G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #324 – New Comic Review

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #324, by Image Comics on 1/14/26, pivots from plot setup to explosive action, where the game board explodes into warfare… in space.

Credits:

• Writer: Larry Hama
• Artist: Paul Pelletier, Tony Kordos
• Colorist: Francesco Segala, Sabrina Del Grosso
• Letterer: Pat Brosseau
• Cover Artist: Andy Kubert, Laura Martin (cover A)
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: January 14, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 32
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #324:

First Impressions:

The opening radio chatter between Ace in the Sky Raven and Duke at command feels tense and purposeful, immediately signaling that G.I. Joe operatives are onto something real. The discovery of an orbital space station masquerading as a telecom satellite kicks the pacing into high gear. Hama delivers the kind of strategic opening that makes readers lean forward, wondering what comes next.

Recap:

In G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #323, Cobra Commander convenes a secret meeting in Daytona Beach to rally fragmented loyalists and boast of hidden military assets throughout Springfield. The Crimson Guard twins demand reinstatement and back pay. Meanwhile, Destro parades his military hardware in Glasgow before loading it onto transports, and Alpha-001 on Cobra Island reveals the nightmare beneath the resort paradise: visitors are being converted into cyborg sleeper agents. These chipped tourists return home as infiltrators, tithing 20 percent of incomes while recruiting more victims.

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

Ace pilots the Sky Raven reconnaissance bird toward an unidentified object in geosynchronous orbit over the North Atlantic. When he photographs the station, Duke and Stalker at command realize it is far larger than any telecom satellite should be. The team deduces that Revanche androids could have assembled the structure in space by sending components piecemeal with legitimate satellite launches. At Camp Greer, Beta-221, a modified Blue Ninja unit, activates stealth protocols and establishes covert surveillance over the fake base above the Pit.

Duke calls Hardtop, Payload, Countdown, Sci-Fi, and Lady Jaye to the command center for a mission briefing. The team races to launch a shuttle from the Pit’s hangar. On Cobra Island, Beta-103 reports the surveillance flyby to Alpha-001, who explains that the orbital control unit is equipped to counter Joe interference. The station houses a modified Blue Ninja unit designed for zero-gravity vacuum environments, capable of functioning even if the hull breaches.

The shuttle launches from the Pit with Payload, Sci-Fi, and Lady Jaye aboard. Beta-221 detects the launch and alerts Cobra Island. Weapons safety disengages, doppler radar locks target, and the orbital station begins firing laser cannons at the approaching Joe shuttle. Payload executes aggressive evasive maneuvers, playing chicken with the station’s fire while Lady Jaye and Sci-Fi prepare their suits and weapons. Payload breaches the hull and deploys the cargo bay gripper arm to board the station as the Blue Ninja emerges, brandishing an energy saber.

Sci-Fi nails the Revanche assassin with a power javelin, triggering damage assessment protocols as the station ruptures and breaks apart. The enhanced cyborg severs Lady Jaye’s tether but underestimates her resourcefulness. She uses her yaw jets to swing around and destroy the ninja with Sci-Fi’s laser fire. Payload reels them both back into the shuttle and launches toward home. On Cobra Island, Alpha-001 receives a report from Beta-209 confirming that the integrated Terror Drome network control satellite remains undetected, its new cloaking technology intact, and the prototype space station successfully functioned as decoy and bait.

Story

Hama strips away the exposition that bogged down #323 and replaces it with relentless forward momentum. Dialogue becomes functional and lean; characters speak to act, not to explain. The pacing is sharp and efficient. Each scene builds urgency without wasting words. The structure alternates between Joe preparation, orbital action, and the Cobra Island aftermath, layering threat levels so readers understand the stakes escalate on multiple fronts simultaneously. The payoff: readers care about outcome because action, not speeches, carries consequence.

Art

Pelletier elevates his game here. Zero-gravity combat sequences demand clarity, and he delivers it; every panel reads as tactical movement rather than chaos. The shuttle’s evasive flying against laser fire shows dynamic composition and strong sense of spatial depth. When Lady Jaye severs the ninja’s tether and watches it float away, the panel conveys psychological damage alongside physical threat. Segala’s color work shines during the space sequences, using cold blues and stark blacks to emphasize the vacuum’s lethality. The Blue Ninja’s energy saber crackles with genuine menace. The explosion of the station ripples across pages with convincing impact.

Characters

Payload demonstrates tactical brilliance and psychological fortitude; he recognizes the ninja’s hesitation and exploits it without mercy. Lady Jaye shows resourcefulness under pressure; severed from support, she adapts and fights. Sci-Fi executes orders with precision and supports teammates. The enhanced Blue Ninja speaks only in data-stream dialogue about function and collective will, rendering it impersonal and creepy. This contrast between human problem-solvers and Revanche’s emotionless assassins sells the ideological conflict without requiring explanation. Characters reveal themselves through action rather than monologue.

Originality & Concept Execution

Hama executes a smart escalation; the fake space station decoy proves Revanche’s ruthlessness and sophistication. The idea that the integrated Terror Drome network remains operational and undetected despite the Joe victory creates genuine menace. Boarding a damaged space station during combat sequences is tactically original for G.I. Joe, pushing the property beyond standard military scenarios. The zero-gravity environment adds legitimate complications that affect how combat unfolds. The conceptual payoff, however, lands softly; the prototype’s destruction feels temporary rather than definitive, suggesting Revanche’s real network persists.

Positives

The space combat sequences crackle with tension and visual clarity. Pelletier’s zero-gravity choreography is genuinely inventive; every action beat reads as spatially coherent. Hama’s pacing is relentless without feeling rushed. Character moments breathe within action beats; Payload’s psychological manipulation of the ninja, Lady Jaye’s quick thinking when tethered, and Sci-Fi’s steady support sell their competence. The ending revelation that the true network remains undetected transforms victory into strategic stalemate, raising stakes for future issues. Segala’s cold palette for space sequences reinforces the environmental threat alongside enemy fire.

Negatives

The issue frontloads action at the cost of strategic context. Readers unfamiliar with the Revanche threat or Terror Drome network may struggle to understand why the Joes seem partially victorious yet deeply threatened. The enhanced Blue Ninja lacks personality or motivation beyond combat directives; it functions as a capable obstacle but not a memorable adversary. Alpha-001’s final report, while setting up future conflict, reads as terse exposition rather than dramatic revelation. The issue relies entirely on Joe competence and Revanche’s arrogance for tension; no genuine character setback or consequence lands, leaving readers wondering if stakes truly exist.

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [3/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3.5/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [2/2]

Final Thoughts:

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G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #324 delivers the action payoff that issue #323 prepared readers for, and it executes the space combat sequences with technical precision and tactical creativity. Hama returns to his strength: showing Joe competence through action rather than telling readers about strategy through speeches. Pelletier’s zero-gravity choreography ranks among the series’ strongest visual work, and Segala’s cold palette reinforces environmental stakes. Character moments shine, pacing rarely falters, and the issue delivers measurable entertainment. However, the victory feels temporary, the central threat obscured, and the emotional stakes unclear.

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