I’m the last person to complain about a lack of ninja conflict within the G.I. Joe universe, but IDW has really been dragging out the whole Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow dynamic.  Apparently they’re moving closer to a resolution here as Snake Eyes wades neck deep into Red Ninja territory.

Click the “Read the Rest of this Entry” link below for the full review!

Snake Eyes #10

Writer – Chuck Dixon
Artist – Alex Cal

Still far behind enemy lines in Nanzhao, Snake Eyes, Helix, and Alpine investigate an apparent silent assault on UN troops on a bridge…and when Snake Eyes investigates one of the arrows left behind, he immediately senses what’s going on.

We also get a little more detail behind Cobra’s plans for Nanzhao, hoping to raize the country and destroy the drug trade to inflate their own drug trade in South America.  The details of Cobra’s contracts with India and China are also revealed, demonstrating how the organization could built itself up financially with their current direction.  As Cobra wipes out the poppy fields of Nanzhao, they’re sharing credit for the act, while still getting blame for the slaughter of UN Peacekeepers, generally causing global conflict all around them.

Meanwhile, Snake Eyes orders transport to a remote jungle area with Helix hot on his heels and they both go face-to-face with a cadre of Red Ninjas.

Like the Cobra Command issues before this one, they are fast paced, enjoyable and written remarkably well.  Snake Eyes’ gestures and acts are all translated quite nicely to paper, and I’m growing to enjoy this whole master/apprentice relationship with Helix.  Snake Eyes shows a remarkably dark side of himself when he lures Helix into the jungle behind him, then uses her as bait to flush out the Red Ninjas, even if he does end up saving her life.  As they get closer to Storm Shadow, you feel a distinct sense of gravitas for the upcoming events.  We also start seeing a trace of a rivalry between Storm Shadow and Zartan, over the death of his Oyabun.

As we’ve come to expect throughout the Cobra Command story, Alex Cal’s art is remarkable.  His sense of action and story flow throughout the initial Red Ninja attack was nearly flawless, and there were several sequences towards the end of the issue with Snake Eyes, Helix, and other Red Ninjas that were the same way.  He has an exceptional sense of movement and the way one panel flows to another.  I continue to enjoy his artistic license that he takes in certain places with Helix’s camouflage uniform, and am extremely impressed with his work drawing Cobra Commander especially.

As an aside, Robert Atkins does one of the alternate covers of this issue, and it is stunning.  One awesome looking Storm Shadow.

Yes, like the issues before it, this is another great installment of Cobra Command, and I look forward to seeing it come to its certain to be exciting finish.  Check out the 5-page preview below for an example of the writing and art.

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G.I.Joe Review Episode 044

(57:45) The guys review Issue 60.  They also discuss their G.I Joe New Year’s Resolutions.

You can direct download Episode 044 right here.

We’re on iTunes. Our direct link is here. If you are non-iTunes, our rss feed is right here.

Now, the sequel to Infestation, instead of dealing with zombies, goes even more into the horror/supernatural elements by tackling Lovecraft and the Lovecraftian monsters that seem to have such a following.  Now how in the heck could this possibly tie into the G.I. Joe universe?

Comic Book Resources spoke with Infestation 2 writer Mike Raicht to get some details, and you can check out the interview right here.

It’s a very thorough and illuminating discussion and I found myself actually interested in seeing how this all ties together.  It certainly doesn’t hurt that Raicht throws some cameos to Cobra characters Cesspool and Razorclaw (!!) in the preview pages in the interview.

Definitely curious to see how this ends up.  Click here to read the full interview, and thanks to The Terror Drome for the intel.

Of course, along with Matt King, we also spoke with Alexx from Alexx’s Shorts, one of the funniest and best G.I. Joe reviewers on the ‘net…at least he was until he turned down my marriage proposal.  Go check out Podbean to listen, or just click on the embedded player below.  Enjoy!

Show notes are after the jump.

SHOW NOTES

Oh Lordy Lordy, What’s on JOE Mind reached 40! Beach-Head Mike is promoted this week to be our new full time co-host. Also we are joined by our buddy Craig from The Fwooshcast. Chuck steps up in a big way to become our NEW showrunner. It was a light news week but right off the bat we had some breaking news as the GIJCC changed the dates of the 2012 JoeCon back one week and finally announced the hotel location in New Orleans. What was the fall out? Joining us in the virtual studios this week we did find a very eager and well spoken guest in Eric, aka Alexx from Alexx’s Shorts on JoeSightings and JoeBattleLines. He talks to the guys about his unique way of how he blends reviews and humor into his figure pictorials. From the mailbag Chuck answers a letter from his sister Barbara on why he won’t go to JoeCon. Chuck gets real for a moment and let’s it be known that he isn’t a shut-in like he made it out to be. We also answer an older letter from Brad who asks, among other topics, if collectors are ruining Joe for kids with our need to army build. In the second half we hear a pre-recorded interview with Matt Yang King, the voice of Tunnel Rat in GI Joe Renegades. He has some hilarious stories to share and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do. In addition to being promoted to co-host status, Mike is also our anchor on the news desk as we talk about the 80Tee’s up close look at the GI Joe Retaliation Motorcycle. The GIJCC sets Footloose “loose” on the showcase turntable for a full 360 view of what this year’s incentive figure will look like. Lastly, keep your eyes open during NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis for the next official trailer to hit. Don’t forget, this will be the first to really hit the mainstream so it will be interesting come next week on the public reaction to the new direction of Joe. So it’s JoeCon discussion, Alexx, mailbag, Matt Yang King, Retaliation, Footloose and the Super Bowl Trailer! What more can you ask for? Enjoy!!

• Matt Yang King on IMDB
• Matt Yang King on Twitter
• Alexx’s Shorts on JoeSightings and JoeBattleLines

News

• Cobra Cycle Revealed
• Turn around video posted of Footloose by the club 

• GI Joe Retaliation trailer to debut at the Superbowl

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G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #175

Larry Hama (w) • S L Gallant (a) • Herb Trimpe, Gallant (c)

The Blue Ninja clan have proven to be worthy adversaries for Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. To take down the rogue ninja clan, strange alliances must be formed, enemies become partners, and unexpected team-ups lead to an all-out assault against the Blue Ninjas. Will the tenous alliance of Snake Eyes and Baroness be enough to finally bring them down? Don’t miss the team-up you’ve all been waiting for in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #175!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

*Variant covers:

Larry Hama variant sketch cover cover!

Bullet points:                                                                                             

• Snake Eyes & Baroness… Together for the first time!

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G.I. Joe: Ongoing Vol. 2 #10

Chuck Dixon (w) • Alex Cal (a) • Dave Wilkins, Will Rosado (c)

COBRA ON THE ATTACK! The new COBRA COMMANDER begins a global strategy to turn the super-secret cabal into a legitimate world power. But those plans are only known to the highest levels of COBRA, and the invasion of a sovereign Southeast Asian country continues. The Joes and UN Forces are outmaneuvered and outgunned in a war of total annihilation!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

*Variant covers:

Vertically inter-connected variant Tom Whalen cover!

Bullet points:

• PART 4 of the G.I. JOE crossover, “COBRA COMMAND”!
• A rolling nine-issue crossover between all three ongoing G.I. JOE titles, all with the same art team!
• Ask your retailer about the special vertically inter-connected Tom Whalen variant covers on all three titles!