Well, with three issues left to go, I have to say, they finally figured out how to make a death right. Perfectly in character for the victim and the murderer, with a good amount of build-up, a twist, and IIRC no hype leading up to it outside the book. Folks will hue and cry, and I will say I'm sad to see the character go, but more for the potential he had than anything else.

First, the short version:


Then, the long:

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I haven't been keeping track of the Joe comics but I always thought that .

See...

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Sputnik will LOVE this.

Sounds like this was actually pretty well done, as opposed to 90% of Devils Due stuff. Interesting direction too.

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So we go form Billy being prompted by the Baroness for patricide, but Destro intervenes and now we have a supposed filicide. I guess we'll find out if Billy actually died or not, you know because it is still a comic.

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That's why it worked.

People tend to lump Billy in with Storm Shadow and the ninjas, but aside from their close friendship and Billy's mastery of the Arashikage style, his story has always been more centered toward his relationship with the various members of Cobra. First he allies with Baroness and Major Bludd, being used in an assassination plot. Then Storm Shadow effects a rescue that turns into his own Exodus of Cobra. After parting ways with Stormy years later, he forms a close bond with Zartan as they alone survive the Freighter incident. At the end of the Marvel run, Billy comes calling on Destro, Zartan *and* the Baroness just before the Cobra Reborn debacle.

The theme of patricide/filicide has been brought up a number of times. Cobra Comander recalls the attempt in #33 when he locks Billy away in the Freighter in #98, claiming it marked the death of his humanity. It's also notable that Cobra Commander's "death" at the hands of Fred VII occured *because* of Billy, if indirectly. When Cobra Commander shot Billy in DDP #20, it evened up the score at two attempts each.

Now, in this issue, Billy effective walks into the Commander's office, and kills him without a second thought! It's very final: if the guy in the chair *was* his father, he would have committed patricide, finally, *and* saved the world. He had made the choice to do something unspeakable, unthinkable, but for him... something almost predestined. Once the Commander saw his own son effectively murdering him, what other conclusion is there?

For me, it worked. It worked well. And as big a fan of Billy as I am, this fit the story, and if this is the end of the classic continuity, we arent going to see Billy again anyway. So why not wrap up his story. Sad that he had to be the losing side of this little family war, but when your up against Cobra Commander... you really don't have much of a chance.

Another great issue. Lot of high points. Spirit getting the drop on Velocity was good. Billy and Cobra Commander stuff, great. Destro striking a deal with the Joe team was good and we should be getting Rourkes whole story next issue. Hate to see DD go. Really hoping for a Hail Mary deal at the last minute.

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Billy? Whose Billy, its William

You know what I realized, looking at the cover of this issue? Cobra Commander did it all by himself. He has conquered the US, and nearly the world, without his entourage.

Destro - retired (but CC kept all his assets)
The Baroness - retired
Dr. Mindbender - deceased
Zartan and the Dreadnoks - active, but more or less the "hired help"
Major Bludd - a field commander, but like Zartan, not exactly in on planning sessions
Firefly - not currently under Cobra's employ
Storm Shadow - currently a G.I. Joe
Xamot and Tomax - Only 50% functional

Have they been holding Cobra Commander back all these years? Have all the questioning of orders and undermining really been keeping a brilliant mind from achieving world domination? Should he have had a zero tolerance policy like he has with The Plague all along?

Billy will use his ninja powers to overcome the poison. Anyone want to take that bet? They have 3 issues left to screw this up in so I'm not giving them a pass until it's over.

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I wouldn't mind that. Last page of the last issue. Cobra Commander triumphant speaking before an assembly out of the shadow drops a figure who slices of his head. Figure is revealed to be Billy.

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I wonder if the first issue of the new series will have Hawk waking up and say how he just had the worst dream? Hehe, he can be like "Snake Eyes was there, Scarlett, Duke, so many others. Bazooka was fat and I was old!".

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Well if they are going to do it in the classic Dallas style or the funny Newhart spoof of Dallas then I guess it would have to be something like Lady Jaye or Flint waking up. Although it would be funny if they had Bazooka in the gym and Alpine asked him why he was working out so hard today and he tells Alpine about his crazy dream where he was an old fat security guard, Lady Jaye got killed, Flint thought he was an '80's action star, and the Joes decided they should wear spandex.

Maybe they walk out of a theater with "G.I. Joe: The Movie" on the marquee commenting how it was the worst movie ever.

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Other then the bit with Billy, I think they already did.

The rest of the issue was fairly lack luster, with joes previously pinned down on foreign land suddenly appearing out of nowhere in New York. then they get helped by a citizens brigade. I mean common, they are really scraping the typical 80's story well with that one. Maybe the A team will pull up in their van and lend a hand. I am sure snake eyes knows them from Nam.

Anyway as the war progresses the whole global conflict thing falls flat. GI Joe is the only team capable of taking on Cobra? Where are the marines? Where is the AF? Where they all executed when cobra took over? If so then I find it hard to believe GI Joe is going to win this one. It's the problem I have with most modern takes on GI Joe. They make Joes seem elite by not having anyone to compare them too, much like the 80s, though the 80s book was for kids, and this one is clearly for 20-30 somethings. Sgt Rock did a hell of a good job showing why Rock and his men where the shizzle, while at the same time involving other military personnel from all around the DC U and our own.
This Joe book just falls flat compared to the last couple of issues, and the art is starting to get weaker.




edited to add, Bazookas dream, or leaving the theater after watching the worst Joe movie ever would both rule.
some one pass that on to the big papa LH.

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