Junkyard Joe, the newest series from comic book legends Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, has finally hit the stands. Screen Rant is proud to show an exclusive preview of the upcoming second issue from Frank and Johns' exciting spinoff of Geiger.
DC fans may recall the work Geoff Johns and Gary Frank collaborated on together such as Batman: Earth One, Superman: Secret Origin, Doomsday Clock and the backup story in Justice League, "The Curse of Shazam!". While both creators played a sizable role at DC Comics, Johns and Frank ventured out to make their creator-owned series Geiger for Image Comics. Geiger is the story of a mysterious and irradiated hero who fights in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ravaged by nuclear fallout. Geiger also featured a backup story called "Junkyard Joe" that appeared as an in-universe comic strip by cartoonist Morrie "Muddy" Davis, which serves as the setup for Geiger's latest spinoff.
With the release of Junkyard Joe #1, fans are getting a peak into the history of Geiger, through the lens of Davis' time as a soldier in Vietnam. But Davis' days as a cartoonist are explored in an exclusive look at Junkyard Joe #2 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. The pages show Davis' home, filled to the brim with mementos indicating the success the Junkyard Joe comic strip has had for Morrie since his tour in Vietnam. However, despite the comic strip's critical acclaim, a new report comments on Davis' decision to retire from cartooning and end Junkyard Joe. As the reporter forlornly describes the impact of Morrie's strip about a mechanical soldier, the cartoonist himself prepares for his day. In addition to all the Junkyard Joe merchandise, Davis' house is filled with pictures of him and his wife, though she's nowhere to be seen.
What's Happening In Junkyard Joe #2?
Creators Gary Frank and Geoff Johns make it clear in the first issue that while the world believes Junkyard Joe to be fictional, it’s something that was actually encountered by Davis during his days as a soldier. Screen Rant has exclusive quotes from both Johns and Frank about where the present finds Morrie and what that means for his past in Vietnam. Regarding issue two, Geoff Johns says:
"Although the first issue takes place in the past, the majority of the story takes place in the present. Vietnam veteran Muddy Davis is a famous cartoonist, known around the world for his creation, Junkyard Joe. When we meet up with Muddy in the present in issue #2, we will see his life now and his famous cartoon strip… which he believes is based on a 'robot soldier' he imagined encountering during the war."
Gary Frank adds:
"The character and the cartoon are Muddy’s method of compartmentalizing what he has seen. He renders his experience into something he can actually carry around with him in his later life. A positive foundation, rather than something which will overwhelm or haunt him. He’s lucky in that."
Junkyard Joe seems to be a meditation on the creative process and how people use art to process the things they experience in life. What the future holds for Morrie “Muddy” Davis or the robot army soldier he encountered so long ago remains to be seen. Fans of Gary Frank and Geoff Johns will have to see for themselves when Junkyard Joe #2 releases November 16, 2022.