Action Force (comic): Difference between revisions

From MediaWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
← Older edit
undoSome Dweeb (talk | contribs)
593 edits
Abates (talk | contribs)
TFSource, Check users, Administrators
97,345 edits
mNo edit summary
Some Dweeb (talk | contribs)
593 edits
mNo edit summary
 
(11 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{disambig2|the comic series|its titular stars|Action Force (team)}}
{{disambig2|the comic series|its title characters|Action Force (team)}}
{{nav-gijoe|logo=ActionForce_Logo.png|size=500px}}
{{nav-gijoe|logo=ActionForce Logo.png|size=500px}}
[[Image:Acfrwk024.jpg|thumb|right|250px|SOMEBODY PLEASE TURN OFF THE SCREAMING HEADS THANK YOU]]
[[Image:Acfrwk024.jpg|thumb|right|250px|SOMEBODY PLEASE TURN OFF THE SCREAMING HEADS THANK YOU]]


'''''Action Force''''' was a comic series produced by [[Marvel Comics]] [[United Kingdom|UK]], based on the ''Action Force'' toyline (at this point the brand name for [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|''G.I. Joe'']] in [[Europe]] and [[Israel]]). Like [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK's ''Transformers'']], it reprinted [[United States of America|American]] ''[[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' issues and also its own new stories. The two UK titles would crossover, and ''Action Force'' became ''Transformers''' back-up strip from #153.
'''''Action Force''''' was a [[1987]]-[[1988]] comic series produced by [[Marvel Comics]] [[United Kingdom|UK]], based on the ''Action Force'' toyline (at this point the brand name for [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|''G.I. Joe'']] in [[Europe]] and [[Israel]]). Like [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK's ''Transformers'']], it reprinted [[United States of America|American]] ''[[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' issues and also its own new stories. The two UK titles would crossover, and ''Action Force'' became ''Transformers''' back-up strip from #153.


Its relation to the ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' and ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' comics is a strange one. Unlike the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] UK comic, which also reprinted US material, very little effort was put into making the UK stories jibe with their US counterparts. Many of the characters had their histories and sometimes names changed to be make them more international (usually European). While the original ''Transformers'' strips tied into and reflected the US reprints, the unique ''Action Force'' plots were fairly independent and focused on the West Europe branch of Action Force (i.e. [[To sell toys|the ones in the shops]]). Some token revisions were made to the US scripts, such as replacing all instances of "G.I. Joe" with "Action Force" and rewriting [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]'s first US appearance to make him a visiting foreign agent.   
Its relation to the ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' and ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' comics is a strange one. Unlike the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] UK comic, which also reprinted US material, very little effort was put into making the UK stories jibe with their US counterparts. Many of the characters had their histories and sometimes names changed to be make them more international (usually European). While the original ''Transformers'' strips tied into and reflected the US reprints, the unique ''Action Force'' plots were fairly independent and focused on the West Europe branch of Action Force (i.e. [[To sell toys|the ones in the shops]]). Some token revisions were made to the US scripts, such as replacing all instances of "G.I. Joe" with "Action Force" and rewriting [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]'s first US appearance to make him a visiting foreign agent.   


