GI Joe - Marvel Run - Reading Group for the Holidays :)

[OZNO]

I had a silly idea the other day. I’m about to turn 36 around Thanksgiving, and feeling older and nostalgic, I wanted to remove the last 30+/- years and return to the carefree days of my childhood.

Also, since my older boy is about the age he can appreciate the Joes, (he wants to be Snake-Eyes for Halloween) I was thinking about doing a Joe run with him. I wanted to extend an invitation to the rest of you guys on the boards who grew up with the comic.

Even though I have the whole run, I was thinking that if anyone is interested in participating we might just read up to the first 70 or so (wherever that particular arc comes to a conclusion) because in my opinion after that the series really starts to tank.

I’m looking for die hard fans that will appreciate the stories for what they are, reminisce about the ads and just geek out completely.

I want to begin around Nov 1st, and we’ll probably read 1 or 2 comics a day before putting my son to bed. So this might just take us through Christmas and the New Year.

Just putting it out there if you’re interested.


Thanks,

Chris

[BillETM]

This sounds like fun. I don't have the issues, but I'll look for it in trade.

[Steeven]

I've just recently read the first three trades

[OZNO]

[nacho]

Some of the best comics ever! I collected a whole second set just to have bound into hardcovers. I applaud your excellent taste I hope your son enjoys them as much as we did as kids. Can't wait to read them with my son when he's a little older.

FYI, I'd go at least to issue 78. That'll get you to the end of the cobra civil war, and beyond that point is about where it starts to wane, IMO. Have fun!

[OZNO]

Alright, my son and I started our reading last night. I guess I was a bit optimistic that he would get into the story, but I found myself editing and summing up dialogue for him…he’s only 5, so I’m proud that he was able to sit through as much of the story as he did. (Tangentially, I also busted out my M.A.S.K. toys this weekend and he LOVES playing with Bolder Hill and the other vehicles, so watching him enjoy that is a score!)

Anyway, I brought out my tattered giants sized edition that my grandmother bought for me when I was a kid. There’s a lot of sentimental value in this torn up comic. And, It was cool seeing my son’s eye widen at the size of the comic.

Getting to the story, I find it fun from the start. It’s an excellent intro to the small initial Joe team. I love the quick introduction of the Baroness and Cobra as the villain.

I also like the way Hama introduces these marginal characters like Dr. Adele Burkhart, Gen Flagg, and Gen. “Iron-Butt” Austin that play a role later in the series. I always test true Joe fandom by knowledge of these characters, and inside jokes like:

-Zap comparing his helicopter piloting skills to always falling off a bike when he was a kid.
-Breaker’s obsession with chewing gum – which my son found funny for some reason.

I had a lot of fun looking at the Pit layout between stories and remembering how I would imagine walking through there as a kid.

The second story “Hot Potato” is alright, but Stalker's last line has always been engraved in my mind. When the flight attendant asks him what he wants for dinner he replies, “a potato, make it hot…reeeaal hot”. I can’t go to a deli without that popping into my head.

Over all a great first issue. The Herb Trimpe art is pretty good…I couldn’t stand his work on Special Missions, but in this issue I enjoy it.

[JordanFromJersey]

One of my first comics was issue #2(where they fight in the snow a bunch)

[OZNO]