G. I. Joe

some news about the live-action movie; a review of G.I. Joe: America's Elite #25

My cousins first introduced me to the Marvel comic book a long time ago; they also had the action figures, and I remember receiving one as a Christmas present. We spent a lot of time playing with the figures outside. After all, these weren't just soldiers, but secret special soldiers who were undercover and dedicated to battling terrorism, especially the terrorist organization COBRA. But as the stories got a little bit more and more exaggerated, I started to lose interest. Eventually Marvel shut the series down. I've seen several issues of the new series, which was picked up by Devil's Due. It doesn't really keep my interest; once one becomes familiar with the reality of special forces and of CAG, either through books or through the visual media (Black Hawk Down or The Unit), the made-up fantastic stories of a comic book are just not very satisfying.

As for one-on-one combat, it is plausible to have exaggerated depictions if primitive arms (swords, spears, or the human body) are being used. But once firearms come into the picture... my demand for realism starts to take over. The protagonists better be taking cover, moving, and taking other measures to keep themselves alive. It is difficult for me to suspend my disbelief; I wonder what those who are more experienced with firearms think about how they are shown in movies and TV though.

I remember Dr. Lloyd being a fan of John Woo movies, comparing the over-the-top action and basic moral themes of those movies with the Greek epics; what would he think of 300, the graphic novel or the movie?