G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero / Tomb Raider #2
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Artist: Elena Casagrande
Colorist: Alex Guimaraes
Publisher: Image Comics
We all have regrets.
Lara Croft has a few, especially involving her friend Emma and an artifact called the Dial of Aion.
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Lara and the Joes have infiltrated Cobra Island, which is under new management: Destro.
It seems like the team has made it to the target point without being spotted, and then they’re ambushed by Iron Grenadiers!
Before long, the Joes and Lara are pinned down, and it doesn't look good…
But it doesn't matter, because Snake Eyes is in the house!
In all my years of reading or watching G.I. Joe, I've learned two things: one, knowing is Half the Battle. Two, there is no problem that can't be solved by a judicious use of a mute commando-ninja.
Hey Snake Eyes, got any words of wisdom for the Clique?
…
Come on now, don't be shy, we're all friends here.
…
You don't know how to type, do you? Man, I didn't think it would be possible to find a worse guest than Dr. Doom…
WHO DARES SUMMON DOOM?
Who, dude. No one "summoned" you. I think Russell is covering your book this week; go bother him.
VERY WELL. BUT ONLY BECAUSE YOU ANNOY DOOM SO, NOT BECAUSE YOU TOLD HIM TO.
Whatever. Get outta here.
And you, Snake? What do you have to say for yourself, just standing there while Doom is being all Doom-y?
…
I give up…
Half the Battle
I love the irony at play in this issue. Lara and the Joes think that Destro is on Cobra Island looking for the Dial, but really he’s just there to say “Neener, neener” to Cobra Commander. But thanks to the Joes being there to stop him from finding the artifact, and a quick look at Evil Wikipedia (it’s just like regular Wikipedia, only… actually, it’s exactly the same as regular Wikipedia), now Destro knows it’s there. Ruh-roh, Raggy…
All goofing around aside, I'm having a good time with this book. It's old-school G.I. Joe like I grew up with, complete with silly codenames and colorful outfits. I'm loving the Energon Universe take on the team; don't get me wrong, but sometimes you just want to turn off your brain and have fun with your toy-based properties.
Despite being a gleeful “mashing the toys together” kind of book, we still get some meaningful character development. Lara Croft is actually a pretty well-rounded character who’s lived a whole life before this adventure. She’s got history with Shipwreck, and regrets involving her lost friend. Will the artifact allow her to turn back time and change things? Probably not, but who knows…
The rest of the Joe team don’t get a lot of moments to shine here, but everyone does come across as their own character and not just copies of each other. That’s still a pretty big accomplishment for a book with such a large cast. And even though G.I. Joe gets top billing, this is really Lara’s story. I’m looking forward to seeing how crazy things get as they get closer to the artifact.
Kung Fu Grip
Kyle Higgins handles the large cast here well, with Lara and Shipwreck getting the most time—but everyone else gets their moments too. And let’s be honest, as long as Snake Eyes looks cool, Joe fans will forgive a lot. This issue is largely action, but it’s paced well and stays interesting throughout.
Elena Casagrande’s art works well here, with her characters looking realistic and detailed without looking like they were photo-referenced. She’s got a good sense of motion, so the action scenes are engaging. And you can feel the tension in the mountain climbing scenes. The biggest sin an action/adventure book can commit is looking boring, and that doesn’t happen here.
The colors by Alex Guimaraes keep things looking pretty realistic—nothing’s too bright or too dark. I might be crazy, but I think Lara might be just a bit brighter than the Joe characters, which is a cool way to show that she’s from a bit of a different world. Or maybe I’m imagining it. I’m not sure.
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G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero / Tomb Raider #2 is a fun issue that continues the crossover that actually makes more sense than you’d think. The Joes and Lara work together well, and Destro is always a fun villain. I think things are going to get all sorts of crazy once all our players converge on the shipwreck containing the artifact, and that’s when this series should kick into high gear.