Tag: battle

A Look Back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1 (1982)

A Look Back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1 (1982)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1980s to explore Marvel Comics’ launch of a comic book series based on the wildly popular military-themed franchise of toys – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

For the newcomers reading this, Hasbro launched the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline in 1982 which was actually a revival of the original G.I. Joe series of toys (sized 12 inches) in the 1960s and 1970s. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toys had a new format for its action figures influenced by the success of the Micronauts and Star Wars toys. Veteran writer Larry Hama (the same guy behind the memorable Wolverine #75 of 1993) was already working for Marvel and was developing the concept of a new comic book about elite commandos fighting terrorists. Such development happened before the 1982 relaunch of G.I. Joe, and eventually Marvel’s editor-in-chief Jim Shooter approached Hama for a new comic book project based on Hasbro’s military toyline. Eventually a series of developments followed that saw the creation of the evil organization Cobra, the core villain Cobra Commander and more.

The impact of G.I. Joe as a licensed comic book series turned out positively as it helped attract new readers at the newsstands and it developed a strong following with young readers who were not highly interested with superheroes.  

With those details laid down, here is a look back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero published in 1982 by Marvel Comics with the main story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Herb Trimpe.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with an Amtrak train traveling between New York City and Washington, D.C. Inside the nuclear physicist Dr. Adele Burkhart who previously served as one of the brains behind the Doomsday Project. It turns out, Burkhart was declared a traitor for denouncing the military claiming that she was misled by them to work on the said project. Inside the train, she has several security personnel guarding her as she is on her way to testify in front of a certain congressional committee.

As she speaks during a press conference inside one of the train’s cars, several flying soldiers of Cobra attacked the exterior of the train. In front of Burkhart, a few of the journalists turned out to be elements of Cobra led by the Baroness. The Baroness and her companions succeed in defeating the bodyguards and kidnapped Burkhart by means of flight.

At the Pentagon, the kidnapping of Burkhart compels the military to call in their special counter-terrorist group called G.I. Joe for a rescue operation. The stakes are high as they know that they cannot let Cobra keep Burkhart long enough to use her and they cannot let her die as the whole world is aware that they considered her an embarrassment. They ordered Colonel Clayton Abernathy (code name: Hawk) to assemble the Joe Team composed of Clutch, Flash, Breaker, Rock ‘n Roll, Scarlett, Stalker, Short-Fuse and Snake-Eyes…

Quality

Dr. Burkhart held hostage by Cobra and in the presence of Cobra Commander, the Baroness and many terrorists.

To get straight to the point, the main story (Operation: Lady Doomsday) was carefully structured by Hama to tell a story engagingly while also functioning to introduce readers to the characters and immersing them into the illustrated literary universe of G.I. Joe that is noticeably separated from the popular cartoon series. It is a classic portrayal of good versus evil laced with militarism and espionage.

The story moved at a medium pace and the approach on build-up and pay-off was executed carefully. There were scenes that had a sufficient amount of details regarding the plot or character moments (as opposed to development) that made the reading experience immersive. In short, there was no rush in the narrative while the pace never slowed down to a halt (no boring moments).

That being said, you will get to see lots of scenes that focus on the side of G.I. Joe as well as on the side of Cobra which is led by Cobra Commander (who is obsessed and scheming) followed by the Baroness (who is more focused on achieving goals but cannot do so without authority). You will see a certain gap between Cobra Commander and the Baroness which shows something seems off within their terrorist organization. This served as a creative contrast with G.I. Joe being more straightforward with the way they organize themselves.

The only weakness this comic book has is the fact that with so many characters from both the good and the bad sides, identifying them was pretty challenging especially when their military uniforms obscured their looks. Characters like Cobra Commander, Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, Rock ‘n Roll, Stalker and the Baroness are instantly recognizable.

As the main story remains a really good read, the 2nd story (Hot Potato) also written by Hama but drawn by Perlin served as a nice additive to this comic book.

Conclusion

G.I. Joe starts getting ready for the high-stakes rescue mission.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1982) is indeed a very solid reading experience. This is a strong introduction of the literary version of G.I. Joe and its portrayal of good versus evil remains believable and compelling. I also enjoyed the way the creators balanced the build-up of tension, plot and character moments with spectacle or twists utilized as pay-off. Lastly, I should say that this comic book has lots of action for you to enjoy and the execution of the action scenes made sense within the context of the stories. Remember that this marked the beginning of a memorable long run of G.I. Joe comics that reached into the 1990s. This one is a true classic and it should remind you that there was a time when political correctness and wokeness did not get in America’s way of fighting terrorists.

Overall, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1982) is highly recommended!

+++++

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Why The No Man’s Land Scene In Wonder Woman Is Iconic

Why The No Man’s Land Scene In Wonder Woman Is Iconic

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching this feature film and doing online research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

From time to time in the world of cinema, something very significant happens on the big screen which impacts moviegoers deeply. Eventually they talk about for months or even years after seeing it. In due time, such memorable sequences or scenes become iconic. What remains talked about among moviegoers and superhero culture fans until now is the No Man’s Land scene from the acclaimed 2017 superhero movie Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot and directed by Patty Jenkins.

Released on June 2017, Wonder Woman grossed $821,847,012 worldwide and was also critically acclaimed. Its optimistic tone made it stand out among the DC Cinematic Universe movies and it has been argued that Wonder Woman was Warner Bros.’ serious effort to symbolically pull their cinematic superheroes out of the cloud of darkness that started in 2013 with Man of Steel.