As for ''Transformers'', the [[G.I. Joe and the Transformers|US ''G.I. Joe'' crossover]] was not reprinted in the UK until long after its original publication, and its principle effect on ''Transformers'' (the transformation of [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] into Goldbug) occurred in a [[Hunters|completely different manner]] in the UK continuity.  So when ''Action Force'' later crossed over with the UK Generation 1 comic, it was for the first time in that market, and US readers never heard a thing about it.
As for ''Transformers'', the [[G.I. Joe and the Transformers|US ''G.I. Joe'' crossover]] was not reprinted in the UK until long after its original publication, and its principle effect on ''Transformers'' (the transformation of [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] into Goldbug) occurred in a [[Hunters|completely different manner]] in the UK continuity.  So when ''Action Force'' later crossed over with the UK Generation 1 comic, it was for the first time in that market, and US readers never heard a thing about it.
Line 22: Line 22:
The ''Action Force'' / ''Transformers'' crossover was set up in the Generation 1 comic, which began the storyline with a clone of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] being spotted by an archaeological team in ancient sewers beneath London.  The second issue of the story, which was the first part under the ''Action Force'' title, featured Flint leading a team of [[Action Force (team)|Action Force]] soldiers into the sewers in search of the "monster". But what they found first was the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobot]] [[Blades (G1)|Blades]], whom they mistook for the hostile robot they were searching for.  Explosions and misunderstandings ensued, but when Megatron actually appeared, allegiances were quickly sorted out. Through three more ''Action Force'' issues, the battle escalated above ground, where [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], [[Centurion (Marvel)|Centurion]], and more Action Force operatives joined the fray.  It ended with an airstrike on a natural-gas storage facility that sent the flame-engulfed Megatron and Centurion into the [[Thames|River Thames]]. This plotline was very much in continuity with the UK Generation 1 comic, and its conclusion would have consequences [[Salvage!|later in that series]].  However, the other ''Action Force'' stories never made reference to it, and in fact one earlier issue featured an ad for the ''Transformers'' comic... in the background of one of its panels!<ref>[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/001/images/020.jpg Scan of an ''Action Force'' comic page] showing ''Transformers'' as a fictional entity within that universe.</ref>
The ''Action Force'' / ''Transformers'' crossover was set up in the Generation 1 comic, which began the storyline with a clone of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] being spotted by an archaeological team in ancient sewers beneath London.  The second issue of the story, which was the first part under the ''Action Force'' title, featured Flint leading a team of [[Action Force (team)|Action Force]] soldiers into the sewers in search of the "monster". But what they found first was the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobot]] [[Blades (G1)|Blades]], whom they mistook for the hostile robot they were searching for.  Explosions and misunderstandings ensued, but when Megatron actually appeared, allegiances were quickly sorted out. Through three more ''Action Force'' issues, the battle escalated above ground, where [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], [[Centurion (Marvel)|Centurion]], and more Action Force operatives joined the fray.  It ended with an airstrike on a natural-gas storage facility that sent the flame-engulfed Megatron and Centurion into the [[Thames|River Thames]]. This plotline was very much in continuity with the UK Generation 1 comic, and its conclusion would have consequences [[Salvage!|later in that series]].  However, the other ''Action Force'' stories never made reference to it, and in fact one earlier issue featured an ad for the ''Transformers'' comic... in the background of one of its panels!<ref>[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/001/images/020.jpg Scan of an ''Action Force'' comic page] showing ''Transformers'' as a fictional entity within that universe.</ref>


Starting with Generation 1 UK issue #[[Enemy Action!|153]], ''Action Force'' (actually ''G.I. Joe'' reprints) became the book's backup strip. Not long after, another comic called ''Action Force Monthly'' started up, featuring new stories, reprints of old UK-originated ''Action Force'' stories, and even reprints of the Generation 1 UK crossover (in issues #1-6).  This book was published in the US as ''G.I. Joe: European Missions'', though within the stories the term "Action Force" was always used.  Some time after ''Action Force Monthly'' ended, a rare unique ''Action Force'' story appeared in the UK Generation 1 comic, wherein representatives from the American G.I. Joe team and European Action Force joined together to form "G.I. Joe the Action Force".<ref>[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/043/index.html "Divided We Fall!"] in UK Generation 1 #[[Underworld!|245]]</ref> Unfortunately this made no sense with any established continuity, but the comic quickly returned to ''G.I. Joe'' reprints, and the only real change from then on was that the stories were branded "G.I. Joe the Action Force". Eventually "the Action Force" would be dropped altogether.
Starting with Generation 1 UK issue #[[Enemy Action!|153]], ''Action Force'' (actually ''G.I. Joe'' reprints) became the book's backup strip. Furman didn't actually want that to happen as he didn't think much of ''Action Force'' as a concept or thought it made a good stablemate for the comic, and admitted in ''[[The Transformers Classics UK Volume 5]]'' that he tried to "suppress" it as soon as he could; the [[Combat Colin]] backup strip, on the other hand, was something the ''Transformers'' team were very happy to inherit.<ref>''[[The Transformers Classics UK Volume 5]]'', "The Legacy of Furman" feature</ref> Not long after, another comic called ''[[Action Force Monthly]]'' started up, featuring new stories, reprints of old UK-originated ''Action Force'' stories, and even reprints of the Generation 1 UK crossover (in issues #1-6).  This book was published in the US as ''G.I. Joe: European Missions'', though within the stories the term "Action Force" was always used.
 
