From http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=13

Yellow lighted - means "signifies an identifiable agenda/slant or bias in the source that may affect the work, or that the source isn't clear, or another factor that might bring the piece into doubt"


I understand Devil's Due Publishing is canceling the "G.I. Joe" title as of issue #45 (though it could be as early as #44).

However, all is not lost. The book is allegedly going to be relaunched with an all-new continuity and an all-new #1 issue, and writer Joe Casey has agreed to write it.

With just four or five issues left to go, Josh Blaylock intends to add in some bigtime shakeups - probably deaths of major characters. This will "stir reader interest," hopefully boost sales, but in the end, continuity will be rebooted. Either continuing from Marvel's last issue, or starting from scratch again.

The aim is for a "grit-n-gritty" Joe title, ala Reloaded (which, by the way, has also been cancelled).

Well, bummer.

Wow..... How can kids of today ever get attached to the characters if they keep doing things like this. Wait... maybe kids of today dont read comics anyway. i dont think i've ever seen any at any of my nephews homes.


I dont know but i'll miss the book. Boooooo.

Friend of mine sent me the same information this morning. If true, and it seems detailed and plausible enough so that I am inclined to believe it, this is profoundly angering. It looks like Devil's Due is looking for an excuse to have a gore-fest to wrap up the current title, and then relaunch it with a "Hey, just kidding!", but then turn the book into this so-called "grim-and-gritty" approach akin to their asinine "Reloaded" title. Don't get me wrong, Joe Casey's a good writer. But if you're handed it's still going to be fertilizer. Looks like I'll be saving some money on my comics purchases each month, but between this and the end of Dreamwave, I won't have anything to read based on my two favorite toy concepts. :mad:

Update, from Tim Seeley, current artist...

http://www.devilsdue.net/forums/showthread.php?p=258558#post258558


There will be NO NEW CONTINUITY. I don't know where Rich pulled that from. So, please, calm thyselves.
TIM

Does that mean they are going to cancel GI Joe and that will be the end?????

Does that mean they are going to cancel GI Joe and that will be the end?????

It could be interpreted that way, that was my first thought, but I doubt it. Guess we'll have to wait and hear some official confirmation from DD.

From Josh himself...




The Rumors Grow...

So word is out on the street that not only are we cancelling and rebooting our Joe books, but that the new series will be a totally different continuity. It's also said that Joe Casey will be writing the series.

Hence, the message boards are alive with chatter, and all the websites are calling and emailing - everyone wants an answer.

Well, what can I say? There is some truth to this, and some things that are way off. I WILL say that I am VERY excited about G.I.Joe - I haven't been this excited for the entire brand since first acquiring the comic book license in early 2001. This will be a VERY big year for it.

We also have a LOT of other exciting news coming out of DDP very very soon - some of it pertaining to this license, and some to others. So to everyone anxiously biting their fingernails... just stay tuned. Check this site, check Newsarama.com, check Comic Book Resources.com... you know the drill.

And to you Joe fans... hey, I love these characters as much now as I did years ago. I won't do anything stupid. I can't wait to tell everyone what our plans are, but for now... my lips are zipped.

For now, just keep a close eye on the looming events soon to occur: THE WAR WILL END... ONE WILL DIE... AND THE RED SHADOWS WILL RISE.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=1235257&blogID=12465390&Mytoken=20050118083803

via Joshblaylock.com

What the heck is going on?? I though Devil's Due was doing well with G.I.Joe. I dont like the fact that no one gave a straight answer to the question of weather or not the comic would be ending. I doubt there would be a new continuity introduced. It just wouldn't amke sense. The regular comics picked up from where Marvel left off and Reloaded took the grittier approach, so what would be left? I can't imagine any Joe fan picking up a comic that had nothing to do with the original series. Arrrgggghhh...all this crap after such good news from the toy line.

"THE WAR WILL END... ONE WILL DIE... AND THE RED SHADOWS WILL RISE."

What the does that mean? (obviously not supposed to know what it means)

But I would guess that this means opposed to starting a new continuity, they are going to shake this one up a bit!

surely they wont start a new continuity, i know i would like to see the main series continue along with reloaded, what else are they going to do? Also Master and Apprentice 2 so i dont think we'll see the end of the comic just yet. Instead of bringing in a new continuity they should bring back Frontline!!!

"THE WAR WILL END... ONE WILL DIE... AND THE RED SHADOWS WILL RISE."

What the does that mean? (obviously not supposed to know what it means)

But I would guess that this means opposed to starting a new continuity, they are going to shake this one up a bit!

My Guess is that Cobra will will be dealt a crippling blow. Perhaps CC get killed? I doubt it. I'd bet the one who dies is Hawk. As for Red Shadows.....

http://www.yojoe.com/archive/actfig/actionforce.shtml

From that Link: "By the mid 1980s, the Action Force revolved around several special forces - the SAS Force, the Z Force, the Q Force, and the Space Force - all fighting against the Enemy, Baron Ironblood and the Red Shadows"

It seems they might be setting up to bring in a new Enemy force....

Yeah, I was just looking at the Escape Armor that came with a figure called Red Shadow. Given the recent appearance of some other International Joes, maybe they are thinking of intergrating the continuities of the UK comics.

Also, I've heard a rumor that they are killing the Baroness. Wish I could remember where I heard that, but until now, I thought it was total bull crap. Hope the people at DDP aren't THAT stupid.

As for the whole "The War Will End" thing, maybe they're shutting down Cobra and going for a new enemy.

I hope this isn't what they are planning. If Cobra goes, so too shall I! It just wouldn't be the same without CC and the gang!

Anyway, just my thoughts. Hope I'm right on the Red Shadows deal, because it would be cool to have the UK exclusive characters come over to America. Maybe we could get a store fresh, old school Cobra De Aco!

Hope I'm wrong on the rest. A dead Baroness and no more Cobra would be horrible.


