jamarmiller's thoughts on IDW's GI JOE#0

[jamarmiller]

Jamarmiller comments on GI JOE #0


So I got the book courtesy of Chris Ryall. And I’m going to post my thoughts. Before I begin I just want to say a big thank you to Chris Ryall and IDW for allowing a place to visit and post good or bad, for or against, and for sending me the book.

As businessmen they have gained my respect, and they seem to be reading the same business books that I am reading. This is to say They have done what I always do with my critics and I for one have appreciated them for it and their interaction. So, for what its worth, Coming from a president of a Financial services company now residing in Japan and going to Chris Ryall and the guys at IDW ( the 3rd largest company book company now! Way to go IDW) a big thank you, you have earned my respect. So with that said let me share my thoughts………………………

If you are a comic book reader, then this book is one you cannot pass up. I honestly don’t know how any comic book reader / fan could pass up on this book and its upcoming 3 titles that these 3 stories will be continued in. For a comic book, for a military book it’s awesome.

Like I have been saying and posting on several boards since IDW announced the creative teams, they have assembled the very best people to work on these books. If there was a GI JOE heaven these guys would be the ones doing the book there. Seriously this is the dream team of creators for a GI JOE comic. IDW puts out quality stuff and they put out a lot of it. All 3 stories were very good in my opinion. Larry’s back and at his best, Chuck Dixon’s (whoever he is ---see my later comments) story is very interesting , modern and captivating as well and the Chuckles story looks fun. The art is amazing, with R. Atkins being my favorite. So I simply cannot say enough good words about the people, the company, the story, and the production of this book. Ryall has always been great to interact with the fans (even sent me some copies to review –a big thank you Mr. Ryall) even with his critics, which speaks volumes about the person and the businessman.



The only thing that I can say that isn’t in favor of all of this is, it’s not in continuity and it’s a whole new one. And again that is not to say this isn’t a dam good story. What I liked A LOT is that The Duke story (so far) as well as the Chuckles story could very easily fit in with the old continuity (almost or with a slight tweak or two ) if you really wanted it to, and as long as that happens then I would most definitely be into those issues and stories.

The covers are back to being that harder page / cover stock which is nice and the interior pages have this great feel and gloss look to them. So just the overall feel of the book in your hands is super nice, it is the typical HIGH CLASS materials that you can expect out of any IDW books. ( which should be no surprise )


But let me just think out loud (or write it LOL) for a brief LAST TIME moment a once and for all time kind of thing:

Let me first put it this way; The new toys that Hasbro is doing are amazing, they are definitely better than the ones that I used to have. I look at them and I say wow those are pretty dam cool hell there better than what I had, but I’m 32, and I’m not a toy collector and so I don’t buy the toys. HOWEVER with that said, I do pick up the ones that I always wanted as a kid but never was able to get, for example Satan, Ninja-ku and Glenda, Those are the only 3 I have picked up ( I will pick up wraith too though ). I only pick those up because they hold a sentimental value to me; I always wanted them when I was younger.

This is very much the same with the comic book, Notice how I started this review/ comment piece. IF YOU’RE A COMIC BOOK READER. Whether it’s a big or small group, there is a group of people out there that don’t consider themselves comic book readers and have only read the GI JOE comic because it was a story that we read when we were kids, a story that was a direct continuation of the one we grew up with. To further illustrate this point, and In NO disrespect to the Chuck Dixon. but I don’t know Chuck Dixon from Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum and that’s because I’m not a comic book reader. ( from the short story in this issue , he looks like a capable and professional writer one who seems great for the book and franchise so again NO OFFENSE whatsoever)
I ( we ) read the book saying hey if I read 175 some issues when I was a kid and its continuing I cant stop I have to continue reading and see what happens to my childhood heroes. With a new reboot, that story is done. So the emotional tie to the book has been cut and now you’re asking a 32 year old Business man who isn’t a comic book reader to start reading a comic book based on a toy instead of asking someone who read a story that they have been reading for 20 some years.

Now with that in mind I had to smile at the last page of this book when I read it . The creative teams mission file , I felt, was written at times straight about/for me ( which is wasn’t but you get my point) ( this is a good thing )

Just thinking out loud some more though, I loved the fact that we had 300 some characters to choose and pick from to use, it was a big big universe that was begging for several books to be done, now with a small group and limited characters its suddenly a very very small place one that says hey a few books is definitely ENOUGH and maybe too much. I find having to RE-INTRODUCE EVERYONE all over again is completely boring, it’s a good chance we will most likely never see the likes of Barrel Roll Black out and Bomb strike at least for some time and that’s just depressing. For me it was great fun to see my favorite characters like Storm Shadow and Duke interacting with these new characters.

NOW NONE Of these things are a slight against IDW in anyway, and I’m just thinking out loud here if you will. Bottom line is if I was given the mandate from Hasbro to REBOOT or have it go to another company then I couldn’t have thought of a better way to get it done than what IDW has done. So in that aspect I really have to give IDW Kudos on that.

