IDW Publishing/Capcom 2016
Written by Aubrey Sitterson
Illustrated by Emilio Laiso
Coloured by David Garcia Cruz
Lettered by Robbie Robbins
IDW has a habit of putting out crossovers with some very unlikely combinations. Well okay so this isn’t as unlikely as it seems it’s a toy line/cartoon with a video game cast that doesn’t seem that far fetched now does it heh. What they do with these though is find some incredibly talented people to bring them to life. For instance this issue starts off as if we’re in the middle of a series and yet as the issue goes on you begin to see what’s going on. It really has a very different approach to what we normally see and by the time you get to the last page you realize that there’s so much more to see.
I think it’s actually really effective because Aubrey makes this really fascinating by starting off this way. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because it does certainly heighten the interest factor by giving us just enough to get excited and holding back that which will keep you coming back to learn about. That of course and the whole concept here is beyond awesome.
Okay so story itself aside for a few let’s talk about some of the things that make this a must have. So this is one of those two combatants go and each the winners advance till their is a winner. Sounds easy enough right but it’s very much structured like the video game. That kind of makes it instantly cooler until you get to the first match where Emilio and David start it off exactly like the video game. I’m not talking the new fangled stuff either i’m talking arcade version the original classic look which kind of made the 13 year old kid in me super excited.
So there are times when I don’t get who’s who in the fighting, mainly among the Street Fighters but that’s okay. What really makes it kind of fun though is that all these characters know who each other are. I guess all the rounds leading up to this one has made them all kind of familiar with each other to a degree and it’s also made for strange bedfellows. Odd pairings and team-ups set the stage for some very interesting moments in this issue. There’s tension between Destro and Baroness and both have side things going on but how that all came to be is something Aubrey is keeping close to his vest.
Also I have to say I wish there more Joe’s, Shipwreck for one or even Scarlett, Lady Jaye or Cover Girl. I mean sure Snake Eyes is a natural for this book and seeing Gung Ho and Roadblock make for entertaining moments and the connection Jinx has to the Street Fighter’s could very well prove interesting than I anticipate. Still lumping the Joe’s and Cobra together seems kind of like cheating since in my little mind i’d have loved to see a three way tag team with Ken & Ryu vs. Tomax & Xomat vs Flint & Duke. Still fanboy fantasy aside what we have is probably better in the long run.
The interiors here are utterly fantastic. It has that whole cartoon feel to it that makes it fit right in the Joe universe while it’s still basically a fighting story which is completely Street Fighter. The fights looking like video game excerpts bring an added level of excitement and nostalgia to things. Plus each character looks like they should in their respective worlds and it’s just plain old fashioned fun. The way the pages and panels are used is great and keeps things on point.
I’m convinced this has more potential to rival any crossover than you realize. It’s the odd but plausible stuff IDW comes up with that makes me wonder who the Joe’s will meet next, the Power Rangers? With original and creative writing and great interior artwork this 80’s flashback reunion coming together for the first time.