Yeah, but Sparks is the only one who knows that!

I actually LOVED DDP's run. I've mentioned that several times on here so it shouldn't be surprising this time.
But as we all know, people never die in war/conflicts...so none of those characters should have died.
That's been argued over enough though, and I just want to say that I like the cover. It's fitting. I don't see it as a ripoff.

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It's stuff like this that makes me okay with the fact that Devil's Due no longer has the license.

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Dun't make him any less not dead.



My biggest problem with DDP is that it took them so long to figure out what worked. Larry Hama figured it out by Issue #11, and retained it, mostly till the late #70s. DDP really hit their stride around #27, but lost it by #39...

Far too many new characters and greenshirts in the early issues just cluttered the landscape. Introducing the Coil and bringing back Serpentor was a bad move that early, and Jerwa focused too much on the aftermath of that event, to the point his own stories never got off the ground.

Then there was their (mis)treatment of Snake-Eyes. Backlash from his treatment in the Marvel Era made DDp think they should abuse and "humanize" him thru repeated defeats, culminating in Casey just flat out killing him! And in the end, we never really got a good sense of where Snake-Eyes was, internally, with the exception of Declassified and Master/Apprentice. A waste of the most popular Joe character, IMO.

When they finally decided on the feel for their book (America's Elite), they were saddled with a writer who just didn't get the property (He *killed* Snake-Eyes then ressurected him the next issue!). Only now, at the end, do they truly understand.

And either of those potentialities are the ONLY ways I would even consider picking up a new comic.

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A few of my gripes:

1- Zombie Snake Eyes

2- I can't figure out what happened with the Serpentor Clones if you gave me a map

3- Characters being killed off panel with a mere line of dialogue, and nothing else

and perhaps my biggest gripe (be it real or imagined)

4- A lack of followup... I always felt like I was left wondering what happened at the end of some of these stories. Was it #25 where CC shot Billy? And what happened to Billy was never revealed at all. What exactly happened to TjBang? Joes dying didn't really mean anything (except Lady Jaye), and generally didn't have real consequences. Remember how Hama killed off Sneak Peak? Most of that issue built up to his death, and in the end, you felt something for the character. That kind of impact didn't seem to happen in the DD run.


This is not to say that I didn't buy the DD comic. I think it gave me my $3-4 dollars worth of monthly entertainment (usually augmented by a trip to this board to talk about the issue). I hope that whatever publisher ends up with Joe next, they end up doing a nice job.


bearcatcc

I think this type of thing happened a lot with DD. There was going to be some big plot hook, but then the build up to it was so long and drawn out that the story got changed, shortened or killed before the payoff. I think this happens a lot in modern comics, because barely any story gets told in 22 pages, so it takes months of time for readers to get a complete story (look at Ultimates 3). If you look back at older comics, build up like that wasn't the only story, it was happening alongside the meat of an action packed issue. Rereading the original run, the Joes get all kinds of stuff done in 22 pages, while you're left wanting to find out what happens next. That's just good, timeless storytelling.

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Beautifully said. It really hits at the heart of part of the problem with many modern comics.

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Agreed as well, add my vote to the masses

It's taken me years to come to terms with the fact that i *do*, and that I can name most of the Serpentots (thus know all the DNA components of the Serpentor stew). I *hate* Serpentor, but this thing was so convoluted, I had to figure it out!



That's really more Hasbro's fault, if you're referring to the recent purge of c-list Cobras. Seems there's a "no visible death" policy enacted for this, the most violent-seeming GIJoe story ever told!



Well, Billy was shot in Issue #20, but by the end of 21 (the Silent issue), he's patched up and limping away with Snake-Eyes and Kamakura. Talk about shock value, a point-blank bullet wound got retconned into a limp in the span of an issue.

Tj'bang we *didnt* get an answer on. But since the Joes listed Sei-Tin as a prisoner in the coffin, we have to assume that's because Storm Shadow switched them back around, then gave the paralyzed and enffebled Sei-Tin back to the Joes.

