Review: G.I.Joe A Real American Heroâ€”Complete Silence

The Silent Interlude issue of G.I.Joe is far and away regarded as the greatest silent comic book issue of all time. So it is an immense joy to see Larry Hama“s amazing tale represented here in the highest of quality. This issue is more than a simple fight between two of the greatest ninja warriors in fiction. This issue represents the perfect encapsulation of what makes Scarlett one of the greatest and most well rounded characters in any medium.

The plot of this issue is simple, Storm Shadow has captured Scarlett and brought her to the Cobra base where she is kept in an underground prison under heavy guard. Destro tracks the arrival of a single hero coming to save her, Snake Eyes even as he moves his chess pieces as he measures the pawns at play.

Scarlett has never been a damsel in distress in the comics and this issue is a perfect showcase. She“s not a simple prisoner as she resists Storm Shadow at every turn and escapes her confinement while quickly taking him down. Even as Snake Eyes takes on Cobra agents and a band of ninjas, Scarlett takes out the guards and steals a jet pack. Finally, in an incredibly epic moment, Scarlett maneuvers herself directly into the path of Storm Shadow“s sword throw, trusting Snake Eyes will grab the sword from behind her before she rescues him. It“s the perfect ending to the perfect showcase of action and encapsulates everything that makes the trust between Scarlett and Snake Eyes so special.

The art by Larry Hama and Steve Leialoha in this issue is amazing. Every scene, panel and expression conveys more than just the action on the page. Characters are built through the art in ways that most comics can“t achieve over six issues filled with dialogue. This is absolutely emphasized within the second part of this reprint which follows the same plot of this tale but with art by Jeremy Dale. Dale is a fine artist but is not able to convey any of the emotion that is seen in the original. It is a fascinating experiment to see another interpretation of these events, but the second version can“t even come close to the shear genius of the original.

Writing: 5 of 5 stars
Art: 5 of 5 stars
Colors 4.8 of 5 stars

Overall: 4.9 of 5 stars

Writer: Larry Hama
Art: Larry Hama/Steve Leialoha, Jeremy Dale
Colors: George Roussos, Jeremy Dale
Publisher: IDW Publishing

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.