Collecting GI Joe paperbacks

I've been buying those Classic GI Joe paperbacks as they come out. This has led me to collect other GI Joe paperbacks. I've picked these up in recent months...

I went to the Long Beach Comic Con and IDW was selling the GI Joe: Hearts & Minds hardcover early. Since Max Brooks and Howard Chaykin was at the show, I have several comics and books signed (Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z; Chaykin's American Flagg). It was a real treat to have Hearts & Minds signed, really great book.





I recently picked up the Marvel paperback of GI Joe & The Transformers. It was probably released to hype the Generation 2 crossover. I'm kinda disappointed by the quality because it's not a heavy stock cover or paper. The paper feels like old comic newsprint. It almost feels like a Marvel Annual from that era.

However, I'm still happy to have it in the collection because who knows when or if IDW will reprint these comics.



While looking for some books, I found the GI Joe: Order of Battle paperback. I was about to drop $20 on this and I'm glad I found it for $5 at this show. It's very basic looking since it's just character profiles. But I'm glad to have it in my collection.



I still haven't dug through my Classic GI Joe books but I'm intrigued who Bongo the Balloon Bear is.

Bongo shows up somewhere in the early 30's issues her van is used to chase one of the Crimson Guard Fred Series Spirit helped bury at Snake Eyes High Sierras cabin.

She begins dating Ripcord.

I don't wanna spoil too much of her character because there are some secrets about her...but she gets kidnapped by Buzzer at one point and her father plays a VERY important role in the future of Cobra.

Bongo the Balloon Bear is one of the dumbest characters in all of Marvel G.I.Joe canon-lore, but that's just my opinion; I know she holds a very special place in many Joe-fans' hearts.

As for that Order of Battle TPB... when did they release that?!

Originally Posted by titanate

As for that Order of Battle TPB... when did they release that?!

1987 apparently.

Collecting the Devil's Due run is my newest obsession. I have the complete run of America's Elite in single issues but double dipped when I had the chance to pick the paperbacks to cheap. The OCD nerd needed the rest of the paperbacks while I was at it. I already had the Declassified books, Storm Shadow, Arashikage Showdown, and the GI Joe vs Transformers omnibus before this madness started.

I'm missing some books: Master & Apprentice, Special Missions, and Reloaded. Even though I really want those books they didn't complete the entire series. As much as I liked Reloaded, there's only two paperbacks and they didn't finish the last third.

Even though it's not the complete Devil's Due collection, I'm quite happy to own the majority of their continuity. There's a good chunk I haven't read so I look forward to reading this (perhaps after reading the classic Marvel material).