If there is one series with as die-hard a fanbase as G.I. Joe, I have not heard of it. But when Marvel took it to a new level with a comic based on the show, it was very well received. In fact, the show, toy line, and comics are still making huge waves in several very different communities even today.

So it is easy to understand why there is such a wide demand for good Joe stories on the big screen. 2021 is going to give us a new Snake Eyes movie, (arguably one of the best and well known Joe characters), so here we'll explore some keys that could break out on or before release. 

G.I. Joe #26

G.I. Joe #26 is a key that has been on speculators lists for a while but never really got the traction it should have. However, this is an event key that may be addressed in our upcoming movie. This issue is the first part of the origin of Snake Eyes and gives us a deeper understanding of our favorite ninja hero.

Since the new Snake Eyes movie is focused more on his origin than anything else, this has a really good chance of seeing movement. We also have confirmation of Hard Master being cast already. This is incredibly important; as the murder of Hard Master is what pushed Snake Eyes to the Joe team. While it caused Storm Shadow to join Cobra.

Certainly, a movie about Snake Eyes origin is going to include this information. Either as backstory or as the main plot of the film. This issue is about $10 - $30 for a raw copy and could be well worth that in the long run. This is a solid issue that brings a lot of intrigue into our Joe books, and certainly deserves a place among the other G.I. Joe keys.

 

G.I. Joe #27

We could also see an uptick in the next issue G.I. Joe #27 as this is the second part of his origin story. However, this is also the first appearance of Timber, a wild wolf companion of Snake Eyes. This could be especially important if Timber were to show up in the media continuity.

Animal sidekicks are always an easy path to fan devotion, and putting in a wolf for the movie would be a nice little lynchpin for success. So far I haven't heard or seen anything to confirm this, but all the boxes are there. Another $15 - $30 pickup, the spec is absolutely worth a second look.

 

G.I. Joe #144

There is already a little bit of heat coming to this issue as well. Since this is the "Untold" origin of Snake Eyes. This is where things get tossed into deep spec. With the movie announcement, we have seen this book move into the $30 range, right around the same as #26. Stating that some people are pushing this book to be the front-runner for the movie interpretation.

So in this story, it's revealed how Snake Eyes lost his family and gained his facial disfiguration. The event was later revealed to be done by a brother of a Cobra commander. So there is a chance that this could be part of the plot, as we have a lot of backstories to get through.

The tie-in for the Cobra commander could lead us into a second plot point, or even a sequel. But it's far more likely that we'll get a mention of this, a dark look, and then moved along toward action scenes.

Honorable Mention:

G.I. Joe #25 is the honorable mention today. As this is the first appearance of Zartan, who we find out is Hard Master's killer. The entire rivalry between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes is based around the plot of Hard Master's death. Which I'm sure will be the pivotal plot point for our 2021 movie. However, we may, near the end of the movie; see a sort of team-up between Snake and Storm. As they both learn that Zartan is the real instigator. Once again though, this is way out in the deep end of spec.

Final Remarks:

Snake Eyes has always been big in the Joe community, and with the clear rise in #1 and #21, there will be other issues that are going to run up as we near closer to the movie release. G.I. Joe has a fantastic franchise that really stuck with the '80s, 90's, and early 2000's kids. So this new set of movies that is focusing on prequels is a smart choice, as it helps fans get acquainted with specific characters. Snake Eyes has always been my personal Joe hero, so it's exhilarating getting to spec on his bigger books while we wait for this new piece in the G.I. Joe tapestry.