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03-25-2009, 12:53 PM | #1 |
VALKYRIE
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In this issue, we learn a bit more about Snake Eyes. He is featured on the variant cover, looking ready to kill. A fair warning for you Snake Eyes fans, he isn’t active in this issue. While we do learn more about him, he is just laying in bed. I realize that many of you on the boards have thought Snake Eyes would be blazing into action very soon. I don’t anticipate this happening until we see him on a regular(non-variant) cover, like the last issue of Origins.
The issue starts off with a nosy doctor examining Snake Eyes. Right off the bat, we see the “I’Ching” hexagram, the Arashikage clan symbol, on his forearm. The dialogue in these first panels serve to introduce the reader as to why Snake Eyes may have such a thing on his arm. For those of you who are new to G.I. Joe comics, this works in your favor. While the doctor makes observations on Snake Eyes injuries, the artwork shifts towards grey scale, first through Snake Eyes’ lenses, and then we see a flashback through his eyes. This was a clever shift in colors, and is a neat way of starting a flashback scene. The Chimera appears in this flashback, as he taunts Snake Eyes he starts stating the obvious, showcasing an over the top attitude. Some of you might be used to it from the last issue, I wasn’t expecting it, so I thought it was funny. In the last issue he spoke cryptically at times and it was obvious that he wasn’t a good guy, but he didn’t come off as a guy who would be like “HAH Look what I’m going to do!”. The flashback sequence showed how Snake Eyes got more injuries in the clinic where the Chimera was staying, in the last issue. The doctor apparently knows here Scarlett and crew are headed, and he isn’t supposed to know. Stalker shows up at a funeral in Arlington, seen with another soldier. At first I thought he might be a new joe recruit, but it turns out he was a friend of Snake Eyes. This soldier talks admirably about Snake Eyes, and for the first time we find out why he may have gotten the codename, Snake Eyes. This is good because we barely know anything about Snake Eyes at this point. I hope we find out how exactly he earned the codename later on. We are treated to a flashback of Scarlett’s past, with her looking back, almost as if looking at the panels behind her, in blue. This was done effectively, I did a double take to make sure I was catching everything. It’s a creative way of showing a character’s introspective. At the end of the flashback, we still see Scarlett looking back, with her face in regular color, different from the blue of the flashback sequence, showing that we are now in present time. A new joe is introduced, and while yes this guy is Roadblock, for legal reasons he is called Heavy Duty here. He is on a discreet recon mission that is anything but discreet, by the way he is carrying himself. He disregards some of what Hawk says, and with that we have our first rebel Joe. With this tension, this leaves something to be explored further in upcoming issues. In Snake Eyes room, 2 would-be robbers shows up, and one of them has a ranger tattoo on his arm. After seeing Snake Eyes’ silver star, the ranger has 2nd thoughts. Now I wonder, is this ranger going to be a future G.I. Joe member? I kept looking at his other tattoos, thinking that maybe this is Storm Shadow, or another familiar face, typically connected to Snake Eyes. He has no Arashikage symbol on his forearm, just a tattoo of a spider web. We don’t see much of the Chimera in this issue, but he does appear again towards the end, as he goes about his plan to gain power. This issue introduced a new joe, and perhaps more. Could Snake Eyes’ comrade at the funeral become a future joe? How about the ranger who had 2nd thoughts about robbing Snake Eyes? The Chimera shows more of his intelligence, and cunning personality. The artwork in this issue was consistent all throughout, it does not suffer from the abrupt, back and forth shifts shown in the last issue. The colors are handled well and the transition to flashback sequences is executed seamlessly. Those sequences are the highlights of this issue. The clarity of the artwork is high all throughout, nothing distracting and the flow from panel to panel is smooth. The story was written in a way that both new Joe fans, and old can appreciate. Not all fans know what the “I’Ching” hexagram is, or where it’s from, but in this issue they’ll know. A serious tone is maintained all throughout, Hawk is always on edge, and the only thing close to campy was the Chimera’s dialogue in Snake Eyes’ flashback. Even then it’s not as over the top as to be downright ridiculous. You never get the feeling that the Chimera is a one-dimensional joke. If the Chimera isn’t Cobra Commander, then just imagine how much more of a threat Cobra Commander will be. |
03-25-2009, 02:28 PM | #2 |
Mobile Missile Specialist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: RI
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thanks for the reminder. I just got home a few minutes ago from going to get it.
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03-25-2009, 04:57 PM | #3 |
Hisstank.Com General
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Location: Edmonton, Canada
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Nice review, I swear one of these wednesdays I'm going to beat you too it though .
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03-25-2009, 06:39 PM | #4 |
Mobile Missile Specialist
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what do you mean for "legal reasons" Roadblock is called Heavy Duty? where did you find that? they made 25th figures named Roadblock...why wouldn't they be able to use it? is it possible they went with Heavy Duty at this point in the game due to the movie coming out?
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03-25-2009, 07:12 PM | #5 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Longhorn Country
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Any ideas on who the ranger named John, could be?
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03-25-2009, 07:47 PM | #6 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 12,521
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Thanks Shin! Great review. I have a crap load of books waiting for me tomorrow..........I will finally be home for a few days! Not only that, I have Snake Eyes waiting for me as well.
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03-25-2009, 10:32 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:
what do you mean for "legal reasons" Roadblock is called Heavy Duty? where did you find that? they made 25th figures named Roadblock...why wouldn't they be able to use it? is it possible they went with Heavy Duty at this point in the game due to the movie coming out?
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03-26-2009, 12:17 AM | #8 |
Mobile Missile Specialist
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Location: RI
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OK, I knew it was Roadblock. I was just surprised that they had to call him Heavy Duty.
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03-26-2009, 07:23 PM | #9 |
U and ur friends r dead.
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 956
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We weren't beat over the head this issue with the ridiculous military acronyms that Hama takes perverted pleasure in assaulting us with each and every story. Thankfully.
This issue was marginally better than the first one, but compared to the three different titles that's not saying much. I'm still reading this title hoping that what used to be a 2 issue story is now being turned into an eight page saga for trade paper back's sake will get better.
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03-27-2009, 10:54 AM | #10 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Edmonton, Canada
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Quote:
We weren't beat over the head this issue with the ridiculous military acronyms that Hama takes perverted pleasure in assaulting us with each and every story. Thankfully.
This issue was marginally better than the first one, but compared to the three different titles that's not saying much. I'm still reading this title hoping that what used to be a 2 issue story is now being turned into an eight page saga for trade paper back's sake will get better.
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