thrown in! 

Todd also did a Zartan, a Cobra Commander and I think a Snake Eyes around the same time. They are extremely cool, if you can find those online!  You can enjoy more of Todd's artwork here: 

 https://www.facebook.com/ArtOfToddNauck

https://twitter.com/ToddNauck

https://www.instagram.com/toddnauck/

Yo Joe June, Day 17: General Hawk!

This one goes back a few years. Let me begin by saying that Lee Weeks is one of the kindest and most sincere comic book artists you could meet! And funny! I've known Lee since I started going to conventions and collecting sketches and it's always a pleasure to spend some time with him at a con. 

Yo Joe June, Day 17: General Hawk by Lee Weeks!

 Lee Weeks worked on GI Joe in 1990 for about 10 issues. But that's not what led to this sketch. I wanted a really good General Hawk, he is the team leader, so it had to be by someone good. When I started looking at artists I had gotten art from or who I was likely to see again, Lee's name came up! 

Lee has such a solid, grounded approach to characters but they still look powerful and heroic! Sounds like the perfect choice for Hawk! Thankfully, I saw Lee at Heroes Con in 2014 and he was able to do this sketch in my sketchbook! I saw thankfully because Lee is such a modern day giant in the world of comics, everybody wants something from him! And there's clearly a good reason for that!

Yo Joe June, Day 16: Snake Eyes versus Storm Shadow!

 This is another piece from my original GI Joe sketchbook and it wasn't an easy one to pick out! I knew I wanted to showcase one of the pieces Darryl Banks has done for me but they are all just amazingly good, it's hard to pick my favorite! This is one where Darryl definitely went over the top, so it was a good tie breaker! 

Yo Joe June, Day 16, Snake Eyes versus Storm Shadow by Darryl Banks! 

Darryl has some GI Joe credits, having worked on the GI Joe Reloaded series and he's done some figure design work for Hasbro! Even better, Darryl is a GI Joe fan! When I see him it's quite normal for us to bring up the action figures or discuss a classic cartoon episode! And let me tell you, there's nothing better than getting a sketch by a fan!

For this piece, I requested Snake Eyes versus Storm Shadow. I gave Darryl several different references to chose from and he liked the Robert Atkins design for Storm Shadow. I may never get over the awesomeness of GI Joe Resolute, so I asked Darryl to draw that version of Snake Eyes since I thought the two versions matched up nicely. 

And what do you know, Darryl went and outdid himself, again! Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are seriously mixing it up! And then there's the Arashikage banner and a HISS Tank in the background! Just Wow! This pin-up should really be on a poster for something! 

Enjoy more artwork by Darryl Banks at:

https://twitter.com/RealBankster

https://www.instagram.com/glprime/

Yo Joe June, Day 15, Ace!

Ace might not be front and center of every GI Joe pin-up but he's an essential part of the group and just about everyone knows him! Ace is the pilot of the GI Joe Sky Striker and has shot down more Cobras than anyone! Sure, he's been shot down a few times, too but that's just the cost of doing business, right?

Yo Joe June, Day 15, Ace by Ryan Kelly! 

This artwork by Ryan Kelly is probably the coolest piece of artwork there is of Ace! Heroic pose in the cockpit of his fighter! Sky Strikers flying by overhead! All that's missing is a patriotic song or even "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins!

Ace was in the cartoon a lot, even thought every single character fly a Sky Striker! And he showed up in many panels of GI Joe but I think his dogfight with Wild Weasel in GI Joe issue 34 was his biggest moment! What an outstanding issue! 

Ryan Kelly is a top-notch artist whose work really stands out. He's a fan of GI Joe, which definitely comes across in his work! Ace doesn't have the most specific of uniforms but in this commission by Ryan, not only do you know this is Ace, this is how everyone else should be drawing him!

Yo Joe June, Day 14: Taurus!

 I've always been a fan of GI Joe the Movie from 1987. And while it did bring us Cobra-La (Sigh) it also introduced Sgt Slaughter's Renegades! 

 

Yo Joe June, Day 14, Taurus by Mark Pennington!

