Well-timed to get G.I. Joe fans psyched for the release next month of G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the big screen sequel to 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, IDW Publishing teams up with Hasbro tomorrow to begin a new G.I. Joe monthly comic book series.  And we’ve got a high-res 9-page preview right here for borg.com readers.

Although this isn’t billed as a tie-in comic book series, Issue #1 begins with all the right players: G.I. Joe leader Joe Colton (who we’ll see played by Bruce Willis in the forthcoming movie), team leader Captain Duke Hauser (played in the movie series by Channing Tatum), the no-nonsense Roadblock (played in the movie by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), and a classic favorite surprise villain.   Regardless of whether or not there is overlap with the movie, writer Fred Van Lente and artist Steve Kurth give fans just what you’d hope for, a modern, something-for-everyone entry point to the world of Joe, whether or not your initial encounter with G.I. Joe was via the 12-inch Action Men in the 1960s, the Adventure Team in the 1970s, the small-sized action figures in the 1980s, or the various animated series and comic books series over the past 50 years.

You’ll see a bit of a Mission Impossible vibe, updated for current international pulled-from-the-headlines crises, adding G.I. Joe as a government bureau in a similar vein to The Avengers’ S.H.I.E.L.D., DC Comics’ satellite-based Justice League, or the Bionic Man’s OSI.  Only with G.I. Joe the new anti-terrorism arm is in full public view, and the press is all over its actions.  The team even has an embedded journalist blogger.  And like the brilliant Captain America: The First Avenger did quite successfully, Van Lente brings the real world and merchandising of the G.I. Joe brand into the story itself.  It’s a pretty cool step in the evolution of G.I. Joe.  Best of all, Issue 1 is action-packed and doesn’t waste time with a lot of set-up.

Click here for a high-resolution 9-page preview of Issue #1 provided for borg.com readers by IDW Publishing.  Look for several alternate covers, including part one of a series of covers featuring the history of G.I. Joe by Ryan Dunlavey.

Check out the editor’s page at the back of Issue #1 to get up to speed on new series G.I. Joe: Special Missions beginning in March, G.I. Joe: The Cobra Files in April, as well as the long-time ongoing monthly G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, and for those wanting to catch up and prior G.I. Joe stories, a hardcover series beginning this month reprinting back-issues, G.I. Joe: The IDW Collection, Vol. 1, available at Amazon.com for discounted pre-order now, and comic book stores everywhere in March.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com