Yo, JOE!
Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 08/19/2009
G.I. JOE: The Rise of COBRA (PG-13) blasted into theaters on August 7, 2009, earning the number-one spot for its opening weekend. Like the recent Transformers big-screen bonanzas, this live-action thriller is based on a Hasbro toy franchise. Heir to the 12-inch G.I. JOE dolls that premiered in 1964, ushering in the action-figure era, the smaller-size G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero line was launched in 1982. The toys were supported by two animated TV shows and a Marvel comic book series created by Larry Hama and incorporated carefully developed character sketches and an in-depth backstory.Many of these figures come to life in the new movie, which is directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy franchise) and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Destro McCullen (Christopher Eccleston), owner of a high-tech armaments company, has just introduced a new super weapon (a nanomite bomb) to NATO commanders and it’s up to Captain Conrad “Duke” Hauser (Channing Tatum) and his partner, Wallace “Ripcord” Weems (Marlon Wayons), to deliver the goods. The convoy is attacked by a group of bad guys—including the beautiful Baroness (Sienna Miller), Duke’s ex-love-interest—and the situation looks dire until an ace G.I. JOE squad comes to the rescue. The JOEs take the package—as well as Duke and Ripcord—back to the Pit, their secret desert headquarters. There, the two men prove their worth to team commander General Clayton “Hawk” Abernathy (Dennis Quaid) and are inducted into the elite international military unit. Meanwhile, evil forces are once again dispatched to seize the weapon, all part of a nefarious plot to take over the world. There’s plenty of next-gen technology and battle scenes galore as the action explodes across an array of locations and terrains until the exciting climax.
The movie’s Web site puts viewers in the Pit Control Room and other film locales with a 360-degree panoramic view that can be manipulated via mouse or keyboard. A photo gallery, videos, downloads, and other features can be accessed through command screens designed to look like (and sound like) the control system of a high-tech weapon.
Movie Tie-ins
JOE fans who can’t get enough of the action will happily immerse themselves in G.I. JOE: The Rise of COBRA: Mission Dossier, a companion volume from Titan Books. Flanked by a battalion of full-color film photos, behind-the-scenes shots, and production artwork, Paul Ruditis’s conversational text provides intel on the making of the movie from the development stages (including the Hasbro toys) through to the final product. Handsome spreads with a sleek design introduce the characters, locales, high-tech gadgetry, and special effects, while commentary from the cast and crew add interesting perspectives. A first-rate choice for browsing, this book explores the G.I. JOE cosmos while providing insights about movie making.
Max Allan Collins has penned the official novelization, available from Del Rey with an eye-grabbing movie-poster cover. Filled with lively dialogue and action scenes galore, the story moves at a high-octane pace, slowing only to incorporate flash-back scenes that add depth to the characters and plot development. Settings and examples of next-gen technology are clearly and vividly described. Movie fans won’t
be disappointed, and if they want more, they can check out Collins’s prequel, G.I. JOE: Above & Beyond (Del Rey). In an adventure set prior to the movie’s opening, Duke and Ripcord and their elite covert military team are sent into a small South American country to help suppress a revolution. Meanwhile, a G.I. JOE unit has also been secretly dispatched to support Duke’s mission and discover the source of the high-tech weapons that have been sold to local forces. There’s combat action and surreptitious maneuvering as the plot’s twists and turns are revealed. The book does a good job of establishing the characters’ relationships, motivations, and backstories, effectively setting up for the movie while relating a riveting stand-alone tale.
IDW presents two edge-of-your-seat graphic novel tie-ins that will grab movie and comic book fans alike. Written by Denton J. Tipton with art by Casey Maloney, the Movie Adaption recounts the plot with action-
packed panels. The dialogue is succinct and hard-hitting, never bogging readers down, and much of the storytelling and character development is done through the stunning visuals. The palette is both eye-pleasing and dramatic, as incandescent battle scenes and explosive encounters are paired with pastel-hued backdrops and the steely grays of the JOEs’ body armor. Close-ups of the characters are enhanced with shadows and lines that accentuate their emotions and inner turmoil. A montage of heroes and villains graces the cover, and a gallery of artwork and film photos is appended.
