by generalsjoes | Dec 8, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, IDW
Yesterday was a somewhat rough day for reviews… with the Pursuit of Cobra Storm Shadow, I was pretty disappointed in the entire package. I thought maybe diving into Hama’s normally fun Real American Hero series might end the day on a high note. Unfortunately, I felt pretty underwhelmed about Issue #160 of that series as well.
Not willing to accept defeat that easily, I decided to jump right into Issue #161 of the Real American Hero title, as I was pretty impressed by what I saw in the 5-page preview. You know what? I’m really glad that I did. The last issue left a bad taste in my mouth, but the series redeemed itself in a very big way with issue #161, and I hope this is the start of a new trend and not simply an exception to the rule.
You can read the entire spoiler-rich review by clicking the Read the Rest of this Entry link below.
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by generalsjoes | Dec 7, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
Yes, I know Issue #161 hits comic shops tomorrow…that ones coming, too, I promise.
I figured I should play catch up a bit at least first.
The frenetic, crazed continuation of the original Marvel G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero title rushes on, full speed ahead, and shows no sign of letting up, for better or worse. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride getting to this point, but as we appear to sort of wrap up this first “arc”, I find myself growing just a bit tired of “business as usual” in this particular title.
To read the full review (spoilers included) click the Read the rest of this entry link below.
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by generalsjoes | Nov 26, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
Okay, I’ll admit, I’m as fired up about new concepts in G.I. Joe as the next guy, but initially I was not sure exactly what to think about this idea. I’ve never really been enamored with the whole Manga concept, though I do know it has its share of fans. Devils’ Due actually tried this experiment as well with the Arashikage Showdown trade paperback when they had the license, and that particular issue didn’t really resonate with me.
Is Future Noir any more successful? Click the “Read the Rest of this Entry” link below to see my opinions.
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by generalsjoes | Nov 26, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
While I’ve fallen behind on some of the comics, I try to keep up to date on the G.I. Joe: Cobra title. Far and away my favorite Joe themed series, I’m constantly amazed by simply how intelligent the writing is. Mike Costa and Christos Gage manage to really delve into the idea of a shadowy terrorist organization like Cobra and really try to rationalize the concept and have it make sense. In the old school days, Hama just sort of accepted some things and expected the readers to do the same. Nothing wrong with that idea in the least, but I really like that this new generation of Cobra is trying to exist within a realistic world and the writing team is trying to breathe life and idealism into Cobra as a whole.
Issue #10 was refreshing. I had no major issues with the last story arc in this series, but it’s like spending the weekend at your best friend’s house when you were a kid. During that weekend, life was different, yet still fun, with some adventures. But then you get back home and go back to your own bed, and suddenly, everything just falls into place. The weekend was fun, sure, but there’s nothing like home, and getting thrust back into the Chuckles and Cobra Commander arc was like coming back home.
Click the “Read the Rest of the Story” link below to see the full review.
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by generalsjoes | Nov 26, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
So it’s the day after Thanksgiving, and while many folks are braving the crowds for “Black Friday” shopping, I’m taking some time to gather the last few releases of IDW comic books and trying to play “catch up” on some reviews. I was surprised to find that I was actually a couple of months behind on some of these. How does that happen?
In recent months, I’ve been pretty hard on the main IDW G.I. Joe title, simply because I try and hold it to a higher standard. While G.I. Joe: Cobra, G.I. Joe: Origins, and even stuff like Hearts & Minds should all be considered fringe titles, the main run is the run that should continue to breath life into this new G.I. Joe mythology, and while there was a really good stretch going there for a bit, it’s starting dragging just a bit again.
Well, I may be one of the only ones, but I was really looking forward to seeing what IDW was going to do with Agent Helix…and they finally introduced her in the main title in issue #23. However, based on the 5-page preview I posted, I was immediately hesitant to buy in, simply because it was evident she was being designed as a new “super power”, even in her first appearance. We’ve spent thirty years establishing what a bad ass Snake Eyes is, and here comes Helix in her first mainstream appearance, and she hands him his ass? Well, I’m hesitant to base a character and an issue on only five pages, so I will review issue #23 and #24 below. Click the “read the rest of the story” link below to check out these reviews, but be warned, spoilers will be evident.
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by generalsjoes | Nov 11, 2010 | Comics and Cartoons, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Comic Reviews, G.I. Joe Comics, G.I. Joe Reviews, IDW
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been enthusiastically following the G.I. Joe: Cobra ongoing series, even as it deviates from the more standard Cobra coverage and goes into the Coil’s more “cult like” tendencies. I really enjoy this dynamic between the underground almost supernatural cult angle and the polished brick & mortar corporate structure, and somehow make them all mesh together in a seamless way.
I’m not sure they quite pulled it off by the end of this arc, but they did tell a pretty interesting tale. I’ll be honest, though, I’m ready to move along and see what Chuckles has in store for us starting again with issue #10.
To avoid spoilers, I will continue the review after the jump.
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