2010 JoeCon - IDW G.I.Joe Comic Books

Robert Atkins and Larry Hama among others were on hand at this weekends G.I.Joe Convention to talk about IDW's comic book plans for G.I.Joe in the coming year. Below are some highlights from what was talked about.

- A lot of comics going on. Second arc of the ongoing G.I.Joe series by writer Chuck Dixon and Robert Atkins will see the formation of a certain island.

- Serpentor returns in the pages of G.I.Joe: Cobra

- Chuck Dixon and Robert Atkins will be doing a 3-part Zartan story in G.I.Joe: Origins issues 16-18. Issue 19 will then be a "Silent" issue by Larry Hama who will tell the origins of Snake-Eyes.

- Larry will also be writing G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero which picks up right were he left off in the old Marvel series. The art will be by Agustine Padilla. Larry has free run to do what he wants on this title and it was decided by Hasbro to basically make the Devils Due run on Joe an alternate reality type deal that won't have any impact on this new title Larry is doing.

- Larry says when he writes stories, he doesn't really plan them out long term, he just kind of goes with it and develops the story as he goes.

- Larry just found out a new animated series right now at the panel.

- Larry will send in a sketch of he wants done for the Padilla cover and then Agustine draws it. As a retailer incentive cover for each issue of the "Real American Hero" title they will use Larry's actual sketches.

- Larry went back and re-read issue #130-#155 to get ready for the new series.

- Issue #155 1/2 came out today as part of Free Comic Book Day and issue #156 comes out in July.

- Robert Atkins said he hit puberty the moment he first saw snake-eyes and storm shadow had the same tat, indicating how much of a fan of G.I.Joe and Hama's work he has always been.

- When Larry draws a comic he designs the page layout first before drawing the pictures can put a book out in a day. Each page takes Robert 8-12 hrs to draw. This came up as the two discussed their different approaches to drawing a book. Hama has ribbed Atkins from time to time about how long it takes him but Atkins thinks the extra time allows him to give a lot of detail in his work that makes the extra time worth it.

- Someone asked if IDW would ever reprint the Dreamwave Transformers titles. As of now the rights to that work is still being held up due to legalities, apparently Dreamwave didn't keep very good business records, which might explain why they went under.

- There are no plans for a Transformers and G.I.Joe crossover because Joe fans seem to be resisting the Sci-Fi stuff in the books for now.