G.I. JOE #1

By: Arnold T. Blumberg
Date: Friday, September 14, 2001

These days Americans may be looking to heroes more than ever before to offer a bit of inspiration or emotional support. Whether you agree that a comic book focusing on America's struggle with a somewhat more cartoonish terrorist organization is a good thing or not, at least those of us who grew up with the G.I. JOE toys and cartoon of the '80s can find some measure of nostalgia and even comfort in seeing the Real American Heroes back on the job.

Cobra, that nefarious collection of criminal conspirators who plot to take over the world, are back after years of inactivity, and the evil Cobra Commander himself has resurfaced to take charge of the newly reorganized outlaw group. There's only one answer to this new threat to freedom G.I. Joe! That colorful team of military specialists must be reformed to face the menace of Cobra, and the now spookier Duke goes about the business of contacting familiar faces from Roadblock to Lady Jaye to Scarlett to Snake Eyes and many more, ordering them to return to duty. But Cobra too has gathered all of its old colleagues, including Major Bludd, Zartan (now the leader of a national road gang with chapters across the country), and even the sultry Baroness. Perhaps most significantly, the silver-masked armorer known as Destro has also returned, but he has some interesting plans of his own. Perhaps, just perhaps, the Cobra Commander may find that his second reign of terror will have a far shorter duration, and Destro himself may have designs on the top spot in the new Cobra outfit. With the Joes on the way and Destro scheming behind the Cobra Commander's back, Cobra looks like it's threatened from without and within. A very healthy rebirth, don't you think?


This revival of one of the '80s most fondly remembered properties is a tour de force by the folks at Devil's Due Publishing (working in concert with publisher Image Comics). Blaylock's writing is sharp, fast-paced and shot through with suspense and the promise of plenty of action to come. The characters are well written and vivid, even those who in the original incarnation of the series were little more than ciphers. The artwork, however, seems a bit shaky, perhaps a bit toocartoonish and distorted at times, but it walks the line rather tightly and rarely distracts from the solid introductory issue. Anyone who remembers what it was like to clip all those action figure information cards and tape crucial episodes of the cartoon series will love what Blaylock and Co. are doing with their favorite Joes. If only a team like this existed in the real world.

G.I. JOE

Grade: A-

Issue: No. 1

Author(s): Josh Blaylock, Steve Kurth, John Larter

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $2.95