G.I.Joe returns to comic book shelves later this month with G.I.Joe #0, which previews the upcoming titles IDW will be launching in 2009. We had a chance to talk with writer Chuck Dixon and artist Robert Atkins about their upcoming singularly titled G.I.JOE book, scheduled for release in January.

G.I.Joe returns to comic book shelves later this month with G.I.Joe #0, which previews the upcoming titles IDW will be launching in 2009. We had a chance to talk with writer Chuck Dixon and artist Robert Atkins about their upcoming singularly titled G.I.JOE book, scheduled for release in January.

Part one of this interview features our conversation with Chuck Dixon. Click here to see part two with Robert Atkins.

CNI: Can you tell us a little bit about this series and how this G.I. JOE series will differ from the previous ones released by DDP and Marvel comics?

Chuck: It’s closer to the vein of the original Marvel series than the one produced at DDP. I’m trying to be true to the framework and core of what Larry Hama laid down. It’s a toy franchise book; but one with a solid basis in everything military. That frisson of realism is what made the book special and successful in the past. All Robert and I are doing here is to update that.


CNI: How were you chosen to write this series?

Chuck: I let IDW know I’d be interested in contributing to anything G.I. JOE when I heard they got the license. I’d done a little TRANSFORMERS work for them as well as entering into some publishing agreements with them on some of my creator-owned stuff. But I think it was my familiarity with the G.I. JOEs and my track record for writing military action that put me on the short list.


CNI: You have obviously worked on titles before that come with a lot of established history. How do you tackle a title like this when writing stories? Is it a challenge to come up with unique stories that haven’t been told previously while staying true to the characteristics that make up these established characters?

Chuck: I like working inside an established framework and then trying to see how far it’ll stretch without breaking. I want to deliver stories that will make Joe fans happy but also surprise them and exceed their expectations. I really have no interest in writing the Joes “my” way. There’s a heritage here to be maintained.

The biggest change is starting the series before the Joes are aware of the existence of COBRA. That part is the most fun, allowing the global conspiracy to be exposed in a more deliberate way both in my book and the COBRA title.


CNI: Do you have a favorite G.I. JOE character or story?

Chuck: The Yearbooks with stories by Larry and Michael Golden come to mind. But I think my favorite stuff was a G.I. JOE: SPECIAL MISSIONS run with Larry scripting and Herb Trimpe on art. Terrific standalone stories with crazy action.



NI:It’s said this title will feature the debut of a new shadowy organization. I assume this is a different organization other then COBRA? Is there anything you can tell us about this new threat?

Chuck: Actually, my title presents the emergence of COBRA as seen by G.I. JOE and Destro. The focus is on G.I. JOE and their growing realization that there is a global criminal conspiracy behind many of the threats they’re called upon to fight against. Then there’s Destro who is only beginning to realize who he’s in bed with in most of his arms deals.

CNI: How do you like working with Robert Atkins?

Chuck: I cannot imagine having a better collaborator. Robert is into the Joes and all kinds of military hardware. And he can draw, baby! Every character is distinct and the settings and equipment are all convincing. He has a real authority and loves drawing the details. And he’s strong on destruction and that’s a key here. I’m extremely happy with him on the book. It’s a total collaboration.


CNI: How many issues of G.I. JOE have you signed on for?

Chuck: Till the wheels come off. Of course, given my recent history, the wheels can come off sooner than expected. But so far we’re all having fun. Andy Schmidt is my favorite kind of editor. He knows when to challenge me and when to leave me alone. I think of an editor as my partner rather than my boss and Andy’s been very supportive of that relationship. We both want this book to be as cool as possible and have a plan to make that so. Hasbro’s also been very generous and understanding of what we need to do on our end. And I really think this comic has some longevity given the enthusiastic fan response so far.


CNI: Will the tone of your stories be told with a strong military theme or branch off more into the fantasy adventure/superhero team type stories?

