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03-11-2009, 12:40 PM | #1 |
VALKYRIE
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Over the rainbow where your mom is at son
Posts: 23,515
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*This review may contain spoilers*
G.I. Joe Movie Prequel #1 IDW’s movie prequel books for Rise of Cobra are written by Chuck Dixon with art by SL Gallant. This is our first glimpse at the movie mythos, and gives us a feel for what the movie might be like. We are introduced to Conrad Hauser(Duke), Wallace Weems(Ripcord), Lopez, Stew, Ronjon and Clarkie. This is Duke’s team of army rangers on a covert op, performing a HALO(High Altitude Low Observation) jump into the Sealisi region of Papua. The artwork is rougher than you might expect. The color holds are done well initially, until you hit the 2-page spread on pages 3 & 4. One of the engines on the plane that Duke was on, did not have the colors held consistently, the black ink is very apparent. The rest of the plane is color held. Also, I’m not sure if the colorist was going for a haze effect with clouds, trying to increase the depth, showing some of the soldiers color held, with one in the middle being color held in half. If he was going for more depth, it would have been better to use the airbrush tool to make a gradiated color hold. Otherwise the soldier is distracting. I can’t tell if he is supposed to be behind a cloud, or if this was just case of the color holds being overlooked. Otherwise the spread is drawn well. It shows 2 views, a dynamic spread from the outside, and a view from the soldiers parachuting down. The inks could be more crisp for a more polished look. Between the start of the jump, and the landing, we are introduced to military jargon that sets the tone of this issue. Despite Ripcords attempts at humor with Duke(or lack of, he doesn’t seem very funny to Duke), this issue maintains a serious tone. Dixon did a good job of inserting the right military nods when appropriate, and that’s something that can be appreciated. Also, Ripcord doesn’t joke all that much in this issue, and when he does, it isn’t campy, or over the top. No worries on that here, and I know that’s one of the issues everyone is worried about. As Duke and crew make their way within the jungle, we can sense Duke’s nervousness, as their intel proves wrong, and potential enemies are sighted. While the rest of his team thought the mission was supposed to be easy, Duke realizes it wasn’t. His team spots a trailer surrounded by soldiers(referred to as skinnies). This trailer houses a machine within. This machine was used to redirect an American spy satellite, and Duke’s team is supposed to infiltrate the trailer, so that Stew can use it and re-set the orbit of the satellite. Unfortunately more soldiers, who don’t seem like locals, are spotted. There are much more adversaries than intel had told Duke’s team. After interrogating one soldier, Duke’s team finds out that the skinnies are mercenaries paid through the month. At this point, Duke starts having doubts about the mission; he doesn’t want a repeat of what happened to Rex(it’s implied that something went wrong on a mission they were on). Ripcord reassures Duke about the mission, mentions that an aircraft carrier was even rerouted for it. This is the first time that Rex is mentioned, and nothing specific is given away. Just that Duke was on a mission with him, something went wrong, Duke regrets it, and doesn’t want the same thing happening to his current team. The team proceeds to raid the area surrounding the trailer, scaring the mercenaries away from it was easy. Ripcord opens the trailer door but is shot. A bald soldier emerges from the trailer firing at Duke’s team, Duke immediately jumps in and goes hand to hand with him. With the rest of the team keeping the mercenaries at bay, Duke initiates a knife fight with the bald soldier, within the trailer. Duke proceeds to stab the man, and kick him in the face. With the trailer secured, Stew goes to work while the rest of the team barely manages to keep the mercenaries at bay. It turns out Ripcord isn’t mortally wounded, as his vest caught the bullet, but a few of his ribs might be broken and he is in pain. Immediately after the satellite was re-secured by Stew, he is shot up, and the team decides to evacuate. Since the satellite is back online, the trailer is blown up, and the team heads towards the pick-up point, taking 4 days to get there by foot(while carrying Stew by a stretcher too). We get a view of the carrier, and an F/A-18 Hornet(Legacy version). Unfortunately the vertical stabilizers on the Hornet are drawn too short, the nose is drawn at too much of an angle(should be longer and more curved from the top) and the front part of it’s outer right pylon was colored in with the same color as the sky in the background. It’s surprising that a small part like that was overlooked, as that could have easily been rectified at the coloring stage. Back on base in a uniform highly reminiscent of the original Duke, Duke discusses the mission with a sergeant. The sergeant offers Duke a place on a new team, made up of the best soldiers, all of which volunteered. Duke immediately says no. You get the feeling all throughout this issue that Duke wants nothing to do with covert ops or anything similar. Duke is adamant about refusing the sergeant’s offer but the sergeant keeps pushing, and thinks Duke will eventually join. |
03-11-2009, 12:51 PM | #2 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
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Were people seriously worried that Wayans would be cracking jokes non-stop in the movie? What gave them that impressions. Oh right, prejudging based on the actor.
Sounds like it'll be a good read. Too bad about the coloring. Hopefully IDW will get a new colorist for the rest of the books.
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03-11-2009, 12:55 PM | #3 |
VALKYRIE
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Over the rainbow where your mom is at son
Posts: 23,515
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Quote:
Were people seriously worried that Wayans would be cracking jokes non-stop in the movie? What gave them that impressions. Oh right, prejudging based on the actor.
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03-11-2009, 01:06 PM | #4 |
Crimson Nerd
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Virginia
Posts: 12,578
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Actually a subtle metatextual element where Ripcord is constantly cracking jokes but no one thinks he's funny could be brilliant in its' own way (making light of folks not finding Wayans' comedy to their liking and riffing on his reputation as an actor). But I doubt the moviemakers are that subtle.
Last edited by Jmacq1; 03-11-2009 at 01:08 PM.. |
03-12-2009, 10:20 AM | #5 |
Cobra Soldier
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tampa Bay
Posts: 7
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I didn't care that he'd be cracking jokes. I just thought he could be called somebody else besides Rip-Cord. Hardball, Alpine, or even Big Lob would make more sense. A few years ago in the Daredevil movie they had the Kingpin change skin color and I didn't care one bit. The actor they got was actually the ONLY actor I could think of to pull that off (Michael Clarke Duncan). So it doesn't have squat to do about race to me personally. I just don't remember Rip-Cord being a joking around black who was best buds with Duke. Do you?
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03-12-2009, 10:49 AM | #6 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Melbourne, FL
Posts: 197
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Well I tried reading this last night-- there was stuff going on around me-- and I found myself rereading pages of this because it couldnt hold my interest-- I sure hope the movie isnt this way.
And I definitely wont be buying any of the other prequel comics. |
03-12-2009, 03:57 PM | #7 |
VALKYRIE
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Over the rainbow where your mom is at son
Posts: 23,515
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Quote:
Well I tried reading this last night-- there was stuff going on around me-- and I found myself rereading pages of this because it couldnt hold my interest-- I sure hope the movie isnt this way.
And I definitely wont be buying any of the other prequel comics. My main issues were with the color holds and the renditions of the aircraft, but this was mentioned earlier. Other than that, I liked how this issue played out. I particularly liked the characterization of Duke, I wonder how he will be convinced to join the team. |
03-13-2009, 01:48 AM | #8 |
Win, Lose or Die
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 9,661
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It was better than I expected.
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03-27-2009, 03:14 AM | #9 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Springfield
Posts: 519
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I was wondering if anybody knows why, at the end of the book, DUKE is wearing a Marines nametag and not Army.
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