G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #38

December 24, 2004

Quick Rating: Great
Title: Union of the Snake Part Three

G.I. Joe and Cobra both face schisms as they teeter towards the brink of collapse.

Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Emiliano Santalucia
Colors: Brett R. Smith
Letters: Robin Spehar
Editor: Mark Powers
Cover Art: Tim Seeley & Andrew Pepoy
Publisher: Devil’s Due

Last issue Duke and Snake-Eyes got sprung from prison by the unlikely duo of Scarlett and Storm Shadow. This issue, as they make their escape, Zartan and the Dreadnoks plan their own jailbreak – to free the imprisoned Cobra Commander!

Devil’s Due promises that next year will feature the biggest storyline in G.I. Joe history, and Brandon Jerwa is working overtime to make that happen. The Joe team has been pruned down to just 12 members, under the command of General Rey, but the members left out (or under fire) aren’t going to go down without a fight. Meanwhile, Destro has seized command of Cobra, but Zartan’s faction has other ideas.

We get a few nice revelations in this issue, about who’s really been in Joe custody all this time, the truth about Zartan’s mysterious condition, and a powerful scene between Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow, brothers too long at odds. There’s also a surprisingly powerful scene between Flint and Lady Jaye, the married couple caught up in the midst of this torment.

Emiliano Santalucia handles the pencils on this issue, stepping in for regular artist Tim Seeley, and the transition is almost seamless. The artwork looks a little more detailed, a little polished than usual, but the style is nearly exactly the same. It’s a great-looking comic book – as good as Seeley is, Santalucia would be a perfect artist on this book full-time if it came to it.

The Joes were my favorite toys as a kid, and even at the ripe old age of 27 I’m a huge fan, and this may be the best they’ve ever been. I can’t wait to see what’s coming up in 2005.

Rating: 9/10

G.I. Joe (2008 Series) #7

July 23, 2009

G.I. Joe #7 (IDW Publishing)
By Chuck Dixon, SL Galant & Howard Chaykin

Okay, okay, you got me. After picking up the paperback of the first six issues of this series, I couldn’t wait another six months for the next one. Scarlett is on trial, accused of aiding the renegade Joe called Snake Eyes, and her only hope to come out alive is to prove that her actions were justified. It may well be that the only way to prove that is to track the man down himself. Duke, meanwhile, pleads with her to save herself, shedding a little more light on the hidden past the two share in this continuity. This is one of the most tense, dramatic G.I. Joe stories I’ve ever read, and we barely even see the bad guys. Dixon has proven he has a flawless grasp on who these characters should be and how to play them. The only real complaint I can even have about this book is that the build may be a little too slow. We know we’re leading up to the confrontation to Cobra, but c’mon, let’s see the bad guys. Of course, I suppose people reading the G.I. Joe: Cobra series already are. Once the paperback edition of that series hits, I may have a totally different perspective.
Rating: 8/10

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #36

November 11, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Shroud (Union of the Snake Part One)

As the G.I. Joe team falls apart, Cobra begins to rebuild.

Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Backgrounds: Jason Millet
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colors: John Rauch
Letters: Dreamer Design
Editor: Mark Powers
Cover Art: Tim Seeley & Jeremy Roberts
Publisher: Devil’s Due

After a rather blasé two-issue story, Brandon Jerwa is back in full force this month with a great offering for the readers, if not for the G.I. Joe team. With Hawk out of commission, permanently, it would appear, his replacement with the Jugglers shows none of the compassion for the team he brought to the table. The new bosses want to gut G.I. Joe, just as Destro is getting Cobra up and running again.

This issue is very much a tale of two armies. The Joes are being ripped apart from on-high, while their personal bonds and loyalty to the cause are still strong. Over at Cobra, the command is in place and functional, but the individuals still harbor deep anger and mistrust for one another. Can either army function in such a state?

Destro also pulls off a few unusual operations in this issue, plots and schemes to chip away at the American faith, which are much more subversive and, potentially, much more effective than anything Cobra Commander ever did.

