Nathan P. Mahney
Apr 3, 2004, 03:57 am
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dd/gijoe28.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dd/gijoe28t.jpg" align=left alt="G.I. Joe #28"></a>Reviewer: Nathan P. Mahney, npmahney@yahoo.com.au
Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: "Players and Pawns" Part 1 of 5
What DOESN'T happen in this issue?
Story: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Coloring: Brett R. Smith
Lettering: Dreamer Design
It was always an exciting event when new Joes were introduced in the comic. You got to find out whether your toys were cool or not, and whether you'd been portraying them properly in your backyard skirmishes. Even more exciting were the instances where characters were introduced in the comic before the toy was released. It helped you to decide which toys you wanted, and also gave you lead-time to plan how you would nag mum to buy them for you. Those were good times, when the money being sunk into toys wasn't your own.
G.I. Joe #28 introduces six new Joes, but the feeling of excitement isn't quite what it once was. Maybe it's just that I don't follow the toy line anymore - I have no idea whether these characters have their own figures or not. What really struck me though was that none of these new additions are given any character traits to distinguish them from the others. At least two of them were Joe trainees (called "Greenshirts") introduced earlier in the series, and another was a long-standing Joe antagonist, but I still couldn't tell you a thing about them from this issue besides their codenames. In the old series new characters were always given some bizarre habit or trait, like the ridiculously emotionless Deep Six, or Wild Card breaking every single thing he touched. Here, we've got a homogenous blob of codenames and costumes. After the initial thrill of seeing the new guys, I have to say that I was disappointed. It just didn't feel enough like a toy commercial!
In every other aspect, though, I was quite impressed. This is the first part of 'Players and Pawns', Brandon Jerwa's first multi-part story arc, and it looks like a winner. Subplots are flying thick and fast, and I can't wait to see how they all link up together. Cobra Commander is back, Destro is leaving (but does he have something planned?), Snake Eyes and Scarlett are in big trouble, there are dastardly doings in Sierra Gordo... The list goes on, and I am well intrigued. And we get an old-fashioned cliffhanger - how's Hawk going to get out of this one!!!
Apart from the subplots, Jerwa manages to squeeze a main plot in as well. The new characters are sent on a recon mission to Cobra Island, and of course they tangle with the enemy. It was nice to see that with everything else going on in the issue we also got a plot line carried through to semi-conclusion. So much happens in this one comic, but it doesn't feel at all cramped. Jerwa is already showing signs of being a much better writer than Josh Blaylock was.
Tim Seeley's art gets better each and every month. I hated it when he started, but it's quietly been growing on me. A lot of the flatness it previously displayed has gone, and his storytelling skills are sharpening up a bit. My only artistic complaint is with the occasional murkiness in the colouring.
So, when it comes down to it, I'm not going to rush out and buy the toys if these new characters get their own figures. But I will rush out and buy G.I. Joe #29, and I can't ask for more than that.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg
STORY:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gihalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gihalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-WORLD and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1099&cat=GI+JOE+%28DEVILS+DUE%29)
Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: "Players and Pawns" Part 1 of 5
What DOESN'T happen in this issue?
Story: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Coloring: Brett R. Smith
Lettering: Dreamer Design
It was always an exciting event when new Joes were introduced in the comic. You got to find out whether your toys were cool or not, and whether you'd been portraying them properly in your backyard skirmishes. Even more exciting were the instances where characters were introduced in the comic before the toy was released. It helped you to decide which toys you wanted, and also gave you lead-time to plan how you would nag mum to buy them for you. Those were good times, when the money being sunk into toys wasn't your own.
G.I. Joe #28 introduces six new Joes, but the feeling of excitement isn't quite what it once was. Maybe it's just that I don't follow the toy line anymore - I have no idea whether these characters have their own figures or not. What really struck me though was that none of these new additions are given any character traits to distinguish them from the others. At least two of them were Joe trainees (called "Greenshirts") introduced earlier in the series, and another was a long-standing Joe antagonist, but I still couldn't tell you a thing about them from this issue besides their codenames. In the old series new characters were always given some bizarre habit or trait, like the ridiculously emotionless Deep Six, or Wild Card breaking every single thing he touched. Here, we've got a homogenous blob of codenames and costumes. After the initial thrill of seeing the new guys, I have to say that I was disappointed. It just didn't feel enough like a toy commercial!
In every other aspect, though, I was quite impressed. This is the first part of 'Players and Pawns', Brandon Jerwa's first multi-part story arc, and it looks like a winner. Subplots are flying thick and fast, and I can't wait to see how they all link up together. Cobra Commander is back, Destro is leaving (but does he have something planned?), Snake Eyes and Scarlett are in big trouble, there are dastardly doings in Sierra Gordo... The list goes on, and I am well intrigued. And we get an old-fashioned cliffhanger - how's Hawk going to get out of this one!!!
Apart from the subplots, Jerwa manages to squeeze a main plot in as well. The new characters are sent on a recon mission to Cobra Island, and of course they tangle with the enemy. It was nice to see that with everything else going on in the issue we also got a plot line carried through to semi-conclusion. So much happens in this one comic, but it doesn't feel at all cramped. Jerwa is already showing signs of being a much better writer than Josh Blaylock was.
Tim Seeley's art gets better each and every month. I hated it when he started, but it's quietly been growing on me. A lot of the flatness it previously displayed has gone, and his storytelling skills are sharpening up a bit. My only artistic complaint is with the occasional murkiness in the colouring.
So, when it comes down to it, I'm not going to rush out and buy the toys if these new characters get their own figures. But I will rush out and buy G.I. Joe #29, and I can't ask for more than that.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg
STORY:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gihalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gifull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/gihalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/ginone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-WORLD and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1099&cat=GI+JOE+%28DEVILS+DUE%29)