Nathan P. Mahney
May 29, 2004, 10:56 am
<a href="http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/images/content/JOE_30t.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/images/content/JOE_30t.jpg" align=left alt="G.I. Joe #30"></a>Reviewer: Nathan P. Mahney, npmahney@yahoo.com.au
Quick Rating: Above Average
Story Title: "Players and Pawns" Four of Five
Destro's Big Plan revealed!
Story: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Backgrounds: Jason Millet
Inks: Corey Hamscher
Coloring: Brett R. Smith
Lettering: Dreamer Design
This issue is part three of "Players and Pawns" (not part four, as the recap page would have you believe), and two of the subplots are coming to a close: the invasion of Sierra Gordo and Destro's Big Plan. Though the shiny newness of the creative team is starting to dim a little, they still turn in a solid and mildly entertaining effort.
Destro's Big Plan has turned out to be not quite so big or grand as I was hoping for, to be honest. That's not important in this case, because it's conclusion leads to some potentially interesting character moments, especially for the Baroness. In fact, the whole Destro subplot feels unimportant in itself; it's just a means of getting the characters into place and drawing attention away from whatever Cobra Commander is cooking up. The destination seems interesting enough that I can excuse the disappointing journey. A lot of the Joe characters have been running in place for a while, and one of the things that I have enjoyed in Jerwa's run so far is that he's willing to shuffle them around into new configurations.
Another thing that I have liked, aside from the fact that Jerwa pretty much nails the main characters, is his use of the more obscure characters in the franchise. This month it's Copperhead, commander of Cobra's nautical forces. In this case I'm hoping he stays obscure. Between him and Gambit in X-Men my Bad Cajun Accent filter is being sorely taxed this month.
There are things to like in this issue, but I can feel the boredom just creeping in at the sides. The conclusion to Destro's subplot caught me by surprise, but apart from that the proceedings were a fairly uninspired. Barrel Roll is still escaping from the incredibly inept forces of Cobra Island and the Joes are still fighting in Sierra Gordo, but the action hasn't grabbed me. And I think I know why.
Tim Seeley is not suited to G.I. Joe. As much as I hate to say it, because he's proved himself to be a capable artist, this is not the book for him. At its core, G.I. Joe is about action. It needs a penciller who can make the explosions leap off the page, give it some kind of dynamic spark. I've written about Seeley's art having a flat quality before, and it still does. It's not as pronounced as it was early on, but it's still there, and this quality is one of the things that robs his work of its excitement.
While I'm on the subject, another thing that I've noticed about his art is that the vehicles look like the toys. Exactly like the toys. That may not be such a bad thing for a toy property, but they also need to look like convincing military hardware. These don't, especially in the escape from Cobra Island sequence. I keep imagining giant hands reaching from the top of the panel to push them through the water.
I've been fairly negative in this review, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the issue completely. It's on a par with previous issues that I've reviewed positively, and it's a solid piece of light entertainment. I've just taken off the 'new creative team goggles', and I'm starting to see more of the problems.
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/gihalf.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/ginone.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/ginone.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: Above Average
Story Title: "Players and Pawns" Four of Five
Destro's Big Plan revealed!
Story: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Backgrounds: Jason Millet
Inks: Corey Hamscher
Coloring: Brett R. Smith
Lettering: Dreamer Design
This issue is part three of "Players and Pawns" (not part four, as the recap page would have you believe), and two of the subplots are coming to a close: the invasion of Sierra Gordo and Destro's Big Plan. Though the shiny newness of the creative team is starting to dim a little, they still turn in a solid and mildly entertaining effort.
Destro's Big Plan has turned out to be not quite so big or grand as I was hoping for, to be honest. That's not important in this case, because it's conclusion leads to some potentially interesting character moments, especially for the Baroness. In fact, the whole Destro subplot feels unimportant in itself; it's just a means of getting the characters into place and drawing attention away from whatever Cobra Commander is cooking up. The destination seems interesting enough that I can excuse the disappointing journey. A lot of the Joe characters have been running in place for a while, and one of the things that I have enjoyed in Jerwa's run so far is that he's willing to shuffle them around into new configurations.
Another thing that I have liked, aside from the fact that Jerwa pretty much nails the main characters, is his use of the more obscure characters in the franchise. This month it's Copperhead, commander of Cobra's nautical forces. In this case I'm hoping he stays obscure. Between him and Gambit in X-Men my Bad Cajun Accent filter is being sorely taxed this month.
There are things to like in this issue, but I can feel the boredom just creeping in at the sides. The conclusion to Destro's subplot caught me by surprise, but apart from that the proceedings were a fairly uninspired. Barrel Roll is still escaping from the incredibly inept forces of Cobra Island and the Joes are still fighting in Sierra Gordo, but the action hasn't grabbed me. And I think I know why.
Tim Seeley is not suited to G.I. Joe. As much as I hate to say it, because he's proved himself to be a capable artist, this is not the book for him. At its core, G.I. Joe is about action. It needs a penciller who can make the explosions leap off the page, give it some kind of dynamic spark. I've written about Seeley's art having a flat quality before, and it still does. It's not as pronounced as it was early on, but it's still there, and this quality is one of the things that robs his work of its excitement.
While I'm on the subject, another thing that I've noticed about his art is that the vehicles look like the toys. Exactly like the toys. That may not be such a bad thing for a toy property, but they also need to look like convincing military hardware. These don't, especially in the escape from Cobra Island sequence. I keep imagining giant hands reaching from the top of the panel to push them through the water.
I've been fairly negative in this review, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the issue completely. It's on a par with previous issues that I've reviewed positively, and it's a solid piece of light entertainment. I've just taken off the 'new creative team goggles', and I'm starting to see more of the problems.
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/gihalf.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/ginone.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/ginone.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)