Tim Seeley does a fantastic job with the art this issue. The characters look strong and distinct, and it’s a lot of fun for an old-school Joe fan like myself to see this issue focus on a lot of the original core members. (We also get a reminder that, no matter how iconic Duke has become to the team, he wasn’t one of the originals.) The cover echoes that fact, and it’s really a beautiful piece of art. At first blush it may appear to be a standard, generic pin-up cover, but it turns out to actually be germane to the story. Plus it looks really, really good.

This is a strong start to the next storyline, which is especially good after the last two issues. It seems this series is back on track.

Rating: 8/10

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #32

July 24, 2007

Quick Rating: Great
Title: Players and Pawns Part Five & Fathom Part Two

Cobra plots to go after Destro – and G.I. Joe is ready for them.

Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley & Talent Caldwell
Backgrounds: Jason Millet
Inks: Cory Hamscher & Jason Gorder
Colors: Brett R. Smith & Christina Strain
Letters: Dreamer Design
Editor: Mark Powers
Cover Art: Tim Seeley, Cory Hamscher & Val Staples (Cover A); Talent Caldwell, Jason Gorder, Peter Steigerwald & Christina Strain (Cover B)
Publisher: Devil’s Due

When Cobra learns that G.I. Joe will be transporting the captured – and very cooperative – Destro, they plan a daring ambush to take him from the custody of the Joe team and into their own.

Meanwhile, Snake-Eyes and Scarlett set out to rescue Claymore from Overkill, and the leaderless splinter group called The Coil finds a new home. And Duke, dressed down last issue for insubordination, tries to bury the hatchet with Hawk.

The culmination of this issue, simply put, blew me away. There have been some fantastic battles in this series, most notably the gigantic three-way war between the Joes, Cobra and The Coil in issue #25. But this issue contains, quite possibly, the greatest hand-to-hand combat scene I’ve ever read in a G.I. Joe comic. And yes, I’m including the various Snake-Eyes/Storm Shadow duels in that statement. The conclusion of this issue has that epic feel, like the first time you saw Optimus Prime and Megatron slugging it out in TransFormers: The Movie. You just knew this fight was different somehow, you knew that something huge was going to happen, and you get the same feeling here. And it pays off. I’m a little miffed that this issue ended with a “to be continued,” since it’s labeled as the last issue of a storyline, but it’s such a fantastic cliffhanger that you can’t be mad about anything other than the fact that you have to wait to see what happens next.

Jerwa and Talent Caldwell continue their “Fantom” back-up story. The mercenary named Wraith has been hired to spring two Cobra agents from G.I. Joe custody. This is an oddity – on the one hand, you don’t want the bad guys to win, but on the other hand, Wraith is one of those characters that is just so cool you want to see how far he can go.

Caldwell also contributes fantastic artwork, as well as a fantastic cover. Tim Seeley’s artwork on the main story is also really solid – Overkill is suitably grotesque, and this is one of the few times ever that Duke and Hawk are really distinct from one another visually, mainly because Seeley gives them each a different hair texture. Finally, I can look at the two of them and tell who is who without having to check the dialogue and guess.

This is a great issue, the best since Brandon Jerwa took over this series from Josh Blaylock, and it’s one that has some serious consequences. G.I. Joe has always been distinct from other titles, in that characters can die without warning and you never know that anyone is safe. Even so, the end of this issue left my jaw on the floor. Fantastic.

Rating: 9/10

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #31

July 24, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Players and Pawns Part Four & Fantom

Duke’s insubordination catches up with him… and Destro wants to make a deal.

Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley & Talent Caldwell
Backgrounds: Jason Millet
Inks: Cory Hamscher & Jason Gorder
Colors: Brett R. Smith & Christina Strain
Letters: Dreamer Design
Editor: Mark Powers
Cover Art: Mike Norton, Cory Hamscher & Val Staples (Cover A); Talent Caldwell, Jason Gorder, Peter Steigerwald & Christina Strain (Cover B)
Publisher: Devil’s Due Publishing

As “Players and Pawns” continues, things seem to be falling apart for everyone… Cobra Commander is left to deal with yet another departure from his ranks, Duke is on the hot seat for his recent reckless behavior, the Baroness’s loyalty remains questionable… arguably the character in the most comfortable position this issue is Destro, and he’s been captured!

