The latest installment in IDW‘s GI Joe Hearts And Minds series written by acclaimed writer Max Brooks has been reviewed! This issue focuses on Firefly and Tripwire with pencils/inks by Howard Chaykin & Antonio Fuso respectively. With expectations high after the 1st issue, is GI Joe Hearts And Minds #2 worthy of a read? Hit the discuss button to find out!
HissTank › G.I. Joe Comics › IDW GI Joe Hearts And Minds #2 Reviewed
Shin Densetsu says
IDW's all star cast of creators returns for the 2nd installment of GI Joe Hearts and Minds. The last issue left a great impression on me and was a great way to kick off the series. With that said, I had high expectations for this issue. Did #2 live up to them? Read on....
This issue focuses on Firefly and Tripwire. As with the last issue, the Cobra agent takes the 1st half(drawn by Howard Chaykin with colors by Arbutov), while the GI Joe, the 2nd(drawn by Antonio Fuso with colors by Lovern Kindzierski). Max Brooks' writing can be said to be glue that binds these 2 halves together, as the 1st part flows cohesively into the 2nd rather smoothly.
Firefly is not in costume for the majority of the issue. The only giveaway is the "F" prominent on his baseball cap. His half of the issue is skillfully portrayed by Chaykin's brilliant use of panel design. Each panel visually flows to the next, seamlessly. This definitely enhances the storytelling. In particular, the climax features different views from behind and outside of windows that show the results of Firefly's "artistry". It's a very impressive sequence of events.
By now, some of you have seen the preview, and yes Firefly is black. This is within IDW's own continuity, and since it is separate from the Marvel continuity(which IDW restarted with #155-1/2), I don't think anyone should have a problem with it. This isn't like when Marlon Wayans portrayed Ripcord in the Rise of Cobra movie, and seemed more like Marlon Wayans in a GI Joe movie instead of Ripcord. This situation is entirely different, irregardless of race, the Firefly portrayed in this book is exactly how we have come to know Firefly through the years. Still a crafty saboteur, still someone no one would expect, still the same characterization. He doesn't do anything out of character.
Tripwire's half of the issue features very bold artwork by Fuso and Kindzierski. Tripwire is not the clumsy guy we knew from before, but his expertise is still in disarming explosives. His story is interesting as there is something from his personal life that he did not want to leave behind despite joining GI Joe.
So there we have it, another exciting addition to Hearts and Minds. This issue did not disappoint. It shares the same trait as the 1st issue; it's a great starting point for new readers and a great issue to read for those who have been following IDW's GI Joe. I like how it's set up for rivals, this is something Hasbro is starting to do with their toylines. Whether this was a guideline set upon IDW by Hasbro, or something IDW did on their own, it works great for this series.
Weezus says
LAAAME.
firefly black?
Firefly should be [censored because the world is full of butthurt.]
but if you know what i would have said, think of how awesome and modern that could have been.
CoBrAtHeEnEmY78 says
wow now lets see a white stalker lmao
Troynos says
My review from Kitty's Pryde *SPOILERS*
Only posting cause I don't feel like retyping all my thoughts again.
This is a very well writen series. I have to say that off the bat. My biggest problem with it is the same I had with Issue #1, there just seems to be a disconnect between this and the main Joe title by IDW. It doesn't seem to be the same characters in the same universe. This issue brings up two stories, Firefly with Chaykin art and Tripwire with Fuso art. One character has had a couple appearances in the main book, one has not.
Starting with Firefly's story. This is a spoiler for anyone that has not yet seen the H&M #2 preview posted here and elsewhere. If you haven't, then don't read any further. You've been warned.
I think this is going to cause some uproar in Joe-fandom. The hardcore fans didn't react very well to Ripcord's race change. I don't know how they're going to react to Firefly's. Granted, Firefly's race was only shown in the old ARAH run, but for most Joefans, that is their canon.
The story itself doesn't show any of Firefly's motivation, just him in action and how he does his research in preparing for a job. It's well crafted and insightful. Just not very deep. Not like the Bludd story in #1. Still good but it fails to get into the "heart" of Firefly but does get into the "mind".
It's typical Chaykin art. If you're a fan, then you'll like it. If you're not a fan, then you won't like it. There's not much for Chaykin to showcase his talents in this story. Fairly cut and dry.
Firefly's story receives
3 out of 5
Tripwire's up next. This story definately gets into the "heart and mind" of Tripwire. It shows how he thinks and why he thinks. The oddest thing is his lack of concern over the risks he takes. I thought it was ill defined, the conflict over his death wish (which was clearly defined) and his desire to accomplish his job. What's his motivation to succeed? It almost seems as if his motivation to fail would be greater.
This was a very good story except for that part. It needs to show why he wants to succeed when his reward for failing is what he desires.
