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Thomas S. Arashikage

Thomas S. Arashikage

135 appearances · Bronze Age · 1984–2026 · 8 key issues

Who is Thomas S. Arashikage?

Thomas 'Tommy' Arashikage was born into the elite Arashikage ninja clan in Japan, mastering its ancient disciplines of ninjutsu, swordsmanship, and stealth. He became sword-brother to American soldier Snake Eyes before his path took him into Cobra's ranks as a deadly ninja operative.

Bronze Age comics gave us some remarkable figures, and Thomas S. Arashikage is one who has genuinely stood the test of time — debuting in 1984's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! The Capture of Cobra Commander, brought to life by Jim Mooney, and still appearing in comics as recently as 2026, an extraordinary run of over four decades. With 135 catalog appearances and eight collector-recognized key issues, this is a character with real weight in the G.I. Joe universe, sharing pages with titans of the franchise — Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, Cobra Commander, Destro, and Shana O'Hara among them. That's rarefied company in one of Marvel's most beloved action properties, and it speaks to just how central Thomas S. Arashikage has been to the ongoing saga. Whether you're a longtime Joe devotee or diving into the mythology fresh, this is absolutely a name worth tracking through the longboxes.

Identity

Real name. Thomas "Tommy" S. Arashikage

Powers. No superpowers; master ninja and martial artist, expert swordsman/archer, stealth and assassination skills (Arashikage clan ninjutsu)

Teams & affiliations

G.I. JoeCOBRACobra SoldiersDreadnoks

★ First appearance

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #21

Trivia

Larry Hama has written more of Thomas S. Arashikage's comics than any other writer in our catalog — 58 issues.

Top series

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero (1982)

G.I. Joe (2004)

G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe (2001)

Action Comics

Action Comics (1938)

G.I. Joe: Frontline

G.I. Joe: Frontline (2002)

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2010)

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers (2003)

Transformers / G.I. Joe

Transformers / G.I. Joe (2003)

G.I. Joe European Missions

G.I. Joe European Missions (1988)

Action Force Monthly

Action Force Monthly (1988)

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2023)

G.I. Joe Comics Magazine

G.I. Joe Comics Magazine (1986)

Covers through the years — 1984–2023

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #24

★ 1984

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #24

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #78

1988

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #78

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #108

1991

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #108

G.I. Joe #8

2002

G.I. Joe #8

G.I. Joe: Arashikage Showdown #1

2005

G.I. Joe: Arashikage Showdown #1

G.I. Joe: The Complete Collection #2

2013

G.I. Joe: The Complete Collection #2

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #11

2015

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #11

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #18

2017

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #18

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #302

2023

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #302

Key issues

#21

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #21 1st appearance

Appearances

G.I. Joe a Real American Hero! The Capture of Cobra Commander (1984)

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero (1982)

#21 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #32 #33 #35 #38 #39 #42 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 #50 #51 #52 #78 #84 #85 #91 #101 #104 #105 #106 #107 #108 #109 #111 #112

G.I. Joe Yearbook (1985)

#1

Superman (1987)

#1

Adventures of Superman (1987)

Action Comics (1938)

The G.I. Joe Order of Battle (1986)

#3

G.I. Joe Comics Magazine (1986)

Action Force Monthly (1988)

G.I. Joe European Missions (1988)

#3 #7 #8 #10 #14

G. I. Joe in 3-D (1987)

#5

Banished Knights (2001)

#2

G.I. Joe (2001)

#5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #11 #13 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #26 #27 #28 #30 #33 #36 #37 #38 #39 #40 #41 #42 #43

G.I. Joe: Battle Files (2002)

G.I. Joe: Frontline (2002)

#1 #2 #3 #4 #8 #1 #9 #10 #11 #16

G.I. Joe Battle Files Sourcebook (2003)

Voltron: Defender of the Universe (2003)

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers (2003)

Transformers / G.I. Joe (2003)

G.I. Joe: Cobra Reborn (2004)

#1

G.I. Joe Valor vs. Venom (2004)

G.I. Joe: G.I. Joe Reborn (2004)

#1

G.I. Joe: Arashikage Showdown (2005)

#1

G.I. Joe: Data Desk Handbook (2005)

#1

G.I. Joe: America's Elite (2005)

G.I. Joe: Declassified (2007)

G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero [25th Anniversary Action Figure Original Series] (2008)

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2010)

#155 1/2 #11 #16 #18 #287 #291 #298 #299 #300 #302 #307 #308 #315

G.I. Joe: The Complete Collection (2012)

#2

G.I. Joe a Real American Hero - Best of Storm Shadow (2022)

G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #21 Kickstarter Exclusive (2024)

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Compendium (2024)

G.I. Joe Yearbook #1 Kickstarter Exclusive (2024)

Michel Fiffe Portfolio (2016)

#2