Van Lente Recruits "G.I. Joe" For IDW

[CBR News]

Writer Fred Van Lente spoke with CBR News about his upcoming "G.I. Joe" relaunch for IDW, including the new Joe status quo following the end of the current series and what fans can expect moving forward.


Full article here.

[BrotherUnitNo_4]

This is a pretty solid creative team. I'm honestly shocked Marvel never tried to lock Kurth down for the Ultimate line after Ultimate Armor Wars. His style fit the feel of that universe quite well.

Although I'm not a fan of that cover, I'll probably give it a look when it launches on the strength of the creators.

[PsychoGoatee]

I'll definitely be checking out the new Joe run. I've loxed Dixon's stuff, hope Van Lente keeps it going well.

Just a nitpick for him though, "For me, this is the live-action "GI Joe" TV series -- the natural succession to the kids' cartoons." doesn't make sense for a lot of reasons. For one, there is animation for adult audiences. And well, this is comics, hope this doesn't mean he's going for realistic.

Also he says "I hope to do stand-alone origins for everybody -- including Baroness -- as we move along.", though she was already covered in the G.I. Joe: Origins series. Besides, who doesn't get Baroness?

That said, most stuff said in the interview is cool stuff, sounds fun. Especially Shipwreck. Though where are Scarlett and Snake Eyes? Since Snake Eyes' book ends shortly before this one. They'll probably be in Dixon's "GI Joe: Special Missions" series also hitting in 2013.

[targetsix]

Wow, this looks and sounds horrible. Shark jumped...

[PsychoGoatee]

Wow, this looks and sounds horrible. Shark jumped...

There'll still be "The Cobra Files", Costa's continuation of Cobra, if this isn't your bag. And also "Special Missions". That said, if you explained a little more what you find horrible it'd make for better feedback.

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

wow. "season two" sure didn't last very long. Maybe it just seems short since the first 11 issues of every Joe book were tied in in two mega events.

[Howard]

I was all set to try this until I got to the new embedded blogging member named Hashtag. I'll stick with ARAH.

[PsychoGoatee]

I was all set to try this until I got to the new embedded blogging member named Hashtag. I'll stick with ARAH.

She's a tweeter, there's a difference. And she'll be dead soon, it's war! It is cheesy, admittedly, though I kind of like some cheese.

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

I'm looking forward to Special Missions with Dixon & Gulacy. I'll happily stick with ARAH and Cobra as well. I'll give the new core book a shot, unlike the people of the IDW boards, I actually like Chuck Dixon, but at least he's sticking around on SM.

I had considered dropping Snake Eyes anyway, but the last issue was pretty good. I'll just stick thru to the end of the run now.

[CMBMOOL]

Given Van Lente's track record in comics, this could be an interesting thing change to the G.I. Joe mythos. Now I wonder if the Blogger Joe will have a code name too like the rest of the team.

[Destro777]

The Joes going public and becoming their own toyline in the universe is a big time "no".

Costa's Cobra has been killing it for years now. Truly a GI Joe that grew up with its audience. Dark, smart, sophisticated, mature, deadly serious. Eveything else IDW has released outside of a small amount of Hama's initial GI Joe Origins stuff has had a completely different and lighter tone with more far fetched comic booky stuff. Hama's ARAH is so dated its not even funny. Costa's Cobra is the only option for a GI Joe I can take serious in my older age. Admittedly, Cobra was hurt in its 3rd iteration by all the forced crossovers - but these new and final Oktober Guard and Flint arcs are a return to form. Good thing Cobra and Costa are returning to its 4th iteration.

[Trey]

Cobra has been a top ten book for years,.

FVL, is Hashtag hispanic or African-American?

Kurth is also now the best artist out of all of the ones that have worked on Origins, ARAH, Snakeyes, and GI JOE.

Fuso kills it on Cobra, though he is not of the same "realistic" style.

[mdg1]

No Snake-Eyes... interesting. I wonder if that's Tunnel Rat in the lower right...

[PsychoGoatee]

The Joes going public and becoming their own toyline in the universe is a big time "no".

Costa's Cobra has been killing it for years now. Truly a GI Joe that grew up with its audience. Dark, smart, sophisticated, mature, deadly serious. Eveything else IDW has released outside of a small amount of Hama's initial GI Joe Origins stuff has had a completely different and lighter tone with more far fetched comic booky stuff. Hama's ARAH is so dated its not even funny. Costa's Cobra is the only option for a GI Joe I can take serious in my older age. Admittedly, Cobra was hurt in its 3rd iteration by all the forced crossovers - but these new and final Oktober Guard and Flint arcs are a return to form. Good thing Cobra and Costa are returning to its 4th iteration.

We all have our own taste, but as another adult reader, I enjoy the diversity of the Joe books. Treating the somewhat over-the-top and a bit campy GI Joe world in the serious grittiness that Costa does is unique and it works. But I don't think every book needs to be like that, I like the tone of Dixon's Joe books. I don't find that as an adult everything I read needs to be starkly realistic and grim, Joe books having some levity works too.

FVL, is Hashtag hispanic or African-American?

She's Indian American, he mentioned in another interview.

No Snake-Eyes... interesting. I wonder if that's Tunnel Rat in the lower right...

Yep, that's Tunnel Rat. And it's a pretty safe bet that Snake Eyes and Scarlett will be in Dixon's G.I. Joe Special Missions series launching soon after this one.

[mdg1]

Yep, that's Tunnel Rat. And it's a pretty safe bet that Snake Eyes and Scarlett will be in Dixon's G.I. Joe Special Missions series launching soon after this one.

I wasn't sure... he doesn't look a thing like Larry. :)