Snake Eyes Remains White In Larry Hama’s ‘G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero’ Series Despite Previous Comments
John F. Trent
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Skybound provided a first look at the second issue of their G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero series that continues the story Larry Hama created back in 1982 under Marvel Comics.
G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #302 showcases the funeral and burial of Wade Collins. After a three-volley salute, the American Flag is folded and Snake Eyes gives it to General Abernathy, who then presents it Collins’ wife.
Upon receiving the flag from Snake Eyes, Abernathy tells him, “Thank you, Snake Eyes. You may rejoin the flag detail.” The panel makes it clear that Snake Eyes is white albeit he now appears to have brown hair rather than blonde.
Snake Eyes was originally depicted as a white man back in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #27.
He was clearly depicted as having blonde hair in G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #93.
The fact that Snake Eyes is still depicted as white in the comics is quite surprising given Larry Hama indicated Henry Golding playing a race-swapped version of the character in Snake Eyes “puts it all right.”
Hama originally defended Snake Eyes being white writing on Facebook in 2019, “Some people are saying that casting Golding ‘fixes’ the character of Snake-Eyes, but I disagree.”
“I had wanted to keep him ambiguous until HASBRO introduced Storm-shadow as the only Asian character and made him a bad guy,” he continued. “I decided to ‘fix’ that by delving into his background and gradually turning him into a good guy.”
“This is why Snake-Eyes is a white guy,” concluded Hama.
The Snake Eyes film producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura would then detail in an interview with Empire Magazine that Hama informed him he should have made Snake Eyes Asian from the beginning.
Di Bonaventura relayed, “Snake in the comic is blond haired and blue eyed. We asked him why he made him that way. He said he didn’t really know. So we asked if he cared if he’s dark haired and Asian here? ‘Probably should have done that in the beginning!’”
Hama would be questioned about Di Bonaventura’s comments on his Facebook by Jose Rafael Gonzalez. He asked, “As my English it’s not very good… but I kind of understand. Master Larry doesn’t give a f*** who plays Snake Eyes… am I right?”
Hama responded, “No, I care a lot. Henry Golding puts it all right.”
Hama had also previously informed his followers on Facebook, “I really do not understand the continuity purists. Don’t they know that the entire 185 issue timeline to date is one long ret-con, and that I never had a structured long view. I made up the story literally page by page. If I was still adhering to the same time line, all the main characters would now be in their seventies.”
“I really love where the filmmakers have take it, and they have all done so with the greatest respect,” he concluded.
G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #302’s official description states, “As the Joes mourn their fallen brother, dangerous new forces are mounting against them. Cobra Commander returns to Springfield and the now mutant Serpentor Khan turns to a deadly new ally you won’t see coming!”
The book arrives on comic book shelves on December 20, 2023. It will retail for $3.99.
What do you make of Larry Hama and artist Chris Mooneyham keeping Snake Eyes white, but eschewing his blonde hair in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #302?
NEXT: ‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins’ Actor Andrew Koji Admits Movie Lacked Integrity
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