Richard J.

G.I. Joe needs a consistent story. Cartoons, comics, and toys should compliment each other, not continually conflict with each other.

Star Wars and Star Trek are not my taste, but at least they have a consistent story of what happened to whom and when. G.I. Joe needs this. They should start with a core backstory, add elements from other things that do not conflict, and build everything from there.

In my opinion, they should restart the story from Marvel #155/Frontline #1-4, and try to keep the characters young (not worry about saying "it has been x years since the Pit closed...")

Or, they could even reboot from as early as Marvel issue #100.

To keep the comic accessible to old fans and kids new to Joe, they should keep away from huge amounts of Joe deaths and try their best to keep the toyline, DVDs, and the comic from veering too far from each other.

The glory days of Joe (Marvel issuses #1-90 or so) featured a good blend of old and new characters and vehicles, great storytelling, and accessibility to both kids and old fans. New figures were usually included, and often featured, but older characters were not neglected. Beginning with the burials in the freighter in #98, deaths in #109, the overuse of ninjas and mass brainwashings, the accessibiity began to unravel. Hasbro wanted to release a Firefly or Dr. Mindbender figure, and out of the freighter they come (alive of cloned). Same thing might have to happen with the upcoming Croc Master figure. A Destro figure is released as a Cobra, and out comes the brainwave scanner.

Especially with the DD comic now, the whole thing is just too convoluted. Some of the DD features are really nice, such as the Extensive Enterprises inclusion from the popular Sunbow series. Others, such as the old look to characters, nemerous deaths, different story to Mindbender's return, etc. just turn off new readers, and confuse kids who just saw Flint looking like a 20 something in the Valor vs Venom DVD and have never seen a Serpentor figure at the toy store.

I would be happy to see a refresh from even as early as Marvel #90, with an emphasis on characters that kids can find at their toy store. I want A Real American Hero to be all it can be. A story divided against itself isn't worth reading.

Sure sounds like this is the end of Cobra.

I really have to question Mr. Blaylock. GI Joe is about Joe vs. Cobra. No one ever wins, that's the point. They keep each other in check, or at least Joe Keeps Cobra in check, and Cobra keeps trying to break that deadlock. I'd be all for bringing in new bad guys but bringing in the UK Red Shadows or the Red Ninja Clan as the main foil is just not interesting.

character dynamic is what drives the series. I don't read the comic still out of 80's nostalgia i read it cause I still love these characters. I would have perferred they never went away.

I've HATED the idea of "greenshirts" for just that reason. The Joe team is big enough where they have enough troops for any sort of mission, so creating a large faceless nameless bunch when they could be usuing acutal characters is just lame.....

ah well maybe it wont' be as bad as it seems...

shippy

My God Devil's Due is screwing up GI Joe. Does anyone know when their license is up? Assuming the rumors are true, here are a couple of comments,

1) If Baroness is dead, as rumored, then Devil's Due is truly desperate. She is a Cobra Icon and killing her character off would not only enrage the Joe masses, it would take away a hugely popular character that they could have expanded upon. Why don't they kill Snake Eyes too while they are at it. Maybe they can have a book starring the mighty "Lifeline and Ice Cream Soldier."

2) Cobra must still be in the Joe universe. If they bring in another enemy so be it. But Cobra better be around also. By the way Baron Ironblood sounds extremely lame by the way.

3) The only reason to "reboot" a series is because the comic book company either can't find a decent writer to make the series interesting, or the series itself just isn't interesting on it's own accord. So they start over in an attempt to find new readers. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. The same people who buy Joe now, might buy the new book too. I doubt suddenly 10 year olds are going to put down their X box controllers to start reading just because DD "rebooted" GI Joe and now Destro and Lady J are an item.

4) The reason why Marvel's version of Joe is so mythical to many is because the writer incorporated action, character development, humor and the latest merch from the toy line successfully into one awesome book. It lasted for years using this formula. I didn't see Marvel rebooting every couple years. They didn't have to, they knew what they were doing.

5) Wasn't the point of "Reloaded" was to reboot the Joe universe and make it gritty and grimy or whatever. What a load a bull puckey. Devil's Due didn't get it right the first two times, apparently, what makes them think this idea is going to work.

Anyway that is my rant. Hopefully these rumors are baseless and Joe will thrive in all formats. Time will tell.

Amen, Dreadnok4life, Amen.

With so few actual answers, we are only left speculating, but if DD's current Joe comic is hurting for some reason, changing the continuity, ending the war or creating mass killings will be the last nail in the coffin, IMO.

DD has a solid book in thier hands, which IMO was enhanced by the Frontline series. The big problem I see with it though, is the jumpiness and lack of characterization. I think we were all annoyed by the all-too short Cobra Island mini-war. Aside from that, it seems DD is always introducing new characters and ideas, which seem great, then don't pay any attention to them again. IE... the comic made a big deal out of six new recruits a while back and what, we saw them briefly for two issues? Barrel Roll got a little screentime but virtually no character buildup. Daina, we allready knew and loved and Mayday faired a little better but Depth Charge and friends dissapeared right after thier introduction. In the Marvel run after a new character was introduced you usually got a few issues to find out what they were like and they usually popped back in every once and a while until the next wave of toys came out. Now we're left with the Blackout/Barrel Roll story and only time will tell if anything comes of it.

I think one of the biggest problem that DD faces is that they are dealing with way too many characters. Consitancy is going to be tricky when you try to give screentime to hundreds of different figures. So, instead of a handful of charcters we know well, we're left with hundreds that brighten up the pages but dont add much to the story. I also dont think mass killings are the answer. It's a very cheap way to solve the problem. Sure people die in real life, but they also retire or seek other professions.

