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G.I. JOE #3
"Reinstated! 3 of 4"
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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Image Comics
Writer/Layouts: Josh Blaylock
Pencils: Steve Kurth
Inks: John Larter
Colors: Hi-Fi Color
Letters: Dreamer Design
Editor: Scott Wherle
Price: $2.95 US/$4.70 CAN |
Either my nostalgia is wearing off, or this issue was a lot weaker than the first two. Probably a combination of both, actually. Blaylock seems to be cramming too much story into not enough space, and the pacing seems badly off in this particular issue. And while the artwork was never a particular selling point of the original G.I. Joe, Kurth's work this month seemed
more uneven and harder to follow than it has been previously. However, even with
these complaints, I found some things to like, including the appealing notion of
Snake-Eyes and Scarlett trying a prison break or the focus on computer
anti-terrorism as much as guns and fists. It's just that the book felt a little
crowded.
Blaylock is definitely playing up the nostalgic appeal of G.I. Joe,
portraying Cobra and the Joes as a sort of legendary organization. The opening
in the school, where we see that these two teams have become an important part
of history lessons, was a nice touch, and the reaction of a pair of gang-bangers
to Zartan and his daughter gives an indication of the reputation that the
Dreadnoks have among the criminal world.
I'm also enjoying the changes
that have been made to the team, acknowledging that time has passed and keeping
the characters fresh. The revelations about Destro this issue make him a very
intriguing character, and I really enjoy the tension between Scarlett and
Snake-Eyes or the hints that Hawk has a more C.I.A./Black Ops edge to him at
this point.
However, it does seem at
times that Blaylock is trying too hard for the shock of the new. The drama
between Scarlett and Snake-Eyes is a little over-the-top, particularly when you
look at Scarlett's dialogue, and there's a sense that everyone has secrets,
which is pushing the original secretive edge of some characters too far. While
the reveal about Destro was fine, right now we're in the dark regarding Billy,
Snake-Eyes, Cobra Commander, Hawk and several other characters and elements of
their backstory. Not that there's really room to go into those mysterious pasts,
as we've been introduced to a stunning array of new and old characters, all
while trying to develop a new terrorist plot by Cobra.
Also, for an action-oriented
comic, the artwork is frustratingly hard to read. The trap for the Joes is next
to impossible to figure out until later in the issue when it is explained in
dialogue, and the breakout by Snake Eyes and Scarlett is somewhat dull because
of the focus on close-ups and not enough feelings of motion in the artwork.
There are some great art moments, not least of which are the looming helicopter
over fleeing Dreadnoks or Destro's speech to the man who inspired him, but in
general the artwork this issue looked a bit too busy in places and too stiff in
others.
I'm still onboard for G.I. Joe, and still plenty excited about the current
team and their work on the title, but this issue felt like a bit of a misstep
after the enjoyable first two issues.
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