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R & R 's Comic Review

 

 

 

 

G.I. Joe #3

 by Devil's Due

 

 

 


THE GOOD:

ROGER:   Action, action, and more action. The story is moving along nicely. However some plot points are developing a little to quickly for my taste. Though I can see why, the first 4 issues were put out to test the waters. Better to tie things up quick than to leave the potential for dangling plot lines.

RON: I am enjoying the faster pace subplots.   Action is what the Joes are all about.  Once the ongoing series kicks in with issue #5, I expect it to slow down in the action department.   We got to see more character development in "Kid Destro", Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Armada, Mainframe, and Billy.  I like especially like the new characters.


      

 

ROGER: Reality check! G.I. Joe presented the way it would be in real life; being taught to high school kids that couldn't care less.
             

RON: If my teacher was schooling me on Joes and Cobra, I know I would be paying attention.  I will bring the FLAGG in for show and tell. 

 

 

 

 

ROGER: Glad to see that William is on the right side, at least for now. And is Scarlett warming back up to Snake Eyes? Can't wait to see where these 2 stories take us.

RON:  Billy and the ninja saga will continue to be a major influence in the book.  But I bet he is rusty.  

 

 

 

 

ROGER:  More new characters, more new women, and more nicely updated Cobra troopers. I'm for all of them, but that just about doubles the female characters in 3 short issues. Lets see some new male characters.

RON: Female characters add more of the "love relationship" that some readers  have screamed for.  I will take both guns and roses.  

 

 

 

 

ROGER: Zartan, and Zanya taking back the old Dreadnok hang out was great. It illustrated the gangs much deserved street creed well.

 

 

RON: Probably my favorite series in the book.  Bad guys knocking off other bad guys.  It makes the Joes job a little easier when the scum take each other out.  Zanya did not even hesitate to cap those intruders.  I hope to see a psychological profile on her.  If Zartan is a "paranoid schizophrenic", then this chick must be wacked out like her daddy.  It makes for a great story.  Too bad it is a real life illness. 

 

 

 


THE BAD:

    ROGER: Though I think most people saw it coming, I would have liked to have had the Destro mystery drawn out at least a little longer. Leave a little doubt, give us some time to debate the issue. But the cat's out of the bag now.  Who wants to place bets on weather or not the Nano-Mites are responsible for Destro Sr.'s "mystery sickness?"

RON: I would like to know where this "Kid Destro" got his big goans???  He just came it and took over Cobra  like it was nothing.  He comes out of nowhere and is the top man.   This guy better have a good back story to support his strong desires to rule Cobra.   He blames it on his Dad honor or something, but I don't buy it.   

 


     
ROGER:   Why are they trying to turn Spirit in to the next Snake Eyes? Though I like the new outfit, I don't think it suits the character at all. Spirit has a very strong spiritual connection to his people and his ancestors, and that has always been reflected in his uniforms. He should at least have a few feathers or a traditional weapon of some sort. Something to better define the character.

RON:  I am right there.  I  hope there is an explanation in future issues that brings about the cultural change of our Commando ....I mean Tracker...I think???  I think he looks cool like the rest of us, but if anyone stuck to their roots it was old Spirit. 

 

 

 

RON: I love Dreadnoks as much as the next fan.  But this series of the Thunder Machine getting run off by Wild Bill seemed to be a waste of valuable story space.  The only bright point was the debut of the new Joe Copter.   But even it is a little strange.  I hope by them being slowed down, it will play a major role next issue. 

 

 


THE UGLY:


ROGER: I was going to mention this for issue 2 but decided to wait and see how things shaped up. Unfortunately, I think my initial fears were well founded. The plot is shaping up to be another cartoon mini-series. Paying homage is one thing, but this is following the same basic 5 episode plot the cartoon did every year: Cobra develops or steals a new weapon, but they need something to fully implement their plan. After the first major battle, G.I. Joe gets there @$$ handed to them, and 2 Joe's get captured. While being held prisoner, they find out what Cobra is up to, and they escape. Sound familiar so far? If Snake Eyes, and Scarlett hook up with some ditzy blond in a rock band in order to get back to base I may just have to end my association with G.I. Joe all together.

RON:  That is why I love doing this review with you.   You are dead on.  That was hilarious. :-)

 


ROGER:  I'm probably going to take some flack for this one. The covers don't quite work for me. Though the front cover is very well done, it doesn't strike me as a cover image. It seems much more at home inside the comic.

RON: I am right with you Roger.  I know cover images are not guaranteed to reflect what is going on in the story.  Groupings of characters like issue #1 are acceptable and well liked.  But a specific character in action leads me to believe it is going to happen in the book.  But this image was no where near what happed.  He was riding with Zanya and never shot at.   I was disappointed that it was not a "true image" of what was happening inside.

 

 

Cloud Callout: ...maybe I should have been a medic?

 

 

 

 

 

ROGER: The back cover is just plain ugly. Scarlett somehow became "Hot Lips" Hoolahan in this picture.


 

 

 

RON : Destro is hurting bad.  I don't know which is worse.  Destro enduring the needle acupuncture ( I think?) or being forced to stare at his own liquid waste.   NASTY!

 

 


OVER  ALL:


ROGER:  A very good issue. I don't care to much for the current pacing, but I think now that it has officially gone monthly that will be corrected soon enough. Still a few ruff edges, but I'm sure they have a lot of exposition to work out for the story to make since. After all,  they do have about 8 years to explain, and only 22 pages per issue to bring us all up to date.

RON: I enjoyed the increased action in this issue.  This is the second to last issue in the story arc.  So there are a lot of loose ends starting to come together.   The Destro / Nanite story played a big part this issue as it should have.  I hope to find out if "Pappy Destro" will be healed or not.   I love the old Destro, but it may be time to move on.  It will make the stories more unpredictable if  "Junior" is running the show.  And if the Baroness goes crazy from his death, that will be even more interesting.   She might even become allied with the Joes.   I guess I am just dreaming, but it did happen in the cartoon.  The Dreadnoks did some moving around in the story,  but they should be organized by next issue to unleash some serious mayhem. 

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© Copyright 1999, 2000 , 2001, & 2002 Treasures 'N Toys, All Rights Reserved Special thanks to Roger Taft for his review.  Thanks to Devil's Due for allowing us to reproduce images of G.I. Joe comics for review purposes.Hit Counter Hit counter was re-started on 4-6-02