I'll end this rant with one final thought. I would love to see DD tone down the G.I.Joe roster a lot. Stick to a core group of classic Joes with obvious importance to the team (ie...SE, Duke, Scarlett, Lady Jaye, Roadblock, Rip Cord :o) , Spirit, Ace, Dial Tone, Wet-Suit, etc...) Then focus on fleshing out new characters like Kamakura, Mayday, Barrel Roll, Crosshairs, Agent faces, Depth Charge and so on... If hasbro releases an updated version of a classic Joe then bring him or her back, but spend less time and ink on teh hundreds of other classic Joes. This way we get to know individual characters better and kids who are into G.I.Joe might happen across a cover featuring thier favorite new toy. Ahhh...glad that's out of my system now.

I hate blind faith...

But Blaylock and Company did an amazing job bring GI Joe back from the dead in 2001, so I'm sure what they have planned will be well thought out and in the best interest of the title.

In 2001, DDP worked very carefully not to step on the toes of us older "Marvel" readers from the 80's and 90's. They tried their GI Joe run directly into the old GI Joe run so that nothing was conflicted and nothing was forgotten. Then a few years ago, to allow DDP to tell their own GI Joe story the way they wanted to, they launched GI Joe: Reloaded as not to anger and upset the readership of the main title.

I'm sure many will panic as for the fear of the "unknown" engulfs us all, but if DDP's record is a marker of their past as much as it is of the future, I think the title is safe and whatever stunt they pull, will not be a rash, ultra radical, or just plain brain dead move. It will be a well planned series of events that take us in a direction maybe none of us saw, but will keep us pleased.

Think about it gang, DDP works very closely with their fans and readership. We're not dealing with a Marvel or a DC here... DDP is smaller and is in constant communication with their fan base. They are small, in order to survie, they need to be. They can't afford to anger us, hence I don't think they will. It would be an awful move that would send them under. Without GI Joe, their company would sink.

Like I said, I hate blind faith... But I'm going to just have to go with it and pray it all works out...Somehow I believe it all will...Just have to wait and see.

Tanner

I'm with you GBPackRat,


Yeah, I'm no less stressed than any other classic Joe fan about what MIGHT happen, but I like much of the work that has been done by DDP so far (Master and Apprentice springs to mind). So perhaps they will keep the continuity moving in a good direction.

I suppose I like to think that they will not do anything TOO outrageous that would lose the majority of their fan base. Only time will tell though, and in the meantime I agree that blind faith isn't very much fun.

Find some Micronauts and Voltron fans and see what they think about blind faith in Devil's Due.

I'm holding off on my opinion until we actually find out what is going on for sure.

Jeff,

To counter that... Micro and Vol. weren't core titles. GI Joe is the core title. They don't have as much leeway with GI Joe. Like I said before, one wrong move and it literaly would put them under. GI Joe is the only real title they have that keeps the pay checks coming everyday.

Tanner

I'm holding off on my opinion until we actually find out what is going on for sure.

Same here, everyone is just jumping to conclusions right now. Wait until you see what they do(Then complain).

I, for one, would welcome a new continuity! I am a diehard Hama disciple, but I have enjoyed the work of both Baylock and Jerwa. Though Baylock's return of GI Joe had it moments, it seems Jerwa has had to constantly fix things that Baylock set into motion and hasn't been able to get out from under the shadow DDP Year One. I also have issues with either Baylock or Jerwa building on some core Hama-isms, so I think it would be cool to have a complete Jerwa-Joe universe with some nods to the old continuity, but an updated Joe that he can make his own!

This sucks...........I look forward to my trip to the comic shop on release day,I never miss it.These comics are the reward for a bad day at work for me.I buy them on release day every month and save them for the end of a bad day.I have a life,I'm not crazy.These are my "little pick me up".The loss of Frontline and reloaded hurt.But this is terrible.The only book I read these days is GI Joe.I Blaylock has done a great job.

I hope the official news puts down all of these rumors. It would be great if all this speculation turned out to be this: that the regular series will have shocking storylines but return to normalcy and that Reloaded will continue in it's present state.

It would make no sense to restart Joe continuity, because that's what Reloaded was for in the first place.

I would like DD to continue the GI Joe book with a little fine tuning. I agree with Jedi Marvin's ideas regarding paring the team down and introducing new characters.

I would also like to see the return of Frontline. Or if not Frontline, maybe a different type of book. For instance, I for one would love to see a Joe monthly comic book that dealt only with character origin stories. One month could be Snake Eyes. The next Destro. Etc.. They could rotate between older established characters and new ones. This way they could address the Black out / Barrel Roll story and not have to squeeze it in the current GI Joe story arc. This might introduce Joe to new readers who don't understand who Destro, or whomever, is.

As far as Rebooted, I just have not been able to get into it. My local comic book store has stopped carrying it so I haven't read the new writer. So I don't know if it has improved or not. But I think it was a good attempt at something different. But when it comes down to it, the vast majority of Joe fans want to see Marvel's version expanded upon. I want to see Snake Eyes and Scarlett together. I want to see Shipwreck as a salty Navy dog, and not some hip surfer dude. And I want Doc to be Doc. And I believe most of the other Joe fans feel the same way too.

True. The origin stories would be an excellent idea. I would buy every one of them. I for one would also like to see more missions especially with the characters as they were in 1982, 1983, 1984, and even 1985-1987. I would buy rebooted titles that explored every single one of those years. Sort of like a class where new Joes go over old missions that were never covered in the original comics, or perhaps a Joe like Duke or a Cobra like Destro remembers an old tale. They could re-explore old charcters like Dr. Venom and Kwinn, and add tons of stories with Firefly, Scrap-Iron and other Cobras or Joes that didn't get alot of airtime on the old Marvel series. There could even be a re-opening of the old Special Missions again. How cool would that be?

Personally I would buy any book DD put out with the JOE banner on it as I love all the stuff they do. I seem to one of the few folk with no moans AT ALL regarding the main series :eek: . RELOADED is another story - I'm trying to get into it and will buy to support DD in general, but the comic is populated by a bunch of such unlikeable characters (and that's the good guys!) that I struggle with it each month.

