Mark and Tim from Talking Joe had the privilege of moderating Josh Blaylock's panel at Assembly Required GI Joe convention on Sat 4th November 2023.

Here is the recording of that panel!

A note of caution - The audio on this panel recording aren't up to our normal high quality studio standard but relatively clear. I did a bit more of an audio clean-up on this Podcast version.

A video version of this panel is here: https://youtu.be/pIiIczkRviw

You can find a previous more in depth interview from July 2021 with him here https://youtu.be/FetkmtQ2pfc or as audio podcast http://cast.rocks/hosting/15498/Josh-Blaylock-chat.mp3

Josh Blaylock is the Founder and publisher of Devils Due Comics, writer of GI Joe 1-25 and the 2003 GI Joe Vs Transformers crossover, Dreadnoks Declassified mini series and Asrashikage showdown manga digest GN. Beyond the world of GI Joe, Josh has been involved in the creation of many more comics including - Mercy Sparx, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Freshman Force, Barack the Barbarian, the Bitcoin Comic Handbook, How to Self Publish Comics and recent projects Arkworld and the Encoded. Josh is also the Chief Creative & Executive Officer of Popcultivator.

Here it is, the episode you’ve been waiting for, ever since G.I. Joe ARAH # 300 was released 23rd November 2022!

Mark and Tim talk about issue of G.I. Joe ARAH # 301 released 15thNovember 2023

We talk in depth about the issue, the new creative team and more.

Mark wonders how well the issue addresses the cliff-hanger questions from issue 300 -

· Will the Joes be able to carry through on their attack, and neutralise all of Cobra high command?

· What will become of the captive Cobra Commander?

· Will the Mutant Zombie Bomb detonate?

· Will Wade Collins recover from his gunshot wound?

· What is the deal with the newly cloned Snake Eyes?

· What will the Joe team do with 3 Snake Eyes; Sean, dawn and the Clone?

· Will we ever see Revanche and the Blue Ninjas again?

Creators

Writer - Larry Hama

Artist - Chris Mooneyham

Colorist - Francesco Segala

Letterer - Pat Brosseau

Editor - Alex Antone

Cover Artists - Andy Kubert, Brad Anderson

Creative Consultant - Diana Davis

TALKING JOE 228 - RON WAGNER INTERVIEW - G.I. JOE LEGEND

On Friday 3rd of November Mark and Tm were in Des Moines Iowa for the Assembly Required GI Joe convention. You can find out more at https://www.codenameiowa.com/

Des Moines is the home town of GI Joe artist Ron J. Wagner and he is a regular attendee at the show. Tim and I had the privilege of meeting Ron in person, finding an empty echoey conference room and recording an interview.

Ron will be well known to fans of GI joe comics - especially his classic Marvel comics run of GI Joe 57-76 which covered the The Fred VII as Cobra commander era, Cobra Civil War, plus covers for the main run as well as Special missions, a silent issue in Yearbook 3, a silent prelude to issue 21 that appeared in the Devils Due Snake Eyes Declassified TPB + then returning at IDW for several issues 163,166, 173, 186, Annual 1 as well as for multiple covers

Beyond GI Joe, Ron has drawn for titles such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, The Punisher, Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja, and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight.

Talking joe talking to Joe. Its the Joe Casey G.I. Joe America's Elite Deep Dive Interview

Joe talks with Mark & Tim about his time writing America's Elite. We find out all about his original pitch and how closely he kept to it, his childhood encounters with GI Joe, why his run came to an end and so much more. We also resurrect everyone's favourite segment - "Devils Due or Devils Poo?"

Audio only direct link is or via normal Podcast platfroms - links at www.talkingjoe.co.uk

YouTube link to this video https://youtu.be/5rKocYK8R6Y

The audio only version is much more tightly edited (removing pauses etc) so is my suggested way of listening to this one. The YouTube video is mostly as live with Tim and Mark on Video and Joe Casey has camera off.

Joe Casey is a Comics Writer who has worked on books such as X-Men, Cable, Adventures of Superman, WildC.A.T.S. , he co-created characters such as America Chavez at Marvel and his own books such as GØDLAND & Butcher Baker. He’s also in the creative team, Man of Action and one of the co-creators of Ben 10.

But most importantly for us he wrote GI Joe Americas Elite # 0 in 2005 through to #18 in 2006

TALKING JOE 226 - DISAVOWED - G.I. Joe Americas Elite 15-18 (Devils Due September 2006 – December 2006)

Mark and Tim continue to look back at the Disavowed era with G.I.Joe America's Elite # 15-18 (Devils Due September 2006 – December 2006) as the Joe Casey run concludes.

PHOENIX GUARD! BARONESS! GENERAL REY! DUKE! And caught in the middle is the G.I. JOE team members that are still standing! One of the most ambitious G.I. JOE stories ever told comes to its violent conclusion!