I can’t say I’m jumping up and down in joy for a reboot nor am I’m saying I am definitely in for the long haul but I will definitely buy the 1st TPBs of these first 3 stories/ series because I owe Ryall and the IDW gang at least that since they were cool enough to send me the copies. I will also say that I will be looking very very hard at these books to find a reason to really care and read this book EVERY MONTH like I have for the last 20 some years. Trust me I am HOPING to find a reason . I think the moment a character that I have always wanted to see shows up ( SKAR , IRON KLAW, THE RED SHADOWS OR ANY OTHER FOREIGN CHARACTER ) and gets some serious screen time Ill probably be in completely but its going to have to take something like that to re-establish that emotional tie for me personally. I keep hoping this new villain that Larry says in the interview part he had to think up and create to be badder than, and to be one up on, Destro and Cobra Commander, is going to turn out to be THE RED SHADOWS OWN BARON IRON BLOOD of IRON KLAW OF SKAR. Ill be super disappointed if we have a brand new villain and group introduced when they could have minded the GI JOE universe first. So well see on that front.

Anyways who knows after I buy those 3 TPBs maybe Ill be hooked ( I'm actually hoping I will be)

In the end I also have two choices that I have to consider :
1. I can say “nope I wont read and buy this book” and be partly at fault for why IDW doesn’t do 10 books a month . OR-------------------
2. I can help support this book by buying it. I can look at all the FREAKING AWESOME THINGS about this book and what this company is doing with the franchise and how cool the people are to interact with. And hope that all those characters ( THE RED SHADOWS and every other foreign character) that I want to see come into the book eventually happen

If I choose number one I can pretty much kiss any chance the stuff I’m looking forward to goodbye If I choose number 2 then at least there is some small hope of it happening (whether it is false hope or not there’s at least some hope.)

Final Words:

Do yourself a favor and check out IDW’s GI JOE, having this book in your hands is going to give you a pretty dam cool feeling. IDW is doing an awesome job with a reboot Mandate from Hasbro, so even if it isn’t what I would prefer I cant say, I cant deny that its not TOP NOTCH stuff. The quality of the book will speak for itself .Pick it up, Especially if you’re a comic book fan, as I simply don’t know how you couldn’t be reading this book and not be hooked. So here’s to seeing the RED SHADOWS and S.K.A.R. get the IDW treatment someday as I really look forward to seeing what they can do with these guys !

Thanks again IDW and Chris Ryall for taking a few more minutes of your already busy schedules to cater to this one fan who hasn’t been overjoyed exactly with things and who is probably insignificant to the grand scheme of things, you have proven your dedication to the fans by this simple act.

to everyone else
YO JOE

[Red Laser]

Chuck Dixon wrote Punisher for Marvel and I think he wrote Batman during Knightfall in the early '90's for DC he is a very good writer.

[The Baron]

He also does good off-the-wall stuff too, one of my favourite comics was his Law Dog for Epic.

[Flint]

Hmmm... I am confused as one of the main GI Joe cartoon writers was Chuck "Buzz" Dixon... is this the same Chuck "Buzz" Dixon ? Or are there actually 2 of them running around out there in the GI Joe mythos now ?

I think they look good. I was not aware that the reboot was a MANDATE from Hasbro (to use the Baron's terminology here) SWINE !
I can see the point to the reboot... as otherwise the story would have to take place in the past seeing how alot of the Joes are Vietnam veterans and we would be seeing them driving around in jeeps and not Humvees. However I would love another offshoot of GI Joe that takes place in the 80's before the wall came down...

The 2 previews I've seen... I'm looking forward to the one where they are boarding the freighter.
The other one is just going to clash with our previous knowledge of the Joes, and though it could be very good it will be harder to get into and remember what was which continuity.

Of course for new fans which I believe is the point to all this is taht they can jump on from the start and not need to know General Flagg was killed by Major Bludd back in 1983 etc.

I will be buying all 3 and I would love it if they brought in the Shads somehow, but sadly I think it will be something entirely new...

[jamarmiller]

I think if we all made our voices heard and we were loud enough we would see the RED SHADOWS again

[Crimson Rage]

I think DDP missed a HUGE opportunity when they lost Joe.
Their "Corps" comic seems okay judging by the preview, but wouldn't it have made more sense to do an 'AF vs Red Shadow' book using pre-Hasbro characters?
Joe fans would be interested, we'd all get it and I'm sure it would generate more buzz than a bizarre second fiddle toy line like 'The Corps'.

I guess our characters will never see (official) print ever again.

[jamarmiller]

I think DDP missed a HUGE opportunity when they lost Joe.
Their "Corps" comic seems okay judging by the preview, but wouldn't it have made more sense to do an 'AF vs Red Shadow' book using pre-Hasbro characters?
Joe fans would be interested, we'd all get it and I'm sure it would generate more buzz than a bizarre second fiddle toy line like 'The Corps'.

I guess our characters will never see (official) print ever again.

oh man I couldnt agree with you more

DDP lost a BIG opportunity

they could have gotten Action Man and done something with that even, Have Action Man go up against the RED SHADOWS or something . But ya 100 in agreement with you

[Red Laser]

Try IDW still they are going to be re-printing earlier stories it hasn't been said it's Marvel's run. I may just stick with our re-coloured strips and trying to finish my Marvel run I doubt I will ever get issue 155 though.

[Red Laser]

I did see issue #0 on E-bay today but then saw 25th anniversary figures of Firefly and Spirit and issue 104 of Marvel's run so bought them instead.

[Crimson Rage]

Now I've read it, I'm afraid some of my misgivings have been reinforced by this preview issue. The main Joe story came over as a muddy mess, the 'origins' tale presented us with DUKE being co-erced into Joe by HAWK, who was shown as a nasty piece of work playing psycological tricks on him, and the COBRA story played out in a very cliched manner.

All three felt like RELOADED, a title I loathed because there wasn't a single likeable character amongst the 'good guys'. If IDW keep this up I'm gone.