If you are like me, you pick up this series to see all your
old favorites. So here’s a list of the major players in this collection; Hawk,
Duke, Scarlett, Stalker, Mainframe, Destro, Baroness, Darklon, Zartan, Zaranna,
Road Pig, Pale Peony, Dr. Mindbender, and of course, Cobra Commander. The list
of active Joes out on missions includes Clutch, RocknRoll, Dusty, Air Tight,
Tunnel Rat, Ambush, Muskrat, Outback, and Low Light. That’s a pretty good list!
This trade isn’t quite as good as the last few because it is
the middle chapter in an ongoing plot. Darklon is still out to sell the nuke
codes he stole from Destro in the last collection and different player are
making that difficult for him. I don’t know Darklon at all, but he’s turning
out to be a good antagonist for the book. He’s pretty capable, and while he
still hasn’t killed anyone, he certainly seems like a credible threat. It looks
like the next story has Hawk sending Lt. Falcon, Spirit, Zap, and Leatherneck
are getting in on this plotline.
Pale Peony, Zaranna, Road Pig, and Zartan are trying to
muscle their way in (ever since the Comicon issue awhile back). I guess Peony
is an old figure too? In any case, Hawk is giving Snake Eyes some time off, and
I think Jinx is coming on stage to deal with this.
In my favorite story, Cobra Commander is relocating his base
from the wonderfully named “Broca Beach” on the East Coast to “Luck” in
Northern California. Fear not, Larry Hama is up to his old tricks, it seems the
gated community of Rancho Corba. Ever subtle. I love it. Clutch and RocknRoll
might be in a spot of trouble in this arc, and so far I don’t see Hawk sending
in anyone to help.
SL Gallant and Ron Frenz handle the art in these issues, and
it is no surprise I love the artwork. Frenz is a veteran, and Gallant draws
like one. More importantly, they draw EVERYONE IN COSTUME. Unlike IDW’s other
Joe titles where everyone looks the same, you can always tell each and every
character in RAH. And once again, Gallant keeps up the continuity to old
storylines with Cobra Commander’s disguise; it is the same as the one from the
Joe comics from the 80s. I can’t stress enough how much I appreciate the little
artistic touches like keeping out of “costume” Joes in street clothes generally
matching the color of their uniforms.
So even when the book isn’t QUITE as good as I hoped, it is
still pretty darn
GOOD
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