The G.I. Joe Order of Battle #3 for Sale - First Appearance of Zanzibar - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: The G.I. Joe Order of Battle (Marvel, 1986 series)
Issue: #3
Publication date: February 1987
Key date: 1987-02-00
On-sale date: 1986-09-23
Indicia publisher: Marvel Comics Group
Price: $1.25; 1.50 CAD
Pages: 36

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Zanzibar - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Morgan Teach - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Raptor - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Big Boa - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Crystal Ball - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Croc Master - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Seq	Story	Type	Pages	Credits	Characters
0	The Official G.I. Joe Handbook Part 3: Cobra	cover	2	pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Sinnott; colors: Paul Becton	Thomas S. Arashikage, Baroness, Richard Blinken-Smythe, Buzzer, Anastasia Cisarovna, Cobra Commander, Copperhead, Destro, Firefly, Bruno LaCrosse, Scrap-Iron, Serpentor, Storm Shadow, Thrasher
1	G.I. Joe Order of Battle	table of contents	1	letters: typeset
2	Baroness	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Baroness, Anastasia Cisarovna
3	B.A.T.S.	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
4	Big Boa	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Big Boa First
5	Buzzer	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Richard Blinken-Smythe, Buzzer
6	Cobras	illustration	1	pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
7	Copperhead	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Copperhead
8	Crimson Guard	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
9	Croc Master	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Croc Master First
10	Crystal Ball	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Crystal Ball First
11	Destro	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Destro, James McCullen Destro XXIV
12	Dr. Mindbender	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Doctor Mindbender
13	Eels	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
14	Enemy Leader	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Cobra Commander
15	Firefly	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Firefly
16	Major Bludd	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Major Bludd
17	Raptor	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Raptor First
18	Scrap-Iron	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Scrap-Iron
19	Serpentor	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Serpentor
20	Snow Serpents	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
21	Storm Shadow	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Thomas S. Arashikage, Storm Shadow
22	Strato-Viper	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
23	Tele-Vipers	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
24	Thrasher	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Bruno LaCrosse, Thrasher
25	Tomax and Xamot	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Tomax, Xamot
26	Torch	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Torch, Tom Winken
27	Vipers	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton
28	Wild Weasel	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Wild Weasel
29	Zandar	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Zandar
30	Zanzibar	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Morgan Teach First, Zanzibar First
31	Zarana	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Zarana
32	Zartan	character profile	1	script: Larry Hama; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Joe Delbeato; colors: Paul Becton	Zartan
33	Retraction	text article	1	letters: typeset
34	Holiday Savings on Marvel Comics	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	letters: typeset

Printings and variants

Edition	How to tell
Newsstand	barcode 07148602576402

Before you buy

Confirm the UPC box: a publisher mark instead of a barcode means direct edition, a barcode means newsstand.
Glossy covers of this era show edge chipping easily. Check black edges closely in the photos.
Check the staples and centerfold; heavily read anniversary and key issues loosen there first.

Series context

‹ #23 of 4#4 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com