- Title: G.I. JOE: Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow #19
- Comic Vine: link
- Writer: Chuck Dixon
- Artist: Robert Atkins
“Target: Snake Eyes” comes to a head as both Helix and the Coil seek out the Arashikage Clan‘s home in Cambodia, although for very different puproses. Helix continues her search for Snake Eyes only to be taken down by Storm Shadow and his ninja while Serpentor and the Soft Master lead the Coil into Arashikage’s home hoping to wipe out the entire clan for good.
The issue is filled with action including the new Cobra Commander‘s attempt to kill the Baroness for her recent failure, Snake Eyes squares off against Rika‘s son who wants revenge for what he sees as Snake Eyes’ traitorous actions that led to her death, Helix temporarily holding her own against the ninja, and Snake Eyes coming face-to-face with a betrayed Storm Shadow.
Another strong issue that sets up a possible Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow showdown in the next issue of G.I. JOE or perhaps another temporary reliance as the ninja clan will need all the help it can get to survive Cobra‘s latest attempt to destroy them. Worth a look.
[IDW, $3.99]
Dixon ruined this whole series with such Mary Sue characters like Agent Helix, Snake and Scarlett hardly having any interaction, she became nothing more than a background character though half the series, they’ve barely teamed-up, they’ve hardly spend any time with each other. Some of the covers have been pretty misleading when it not only comes to their relationship but to the whole storyline.
In Vol. 2, issue #13, it showed that Snake Eyes left Scarlett and the team… again… Chuck Dixon is just writing a dumb uninteresting love triangle, as if the storyline needed another one, it came out of nowhere and it makes no sense. This doesn’t really say a whole lot for Scarlett as a female character if she’s won over this easily. Dixon has failed to explain why G.I. Joe and Scarlett are going after Snake since he hasn’t done anything wrong. Scarlett wants payback? Revenge?? For what!?!?!? What did Snake do that was so bad?????
Dixon shows Snake Eyes just being a one-note heartless superhuman Ninja killing machine. People like Larry Hama know better. He gave him character development, depth, emotion and that was seen when he was around Scarlett and not that blonde Mary Sue… Dixon lied his ass off to people who asked if Snake and Scarlett would get together, his answer was that it would happen… but it’s not going to, it wouldn’t be believable at all. He fucked it up
I understand your point, although I think Dixon has done a good job at painting Snake Eyes much more than just a “one-note heartless superhuman Ninja killing machine.” Snake Eyes is playing the long game to try and take down both Cobra and Arashikage in a single, albeit dangerous (and perhaps foolhardy), move that it would certainly make sense for him to distance himself from both Scarlett and Helix before undertaking.
With so much focus on Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow I would agree Scarlett has gotten the short-end of the stick here given her mixed feelings about the entire situation. I can understand trying to overcompensate by trying to distance herself from her feelings now that she distrusts Snake Eyes’ actions, but I will certainly agree Dixon could be a little more nuanced in his approach.
I haven’t really seen Helix as a rival for Snake Eyes’ attention so much as a kindred spirit that understands him and he can trust (but not with something as big as his current undertaking). I could be wrong and Dixon may choose to romantically link the pair, but I’m not sure that’s definitely where he’s headed with what we’ve seen so far.