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Viceroy

I was rereading GI Joe #0 and it occurred to me that a reason I found myself enjoying all three previews for GI Joe/GI Joe Origins & GI Joe Cobra, was the simple fact that all 3 stories were dead serious in their presentation.
I hope Messrs. Ryall, Schmidt, Hama, Dixon & Gage will make it so throughout the entire runs of all 3 series. I appreciate it very much.
In fact, I hope IDW makes the new GI Joe books a cross between the Marvel Knights line & DC's Mature Readers series. After all, IDW isn't tied down to the toyline and there's no real cartoon series-and Resolute sure isn't as campy & puerile as much of the 1980s/90s cartoons were. So why not go all out in the comic?
Keeping GI Joe serious in tone has been done before. John Ney Rieber, Chuck Dixon, Joe Casey & Mark Powers' initial Sins of the Mother proves it. I hope the editors DX & 86 immediately any story that has humourous overtones or tales that devolve into comedy as it progresses.
Making GI Joe a serious book would have the ff. advantages:
1)It would be a real break from the Marvel/DDP days. As fond as I am of Larry's military expertise, I am vexed by his adding doses of laughs. Take GI Joe #34. It was very good until that last page w/Lady J & the Baroness ranting. (see also Brian Sinclair's comments in GI Joe #38's postbox: The Pit); or DDP's GI Joe Frontline #18. Instead of retiring the series well, DDP opted to spoof the characters. To be honest, FL #18 was DDP's worst. It was disgusting (a puking dog?!? that 'tard gal annoying Roadblock? "spoons?!?" ) In fact, if you think I find Jerwa's run the nadir of DDP, think again-it was FL #18 & the infamous & uneeded PETs story. Marvel's GI Joe Spec. Missions #24 is another example. As good as the base premise was, it shouldn't have devolved into a comedy. Then there's Larry's Dreadnoks tales.
2)GI Joe works best when its stories are told seriously. Given its premise (Anti-Terorist Warfare, Espionage, Spec Ops) , it really should never have strayed into comedic situations ever. I guess one other reason I liked it when Colton ran the team- he was a serious CO. Ditto Phil Rey, in fact.
(To be fair to DDP, while a lot of its stories had serious premises, its dipping into the cartoon well diluted their impact. As tense as Homecoming was, for example, adding the Viper was uncalled for, or seeing Hector Ramirez. Then there are Shipwreck's lousty attempts for laughs: "So, do we go hunting for a Ninja?; Keep Polly outta this.", etc.)
3)Having IDW present GI Joe as a Mature Readers book would allow it to deal with any subject relevant to GI Joe regardless how sensitive it may be. So you'll have to present your ID. Fine. DC's Green Arrow #s 4-5 in late '87 , for examplehad Ollie Queen deal with AIDS and gays. No reader who wrote in was offended; they understood what Mike Grell was trying to put through.
In the GI Joeverse-regarding how much freedom HASBRO allows IDW, we can have the Joes deal with The War on Terror (what does Joe Colton or Hawk feel about the way the US deals with it? Could it have been done better? Is the GI Joe Team the ultimate solution to deal with terrorism?) Or how does Duke feel about "Collateral Damage" or friendly fire incidents?" or if the Joes are given a dirty mission -say, assassinate a terrorist leader- what does , say, Shooter or Low Light would feel about it.
Stuff like that.
So, what do you think?
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shanecdavis · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:37 am Post subject:

Definitely disagree, especially with making Joe mature to the point where it would require a proof of ID to purchase it. I would hope IDW wouldn't want to limit themselves in such a way.

I do agree that Joe should have an overall serious tone, but I think the light moments that Larry added to his stories were simply great. That was the main thing missing from Reloaded and was one of MANY things missing from Casey's AE run. Adding those light moments brings a good balance.