Chuck: There are enough superheroes out there. G.I. JOE works best when it’s gung-ho military action. There will the expected science fiction aspects to the series but nothing that strains credulity. We’re working closely with the gaming people to keep the science as consistent as the fiction here. When we introduce the wacky weapons and vehicles here, there will be a solid foundation in science so that we’re dealing with the possible as opposed to the pretend. With all of the advances made in the past decade alone, much of what we’re dealing with is plausible. We’ll be seeing a whole new array of nightmare weapons that the Joes will have to save civilization from. And they’ll do that with brains, bravery and lots and lots of bullets.



NI: How much input has Hasbro had in the development of the stories? Do you have a free rein on what characters you can use and what you can do with them?

Chuck: Hasbro has been extraordinarily understanding. They have some restrictions that you have to expect with a billion dollar franchise. But the important stuff, the dramatics and characterizations, are all in play. Like I said, I don’t mind a framework especially when it’s as solid as this one is. I like to know the rules going in. We’ve worked them out with Hasbro and now have a wide-open field to make up some amazing stories.


CNI: Will you be sticking with a specific team or will you be switching around the characters that appear in each issue on a regular basis? If you are sticking with a specific team can you tell us who will be on that team?

Chuck: I have a core group with Duke, Flint, Beachhead, Ripcord and Rock N Roll. Other Joes will be brought into the group when their specialty is needed. Scarlett is here as head of Intel for G.I. JOE and she and Duke have their own history. Snake Eyes is in the first arc in a way in which I don’t think he’s ever been portrayed. He’s more the lone wolf than ever before. And I have cameos from dozens of favorite Joes in the first arc as well as some new members.


CNI: With this new organization taking center stage as the threat, does that mean COBRA won’t be playing a huge role in this title?

Chuck: As I said, COBRA is the Big Show. But the greatest threat they pose is that the Joes aren’t convinced they exist. All the pieces are out there but only a few Joes believe in a single world-spanning evil conspiracy. It’s a ticking clock to see if G.I. JOE can get their intel together before COBRA can unleash hell. And COBRA has major plans to make themselves a world power.


CNI: Will this title tie-in with Larry Hama’s ORIGINS title in any way? Will we see a stories told there that will impact events in this title?



Chuck: Absolutely. Larry is the alpha and omega here. I follow his lead and whatever he lays down. What he’s done so far is pure Larry. Solid gold stuff that brings a whole new level of toughness to the whole franchise.


CNI: Do you plan on killing off any characters in this title?

Chuck: Characters will die. But it won’t be a stunt or “for effect.” It’ll make sense as part of the larger story. This is, at its core, a war book. There will be casualties on both sides.

Thanks again to Mr. Dixon for taking the time to sit down and talk with us.

Look for G.I. JOE #0, a $1.00, 24-page comic being released later this month. The issue will debut three new series launching in early ’09 and contains three stand-alone five-page stories unique to the #0 issue, as well as character sketches and commentary from artist Robert Atkins, previews of upcoming covers, and interviews with the new G.I. JOE creators. The issue features two regular covers, one from Dave Dorman and one from JonBoy Meyers, in addition to two special incentive covers from Atkins and a wraparound image by Ben Templesmith.

G.I.Joe #1 written by Chuck Dixon and featuring art by Robert Atkins kicks off in January 2009 and will include a special wraparound variant cover by superstar artist Gabriele Dell’Otto (Secret War).

Share your THOUGHTS about G.I.Joe below!

Chuck Dixon & Robert Atkins Talk G.I.Joe Part 2

CNI: How have enjoyed working on this title?

Robert: G.I. JOE has been a complete blast! It has really given me the opportunity to stretch myself artistically and to be able to do that on a property I enjoy has been a great experience so far.


CNI: How much input have you had in creating the characters’ looks for this series?

Robert: I was given a lot of freedom. I worked closely with the editors at IDW to come up with a look that we think really pays homage to the classic look of the characters, but brings a more contemporary feel to them as well. With a cast so large, I only have so much time to put into the designing stage of each character. But luckily many of the characters have timeless elements to their uniforms and overall design. I never felt I should change something for the sake of change. Basically if it worked, we kept it, if it felt dated or unpractical we went a more modern direction.


CNI: Who is your favorite G.I. JOE character to draw and why?

