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[shanecdavis]

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Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow #14

Chuck Dixon (w) • Robert Atkins (a) • Andrea Di Vito, Lee Ferguson & Sal Buscema (c)

“Serpent’s Shadow,” part 2!
Ninja versus Ninja! SNAKE EYES goes deeper into the Arashikage clan—but will his mission succeed or will STORM SHADOW corrupt the commando? Differnces will have to be put aside as both turn their swords against—Zartan!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

*Variant Covers:
Black & White Andrea Di Vito cover!

Bullet Points:
Non-stop ninja and commando action!
Featuring the key villain from G.I. JOE: RETALIATION!


PREVIEW
http://www.comicbookresources.com:8080/?page=preview&id=12751

[Veritas]

Gahhh... I called the Helix idiocy the second she didn't shoot SE, but I was sooo hoping I'd be wrong. Great art, nice action... stupid addition of MarySue. This arc doesn't need her.

And Hard Drive should have clocked her.
_________________
~CSV
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Proud GeekMom and JoeMomma!
My Blog: http://csv1026.blogspot.com
My Fanfic (Stargate SG1, GI Joe, Skulduggery Pleasant): http://www.fanfiction.net/~catwings1026

[Mamu_Nestor]

[Veritas]

[Mamu_Nestor]

[Eagleyes]

The covers are such a lie.
They neither fight together nor against each other

Why wouldn't Storm Shadow go with Snakes to finish Zartan?

[Machete Phil]

So, is it just me, or did the sudden introduction of “magic ninjas” into the reboot really bother anybody else?

I try hard to give Chuck Dixon credit when credit is due, and he has done a lot of great things with the reboot… but ultimately, I feel that with every little step he takes the reboot forward, he then takes two giant steps back.

Sure, it was just a one or two page flashback, but it has a BIG impact on the reboot universe, in my opinion. Chuck Dixon has basically just suggested that ninjas can defy the laws of the universe due solely to their ninjaness – which might have been fine, if he was just boasting or speaking metaphorically – but then Baby Snake-Eyes goes on to ACTUALLY defy the laws of the universe by dipping his entire arm into a vat of molten lead and holding it there as if it were water. Maybe to others, that’s no big deal, but to me, that’s just a ridiculous concept in a universe that is also shared with the more grounded, and far superior Cobra series. Ninjas should be cool enough WITHOUT magic. They’re frickin’ ninjas, for Pete’s sake. Is that not impressive enough in and of itself? Why does Chuck Dixon have to go and turn the Arashikage clan into a less cool, already been there, done that version of The Hand from the Marvel universe?

Think of the implications here… if Snake-Eyes can dip his hand into molten lead with no repercussions, and can also defy God only knows what other laws of the universe, then what is the dramatic and/or entertainment value of watching him fight other normal human beings? There’s no way the guy can lose. Knives and AK-47s are going to lose out to Avengers and X-Men style powers 10 times out of 10.

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wish that Chuck Dixon would leave the origin stories to Costa. We now have the origins of Destro, Zartan, and Snake-Eyes ruined by a writer who insists on treating GI Joe like a superhero franchise.

Or then again, maybe I’m just overreacting. What do the rest of you think?

Other than that, I thought the issue was pretty good… except for the Helix scene. WTF was that all about? Why would the Joes ever stand for some lunatic living amongst them who just sneaks up behind you and almost breaks your neck when all you're trying to do is drop off some mail.

But other than THAT too, I guess, I thought the issue was pretty good. The fight scenes were entertaining, and I always like to see Cobra acting as ruthless as they usually do in the reboot. And if it hadn’t been for the ninja magic… I would have actually liked the origin story. I would have been curious to find out more about who Snake-Eyes’ dad was, and to see how the reboot decides to portray the Soft Master. But after the ninja magic, I’m not too sure I care anymore.
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But from that point on... Phil Coletti was forever known as... Machete Phil.

[Crimson Guard Immortal]

I completely agree with your points 1) regarding the Magic Ninja Molten Hand Dive and 2) Helix's wrestling move on Hard Drive. At least Dixon could have provided a lame excuse for how Snake Eyes still has a hand.
Zartan's tricks just aren't interesting. Renegades had a much better take on him.
The Savane/CC interaction saves the issue.
I still don't understand the exchanges between Rika and SE. Was this somehow a veiled threat or an offer to raise her son? How silly is it he hits Rika in the back of the head?
Childhood Snake Eyes is much more interesting than his adult version. At least the child was interested in something (the identity of his dad).

[Eagleyes]

Phil,

I totally agree...it's not just you.
I'm simply getting tired of complaining about Dixon.
I stopped buying the main title.
I will probably stop buying this one too.

To your point, I was waiting for it to be a childhood dream.
But not only do we have ninja magic, but his whole identity is different.

Rogue Snakes. How he treats Scarlett. Vigilante batman heroism.
Now he was abandoned and adopted by the Hard Master.
No tragic family accident. No war buddies of tommy and Lonzo.
His cry was the last sound he ever heard? So Snakes is silent from bad childhood memories not by bravery in battle?

Dixon is bad fan fiction..and he's not even a true fan

[Mamu_Nestor]

Yeah I'm tired of complaining about Dixon... But yeah he's good at messing things up...
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Author: Karate is Self-Defense Available at Amazon.com. Kindle Version Coming Soon.

[Veritas]

[Veritas]

[Machete Phil]

[edhellman]

I enjoy Zartan in this series but most everything else is pretty blah. I wish Costa wrote all of the books. We still don't know much about Savane... And now she may be making an early exit after blowing her mission.

I hope they will both show up in Cobra so that Costa can flesh them out.

The Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow relationship COULD be really interesting but so far it feels hollow and kinda been there done that.

[Tiger71]