Comic Vine Review

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The Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #2 - Targetmasters

4

The G.I. Joes are bringing the fight to Megatron!

The Good

If you read and enjoyed TRANSFORMERS VS. G.I. JOE #1, you'll be happy to know the second chapter is every bit as purposefully over-the-top and entertaining as the first one. Tom Scioli (writer, artist, colorist, letterer) and John Barber (writer) present us with more of the same classic era goodness. I mean, we have lines like "How goes the crusade against giant homicidal robots?" How can you not laugh out loud at that?! This is really feeling like an older series IDW Publishing randomly discovered and they've decided to reprint it.

It's commendable that Scioli and Barber embrace an older feel so well. It's completely inspired by the silliness of the past, but they do it in a way which totally embraces its craziness and off-beat nature. Sometimes it can feel like a bit of a chore reading through older comics, but you can breeze right through this because it celebrates all of the ridiculous dialogue and ginormous action scenes. There's so many cringeworthy remarks which feel right at home in this universe. On top of that, the plot is moving along nicely. Sure, it's just an excuse to get these two sides to fight, but they're making progress while still finding ways to throw several characters into massive action sequences. You'll definitely get your fill of lasers and explosions here.

Scioli's pages are a joy to stare at. Clearly drawing inspiration from Jack Kirby, the character work is plenty of fun and the action scenes are hugely amusing. If the style used in the standard cover fills you up with a happy dose of nostalgia, you're going to have such a good time flipping through these pages and observing all of the Transformers vs. G.I. Joe madness.

The Bad

As joyous as this book may be, sometimes the pages and cast can get way too crowded. This is a book that's introducing several new characters until the very last page. Long time fans will appreciate spotting several familiar faces, but new readers will attempt to put a name to a face each time and likely feel overwhelmed. Obviously, the plot isn't anything mind-blowing and there's plenty of silliness, but that's part of the charm.

The Verdict

TRANSFORMERS VS. G.I. JOE is loaded with old school and over-the-top action. Looking at the standard cover really does tell you everything you need to know about this series. It has wonderful and cheerworthy Jack Kirby-esque visuals, classic characters, and the plot exists just to make sure these two sides clash as much as possible. It's silly, it's exciting, and best of all, it's a lot of fun. It's definitely not for everyone, but those who do appreciate this series are sure to smile a whole lot while reading it.

8 Comments

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Rainja

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Not saying this isnt a good story because these are very interesting characters but i cant endure the art. Just saying.

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NightFang3

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@rainja said:

Not saying this isnt a good story because these are very interesting characters but i cant endure the art. Just saying.

What's the problem with the art?, It's going for a Jack Kirby theme.

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Rainja

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Edited By Rainja

Thats the problem. Thats like purposely putting Stone wheels from Ancient times on your 2014 Car. The Wheels being the art here.

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randolphdefreese1

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the art style in this book is hideous.made me put the book down right away.

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Mechapod

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Edited By Mechapod

Im not a big fan of GI Joe, but I love these books. Had gotten the FCBD #0 and been as impressed with each issue after. The art is awesome, the story is fun and moves along. I hope these guys can keep this.

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snarkybits

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I'm not sold on the art, but it's not stopping me from getting the book.

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StarBrand1

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Edited By StarBrand1

im realllly tired of this book being labeled as kirby esque, idk if the reviewers here have ever seen a kirby drawing, but this book is far from kirby esque.

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k4tzm4n

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k4tzm4n  Moderator

im realllly tired of this book being labeled as kirby esque, idk if the reviewers here have ever seen a kirby drawing, but this book is far from kirby esque.

The creators have plainly stated Kirby's work has a "huge influence" and his "elements" are present in this series.