This is another sketch brought to us all by my trip to Joe Fest 2023! I first became aware of Mark Pennington through his work as a comic book inker. I was surprised to learn that Mark right from the Kubert Art School to designing action figures at Hasbro! 

When I saw that Mark would be at Joe Fest, I looked up several characters he had worked on and grabbed some reference. At Joe Fest, Mark chose Taurus because he has a "rougher" style he thought would work well for the character. Even though Taurus wears brighter colors, he comes across as pretty rough around the edges. 

Mark was very proud of the detail he created on the face of Taurus! If you want to see more of Mark's action figure design, check out Operation Recall! It's a great project where former creators from the GI Joe brand are back together, making new action figures for a crowdfunded project! 

https://www.operationrecall.com/

Yo Joe June, Day 13: Mercer!

Today's segment of Yo Joe June is another pick-up from Joe Fest 2023! Which, if you're any kind of Joe fan (And I'm guessing you are if you're reading this) you really need to treat yourself to a Joe Fest! It has just about everything and is just loads of fun!

Yo Joe June, Day 13, Mercer by Robert Atkins! 

Robert's known for his extensive work on the GI Joe comics, games and I'm not sure what else but if it's a GI Joe product that's come out in the last 15 years, Robert probably drew it! Robert has actually done lots of other comic books, game and toy work but GI Joe fans knew him first! 

I've known Robert for some time and have a few pieces by him but I don't get to see him often and I definitely don't get to pick up as much art from him! That being the case, I wanted to make sure I picked a good character that really worked. Robert 's pretty well known for his detailed uniforms and gear and he's not afraid to draw some pouches and straps, either. 

Enter, Mercer, my favorite of Sgt Slaughter's Renegades! Mercer's an ex-Cobra Viper who moved over to GI Joe to fight Cobra! How cool is that?? He appeared in GI Joe the Movie from 1987 and couldn't have seemed any tougher! I'm not sure that he ever showed up in the Marvel Comics run but I think as a kid I somehow had his figure but not the other two Renegades (Which is weird because they came together in a 3 pack).

So, I like Mercer. He's a cool tough-guy and I had Robert draw him. Which worked out great because now we all get to enjoy this sweet pin-up!   

http://www.robertatkinsart.co/index.html

Yo Joe June, Day 12: Recondo!

 I don't get to see Brian Atkins very often but we did get to hang out at Joe Fest, this weekend! This is another great example of seeing the artist post on social media that he was taking pre-orders for Joe Fest! 

Yo Joe June, Day 12: Recondo by Brian Atkins!

I've been lucky enough to know Brian for several years and he's such a fun person to spend time with! When I saw his pre-orders were open I sent him a few character choices and he went with Recondo! Because who doesn't want to draw a mustache!

The Jungle Warfare Specialist for the GI Joe team looks completely at home in the jungle background that Brian created for him! He also looks like he means business! Or maybe he just eliminated a bunch of Cobras and is still on high alert! Either way, Brian did an amazing job on this!

You can see more of Brian's work at:

https://www.facebook.com/brian.atkins

https://twitter.com/BrianAtkinsArt

https://instagram.com/brianatkinsart

Yo Joe June, Day 11: Cobra Eel!

 Yo Joe June continues, fresh from Joe Fest 2023! The next few posts will feature my newest artwork that I just got from Joe Fest! My first Joe Fest was loads of fun and I'm so glad I went! Fortunately, I'm already familiar with most of the artists that were there, which helped make these happen! 

Yo Joe June, Day 11: Cobra Eel by Brian Shearer! 

 

Brian Shearer, has been part of the creative team to work on the longest run of GI Joe!  I follow Brian on Social Media (you should be too!) And saw that he was taking pre-orders for Joe Fest. I immediately reached out with some reference for the Eel. The Eels were a major part of the Cobra forces in the 80s and I've always been a fan. 

I thought that Brian's style would be a great fit for the Eel and he still blew me away with this! The details rock and his marker colors are really vivid and sharp! This is just a superb commission that really pops and comes to life! 

Brian did color this during a live broadcast on social media and you can check that out here:

https://fb.watch/l5K2inDmyE/?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Yo Joe June, Day 10: Duke and Roadblock!

