The USA's Free Comics

G.I. JOE: AMERICAN'S ELITE! #0, Devil's Due Publishing, June 2005
I don't know if there should be a statute of limitations on tragedies that screw up an entire date and emergency phone system, but 4 years probably ain't it. In other words, I think it's ok for a comic to cash in on the success of action figures with military accessories and an elastic through their midriff. I just don't think it's ok to cash in on both nostalgia for those action figures AND 9/11.

Granted, Cobra is a terrorist organization, which makes G.I. Joe a counter-terrorist unit. Starting a new G.I. Joe series with 9/11-scale destruction in Chicago with innumerable shots of firemen pulling injured kids out of burning buildings following the crash of a satellite purposely aimed at a major center under the header "The Newest War" is, shall we say, a touch tasteless.*
I'm no prude. This subject matter isn't off-limits per se. Played as an outrageous black comedy, or a realistic and harsh procedural, or if the details had been changed just a little more, in better hands, it might have been something. As an all-ages, toy-inspired, 25¢ freebie (stores simply give those away, generously giving up their 8¢ profit margin), it just doesn't cut it. Especially since it's a little on the crap side.

It seems to have beautifully painted artwork, but unfortunately, artist Stefano Caselli can only draw one expression:
As you can see, it comes in white, black and Cobra, but it's basically the same "Something smells like shit in here" expression. Considering that the immediate villain seems to be a wheelchair-bound, tube-fed incontinent old man, that may just be par for the course. So, yes, sorry folks, but there isn't much Cobra Commander in this thing (just a one-panel flashback), and even Storm Shadow up there is now siding with G.I. Joe. Writer Joe Casey just made sure I would never buy #1.

Thanks to the 25¢ scheme, I knew that America's Elite would suck. And knowing is half the battle.**
*I don't think I want to see any of the movies that have already come out about the event either. The extra year or two makes no difference.

**After NOT making that lame joke the last time I reviewed a G.I. Joe comic, I was pretty proud of myself. Now that I have, I will hit the Colt 45 as soon as I'm done uploading this review.