Devils Due Comics

G.I. Joe: Master & Apprentice  

G.I. Joe: Master & Apprentice was a four issue series released by Devil's Due in 2004.

This series featured the origin of Kamakura.

G.I. Joe: Master & Apprentice 2

G.I. Joe: Master & Apprentice 2 was a four issue series released by Devil's Due in 2005.

This featured Storm Shadow's apprentice, Junko Akita.

In 2004, Devil's Due Publishing (DDP)  printed the the four-issue miniseries "Master & Apprentice", the events surrounding Scarlett and Snake Eyes's aborted wedding were finally revealed, though in a slightly different fashion than previously stated by the characters. Set after the events of Frontline 1-4, the mini-series revealed that Snake Eyes, Nunchuk and T'Jbang are training Ophelia to be the last of the Arashikage ninja clan during the period that the two were engaged.

During the events depicted in Devil's Due 2004's saga Master & Apprentice (Vol. 1), Ophelia is under Snake-Eyes' wing, who is also about to get married with Scarlett. As Ophelia's final test, Snake Eyes and his apprentice confront Firefly for his role in the murder of the Hard Master. Unfortunately, Firefly kills Ophelia and escapes, leaving Snake Eyes devastated.

Because of this, on the day of his wedding and in front of his longtime friend and fellow Joe Lonzo "Stalker" Wilkinson, Snake Eyes gives his wedding ring to Scarlett and ends their relationship.

Snake Eyes again goes into the wilderness where he is approached by Sean Collins, the son of Wade Collins, another Vietnam War buddy. Sean asks Snake Eyes to train him as a new apprentice as a way to help put himself together after watching his crew also get slaughtered by Firefly on the night Ophelia was killed.

At the same time Sean Collins, member of the same mission's team joins Snake-Eyes, who takes him as his new student. Jinx, Budo, Snake-Eyes and Collins, who now is known as "Kamakura" take a new assignment to capture Firefly (Ophelia's murderer). Suddenly Storm Shadow go forth and during his fight against Firefly Snake-Eyes' team is left uncommunicative and injured, so Kamakura, Storm Shadow, Duke and Chuckles try to capture Firefly and the Nowhere man.

Nunchuk and T'Jbang were again present, as well as Jinx, this time serving to assist in Sean's education of the history of the clan. Some time later, Jinx and Budo call Snake Eyes and crew in to investigate new intel on the location of Firefly. He is working for the "Nowhere Man".

In 2005's Vol. 2, Billy Kessler is told about how Storm Shadow and his pupil / lover Junko Akita came to met and how he is successful after years of fighting against Cobra's brainwashing. After a full scale fight against Night Creepers, Junko is captured and tortured by Slice and Dice. Jinx, Billy and Budo helped Storm Shadow to take her back while T'Jbang finds Sei Tin injured and captured. Junko is found in a Red Ninja's retreat in Tibet brainwashed and convinced that Storm Shadow is a "pain-bringer" to her life. Jinx and Budo are captured, T'Jbang and Billy fought against Slice and Dice while Snake-Eyes and Kamakura fight against the rest of the Red Ninjas' clan. Junko felt from a cliff's edge apparently to her demise while Snake-Eyes retakes full control over the Red Ninjas.[10]

According to the 2005 Arashikage Showdown comic, the Arashikage clan was founded many centuries ago by the Emperor of Japan to protect the Jewel of Amaterasu. The jewel allows its owner to control their chi. The "map" to the jewel is a kata, only members of the Arashikage ninja clan have access to it. Centuries later, the Arashikage clan went to the temple housing the jewel and performed the kata in order to access it. Soga, of the rival Nichira clan stole the jewel before the Arashikage could claim it. The Arashikage attacked Soga at his headquarters, inciting a clan war, killing Soga in the process. Storm Shadow, of the Arashikage clan, took the jewel to a location on Mt. Fuji and hid it.

Of note, while preparing for battle, Snake Eyes refuses to take any military weapons (guns) and instead only takes Ninja weapons. It is discussed at this time Snake Eyes has given up his military training to some degree because of all of the loss it has brought him.

Snake-Eyes confronts Firefly who is meeting with another masked ninja. It is then revealed that this ninja is Storm Shadow, who has just taken out Sean.

Sean was eventually given the name Kamakura and would later join G.I. Joe.

In May 2005 a trade paperback edition was released.

Master & Apprentice Alternative Covers

Issue one was also available as a convention exclusive and as a second and a third printing. The fourth issue also received a second printing.

G.I. Joe: Master & Apprentice 2 was a four issue series released by Devil's Due in 2005. This featured Storm Shadow's apprentice, Junko Akita.

.

G.I. Joe: Master & Apprentice 2 was a four issue series released by Devil's Due in 2005. These featured Storm Shadow's apprentice, Junko Akita. .