BFTB Backstory Project: Baron Ironblood

[The Baron]

But let's not get too bogged down in comparing the separate universes. It's only a stones throw away from arguing about which one is better, and then the whole thing will just collapse.

[Chopper]

I'm not worried about it, its just a story to sell toys. But I just felt the BAF CC story was a very good way of explaining the whole series 3 thing. It worked at a stretch. I'll confess I have a few old Marvel Joe comics (mostly around issue 50) and I have missed tons of stories, but I just never got the same sort of realistic (mostly) vibe of the Marvel stuff. Yeah it was OK, just not as gritty. Can't describe it really. but then if someone tried to rewrite Charleys war I'd probably be the same.

My whole take is that as long as BAF isn't interrupted, I'm happy. Doesn't mean there can't be anything between the lines.

And Bill, look forward to seeing what you've been up to since you got hitched.

[The Baron]

Oh yeah, World Enemy was a superb bit of retconning. What may not be evident now is that, as the time, as kids reading it we had no idea about GI Joe or the coming changes. Those first few chapters seemed like really bold writing at the time. The crushing disappointment came a few short weeks later.

[Chopper]

I remember reading it and saying "Oh f*cking hell" afterwards. I still loved it, just not as much. Operation Snakebite (Recondo and Flash's inauguration? ) Was magic tho, I thought that was a hell of a story and proof the old school still existed. Heh.

I can remember wondering who the f*ck this Duke guy was? Then I wrote to the AFHQ and got a letter that slightly appeased me (from Duke too). The stories were still great and testament to the imagination of the Battle writers. As good as Hama is, I don't think he matched them. I don't give praise away lightly either.

As for Hama's ability, I have most of "The 'Nam" and loved those stories as well. Did he do Semper Fi? I have all of those to boot. The Nam outshone Joe for me. Much in the same way Johnny Red outshone Action Force. Ducks.......

Don't get me wrong, I like reading GI joe but miss the guts and glory of Battle.

[Red Laser]

*Sights the ducking Chopper with a laser sighted rotten tomato launcher and fires* I didn't know Larry wrote The 'Nam I have some of it from the UK Punisher comic it was very good. I used to love staying up late watching Tour of Duty as well.

[Chopper]

I've just started re-watching Tour of Duty. The re-releases have removed all the good music. Sigh.

[Red Laser]

Sacrilege! This isn't even on region 2 dvd yet if it ever will be and too early in the day to watch on FX.

[SteveD]

What may not be evident now is that, as the time, as kids reading it we had no idea about GI Joe or the coming changes. Those first few chapters seemed like really bold writing at the time.

EXACTLY!!!! What we tend to forget when we look at it these days is how the world is so much smaller these days. Back in 1985 there was no internet (sorry, no readily available internet) and very few people were likely to chat with folks in the US. So I doubt they were greatly worried about the possibility of UK AF fans encountering GI Joe, and thus the disparity in the origins. So they just took , made him and didn't really worry about it. It all made sense at the time as a way of turning Action Force into AF and thus creating a new market for existing figures and with very little in terms of new financial outlay. It was only later, once things evolved a bit more that we all showed up sat at our PC's saying "hmmmmmm - there's a difference here....."

[Red Laser]

As I said on US forums I don't care about canon and non-canon I am first and foremost an Action Force and GI Joe fan so will read any of the continuities and enjoy them equally. The thing that stands out is for the most part they all had excellent talent working on them.

[momaw nadon]

I do the opposite, Momaw. I try and work the Joe's into AF. Like I said, they are different universes and the CC in BAF is not the same as Marvel (US). It works better that way. Especially as it make the BAF CC nastier and more believable as a villain as opposed to the bumbler I've seen in GI Joe.

A car salesman makes no sense, a pissed off schizophrenic Swiss lord makes lots more sense. Also Red Jackal Vs Destro (US) I like that story better too. I think the Baroness back story is very similar?

I do see your point in working Joe into AF, but I would have to agree with Shadow_Contact here, as the cartoons were lame at best. CC in them was nothing more that laughable. Plus you never see anyone die in them. When the Cobra vehicles blow up, you always see the trooper jump out just in time, which is just too far out there.

US comic CC would rival Ironblood. BAF comics were good and all, but you never saw any core characters killed, Ironblood was always fooled in the end, it was too over played IMO. I liked them, but it lacked a realism. I would say that US comics had a little more to them with CC coming out on top in a few. Granted I haven't read them all, but they do have that realism that the world isn't always peachy for the good guy in them. I would have to say if anything US CC would be more over the top that BAF CC.

That is the genius behide CC though, is a car salesman would have to been boarder line crazy to come up with half of the plans that he does. Plus it makes for the journey to terrorist that much crazier. Almost like how you explained the whole sanity on Ironblood, well I would say that CC is closer to Joker on the scale, not a Joker, but close enough to really not understand were he is coming from or will do next. IMO that is more dangerous than someone you can understand and almost pen point their next move.

Red Jackal before Destro story, yes I would agree. I really like the complete story of Red Jackal, other than the fact that when he was with AF that they left him to die. US military has the motto that no man is left behide, so I just can’t really see that happening. Now if they would have put that Ironblood took him and covered it up before AF got there, then it would have been more believable.

Destro’s story is far more different though in that his family history of arms dealing. That is about the only thing the live-action movie got right. As far as the mask part on him, I’m not too sure on how that became, so I can’t really say much on that. I know the comics have really twisted his story around when different comic companies took over, so do believe all of it brings conflict again. Maybe not as much as Snake Eyes, but you still have it.

momaw nadon