GIJoe

[anarky]

I'll double-check, but I don't think he was burned badly. He went through the rest of the Marvel run without any major scarring, and I don't recall him wearing his rubber mask. I know for sure during his "mullet phase" (which is one of the few remaining, legitimate Snake Eyes figures Hasbro could do, no matter how stupid), he didn't have sunglasses, which he always wore with the mask prior.

Also, IIRC, it was a big deal when Storm Shadow slashed him up badly enough in the DD run that he had to go back to wearing the black mask full-time.

[anarky]

Well, if the dude at The Buy Pile didn't already rule out two contenders, IDW sure isn't being kind to trade waiters with Baroness and Major Bludd showing up on covers as themselves just two months from now.

Don't spoil it for me, but I am finding Destro's absence intriguing.

[Rollo Tomassi]

While I cannot confirm or deny any particular character being promoted, I will say in the most intriguing way possible that Destro IS in GIJoe 8.

[jjreason]

So is the ARAH series separate from the other Joe series, context wise? If someone wanted to test out an issue, would the GI Joe series be the one to try out?

[Rollo Tomassi]

ARAH is a direct continuation of the Marvel series which ended in 1994 with issue 155. IDW picked it back up over two decades later right where it left off with issue 155 1/2. It's a separate continuity from IDWs other three ongoing Joe books.

An here's the CliffNotes on most Joe Comics.

Marvel did the original series, plus a short lived companion series called 'Special Missions' that ran 28 issues.

Devil's Due Press(DDP) picked up the dormant license in 2002 and kept up with the Marvel continuity (allowing that several years had lapsed) and that series ran until issue 44. Then due to lagging sales, they restarted with a new book called 'GIJoe: America's Elite' that ran for 36 issues before DDP lost the license. Both of those series shared the original MVL continuity.
DDP also had a companion title called 'Frontline' that ran a 18 issues.
Several 'Special Mission' oneshots named for the exotic locale they took place in (Brazil, Tokyo, New York, etc)
Several 'Declassified' mini series that retold the origins of major players (Snake-Eyes, Dreadnoks, etc)
And DDP also had a short lived 'GIJoe:Reloaded' series that was dot of its 'Ultimate/All Star' comic unfettered by continuity. It was a reboot set in modern times that lasted like 12 issues.

Then IDW got the license and started their own continuity with two ongoings (GiJoe and GIJoe: Origins) and a Cobra mini series. The Cobra mini series was so fucking good it immediately got a follow up Oneshot, then a second mini, then Another Oneshot, before finally getting its own ongoing.

Then those three ongoings were simultaneously stopped and replace with the three current ongoing titles: GIJoe, Snake Eyes, and Cobra.

And they hired Larry Hama to come back and pick up ARAH where he left off. It completely ignores the DDP books continuity.

------------

You can pick up any of the four books and be pleased, IMO. But know that that three new titles are pretty heavily interconnected continuity wise. Whereas ARAH is stand alone.

[Stormshadow]

You sonovabitch.

You deliberately left my ongoing series off the list. I bet that pantomiming buffoon Nate paid you to do that didn't he? He's such a jealous bitch that I got on ongoing series before he did. He's a jealous jealous twat. Fuck you, Nathan.

Just to set the record straight, Mssr. Reason, DDP released an ongoing Stormshadow series WELL BEFORE IDW released an ongoing Snake-Eyes one.

So I'll always be first. Ha ha. Suck it, bitch. You know who you are, you fugly mute asstard.

[anarky]

Which hopefully IDW will get around to collecting (I assume they will), since the only collection of it is missing the final two issues.

[jjreason]

I do periodically buy GI Joe comics, but I kind of stockpile them and read sporadically. Of the newer stuff I do have a complete limited series starring Fred & at least the first issue or 2 by Chuck Dixon of one of the newer main series. I also had a bunch of Devil's Due stuff, but that really ran out of gas & I quit on it. The comic store near my parents still had a full run (1-8) of the latest series in their new issue area, but I passed due to spending nearly $100 last week on comics as it was. Maybe next time.

EDITED: I'm actually better off than I thought - of the IDW stuff I have 1-14 of volume 1 (minus #8), Cobra 1-4 and Origins 1. I realize they started (at least) 4 series at concurrently that are all up to #8 now that I would have to catch up on, but it could be worse....

[jjreason]

And I just finished the 4 issue GI Joe Cobra (volume 1) limited series. Jesus Christ, that was amazing. Origins 1 was awesome as well - I'm so cyclic when it comes to shit, but I'm high on GI Joe after these books & finding the toys for Chux!!!

[anarky]

It appears I have an extra Cobra: Cobra Civil War Vol I (which is essentially Cobra Volume 4, IIRC). IDW also remaindered a lot of the earlier paperbacks, and some of them are still on Amazon for low prices, and a bit more at this otherwise shitty closeout bookstore in San Diego. I can't promise anything, but I can see what Joe stuff they have next time I'm able to get by there if'n you want.

[anarky]

BTW, and Rollo will back me up, check out IDW's Transformers comics, too. It goes through some ups and downs, but is worth it. There were several interlocked miniseries to start with, mostly by Simon Furman, setting up a totally new status quo. Then they did a soft reboot with a miserable maxi-series called All Hail Megatron, where they tossed everything out and had the Decepticons conquer the Earth. This led into the ongoing series. The first volume is, hands-down, one of the worst comics I've ever read. (Following the one-two suckpunch of All Hail Megatron and For All Mankind, I actually dropped the book until Rollo recommended checking out the next volume so enthusiastically.) But it starts picking up quickly in the second, and is currently (Vol. 5) one of the best comics I've read. You could probably get by with just the ongoing, but the overall story makes more sense if read all the volumes as close to in-order as you can manage. (Except New Avengers/Transformers, which I haven't read and is OOP, but is universally considered horse shit.)

Rollo, I've noticed that the hardcore TF fans (the ones who scare folks like you and me, who don't consider anyone a fan unless they know all the obscure Japan-only characters and have all the shitty convention comics) HATE the "Galvatron: Heart of Darkness" arc, which I thought was one of the best, period.

[jjreason]

Not sure if I can get my head around it, Chux, Lord knows I've tried. I just don't have any affinity for those characters.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Much like they did with GIJoe, IDW is restarting TF with two new Ongoings, so now is the perfect time to jump on the floppy bandwagon. The Death of Optimus oneshot that wraps up the Chaos storyline came out today. I haven't read it yet. I got the Toy Cover.

[Rollo Tomassi]

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Anarky!! Don't read that USAToday end of year roundup thats in a handy link over at Robot6 at CBR. The guy spoils who the new Cobra Commander is.

[anarky]

Gratzi. I'm trying to avoid all Joe-related articles, though I have a feeling I'll be really lucky if I can go until the release of the paperback without accidentally stumbling upon something, though it's helpful to know specific articles to avoid.

I'm really afraid IDW will fuck it up at some point. Like the whole "there's no question the new Cobra Commander doesn't answer to Anastasia or Sebastian" thing from the covers.