While it’s struggled to maintain mainstream relevance anywhere close to what it had in the past, the G.I. Joe property still has a solid grip on a certain group of fans. While it hasn’t been making waves in the comics industry as well as, say, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has, G.I. Joe comics continue to come out and continued to be purchased and enjoyed. This week, IDW decided to relaunch its G.I. Joe series with a new #1 written by Karen Traviss with art by Steve Kurth, setting up a story promising “The Fall of G.I. Joe.” The sad news is that you’re probably better off rummaging through your closet to play with your old G.I. Joe action figures than you’d be reading this dull debut; decent art isn’t enough to elevate the boring, unsatisfying plot.

The idea for this story is actually an intriguing one, sure to satisfy anyone even vaguely a fan of G.I. Joe; previously infamous organization Cobra has gained considerably positive international favor as a peace organization. With Cobra seemingly ending world conflict nonviolently, the United States deduces the G.I. Joe department is unnecessary. This first issue introduces us to how the Joes are taking this into their own hands. All of this sounds potentially cool, but its execution is free of any excitement, any fun, and any action, certainly not appealing for younger audiences and not even older readers.

Full of dialogue mulling over big political struggle, bringing up issues like bought-out politicians and dishonest, national motives, this issue presents a whole lot, but doesn’t manage to make any of it stick. It’s nice that the main protagonist is a female, but the book doesn’t allow for any characterization to make her enjoyable to follow. It’s clear that the Joes are taking a big risk, going against the US government and following their collective gut, but the book never delves deep enough into their motives. There isn’t anything besides talking, and even the comedy fails to affect.

The art is good, although nothing to write home about. It’s technically without significant flaw, offering convincing facial expression and movement. The layouts are relatively interesting, occasionally offering a page that sticks out. At the end of the day, an artist can only visualize talking heads so well, anyway.

There is a great story buried in G.I. Joe #1, making its poor quality especially disappointing. I loved playing with my G.I. Joe action figures when I was young and this issue definitely didn’t manage to bring any of that back up beyond the basic concept. Pulling readers in with a compelling concept is only half the battle, after all.

Story: Karen Travis Art: Steve Kurth
Story: 3.5 Art: 7.0 Overall: 3.75 Recommendation: Pass

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IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review