Issue #6 for the much maligned main title of IDW’s G.I. Joe arrived on Wednesday, with some promises from Chuck Dixon that things would ramp up and get a bit more involved. Well, I’m happy to say that Chuck was right…let’s see if other sites agree:
My thoughts are below, after the jump…spoilers contained!
My thoughts? A definite improvement. We get some nice face time with General Hawk and Dial Tone (which seems to mimic the similar relationship between Hawk and Cover Girl in the film) and some very basic back story on Snake Eyes. Well, it’s a lack of back story, but we learn that he’s dark and mysterious, and that, at this point, he’s technically not on the G.I. Joe team. There is some reference to an operation that put him over the edge, and a relationship that he has with Scarlett.
Snake Eyes jet ski’s through the open seas, going after the same Greek arms dealer that we’ve seen since Issue #1, and meets up with Destro there, testing out his new MASS technology. And yes, MASS is just what you think, going by past Sunbow history, however, I really like how they portray it in the IDW book. Destro and Snake Eyes have a very cool firearm face off before the Scottish armsman makes a quick escape, but with drastic consequences.
Personally? I kind of like this new twist on Destro. I can empathize with folks who find it a bit cliche, but personally, I dig it. Not just his metal mask, but his layered armor all over his body as well. It kind of gives him a new twist and new energy, which I really dig. Really, what was his motivation in the old days? Just money? Here, he has some serious life-threatening reasons to do what he does and to perfect his technology. I really like this.
All in all, this sixth issue did a great job building on the very slow-paced previous five issues. It wraps some stuff up nicely, gives us some action, some back story, and was a really fun read. A nice change of pace. Check out some images from the latest issue below.
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I might be in the minority, but I’ve enjoyed this series from the beginning. I kind of like the slow build, it makes Cobra a much more ominous presence and I feel it will give the Commander’s eventual first appearance that much more of an impact. Plus, the battle with Destro’s bots seems like a cool nod to issue 3 of the original series. I love Snake Eyes operating rogue initially, can’t wait to see where that leads (sounds like trouble for Scarlett). The dynamic between Destro and the Baroness is also really enjoyable. And how sweet is it that the MASS device is in the comic. Granted, I’m a sucker for anything Joe related, but I feel this series has been pretty good thus far. Also, this blog is excellent.
The new Destro reminds me of the ill-advised changes to Dr. Doom in the FF movies and the Ultimate Universe. Change for the sake of change is never good. Seems rather haphazard of Destro to test his device on himself the way he did. And how convenient that he had that device for just such a problem to save himself. That’s lazy writing. Dixon is better than that.
Personally, I feel the other 2 Joe books are far superior to this one. It’s the “core” book. It should step up its game and quick.
Dixon’s best of the 6. And hardly “convenient” that he had a device waiting to save him, that’s just good planning. No scientist goes straight to the full-scale experiment (Doc Brown from “Back to the Future” not withstanding), so they in all likelihood knew what the problem would be, if there was one.
And heaven forbid Dixon do something different, when he’d already been critisized for revisiting old ideas.
I liked issue 1. 2-5 were “meh” individually, but this was great. In my opinion, at least, but to each their own.