IDW GI Joe comic information / discussion

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Halfshell
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IDW GI Joe comic information / discussion

Post by Halfshell »

Not sure if this has been properly covered in its own right anywhere else on the board. I know there's been reference to the series in some of the SDCC related threads... but I think this is the first actual official info on exactly what the plan is.

http://comicnewsi.com/article.php?catid ... emid=12105
G.I. JOE #0, a $1.00, 24-page comic being released next month, will debut three new series launching in early ’09. The issue contains three stand-alone five-page stories unique to the #0 issue, as well as character sketches and commentary from artist Robert Atkins, previews of upcoming covers, and interviews with the new G.I. JOE creators. The issue features two regular covers, one from Dave Dorman and one from JonBoy Meyers, as well as two special incentive covers from Atkins and a wraparound image by Ben Templesmith.

As to the content of the stories themselves, well, so far, the only news announced to fans has been the return of acclaimed G.I. JOE writer, Larry Hama and the addition of artist Atkins. While Hama is indeed back in the fold, he’s returning as part of a larger action team that will present these three initial comic book series in which G.I. JOE and COBRA are fully revitalized and re-established for a new generation of fans.

The first title to come storming out of the gate in January will be the singularly titled G.I.JOE, written by Chuck Dixon and featuring art by Atkins. This title moves ahead in the timeline from Hama’s series and looks at the fledging G.I. JOE organization as it explores an all-new threat, a shadowy organization that is first introduced to the team in a #0 issue story. Dave Johnson (100 Bullets) will provide covers for the series, as will Atkins. The first issue features a special wraparound variant cover by superstar artist Gabriele Dell’Otto (Secret War).

Larry Hama will be heading up G.I. JOE: ORIGINS, a series that re-envisions the G.I. JOE team for a new generation. Hama will be putting his great strength of blending strong characterization and action storytelling, honed over decades of writing these characters, to effective use in looking at the formations of the G.I. JOE organization and just who the characters on the team really are. Hama will be joined on this series by artist/colorist Tom Feister (Ex Machina). Each issue will come with two regular covers, one by Andrea Di Vito and one by Feister himself. The series launches in February.

Finally, launching in March will be the third round of this initial salvo: G.I. JOE: COBRA, a four-part miniseries written by Christos Gage and Mike Costa, with art by Antonio Fuso, and covers by Howard Chaykin (American Flagg) and Fuso. This series provides a unique look at the new status quo for the primary threat in the G.I. JOE universe. The series views the sinister COBRA organization from a ground-floor view as a familiar G.I. JOE team member seeks to infiltrate Cobra and learn their inner workings.

In addition to these titles, IDW will be launching comics that lead into next summer’s G.I. JOE live-action major motion picture from Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, as well as deluxe reprints of past fan-favorite tales. Details for both these projects will be released soon.

G.I. Joe #0 (item code AUG08 4120, a 24-page, $1 issue, will be available in October. G.I. Joe #1 launches in January 2009; G.I. Joe: Origins #1 debuts in February 2009; and G.I. Joe: Cobra #1 premieres in March 2009.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Halfshell wrote:G.I. Joe #0 (item code AUG08 4120, a 24-page, $1 issue, will be available in October. G.I. Joe #1 launches in January 2009; G.I. Joe: Origins #1 debuts in February 2009; and G.I. Joe: Cobra #1 premieres in March 2009.
They just don't ****ing learn, do they?
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Post by Halfshell »

Seem determined to make it difficult for themselves, don't they? How many casual fans are going to see three different series on the shelves, be unsure what's going on so just not bother? I know I do it with pretty much every Marvel title.

At least #0 will be stuff not in the latter issues, unlike All Hail Megatron.

Though I'm not sure how it'd be covered in a trade... likely split between the three.
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Post by Denyer »

Got the preview ordered, am thinking towards following Origins as it comes out and the other stuff in trade. Keen to see Hama lay the foundations before moving on to other stories...
Halfshell wrote:Seem determined to make it difficult for themselves, don't they? How many casual fans are going to see three different series on the shelves, be unsure what's going on so just not bother? I know I do it with pretty much every Marvel title.
Yup. Add in movie stuff when that comes around.

On the other hand, the company needs product of its own on shelves for that movie audience.

At the very least, the issues should include the type of reading/series guide TF never got and suffered for the lack of...
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Post by Cliffjumper »

So why don't they do a G I Joe comic, and if that's doing all well and good in a year or so's time, start up a secondary book? I... just don't follow why exactly things need to launch with three books...

Have they tried coming up with any of their own stuff, rather than just renting other people's?
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Post by Halfshell »

Cliffjumper wrote:Have they tried coming up with any of their own stuff, rather than just renting other people's?
Uhm... 30 Days of Night was, I think, an original title. And that's still being milked for all its worth. It's worth? Its worth? Both work... which is right for the phrase? I'm confused! Hrmmm... it'd be "that it's worth" wouldn't it? Right first time, then.