[[Image:Trans-Atlantic Treaty.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]  
 
Some time after ''Action Force Monthly'' ended, Hasbro decided to gradually rebrand everything as ''G.I. Joe''. A promotional comic, reprinted in [[Underworld|#245]] of the UK Generation 1 comic, had representatives from the American G.I. Joe team and the specifically British (sorry rest o' Europe) Action Force joined together to form "G.I. Joe the Action Force" to better fight the global Cobras.<ref>[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/043/index.html "Divided We Fall!"]</ref> This came complete with a treaty on the merger that required [[you]] as a signatory. Unfortunately this strip made no sense with any established continuity, but the comic quickly returned to ''G.I. Joe'' reprints, and the only real change from then on was that the stories were branded "G.I. Joe the Action Force".  
 
Eventually "the Action Force" would be dropped altogether and the comic ended as "G.I. Joe" with #332 of ''Transformers''.
 
==Marvel UK reprints==
The Marvel UK Transformers comic ran a number of Action Force stories as [[back-up strips]].
 
{|
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''G.I. Joe at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Under Fire!|#99]] - [[Fallen Angel|#102]] || "Improvisation on a Theme" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 44|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 44]]
|-
|[[Mechanical Difficulties!|#122]] || "Dummy Run!" || ''Action Force #18''
|-
|[[Enemy Action!|#153]] - [[Trial by Fire!|#156]]  || "Slaughter" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 48|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 48]]
|-
|#157 - [[Salvage!|#160]] || "Serpentor" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 49|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 49]]
|-
|#161 || "Road Safety - From the Air!" || ''in-house story''
|-
|#161 || "Battle Island!" || ''in-house story''
|-
|[[Pretender to the Throne!|#162]] - [[City of Fear!|#165]] || "The Battle of Springfield" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 50|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 50]]
|-
|[[Legion of the Lost!|#166]] - [[Meltdown!|#169]] || "Thunder Machine" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 51|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 51]]
|-
|[[Deadly Games!|#170]] - [[Wrecking Havoc|#173]] || "Snap Decisions" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 52|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 52]]
|-
|[[Totaled!|#174]] - [[People Power!|#177]]  || "Pit-Fall" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 53|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 53]]
|-
|[[The Cosmic Carnival|#178]] - [[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|#181]] || "Launch Base" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 54|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 54]]
|-
|[[Monstercon from Mars!|#191]]  -[[Club Con!|#194]]|| "Unmaskings" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 55|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 55]]
|-
|#195 - [[Cold Comfort and Joy!|#198]] || "Jungle Moves" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 56|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 56]]
|-
|#199 & 201-203 || "Hush Job" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: Yearbook Vol 1 3|G.I. Joe: Yearbook Vol 1 3]]
|-
|[[Time Wars|#204]] - [[Cold War!|#207]] || "Strange Bedfellows" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 57|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 57]]
|-
|[[Dark Star|#208]] - [[The Man in the Machine!|#212]] || "Desperate Moves" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 58|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 58]]
|-
|[[Recipe for Disaster!|#220]]-224 || "Divergent Paths" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 59|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 59]]
|-
|[[Aspects of Evil!|#225]] - [[The Hunting Party (Marvel)|#229]] || "Cross Purposes" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 60|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 60]]
|-
|#230-231 & 233-235 || "Airshow" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 12|G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 12]]
|-
|[[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|#236]] - [[Back from the Dead|#240]] || "Beginnings and Endings" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 61|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 61]]
|-
|#241 - [[The Resurrection Gambit!|#245]] || "Evasion" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 6|G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 6]]
|-
|[[All the Familiar Faces!|#246]] - #247 || "Law of the Jungle" || ''Action Force #40 - #41''
|-
|#248 - [[Skin Deep|#249]] & #251 - [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#253]] ||  "The Lower Depths" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 21|G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 21]]
|-
|#254 - [[...Perchance to Dream|#257]] || "Transit" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 62|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 62]]
|-
|#258 - [[The Primal Scream|#261]] || "Going Under" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 63|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 63]]
|-
|[[Bird of Prey!|#262]] - [[Once upon a Time...|#265]] || "Maneuvering for Position" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 64|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 64]]
|-
|[[Life in the Slow Lane|#266]] - [[Mystery!|#269]] || "Shuttle Complex" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 65|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 65]]
|-
|[[The Bad Guy's Ball!|#270]] - [[Wolf in the Fold!|#273]] || "The Tenth Letter" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 66|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 66]]
|-
|[[Where Wolf?|#274]] - [[Internal Affairs!|#277]] || "Cold Snap" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 67|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1  #67]]
|-
|[[The House that Wheeljack Built!|#278]] - [[Makin' Tracks!|#281]] || "Cut and Freeze Dried" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 68|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 68]]
|-
|[[Kings of the Wild Frontier.|#282]] - #285 || "Into the Breach" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 69|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 69]]
|-
|[[Deadly Obsession|#286]] - #289 || "Fair Trade" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 70|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 70]]
|-
|[[Dark Creation|#290]] - #293 || "Bailout" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 71|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 71]]
|-
|[[All Fall Down|#294]] - #297 || "Stiletto" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 72|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 72]]
|-
|[[Rhythms of Darkness!|#298]] - #301 || "Divided We Fall" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 73|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 73]]
|-
|[[The Human Factor!|#302]] - #305 || "Alliance of Convenience" || [[wikia:Marveldatabase:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 74|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 74]]
|-
|}


