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G.I. Joe #4

 by Devil's Due

 

 

THE GOOD:

ROGER: All is well in the land of Joe once more. Well, almost all. James Destro is back in action, in his original, some might argue best, outfit, and his son Alexander is grounded!

RON: I missed the " Old Man".  Now that he is back, I can't wait to see how they sort out the family drama of who is in control.  We should see more detail origin of the entire Destro family.  

 

 

ROGER: Zartan is starting to feel better, and we finally after all these years have a peek at his origin!!!

RON: Zartan's nanomites could have a positive effect on him.  He is walking about right in the sunlight.   But it might just be his body suit that is shielding him from the light.   Still, Zartan was scarce in this issue. I was hoping to see more of him in fighting action.  But the issue was already super sized.  Worth the higher cover price.  Finally we get a clue to the origin!  

 

 


 ROGER:  I like the fact that they are using both old and new vehicles. Not to mention the fact that the new sculpt versions of the characters, like Duke are starting to show up.

RON: I love the design links between the comics and the toys.   I hope to see more of a merge between the two.    But I must say,  Duke looks a lot better in the comic than as a toy.

 

 

 

 


 ROGER:  Snake Eyes and Scarlett are back together! But that happened pretty quickly. Where's the tension? There was some, but that kind of healing should probably take a little longer, even in their case.

 

Ron :  Love keeps them coming back for more of each other.  Scarlett and Snake Eyes have so much history, they have to tie the knot... sooner or later. 

 

 

THE BAD:

ROGER: Though I'm pleased to see some of Zartan's origin, it seems to have come a little to easily. After all the years of keeping it a closely guarded secret, it just comes out in a conversation? Granted his daughter probably already knew, but I would think if it came up at all it would have been in extreme privacy.  Personally, I would have preferred to see even less revealed over a longer story arch, or have a whole issue / mini-series devoted to it. I just hope we don't find out that he once worked for the government under the code name "Weapon Z."
 

 

 

ROGER:  How long has daddy Destro been bed ridden? I guessing at least several months, if not several years? So how is it that in just two short weeks he is not only up and walking around, but he's trim, lean and stronger looking than ever? Where is the wheel chair? Crutches? Anything to reflect his condition. And for that matter, what exactly was his condition, and what brought him out of it?


 RON: Destro was looking way too fit in that last page.  Not even enhanced nanomites could pump him up like he was on a heavy dose of steroids.  The image is appealing to the power of Destro ( Sr.), but not realistic in the slightest.

 

 

 

 ROGER:  As I already stated, I like the mix of old and new vehicles, but they may be going too far. If Cobra has been out of commission for so long, where were they keeping such monstrosities as the F.A.N.G. II (page 17), and the Python Patrol Conquests (page 5)? I can see the Joe's having so many different vehicles, the Government would have stored those if not actually use them. The Dreadnoks on the other hand, how would anyone expect their Trike (page 15), or the Ground Assault Stinger (page 6) to still be around? Even if they never got rid of them I doubt they would still look the same.

RON: Hey.....is that a Cobra Sky Hawk I see next to that Fang II.   Maybe a Dreadnok Air Assault, but with a new blue paint job.  Either way, it is an odd addition to the new Cobra strike force.

THE UGLY:

 ROGER:  Not to much to say here this time around. But if something must be said, then this is it: It was all just to easy! Why did Storm Shadow wait so long to rescue Cobra Commander? Why did he bother at all? I can see why CC called the Joe's with the information, but why did it come in just the nick of time?

RON:  Roger, I knew you could find something.  :-)    I hope some of these questions will be answered in the coming issues. But you are right, it was almost too easy.  The Joes were so screwed until the Cobra Commander hooked them up in the end.

 

 

RON:  It sucks to be at the bottom of the "Cobra Totem Pole".  ( 'nuff said)

 

 

 

ROGER:  And does anyone really buy Lifelines solution to the problem? That doesn't sound feasible even within the comic book reality.

RON:  Lifeline was so distraught, he was just babbling in my book.  I was never a big fan of him to begin with.   Lifeline's compassion is fine, and well placed in the comic.  But a real Joes don't  let tragedies cloud their judgment and rational thinking.  He has been the veteran Medic since Doc was killed,  so get a backbone, Lifeline!

 

OVER  ALL:

ROGER: A very good issue. Devils Due is really hitting their stride. Though I had a lot to say about the bad things, they are all pretty minor, and can be worked out in the future.
       Plenty of back story is bleeding though, but it's still left us plenty of questions. Hawk's journey to his seat on the Jugglers? Storm Shadow's whereabouts, and affiliation? Billy's downfall? Destro's condition? Zartan's origin? How do Zarana and Zandar fit in to that origin? Zanya's mother? The list goes on, and it all keeps me coming back for more.
       I eagerly look forward to the new monthly schedule.

RON: A quick end to a bad situation.  A little too easy, but that will not always be the case.  There is only so much that can be done in a 4 issue story arc.  There are tons of reasons to keep readers coming back for more.  We applaud Devil's Due for a job well done.   I look forward to another great book next month. 

 

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© Copyright 1999, 2000 & 2001, Treasures 'N Toys, All Rights Reserved.  Special thanks to Roger Taft for his review.  Thanks to Devil's Due for allowing us to reproduce images of G.I. Joe comics for review purposes. Hit Counter