 I was very excited to meet Rod Whigham at Heroes Con 2009! He drew such a memorable run on GI Joe with some of the most exciting stories! Rod is extremely down to earth and was more than happy to meet fans. It seemed like the guys in line ahead of me had met him before and all knew exactly what they wanted from him. It also seemed like every character they requested a sketch of was a pivotal character from one of his stories and I didn't want to just copy what everyone else was getting. 

Yo Joe June, Day 10: Duke and Roadblock by Rod Whigham! 

At this point in my GI Joe sketchbook I had a lot of good characters but they were a pretty random mix. I needed a few of the "big guys!" So, I went with 2 of the biggest names on the team, Duke and Roadblock. Why not knock out 2 of them out at once! 

I always loved the throw away line in GI Joe that referenced that Duke, Roadblock and Flint had all served together and I was always bummed that it never came into play. When I picked up my sketch from Rod, I felt like he took inspiration from Duke and Roadblock's 1st appearance in issue 22 of the comic book! And that is just a killer scene, what an intro! Sure, Mike Vosburg drew that issue but I was fine with Rod being inspired by it. Of course, Duke and Roadblock team-up a lot in the comics. 

I really wish I had more chances to see Rod, he's such a friendly guy and I love his art! It just takes me back to the 80's in all the best ways! I do have more art by Rod but I'd be more than happy to see him at another convention.

Yo Joe June, Day 9: Crystal Ball!

 This is a fun commission from the last year. I've known Aaron Archer since we were both much younger. We grew up in the same area and he was promoting his self-published comics while I was running a local comic book store. This was before he made his way to Kenner and then Hasbro. Now that Aaron's back, I have the opportunity to see him more and that's how this one happened! 

Yo Joe June, Day 9: Crystal Ball by Aaron Archer! 

I'm very aware that Aaron's mostly known for his toy design work for Transformers, Batman and Star Wars. But I also know he worked on GI Joe and he knows GI Joe, I mean he grew up in the 80s and he's a toy guy! 

That being said, I also know Aaron enjoys a character he can play around and have some fun with and that armor, mech and fantasy designs are a little more exciting to him than standard super heroes and soldiers. So, I sent Aaron a few characters to choose from and when he picked Crystal Ball I knew it would be cool. But this, this is a whole 'nother level of cool! 

Aaron nailed the design of Crystal Ball, to a tee! And honestly, Crystal Ball isn't a character I have any real collection to and I was never quite sure how his hypnotist gimmick fit into everything. Aaron's take on the character is fantastic! I LOVE the entire supernatural, ethereal energy with ghosts and spirits and snakes? Is the snake real or a ghost snake? Is any of it real or is it a hypnotic illusion? I have no idea but I think it looks super and  is an awesome concept. The depth that Aaron created with the energy and spirits is something else. This is just a huge win to me! 

You can keep up with Aaron and enjoy more of his work here:

https://archermonster.com/

https://www.facebook.com/archermonsterart

https://twitter.com/archermonster

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheToyArmadawithAaronArcher/featured

Yo Joe June, Day 8: Cobra Trooper!

 This one, this one will never get old to me. I still remember my excitement when I picked it up from Herb Trimpe, there's been nothing else like it! It's not every day you get to meet a legend like Herb, much less have him draw a sketch for you! 

Yo Joe June, Day 8: Cobra Trooper by Herb Trimpe!

I had the honor of meeting Herb Trimpe at Mid Ohio Con in 2009. Herb was friendly and wonderful to meet. He signed some books for me and did this sketch. I do remember that I was very undecided on what character to get and I think it was while I was talking with Herb that I decided to go with something really classic and nothing's more classic than a basic Cobra Trooper! 

I have zero regrets about not getting an A-Lister from Herb, this is so good! I really feel like this is a figure directly out of one of his early GI Joe issues. Everything about it's just perfect and exactly what I wanted. The expression on his face, his gear, his rifle... I love that rifle! It's just such a 70s-80s comic book looking rifle and I'd be disappointed if he'd drawn anything else!   

I did buy a pre-done sketch out of Herb's portfolio but I sold that at one point when I needed some money.  I also met Herb about a year before he died and he did a gorgeous Baroness remarque on the inside of one of my GI Joe hardcovers. 