==Items of note==
==Items of note==
Line 30: Line 116:
**Destro appears to be disfigured under his mask.<ref>[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/039/images/015.jpg "The Prisoner"] from ''Action Force Monthly'' #13</ref>
**Destro appears to be disfigured under his mask.<ref>[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/039/images/015.jpg "The Prisoner"] from ''Action Force Monthly'' #13</ref>
*The issues of the UK Generation 1 comic containing ''Action Force'' as a backup strip are #99–102, #153–181, #191–212, and #220–248.  Then the name changed to "G.I. Joe: The Action Force" from #249–305.
*The issues of the UK Generation 1 comic containing ''Action Force'' as a backup strip are #99–102, #153–181, #191–212, and #220–248.  Then the name changed to "G.I. Joe: The Action Force" from #249–305.
*A mini-strip in #245 (also given away in comic shops) detailed that Europe's Action Force and its American counterpart G.I. Joe were unifying to better beat up Cobra. Which doesn't fit the previous Action Force strips and reprints, where they already have a US branch!


==Creative team==
==Creative team==
Line 39: Line 126:
==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/index.html Full collection of Marvel ''Action Force'' comic scans] at [http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/ www.BloodForTheBaron.com.]
*[http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/comics/maf/index.html Full collection of Marvel ''Action Force'' comic scans] at [http://www.bloodforthebaron.com/ www.BloodForTheBaron.com.]
*[http://www.yojoe.com/archive/actfig/actionforce.shtml Brief history and explanation of the ''Action Force'' toyline]]
*[http://www.yojoe.com/archive/actfig/actionforce.shtml Brief history and explanation of the ''Action Force'' toyline]
*[http://www.yojoe.com/comics/international/actionforce/ List of Marvel's ''Action Force'' comics]
*[http://www.yojoe.com/comics/international/actionforce/ List of Marvel's ''Action Force'' comics]




