This week, IDW Publishing starts a three-month roll out of their three brand new G.I. Joe comic series. This is a soft relaunch that doesn’t get rid of what came before, but creates a new jumping on point for new readers to get involved. The Joes have reached a new status quo, having gone public with their activities, and now have to answer to the press and their new marketing team, as well as fight the forces of Cobra.
I have always been a fan of G.I. Joe since I was a little kid playing with the toys, but I’ve never read the comics, because the massive continuity always scared me. So, I jumped at the opportunity to read a new series with a new jumping on point. This series does a great job of introducing you to the Joes’ world, the characters, and their new status quo right off the bat. Interestingly, the book actually pokes fun at a lot of the ideas behind the G.I. Joe mythos, with characters complaining about their codenames and costumes. Fred Van Lente’s dialogue is quite wonderful, mixing in loads of exposition with a snarky self-deprecating humor. I especially like the way the Joes interact with each other and their new teammate. There is a sense of comradery like these soldiers are all old friends.
I have to give high praise to the art team of Steve Kurth (pencils), Allen Martinez (inks), and Joana Lafuente (colors). The art is wonderful and very expressive during the dialogue scenes, but then really brings the fun during the action scenes. I especially love the character designs ranging from the small, stealthy Tunnel Rat to the hulking Road block. They even brought back a personal favorite of mine, Courtney Krieger a.k.a. CoverGirl, and made her look both beautiful and like a soldier.
If you’ve ever been interested in G.I. Joe, then this is a great time to jump in and try the comics. Even if you’ve never heard of G.I. Joe before, this is still a really cool, new comic series worth checking out, so make sure you pick it up this Wednesday.