And Mainframe's death did sober up and define Firewall, who really came into her own in SM: Brazil, where she wore the red and tan recolor of Mainframe's original outfit. That right there seemed to be a cathartic after-effect of his death. Chuckles, as I said before, was meant to come back as part of a larger story. So when that got changed, his death became meaningless. The Red Shadow murders *were* a hollow shock-value build up that is "paid off" by the Red Shadows arc... it's just that the story is so awful and rushed that the "pay off" is a washed-out dollar bill and a few pennies, nowhere near the true cost of the lives they so cavalierly threw away.

So yeah, that's a valid complaint about Devil's Due. Too many ideas with less than stellar follow-up.

For the most part I liked various stories they did. Some of it was decent and worthy of having the title stamped on it. But then there were the times it sucked. Joe Casey's run really was the worst G.I.Joe story telling in the history of G.I.Joe. That includes fan fictions! I wish he'd find a book to crap up and stay on it. I hope he never writes another book I normally read again.

That said, I still think Brandon Jerwa did a great job while he had free run of the book. His story telling was the closest to what I found in Larry Hama's story telling during the prime run of the original title. Then there were the special mission books which were great fun to read. Of the reborn crap, the Cobra reborn title was a good book and fun to read.

Over all I can't say I'm unhappy that Devils Due lost the book. I still remember Josh Blaylock hitting all the lists hyping that he got the title. At that time he was openly talking with everyone and very open to the fans. As time went by he just became no different than a suit working at a corporation. He started acting like he didn't care what fans said and really acted snobish at the cons. So yeah, it's a good thing to see him knocked down a peg or two, not that he probably notices.

It's funny looking that that picture Justin posted. Duke has a look on his face like "it's about time" and Scarlett looks like she's rolling her eyes, hehe. Then there's Cover Girl looking like she's saying "you're still reading this?". Hawk has an expression on his face like he's excited and he's drawn young again. I guess Colton might be saying "Damn, I won't be in the book anymore".

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Okay we know DDP is most likely losing the license. So who's going to get it? And when will they start publishing the comic again? That's what I want to know.

I am a bit disappointed that if DDP loses the license I'll have nothing to talk to them about at SDCC. I'm not reading any of their other books (was into Drafted but its just taking waaaaay too long to get going) and the one person I really enjoyed chatting with was Susan who I believe left the company. Say what you will about their Joe books, they were still fun people to hang with. Guess I'll just have to get a quick sketch from Seeley and move on.

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Realistically there are 3 options.

1) Marvel, they have a working relationship already established with Marvel because of their Marvel Legends set up. Plus the original run of comics which would benenfit Hasbro by allowing them to continue to reproduce original run comic packs. Downside is that MArvel would need sales numbers that I just don't think GI Joe can bring to the table. If a series like Cable and Deadpool can't bring in enough readers then GI Joe can't. But with a big budget movie looming if any publisher could handle a Transformer like onslaught of new fans it is Marvel.

2)Hasbro keeps it in house. They've already shown they are capable of doing new material with their recent Hama written comic packs. The whole point of the GI Joe comic was to help sell the toys. Well kids don't buy comics any more. So what is the point of a monthly magazine that advertises your toys if your intended audience (the kids) aren't buying it. By continuing new comic packs they get the best of both worlds. They get to show case the characters they create to the people who buy their toys without having to deal with all the hassles of out sourcing their property.

3)Image, creator owned properties backed by a formidable publisher. GI Joe has already been with Image form when Devils Due first started out. They'd get all the benefits from running things in house but would have the experience of a company fully capable of getting out a monthly magazine. I don't think Hasbro will go this route but if they did it could change how properties get handled in the future.

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Awwwww, crap, I feel like I'm stepping in a hornet's nest here, but I just have to say it. These new comic pack issues just didn't cut it for me. They felt dumbed down for kids. Like I was reading Archie Comics. Or something written by Larry Hama's grandson. If this turns out to be the quality of the new title, I must regretfully bow out and pass on it.

My feeling is that it'll be kept in house until the movie releases. It seems like they will not want a reboot until the movie happens. Maybe the first issue will be a prequel for the movie. I'd guess Devils Due will finish up then all there will be for a while is the comic packs. Beyond that, whoever gets the company will be working on their stuff from the time they get the license until it's time to put out the comic.

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