COMMENTARY TRACK: Fred Van Lente on "G.I. Joe" #1

[CBR News]

Fred Van Lente gives CBR the inside scoop on "G.I. Joe" #1 with page-by-page commentary on why he picked the team he did, what he loves about Tunnel Rat, teases lots of upcoming stories and more.


Full article here.

[Bl00dwerK]

Awesome. Not sure where this is going, exactly, but I'm in...

[wiski]

Looking forward to reading this next week when it comes in the mail, but I gotta say, that is one of the most awkward 'sexy poses' I've ever seen on that last page... I didn't zoom in on the picture, but does the word balloon say, "Check out my tits."?

[C. Earl]

I'm happier than a pig in slop. This was all around way cool.

[Rabidwolfdog]

FVL seems like he's a good pick for GI:JOE , he's got the drive for it, I love his Marvel Zombies stuff and over all I think thats going to translate well in a Joes book. I also like that he likes Tunnel Rat and Shipwreck , both of my favs. I saw Quick Kick in there hes awesome , good to see him, Snake Eyes always took away from his time.

[Bl00dwerK]

I didn't zoom in on the picture, but does the word balloon say, "Check out my tits."?

It may as well have 'cause I did it anyway...

[GoofBall814]

Is this a complete reboot, thus ignoring all previous IDW'S continuity, or just "a new direction"? I'd like to check this out, but not really interested if I have to know a bunch of backstory.

[C. Earl]

Is this a complete reboot, thus ignoring all previous IDW'S continuity, or just "a new direction"? I'd like to check this out, but not really interested if I have to know a bunch of backstory.

It's a continuation, but it's done in such a way that it really is a new beginning and a great place for new readers to start (new Joes are introduced and some earlier Joes are re-introduced). The only thing that new readers need to know is that G.I. Joe is no longer secret to the public, but this is actually covered in the first few pages, so both new and longtime readers are at the same starting point.

[doomworm]

The status quo was upset in the prior storyline. When Cobra became a publicly known organization, they revealed that there was a secret black ops team of Americans who were sucking up taxpayer dollars and not following organized branches of the military. G.I.Joe was essentially "wikileaked" by Cobra, and faced massive scrutiny and public outrage, and was really disadvantaged through funding cuts and media coverage.

Act 1 was all covert, Act 2 was a global stage, and Act 3 now is the Joes choosing to take the public relations problems by the horns and brand themselves using social media and a sort-of-mascot appeal. They are doing this by selecting "public" team members for diversity and social appeal, and embedding their own journalist.

There is still the down and dirty black ops team over in the "Cobra" title too.

Just like when Act 1 ended a few years ago, most plot threads also ended. Act 2's ending really definitively concluded most running plot threads at that point.

This is a fresh moment in the story. I don't know if old events will be referenced but they didn't do that with their last "new direction".

If you want to get any backstory, I recommend the first Cobra trade for black ops/ spy intrigue, or the Cobra Command story for all out wartime action.

[C. Earl]

^^^
I think GoofBall814 wanted to avoid having to look back at any backstory, and this new #1 really doesn't require new readers to do that.

[doomworm]

I agree with you, it doesn't and shouldn't have any reason to going forward, either.

Just tossing a few of the best options out there for anyone who might.

[PsychoGoatee]

Looking forward to reading this next week when it comes in the mail, but I gotta say, that is one of the most awkward 'sexy poses' I've ever seen on that last page... I didn't zoom in on the picture, but does the word balloon say, "Check out my tits."?

I don't mind overt sexuality myself, especially from Baroness, but the posing in the art is wonky in general I'd agree.

The art is my main complaint here, it looks a bit Liefeld-ish. The page of Roadblock yelling for example, all the squinty eyes and tons of extra lines on the faces, the weird poses... very Liefeld. I like that they're going for a more over-the-top stylized comic look, I just don't happen to like the style they went with. Tim Seeley for example, something like his style would've been good for this book.

None the less, looking forward to this.

[mildmannered77]

This is garbage. IDW had a great thing going until now, re-telling G.I. Joe with a more realistic, military black-ops take. Cobra wasn't some megalomaniacal group making grand overtures of ruling the world; they instead did it with back-room deals and covert insurgency. The Joe program was an under-the-radar response team made up of the best of the best.

This relaunch only reverts the G.I. Joe mythos back to cartoony charicatures, with huge guns and unrealistic uniforms. Completely uninspired. Congrats, IDW, you've lost my business.

[wiski]

I read it this morning. I liked it.

[claynferno]

Yo Joes! Here's an interview I did this week at DigBoston.com with Fred Van Lente about G.I. Joe #1!
http://digboston.com/spend/2013/02/e...o/#more-205625