GIJoe

[RoIIo Tomassi]

I had the Budo figure, and I always had him act pretty badass. He did have a samurai sword after all. And eventually his helmet ornament popped off, so I retconned it into a steel boomerang weapon he'd toss at Cobra assholes.

[Ran]

Yeah, the Afghanistan issues make me cringe a bit now, and it's not just the big error with Flash and Grand Slam being mixed up early in the story.

There's the first two issues, then a bit of a lull, and the series kinda goes into overdrive starting with #10 and doesn't stop for about ten years. Curious what you think especially of #'s 1, 2, 10, 19, 21, and 26.

Only made it to #7 so far. I'm back to working 40 hours/week and I'm re-taking differential equations in a 5 week condensed summer class, which means it is an hour and a half 5 days a week.

From what I've read so far, they are definitely better than the cartoon. But, they are still a bit cheesy. There is some Adam West Batman-like dialogue. On a few occasions, it seems like it is written to sell toys.

Kwinn was pretty cool. I'm going to assume he is a re-occurring character. Why doesn't Hasbro like him? Now I wish I bought that 25th Arctic Snake Eyes.

By the way, don't worry about spoilers on my account.

[Ran]

Just finished #10. You know how you can tell this was written in the early 80s? Scarlet hasn't filed a sexual harassment suit against Clutch yet. The Tailhook scandal wasn't until the early 90s, so maybe he'll get it in a later issue.

Dr. Venom seems like a better character than Mindbender. Well, at least he wears a shirt and I'll assume there isn't a cod-piece under his lab coat. It seems like the Mindbender from Renegades was based more on Venom than the cartoon Mindbender.

These books still feel dated, but certain aspects seem to be re-occurring events in the GI Joe universe. Like the machines to read people's mind and acid trips in Springfield (there was that Shipwreck episode of the cartoon).

Can't wait until they introduce more characters.

[anarky]

Next issue, IIRC.

[anarky]

Damn, this Blue Ninja story is a lot more badass and enjoyable than the previews made it out to be. The scene where the ninjas take Billy's body to Cobra Commander was so powerful, it almost makes you forget that CC was trying to do the same damned thing every five issues or so.

Nice to see the old "one Joe per vehicle" bit thrown out, and a proper tank team. And equally cool to see the HISS column made up of all the different models (including what looked like it might've been a pre-1983 HISS of some sort). Was the Emir of Benzheen the same guy as in the Trucial Abysmia battle? He looked older, much older. Also, I couldn't help but notice a parallel in how the hostilities again ended with a radio communication that the folks higher up the chain had struck a deal.

The Sneak Peek story continues to be far more well-done than a simple continuity fart cover should be. Still haven't explained how he faked his death by getting riddled with bullets fired by hostile Cobras, and fooled a Joe medic, but I'm willing to roll with it.

[Ran]

So at the Cobra dinner, there is Destro, Cobra Commander, and Scar-Face. They are each holding beverages. I thought that was silly until I got to the part where they are fighting in the US Treasury and Torpedo is wearing not only his mask, but his flippers, too.

[anarky]

Yeah, luckily they eventually dispense with that silliness.

Now, though, CC sleeps with a hood on. It's been shown at least twice since #155.5. This despite everyone in his inner circle knowing what he looks like. Which is just a plain old dude with dark hair. Not sure if he still sports a ponytail in 2012.

[RoIIo Tomassi]

The funny thing about that ponytail. I always thought it was part of the disguise he put on when he and Destro escaped Springfield in #55. The glasses, the mustache, and the wig. But apparently the later artist in issue 61 didn't get the memo and made that his "look".

[anarky]

He has it again when he's shown from behind, unmasking for Zartan and Destro, circa 145.

[RoIIo Tomassi]

That's what I mean. The first artist meant it as part of a disguise, just like Destro was wearing the big white Santa beard. But every artist after that used it as a the template for how he actually looked under the cowl, not realizing it was initially meant as a disguise.

Don't get me wrong, a fumanchu, John Lennon shades, and a ponytail is a bitchin' rad gnarly look. I'm just not entirely sure it was intended that's what he really looked like.

[Ran]

Just finished Snake Eyes' origin story. Somewhat similar to the one in Resolute.

Question about Zartan. Is that a hood or his hair on his head? It seems like the 80s Joe cartoon had a similar episode to the Zartan introduction in the comic book.

[Ran]

Just finished Snake Eyes' origin story. Somewhat similar to the one in Resolute.

Question about Zartan. Is that a hood or his hair on his head? It seems like the 80s Joe cartoon had a similar episode to the Zartan introduction in the comic book.

[jjreason]

I think it's a hood. On the figure it was specifically a hood, hence my opinion. I would imagine him to be bald all the time (either by nature or by choice) so that he could use as many disguises as possible, but that's just conjecture.

[RoIIo Tomassi]

In the comic and toy it's a hood.
In the cartoon it's hair. Because the cartoon is fucking stupid.

[anarky]

I can't recall if he's bald or has really close-cropped hair. I don't want to spoil one of the best storylines leading into the huge 50th issue, but there's a couple of scenes that leave no doubt it's a hood.

Back to CC, everyone clearly got that Destro was just a normal-looking Scotsman. Was his first full-on reveal when M.D. Bright drew him? Bright seemed closer to Hama back in the day (CBR revealed they were in a band together), so maybe that's why? Or that Destro's disguise was ludicrous and no way would've fit under the mask, whereas (crazy as it was), CC could've actually worn his hood and mask with the mustache and ponytail so someone just figured that was his real look? Who knows.

I mostly agree that the cartoon is stupid, but it is the reason Shipwreck's been more prominent in the relaunch. Hama apparently lumped him in with the stupid-looking characters who make no sense, and he vanished after an appearance or two. But supposedly he finally watched the cartoon a couple of years ago and loved Shipwreck; he's shown up more since 155.5 than I think he did in the original 155 issues. (I guess he appealed to his bizarre sense of humor.)

Ran, you haven't finished his origin. Just the first installment. You keep getting bits and pieces up through the very end. (IIRC, the final issue is the first time we "hear" him speak in a flashback.)