Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI Joe A Real American Hero #161
IDW Comics
Hama & Gallant

Hama continues to breathe new life into the old GI Joe series by expanding the roster overwhelmingly. This issue has a couple of great moments as Hama shows, yet again, how much command he has over certain characters. On the flip side the issue feels slightly out of place as if an issue was missing between this one and last one. It's also a rather slow issue as it relies on the rollout of the familiar characters more than telling a story as seen in the past few issues.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI JOE A Real American Hero #160
IDW Comics
Hama & Padilla

Hama continues to spin the old Marvel series in familiar circles, but manages to do so in an exciting and interesting way. Hama turns in another good issue that turns the battle between the Joes and Cobra into one that is loaded with gray lines. Hama also hits the right notes at much of the humor he lays out in the issue. While some of the Cobra Commander dialogue still comes across as moronic for a successful dictator, the other jokes by other characters do elicit some laughs. I enjoyed the issue and the series is quickly becoming one that I look forward to each month.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI Joe #159
IDW Comics
Hama & Padilla

The fourth issues into the revisiting of the old Marvel GI Joe run is a major improvement in this series and makes me think Hama still has a knack for writing these characters and putting them into interesting situations. GI Joe has infiltrated Cobra's base and their plan is revealed to the reader. Cobra's high command is scrambling to deal with the Joes in their base until they manage to capture one of the Joes in a shocking turn of events. The issue has action, surprises and a good plot. If only the hokey dialogue would go away we would have an amazing GI Joe title.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI JOE A Real American Hero #158
IDW Comics
Hama & Padilla

Larry Hama continues his story that originated in the 1980s comic book series over at Marvel. This issue furthers the reformation of the GI Joe team and has the few that have gotten back together taking the fight directly to Cobra Commander's headquarters. The issue is jammed with action and moves extremely quickly from the Joes being out of commission to launching a huge operation. Ultimately, while some of the characterizations feel off, the main problem with the issue is the unbelievable manner in which the key characters seem to survive anything and everything. It's a good issue but far from great.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI Joe A Real American Hero #157
IDW Comics
Hama & Padilla

Larry Hama's second issue of the revisiting of the old Marvel GI Joe title falls into more familiar territory than the previous issue. This issue continues the slow burn approach that IDW comics follow with regard to storytelling as the Joes continue to regroup and form some sort of organization in the face of disorganization. The issue reintroduces a couple of familiar characters and tries to establish some sort of a plot for the long term development of the series. It's an okay issue but it is not as strong as the last one.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI JOE: A Real American Hero #156
IDW Comics
Hama & Padilla

Some sixteen years after the cancellation of the original GI Joe comic book series over at Marvel with issue number 155 Larry Hama is given the chance to continue his run. He simply knocks this issue out of the park. Of all of the reboots and various series that have launched by various publishers over the last ten years this is the story that I think most fans have been waiting for and it was worth the wait. Hama brings the classic GI Joe characters into a modern setting that lost none of the charm or continuity from the original series. This is an excellent start to hopefully a long run.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI Joe #10
IDW Comics
Dixon & Gallant

Snake Eyes battles Cobra, at long last the Joes and Cobra fight, while Destro receives his new orders and gets introduced to his newest colleague while the rest of the Joes continue to poke and prod at Destro's castle. The issue continues to slog through some of the plots as if crawling through mud while the issue finally delivers some deadly action. However, the action seems to come at the expense of the only character that has any sort of foothold on being interesting: Snake Eyes. The series is a slow burn, but you have to wonder about where this is all going as each issue seems to provide less and less in the way of plot. Unfortunately this issue also stumbles in the art department for the first time in the series. This all adds up to a very forgettable issue.

Continue reading...

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI Joe #9
IDW Comics
Dixon & Gallant

The slow burn continues in GI Joe and this issue really doesn't bring a whole lot to the overall story until the very end. The issue essentially contains a small skirmish with another robot, highlighting Cover Girl, and some interaction between Baroness and Destro while Mainframe and Snake Eyes find out the hard way what lies in Springfield. The issue is a lot like the previous ones. Not a ton happens, but it's a necessary link in a long, long chain. The artwork has its moments but it is uneven at times. It's a fair issue overall.

Continue reading...