Unfortunately, I don't have much of a story about meeting Herb. I was pretty awe-struck to meet such a comic book superstar and someone so important to GI Joe, I loved the experience and thought he was the best! And his Cobra Trooper is second to none! 

Yo Joe June, Day 7: Alley Viper!

 As I've mentioned before, one of the fun things about collecting GI Joe artwork is that so many of the artists are fans themselves, with their own favorite characters that excite them! This is a perfect example! 

Yo Joe June, Day 7: Alley Viper by Tim Seeley! 

Tim Seeley was a huge part of the Devil's Due era of GI Joe and Devil's Due really put GI Joe back on a map. Devil's Due not only brought GI Joe back, they made them exciting and I don't know that everyone was talking about it but it seemed like everyone knew about it! 

Tim Seeley was one of the main artists on the DD run of GI Joe but he did a lot at Devil's Due, in general. As a fan, it always felt like he liked the characters and it wasn't until years later that I found out what a fan he was. Mark and Tim at Talking Joe (If you aren't familiar with Talking Joe, it's the longest running podcast about GI Joe comic books and you should really check them out!  https://talkingjoe.co.uk/) had Tim on for an interview and their interviews are so great because they go off on the best tangents about their guests and their lives! During their interview with Tim he mentioned he was a fan of the more odd characters and my ears were eagerly waiting for what kind of characters might be mentioned! Sure enough, Tim mentioned the Alley Viper! 

The Alley Viper is not a figure I ever had as a kid and they didn't show up much in the comic books or cartoon but they definitely have their following. Don't get me wrong, I had Alley Viper reference, should the opportunity ever arise. One of my concerns about an Alley Viper sketch is that the uniform design is not simple. The helmet alone is pretty nuts, at least for someone not familiar with the character...

Just a few weeks after the Talking Joe interview, Tim Seeley opened his commission list and I was there! The best part was when Tim turned down my reference! Why? Because he still has his original Alley Viper action figure at his drawing table! It doesn't get much better than that! Just a quick glance at the commission shows how much Tim put into this, the Alley Viper's lucky to have such a talented advocate, creating such a killer pin-up!

I have met Tim at a few cons and gotten some other artwork from him but it's going to be hard to beat this Alley Viper! Although I do have my next request in mind! 

https://www.timseeleycreative.com/

https://twitter.com/HackinTimSeeley

Yo Joe June, Day 6: Barbecue!

Josh Medors lived in my general area so I got to see him at a few shows and I loved every page he drew in GI Joe America's Elite for Devil's Due! When I had the chance to get a sketch from him, I just let him pick a character out of the reference binder full of characters I have and he decided to give one of the non A-Listers a shot. This was to make sure one of the "minor leaguers" made it into my sketchbook and because he looked like fun to draw! 

Yo Joe June, Day 6: Barbecue by Josh Medors!

Let me set the mood a little. It was October 2008 and I visited a new, 2 Day Comic Book Convention. One of the many Guest Artists was Josh Medors. There were quite a few Comic Book Creators and Celebrities at this show but not the amount of fans necessary to keep everyone busy. So when I asked Josh for a sketch, he asked if he could keep my sketchbook and just keep working on it, for something to do. I bought a few pages from Josh at that show and I may have made a few trips to the ATM, also. 

The point is, Josh had plenty of time to work on what is possibly the world's greatest Barbecue sketch! Barbecue is not a character I was eager to get a sketch of but one of the fun things about collecting GI Joe art from GI Joe fans is that everyone has their own favorite characters or at least characters that appeal to them!  The detail of this sketch is certainly off the charts! Josh made great use of that red pencil, just the different tones and textures he was able to create with it! Did you see those flames in the background?! 

Like I said, I had the pleasure of seeing Josh at a few shows and even when I wasn't buying art from him, he was such a down-to-earth and great guy to talk to. Unfortunately, Josh died after a long battle with spinal cancer, in November of 2012. I'm very thankful that I was able to get to know him through those conventions and that he'll always be remembered through his phenomenal artwork! 

Yo Joe June, Day 5: Cover Girl!

