Turns out the new creative team and new launch of the main G.I. Joe title isn’t the only big shift in 2013…thanks to skinny on Twitter and ComicsBeat.com we have some more intel about the G.I. Joe run of books from IDW next year.
Details straight from Comics Beat are as follows:
“Starting in February, GI Joe will be relaunched, with:
– GI Joe by Fred van Lenten and Steve Kirghiz
– Secret Missions by Chuck Dixon and Paul Gulacy (March)
– The Cobra Files by Mike Costa and Antonio Fuso (April)Fred van Lente said his book would focus on a core team, including Duke, Cover Girl, Roadblock, Shipwreck, and Tunnel Rat, and that the Joe-Cobra war would be “very public” and “pretty hardcore.” Van Lente and Comic Book History of Comics collaborator Ryan Dunlavey will be doing GI Joe History variant covers.”
So by the looks of it, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are going away, making room for a somewhat more all encompassing “Secret Missions” which Chuck Dixon will continue to write. Cobra is morphing into “The Cobra Files”, but with the same creative team, I fully expect the greatness there to continue.
Just to satisfy anyone’s fears about a reboot, too, I contacted the new writer of G.I. Joe, Fred Van Lente, and was assured by him that G.I. Joe is not rebooting:
EDIT– According to Bleeding Cool, the title is “Special Missions” for the second G.I. Joe book. That one seems more likely (as an homage to the classic Marvel series).
Sounds like a good mix of books! I can get behind Dixon on self-contained action stories and I’m really pleased that Costa’s staying with the books. van Lente’s an interesting choice for the Joe book – I’m very interested to see where he takes it.
Thanks for getting this out to us, Justin!
What happened to IDW’s announcement earlier this year about not renumbering all the books? I know its nit-picky but they seem to be going back on what they announced previously. I’m fine with new creative teams and directions for the books but restarting the numbering isn’t necessary in my opinion. Seems like IDW is just trying to jump on the DC New 52/Marvel NOW bandwagon.
I’m not dropping the books (unless they totally suck) but I just wish IDW would just get their gameplan straight.
Can’t really blame them. I hate it myself but re-numbering is ALWAYS good for sales.
Did the Larry Hama-penned ARAH continuation series end already? If so I guess I missed that news.
Nah, I’m sure that wasn’t mentioned because it’s in a different universe than the other IDW Joe comics. Plus here’s hoping that’s where Atkins went, cause otherwise we just got royally screwed!
ARAH isn’t going anywhere. Larry Hama said he’s working on issue #187 now and nobody has told him his series is ending. That’s a good thing as it’s the only Joe comic from IDW worth reading.
And Robert Atkins is going to be doing so work for Marvel for the next little while.
Cool, thanks for the replies.
Aw. A return of Special Missions as a title would have been great. I still contend they were some of the best Joe stories of the Marvel run.