G.I. Joe #3

Finally! After what seemed like forever, Issue #3 has finally been released. When does this thing go monthly again?!? I will say, it was definitely worth the wait! There were a few drawbacks, I think, but overall, this issue really kept things going…a nice job by Devil’s Due again, but here are some details:

The cover to G.I. Joe #3!

WARNING!!! SPOILERS ABOUND! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

No real "Splash Page" this time around…here’s a pic of the odd looking Joe helicopter that comes to the rescue.	Personally, I keep waiting for things to slow down just a little. Just a little lapse to show me that Devil’s Due can’t quite keep it up. Not that I want them to fail, far, FAR from it! I just couldn’t imagine that the Joe book could be quite as cool with out “The Master” at the helm. While this new book doesn’t quite match up yet to the classic days of the comic, it is definitely holding it’s own and very well!
We’ll start at the beginning like usual…the cover. This cover is just plain astounding! I’ve never seen Zartan look cooler. I am thrilled that they put the Chameleon in there, it really fits well, and is one of those super cool little vehicles that never got much airplay in the original comic. The new Dreadnok logo is way beyond cool, and J. Scott Campbell really shines in this environment. Stands out on the shelves wonderfully and really makes an impact! Beautiful! But let’s go onto the story… We start off where #2 left, deep in Cobra territory in the Florida Everglades. It would appear that the Joe team has won and Cobra is on ropes. Destro has sped off in his AGP with Snake Eyes and Scarlett, but the Joes have the base under control and Cobra in their grasp. Or do they? Major Bludd swiftly activates a hidden trap and within seconds, the Joes are mowed down by an odd blast of light, letting the good Major escape. Zartan and Zanya zoom towards a secret hideout while Buzzer and Thrasher make haste in the Thunder Machine. They do not get far as a space-age Joe helicopter sweeps in from nowhere and blasts them into the swamp! By this time, Zartan arrives at his hideout, the familiar Florida gas station seen throughout the run of the original comic book series. After making short work of a few criminal intruders, Zartan and Zanya are home.	Zartan and Zanya take back their home and a view of the classic Cobra Castle in Trans-Carpathia…
"Destro" stands above… Destro?!?	The scene shifts into said castle, to show the familiar visage of this new Destro speaking triumphantly and revealing his plan little by little. We finally see who he is talking to, it is his father the original Destro! He is bedridden and injected with many little needles, accomplishing who knows what. It is revealed that he has a “mystery illness” and cannot even speak, and can barely move. A short history is given, revealing that Destro’s son was born from a previous relationship, but Destro left his mother and him to hook up with The Baroness. There is apparently some hostility as the strange relationship between father and son is slowly revealed.
Some cool things evident inside the tower…it also appears to be a Cobra Command Center of a sort, with some updated Cobra troopers milling around. A modernized Tele-Viper and Techno-Viper are at the computer console and look very, very cool. Change of scenery to the Joe HQ, I only assume back in Wright-Patterson AFB. They are reviewing the video for the past battle, and reveal that the bright blast of light was really a blast of nano-mites, and several Joe members are now infected!	Updated versions of the Tele-Viper and Techno-Viper. Quite streamlined and very cool.
Kamakura and Spirit are on the job and looking sweet!	Spirit and Kamakura enter and are given the unenviable task of traveling to Scotland to try and recruit Billy, Cobra Commander’s son. Billy was brainwashed at the end of the original series, and is apparently feeling some ill effects of it. As they depart, Flint takes it upon himself to introduce Mainframe to two more new additions to the team, Daemon and Firewall, a pair of young computer experts. Fast forward to Scotland, the next day. Kamakura and Spirit drop in on Billy unexpected. The young man does not appear pleased, but sees Kamakura’s Arishikage tattoo and reluctantly agrees to help.
Back in Scotland in a nameless prison bunker…Scarlett and Snake Eyes remain prisoners, and none too happy. After some venting by Scarlett, Mistress Armada shows up and reveals a little too much about their host. After a small altercation between Armada and The Baroness, they depart, leaving Scarlett and Snakes to their own devices. Bad idea, as Snake Eyes reveals a small amount of plastique hidden in his mouth. Scarlett produces the Det Cord from her hair and together, they are quickly blasting their way out of the prison cell! They escape swiftly, but are quickly confronted by Iron Grenadier's (who's new costume designs pretty much kick butt, in my opinion!) and ae able to make pretty quick work of them. It flows nicely, showing their skills and talents, but not making them out to be superhuman fighting machines. They fight their way to a communications station (very coolly, I might add…some GREAT hand to hand fight scenes happening here…), but get ambushed by Iron Grenadiers just as they get the message out to the Joes. More excellent fight scenes ensue until they run into a trio of IG’s, who are not what they seem. They are Billy and the Joes in disguise!	Scarlett and Snake Eyes whup some Cobra tail!
Cobra’s Plan moves to fruition…but what is happening with Cobra Commander?!?	So Scarlett and Snake Eyes join the other three to escape from the prison as the Joes analyze the message from Scarlett. Mainframe is in charge of the briefing, giving the Joes’ attending the lowdown. Shipwreck, Wild Bill, Jinx, Flint, Lady Jaye, Rock & Roll are all present and accounted for (the rest having been felled by the nano-mites), as Mainframe gives them the bad news. They run through options, and the only one appears to be, hit Cobra in the right place at the right time. As Mainframe puts it: "Our Men will handle the satellite—you just keep the world safe until then. No pressure." Back in Trans-Carpathia, "Destro" stands triumphantly as lightning crackles dramatically behind him. We get another cool view of the new Cobra Troopers down below as he declares "Activate the Gaijin Satellite!". The scene shifts back to the prison in Scotland as the satellite is triggered. Cobra Commander appears entranced as the nano-mites swarm his mind…the issue ends with him hypnotically saying "It is mine. It is mine. It is mine". To Be Continued…

