As GI Joe‘s ‘Ninja Force’ story arc comes to a close, things take an unexpected turn. Writer Larry Hama had previously dismissed G.I.JOE VS THE TRANSFORMERS (1987) as being outside of G.I.Joe continuity, but in this story he takes a full u-turn and confirms that the Joes categorically share their universe (Earth-91274) with the Transformers.
The inclusion of the Robots in Disguise was to promote the new Transformers: Generation 2 series (as well as the new G2 toy line). But it seemed the golden age was over for both G.I.Joe and Transformers, as far as Marvel was concerned. By the end of 1994, both ongoing titles were canceled. The characters would later return under other publishers and gain new levels of popularity and acclaim.
The story itself feels like it’s been written under editorial duress. Snake Eyes now leads a band of brightly coloured ninjas called Ninja Force. Scarlett is pretending she’s defected to Cobra – not that anyone believes her. Destro and the Baroness are actually defecting to G.I.Joe. And as for those oversized Cybertronians, their story ended some time ago with the Autobots defeating the Decepticons and the Ark crashing back to Earth with Megatron on board. Of course everyone assumed he was dead… for all of five minutes.
Crossover: Hopping between the two titles and a special, War Without End counts as a crossover.
Title: Not an official crossover, the Omniverse Comics Guide has named the event ‘War Without End’ after the story featured in Transformers: Generation 2 #1.
Series title: While the title of the G.I.Joe series appears to be ‘G.I.Joe featuring Snakes Eyes and Ninja Force’, I’m going to stick with calling it ‘G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero’ to avoid any confusion in terms of the continuity the series is set in.
Must Read: Essential follow-up reading to this event is marked with a ✔ in our Fallout section.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions, first appearances and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- G.I.JOE VS THE TRANSFORMERS (1987) – The Joes and Cybertronians first clash
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- Transformers: Generation 2 – Halloween Special Edition
- G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #138-140
- Transformers: Generation 2 #1
- G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #141-142
- Transformers: Generation 2 #2
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Transformers: Generation 2 – Halloween Special Edition Optimus Prime leads his team of Autobots through space, rounding up rogue factions of Decepticons. They discover Bludgeon and his fellow Pretenders on an alien planet. A gigantic creature emerges and scares Bludgeon’s group into submission, but the Autobots soon realise it’s a threat to them, too, and abandon their search for that world’s advanced technology. |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #138 Cobra Commander has taken Destro‘s Silent Castle. Destro and the Baroness to break free of the cells and set the transforming castle to a logic-defying MC Escher-esque setting. Scarlett, Dr Sidney Biggles-Jones and a crew of Vipers give chase. Snakes Eyes and Storm Shadow help Destro and Baroness make their escape, though Snake Eyes is forced to give Scarlett a near-fatal wound to convince Cobra that she really has defected. A severely damaged Megatron is drawn to the transforming castle, believing it could be a fellow Cybertronian. He soon realises his mistake and decides to leave, until Cobra Commander makes him an offer! |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #139 (pp.1-11) Insulted, Megatron attacks the Silent Castle. Dr Biggles-Jones fires her experimental weapon at Megatron. Intrigued by the weapon’s power he snatches the doctor. In return for Cybertronian weapons from the Ark, Cobra Commander offers to repair Megatron and upgrade him with a new tank mode. Scarlett is taken to the infirmary… |
| Transformers: Generation 2 #1 (pp.1-22) Optimus Prime’s team reunite with Grimlock‘s band of Decepticon hunters, having aggressively wiped out Jhiaxus‘ forces who have been colonising other worlds. Jhiaxus arrives in a warship and overpowers both groups, taking them prisoner and revealing that the war between Autobots and Decepticons long since ended on Cybertron. Without a sense of right and wrong, Jhiaxus has managed to colonise seventeen planets, turning them into mechanised versions of Cybertron at the expense of the indigenous inhabitants. Grimlock convinces the defeated Optimus Prime to break out and the duo lead their Autobot comrades to freedom… 1st appearance: Jhiaxus, Rook |
