Reviews
REVIEW: G.I. Joe: ARAH #284
Book Title: G.I. Joe: ARAH #284
Book Description: Issue #284 picks up where we left off in the last issue. Sherlock, Lady Jaye, Roadblock, Chuckles and Multo are in the republic of Phan Chang. They’re investigating the warehouse that Al Kawbra was using to house nuclear warheads in the city of Si Thxng. As it turns out, Al Kawbra thought of just about everything. There is almost nothing the local CSI team can find with fingerprints or any other evidence that could give the team a break. Their only real lead is a pizza box, which they get out with just before an IED detonates. Black Hat is able to hack the pizza parlor’s security system and get video footage of when the pizza is purchased. Even better they get the credit card number from the purchase. Now it’s a game of “follow the money”. Elsewhere Al Kawbra is alerted that the credit card is being traced. He goes into action playing a shell game of sorts to try to stay a step ahead of the Joe team.
Book Author: Larry Hama
Book Format: Paperback
Publisher - Orgnization: IDW Publishing
Publisher Logo:
Illustrator: Andrew Lee Griffith
- Story(4)
- Interior Art(4)
- Cover Art(3)
- Dialogue(3.5)
- Mechanics(4)
- Editing(3.5)
Summary
First of all, I have to say we’ve come a long way from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero that Mr. Hama was writing when the series first came out. At that time the name of the game was getting characters into issues fast enough to keep up with the toy line.
In those books we seldom saw characters die. Kwinn and Dr. Venom, and the Hard Master were the only ones I recall seeing from the earlier years. When it did happen it usually wasn’t very graphic. It’s been a surprise to see people killed in back to back issues. I’m okay with it. It helps make the story more realistic.
I liked the cover art; but there is one catch. Hawk, Scarlet, Stalker, and Snake Eyes are on the cover. They’re not in the issue. This is the cover “A”, not a variant. The cover should reflect the story to some degree.
The interior artwork is great. It meshes nicely with the story and pulls the reader right into the action. I liked the panel when Al Kawbra decides he doesn’t have time to renegotiate a deal.
As a geek on a budget, I think this is a must read. To me it’s been like falling in love with an old friend. The artwork is terrific. The story is fairly easy to follow even if you’re not up to speed on everything in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero universe. I highly recommend checking this one out!
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