I look forward to the new comics, Origins at least, providing us with those kind of moments.

kicbocsir · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:41 am Post subject:

hey viceroy
I agree with you, I also agree with shanecdavis.. my thoughts how about insted of it geting to the point of showing your id. lets get to the EDGE. that way younger readers arent left out.
yo joe frank[/quote]
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ER · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject:

I agree that the tone set forth in #0 is of a more serious, realistic nature then the Marvel run, and that some of the types of humor we've seen in the past probably wouldn't work as well now. Personally I absolutely love the loopy humor in the old days - dreadnoks and grape soda and all. (love the phone conversation between CC and Major Bludd in #23) But yeah, over-the-top stupid bikers addicted to grape soda doesn't seem to fit the new tone. But there's always room for humor in any story - the humor just needs to fit the tone. I'm hoping for some fun and humor along the way in the IDW run.

And I agree with what others have said about keeping Joe readable for younger fans. The stories can be action-packed and be enjoyable to adults without having to have "adult content". There are plenty of kids who are into the new Joe toys who are potential buyers, and there's plenty of older Joe fans, now parents, who would like to be able to enjoy the new books with their kids. You don't need "adult content" to tell a good, gritty story like Lowlight struggling over an assassination or the other possible plotlines mentioned above.

Bleak5170 · Slayer Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Posts: 62

One of the best things about the original Joe run was how hilarious Larry Hama could be at times. I for one, am very much against a 100% serious G.I. Joe. It would be an insult to the legacy IMO.

Eagleyes · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:52 pm Post subject:

If issue 3 of the new IDW GIJOE already has Destro and remote controlled robots attacking the pitt then its not going to be too serious.

Reminds me of Marvel's old issue 3 with the big robot in the pitt.
Nanobytes with the DDP.
IG Bots with AE.

cashel · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:36 pm Post subject:

i want it serious to a degree. but i want hama's brand of humor and satire as well. springfield, the fred series, the dumbing down of america through sitcoms, the pyramid schemes, the selling of non-ideas, c.c. being a used car salesman. the catalogues handed out to the troops on the next year's vehicles and uniforms. c'mon, if you have that many different groups of vipers, you have to have a tongue in cheek somewhere along the line. i do like the more serious approach but let's not forget to have fun.
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Thank-you IDW for supporting G.I. Joe: the revamp and ARAH. Here's to forty-nine years of adventure!

cashel · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject:

let's go with 70% :>
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Thank-you IDW for supporting G.I. Joe: the revamp and ARAH. Here's to forty-nine years of adventure!

Antarctica · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:05 pm Post subject:

I think the 100% serious means stay away from thesci-fi stuff Joe tended to slip into and make it a real military comic not with stuff happening that couldn't happen in real life.

Jokes and humor by the characters should definitly be included. One Liners are always good, especially when making fun of something silly that the character is doing or wearing.
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Beach-Head v2 · Slayer Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 65

Nothing wrong with adding a bit of humor or a Sci-Fi to the book.If G.I.JOE was 100% serious I think it'd be quite boring

Ro-Dan · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject:

shanecdavis · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:39 am Post subject:

Personally I want IDW Joe to be 100% Sci-Fi free. There is a BIG difference between advanced technology and blatant Sci-Fi silliness. I think the Marvel run is replete with examples of each.

Beach-Head v2 · Slayer Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 65

Ro-Dan · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:12 pm Post subject:

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is essentially a sci-fi concept that uses the war scenario as its setting. You've got futuristic vehicles such as HISS tanks, flight pods, and jet packs alongside other sci-fi conventions like robots (S.N.A.K.E.s, B.A.T.s) and high-tech weaponry, care of Destro's MARS organization. And let's not forget G.I. Joe's Star Wars-type villains; the masked Cobra Commander (a la Darth Vader) and his armored legions (a la Imperial Stormtroopers).

Take away many of those sci-fi elements and G.I. Joe loses a lot of what makes it special. With those conventions stripped away you merely end up with a war comic not very different than books like Marvel's The 'Nam or DC's Sgt Rock.
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shanecdavis · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:30 am Post subject:

Again, that is mainly a difference between advance tech (which you provided excellent examples for) and blatant ridiculous sci-fi elements, such as alien transforming robots, transforming castles, Zartan as a chameleon, Serpentor, Serpentor babies, Dr. Mindbender clone, abominable snowmen, mind swapping ninjas, and crap like that.