The classic “Silent Interlude” issue of G.I. Joe is one of the franchise’s greatest achievements, and new publisher Skybound will be celebrating the iconic adventure with a series of one-shots from all-star creative teams. Titled G.I. Joe: Silent Missions, each of the five one-shots will be released weekly in April, starting with a special reprint of the classic issue that inspired it all.

First released in 1983, “Silent Interlude” originally appeared in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21 from Marvel Comics. Larry Hama and Steve Leialoha crafted one of the most unforgettable comics of all time, solidifying Snake Eyes as the undisputed badass of the G.I. Joe franchise.

Telling the story of Snake Eyes infiltrating Destro’s castle in the Balkans to rescue a captive Scarlett, what made the issue iconic was its lack of dialogue. The entire issue was “silent” and wound up being a landmark comic of the 1980s.

"Silent Missions" Pays Tribute to the Best Issue of G.I. Joe

5 New One-Shots Starring Beach Head, Jinx, Spirit, Roadblock, and Duke

Consisting of five one-shots focusing on Beach Head, Jinx, Spirit Iron-Knife, Roadblock and Duke by major creators Phil Hester, Dani and Dan Watters, Leonardo Romero, Andrew Krahnke, and Wes Craig respectively, each Silent Missions issue will take a cue from “Silent Interlude” and be dialogue-free. Skybound Editorial Director Alex Antone cites the importance of G.I. Joe #21 in the press release:

The importance of the Silent Interlude cannot be overstated. And in celebration of this historic issue, Skybound has invited five of the industry’s best storytellers to write and draw their own silent issue, each taking on a different G.I. JOE character. And while this event is inspired by Larry Hama and Steve Leialoha’s original masterpiece, each issue is singular in its approach and showcases the unique strengths of these incredible artists.

New fans will have an opportunity to check out what all the fuss is about when Skybound’s reprint of G.I. Joe #21 comes out on April 2nd, with the new one-shots following on a weekly basis throughout the entire month of April.

While Skybound has recently rebooted G.I. Joe into a shared universe with Transformers known as the Energon Universe, the publisher has also continued to publish G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, which continues Hama’s original run that began all the way back in 1982. While it's unknown what continuity the Silent Missions one-shots will take place in, it’s a safe bet that each will more than likely belong to the classic Hama continuity, especially considering that characters like Beach Head, Spirit, and Roadblock have yet to appear in the new Energon Universe line.

G.I. Joe's "Silent Missions" One-Shots Come Out Weekly in April

With More G.I. Joe to Come

Considering that Skybound has been rather selective in its approach since acquiring the G.I. Joe license, it’s pretty exciting to see the publisher release this special line of one-shots. The creative teams assembled for each should result in some pretty cool comics, and each one paying homage to the original by being “silent” is the perfect way to celebrate what many consider to be one of the greatest single issues of all time. After over forty years, “Silent Interlude” remains a classic adventure in the entire G.I. Joe canon, so hopefully the new Silent Missions series lives up to that iconic issue’s legacy.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21 Silent Missions Edition is available April 2nd, 2025 from Skybound Entertainment.