G.I. Joe Comics Appreciation [IDW, Devil's Due, Etc.]

[CentralPower]

How is Costa's run now more difficult to read? (I the hotel arc was awful. But, everything pre-"Cobra Civil War" was good. (It was the only Joe worth reading at the time.)


There are differences between Sitterson and Dixon, the most important being that Sitterson has a bigger mouth.

Dixon is conservative (and has made some questionable choices about where he works). But, he is not obnoxious about his political leanings. And, until recently, Dixon's conservatism has never veered too far from the American zeitgeist. (One could argue that today. But, that is another set of questions.)

Sitterson may be a lefty. (I really do not know.) But, it was not his politics that got him in trouble. It was his mouth. Sitterson took a unifying global event (a massive terrorist attack that killed ~3,000 people) and made it about himself in the most obnoxious way possible. He downplayed the significance of the event and its impact on every aspect of American life.... And, he did this while working on a property with a fan-base that tends to skew right and (more importantly) will vote with their dollars. He deserved to be fired, if only for being stupid.

[Personamanx]

It isn't a difficult read because it hasn't aged well. I think the entire line of COBRA focused books were fantastic looks into how pseudo-military, Ultra-Nationalist organizations indoctrinate followers, and manage resources to spread their influence. They're a difficult read because of the rise of such organizations in today's political climate. Obviously COBRA is presented with more theatrics of the medium. As well as several more degrees of competency than real world groups in NA, and Europe, but the books are far too real for their own good.

He really wasn't off base though. I think as a New Yorker he has the right to point out that America's continued parading of 9/11 as a justification for any action they might take had gotten old years ago. Anyone has that right. It was a tragedy, no one denies that but America's military reaction even if justifiable at the time has done far more bad than good. A lot of dead bodies would agree.

But hey, GI JOE's fan base does skew towards the right for some reason. I can see how his comments would ruffle some feathers, I still think it was bull **** that Scarlet's Strike Force was thrown under the bus when Sitterson very much did keep his mouth quiet when IDW requested it. They didn't even let him promote the book, they didn't promote it themselves.

[CentralPower]

They're a difficult read because of the rise of such organizations in today's political climate. Obviously COBRA is presented with more theatrics of the medium. As well as several more degrees of competency than real world groups in NA, and Europe, but the books are far too real for their own good.

I can almost agree with this. But, while Costa's writing had a real grounding in politics and history, he was not aiming for "ripped from the headlines". The currency you see in his work is largely coincidental. If anything, I am actually more impressed with Costa's work in technical terms, because of how much he got right.

His writing also had elements of the "Troubles" (and other military/law-enforcement espionage situations), where one spy had to commit or accept fratricidal violence upon or from another.

He really wasn't off base though. I think as a New Yorker he has the right to point out that America's continued parading of 9/11 as a justification for any action they might take had gotten old years ago.

Sitterson needs to get over himself.

Living in NY does not give him any more "claim" to the events of September 11th, 2001 than any other American would have. (He specifically said that it did.) 2 of the planes were seized out of Boston, because of MA's well-known hack culture (and deficits of competence).

Logan Airport in Boston was a Federal Crime scene. Airports in other states were also crime scenes.

Bostonians died. All 4 planes were inter-state flights, meaning that people from every state died.

His anemic criticism of American politics was framed as a blunt complaint about every American. He wanted to play provocateur, and he managed to provoke a reaction. (And, again, he did this when he should have known how his audience would react.)

, I still think it was bull **** that Scarlet's Strike Force was thrown under the bus when Sitterson very much did keep his mouth quiet when IDW requested it. They didn't even let him promote the book, they didn't promote it themselves.

The damage was done.

Sitterson was trusted with a long-running, but very fragile, property. He went out of his way to deter a fan base that was dwindling before he was given the job. He made September 11th about himself. He went out of way to include plot points and characters in his Joe run for the stated purpose of annoying long-time fans (which the property needed to remain viable).

Sitterson was the worst possible name to have attached to GI Joe, and he arguably contaminated it by association.


I would argue that Nick Spencer said worse things during his "Captain America" run. But, Marvel is more viable than Joe, which gave Spencer more wiggle room. (He was rebuked by Marvel/Disney. But, staying non-political has been enough to save him.)

[Bl00dwerK]

Sitterson is an SJW and they just can't help shooting themselves in the foot.