My only regret about the following article is that Monte didn’t write it for me. 😀
In all seriousness, ever since G.I. Joe: Renegades appeared comparisons have been rampant (unfair as they might be) between Resolute and Renegades. Which was better? Really thinking about it, the comparisons are ridiculous, considering they were both designed for completely different purposes and entirely separate audiences…how can an episodic animated series written for 7 – 10 year olds be realistically compared to a high-octane 60 minute superficial feature designed to resonate with the violent tendencies of 30-something year old fanboys? Seems like a ludicrous comparison to make, but many folks made it, just the same.
Think about it for a minute…would you expect the syndicated Robocop cartoon to match the visceral brutality of the R-rated film? Of course not. It’s for kids. I think the same can be said of Renegades.
Still, the comparisons are out there, and they will be made endlessly, so I might as well put some focus on one of the better thought out ones I’ve read. Monte Williams, big friend of GeneralsJoes has decided to have his say, and it’s a fantastic one. Eloquent as always, well research and well written, you can check it out on Autobotic Asphyxiation.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that I agree with him. Another nice one, Monte, thanks for sharing.
Hey, thanks for the endorsement, man! Much appreciated. I’ll be posting new content semi-regularly and adding older essays from my stint with PopMatters, too, so keep an eye out!
Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if I accost your readers with some more guest content before long.
Amen. I actually find Resolute hard to watch for multiple viewings. Resolute is a nice toy commercial. Renegades has more characterization than 99% of adult T.V. shows. It, the Cobra comic series, and the Pursuit of Cobra and 30th Ann. toy lines are my three favorite Joe interpretations of all time. The I-Tunes H.D. version of Renegades is well worth purchasing and re-watching. Really the best take on Jinx and Stormy as well.
I agree. I bought the DVD of Resolute and rewatched it — and it did not hold up nearly as well on repeat viewing.
First off let me say that is a fantastic article. I liked it so much I actually re-read it. I pretty much agree with everything you say in it. Resolute is the hardcore version of Joe that we always wanted. It is a rollercoaster ride of adrenaline that just gets a little old after awhile. It is so hardcore all the time that there isn’t a pause. Like you said, the trailer pretty much summed up the entire series in 90 seconds. I also agree that the characters are trying so hard to be bad asses that it just starts to get old. Resolute simply put is a adult version of the Sunbow toon and Marvel comic. It is awesome but it didn’t really add a lot to the Joe universe. Renegades on the other hand is brilliant. It’s a fresh look at Gi Joe that reinvegorates even characters that are stale. I like Duke but so far his character has been pretty one dimensional. This is not the case with Renegades Duke. This is one of the big reasons why I don’t understand why they are putting that character on the back burner. They just produced the best Duke figure and character to date and he is getting shelved. SE is THE most over exposed character in the Joe verse and the movie is going to be about him. I never saw that one coming but I digress. Much of the dialogue is great and everytime Trat opens his mouth I laugh. I strongly believe that Renegades is one of the most underrated series of all time. Lastly, I also agree with the common A-Team gripe about Renegades. Some people just don’t like a small group of Joes running from the authorities. These are the same people who hail Retaliation which is about a small group of joes running from the authorities.
One final thought about Renegades. I think the handling of Cobra was fantastic. In this day of satellites and Google maps it seems unlikely you could have a terrorist organization with hundreds of Rattlers and HISS tanks. I know drawing comparisons to reality and Gi Joe seems silly but I find it incredibly believable you could have a “Walmart” mega corporation with ulterior motives. I joke to my wife that there is a Walmart in every town so Wally could take over at any time. Walmart’s profits dwarf many countires GDP. It is also believable that a giant corporation with high tech and bio tech interests would have a police force to “protect” their propriatery technology. With that much money behind them they could buy political will to cover up any breaches of security and quitely slither into the White House. In Gi Joe Special Missions #1 it was remarked that the best missions are the ones where you don’t have to fire a shot. I find the Renegades universe thoroughly enjoyable and believable. I think I may have saw a Bio Viper the other day. Ha! Now I’m jazzed up and want to watch some more Renegades.
I agree!
Only one issue I have with an otherwise very well-written article and that is that it’s not really a fair comparison. Resolute was a barely 60 minute TV special with a rushed ending. Renegades was a 26 episode animated series that ran on a cable network. As such, Renegades had a LOT more time for character development– including the moment that Monte cited which wasn’t until episode 11.
Resolute had a lot to cram into it’s running time– a whole cast of characters and an entire plot that had to be resolved as no sequel was forthcoming.
Now, I’m not proclaiming the quality of one OVER another (as a matter of fact I’m a big fan of both) but it’s not quite an “apples to apples” comparison. Resolute would compare better to releases such as “Valor vs. Venom” or even “SpyTroops: The Movie” whereas Renegades would align more closely with Sigma 6 and the Sunbow and DiC Series.
That being said– Tunnel Rat ruled in BOTH Renegades and Resolute.
Also, I can’t help but feel that Resolute set the tone– at least stylistically– for Renegades.
Well, thanks for the articles and thoughts, and I just can say that I prefer Resolute for two simple reasons: I love the Cobras (and need to see their final fates), and I´m strongly attached to the Sunbow universe (the good vs. evil/ army vs. army deals meets my expectations for GIJoe). It´s a matter of taste, personal affairs, folks!
But I had to agree that Renegades is much more 21st century, digital, teen, an actual revision of the myth!