Although there hasn’t been a shortage of action in this story arc (or in this issue, either), Jerwa has surprised me with the story. Instead of a big, shoot-em-up war story like most G.I. Joe epics, this has been a quieter story about political games, strategies and working for the greater good even if one’s orders dictate otherwise. It’s made for a different sort of story, and it’s one I’m mostly enjoying. I do worry that going down this route may alienate some readers who come in mostly for the gunfights and explosions, and I hope Jerwa has included enough of them to keep them satisfied.

This issue also includes a back-up story, “Fantom,” by Jerwa with art by recent Superman wunderkind Talent Caldwell. Two mysterious agents are trying to recruit a third, a man called Wraith, into a new faction in the endless war between G.I. Joe and Cobra. The idea is not entirely original – there have been other sides to their struggle for years, from the Oktober Guard to The Coil. This storyline promises to go more in-depth with that plot device, though, and the fact that we don’t know exactly who these new agents are working for makes it even better.

The art, with inks by Jason Gorder and color by Christina Strain, is gorgeous. We’re in a nightclub, with a purple and blue color scheme that sets the stage perfectly and looks authentic, but isn’t dark enough to ruin things. It’s a very different art style from the rest of the book, though, and a rather jarring transition. Since I initially skipped reading the blurb on the first page of the back-up, I was two pages into it before I realized it was a G.I. Joe story and not a preview for a new Devil’s Due property. It’s an interesting idea, though, and I’ll be anxious to see where it goes.

While this isn’t the best Jerwa has done since taking over the title, he puts forth some very interesting ideas and some pretty surprising plot developments in this issue. With just one chapter left in the storyline, I’m waiting to see how it turns out.

Rating: 7/10

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #30

May 29, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Players and Pawns Part Four

Barrel Roll is trapped on Cobra Island! Cobra Commander makes an offer to the Baroness! And Destro’s scheme continues!

Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Backgrounds: Jason Millet
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colors: Brett R. Smith
Letters: Dreamer Design
Cover Art: Tim Seeley, Andrew Pepoy & Tony Washington
Publisher: Devil’s Due

As you can tell from the triple teaser, this is a really packed issue, with lots of interweaving plotlines going on at once. Out of all of them, only the Destro subplot seems to suffer from the clutter. As he tries to set up an alliance with a Central American dictator, the Joe team gets in good with his enemy. Most of the action in the book is involved with this subplot, and most of it is good, but the storyline here isn’t quite as cohesive as the other bits.

Meanwhile, last issue we left Barrel Roll being held at gunpoint by a mysterious figure who wants him to get them off Cobra Island together. We find out who it is this issue, but the identity of the assailant isn’t really spectacular enough to justify all the mystique. It’s a clever bit, though, one that works perfectly well with what the writers have done with these characters since the series was relaunched a few years ago, and it gives the new member of the Joe team a needed chance to show off.

Finally, we’ve got Cobra Commander trying to determine where exactly the Baroness’s loyalties lie now that Destro has split off from the fabled “ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.” He makes her a very intriguing offer. The decision she makes is certain to impact the characters for quite some time.

And that’s not all. Hacker, one of the newer members that Jerwa has introduced, is put to great use in this issue, and every page is overflowing with plot as the book rolls on to next issue’s conclusion.

Tim Seeley’s artwork, as always, is fantastic. His action scenes are second to none, and Brett R. Smith’s coloring work really stands out. They do lighting effects and shadows equally well, really making the atmosphere of the various scenes work depending on the environment. The only problem with artwork, for some reason, is one that G.I. Joe artists have had since the earliest days of the franchise – with a book where so many of the characters are the square-jawed, dusty-haired All-American Good Guys, several of the characters look just too much alike. When characters aren’t in uniform or you only get a headshot, Hawk, Duke and Ripcord are virtually indistinguishable from one another.

