G.I Joe #3 Review


The third issue in, G.I Joe #3 is an important issue. I want to love this series and, while I do like it, it needs to that little more to feel like a true G.I Joe title. So why do I still feel dissapointed?

The official description from IDW:

THE FALL OF G.I. JOE continues…and things get worse. Who is Duke working for—and why? Plus—while the G.I. JOE team is under fire, Scarlett struggles to hold them together…and the COBRA peacekeeping force continue its advance.

G.I Joe_S4_3 Cover BWhile this issue is fairly enjoyable, many of its flaws come from its attempts to distance itself from previous titles, yet cling to the same story. This issue hints so much at ‘season 3’ yet it tries to be an edgy, politically-charged thriller all the same. Either embrace what you are, or ignore it. G.I Joe #3 takes too much time walking the line.

Also, let’s not forget this is an arc once called ‘The fall of G.I Joe’ and all we’ve got so far is a slow story about a war-torn nation while the two main sides – the ‘Joes and Cobras – fight from the sidelines. In many ways, I love the cold-war esque vibe writer Karen Traviss is going for – it certainly hints at actual espionage – but it doens’t seem to match what’s come before it. Is this a continuation or a rebranding? The story is a slow and, heck, little happens in this issue. It’s one of those titles that, if it thought it would get away with it, would pad it out with a chessboard, just to emphasise the ‘tactics’ and plays from either side. We see nothing, but we read enough about it in the dialogue.

Visually, the artistic cues take this same approach. This is the third issue of the arc and, while Steve Kurth’s pencils are realistic enough to lend themself to Traviss’s approach, the dull, earthy colors from Kito Young are getting a bit tiring. It needs to mix it up a little, or simply change things up a bit to keep it visually appealing.

All in all, I really do like this story, but issues like this are where I wish I could enjoy it as a stand alone title.

OUR RATING
6
  • + Tense political-themed action
  • + Consistent appearance
  • - Doesn't feel like G.I Joe
  • - Pretty slow

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