If you look at the problem logically, there are only a finite amount of stories that can be told within the GI JOE framework - One faction gains the upper hand and the other counters it, back and forth etc. No matter how interesting those stories are told (and the comic right now does it well!), they will eventually fizzle out. The notion of the JOE/COBRA conflict coming to an end is actually interesting. It doesn't pre-suppose that COBRA will be wiped out altogether, just pushed into the background. The notion of the RED SHADOWS emerging from the wreckage is actually very exciting for me. Being a Brit, my first exposure to GI JOE was via the ACTION FORCE/ENEMY conflict and I always thought the RED SHADOWS themselves were pretty damn cool.

If such a 'new order' did emerge in the comic, I think a relaunch with issue #1 would be essential - Making such a dramictic shift in emphasis in issue #45-ish would pass virtually unmentioned by most people bar the most die-hard fans.

Of course I'd rather things go on as is, but IF change is inevitable I would hope that the comic is relaunched with #1, and features the streamlined GI JOE team fighting BARON IRONBLOOD and his army with "guest invasions" by COBRA (or even teaming up with the JOE's to fight a comman enemy?). This would have to take place within the current continuity though, as any new 'universe' would be pointless.

Cobra versus GI Joe forever with no one gaining a victory fizzle? NEVER!!!! That is the mistake that Hasbro made with the GI Joe Movie. A point was reached where the Joes and Transformers got so popular that the writers decided to do major revisions (like mutating Cobra Commander into a snake) and bring some aspect of resolution into the cartoon. I would have preferred things to stay locked in 1983-1984 mode...perpetual war! I know that sometimes change is inevitable, but it doesn't have to be a drastic revamping. If it ain't broke...don't fix it.

if it ain't broke don;t fix it

**** yes
bout time somone said it

To hear the moaning about the main GI JOE series in so many Joe forums, you'd swear the main title was "broke". It's no wonder Josh Blaylock considers 'new directions' when the so-called fans pull apart his product every day, proudly proclaiming that they're "dropping" the title.
If/When this 'reboot' comes, the readers who complained about the quality of the comic will probably be the ones crying the loudest.

If GI Joe continues to be the main focus of the comic I will NEVER quit reading it regardless of whatever decisions Blaylock makes. I actually did not "proudly proclaim" that I would drop the title if certain changes were made that I didn't approve of--but I stand by what some of the fans are saying. Remember when Hama "killed" Cobra Commander around issue 61 of the Marvel series? Did that go over very well? No it didn't, and he was eventually forced to "resurrect" him in issue 100 for the health of the comic series and for the fans. The "Fred CC" in battle armor didn't cause me to quit reading the mag but readership definitely dropped because people want to see their favorite characters in the story and when those favorite characters are gone there is something intangible that is just...missing. The readership of the Marvel comic went back up after issue 100 didn't it?

I am not trying to just bash DDP and complain about them. I am with you on support of alot of what Blaylock has done. Master and Apprentice, Frontline, Reloaded, and the Players and Pawns arc etc were all EXCELLENT stories. I am 25 now and the stories of my childhood would need a little polishing to keep me interested. The writers at DDP have done that admirably well so far (in my opinion) with a few things I don't like (and as for those? well, no one is happy with everything are they?) Most notable on what I don't like is just that I want MORE GI Joe comics released every month! Hence my earlier suggestions on what else could be written about.

Okay, sorry to be so long winded and back to my point. I think that major revisions (such as continually killing off major characters) is a mistake in the long run and I think that diminishing Cobra to a secondary role behind another terrorrist organization is not a great idea (if these are indeed some of the changes that DDP is planning--remember, this is all still rumor). Keep in mind that I am an avid reader of DDP comics and that as a fan I just don't want to see drastic changes made to my all-time favorite set of characters and stories--and to quote myself earlier: "If it ain't broke don't fix it!"

More rumors??!! Achh! I wish somebody, ie...Brandon or Josh would just set this whole thing straight.

From the latest update:

"But the decision to go to a new continuity has been scrapped. The new #1 will, however, not be led by the previous continuity. The new team, led by General Rey, will be small in number and all wear standard uniforms."

That isn't G.I.Joe, it's a just a story about a bunch of guys in army fatigues who are led by some cheeseball replacement.

Part of what makes G.I.Joe so great is it's other-worldliness, unique outfits and cool gear. If I wanted gritty and realistic, I'll turn on the evening news.

I'm also not a big fan of this Rey guy. As far as I'm concerned, he's just filling in until Hawk get's his act together.

Anyway, I'm not lending a wole lot of credence to this rumor or the others, it's just driving me crazy cuz none of the people who know are debunking any of these rumors. I also doubt Hasbro would keep the G.I.Joe brand name ona comic that ahd nothing whatsoever to do with the toy line.

Anyway, if nothing esle, I guess we'll find out after issue 45.

I added some more rumors to the rumor page I made, including mentions of GI Joe Extreme and Sgt. Savage.

http://www.yojoe.com/magazine/05/comicrumors.shtml

aside from this rumor and that rumor does anybody out there have any kind of summary as to what is actually happening for sure?

my personal opinion is its fine the way it is leave it alone

There are people on various JOE forums right NOW, boasting that they don't read the comic (and never have done!) and yet they are, in the same post, saying the new book is "crap" and "deserves cancelling" or that these rumours are "bad ideas".
First off, why do they care? Second, for them to consider these rumours to be "bad ideas", the current book must be of some value to them in the first place (But they've already stated the exact opposite - That they think the book is rubbish).
why is EVERYONE getting so worked up over rumours anyway (apart from those who are yet again using heresay to re-ignite their bashing of Josh Blaylock and Bradon Jerwa - Their reason is obvious)? Given the snide way in which a lot of these rumors are phrased at source, I get the impression that the instigator has a thing against GI JOE and would probably love to see it undermined - If so, everyone is playing into his hands.