Jerwa’s first major storyline ends next month, and he’s doing a really good job. He just needs to be able to smooth things out – in a book with a cast this big, accessibility and cleanliness of plot are key.

Rating: 7/10

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #26

January 24, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Scott Sturgis is a Reasonable Man…

A new publisher… a new writer… a new member of G.I. Joe!

Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colors: Brett R. Smith
Letters: Dreamer Design
Cover Art: Tim Seeley, Andrew Pepoy & Val Staples
Publisher: Devil’s Due

People worried that the quality of this title would suffer after Devil’s Due jumped ship from Image should have their fears quelled this issue – the quality is just as high as ever in all categories; story, artwork and production values. In fact, were it not for the absence of the “I” on the cover, you’d never know the difference.

The same great things can be said for new writer Brandon Jerwa, taking over after Josh Blaylock’s stellar 25-issue run. Jerwa did the best story arc in the defunt G.I. Joe: Frontline series, and he carries that story over here to tell the aftermath of G.I. Joe’s epic battle with The Coil. As the team buries their dead and begins the job of cleaning up Coil cells all over the world, a computer hacker is trying to chase down the secrets of America’s highly trained special mission force.

This issue is low on action, save for a singe battle scene where the Joes try to wipe out one of the last remnants of Serpentor’s army, but it doesn’t feel like filler. The best of it, in fact, is that it feels like a book about regrouping, pulling yourself together. Jerwa also uses the computer hacker character, the titular Scott Sturgis, to great effect, even using him as an excuse to do a roll call of both the heroes and villains of the title. Thanks to his perspective, this issue is an excellent jumping-on point for new readers.

With low action, we don’t get to see much of our villains this issue, but what we do see is quite good. Destro’s appearance in a surprising location makes him out to be a very honorable villain, and Sturgis’s realization that G.I. Joe may not be the only group looking for him comes across very well.

Seeley, over the last few issues, has become one of the best G.I. Joe artists. He manages to give each character a distinctive look (except for Duke and Hawk, but frankly, every G.I. Joe artist in history has had trouble distinguishing between those two for some reason), and he does a great job on storytelling, pacing and layout – all the hallmarks of good artwork.

Jerwa and Seeley are going to make their mark on this book, they’ve already started. It’s been high-quality since the relaunch, and now that they’ve left the big company that got them going, the G.I. Joe team looks as strong as ever.

Rating: 8/10

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #25

January 1, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: The Last Stand Part Four

It’s G.I. Joe versus Cobra versus The Coil in the biggest G.I. Joe battle in a decade!

Writer: Josh Blaylock with Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Brett R. Smith
Letters: Dreamer Design
Cover Art: Brandon Badeaux & Andrew Pepoy (Cover A); Tim Seeley & Andrew Pepoy (Cover B)
Publisher: Image Comics/Devil’s Due

Three armies duke it out in this massive issue, with both G.I. Joe and Cobra launching assaults on Cobra Island to take out Serpentor’s new army, The Coil. As they battle it out, The Coil assaults capitals all over the world, making a bid for world domination that puts Cobra Commander’s schemes to shame.

With characters that have fought each other for so long (nearly 20 years), there’s always a danger of the story falling into cliché – Blaylock escapes that trap several times. The “united against a common foe” bit doesn’t go how you would expect. Characters on all three sides of the battle are killed. Cobra Commander is shown to be a devious, dangerous man, not the craven coward he became in the television series. Hawk is a man of honor, and one who will not compromise his honor easily, and one of my favorite characters, Duke, gets the obligatory rallying point speech. Everyone shines for a moment in this book.

Seeley does a good job on this title – each character gets a different, distinct look, the Coil troopers look even more menacing than the average Cobra Viper, and he does some spectacular battle choreography.

This is Blaylock’s swan song on the book, and he goes out in style. It’s a little sad to see the man who brought back this title leave the book, but Brandon Jerwa is the best man to replace him short of Larry Hama. If there’s anything this issue proved, it’s that the book that started the 80s revolution in comics still has plenty of life in it.

Rating: 8/10