[[Category: Action Force]]
[[Category:Action Force| ]]
[[Category: Back-up strips]]
[[Category:Back-up strips]]
[[Category: Generation 1 comic series]]
[[Category:Generation 1 comic series]]

Latest revision as of 22:35, 27 January 2026

This article is about the comic series. For its title characters, see Action Force (team).
G.I. Joe
SOMEBODY PLEASE TURN OFF THE SCREAMING HEADS THANK YOU

Action Force was a 1987-1988 comic series produced by Marvel Comics UK, based on the Action Force toyline (at this point the brand name for G.I. Joe in Europe and Israel). Like Marvel UK's Transformers, it reprinted American G.I. Joe issues and also its own new stories. The two UK titles would crossover, and Action Force became Transformers' back-up strip from #153.

Its relation to the G.I. Joe and Transformers comics is a strange one. Unlike the Generation 1 UK comic, which also reprinted US material, very little effort was put into making the UK stories jibe with their US counterparts. Many of the characters had their histories and sometimes names changed to be make them more international (usually European). While the original Transformers strips tied into and reflected the US reprints, the unique Action Force plots were fairly independent and focused on the West Europe branch of Action Force (i.e. the ones in the shops). Some token revisions were made to the US scripts, such as replacing all instances of "G.I. Joe" with "Action Force" and rewriting Flint's first US appearance to make him a visiting foreign agent.

As for Transformers, the US G.I. Joe crossover was not reprinted in the UK until long after its original publication, and its principle effect on Transformers (the transformation of Bumblebee into Goldbug) occurred in a completely different manner in the UK continuity. So when Action Force later crossed over with the UK Generation 1 comic, it was for the first time in that market, and US readers never heard a thing about it.

The upshot of all of that is that this wiki considers the Action Force comic's unique storylines to be a separate continuity from G.I. Joe and the Marvel US Generation 1 comics. It is only in continuity with the Marvel UK Generation 1 comics, and even then probably to a limited degree.


Action Force issues with Transformers content:
#24-27

Overview

[edit]

The Action Force / Transformers crossover was set up in the Generation 1 comic, which began the storyline with a clone of Megatron being spotted by an archaeological team in ancient sewers beneath London. The second issue of the story, which was the first part under the Action Force title, featured Flint leading a team of Action Force soldiers into the sewers in search of the "monster". But what they found first was the Protectobot Blades, whom they mistook for the hostile robot they were searching for. Explosions and misunderstandings ensued, but when Megatron actually appeared, allegiances were quickly sorted out. Through three more Action Force issues, the battle escalated above ground, where Grimlock, Centurion, and more Action Force operatives joined the fray. It ended with an airstrike on a natural-gas storage facility that sent the flame-engulfed Megatron and Centurion into the River Thames. This plotline was very much in continuity with the UK Generation 1 comic, and its conclusion would have consequences later in that series. However, the other Action Force stories never made reference to it, and in fact one earlier issue featured an ad for the Transformers comic... in the background of one of its panels![1]

Starting with Generation 1 UK issue #153, Action Force (actually G.I. Joe reprints) became the book's backup strip. Furman didn't actually want that to happen as he didn't think much of Action Force as a concept or thought it made a good stablemate for the comic, and admitted in The Transformers Classics UK Volume 5 that he tried to "suppress" it as soon as he could; the Combat Colin backup strip, on the other hand, was something the Transformers team were very happy to inherit.[2] Not long after, another comic called Action Force Monthly started up, featuring new stories, reprints of old UK-originated Action Force stories, and even reprints of the Generation 1 UK crossover (in issues #1-6). This book was published in the US as G.I. Joe: European Missions, though within the stories the term "Action Force" was always used.

Some time after Action Force Monthly ended, Hasbro decided to gradually rebrand everything as G.I. Joe. A promotional comic, reprinted in #245 of the UK Generation 1 comic, had representatives from the American G.I. Joe team and the specifically British (sorry rest o' Europe) Action Force joined together to form "G.I. Joe the Action Force" to better fight the global Cobras.[3] This came complete with a treaty on the merger that required you as a signatory. Unfortunately this strip made no sense with any established continuity, but the comic quickly returned to G.I. Joe reprints, and the only real change from then on was that the stories were branded "G.I. Joe the Action Force".