I'm not sure at what point I became aware of Andrew Griffith's artwork but I know I was an immediate fan! I follow him on social media and I've read comic books he's drawn. And while he might be known for his work on Transformers, I obviously enjoy his GI Joe work! 

I know I'd seen some GI Joe commissions from Andrew and wanted to get one and then my friend, Jon Thurmond got an amazing commission, of Scarlett flying a CLAW outside of the Silent Castle! Wow! So when the opportunity became available I jumped onto Andrew's commission list and went all in! 

Yo Joe June, Day 5: Cover Girl by Andrew Griffith! 

I gave my character choice some serious thought. I looked over a bunch of Andrew's work and while I was pretty comfortable with the idea that any character I picked was going to look great, I kept dwelling on his impressive looking Transformers! So then I thought about a character with a lot of tech or gear on their uniform. 

Then I noticed I didn't have any special plans for Cover Girl. And I was a pretty big fan of the Wolverine toy, as a kid. Probably in my top 10 favorite vehicles. And I will never have enough artwork of GI Joe vehicles. So, I asked Andrew if adding the Wolverine was an option and we made it happen! And this piece is just jaw-dropping! Cover Girl has never looked more lovely and bad ass! And the Wolverine just fills the background! I don't know who wouldn't love all the detail in this beauty! 

I have yet to meet Andrew Griffith in person. I have 3 commissions by him (Conversations at the end of this commission led to the next one. Which was almost today's post but I really felt this one needed to be shared!). I'm a huge fan of his work and I do see his posts online but honestly, he was so friendly and nice to interact with through email. I enjoy that correspondence a lot and hope I get the chance to meet him in person one day! 

If you don't know Andrew Griffith you need to check some it out online! 

https://glovestudios.artstation.com/

https://twitter.com/glovestudios

Yo Joe June, Day 4: Snake-Eyes!

 This one goes back, for sure! This is the first "sketch" in my GI Joe sketchbook, which I started in 2007! After that Eddy Newell sketch of Cobra Commander (see Yo Joe June, Day 2!), I began thinking about starting a GI Joe sketchbook and daydreaming about how I would start it and who would draw what characters in it! Then I happened to be reading through an old Heroes Con program guide where Brian Stelfreeze had some fun with his bio. Brian ended his bio with something to the effect of, "When not drawing comics, Brian likes to go on missions with Snake Eyes!" And I was sold! 

Yo Joe June, Day 4: Snake-Eyes by Brian Stelfreeze! 

When I approached Brian Stelfreeze at Heroes Con with my idea and an empty sketchbook, he told me that he takes 2 things very seriously, New Sketchbooks and Snake-Eyes! At Heroes Con 2007, I got to watch as Brian worked on this beauty! He had to take breaks to allow the paint to dry but what a fun time, watching as he worked his magic!

I did get this one photo of the painting during one of the drying breaks! 

 

 I have to say, I really had no idea what to expect from Brian. I was very familiar with his work in comics and had watched him paint pieces for the Heroes Art Auction, in previous years. So, it was clear that Brian was a master painter. I still love hearing stories from other artists about how one afternoon with Brian and they learned more about anatomy or color theory or whatever aspect of  art, than in all of their previous art classes! There's just no way to get across how much Brian is talented on an entirely different level than most of humanity! 

Brian is also one of the kindest, most laid back people I've been lucky enough to meet! It was such an enjoyable experience chatting with him while he worked on this. He would put down some paint and then take a step back and take it in. After a few moments he'd say, I have to let it speak to me to see what I do next. Well, Brian and this painting must have had one hell of a chat because this painting is out of this world! 

The other fun part of this gorgeous, 2-page painting by the one and only, Brian Stelfreeze, was watching artists freak out about it when they opened the book to do a sketch for me! I can't imagine how intimidating it must have been for an artist who was about to draw for me, opening the book up to this! 

 I feel like I should go on for a bit about all the details and colors and lighting of this painting but instead I'm just going to ask you to scroll back up and take it all in for yourself. Don't be in a hurry, just let your eyes enjoy it and let Brian's work talk to you a little. Because Snake-Eyes doesn't have much to say!