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #139 (pp.12-22) G.I.Joe take Destro and Baroness to the former Cobra Island where they learn Zartan has also defected. And it seems Cobra Commander may have cloned the deceased Dr Mindbender. |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #140 (pp.1-21) Megatron takes Cobra Commander to the Ark, giving Zartan, Destro and Baroness a chance to break into the Silent Castle and reclaim it. Cobra Commander leads Megatron and his Cobra forces to Milleville (a town controlled by Cobra). The cloned of Dr Mindbender breaks out of his pod and forgoes killing Cobra Commander in favour of seeing where his deal with Megatron goes. G.I.Joe infiltrate Milleville and prepare to send a message through space… |
| Transformers: Generation 2 #1 (pp.23-35) Back on Earth, G.I.Joe send a message into space asking for assistance against Megatron. Prime and Grimlock free the captive Autobots. Despite his long-standing foe’s return and the rise of Jhiaxus, Optimus Prime is convinced of a bigger threat on the horizon. |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #140 (p.22) Mainframe’s warning that Megatron has returned reaches Optimus Prime! |
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #141 Milleville goes on high alert when Megatron senses G.I.Joe’s presence. As the Joes fight their way through Vipers, Eels and BATs, Snake Eyes faces their greatest ninja warrior, the Night Creeper Leader, who he defeats with a secret technique. Megatron takes Dr Biggles-Jones when Scarlett arrives – having learned the doctor has also infiltrated Cobra – and she’s ready to take on the giant robot and save her life! |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #142 Before Megatron can crush Scarlett, a band of Autobots arrives! The upgraded Megatron despatches Brawn, Chase, Override, Skydive and Steeljaw with ease. Scarlett beats Cobra Commander and Zarana in the street, but is saved from a squad of Alley-Vipers by Snake Eyes. Spike Witwicky sneaks aboard the Ark. Megatron breaks his half of the deal with Cobra Commander, takes Dr Biggles-Jones and the unconscious body of Skydive aboard the Ark and leaves Earth in the direction of Cybertron! |
| Transformers: Generation 2 #2 [1/2] Aboard the Ark, Spike Witwicky dons his armour and becomes the head of Fortress Maximus once again. Fortress Maximus confronts Megatron, giving Skydive (who faked his own system shutdown) to free Dr Sidney Biggles-Jones and escape. Fortress Maximus is completely outmatched by Megatron, but sacrifices himself by blowing up the Ark in an effort to permanently stop him. On the ground, Hotspot attacks the Cobra convoy carrying the few scraps of Cybertronian weapons Cobra Commander managed to obtain. He succeeds in forcing the vehicle off the road and destroying the weapons, but Cobra Commander kills him for it. Skydive reunites Dr Biggles-Jones with G.I.Joe and the heroes salute their fallen comrades. |
See how this story fits into the wider Marvel Multiverse:
- TRANSFORMERS, 1984-1994 – The Marvel US Years
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout |
| ✔ | Transformers: Generation 2 #3-6 (1994) Unlike Fortress Maximus, Megatron survives the explosion aboard the Ark; Bludgeon’s attempt to build a new army for himself on Earth is foiled when Megatron tears his head off; Optimus Prime and Jhiaxus form an uneasy truce; Optimus Prime and his team travel to Earth, reunite with G.I.Joe; Optimus attempts to form an alliance with Megatron against the despotic Jhiaxus, but Megatron almost kills Optimus instead. |
| ✔ | G.I.Joe #145-150 (1994) Dr Mindbender reveals a program he installed in Zartan and Destro that will make them loyal to Cobra again; Cobra Commander activates the program and Destro kidnaps Baroness; Cobra Commander uses a Brainwave Scanner to make Baroness and Storm Shadow loyal to Cobra again. |
| ✔ | Transformers: Generation 2 #7-12 (1994) Jhiaxus defeats Megatron who reluctantly turns to Optimus Prime for help; Megatron and Optimus Prime stand as allies against Jhiaxus, a Matrix-infused Starscream and the Swarm (as seen in Prime’s visions). |
| G.I.Joe #155 (1994) G.I.Joe are shut down by the US Government. |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero Compendium vol.4 (Image) | G.I.Joe and the Transformers #1-4 G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #114-155 G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero Special #1 G.I.Joe: Order of Battle #1-4 |
| Transformers Compendium vol.2 | Transformers #47-80 Transformers: Generation 2 #1-12 Transformers: The Movie #1–3 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Classic G.I.Joe vol.14 (IDW) G.I.Joe/Transformers vol.1 (IDW) | G.I.Joe: A Real American hero #139-142 |
| Transformers: Dark Designs (Titan Books) | Transformers: Generation 2 #1-2 Transformers: Generation 2 – Halloween Special Edition |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2026
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