Robert: I like that the question isn’t just who is my favorite character, but it throws in that twist of which is my favorite to draw. I quickly found that those are two completely different things. Visually, I’ve always loved the look of Snake Eyes, but he is a very time-consuming character to draw. Sometimes characters can surprise you--how easily they come alive on the page. For me it was Heavy Duty. He has so much passion and character, and I get to try and convey that visually through this huge guy and his enormous machine gun!


CNI: Who is your favorite COBRA character to draw and why?


Robert: I found my favorite COBRA character to draw is Cobra Commander himself! I think it has a lot to do with not being able to see his face. It forces me to use his body language and choosing various angles to draw him in to convey his character. I’ve been doing a lot of sketching of him and was pleasantly surprised with how fun it was.


CNI: Has working on this title differed much from when you worked on G.I. JOE titles for DDP?

Robert: My experience with DDP was mostly last minute fill-in work. I didn’t get the chance for much design, or have the luxury of any lead-time to spend really crafting a page. The one similarity was getting to work with outstanding editors at both companies. They have all really pushed me to become a better artist and storyteller. It also helped that with both companies the people I’ve been able to work with share a passion for the property as well.


CNI: Who is the most challenging character for you to draw?



Robert: Snake Eyes, hands down. Again, with out any facial expressions it takes a lot of care to convey his meaning with his body language. Unlike Cobra Commander though, he doesn’t even speak. So it falls on the artist even more to help the reader understand that there is a person under that mask. Also, I see him as a soldier that can fall in with the ranks and be a team player when needed, but just as easily go on his own and become a one-man squad. That being the case, I designed him with a lot of gear, thinking that practically he would need a lot of tools and weapons on hand to accomplish that type of mission. More gear quickly equals more time. In the nature of a deadline-oriented job that becomes your worst enemy.


CNI: How much input does Hasbro give you when creating character and vehicle designs for this series?

Robert: I haven’t received any revisions so far from Hasbro. Initially, they said to us, “go crazy, and let us reign you in if we think it needs it.” I never forget that these are their characters first, and if I’m going to be radically changing anything, I better come prepared with a good reason. However, this early into the series, it hasn’t been an issue.

CNI: Were you a G.I. JOE fan before you started drawing the comics?

Robert: I collected the toys and watched the cartoon as a kid. I’m turning 30 this year, so G.I. JOE was a big part of my early childhood. I found out about the comics much later and have since gone back and collected as much as I could, gaining a greater appreciation of Larry Hama’s contributions to the property. Getting to meet him in San Diego and be on a panel with Larry was one of those great life experiences that I’m sure I’ll always remember. When I heard IDW had the license for G.I. JOE, I didn’t think I would have a chance to get to do it. But I was hoping that whomever they got to draw it had better do a good job and appreciate it. I try to keep that same objective point of view now that I was given the chance.


CNI: Do you collect any of the G.I. JOE toys?

Robert: I had G.I. JOE figures growing up, but I didn’t appreciate them. I think I was too young at the time. As I’ve gotten older, my studio is actually cluttered with G.I. JOE statues, figures and especially vehicles. I think my prize toy is the SkyStriker I’ve got that still has Ace’s parachute!


CNI: What’s been your favorite issue to work on so far?

Robert: I would have to say Issue 1, simply because we aren’t really far into the series yet. However, there are going to be some amazing scenes coming up that will be what every G.I. JOE fan has been waiting for!

Thanks again to Mr. Atkins for taking the time to talk with us.

Look for G.I. JOE #0, a $1.00, 24-page comic being released later this month. The issue will debut three new series launching in early ’09 and contains three stand-alone five-page stories unique to the #0 issue, as well as character sketches and commentary from artist Robert Atkins, previews of upcoming covers, and interviews with the new G.I. JOE creators. The issue features two regular covers, one from Dave Dorman and one from JonBoy Meyers, in addition to two special incentive covers from Atkins and a wraparound image by Ben Templesmith.

G.I.Joe #1 written by Chuck Dixon and featuring art by Robert Atkins kicks off in January 2009 and will include a special wraparound variant cover by superstar artist Gabriele Dell’Otto (Secret War).

Shown below are some early sketches Robert did and some of the character may appear differently in the actual comic than what is shown here.

mae si ese comics va aser la mama de los comics de Gijoe