Eventually "the Action Force" would be dropped altogether and the comic ended as "G.I. Joe" with #332 of Transformers.

Marvel UK reprints

[edit]

The Marvel UK Transformers comic ran a number of Action Force stories as back-up strips.

Issues Story G.I. Joe at Marvel Database
#99 - #102 "Improvisation on a Theme" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 44
#122 "Dummy Run!" Action Force #18
#153 - #156 "Slaughter" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 48
#157 - #160 "Serpentor" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 49
#161 "Road Safety - From the Air!" in-house story
#161 "Battle Island!" in-house story
#162 - #165 "The Battle of Springfield" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 50
#166 - #169 "Thunder Machine" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 51
#170 - #173 "Snap Decisions" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 52
#174 - #177 "Pit-Fall" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 53
#178 - #181 "Launch Base" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 54
#191 -#194 "Unmaskings" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 55
#195 - #198 "Jungle Moves" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 56
#199 & 201-203 "Hush Job" G.I. Joe: Yearbook Vol 1 3
#204 - #207 "Strange Bedfellows" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 57
#208 - #212 "Desperate Moves" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 58
#220-224 "Divergent Paths" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 59
#225 - #229 "Cross Purposes" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 60
#230-231 & 233-235 "Airshow" G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 12
#236 - #240 "Beginnings and Endings" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 61
#241 - #245 "Evasion" G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 6
#246 - #247 "Law of the Jungle" Action Force #40 - #41
#248 - #249 & #251 - #253 "The Lower Depths" G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 21
#254 - #257 "Transit" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 62
#258 - #261 "Going Under" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 63
#262 - #265 "Maneuvering for Position" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 64
#266 - #269 "Shuttle Complex" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 65
#270 - #273 "The Tenth Letter" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 66
#274 - #277 "Cold Snap" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 #67
#278 - #281 "Cut and Freeze Dried" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 68
#282 - #285 "Into the Breach" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 69
#286 - #289 "Fair Trade" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 70
#290 - #293 "Bailout" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 71
#294 - #297 "Stiletto" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 72
#298 - #301 "Divided We Fall" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 73
#302 - #305 "Alliance of Convenience" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 74

Items of note

[edit]
  • Some specific character-related discrepancies between Action Force and G.I. Joe include:
    • Flint's real name is David R. Faireborn, and he was born in Lincoln, England.[4] Also he spends pretty much all of his time in Europe.
    • Lady Jaye, Wild Bill, Quick Kick, Airtight, and several others didn't have their names changed, but their birthplaces and personal histories were altered to be more international in scope.[4] Perhaps most extreme is Outback, who became a revenge-obsessed, borderline-psychotic[5] Scotsman raised in Australia.[4]
    • Destro appears to be disfigured under his mask.[6]
  • The issues of the UK Generation 1 comic containing Action Force as a backup strip are #99–102, #153–181, #191–212, and #220–248. Then the name changed to "G.I. Joe: The Action Force" from #249–305.
  • A mini-strip in #245 (also given away in comic shops) detailed that Europe's Action Force and its American counterpart G.I. Joe were unifying to better beat up Cobra. Which doesn't fit the previous Action Force strips and reprints, where they already have a US branch!

Creative team

[edit]

Simon Furman wrote and Geoff Senior drew the entire Action Force / Transformers crossover, both being regular contributors to the comic.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Scan of an Action Force comic page showing Transformers as a fictional entity within that universe.
  2. ↑ The Transformers Classics UK Volume 5, "The Legacy of Furman" feature
  3. ↑ "Divided We Fall!"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Character profiles from several Action Force issues
  5. ↑ "Wild, Wild-Life" from Action Force Monthly #11
  6. ↑ "The Prisoner" from Action Force Monthly #13
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://tfwiki.duckdns.org/index.php?title=Action_Force_(comic)&oldid=1887409"