Dear Lorenzo DiBonaventura...

[Timstuff]

^ Exactly. It's not like they're going to show Duke fist fighting Bin Laden. And they should definately not go the route of self-parody/satire, because that would seriously tick off all the real GI Joe fans out there. Just make the friggin' movie and figure out how to present it internationally afterwards.

 

[CobraCommander]

Joe fans love GI Joe because of the characters, at least in my estimation. That's why I love it. It has nothing to do with the flag-waving patriotism. It never did for me. GI Joe was like a military super-hero team, with interesting characters filling the ranks.

And the villains? Come on man. GI Joe's villains are among the most memorable and devious in all of comics.

Make the movie based on these characters, and it will work regardless of country.

 

[Timstuff]

I do think they could still have one good American Flag shot somewhere in the movie, and then cut it/CG it out from the international version, like they did with Spider-Man. But I do agree, what makes GI Joe cool is that they're like a team of commando superheroes, and that it had interesting characters. Their priority needs to be on getting the characters right, and they can worry about how much flag waving they can get away with after.

And you can't not have Cobra! The real question should be: mask, or helmet?

Personally, I prefer mask.

 

[CobraCommander]

Remember, the mask is sort of the ceremonial/everyday thing. The helmet is for battle. I say both. t:

 

[Timstuff]

Good call.

 

[The Shredder]

Remember, the mask is sort of the ceremonial/everyday thing. The helmet is for battle. I say both. t:

Can't say I disagree.

 

[TheVileOne]

Helmet. I always thought the hood was silly.

The helmet is just badass and it just shows that he doesn't want us to see his face or his eyes.

 

[Timstuff]

I think the hood is more iconic, personally. The helmet is good for when he's expecting some bullets, but I'd imagine the hood would be a lot more comfortable. There's no reason they can't have both though!

 

[TheVileOne]

I don't see what's so Iconic at the hood. I never understood why Cobra Commander would wear something that would just fall off like that.

 

[blind_fury]

Why would the Klu Klux Klan?

 

[CobraCommander]

I don't see what's so Iconic at the hood. I never understood why Cobra Commander would wear something that would just fall off like that.

Have you seen the amateur cos-play versions people wear at conventions? They look horrible because they just droop over the head, and look very bulky and lame.

If I were to make one (and I'll admit it, I've thought about it!), I'd actually use a modified ski-mask, stitching the long-draped hood over it, and only allow the very bottom to hang free, thus making it more secure, as well as maintaining the definition of the head and not look so clumsy.

Granted it's drawn that way in the comics to look cool, I have to think CC would do it my way too.

 

[Timstuff]

I'm sure that the professional costume designers know exactly how to make it work and look just like the iconic hood. My guess is that there would be some kind of "under-mask" worn by the actor, like with the Spider-Man mask, and then the actual mask is mounted onto that to ensure that it hugs the right spots and looks baggy in the others. Also, the mask would probably have the be made in a similar way to a ski mask, as you suggested. There are a lot of cosplay Cobra Commanders out there that really suck because they essentially made their masks the way you'd make a cheap ghost costume out of a sheet for Halloween. It's just a big sheet of fabric draped over the person's head, so it looks incredibly stupid. A professional costume maker, or even a very skilled cosplayer could get it right without too much fuss.

 

[The_Beav]

But Cobra Commander himself is an American, and Cobra was largely made up of disenchanted Americans to start.

I thought he was a scientist from Cobra-la?

/runs for cover
//Cobra-la-la-la-la!

 

[The Shredder]

I thought he was a scientist from Cobra-la?

/runs for cover
//Cobra-la-la-la-la!

That was just a retcon from the animated G.I. Joe movie I believe.