Flint's covert operation splits into two teams to apprehend both the former Cobra Commander's son and valuable data pertaining to the terrorist organization. Not surprisingly, both teams run into trouble. Costa, Fuso, and Dell'Edera collaborate once again on the best Joe title on the shelves this month.
STORY
A clear plot and a small but well-developed cast with just enough friction to make their interactions interesting: this seems to be Costa's recipe for success. Whether by design or by coincidence, Costa's stories have less to do with modern military than the main title, and yet the stories in this book seem more like G.I. Joe than the other two IDW-verse titles. Costa brings street-level action to his traditional emphasis on the seedy side of counter-intelligence, and the end result looks great. Perhaps the budget cut on the Joes is a good thing…with boots on the ground, we see the Joes, not the technology, shine. With his emphasis on building great characters, Costa has consistently been putting out a highly enjoyable book.
CHARACTERS
Flint hasn't had much of a chance to shine in IDW yet. His appearances so far paint him as a competent and resourceful soldier, but he hasn't distinguish himself as a memorable character, let alone one deserving a leadership position, until now. These past few issues of Cobra feel as if I'm meeting him for the first time in this universe. He's more stoic and more secretive, with a deeply running vein of dark humor. Costa is refining a new Flint for his book, and I couldn't be happier.
ART
Fuso and Dell'Edera continue to knock the art out of the park. Besides the technical aspects of comic illustrations representing objects and movement, art must also lend a less tangible, less definable atmosphere that should complement and enhance a story. Fuso adds a dark, dynamic flair to the story that adds a gritty realism to the pages. Cobra would not be Cobra with Fuso's style.
INTANGIBLES
So the Commander's son's name is Billy Kessler-Latta? I cannot think of a better tribute to the two original bibles of Joe mythos.
VERDICT
Cobra continues to be the best title for its strong writing and great characters. Highly Recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment