Into the Pit: G.I. Joe's 'Special Missions' #3 and 'Real American Hero' #190 Reviewed

Tyler Mager has written for CollegeMovieReview.com and the Scorecard Review and is a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and covers IDW's Joe comics right here in his regular feature "Into the Pit."

G.I. Joe: Special Missions #3 Review

After a ridiculously distracting previous issue, Chuck Dixon's Special Missions title is on the hot seat.  The continued focus on the underwater adventures of Scarlett and Mainframe is an odd choice considering the relatively interesting power struggle happening on the surface.  A three way battle is brewing between Baroness' mercenary force, the Joes and a scheming Serpentor representing Cobra.  So far, much of the story has been a slow build toward this huge moment that could potentially serve as a multi-issue spanning sea battle.  If Dixon can pull it off, maybe some of this unnecessary wheel-spinning will have been worth it, plot-wise.

Variant cover to G.I. Joe Special Missions #3. Hasbro/IDW.​

It's sort of amazing how little the Joes have had to do so far in this title.  Sharks have been the biggest obstacle and that threat is smartly taken care of rather quickly in order to get Scarlett and Mainframe back up to the surface.  But wait, now they have to take time to decompress because they were too deep for too long.  Instead of seeing the Joes prepare for the coming action we get to see Scarlett giving orders through a headset while Mainframe chugs a soda. Why are the Joes so boring?  Dixon is typically good for at least a few solid action set pieces each issue but he really appears to be dropping the ball here.

While there isn't much in the way of action, there's lots of movement on the bad guy front with Baroness further asserting her control of the situation by quelling a potential mutiny from her mercs.  Watch out for this in the coming issues, I have a feeling instead of a triple-threat match for the dough, we might end up seeing a fatal four-way.  Speaking of threats, Serpentor finally figures out the Baroness' location through some scheming of his own and sends a team of his best soldiers to intercept the salvage ship.  I'm still not quite sure what Cobra's true play is in this besides just salvage recovery.  Before, Serpentor appeared to have some sort of score to settle with the Baroness, but now with the brief appearance of the Cobra Commander everything seems to be about the money.

Since the beginning, I haven't been a fan of Gulacy's art on Special Missions.  It's wildly inconsistent with the bigger scenes and action being fairly well put together but it's his faces that take me out of the story every single time.  They feel rushed and lazy with very little detail and an unfortunate reliance on shadows that make some of the dialogue scenes rougher than they need to be. If Dixon can deliver on the big action that's being hinted here, the tide could turn on whether this is a Joe title worth getting month to month.  It's hard to recommend Special Missions right now, considering the new Cobra Files title is great and Van Lente's main title gets better with each issue. 

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #190 Review

The locale-jumping of A Real American Hero continues with a new issue focusing on a different set of Joes in what looks to be the jungles of Southeast Asia.  Team leader Chuckles is joined by Jinx, Lady Jaye, and Lowlight in an effort to stop Major Bludd along with a local warlord named Generalissimo Tep from killing innocent village dwelling civilians.  It's the same plot from countless action movies and even features the damsel in distress, in this case Lady Jaye.  I'll give it to writer Larry Hama, he certainly is sticking to his old school schtick right down to the clichéd plot and dialogue.  Unfortunately it doesn't make for an interesting story with each beat even more predictable than the last.

​Cover to G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #190. Hasbro/IDW.

With the previous issues, Hama has been able to coast on well-executed action scenes that move everything forward at a good pace.  Here it feels like chore going from panel-to-panel seeing boring characters spout hammy dialogue without much investment in anything that's going on.  We're sort of just thrown into the conflict without much context so when the Generalissimo starts going over the top with the razing of the village, you can't help but laugh and wonder just why in the hell any of this is happening.  Why is Lady Jaye so attached to this village that she'd be willing to risk her life to save it?  What's the bigger picture for the Generalissimo and why is Major Bludd so interested in helping him? Why is Chuckles wearing a ridiculous Hawaiian shirt? These are important questions!

Look, I'm all for a cheesy, old school action romp in the jungle fighting over the top warlords while saying hilariously campy lines like “To hell with the Pentagon, Generalissimo Tep just wrote his own firing order.” but you have to at least give us something interesting to have fun with.  Everything feels like it's on autopilot and Hama let a computer program to write the story.  Throw in a curveball, give us a great action scene, or focus on one character and their relationship to the events taking place.  Stereotypical jungle villagers, lame action and the promise of a better follow up issue just isn't enough.

Hopefully Hama can get back the spark that made the last few issues entertaining despite the problems.  The mini-arcs are doing their job of providing a fast paced, fun ride for readers that allow timely jumping on points to happen every few issues but please give the loyal readers a little more to grab ahold of.  For now I'll have to be content with the two titles that I actually give a damn about and hope better material is on the way.

Both Special Missions and A Real American Hero continue to be the weak links in the G.I. Joe chain of titles.  Veteran writers Chuck Dixon and Larry Hama have to step up their game and deliver something of interest in the coming weeks.  The level of quality here has been disappointing month to month considering the talents of all involved.  It's time to step up fellas and start producing the material that Joe fans deserve.

Into the Pit: 'G.I. Joe Special Missions' #2 Disappoints with Undersea Romance

Tyler Mager has written for CollegeMovieReview.com and the Scorecard Review and is a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and covers IDW's Joe comics right here in his regular feature "Into the Pit."

Chuck Dixon's new G.I. Joe Special Missions series started strong with a first issue showing a scheming Baroness hellbent on retrieving sunken COBRA treasure and a covert team lead by Scarlett eager to get there first. Throw in some Serpentor-meddling and you've got an intriguing story ripe with promise as both a stand-alone series and a sister series to the main G.I. Joe series. The second issue slams on the brakes, effectively ruining any sort of momentum the first issue had by focusing on an out-of-nowhere romance between Mainframe and Scarlett. Dixon's knack for writing believable banter between the Joes is still solid, and Gulacy's art appears to be a little more complete this time around but the complete disregard for interesting plot development in favor of unrelated, silly situations makes issue #2 a wasted opportunity.

Apparently Special Missions isn't quite the fresh start I had hoped for, since the romance between Mainframe and Scarlett isn't even hinted at by the time Mainframe puts on the moves, deep underwater in a flooded container. Some sort of recap or reminder would have been nice, as is it feels completely out of place and random to new readers. The two of them going on the dive mission to investigate the wreckage doesn't make a whole lot of sense to begin with seeing as water-based Joes Torpedo and Deep Six are available. With Scarlett worried about being found out, Mainframe reveals himself as a horndog only interested in getting laid, despite the precarious situation. It all builds to a laughable cliffhanger where the couple is surrounded by Baroness's crew and a group of hungry sharks. Really? Sharks? It's a odd choice that basically zaps any excitement created in the first issue.

Serpentor's search for the Baroness continues with the first of what seems to be a series of sabotages putting him one step closer to finding her. Baroness has secured oceanic resources by kidnapping the children of a wealthy ship owner, Serpentor offers to rescue the children in exchange for information on the devious Baroness. The rescue mission is really the only bit of exhilarating action in the issue. It's well-drawn and somewhat surprising, with a series of quick twists that shows that most plans don't go off without a hitch.

Overall, the title still feels rushed with Gulacy's art being wildly inconsistent from beginning to end. His art is better than the first issue but still a long ways off from where it should be. The plot needs to kick back into high gear and abandon the romance under the sea subplot. The set up of an impending collision between the Joes, Baroness' mercenaries, and Serpentor is a neat idea that could provide some incredible entertainment and action, but Dixon shouldn't get distracted by silly subplots with no bearing on the main narrative. G.I. Joe: Special Missions #2 is a disappointing continuation of a promising title, hurt by distracting subplots and seemingly rushed art. It's much too early to give up on Special Missions entirely but this is one issue you shouldn't worry about missing.

Into the Pit: 'G.I. Joe' #2 and 'Special Missions' #1 Reviewed

Tyler Mager has written for CollegeMovieReview.com and the Scorecard Review and is a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and covers IDW's Joe comics right here in his regular feature "Into the Pit."

G.I. Joe #2

I was left wondering if the newly relaunched G.I. Joe series from writer Fred Van Lente could deliver the goods after a surprisingly solid first issue that hinted at more sociopolitical and satirical undertones than the more light hearted identity overhaul seemed to initially suggest. The Joes are in dire straits with Cobra not just invading the United States but spreading chaos and influence by turning entire cities against the government. Even though G.I. Joe #2 does little to move the plot along, a chilling opening and some good character development make for an interesting continuation of a story with great potential.

​Cover to G.I. Joe #2. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

Duke is still being interrogated by the Baroness, whose intentions become a little more clear with gruesome guest appearances from fellow Cobra staples such as Firefly and Croc Master. Meanwhile, Cover Girl, Doc, and the embedded journalist - unfortunately code named Hashtag - are trapped in a building while Roadblock and his unit are still trying to save the “girls” and the recently wounded Shipwreck. Although there are a few key character moments, Van Lente does very little to actually move the story forward in a meaningful way. What works is very promising but what doesn't, fails pretty hard.

Looks like the out of place pop culture references are here to stay as we see the ruthless Baroness tell a “Gangnam Style” joke while rookie member Hashtag gives away the Joes location via checking in on Facebook. It's possible that these references are supposed to be ridiculous but they mostly just come across as lazy, practically yelling at the reader, “We need to rope in the younger crowd!” and “See! We're hip!” It's unfortunate too, since many of these moments undermine otherwise interesting scenes, particularly with Hashtag. She's a terrible character, a representation of nearly everything wrong with the current generation. She blows their cover, complains, and continuously proves to be worthless in the field. That is, until Van Lente pulls a fast one and forces Hashtag to face the harsh, violent reality she's stuck in. The situation feels forced and rushed but I have to admire the willingness to go there.

Cover Girl gets some time to shine by kicking some butt throughout an escape attempt, but I'm worried about Roadblock's constant degradation of the all female group by exclusively referring to them as “the girls." Because the intention and tone of the title is so unclear, it's hard to take what is happening seriously unless it's supposed to be some sort of subversive satire. It's a tough call when COBRA is cleverly turning the country against itself while making tired pop culture jokes at the same time. I love that there's a chance that this era of Joe might deal with more sociopolitical issues while still being entertaining but the tone needs to be nailed down before I'm completely sold. Despite my grievances and a lack of narrative momentum, G.I. Joe still has just enough going on to keep me interested.

G.I. Joe: Special Missions #1

Variant cover to G.I. Joe Special Missions #1, art by Paul Gulacy. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.​

After an excellent run focused on Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, longtime Joe writer Chuck Dixon is back with a sister title to Fred Ven Lente's main series. The idea is that after being publicly outed in G.I. Joe, there still needs to be a team that does the dirty covert missions that no one else wants to do. G.I. Joe: Special Missions follows Scarlett and a team of Joes trying to prevent former COBRA operative Baroness from retrieving a large cache of sunken COBRA valuables. In addition to highlighting these covert missions, we're likely going to see how Baroness gets back into COBRA's good graces, eventually leading into Van Lente's main series.

The first issue wastes no time getting right into setting up a huge showdown between Baroness's mercenaries and Scarlett's team. Dixon wisely keeps a majority of the focus on the plot, with most of the action taking place in an unconnected Libya mission that, while exciting, feels tacked on simply to accommodate fans of this Joe team. Although the two stories might fit together through various plot threads, Dixon clearly has a better handle on the more militaristic sensibilities of the title with banter better suited to the situation and style of the franchise, whereas Van Lente is actively trying to force the series toward a more super-heroic route. That's not to say one way is better than the other but instead it spotlights the major differences between the two titles. I won't be surprised if fans end up declaring their allegiances between the two books simply because they both feel so different.

The art from Paul Gulacy is serviceable but feels rushed with faces that end up looking like disjointed robots at times. He's at his best with action sequences set at a wider angle when more focus can be placed on the environment. It's absolutely gorgeous while still being easy to follow from moment to moment. Special Missions is a fairly decent companion piece to the main series with plenty of espionage and action to satisfy old school fans but new readers might find themselves a little lost by being thrown into ongoing plot threads with no real context to go off of. I'd prefer a bit more time devoted to more consistent art but Dixon's plot has me intrigued enough to see how everything comes together.

Into the Pit: The Action Picks Up in 'G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero' #188

Tyler Mager is a writer for CollegeMovieReview.com and a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and will cover IDW's Joe comics in his regular feature "Into the Pit." This week he's looking at IDW's latest issue of the G.I. Joe throwback book A Real American Hero..

After a fairly chaotic but successful rescue mission in Benzheen, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #188 sweeps us right into yet another action-heavy issue.  This time we see a more recognizable cast of characters take on a hijacked freighter filled to the brim with pirates and Red Shadows, a smaller yet still formidable force compared to COBRA.  Larry Hama follows up the sloppy Benzheen action with a stronger, more focused mission that is wisely limited to the constraints of being set at sea.  There's no confusing cross-cutting between action scenes and it's clear at all times exactly what is happening, at least in the short term, from points A to B.  While #188 is certainly a step up from its predecessor, the lack of story context and character development still hobbles an otherwise exciting naval mission.

The plot of the issue is clearly culled from the surprising burst in real-life coastal pirate activity over the past few years.  The situation is more relatable and interesting with real world context, especially since there isn't much to go off of in terms of setup - just something about a Joe acquaintance and the brother of the pirate leader trying to talk him down.  The power struggle between the pirate leader and the Red Shadow leader, Black Major, is far more compelling showing two uncompromising, confident men who have their own goals in addition to being threatened by the Joes.  It's too bad that the good guys aren't given the same kind of attention, most are still defined by how many dudes they shot and bullets they fire instead of meaningful character moments.

​Cover to G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #188, art by S.L. Gallant. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

Having a different squad of Joes, slightly more familiar to audiences, certainly makes up for the fact that aside from clearer, more unique designs Hama literally gives them nothing to do but jump, dodge and fire their way out of sticky situations.  The issue is jam-packed with wall to wall action sequences featuring Scarlett, Gung-ho, Torpedo and Beach Head “infiltrating” the freighter under the cover of darkness. Naturally it doesn't take long for the team to make its presence known through a flurry of gunfire, ninja stars and explosives.  The heavy battle excursions keep the pace brisk, never straying too far from the mayhem. If anything, issue 188 is certainly not boring.

S.L. Gallant's artwork is noticeably better this time around making the battles easy to follow while still adding a slight cinematic feel.  In particular there is a sequence involving a tougher, robotic enemy whose size and durability make for an interesting showdown enhanced by Gallant's choice of framing both individually and on the whole.  I think G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #188 shows definite improvement and with a little patience could become a solid, old school cheese-fest for longtime fans.  At the same time, Hama really needs to find a way to effectively communicate the stakes of the situation at hand through emotionally based character development rather than rely on increasing the spent bullet casings with each new issue.  Pretty soon, I need to be reminded why all of this is happening in the first place and why the Joes do what they do, not just as an organization but as individuals as well.

Into the Pit: IDW Launches an All-New Ongoing With 'G.I. Joe' #1

Tyler Mager is a writer for CollegeMovieReview.com and a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and will cover IDW's Joe comics in his new regular feature "Into the Pit." This week he's looking at IDW's brand-new G.I. Joe relaunch...

It makes sense that IDW would relaunch its G.I. Joe series with the impending release of the newest G.I. Joe live-action film (G.I. Joe Retaliation, 3/29).  The connection is made even more obvious when Roadblock, a lead character played in the new film by wrestler-turned-action-star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is the first Joe we see and subsequently stick with throughout the bulk of the issue.  While it’s definitely too early to tell how much of this is carefully orchestrated timing, or if we’ll see any actual cross-referencing between the two mediums, one thing is clear, this is definitely a different kind of G.I. Joe.

Variant cover to G.I. Joe #1, art by Art Adams. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

A more modern, self-referential tone replaces the classic, gung-ho patriotism almost immediately.  The Joes have been publicly outed and as a result see a change in leadership from Hawk to the original Joe, General Colton.  In response to the government mandated need for a “celebrity soldier,” Colton has ground leader Duke put together a new, hipper team made of the right mix of gender and ethnicity to ensure maximum marketing reach.  This team has twitter profiles, toys, lunchboxes and cool-sounding names designed to appeal to the masses.  All the meta-humor that goes along with this kind of set-up can get a bit grating but I can’t help thinking that just maybe writer Fred Van Lente is onto something a little more deep than your standard breaking-the-fourth-wall, tongue-in-cheek, chuckle grab-bag.

Is there more to the strange stabs at the celebrity culture by linking it to the need for a “heroic celebrity military?”  It’s entirely possible that I’m reading way too much into this way too soon.  Part of me hopes that there’s some sort of justification for naming the imbedded unit blogger/journalist Hashtag and giving her a completely annoying, stereotypical twenty-something personality.  Luckily, the rest of the crew is rounded out with a good mix of classic fan favorites and a few new personalities, each getting a moment or two for a proper introduction.

As a re-introduction, the issue works wonderfully.  It features a simple setup and some decently enjoyable dialogue built around an action set piece that is as smartly conceived as it is executed.  It’s paced beautifully - helped by Steve Kurth’s slick, coherent yet familiar designs. G.I. Joe #1 could have used less meta-humor and more emphasis on teasing future plot threads.  I’m curious to see how this first arc plays out, to see if this series is as smart as I think it could be.  For now, I’m happy with this safe but nevertheless enjoyable warning shot. You have my attention.

Into the Pit: 'G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero' #187 and 'Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow' #21

Tyler Mager is a writer for CollegeMovieReview.com and a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and will cover IDW's Joe comics in his new regular feature "Into the Pit." Take it away, Tyler...

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #187

Starting in the middle of a run always scares me a bit.  I’m a little insane about picking up from the beginning in hopes of not missing a single plot point, surprise or revelation.  Luckily for me (and the readers), veteran G.I. Joe writer Larry Hama makes it crystal clear what’s going on even if it’s through stilted, cliché dialogue that unfortunately spends too much time on exposition and not enough time building character.  With much of the issue’s focus on lesser-known characters from the Joe ranks, this approach helps identify them but we never see any distinguishing characteristics to separate them from the pack. 

Cover to G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #187, art by S.L. Galant. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

The action switches consistently between the Joe's rescue mission, Darklon’s escape and Jinx’s top-secret excursion. At times S.L. Gallant’s art gets a bit chaotic, forcing some weird angles that frame out key moments.  Characters sometimes fall or get injured only to be seemingly fine a few pages later. To add to the confusion, many of these newer (at least to me) troopers look so similar that when Lieutenant Falcon shouts out orders, I can’t tell who’s doing what.

There’s an inherent goofiness that Hama uses to his advantage to get some cheap laughs.  Specifically there’s a ridiculous prison break featuring fake puke that plays like a scene from the 80's cartoon. I actually admire this approach, as it would have been easier to keep it as gritty and modern G.I. Joe, but instead, it almost dares you not to enjoy at least some aspect of it at a nostalgic level.  G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero isn’t my kind of comic, but I appreciate the change in focus by highlighting newer characters, many of whom I never knew existed.  I just wish I had a sense of who any of them are beyond their silly call signs.

Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow #21

The last time Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow squared off, only Storm Shadow emerged from the duel alive. With this final issue, Chuck Dixon has orchestrated an interesting way to end the spin-off series - a completely silent issue that reflects the dedicated nature of the two lead rivals (Editor's note: Sounds like Dixon is paying homage to the classic 1984 Joe story "Silent Interlude!"). Issue 21 is pure visual storytelling with Dixon taking a backseat, instead relying on the excellent skills of Robert Atkins and Atilio Rojo who prove they are more than up for the task.

The story begins in 1632 with ninja clans battling over a sword inscribed with some sort of a snake.  Fast-forward to 2012 where that same sword is found causing some terrorists, Storm Shadow and the Hard Master to collide in a flurry of violence to obtain the mysterious ancient weapon.  Swords slice and arrows are loosed as the action is expertly told through a Hollywood-style sequence that thrills.

Some questions are answered while others are saved for the upcoming G.I. Joe reboot but as an experimental piece of comic book storytelling you can’t really get much better than this.  It’s unique, beautifully drawn and earns every bit of its gimmick through not just the fantastic action but an emotional last few pages that immediately puts this title on my catch-up list.