Comics Review: GI Joe: Snake Eyes – Cobra Civil War #1
GI Joe: Snake Eyes: Cobra Civil War Vol. 1
Writer(s): Chuck Dixon
Artist(s): Robert Atkins
Genre(s): Military, Awesome!
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Description: The deadliest JOE in his own title at last! Seeking justice for the deaths of his fellow Joes, Snake Eyes heads to the top of the world and the Himalayan fortress of Raja Vikrim Khallikhan – a Cobra Commander candidate! With only Agent Helix, Iceberg, and Alpine by his side, Snake Eyes storms the miles-high refuge, confronting his most skilled foes: Slice & Dice!
I have read and reviewed the Cobra Civil War Vol. 1, so I can delve into this “spinoff” with some bias.
I was surprised and impressed with how this issue worked. First, we have to give props to Snake Eyes. When it comes to GI Joe, he is iconic. Sure there are folks out there who might not like all of the things he says or all of his facial expressions, but you have to respect the guy. This issue has three or four alternative covers for the regular civil wars series. I enjoy these, but am not willing to shell out foura bucks per cover so I can say I have all of them. I won’t blame you if you do, but it isn’t my cup of tea. This book didn’t have the problems its “parent series” first issue had, and for that I’m thankful.
The opening page is epic: a top down, full page close up of Snake Eyes climbing a mountain. The details are outstanding and the contrast between Snake Eyes’s black outfit and the snowy background is phenomenal, but the reader’s angle truly gives the picture depth and a helps to add tension to the normal “cliffhanger” nature of mountain climbing.
I enjoyed seeing great use of Alpine and Iceburg, as they are great characters that fill a niche. Added to this crew is Helix, who we find out later was chosen over Scarlett by Snake Eyes for this mission. One of the biggest problems I had with the first issue of the regular Civil War series was the tactics. I understand this is a comic, but the writers should get the basics right. This time they did. The Joe squad doesn’t approach the suspected Cobra mountain fortress directly and uses technology to assist in their recon of the entrance to the facility. I was impressed with the analysis performed by Mainframe to determine the location of the fortress.
This book is interspersed with flashbacks and they are handled quite well. I know it is a challenge to write for a character that doesn’t speak, but all of the flashbacks get the point across. The use of warm, earthy, almost hazy colors lets us know when one of the flashbacks is occurring and those earthy colors provide another bit of contrast from the stark coldness of the mountains.
There is a great fight scene where the Cobra snow troopers, who ironically wear facemasks similar to Snake Eyes first mask, come out of the fortress to investigate strange sensor readings. The fight was great because it truly felt like it was in 3D. The Cobra troops didn’t just fall over dead and almost gave as good as they got. I do not recommend fighting on the side of a mountain and this fight shows you why!
This is a well-written, well-drawn, and well-colored issue. After reading this, I truly want to know if Snake Eyes’s plan works out and just how he pulls it all off. I applaud IDW publishers for providing a doorway for people to get back into GI Joe. The characters are the same, but this is the beginning of a storyline that is interesting and should be fun to follow. YO JOE!
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