G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #29

May 8, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Players and Pawns Part Two

As G.I. Joe cleans up from last issue’s blast, Destro makes a move to consolidate his own power base.

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

Last issue, Hawk and Lady Jaye were caught in an explosion in a television studio Cobra set up. This issue, as Barbecue and Lightfoot dig through the wreckage to find survivors, trouble brews in the central American country of Sierra Gordo – the kind of trouble that may need G.I. Joe assistance.

With G.I. Joe Reloaded getting so much attention, it’s easy to forget how good the core series really is. Brandon Jerwa tells two stories in this issue that mesh together – one is the old-school Joe versus Cobra conflict that has defined this title since the early 80s. The other is more of a realistic story of military skirmishes, terrorism and world events. It’s a delicate balancing act, but he handles it well.

This issue also shows us a lot more of the team, catching up on old friends like Zap and Clutch, reminding us what Ripcord and Tunnel Rat are up to and following up on Barrel Roll as he takes on a Cobra base singlehandedly. He gets most of the action this issue, right up to a dandy little page 21 cliffhanger

Seeley and Hamscher do their usual good job with the artwork. They have action scenes down pat and throw in nice dramatic posing throughout. The only problem artwise is that many of the faces, especially on the male characters, look too much alike, and when they aren’t in uniform or when they’ve got a close-up, it can sometimes be hard to tell who’s who.

Brett R. Smith’s colors really shine as a high point of this book. Bright scenes, dark scenes… he does it all well. And I’m not sure whose choice it was to switch Cobra Commander’s uniform from blue to black, but such a simple stylistic change makes the character look much more menacing and makes you take him more seriously as a villain.

Reloaded may be the current superstar of the G.I. Joe franchise, but people shouldn’t forget they have a solid title right here that’s highly entertaining in its own right. This is a solid G.I. Joe title, and it’s as good now as it was when it launched the 80s nostalgia craze three years ago.

Rating: 7/10