Some may remember that I did some reviews of issues of Marvel’s G.I. Joe run over at my blog. It had gaps in it because I was going off of a lot of issues I had just bought, and decided to run with it (I called it A Cup of Joe then, and no I was not aware of the Joe Quesada feature–I really don’t pay attention to stuff like that). I’m going to continue it now, but start from the beginning, utilizing IDW’s collecting of the former Marvel run. When I get to those I have covered at my blog, I’ll bring them over to BSC, so basically we are going to have a lot of Joe goodness going! This is the first part in me relaying my experiences as I reread the collected volumes of the original Marvel run of G.I. Joe reprinted by IDW (the first vol. includes issues 1-10) It is going to be an issue-by-issue breakdown, so make sure you come back to get scoop on the second issue. This first post will probably be substantially longer than the rest as I’ll go over a lot of the establishing points that permeate from issue one on.
You’d think that reading the first issue of an ‘80s title that was at least in some part utilized as a marketing tool for other media (toys and cartoon) would be lacking in actual content and be more action motivated than focusing on dialogue. You’d expect to find something that’s not overly interested in creating much foundation, and instead be more preoccupied with not escaping the attention span of a young child. That isn’t to say there isn’t action, and lots of it, but going back and reading this series I have found that it holds up in a manner many favorites– and now in some cases deemed classics –simply do not. You won’t pick up G.I. Joe and wonder how you could have been so stupid to have been so enraptured as a child. Indeed, it may give you cause to think on what has now happened to what was once the mind of an obvious prodigy.
I was a fan of all three fronts that G.I. Joe but for those who only watched the cartoon they may be familiar with the line from the theme song:
“They fight for freedom where ever there’s trouble, GI. Joe is there!”
A close enough introduction kicks off this first issue:
“Code Named: G.I. Joe–the most fearsome rapid deployment team of all stands ready to fight—anywhere–anytime—any way!”
It adorns a page showing the team in the middle of battle, and planting an American flag. Following that, it takes only ten pages for Larry and Herb Trimpe to shows us an armed assault on a train in an effort to kidnap a scientist (Burkhart) privy to extremely sensitive military secrets, introduces us to the G.I. Joe team, its leader, and its relationship to the U.S. government.
The hierarchy, in terms of leadership within the team is an eternal topic of discussion amongst any group of Joe fan. This is not only due to the differences across the mediums (cartoon and information dealing with rank given on the file cards of the toys) but also because of rather swift shifts in the comics themselves. Here we see at the Pentagon level, General Austin and General Flagg (the former being the superior in rank) discussing the need to mobilize G.I. Joe. During this discussion we see (pulled up on a computer screen) the original G.I. Joe team: Hawk, Scarlett, Grand Slam, Zapp, Breaker, Steeler, Snake Eyes, Grunt, Flash, Stalker, Short Fuse, Rock ‘N Role, and Shooter. The last is perhaps the least well known to non-Joe diehards, a character made as a nod to the then editor in chief of Marvel, Jim Shooter. The field leader is rather definitively told to us as being Colonel Clayton M. Abernathy, a man we know better as Hawk. On his orders we are given a pretty fun, multi-pronged attack that aids in putting names to faces and allows us to see each member perform within the team.
There are a few instances in this first issue that become status quo that I think reveal why this run would come to possess that aforementioned quality of having aged well. First, to go as far to consider the notion that a rescue was perhaps not the only or even the most tactile option is brought up on a couple of occasions and levels. At the highest level, the question of why not simply bombing Cobra’s base and to not be overly concerned if the hostage is killed (thus protecting her secrets) in the process is posed. The same thought crosses the mind of Scarlet and Snake Eye as they openly discuss the possibility of merely taking a shot to kill Burkhart.
Two, Cobra Commander isn’t a punk. In modern iterations we’ve seen publishers try to stress this very characteristic as if it’s some departure, but Cobra Commander was only ever truly castrated on the television shows. In the comics, as shown from jump here, he will shoot a bitch if he has to. What’s also noteworthy is how his troops address him—it always makes me think of the Nazi-salute, and that choice infers a lot about organization itself. The issue is very effective in firmly establishing that G.I. Joe are the heroes, and they do this by clearly marking Cobra as not only ‘the enemy’, but one that merits our attention in terms of being more than a punching bag. G.I. Joe–in all media –was very efficient at making their ‘villains’ cool, and very much so a technologically advanced entity. Let’s be honest, as kids it was a tough choice to pick between the Whale and the Moray, or the Tomahawk and the Mamba. Hell, if you ask me, Zartan and Firefly are still the sweetest characters (acknowledging that v2 Snake Eyes may be the king of all toys ever) in the whole line.
Three, the establishment of a cultural icon. That may sound like an overstatement, but you don’t know any male that doesn’t know who the hell the Snake Eyes is. Nobody thinks you are talking the Brian De Palma film when you say the name. We have what is essentially a straight (albeit fictional) military comic, but with it is this mystery; a masked man that allows Marvel to slips what’s damn near a superhero into the book (something that the Ninja element would later go overboard on in this run). Not only do you have Snake Eyes, but much like what Macross/Robotech did, their was noticeable diversity in the comic. Scarlet is a female, and the very fact she is with Snake Eyes instantly tells you she’s a major player and a dangerous one. Stalker is an African-American, and while you think that’s no big deal, back when I was reading these issues when they hit the newsstand, I can tell you that it wasn’t an element that you didn’t notice (as you most likely would now). What’s interesting is that these 3 characters are, very much so, fan favorites, and anytime you see something that has to get done (I’ll call back on this several times as I cover future issues) you send one, two, or all three of them. In many ways, these three characters had more staying power than the other members of the original 13 and they never really aren’t A-list characters. The three are definitely kick ass and have done so since their inception.
Four, there is bureaucracy. While Cobra will certainly be the central antagonist in the series, the Joes will encounter others, including at times those that come with being an entity that takes orders and is not the authority.
We also get a glimpse of Hama’s ability to make a lot out of limited space. Consistently Hama will be able to have multiple story threads in play within single issues, while still being able to saturate them with an overarching narrative that gave each issue girth. These still aren’t the 3-minute reads many present day comics have become.
For somebody doing a first reading of this run, or somebody who isn’t quite the G.I. Joe enthusiast as I am, you may notice that the first issue is missing the second story, Hot Potato, which is famous to fans for stressing the relationship between Snake Eyes and Scarlett.
That’s just issue one people.
