Junkyard Joe Remixes the Best Traits of Marvel's Vision - And the Result is Heartbreaking (2024)

The miniseries Junkyard Joe (Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh) explores humanity and trauma through the journey of a silent robot. The series spans decades, beginning with the Vietnam War, when Joe was programmed by the US government to be a super soldier, and ending in the present day when a renegade faction of that same government seeks to recapture Joe by any means necessary. While Joe starts life as a silent killing machine, he learns how to be human from the friends and foes he meets along the way. In this way, he resembles other comic-book androids, such as the Vision.

Determined to win the war, the US government secretly embeds a robot soldier into its fighting forces. Affectionately dubbed "Junkyard Joe" by his platoon mates, the robot encounters both camaraderie and tragedy through his wartime experiences. When his entire platoon is wiped out except for him and an aspiring cartoonist named "Muddy" Davis, he is deeply affected. Joe seeks vengeance by destroying the village from which the enemy combatants came. When he sees a child killed in the crossfire, he is overcome with guilt and destroys his own gun. He disconnects from his government handlers and vanishes for decades.

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Junkyard Joe Struggles With Human Trauma

Joe shows up on Muddy's doorstep again in the present day. Muddy is surprised to see his old robot army buddy because he had convinced himself that his experiences with Joe were not real. He had made a successful cartoon strip out of his memories of Joe and his other army buddies, but the recent loss of his wife prompted him to retire and become a recluse. While Joe is a robot he also suffers from past trauma like any human veteran might. Disgusted with his original programming, Joe helps in any way he can, including doing house chores whenever he sees rooms in disarray.

While Joe is unique within his storyline, there is a long history of robots in comics searching for their humanity. One notable example would be the Vision who has been a stalwart member of the Avengers for decades. The villainous Ultron created Vision for the sole purpose of destroying the Avengers, much like Joe was designed to kill enemy soldiers in war. They both rebelled against their programming and grappled with existential questions about their identities and place in the world. For the Vision, it was his love for the Scarlet Witch that allowed him to experience new emotional depths. Both characters challenge the notion that humanity is solely defined by biology and demonstrate that qualities such as empathy and moral choices do not require one to be born human.

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Junkyard Joe Walks With a Veteran Through the Healing Process

By the end of the series, Joe has gained the trust of the townspeople, who shield him from government agents attempting to apprehend him. Joe's heroic actions reflect the best aspects of their nature, and after initially fearing him, they accept him and protect him from those who would cause him harm. Joe cannot speak and does not require human necessities such as sleep or food, but he demonstrates that he is far more human than those he comes into conflict with. Originally designed to be no more than a killing machine, Joe's experiences shape him into a caring and complex being, as deserving of life as any natural-born human.

At its heart, this is a story about healing, as Joe and Muddy overcome old wounds while helping each other to safety. The miniseries prompts reflection on the profound impact of trauma on individuals, whether made of flesh or circuitry, through its exploration of humanity. It also serves as a tribute to military veterans who struggle daily with mental health issues. In one poignant scene, Muddy cradles Joe who is malfunctioning due to a traumatic flashback. Joe's constant need to clean may represent his desire to psychologically unclutter the accumulated trauma of his years of service, but his oldest friend shows him that he isn't alone on this journey and that they can confront their haunting pasts together.

The toll-free United States Veteran Hotline is 1-877-927-8387 and is available 24/7 for those who need assistance transitioning from military to civilian life.