So, what did I think of this issue? I gotta say, Devil’s Due is DEFINITELY keeping the pace up! Action seemed well paced throughout this issue as well as important plot points. Things start all heated up with Roadblock and Major Bludd, and keep it up all through the issue. Excellent, excellent pacing by Blaylock.

The art really seems to be hitting it’s stride as well. Kurth’s art does still falter in some spots…panels that aren’t deemed "important" almost seem tossed together, and the background has a habit of kind of melting into one amorphous blob. However, the art has taken quite a few steps up, and I really look forward to seeing how he progresses and grows as an artist throughout his run.

Character choices appear top notch as well. It’s great to see Spirit in a relatively important role, and looking like a bad-a$$ commando instead of his normal Native American garb. Kamakura is growing on me as well, and I look forward to seeing him in the future as well. Storyline points seem to move well…The Destro family father/son conflict appears interesting, but I am a little wary of all these children taking over. The Scarlett/Snake Eyes romantic suspense remains interesting in an odd way. I’m loving some of the throwbacks to the old series, mentions of Billy and his brainwashing…Destro meeting the "aristocrat’s daughter". All seem well researched and well placed.

And then there’s the fight scenes, especially the hand-to-hand combat. They just ROCKED this issue. Scarlet kicks some serious butt against Armada, and Snake Eyes definitely holds his own. It’s a great balance, showing their skill, but not taking it too far. Nice layout by Blaylock and Kurth!

But, not everything in this issue was to my liking…first and foremost, that G.I. Joe helicopter. I cannot STAND the way it looks. I really hope Kurth tones down the sci-fi element a little bit. I really prefer to see some realism in the vehicle designs, or at least vehicles based on actual Joe ones. Why not a Tomahawk or Dragonfly? Or how about even a Locust?!? I just really don’t see where that copter design came from. It does not even remotely resemble anything made on this Earth. I don’t mind some stretching of the truth, but this thing is just WAY too whacked out. Please, Steve, if you do read this, use some real Joe vehicles as a base, or tone down the alien influence…a lot of folks will be happier!

I have to admit as well, I was hoping that whoever was behind this new Destro mask, it was someone who was at least a known character. And I was really not looking forward to another child taking over the “family business” like Zanya. But, it does seem at least somewhat intriguing at this point.

Also, Armada’s speech seemed a little forced as well. The way she reveals the entire Cobra plan to the two Joe prisoners just did not work well for me. It just seemed a little overboard and way too forced.

Overall, though, I am more than happy with this issue in particular and the entire series in general. Blaylock, Kurth, Larter, and Wherle continue to surprise and impress me every 60 days, and I cannot wait until this series goes monthly!



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