Finally, it's unlikely Hasbro would ALLOW DD to make such radical changes unless the toy line planned to follow suit. If so then it's a case of "Que Sera Sera"
Josh has publicly said that a load of rubbish is circulating right now, and I am quite happy to wait and see what happens. Then and only then will I evaluate whatever emerges and make up my own mind.

If Baroness dies, THAT is rubbish. Whoever made that decision does not have the future of the Joe vs. Cobra universe in mind. She is too key to Cobra. It would be like offing Scarlett. What are little kids going to think when one of the most visible 4 characters of Cobra dies? And a pregnant woman at that? Cobra is CC, Destro, Baroness, and Storm Shadow.

This is not a way to draw in new young readers. I know my 7 year old son is years away from being allowed to read these comics. He is a voracious reader, and I had hoped to start him on the DD series in a year or so. If a pregnant Baroness is killed, no chance. We will stick with the Marvel comics and other toy-focused products, like the insert comics and the yearly DVDs.

Please, please rethink the death of Baroness.

I have no problem with characters dying. they did in the marvel comics i grew up with. I would like to see baroness live.. i think Cobra Commander will die again.

I like the new Cobra Commander. He is being far more aggressive, physical, and cunning than he was in the original series (especially compared to the cartoon)--this Players and Pawns arc has really put him at center stage and established him as the leader he is. Props to DDP for that...but Baroness has been the second-in-command (more or less) of Cobra since issue #1. C'mon DDP writer guys. Realism is good to a point--but it is a comic. Like I said earlier...blind faith is tough, but I'm still hanging in there, and yes, I know everything is still rumor at this point. I trust that as new facts or remarks from the powers-that-be of DDP are released we'll get to hear about them here.

"your wrong hawk,i've beaten them all, Serpentor,Dr mindbender,Destro, they're all gone now."

CC can't lose
I just can't see cobra being taken out by
"the red shadows"
cobra is cobra
you can;t beat cobra its just not right
cobra can;t be beaten just like that
how you gonna beat guys like zartan and the noks
or assassins like wraith and firefly
you would never even see wraith and just die ,
badly
how can these red shadows guys beat firefly
nobody beats firefly
i don;t like this one bit
zartan has a whole personal army
and not to mention how bad ***** the man is himself
I just can't believe whats going around
on the net
if this all goes bad and the worst happens
SS or SE bites it
i may just have to hang myself in protest

one thing i always wanted to see
and this is just me by the way
was a scrap between destro and serpentor
prolly never see that now...

Well for my 2 cents. I'm going to wait to see what happens. As far as a new adversary coming to the forefront, that's a cool possibility. I mean C,mon...it's not like Cobra has a monopoly for the world of terrorism. I'm actually pretty intrigued by the prospect of some "fresh blood".

I think Brandon Jerwa is doing great as a writer. I don't think we need to see every single character from the GI Joe universe crammed into a couple of issues. Too many people want to see their favorites. It doesn't work to incorporate everyone into the comics because there is just TOO MANY of them.

A Cobra female agent will die. Hmmmm Seems like all fingers are pointing to the Baroness. Frankly, I really wouldn't mind seeing her killed. Because in the back of my mind...she's going to be resurrected. But...hey if we want more realism in GI Joe...somebody has got to go. And not just B rated characters.

Will it effect my buying of the comic....no unless the comic itself is cancelled....then...well...there goes my readership.

Mr Rage

I'm iffy on these rumors....I seriously doubt Hasbro will allow the Baroness to be killed off, especially since they pay a model to dress as her and promote the line at conventions. But like all of you I can only wait & see.

Besides, look at the response to all this. DDP is watching all the online chatter very carefully. There is such a thing as stirring the pot which is what DDP has done. They wanted to get the fans talking & they certainly have.

Rumors updated...

http://www.yojoe.com/magazine/05/comicrumors.shtml

Actual News!!! - Don Figueroa signs exclusive with Devil's Due
More Rumors - Transformers and Alternators

What the crap? If Transformers show up as a mainstay in the GI JOE continuity, I will stop reading GI JOE. I'm not opposed to shaking up the main continuity, and by shaking it up I mean seriously screwing around with it, but bringing in the Transformers is just too much.

I love reading the comic, it has had some great stories so far. As far as the whole standard issue uniforms with the toy line to follow suit rumor goes, I will stop reading the comic and buying the toys. That is not GI Joe to me. GI Joe is the codenames, freedom of uniform (or costume if you will) choices as well as having Cobra, the Dreadnoks and all of the other subfactions in the mix. Not to be regulated to a secondary threat. I'll pick up the 6-packs and comic 3-packs if they're any good, but if the toyline changes that drastically they will have killed yet another source of enjoyment for me. First He-Man, then the watering down of Transformers, now this. Also, in so far as the Joes and the Transformers having a merged continuity. That is a not so great idea as well. Whenever you have Transformers stories, the humans are usually end up becoming background compared to these massive machines. Once in a while crossovers are good, but permanently will really water down both lines too much for anyone's enjoyment. Just the opinions of YET ANOTHER lifelong Joe fan showing his appreciation and disappointment that this end has to come so soon. Hopefully I am wrong.

Blaylock: Get a clue!

Things are just getting stranger and stranger.

Transformers and GI Joe, together forever? What the heck is going on over at DDP? Are they taking over the defunct Dreamwave or is Hasbro just giving them the rights?

If DDP wants to have a new Transformers comic, that would be fine. Swell. Gee golly and yahoo.

Merging Transformers and GI Joe. . . pure madness. What the in the name of Joe is going on?


Richard J.

