Did you know there are two Junkyard Joes? One is a human, and one is a robot.
The First Junkyard Joe
The human Junkyard Joe “Blue Ribbon Comics” #1, published by Archie Comics in 1983. He was created by comic book writer Len Wein and comic book artist Steve Ditko. This Junkyard Joe is human, but possesses superpowers. A rugged and resourceful hero who uses his powers for the greater good, Joe uses his ability to control old equipment in junkyards to fight crime.
The Archie Comics Junkyard Joe often appeared in a makeshift costume festooned with mechanical gadgets and junkyard parts.
The Modern Junkyard Joe
Most contemporary readers are more familiar with the Junkyard Joe in comics by Ghost Machine. This Junkyard Joe began as a comic strip in a comic book. In Geiger #1 – Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Junkyard Joe is a comic strip character that had started out as Unit Beta.
Unit Beta was a military robot commissioned by Richard Nixon to monitor the progress of the Vietnam War. Equipped with super stamina and super strength, weighing 345 pounds, standing 6′ 2″ and equipped with blazing red eyes, this Junkyard Joe was adept at weaponless combat but also proficient with all the weaponry of the age. He was covered with synthetic skin to appear human.
Creators Geoff Johns and Gary Frank placed their Junkyard Joe in a platoon known as the Junkyard Dogs. Junkyard Joe had no problems fitting in. Even after Joe’s skin was ripped away by an incident with a grenade, the humans in his platoon had no problems accepting him.
Junkyard Joe Cannon
The second time the Junkyard Dogs were attacked by the Viet Cong, Junkyard Joe was unable to save his friends, that is, except for one: Muddy Davis. Muddy Davis went on to write a comic strip about Junkyard Joe. The comic strip persuaded Nixon to pull out of the war.
Davis continued to write the strip for decades. Then his beloved wife died, and he decided to retire. An article came out stating that the creator of Junkyard Joe had retired, and who should find it but the robot. Junkyard Joe seeks out Muddy Davis at his home in Melody Hills, Indiana. Joe arrives at Muddy’s house and makes himself at home.
Muddy tries to show his appreciation by making Joe a cup of coffee, but Joe, being a robot, breaks the cup. The crashing coffee cup triggers an episode of PTSD in Muddy, who had been managing his condition by drawing the comic strip.
The neighbors notice, bringing Joe to the attention of his real creator, the Custodian. A fight to recover Junkyard Joe ensues, but the people of Melody Hills, inspired by the kids who first noticed the robot in Muddy’s house, rise to the occasion to fend off Homeland Security and give Joe a permanent home with his friend.
But that’s not the end of the story. In the post-nuclear war America of 2030, Junkyard Joe is reactivated by Geiger again to save the day.