Tonight...I spent two hours talking with the manager of my comic shop about the greatest that is the "religion" of GI Joe. I was checking out with my copy of Dreadnoks: Declassified #2 when he asked me about the Storm Shadow series. He knew almost nothing about the GI Joe mythos, and then he asked me that fatefull question...."What one book would you recommend to me to get a feel for GI Joe?"

"HOLY CRAP!" I thought...what book do I recommend to him?

Well..to be honest, I recommended AE TPB VOL 3 as soon as it comes out. Now...before you guys jump on my back for not recommending a Marvel TPB or the Snake-Eyes Declassified TPB (which he did want to read by the time I gave him a glimpse of Snake-Eyes' story.)

I did not recommend any of the Marvel TPBs because the cast and storytelling is so different today then it was then that it would not have been a good judge of the current book. I also did not recommend SE: Declassified because it is an origin story of one character, I wanted him to get a feel of the group book. I wasn't going to recommend Vol 1 because that would have led into Vol 2...which I think we all agree about it being best not to talk about it. Soooo...that left me with Vol. 3.

I also told him to read #21 since it is a good place to jump on for new readers.

So....with all that said, what TPB would YOU have recommended?

Phil

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Maybe DD's TPB Reintstated or The return of Serpentor. Lots of familar characters, lots of action. Or maybe Rise of the Red Shadows because it sort of acts as its own jump off point for readers.

I would have recommended The Frontline TP with Chuckles called History Repeating.

It ties into the Joes Marvel past with the Wingfield history of issue #3. It also ties into AE with the return of Vance.

And it is a really good story and shows off several of the non-main stars of the Joe team.

A really good mix of old and new.

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GI Joe comic fan since 1982

The YO Joe Comic Book Section
&
The YO Joe International Comic Book Section

I would have told him to grab the GI Joe Declassified tpbk when it comes out. It is the origin of the origional team after all and he could read it along with the SE: Declassified and have it all start to flow together. Just my 2 cents.

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"Those with knowledge and information,not guns and ammo,have the true power over others."

While I like the stories that you suggested. Do you think those are really the books to introduce someone to the world of GI Joe so that they could start picking up the monthly comic?

I think perhaps once the person got into the comics, then introduce the GI Joe, Snake-Eyes, and Scarlett Declassified books, but I think if you have them read those first and then pick up the monthly, the question will be "what happened between the Declassified series and the current book?"

When he asked me the question, I was thinking even suggesting the Marvel TPBs, but then realized that it would not help him get into the current book.

I don't know....maybe I was wrong, but hopefully he will start reading the book. It could only help sales there in the shop.

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I have to say I agree with you Phil on your choice. Simply for the reason you're trying to hook him on the current run to start picking up the comics. Definately have to start after the snake eyes resurrection junk, and honestly, everything after that has been pretty good. I'm not a Serpentor fan, but things worked out in a nice way. Now things really seem to be kicking into gear.

After that I'd certainly suggest he go back and get the Marvel Trades. Give him some historical conext and he could enjoy some of the best joe stories of all time. Of course for me things really kicked into gear with issue 9 or 10, when the springfield saga got going.

I started reading amazing spidey about 5 years ago. Started with JMS run, since I was a B5 fan. Even though I knew Spidey from childhood through cartoons, I picked up the essentials, and started reading those. Don't really need them for reading the current Spidey, but it's fun to go back and read the originals. Hence my reasoning for suggesting the Marvel stuff in addition to the current stuff.

I'll 2nd that... I'd say that's a good way of getting somebody into the book...If they like it they'll check out other stuff doing with G.I. Joe...I hope he gets hooked.

I think taking the modern route was a good choice as well. The overall look of the book has changed so much and I think that look is keeping with the general direction the book is going in. On that note I think the start of the Image series would be a good jumping on point too. If he digs, he can always go back and read the other stories at any time.

I think I would recommend AE Volume 2, instead of Volume 3, but telling him to ignore the SE "death", cause most people thought that was stupid. Everyhting else, even the action surrounding Snake-Eyes in that TPB is swell. You can feel the friendship between SE and SS. Duke's mission in South America is pretty cool. So ya, a little bit of ninja, a little bit of jungle mission. Casey got a better grasp of the characters than in Volume 1.

However, Volume 3 is superior in that you REALLY get a sense of the danger that is Cobra Commander. The downside, is that the Joes aren't that involved, it's more Rey's game.

If I had to recommend a Marvel one, I would recommend volume 4 probably, because so much happens: Dogfight, Billy, SS switching sides... Marvel Volume 3 is my fave, because of the whole SE/SS story, but it's not representative.

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䷾ scryptic
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"The only way to bear the snakes is to become one." - Cobra Commander, Cobra Reborn