Summary

• Skybound's G.I Joe Compendium Set has already had a massively successful Kickstarter campaign, and now another reward for backers has been added, with the rare bonus of Todd McFarlane's "lost" art for the series.
• The exclusive reprinting of G.I Joe Special #1 with McFarlane's original art is exciting news for collectors, as Skybound is reportedly "restoring" the original 1987 version of the art, which was intended for G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #61, before being pulled for some unknown reason.
• Skybound is going all out by restoring McFarlane's lost art "from the ground up", adding even more excitement to a campaign that was already a huge success.

Skybound’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Compendium Set on Kickstarter has experienced incredible success, and one bonus incentive brings back a rare item from the franchise’s past. As a bonus incentive, the campaign added a unique reprint of G.I. Joe Special #1, a rare comic that presented Todd McFarlane’s lost art for an issue of the original Marvel Comics run.

In an interview posted to the Kickstarter campaign, Skybound editor Alex Antone called McFarlane's issue, "one of the rarest and most coveted G.I. Joe comics in existence!”

Skybound has already had great success with the Compendium Set Kickstarter; now, the addition of McFarlane's original 1990s art for the series is one final glorious incentive for fans on the fence about funding the project. Considering the collection is already a must-have, Todd McFarlane's G.I. Joe Special art is a next-level addition.

Todd McFarlane’s art was originally meant to be published in 1987’s G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #61, but only saw the light of day when it was published as G.I. Joe Special #1 in 1995.

Iconic Artist Todd McFarlane's "Lost" G.I. Joe Issue Reprinted As Kickstarter Incentive

G.I. Joe Special #1 – Original Art By Todd McFarlane

his work on Amazing Spider-Man later made him a superstar.

Printed long after McFarlane left Marvel to form Image Comics, the G.I. Joe Special was seemingly an attempt to cash in on a franchise that was on its last legs. The original G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was canceled in 1994, and with the added pressure of slipping sales following the comics bust in the late 1990’s, G.I. Joe Special #1 wound up receiving a very low print run. As such, the issue is rare and highly sought after today, commanding high prices on the aftermarket.

While the cover to G.I. Joe Special #1 is an homage to Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man #1, the cover art is actually by Phil Gosier and Scott Koblish

According to Alex Antone, the special reprinting of Todd McFarlane’s lost issue will be “restored” from “the ground up,” indicating Skybound is pulling out all the stops to make this exclusive reprint the most complete version available.

Todd McFarlane’s Original "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #61" Is Being "Restored"

Back To Its Former Glory

According to Alex Antone, the special reprinting of Todd McFarlane’s lost issue will be “restored” from “the ground up,” indicating Skybound is pulling out all the stops to make this exclusive reprint the most complete version available. The coloring done over McFarlane’s art in the later G.I. Joe Special was a little garish, so a new color job would be welcome for the new printing. Additionally, the previously-unlocked special printings of G.I. Joe Yearbook #1 and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21 are confirmed to be printed on high-quality newsprint to preserve the vintage feel.

With the campaign crossing the $3 million mark in funding as of this writing, it is already godfather Larry Hama’s entire run together in a nice hardcover set.

Source: Kickstarter.com