Locke & Key. That "Zombies vs Robots vs Whatever" thing, or series of things... I think McCarthy wrote for that prior to being cast as the second coming.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

So they shouldn't need to fatally overlaid a licensed book with 438 different series, right?
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Post by Halfshell »

Right, according to CNI, IDW's solicitations for November (fair as any other month, as it's their most recent set) are as follows (discounting Trades and the TF Animated "based of the tv show" thinger - single issues only):

Sir Apropos of Nothing #1
Angel: After the Fall #14 [licensed]
Legion of the Supernatural #2
Ghostbusters: The Other Side #2 [licensed]
Welcome to Hoxford #4
Epilogue #3
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans #1 [licensed]
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans #2 [licensed]
Star Trek: The Last Generation #1 [licensed]
Speed Racer: The Next Generation #1 [licensed]
Lost and Found
The Dreamer #1
Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O' Nine Tails #1
Galaxy Quest: Global Warning #4 [licensed]
Star Trek: Mirror Images #5 [licensed]
Grant Morrison’s Doctor Who #2 [licensed; reprint of other publisher's material]
Doctor Who: The Forgotten #4 [licensed]
Fallen Angel #32
The Dreamland Chronicles #5
The Transformers Spotlight: Blurr [licensed]
The Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime 3-D Edition [licensed; redux version of own material]
The Transformers: All Hail Megatron #5 [licensed]
Transformers Animated: The Arrival #4 [licensed]
Transformers Best of the UK: Time Wars #4 [licensed; reprint of other publisher's material]

More of that stuff might be licensed, I can't be arsed to check thoroughly. 24 comics, of which at least 15 are licensed franchise gubbins.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Ouch.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

I guess I owe IDW an apology, AHM must indeed be doing the business for them to try and replicate the complete and utter mess they've made of their formies comics right from the get go with the Joes.

Hopefully the different writers will coordinate a bit better so fans aren't going "Why is Duke a totally different character in the Dixon stuff to the Hama stuff and why do none of the earlier events get referenced to?" in six months. And it was slightly naughty to focus the initial announcement on Hama when he's not even the main writer.

On the plus side, any Grant Morrison fans tempted into picking up The World Shapers (in full colour! bah) will be well and truly mind ****ed.
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Post by Halfshell »

http://comicnewsi.com/article.php?catid=98&itemid=12116

It's nice to see that :love:Don:love: can get work that isn't based off a Hasbro franchise...
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Yeh, he's a genuine big shot, him and Brad Mick are already doing most of the Ultimate Marvel line, I understand.
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Post by Halfshell »

Step up from Jeph Loeb, at any rate...
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Halfshell wrote:Step up from Jeph Loeb, at any rate...
What wouldn't be... I have no idea how he somehow rose to being this key writer for Marvel. I have a feeling it's partially due to him being One Of Theirs who's just stuck around for a decade or so, rather than expensively hired help like Ellis/Morrison/Millar.
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Post by Halfshell »

It's bizarre. He's one of those people who's half-decent if you let him write the occasional issue, but once he's in charge of plotting anything out it all just falls apart.

I probably would have perservered with Kirkman's deathly dull Ultimate X-Men if I hadn't known it was all building up to a great big Loeb-helmed crossover. A comic being briefly rubbish is one thing, but when the light at the end of the tunnel has just been announced as a train...

Him being in charge of the great big massive Ultimatum event thing is a bit like handing over directorial duty to McG for the last act of Return of the King. It's just like... "I'm sorry, y'what?" Were Ellis, Millar, Bendis and Vaughn ALL too busy?
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Poor old Don. Still, if he an't break out of the ghetto at least we can sleep easy at night about Milne or Ng (whatever happened to him anyway?) working on anything else ever.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

inflatable dalek wrote:Ng (whatever happened to him anyway?)
I'm guessing IDW's philanthropy with putting covers and other work in the direction of unpaid DW stubbies had its' limits. Anyway, didn't he draw that one that only you liked?
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Post by CounterPunch »

Joe Ng is working for Udon now, hes one of the people working on the Street Fighter comic, which is about to relaunch.

I've always been a big fan of Joe Ng, followed him since basically the beginning of my travelling the fandom, I felt his artwork went downhill when he started working for Dreamwave and he lost alot of his personal touch he used to have in terms of his artwork, and since then he really hasnt regained that touch.
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Post by Blitzwing »

Well, when Image relaunched I only stuck around for the first ten issues or so. I guess I'll give this one a shot. I don't know if the "Origins" book sounds all that interesting though. I'll probobly stick to the main title and "Cobra". Doubt I will bother with the Movieverse books.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Cliffjumper wrote:I'm guessing IDW's philanthropy with putting covers and other work in the direction of unpaid DW stubbies had its' limits. Anyway, didn't he draw that one that only you liked?
Aardvark and LKW liked it more.
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