Writer: Mark Powers
Artists: Mike Bear (p), Clayton Brown (i)
Publisher: Devil’s Due Publishing
I don’t need to go into detail about how I feel that G.I. Joe might be the most overlooked book on the market; I’ve said it for months. The creators at Devil’s Due have taken the wildly popular license and added a new spin to it. They not only have brought G.I. Joe to the modern world, but they have managed to make each issue as intense and exciting as an episode of 24 or The Unit. The 25th anniversary of G.I. Joe vs. Cobra is upon us, fantastic new figures are to be released and Larry Hama, the creator of G.I. Joe vs. Cobra, is going to be scripting a new ongoing series featuring Storm Shadow. It’s a great year to be a G.I. Joe fan, and if you aren’t, this is a perfect time to relive the good old days and hop back on the bandwagon.
As Joe Casey’s incredible run on this title came to an end a few months ago, I had my reservations about where this series was going. The two part arc delving into the past of General Philip Rey turned out to be a surprise hit, retracing some of the biggest moments in the G.I. Joe comic series dating back to the Marvel days. But that was only a filler arc by G.I. Joe editor Mike O’Sullivan, a man who knows G.I. Joe inside and out. Enter Mark Powers (no relation), a man who has had a lot of experience with many of Marvel’s characters including Spider-Man and Wolverine. His first story arc focuses on a woman who has been through hell since the end of Devil’s Due’s first run on G.I. Joe: The Baroness.
I will admit I was worried because Joe Casey really propelled me back into G.I. Joe. I had been a fairly regular reader mostly because I have always liked Flint, but it was Joe Casey and America’s Elite that pulled me back into becoming a big-time G.I. Joe fan. I am constantly telling people to read this book, so I put a lot of my credibility on the line when I say that it is worth the money. So in other words, Mark Powers has a pretty big act to follow.
For those who don’t follow G.I. Joe, following the events of the final Real American Hero arc (America’s Elite started one year after), the pregnant Baroness was taken into G.I. Joe custody. She gave birth to the child, and the child was quickly taken away from her. General Joe Colton gives his bone-chilling explanation for why they took the child in this issue, and it is a bit extreme. Either way, during Joe Casey’s final arc, “The Phoenix Guard,” the Baroness escaped the G.I. Joe prison and is going after Cobra. The rub? Joe Casey revealed to us that Cobra Commander has got the kid.
Sound intense enough? So maybe you can understand my concern a little bit. But let me just say that Mark Powers manages to keep the intensity and thrill of this series alive and even turns it up a notch. He keeps the core idea of this series intact, that of a more character driven story, but he really steps up to the plate and hits one out of the park. This issue is the perfect blend of everything that this title is about. There’s plenty of character, whether it be the Baroness’ rage or Sgt. Stalker’s sympathizing with her anger. And there’s plenty of action. Besides, what would a good episode or issue of G.I. Joe be without a battle with some Cobra Troopers?
What’s great about this issue and the focus of this arc being on the Baroness is that her character has drastically changed since she has been incarcerated. Her child was stolen from her, she’s a psychotic killing machine, obviously that’s enough motivation for her to go absolutely AWOL. So one would think she is looking to rejoin the ranks of Cobra and destroy G.I. Joe for taking her child.
Powers wisely does not take this route; instead he puts the Baroness in a place any mother would be in. She cares about nothing but finding her child, and she will destroy Cobra and G.I. Joe to find him. But she’s also got a vendetta against Cobra: they betrayed her at the end of the A Real American Hero arc and tried to kill her. What she does to her former Cobra comrade is enough to prove just how dangerous this woman is, especially when Spirit, Scarlett and Snake Eyes find him, and he begs for them to find and stop her. My only question is this: what exactly is going on with Wraith? That question will no doubt be answered as this arc continues.
Mike Bear and Clayton Brown take over art duties for this arc. Following resident Devil’s Due artist Tim Seeley is a tough gig, as Seeley has a distinct style that has become a mainstay with G.I. Joe. But Bear and Brown keep up the top-notch artwork on this title and make it their own, adding a darker look to the book as a whole which really serves this arc very well. They also do a great job maintaining the action for which G.I. Joe is known.
As I stated, now is the time to jump onto the G.I. Joe bandwagon. If you are a fan of the Baroness, you can’t miss this arc. You might have to go back-issue-bin diving to get up to speed, but trust me, it's well worth it.
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