For those reading along in collected editions, this is collected in 2007 Americas Elite TPB 3 In Sheep’s Clothing collecting 13-18 or 2014 TPB Americas Elite vol 3 from IDW 13-18

Creative Team

Script: Joe Casey,

Pencils: Josh Medors,

Inks: Richard Zajac,

Colors: Jason Jensen 15-17, Rob Ruffalo 18

Letters: Brian J. Crowley,

Military Advisory: Phil Kost,

Edited by: Mike O'Sullivan

TALKING JOE 225 - Recap summary of G.I. Joe ARAH 155.5 - 300 IDW ERA extended plot breakdown!

(Authors note. As it happens this is probably the most time consuming episode I've ever made - I began a recap read through of the IDW series writing down a summary of each issue with this episode in mind many months ago. as you can imagine, re-reading 150 odd issues and making notes, then condensing those notes and recording them is some endeavour).

In this episode, I will be doing the opposite of what we normally do (which is to take a single issue or arc and do a deep dive). Today I will be instead giving a plot breakdown recap of the entire IDW ARAH era covering issues 155.5 through to 300 with 2 sentences or so to describe a plot summary of each issue and get you up to speed ahead of issue 301.

Just to give a recap of the context; Marvel published GI Joe A Real American Hero in 1982 through to 1994. It ran for 155 Issues almost all of those written by Larry Hama. When IDW began releasing G.I. Joe comics in January 2009 they focussed initially on their own new continuity; but in 2010, IDW restarted the original Marvel A Real American Hero continuity picking up with issue #155 1/2 with Larry Hama once more writing the same continuity he started in 1982. It finished at issue 300 at IDW in 2022, over 40 years since it started. The Continuity picks up again with issue 301 at Skybound.

Full notes can be found at https://www.patreon.com/posts/91237059

G.I. Joe 291 - 300 plot summary recap of High Stakes & All in - the Cobra Casino saga from IDW - prepare for 301 at Skybound / Image

Its a bonus episode with recycled content. Youtube version here: https://youtu.be/ja_DhOXe8Os

To get you up to speed for the start of GI Joe #301 at Skybound, Mark summarises the plot for issues 291-300 of GI Joe A Real American Hero written by Larry Hama, with art by (mostly) SL Gallant. This covers the 2 final plot arcs from IDW - High Stakes and All In.

This is a companion video to the 155.5 - 300 summary we have also put together, but lingering a little more on the specific details of these final issues.

This is recycled content - a supercut of the Plot Breakdown segment of the normal Talking Joe deep dive review shows.

Comic News - 21 October 2023 - ARAH, Duke, CC covers and previews

Youtube version https://youtu.be/5skFFwyjv2w

Patreon post with images: https://www.patreon.com/posts/91393075

There's been a lot of comics news, so Mark gets you up to speed on the latest news, announcements, and cover reveals from the last few weeks (up to date as at 21 October 2023 ) covering ARAH, Duke, CC and more.

TALKING JOE 223 - Disavowed - G.I. Joe America’s Elite # 13 - 14 (2006)

Find it at your favourite Podcast platform. Links to those platforms can be found at https://talkingjoe.co.uk/

Direct episode link

Mark and Tim are continuing to look back at the Disavowed era with G.I.Joe America's Elite # 13 -14 (Jul-Aug 2006) as the Joe Casey run continues.

For those reading along in trades, this is collected in 2006 Americas Elite TPB 3 13-18 or2014 TPB Americas Elite vol 3 from IDW 13-18

Hawk, Cobra Commander and general Rey all return, as we are introduced to a mysterious new team - the Phoenix Guard.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Script: Joe Casey, Pencils: Josh Medors, Inks: Richard Zajac & Le Beau Underwood, Colors: Jason Jensen Letters: Brian J. Crowley, Military Advisory: Phil Kost, Edited by: Mike O'Sullivan

Special Thanks: Tim Seeley & Robert Q. Atkins

TALKING JOE 222 - DISAVOWED - G.I. Joe Americas Elite: Hunt for Cobra commander

Mark and Tim are continuing to look back at the Disavowed era with G.I. Joe America's Elite 25 cent special "The Hunt For Cobra commander" (Devils due, May 2006)

For those reading along in trades, this is collected in 2007 Americas Elite TPB 3 (which collects 13-18), and possibly the IDW volume 3 but i don't have that to check.

Creative Team

The Hunt for Cobra Commander

Writer & Editor: Mike O'Sullivan, Penciller: Josh Medors, Inker: Le Beau Underwood, Colorist: Greg Narvasa, Letterer: Brian Crowley

Data Desk Profiles

Writers: Sam Wells, Mike O'Sullivan, Pencillers: Tim Seeley, Nelson Blake II, Colorists: Greg Narvasa, Jason Millet, Art Lyon

Summaries

Writers: Brian Torney, Evan Sult, Mike O'Sullivan

Cover:

Penciller: Mike O'Sullivan, Inker: Josh Medors, Colorist: Rob Ruffolo, Design: Evan Sult