To hear the moaning about the main GI JOE series in so many Joe forums, you'd swear the main title was "broke". It's no wonder Josh Blaylock considers 'new directions' when the so-called fans pull apart his product every day, proudly proclaiming that they're "dropping" the title.
If/When this 'reboot' comes, the readers who complained about the quality of the comic will probably be the ones crying the loudest.

As a 20+ year fan of both the toy line and the various comic book titles, I believe I have a right to give my opinion about it. Just because I don't love everything DD has done with the book like you, it does not mean I want them to terminate the project. DD has done some wonderful things with the book. The Chuckles Frontline story was beautiful. The Master and Apprentice story was excellent. However I think the current story arc sucks. You might love it. Good for you. I don't. Paralyzing Hawk, killing off Baroness (Allegedly), arbitrarilly butchering various Joe and Cobra characters with no build up, and putting some stranger (General Rey) in charge of the Joes does not sit well with me.

But the deal breaker for me would be eliminating Cobra as the main enemy. I didn't grow up with Action Force, although I did read several of the issues and I thought the quality of the stories were all over the place. I could give a tootsie roll about Major Iron Fist and the Howling Bad Guys, or whatever they are called. I love the Cobra characters. Yes I said it. I LOVE THEM!!! Just as I love the Joe characters too. I have spent 20 years with these characters in my life and I do not want them kicked to the curb because a young comic book company is confused on how to handle the series.

I do not mind other enemy groups. Wingfield was a great secondary enemy. So was the October Guard until the wall came down. But Cobra has to be the main enemy for me to stay on board.

As far as fans threatening to drop the title. I was one of them. And I still am one of them. Hawk is one of my favorite characters. It appears DD has removed him from relevence. And even if he does return it will be in a wheel chair. Baroness is one of my top five favorite characters. It appears DD may be about to kill her off. Mainframe was a favorite too. He's dead now. So why shouldn't I be angry about this? And why shouldn't I consider dropping the title?

I notice that there are some Joe fans who crave characters being killed off willy nilly. They want the series to be completely turned upside down with a completely new universe established. They want the old characters "retired" (Thrown away) for new ones. I'm not one of those. I don't think change is always a good thing.

I am going to wait and see what happens. If things go in a direction I like, I'll keep spending my money on DD's projects. If things don't, then I won't. It's that simple.

Personally I would buy any book DD put out with the JOE banner on it as I love all the stuff they do. I seem to one of the few folk with no moans AT ALL regarding the main series :eek: . RELOADED is another story - I'm trying to get into it and will buy to support DD in general, but the comic is populated by a bunch of such unlikeable characters (and that's the good guys!) that I struggle with it each month.

If you look at the problem logically, there are only a finite amount of stories that can be told within the GI JOE framework - One faction gains the upper hand and the other counters it, back and forth etc. No matter how interesting those stories are told (and the comic right now does it well!), they will eventually fizzle out. The notion of the JOE/COBRA conflict coming to an end is actually interesting. It doesn't pre-suppose that COBRA will be wiped out altogether, just pushed into the background. The notion of the RED SHADOWS emerging from the wreckage is actually very exciting for me. Being a Brit, my first exposure to GI JOE was via the ACTION FORCE/ENEMY conflict and I always thought the RED SHADOWS themselves were pretty damn cool.

If such a 'new order' did emerge in the comic, I think a relaunch with issue #1 would be essential - Making such a dramictic shift in emphasis in issue #45-ish would pass virtually unmentioned by most people bar the most die-hard fans.

Of course I'd rather things go on as is, but IF change is inevitable I would hope that the comic is relaunched with #1, and features the streamlined GI JOE team fighting BARON IRONBLOOD and his army with "guest invasions" by COBRA (or even teaming up with the JOE's to fight a comman enemy?). This would have to take place within the current continuity though, as any new 'universe' would be pointless.

I totally agree with you regarding Reloaded. However I strongly disagree with you regarding your opinion on the Joe / Cobra war. There are literally hundreds of characters in the current Joe universe. Batman has been around since before I was born and they still manage to come up with issues starring the Joker. All it takes is imagination. If DD can't produce interesting stories from a universe that literally has hundreds of characters in it, then they are in the wrong business.

Baron Ironblood sparks absolutely no interest in me. For some reason even his name sounds ridiculous to me. Yes I know this is coming from a guy who has Zartan as his avatar. Also your idea that Devil's Due could gradually shift away from Cobra to Baron Ironblood with only the die hard fans noticing is amusing. You are correct about that. But the problem with your theory is quite obvious. Who do you think the majority of the readers are? They are hard core Joe fans. So I don't think DD could sneak that past without a huge uproar.

DREADNOK4LIFE

i wholeheartedly agree with some of the things you have said
this stranger coming out of nowhere to lead the team is just stupid
and (although i don't think the red shadows will be the same as the previous ones) how can a guy named "Baron Ironblood" or whatever possibly hope to take on CC

but i do feel that certain characters have just outlived their usefullness
who really cares if tracker or hardball bought it
I know almost nothing about these characters so i just don;t care
they have no real use anymore and they are not the only ones either
die hard fans may disagree with me but i just don;t see much use in keeping them around there is not really any need to have 200+ characters on either side i think narrowing it down to 12 is ridiculous i am just saying that
trimming the fat is not a horribly bad idea if duke or something got killed i would be ****ed but not for these guys i don;t even know
besides getting rid of old characters just makes more room for new ones
i like derenko and barrel roll and mayday and quite a few of the news guys
and i feel that adding new ppl makes up for getting rid of some old ones
baroness is another story she is a huge core character
with her own personal fan base killing her off is not a good idea
and as for wraith after all the technology that went into his suit
and how they said it was heavily armored i know hes not dead
anyways

i don;t wanna see any character "retire" or be taken away cause of age
jesus batman is like what 406 and hes still flying around in a cape and hes been crippled and killed before too so yeah

who cares how old they are thats just plain stupid to worry about
but some highly unused and unpopular characters being killed off does not bother me at all

Eloquently spoken Dreadnkok4life. I like much of what DDP has done but I do question some of their choices. Hawk was never one of my personal favorites but he was Major General Austin and Brigadier General Flagg's first choice to lead the elite team and "the best man we have" according to the hallowed pages of issue #1. I am interested in the paradox of a paralyzed man continuing to be the commanding officer of GI Joe but it is just not Hawk's style to back out and quit leading from the front. New twists and turns are always intriguing but Cobra becoming a secondary threat uproots over twenty years of comic and toy history. I don't know about you guys, but I'm very interested in what Blaylock will say on Monday.

