[Bryon]

By the end of ARAH #300, Sean Collins should...

[ScottyHawkeye]

I think him becoming Kamakura as a student of Snake Eyes feels like a more natural route for his character. Having him enlisting in the Joes as Throwdown and then immediately becoming the second Snake Eyes feels like a half-hazard direction for the character. In 155 he writes a letter to Snake Eyes because Sanke Eyes was an inspiration to him, so having him go to train under Snake Eyes feels like a proper direction to take his character in. When he is Throwdown in Larry's run he barely interacts with Snake Eyes before taking the mantle. Also as Kamakura, Sean would learn all of Snake Eyes' martial arts tactics and skills before becoming Snake Eyes. As Throwdown, Sean just received basic military H2H combat techniques before becoming Snake Eyes. So I think the Kamakura route feels like a better direction to take Sean's character in.

[ohtani]

A Crimson Guard undercover working for the Joes.

[vxc961]

The idea of Wade Collins son serving honorably in the military is great, and really brings up a whole slew of “sins of the father” themes. To me it’s always been different enough from Billy (due to Wade’s journey—Wade always seemed redeemable to me, although I might be forgetting something).

But now I think Sean’s journey is finished, and in the end I have to admit I care about him now a lot less then when he wrote Snake-Eyes the letter in 155 or when he was first reintroduced. I don’t want him to become Snake-Eyes, but I don’t want him to back to being Kamakura/Throwdown either.

[J James]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottyHawkeye

As Throwdown, Sean just received basic military H2H combat techniques before becoming Snake Eyes. So I think the Kamakura route feels like a better direction to take Sean's character in.

Sean Collins has already been a full apprentice to Snake-Eyes by the time he joins the Joes. We don't know how long the apprenticeship lasted, but he appears with an Arashikage tattoo already and Snake-Eyes has gifted him with his knife as seen in this cover. He's way beyond an enlisted man.

There is an unspecified amount of time jump between #155 and #155.5 which is when this must have happened. Sean grew up in the original series even though the Joes didn't age, so it just kinda falls under that flexible timeline.

Billy became a well-trained apprentice in far less issues than Sean was given, the only difference being that we weren't "in on it" as readers.

I hope Overkill does end up being Billy, kind of, so those two could develop a rivalry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohtani

A Crimson Guard undercover working for the Joes.

This is hilarious and I applaud it.

[ScottyHawkeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J James

Sean Collins has already been a full apprentice to Snake-Eyes by the time he joins the Joes. We don't know how long the apprenticeship lasted, but he appears with an Arashikage tattoo already and Snake-Eyes has gifted him with his knife as seen in this cover. He's way beyond an enlisted man.

There is an unspecified amount of time jump between #155 and #155.5 which is when this must have happened. Sean grew up in the original series even though the Joes didn't age, so it just kinda falls under that flexible timeline.

Billy became a well-trained apprentice in far less issues than Sean was given, the only difference being that we weren't "in on it" as readers.

I hope Overkill does end up being Billy, kind of, so those two could develop a rivalry.

I guess I overlooked that. Because I remembered the first time we meet Sean in Larry's run he's enlisting into GI Joe and then the team is immediately battling with mechs and General Colton thinks he can use Serpentor against COBRA which all ends badly for the GI Joe team because Snake Eyes dies as a result and Throwdown loses his voice. My point about Sean being less skilled as Throwdown than as Kamakura is now null and void.

[DarkLordMordred]

I think Sean should be Snake Eyes and Dawn should just be Dawn. Get Snake Eyes's memories out of her and have her just be herself and let Snake Eyes die completely. Or bring him back. Either way, get his memories out of Dawn.

[Clockwise]

I've tried several times to enjoy Hama's post-ARAH run. I just can't. It might be the lack of art that clicks with me (the art I've seen is generally good, it's just not for me like Herb Trimpe or Tony Salmons). The writing also felt like the same stuff over and over and over, like a broken washing machine.

Everything beyond Marvel's #50 and Special Missions, never felt the same. And that's obviously before his IDW reset.

Devil's Due was a mess, but they did get a few things right. Kamakura was one of them.

This put Hama in the awkward position of recycling someone else's character, thereby acknowledging Blaylock's work in some strange way. So it's understandable that Hama didn't want to to this, but it felt like he went on a detour to avoid having Collins become Kamakura. I'd even bet that Hama already had plans for Throwdown rattling around in his head before ending Marvel's run, but Kamakura felt like a more natural progression.

Essentially, Kamakura = Throwdown, just a different codename/uniform, so maybe none of this matters anyway?

[AWOL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clockwise

Everything beyond Marvel's #50 and Special Missions, never felt the same. And that's obviously before his IDW reset.

I'm content with the first 9 issues, before the word ninja was ever uttered. However, there is a lot of great stuff between issues 10 and 80. After that, it gets much more miss than hit.

Meanwhile, Special Missions (especially the first couple of issues) are perfection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clockwise

Essentially, Kamakura = Throwdown, just a different codename/uniform, so maybe

The name Kamakura is pretty lame. What connection does Sean have to the Kamakura dynasty of feudal Japan?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clockwise

none of this matters anyway?

Not at all. ;-)

[Otomo]

Kamakura is and always has been a stupid name. It's like Blaylock just googled "Japan" and used the first name that came up. It's a lovely city on the ocean and the famous Great Buddha is there, but it's a stupid name for a PERSON, let alone a ninja warrior.

Even stupider is the other meaning for kamakura...it's a Japanese igloo. Yes, the fearsome ninja warrior is named for a hut made out of snow.

That would be a stupid and condescending name for an Inuit soldier...it's even dumber for a ninja.

"Igloo." Sheesh.