I think that thesis would have to track the progression of the YA market over the last four decades as well. A lot of 70s and 80s SF and fantasy, while not really “adult” (in the sense that they’re not generally dealing with mature themes or have characters who act like adults), could definitely be “edgy” in a way we…

The first Shannara books are “teen oriented” in the same way Lord of the Rings is: they were marketed to adults, but don’t have any sexuality, strong language, or graphic violence. And unlike LotR, Shannara doesn’t really have a lot of deeper themes to be explored: it’s textbook Hero’s Journey boilerplate.

As long as there are properties being adapted that wouldn’t have been without GoT’s success, probably.

It was my first Shannara book (had I read Sword first, I don’t think I would have read any others), and even as a voracious 12-year-old reader, I remember the first 2/3rds of Elfstones being a slog. The ending almost makes up for it though.

IIRC it’s strongly hinted at in Sword and Elfstones, but it’s vague enough for a reader to miss it or misinterpret it. When I first read them I assumed they took place in the far-future of a post-apocalypse Earth, but my best friend just assumed it was some other world with a technological past (not an uncommon idea…

Thanks! I’ve read enough military history to know the quality and experience of the senior NCOs are the backbone of any military force, but it’s good to know exactly how that works.

I figured—that makes sense, thanks. In all honesty, it didn’t come up all that much. Most of the Joes with officer ranks were usually in the vehicles (the jet pilots, the tank drivers, etc.) or in more support/staff officer roles (Doc, Admiral Keel-Haul) and thus not directly in command of missions on the ground.…

I’m with you. Once in a while we get lucky and get another Cinderella to enjoy (I loved it too). More likely we don’t, but if so, it doesn’t diminish the original. Just another soon-to-be-forgotten remake, that’s all.

As a staunch anti-monarchist, it’s hard for me to see regicide as all bad.

“You will enter Givenchy-halla, furry and stylish!”

Like my hat? ‘Twas my cat!

I meant the Dreadnoks’ flamethrower guy. Am I getting him confused with the Joes’ flamethrower guy? Even so, your idea is good too.

No, love for the Alley-Viper, the first Joe figure I ever bought with my own money. :)

Every GI Joe has a proper US military rank (indicated on their file card), but both the cartoon and comics tend to play kind of fast and loose with them. Duke is usually depicted as first or second in command of GI Joe on the cartoon despite being a 1st or major sergeant and technically being outranked by officers…

I mock out of love. :)

And a few more besides, but LordAmaterasu was commenting specifically on this article’s header image, which looks like a promo for the 4th series of GI Joe:ARAH figures. Alpine seems to be the only black character in that particular series.

It just occurs to me he could have had a good “versus” episode with Blowtorch. Ah, missed opportunities.

“MR. BARBECUE, I AM THE VIPER.”

Was that before or after his short-lived plastic surgery?

Only in the neon-soaked world of 80s fiction could you get away with calling this “urban camouflage”. :-)