Review: G.I. Joe Sierra Muerte #1
When I read a G.I. Joe book I don’t expect a story that is going to explore incredibly deep philosophical concepts or metaphysical realities. I know that this is a fun, nostalgic military setting that is going to provide me action. In that sense, G.I. Joe Sierra Muerte #1 is successful. There is a surfeit of action throughout the book. However, just because the setting requires that action it does not mean that there is any excuse for a limited or even non-existent story-line. Unfortunately, that is very much the case in this first issue of a new G.I. Joe campaign.
The book jumps right into the action with an assembled team of G.I. Joe operatives jumping, literally jumping, into the action on the island of Sierra Muerte. What follows is a series of battles between opposing teams of G.I. Joe soldiers and members of COBRA. To be honest, there is no real rhyme or reason to what is going, on with the teams seemingly chosen because the members traditionally oppose each other. At one point, COBRA commander flees one such battle and disappears from the scene. Many panels of battle and banter later, he reappears and we find out that COBRA commander has only a limited amount of time to live. COBRA scientists inform him that they are prepared to treat him with an experimental procedure that may have some unintended side effects, seemingly paving the way for Serpentor in coming issues.
I have real problems with this book on just about every level. The writing makes too many assumptions on behalf of the reader. There is no work done to set up any significant plot points. In point of fact, there really is no plot to this book until one gets to the very end wherein the details about COBRA commander are revealed. However, prior to that we are given absolutely no clue in the writing or the art that COBRA commander is ailing at all, let alone dying from an incurable disease. If that was all that was wrong with this book it would be bad but the artwork is simply atrocious. The art is simplistic, the color flat and uninspired and the renderings of the various characters skewed and out of proportion at times.  I do not want to be harsh but this is not a worthy entry into this comic series and I expect better from any professional.
Writing – 1.5 of 5 Stars
Art – 1 of 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writing – Michael Fiffe, Chad Bowers
Art – Michael Fiffe
Author Profile
- Nemesis is a poet, writer and author of the upcoming novel The Long Game. He is a writer of science fiction and supernatural thrillers. Besides novels and short stories he writes for UK based ASAP Comics developing new stories for Level 8 and OPSEC. Nem is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and tries to bring those experiences into his writing.
He lives and works out of his home in Riverside, California with his wife and three children. When not writing he enjoys reviewing comic books and graphic novels for ComicCrusaders.com and living the Southern California life with his family.
Latest entries
Comic BooksNovember 8, 2023Review: Cyberpunk 2077 Library Edition Volume 1
GamingSeptember 21, 2023PC Game Review – Starfield
PreviewsSeptember 20, 2023TTRPG Review – Star Trek Captain’s Log
Comic Crusaders PodcastJuly 19, 2023Comic Crusaders RPG Special – Dune RPG by Modiphius
