Customer Reviews

G.I. Joe Volume 1 (G.I. Joe (IDW Unnumbered))

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This July 2009 full-color trade paperback collects the first six and a half issues (#0 to #6) of the 2009 IDW relaunch of the Marvel Comics classic 1980's "GI Joe: A Real American Hero" series. The original comic book series ran for over 200 issues with Marvel and other publishers: this series retains the same familiar characters but none of the continuity. Chuck Dixon is the writer and Robert Atkins is the artist. The main story arc seems like an updated version of Larry Hama's "The Trojan Gambit" from September 1982's "G. I. Joe #3", with an invasion of the Joes' secret headquarters led remotely by Destro and two joystick wielding associates. This TPB also collects the covers from each issue (2-3 for each).
IDW has flooded the marketplace with several G.I. Joe titles in advance of the summer 2009 movie. I recommend that fans of the old Marvel series try the parallel "G. I. Joe Origins" title written by original series writer Larry Hama or else IDW's trade paperback reprints of the old series. I bought five of these "main series" issues with regularly declining enthusiasm and do not plan to continue. I thought each issue was average but underwhelming, especially considering IDW's $3.99 cover price. Amazon's discount makes "waiting for the trade" especially attractive to fans of this series.

Like lots of you reading this, I wanted this to be great. I bought ever issue the day they hit the stands, and read them eagerly as soon as I got home. I'm a fan of Chuck Dixon and I LOVE GI Joe, but I can't sign off on this one. IDW may have hindered Dixon's use of the Joe Universe, since Hama was working on the "Origins" title and the far better G.I. JOE: COBRA (G. I. Joe (Graphic Novels)) book was in the works. Maybe for that reason he wasn't allowed to use some of the more familiar and likable Cobra characters, but whatever the reason this just isn't good enough. Not nearly enough happens, and what does seems like just half a start. This story could have been effectively told in 1 or 2 issues.

I'm way too big a fan to stop reading this title but I sure hope it gets better.

I understand some of the complaints that the story developed too slowly but they crammed enough entertaining action in along the way that they made it worthwhile. I'm a big fan of Dixon's writing back from the early Punisher work he did and he appears to still be at the top of his game. I also really enjoyed the way they utilized Snake-eyes by really building up the mystery around his actions. Too bad the filmmakers didn't use this for their script.

very good start to another G. I. Joe reimagining. Solid character focus and very good art. The only complaint I have - like many others - is that so far the series is much slower than any of its predecessors, but since this is the very beginning, I'd overlook it. Hopefully it'll pick up with later volumes.