I'm doing my best to inject more variety into Five Comics themes, and to actually publish these on a less strict schedule (i.e. timing with some other event that makes it topical). This is kind of a step in that direction. THE THEME: My selection of five today covers G.I. Joe, which started off as a line of toys in 1964 (yes, this is technically an anniversary thing) and is the reason the term "action figure" exists. It's one of Hasbro's most iconic brands, and its popularity was bolstered in the '80s thanks to a popular cartoon that aired at the time (a strategy that was applied to other toy lines, with perhaps the most notable example being Transformers) and comics published by Marvel (which they also did for other toy IPs, like Rom the Spaceknight and Micronauts, both of which are now owned by Hasbro). I don't know that it's as popular now considering the live-action movies they made a while back never really took off, but G.I. Joe's legacy is not in dispute. Personally, I don't have that much attachment to this franchise (largely because it was out of its heyday during my childhood), but I have read and seen a tiny bit of the media inspired by the toys, so I know all about the conflict against Cobra as well as a bunch of the series' characters. This theme is pretty much me diving in with just the basics, and without any real knowledge of how IDW (who published majority of the comics I'm reading for today) handled the IP. THE COMICS: ![]() G.I. JOE (2008) #0 Publisher: IDW Writers: Chuck Dixon, Larry Hama, Mike Costa, Christos N. Gage Artists: Robert Atkins, Tom Feister, Antonio Fuso This issue contains three short stories. The first sees Duke lead a team to stop a ship full of contraband weapons, which ends in an explosion and the first hint of Cobra's presence in this continuity. In the second, we get a preview of Duke's origins, which involves some dubious off-the-books agreements. Finally, the last story sees a spy be recruited by seemingly better spies. Interesting stuff all around, though I'm most keen on reading more of the second story. ![]() G.I. JOE: ORIGINS #1 Publisher: IDW Writer: Larry Hama Artists: Tom Feister, Mike Hawthorne In this one, there are two concurrent plotlines. Plot A sees Duke and Scarlett on one of their earliest missions, which doubles as a test for the both of them as they figure out where the hell they've been dropped off (and why). The other plot focuses on a team of federal agents who try and storm a suspect's house, but they get more than what they bargain for as they face off against an apparent terrorist. The two threads connect in a really cool way when it's revealed what Duke and Scarlett were sent to do. ![]() G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Larry Hama Artists: Herb Trimpe, Bob McLeod This is the first issue of Marvel's G.I. Joe series, which was instrumental in the toy's explosion in popularity during the '80s, and was written by comic legend Larry Hama, who worked on pretty much every issue of the run and was eventually brought back when other publishers (mainly IDW) got the license to make G.I. Joe comics. The story here is pretty action-packed, as the Joes mount a coordinated assault on the Cobra Commander's island base in order to rescue a kidnapped nuclear scientist, but the dastardly villain shows that he can match the Joes' tactics tit-for-tat. ![]() G.I. JOE: OPERATION HISS #1 Publisher: IDW Writer: Brian Reed Artists: Alex Cal, Agustin Padilla In this one, Scarlett and Snake Eyes are sent in to infiltrate and perform reconnaissance on a high tech facility, but everything instantly goes to shit when they find that nanotechnology is involved and Cobra operative Storm Shadow is on the scene. The duo scramble to get out and throw a wrench into whatever was going on, but it's clear that the mission has only just begun. ![]() G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (OFFICIAL MOVIE PREQUEL) #1 Publisher: IDW Writer: Chuck Dixon Artist: SL Gallant As the title suggests, this is meant to be a prequel to the live-action movie (which I did not watch, but am aware was panned). This issue focuses on Duke (who was played by Channing Tatum in the movie), who leads a squad in a covert operation, but as is tradition, things are more complicated than intel lets on. Of course, complications like that are what make for fun reading, and Duke shows why he's in charge by leading his team through a challenging situation by the skin of their teeth. Having grown up more with superheroes, sci-fi, and a dash of fantasy, I must admit that I don't have much affinity for military action stories (which extends to video games, as I have a mild apathy for most military-style shooters), let alone ones with a patriotic slant. Reading these, however, reminded me that there are elements I rather enjoy in these stories, like seeing the protagonists overcome overwhelming odds, watching a crack team of specialists coordinate to execute a grand plan, and a healthy dose of spy/political thriller intrigue to keep things spicy. I actually find myself wanting to read more G.I. Joe now after this, especially the Marvel series. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
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June 2024
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