This first issue is basically a straightforward war comic, and it's a thoroughly accessible read. One needn't be familiar with the title character -- the most popular cast member from G.I. Joe -- to understand what's going on. In fact, if anything, the storytelling here is too clear. It's pretty obvious where this story is headed from the story because it follows a painfully predictable path and offers foreshadowing that's about as subtle 7.8 earthquake. The plotting and dialogue are capable, but cliched. The art, on the other hand, is nicely moody, textured and full of depth. The character designs aren't as varied as I'd like, but really only two characters are in the forefront for much of the issue so it's not as great a liability as it could have been.
A young soldier -- whose familial nickname of "Snake Eyes" follows him into his military career -- makes his way through a jungle with his unit, but he's distant, cut off socially and emotionally from the other men. The once kind-hearted and innocent man has seen horrors during his tour, and he's seen friends killed. There was a time when Snake Eyes was filled with faith, but his experiences as a soldier and developments back home threaten to rob him of that faith altogether.
Santalucia's art is appropriately dark throughout the book, and there's an almost painted look at play that reinforces the realistic tone and mature atmosphere for which the script strives. The artist is aided immensely in that effort by the textured and muted colors provided by John Rauch. The character designs aren't nearly as varied as I'd like, and all of the men look like lantern-jawed heroes. But Santalucia's line art boasts a style here that reminds me a bit of that of Paul Ryan. The visual storytelling is pretty clear from start to finish, though I think the violence is sanitized a bit too much in order to make it palatable for younger readers. That's probably the right move, but I felt a harsher, grittier approach might have enhanced the story.
Clearly the conflict that's depicted in this comic book is the Vietnam War, but Jerwa's script is purposefully vague throughout the issue. I'm guessing the creators don't want to lock the title character into any particular timeline, but it detracts from the realistic tone that's called for. Another reason for the vague approach -- such as the avoidance of the title character's civilian name -- is to foster an air of mystery, but again, skirting those details makes the dialogue seem awkward.
The writer embraces war-genre cliches to construct this story, and it makes for an all too familiar read. The gal back home, the friend who makes the impossible rescue through gunfire, the pity for the civilians caught in the crossfire of a war. I've never been to war, so perhaps this is a genuine representation of what happens, but it certainly doesn't feel like it. Like the art, the script is cleaned up. No cursing or any other objectionable language is to be found. 5/10