Readers dying to know more about the origins of this elite team and their adversaries will enjoy
dipping into Chuck Dixon’s Movie Prequel, illustrated by S.L. Gallant and Joe Corroney. Staccato dialogue and narration blends with vivid artwork in these four free-standing stories set prior to the events depicted in film. Here, teens can get in on one of Duke and Ripcord’s earlier missions, watch arms dealer Destro outwit the terrorists who try to cheat him, see the lovely Baroness use her wiles to accomplish her evil ends, and watch the ever-silent Snake Eyes in action. A movie photo of the featured character is included after each tale, encouraging a connection between book and big screen.
Explore the Universe
Through the decades, the G.I. JOE team has been the subject of numerous comic book series and specials, many of which are familiar to fans of the genre. If you are looking to begin or update a collection of these works, or even if you’re only interested in satisfying movie-ignited curiosity, consider purchasing the following anthologies from IDW, available in sturdy trade paperback editions
The Classic G.I. JOE volumes bring back into print Larry Hama’s groundbreaking G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero series, originally published by Marvel Comics in the 1980s. Each volume contains 10 punch-packing tales starring Scarlett, Duke, Snake Eyes, and other team members as they take on the malevolent COBRA Commander and his cohorts with both courage and can-do attitude. Featuring bright color contrasts and dramatic shading, the artwork is crisply reproduced in all of its volatile glory. Purchase all four volumes and establish a beachhead for these comic book classics.
Imbued with a more modern GN flavor, IDW’s 
new G.I. JOE series, written by Chuck Dixon with art by Robert Atkins, offers a fresh take on the team and their exploits. Issues #0–6 of this on-going series have been collected into a single volume with an enticing narrative arc. As the JOEs come across the first terrifying hint of the existence of COBRA, future co-conspirators Destro and the Baroness have their initial (and not so friendly) contact, the Pit is penetrated by a mysterious invader, and Snake Eyes seems to be AWOL. The sleek artwork, aglow in vibrant hues, is action-packed and dynamic. An interview with some of the G.I. JOE comics creators is appended.
The JOES exist in carefully created cosmos that has been evolving for the past three decades, a world thoroughly—and entertainingly—explored in Pablo Hidalgo’s G.I. JOE vs. COBRA: The Essential Guide, 
published by Del Rey. Filled to the brim with full-color comic book images, this handsome volume provides character profiles of both JOEs and “Threat Forces,” with featured individuals such as Duke, Scarlett, and Cobra Commander gleaning two-to-three pages of coverage and minor figures getting briefer treatment. Important missions and life occurrences are highlighted in the lively text. Other chapters cover the vehicles and hardware used by both sides and sum up well-known missions. The book ends with a smattering of comic book reprints, offering readers a taste of IDW’s various G.I. JOE series. Both movie fans and comics followers will enjoy thumbing through this well-written offering.
Pub Info
RUDITIS, Paul. G.I. JOE: The Rise of COBRA: Mission Dossier. Titan Books. 2009. pap. $14.95. ISBN 9781848562448.
COLLINS, Max Allan. G.I. JOE: The Rise of COBRA. based on the screenplay by Stuart Beattie, David Elliot, & Paul Lovett. Del Rey. 2009. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-345-51609-1
_____. G.I. JOE: Above & Beyond. Del Rey. 2009. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-345-51608-4.
TIPTON, Denton J. G.I. JOE: The Rise of COBRA: Movie Adaptation. illus. by Casey Maloney.
based on the screenplay by Stuart Beattie, David Elliot, & Paul Lovett. IDW Publishing, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2009. pap. $17.99. ISBN 978-1600104688.
DIXON, Chuck. G.I. JOE: The Rise of COBRA: Movie Prequel. illus. by S.L. Gallant and Joe Corroney. IDW Publishing, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2009. pap. $17.99. ISBN 978-1600104695.
HAMA, Larry, et al. Classic G.I. JOE. illus. by various artists.
Volume 1. ISBN 978-160010345-2.
Volume 2. ISBN 978-160010379-7.
Volume 3. ISBN 978-160010423-7.
Volume 4. ISBN 978-160010462-6.
Ea vol: IDW Publishing, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2009. pap. $19.99.
DIXON, Chuck. G.I. JOE. illus. by Robert Atkins. IDW Publishing, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2009. pap. $19.99. ISBN 978-1600104671.
HIDALGO, Pablo. G.I. JOE vs. COBRA: The Essential Guide. Del Rey. 2009. pap. $25.00. ISBN 978-0-345-51642-8.