There are people on various JOE forums right NOW, boasting that they don't read the comic (and never have done!) and yet they are, in the same post, saying the new book is "crap" and "deserves cancelling" or that these rumours are "bad ideas".

My comic shop is one of the rare ones that let you thumb through a new ish to see if you wanna subscribe to it. They understand if you plan on rereading it/treasuring it, then you'll buy it.

I dropped out on GIJoe about halfway through, but I still check 'em out on the stand to see if I'll ever resubscribe. Every month, the scripting is really simplistic. I can get the gist of the entire issue in less than 5 minutes. My wife reads Reloaded because she admittedly likes Alt-Universe stories. And so that's the only one I buy. The others let me down every month. But I don't pay a dime.

Also thumbed through the Transformers crossovers. Don't waste my money there either. I can't put my finger on it. . .but they're all so. . .shallow.

I don't understand why I can't get into a multi-character book like GIJoe, but Avengers has been changing writers/continuity as much as DDP does! Stayed with that one for the past three years now! I even liked the first two issues of New Avengers.

On a related note, why do comic writers/artists have to change around so much anyway? :confused:

A measley 12-issue arc is now considered a major commitment! Wtf?!???:rolleyes:


If DD can't produce interesting stories from a universe that literally has hundreds of characters in it, then they are in the wrong business.

Now that is truly a brilliant and concise statement. They shouldn't be getting creative burnout this early in the game. Maybe they got what they call "X-Book syndrome". If you know what I mean, then you really know what I mean!
:D

-PJ

After reading all the rumors all at once, here's my guess on what'll happen. . .

They're trying to create a "DDP Universe", like Marvel has. Incorporating all their most popular titles in one timestream.

Just a guess.

-PJ

As a buyer of ACTION MAN in the 1970's and also having bought the early ACTION FORCE figures (pre-GI JOE) & comics I consider myself a fan of long standing. Don't presume that because I'm new to the board that I will never have an understanding of what makes a GI JOE comic 'good'.

I've read and enjoyed comics featuring all manner of characters from the GI JOE universe, seeing them fight many different adversaries from COBRA through to the "ENEMY" - When ACTION FORCE ditched the RED SHADOW threat and introduced COBRA I was worried, thinking that this wasn't the comic I was used to (I was a kid then and worried about such trivial things) - Two issues into this new run I loved it and enjoyed the new direction. I doubt the comic company had "run out of ideas" concerning Z-FORCE, Q-FORCE and the rest but a chance for a bold new look and feel presented itself and the transition was handled very well. Leaping on my general statement of "ideas running out" and turning it into yet another attack on Devil's Due is a little forced - The fact that "too many characters" was often cited as a major weakness in the Marvel run highlights just how much people's opinions differ. So a GI JOE comic is put out that matches exactly your vision, Dreadnok4life, and you of course lap it up. But what if I and the others who love the present comic don't like it? Tough on me, eh? You've got the comic you want after all.
You have to accept that the DDP comic will always be one person's take on what GI JOE is about. If that's too hard then lobby Hasbro like **** for them to cancel the license and hope to god it goes to domeone who'll produce a comic catered for you. I bet the chances of finding the head of a comics company who shares your opinions on the direction the story should go and which characters should be used exactly are none existant.

If you don't like what DDP are doing now then I doubt you'll like whatever it is they have planned, but then if you dislike the comic, why should the prospect of a change be of any concern to you at all - Those who like the DDP comic and are worried; Why? Why shouldn't this "new version" (and that statement is pretty meaningless as nobody knows what the "new version" is yet) be as enjoyable and as interesting as what has gone before?
Bringing up oh-so many "X-MEN" references is worthless to me, as I don't purchase any other comics. My interest is in GI JOE and I like what has been done. I'd buy the comic if the stories were on a par with those featured in the toy-packets, as a colourful and exciting universe would still continue to be expanded upon. I certainly don't buy a GI JOE comic expecting prose on a par with the classics of world literature and I doubt whether the likes of Josh B. or Brandon have any pretensions of delivering anything other than a fun and engaging comic once a month; I think they deliver on that goal.

Maybe I'm a simple idiot with standards so low that I can't spot "bad" writing and plot construction - I read GI JOE every month and enjoy it, and the prospects of this forthcoming evolution is exciting and full of potential to me. With so many stating that they won't even sample one issue (and so many more approaching the new series with such prejudiced opinions that they're guarenteed to hate it), I suspect it will fail. That will be tragic for those of us who appreciate the hard work put in by so many people to put out a quality product each month.

As a buyer of ACTION MAN in the 1970's and also having bought the early ACTION FORCE figures (pre-GI JOE) & comics I consider myself a fan of long standing. Don't presume that because I'm new to the board that I will never have an understanding of what makes a GI JOE comic 'good'.

Don't worry Mukki, I won't.

Because I never did! :mad:

Don't put words in my mouth! I was simply stating you "presumed" that because someone didn't actually buy every issue of the DDP series, they have no right to rip on it. I say they can. Even if you just follow the online previews/official news, you have every right to say "it's not going the way I'd like it to".

