Writer and artist Rob Liefeld is completing his series Snake Eyes: Deadgame with a little help from G.I. Joe legend Larry Hama. The upcoming fifth and final issue of the G.I. Joe spinoff centering on the fan-favorite character features a cover penciled by Hama, who is beloved for his work on the classic G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Marvel comics.
Liefeld, best known for creations such as Deadpool and Cable, has long dreamed of inking a Hama Snake Eyes original. A year ago, Liefeld was browsing a comic collectibles Facebook group and saw one of the members shared a Hama sketch purchased in 2019. Liefeld asked the owner for permission to reach out to Hama to see if the comic creator would want to include the sketch in his Snake Eyes series. Hama granted permission, and Liefeld got to work inking.
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“I was a teenage kid again, inking up his sketch,” says Liefeld, who notes the way Hama drew Snake Eyes seemed tailor-made to Liefeld’s own strengths. Online in comics circles, people have joked about Liefeld’s love of putting pouches on characters’ clothing, as well as his supposed inability to draw feet.
“There are no feet on this drawing, which screams out Rob Liefeld,” the writer and artist says with a laugh. “He drew all these pouches on this sketch.”
Liefeld also enlisted another comics legend for the issue: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman.
“I am a giant fan of the mashup. I love when artists jam together,” says Liefeld. “Kevin is one of the most significant and important comic creators in the history of comic books. There are not many people who say they have characters as recognizable as Marvel and DC.”
In addition to Hama and Eastman, the issue includes work from newly announced artists Ryan Ottley (Invincible, Amazing Spider-Man), Eric Canete (Justice League) and Karl Kerschl (Deadpool, Superman). It also includes previously announced contributions from Neal Adams, Jerry Ordway, Whilce Portacio, Karl Kesel, Art Thibert, Philip Tan, Dan Panosian, Dan Fraga, Ed Piskor, Marat Mychaels, Jim Rugg, Tom Scioli, Cory Hamscher, Paul Scott, Karl Alstaetter and Chance Wolf.
Says Liefeld: “This issue is a murderer’s row of great comic book talent.”
Snake Eyes: Deadgame No. 5 debuts July 7.