Wonder Woman had it all. Great hard-hitting action, humor (nicely performed by the supporting cast), good pacing, nice cinematography and of course the very fine performances by the actors especially with Gal Gadot’s portrayal of Diana/Wonder Woman.

Among its many scenes, the No Man’s Land sequence is the most defining piece of the film laced with great cinematic art, meaning and powerful symbolism. It’s a very iconic scene that deserves to be seen again and again. The scene also helped the movie win the Best Fight Award of the 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards.

Why is the No Man’s Land scene so iconic?

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The moment that captivated moviegoers worldwide.

1) It introduces Wonder Woman’s iconic imagery to the world (both within the movie and to moviegoers) – Wonder Woman has been around since 1941 and for the most part she wears the tiara, the bracelets, the strapless top and the like. For the movie, the scene marked the first time ever Wonder Woman appeared wearing her famous costume (specifically a sacred Amazon armor within the story) introducing herself not only within the movie but also to the moviegoers in the cinemas. This scene was accompanied with the very powerful musical score of Rupert Gregson-Williams. By watching and listening, Wonder Woman’s first appearance in her armor symbolized the start of her effort to save people and turn the tide against evil and darkness.

2) Diana: No. But it’s what I’m going to do! – In the moments before Diana makes her appearance on the battlefield, she encounters a suffering woman carrying a child who asked for her help and tells her that their village was seized and her villagers who could not escape end up as slaves.

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Diana listening to a desperate lady whose village got ravaged.

Diana tries to convince Steve Trevor to help the affected people but he insisted on pushing through with their mission. For your reference, posted below is the dialogue from the film.

Steve Trevor: This is no man’s land, Diana! It means no man can cross it, alright? This battalion has been here for nearly a year and they’ve barely gained an inch. All right? Because on the other side there are a bunch of Germans pointing machine guns at every square inch of this place. This is not something you can cross. It’s not possible.

Diana Prince: So… what? So we do nothing?

Steve Trevor: No, we are doing something! We are! We just… we can’t save everyone in this war. This is not what we came here to do

(Diana moves away from Steve, loosens her hair, wears her tiara and turns back to Steve)

Diana Prince: No. But it’s what I’m going to do.

These moments before Wonder Woman’s rise clearly show that she is dedicated to saving people. Her disagreement with Steve was reasonable and the guy, who witnessed the Germans and Amazons clashed early in the film, underestimated Diana’s bravery and special abilities. Diana made the right decision even though her act looked suicidal to the men on both sides of the field. There is just no way she would ignore the fact that people got overwhelmed and have suffered. More importantly, the build-up that started with Diana’s talk with the suffering lady was simply perfect and very timely leading to Wonder Woman’s rise on the field.

3) She stood up for what she believed in – Not only was the No Man’s Land scene a fine display of Wonder Woman’s courage and heroism, it was also an extension of what she believed in and was she learned having grown up in Themyscira. Diana is a warrior but she’s not the type who focuses mainly on achieving victory only nor is she the type who gets satisfied with the use of violence as a means to win. She grew up oriented by her queen mother and Amazon superiors to be compassionate, brave, inspiring and loving. After turning the tide against the Germans and liberating the village, she did NOT develop a personal hatred nor grudge against the Germans. After all, she knew that men can be corrupted and yet they can still be reformed and saved. Wonder Woman stood up, moved forward, deflected the many pieces of ammunition fired at her and inspired Steve and their allies to follow her lead and turn the tide of battle. That’s a great reflection of her heroism, bravery and her dedication on standing up for what she believes in.

Wonder Woman cares about the people who need help and in return we the moviegoers care for her and look up to her as the Queen of Superheroes. She definitely is the kind of superhero we need to see more of in movies.

4) The No Man’s Land scene is comparable with real life art emphasizing struggle – Many may not have realized it until now but the iconic scene in the movie is quite comparable to real life artworks that emphasized bravery, struggle and the effort to be free if not victorious. The one classic art that comes to mind is Liberty Leading the People painted by Eugene Delacroix. That 1830 French artwork about the July Revolution showed a lady with a phrygian cap leading guiding her armed companions and leading the way as they step over some dead bodies on the ground. Liberty in that art was depicted by the painter as a lady of the people as well as a goddess-like figure. Wonder Woman in the No Man’s Land scene flowed with a nice pace using a few slow-motion shots to emphasize her ability to block a bullet with her brace. It’s like looking at a painting being animated. And then as Wonder Woman creates opportunities to beat the opposition, the allied soldiers gained the courage to climb up and run up the field to fight. As the breakthrough happens, Wonder Woman said, “Steve! Let’s go!”

Moments later there is a short shot of Wonder Woman in the foreground running (towards the camera) while the many allied soldiers in the background follow her.

The No Man’s Land scene is quite artistic in its own style and if it is not inspired by the Liberty Leading the People painting, it sure shares common themes of courage and battle with it.

Conclusion

The No Man’s Land sequence is truly iconic and it will always be identified with the cinematic Wonder Woman and even actress Gal Gadot herself. While waiting for Wonder Woman 1984 to come out, we can enjoy replaying Wonder Woman on Blu-ray and watch the story unfold. The No Man’s Land scene is always engaging and artistic to watch. Patty Jenkins and her creative team deserve our appreciation and gratitude.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com