Rudeness notwithstanding. ;)


I've read and enjoyed comics featuring all manner of characters from the GI JOE universe, seeing them fight many different adversaries from COBRA through to the "ENEMY" - When ACTION FORCE ditched the RED SHADOW threat and introduced COBRA I was worried, thinking that this wasn't the comic I was used to (I was a kid then and worried about such trivial things) - Two issues into this new run I loved it and enjoyed the new direction. I doubt the comic company had "run out of ideas" concerning Z-FORCE, Q-FORCE and the rest but a chance for a bold new look and feel presented itself and the transition was handled very well.

So let me get this straight, you're. . .um, using Action Force comics to defend DDP?

Action Force was the much higher quality comic, IMO.


So a GI JOE comic is put out that matches exactly your vision, Dreadnok4life, and you of course lap it up.

No, it is possible to make a comic that will please at least 90% of the fanbase. It's just very difficult and demands a creative team to match it. My demands really aren't that high. To prove it, I'd shell out $4 a month for a Joe book written along the lines of CN's JLA Adventures!

Featuring maybe one Joe a month w/a supporting cast, some consistent art (doesn't have to be "Jim Lee" material either), and a strong one-shot storyline with maybe a slower backstory. Alot of AF comics were like that too!

The current books are less character driven that way IMO. Sure you'll get a few brief "rare Joe" cameos, but that's not what I'm talking about. I just wish they'd stop trying to feature everyone all at once in a recycled "ultimate battle royale" story format all the time.


Those who like the DDP comic and are worried; Why? Why shouldn't this "new version" (and that statement is pretty meaningless as nobody knows what the "new version" is yet) be as enjoyable and as interesting as what has gone before?

Because all we've heard for the past 4 years is about how THIS time, "DDP is taking it all in a new & fresh direction." We're just looking for some consistent fiction to rely on man. Enough with the gimmicky shakeups. But instead of breaking the habit, they'll probably just think the shakeups need to be more extreme. Abruptly shocking readers all the time doesn't always guarantee the books will fly off the shelves.


Bringing up oh-so many "X-MEN" references is worthless to me, as I don't purchase any other comics.

Then you obviously didn't "know what I mean" then. :rolleyes:

They're planning a mutant genocide in that book to reduce the number of superfluous characters.

Sound familiar?

They thought that if they just kept adding more new characters, then it would improve the book. Instead, it just watered it down for everyone else.

Sound familiar?


I certainly don't buy a GI JOE comic expecting prose on a par with the classics of world literature and I doubt whether the likes of Josh B. or Brandon have any pretensions of delivering anything other than a fun and engaging comic once a month; I think they deliver on that goal.

Then you'd be surprised to know that while our expectations are similar, we differ in our opinion of what we end up with.

-PJ

The regular comics picked up from where Marvel left...

Actually the Devil's Due Comic takes place several years after Marvel's last comic.

Yes Mukkidog, if a comic matches my sense of what it should be, I do buy it. Is that really so strange? If DC decided Batman needed to get a sex change operation and move to San Francisco should I still "lap" it up? Would it be unreasonable for me not to want to read Batman anymore? I don't understand your comment.

By some accounts I've read, Devil's Due has lost 1/2 to 2/3 of GI Joe's readership. It would appear a lot of people have decided the book, in it's current form, is not worthy of their time or money. By the way I still buy it out of sheer loyalty to the brand name. So I'm a part of the 1/2 to 1/3 that are still around. I did stop buying Reloaded because it was horrendous.

I don't believe anybody on here has tried to insult you. We are just expressing our opinions. My opinion differs from yours. It's not personal. It's great you read Action Force. I read some issues but for the most part my comic book GI Joe ideal comes from Marvel. Action Force is / was an alternative universe in my mind. I'm not knocking it, it just wasn't a big part of my life.

I do hope DD succeeds with GI Joe. I do not think anyone else will pick up the title after DD is done with it. However I don't believe DD will be successful unless they tell better stories. It doesn't matter who the bad guys are, if the stories stink the book will get cancelled. I also don't believe the majority of Joe fans will buy a book that kills off, or minimizes the importance of, the most popular characters. A dead Baroness, paralyzed Hawk, etc. is a deal breaker for me. Sorry that's just the way it is. And I think many Joe fans feel the same way.

You all do whatever you want, I TRULY don't care.
I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, I'm just saying don't ruin it for those who like the comic.

Gee, joining a forum is like jumping in a fast river... swim along with the flow or get smashed on the rocks.

By some accounts I've read, Devil's Due has lost 1/2 to 2/3 of GI Joe's readership. It would appear a lot of people have decided the book, in it's current form, is not worthy of their time or money. By the way I still buy it out of sheer loyalty to the brand name. So I'm a part of the 1/2 to 1/3 that are still around. I did stop buying Reloaded because it was horrendous.

...I don't believe DD will be successful unless they tell better stories. It doesn't matter who the bad guys are, if the stories stink the book will get cancelled. I also don't believe the majority of Joe fans will buy a book that kills off, or minimizes the importance of, the most popular characters. A dead Baroness, paralyzed Hawk, etc. is a deal breaker for me. Sorry that's just the way it is. And I think many Joe fans feel the same way.

I certainly do. I still get the book, but I'm getting increasingly sick of it. I didn't go anywhere near Reloaded, however.

When the DD version of G.I.Joe got started, I thought they did a really capable job of capturing the spirit of G.I.Joe. That's no longer the case. The casual slaughter of various characters was simply unacceptable. This wasn't even part of a combat situation. Tracker was gunned down on a beach, and just when they might've done something interesting with the character with the "Action Man" reference. Simply stated, the book has deviated too far from what I as a fan consider acceptable for G.I.Joe. And I as a longtime fan am entitled to make that decision with my hobby dollars.

Nor do I consider the planned new format, of a limited-size team going up against a far less organized Cobra, to be especially appealing.

You want something to make you cry? Stir up some of the Marvel title and give it a read. I have lately, and the comparison between that title and what the Devil's Due title has become is downright sickening.