“Judo Joe” is the nickname of Joseph Smith, a student at Mid City High School & is a practitioner of martial arts. He often works with the police in an unofficial capacity.

Only 3 issues of JUDO JOE were ever published by the Jay-Jay Corporation. The first issue was dated August, 1953; the third and final issue was dated December, 1953. JUDO JOE was the Jay-Jay Corporation’s only title.

Written Dr. Bernard “Barney” J. Cosneck, who, during World War II, served as a judo instructor in the armed forces, during which he co-authored HOW TO FIGHT TOUGH with Jack Dempsey. In 1944, he wrote AMERICAN COMBAT JUDO, a best seller, which combined the best of Japanese ju jitsu, French foot fighting, Chinese boxing and American wrestling to produce simple but effective techniques for defense and counterattack. It promised that "you can be a bombshell in any tough spot" and that his book would help you to learn to how to protect yourself "against bullies, hoodlums, roughnecks and the like."

In October, 1987, A.C.E. Comics printed a single issue of JUDO JOE that consisted of reprints from the series’ original 1953 run.