There was also no hinting of this deathwish in any of his other appearances, quite the opposite in fact, which leads to the disconnect between this book and the main Joe book. It's hard to see these as the same characters.
This is excellant Fuso art. He's rapidly becoming one of my favorites. Simple, uncomplicated, but with an attention to detail. I hope he returns to Cobra after H&M is done, if not they need to give him a showcase book.
Tripwire's story receives:
3.5 out of 5
blackrazor1 says
Not to be an ass, but does this really need to be STICKIED?
KingStalin says
I don't get why they have to switch races. Why not invent new ethnic characters or better yet focus on the dozens of unique characters in the Joe universe that are not white!
Firefly is my favorite Cobra and I hate hate hate that he is now grouped in with the characters who have had their race or gender changed.
Very unnecessary and reeks of someone deciding "we need more blacks". The fact that they switch races is more racist in my mind because obviously someone somewhere thinks about how many are of each race.
I was trade waiting this but I am definitely avoiding it now.
Boombatty says
Ugh. Enough with the race baiting crap IDW, Hasbro, Paramount, whomever. I hate that the races of character's get changed just as much as when the gender gets changed.
A character was created BY IT'S CREATOR. Leave it as it was created. And as CobraTheEnemy78 said, what do you think would be the uproar is Stalker suddenly became White?
If you think there aren't enough female or black characters then create a new one and STFU. I don't care if we have to have Heavy Duty 2 Electric Bugaloo or Surfer Dude just stop raping my childhood with this lame attempt at Political Correctness.
Now then, where were we, oh yeah, trying to review GIJ: H&M #2. Hmmm, sort of detracts from the review now doesn't it?
Boombatty says
Firefly is my favorite Cobra and I hate hate hate that he is now grouped in with the characters who have had their race or gender changed.
Very unnecessary and reeks of someone deciding "we need more blacks". The fact that they switch races is more racist in my mind because obviously someone somewhere thinks about how many are of each race.
I was trade waiting this but I am definitely avoiding it now.
thecalm_7 says
i picked this up today, decent read, nothing more, IDW is good for the more adult telling of stories like these, but I feel that 1/2 of an issue is kinda short for some characters.
My disappointment is that I could have bet a finger that Doc was supposed to be in this issue. Oh well Deep Six should be good next month.
As for the whole race switching thing, Im finding it F'ing histarical nowadays. Its all over the place, for F's sake I even heard this in the comic shop and on yahoo recently that people want a black spidey... If so I dont care, Ive given up all hope for america, but just dont call him Peter Parker and dont let MJ Watson be in there.
Trooper13 says
GAHHHHH!!!!!! I just went to my local shop and they said the issue got reallocated, and they would have to wait til next week to get it. This is twice in the past couple months I've had to wait on my Joe fix.
On the race issue, while I personally don't care what color FF is, and I am just glad he isn't a ninja, I will call bs where I see it.
This is just a stunt, it wreaks of desperation. It's sad. It is NOTHING like the Wayans situation in RoC. RoC was written by someone who should have never been let near Joe, true.
However, I believe that he wrote the Ripcord part with Wayans in mind in terms of dialogue.
I can't imagine anyone playing that character better then Marlon played it. So Ripcord needed to be black for that role, because the best actor for THAT role was Marlon Wayans. He was supposed to be the goofy, buddy of the main character in RoC. He played it perfectly. I fully support that casting. SO to keep some sort of continuity it makes sense for IDW to keep their Ripcord black, as it's the freshest rendition of the character in the publics mind. Makes perfect sense to me.
The difference with Firefly in the IDW continuity is that there was really no reason to change FF's ethnicity other then shock value. It serves no other purpose, and anyone who claims otherwise is full of it. Does it matter that they changed his skin color to me? Not at all. Does it hurt their credibility in my eyes to pull such a cheap stunt? Absolutely. It's the tactic of a hack.
His race doesn't change my love of the character, and the fact that he's back to being a saboteur, and not a ninja bribes me into giving Brooks a partial pass on bashing his artistic integrity and calling him a sensationalist, and a sell out.
Black, White, Purple, or Magenta, this is MY Firefly. A master at his craft, a very dangerous foe, and a bit of a mystery. MY Firefly takes no part in building chearleading pyramids.
So I'm happy with the character, but not the writer, if that makes sense? If my view on this offends anyone, I'm sorry. I have nothing against changing a characters race when it is necessary, either for the purpose of casting, in the case of RoC. Or for artistic purposes, if it helps make the character and the story better. However, from what I've gathered, there was no point to the switch other then to cause the type of crap we are seeing right here in this thread. It's pathetic, and should be called out for it. It actually borders on exploitation.
Keep reading: GI Joe Hearts And Minds #2 Review - Page 2
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