What if GI Joe's quest to defeat Cobra caused mass casualties and property destruction? That is the rough premise of the world of Fort Psycho!, the latest twisty mystery from Matt Kindt. This espionage action thriller sees an unofficial United Nations strike team tracked down and imprisoned on the island that held their former headquarters, Fort Cyclone.

It begins in action showing the agents attacking the headquarters of the Seven Seals. Key characters are shown at critical moments with it unclear if they truly succeeded in taking out the evil mastermind. From their it goes gritty showing one of the UN agents arriving on the island, as one of the last to be tracked down and arrested.

But not is all as it is made to look. Despite the heavy handiness of the armed forces transporting him, Jason is left in a sweatsuit on the beach, to make his own way. When he encounters fellow prisoners, it becomes unclear how much is a punishment, and how much is a secretive paradise to thank them for their work.

But as is typically with Kindt, there is more going on behind the scenes. The cigar chomping leader has decided to live out in the jungle, taking advantage of the gaps in security to question why they are their and if their imprisonment is actually part of a deeper conspiracy.

An action filled more adult take on some of the Hasbro fueled media of the 1980s and 90s.

Recommended to fans of action filled graphic novels, who's double crossing who? thrillers or slow paced world building.

My thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advance copy of this graphic novel that deals with the aftereffects of a global war on terrorism, a war where the winners get locked up, the losers might still be alive, or is their something even more insidious going on, a darker secret that infects the island paradise and redoubt, turned prison.

I loved G. I. Joe when I was kid. My Joe was the old school kind. The one's with kung fu grip, the same size as most dolls, facial hair that was scratchy, a headquarters that seemed remarkably like a Barbie Dreamhouse, though with a fireman's pole, and a big spotlight. I was probably old for the 80's iteration of G.I. Joe, but my brother wasn't so I played with his action figures. These were cool, but the Larry Hama comics were the best. These stories, long soap operas, with tons of violence and betrayal were gun porn, Reagan foreign policy, and dream fulfillment. See an enemy, blow them up. Unprecedented military spending. No repercussions. Matt Kindt I think had the same childhood, played with the same toys, and had the same doubts, as can be shown in his previous works. Ideas that all come together in this blast of action, paranoia, changing alliances, and truth. Fort Psycho Vol. 1: Kinetic Action, is written by Matt Kindt, illustrated by Brian Hurtt, colored by Bill Crabtree and lettered by Becca Carey and is a story about the making of a perfect weapon to fight a deadly enemy, what happens when the weapon becomes to dangerous when the deed is done, or maybe the deed has become something else.

Ten years earlier Singapore is dragged down into the sea, killing millions in the biggest terrorist incident in history. The group the Seven Seals claims responsibility, led by the infamous Blue Bishop, a person who does not wear blue at all, so as to show that one should not believe their eyes. S.A.W, is a multinational task force of the world's most dangerous warriors, told to eliminate the Seven Seals any way possible. Some are warriors, some have intelligence, some are gifted with skills that are almost supernatural. The battles between Saw and the Seven Seals are bloody, costly, and destructive, including the final battle where many, including the Blue Bishop are believed dead. As a reward SAW are arrested for their actions, and imprisoned on their island base, once called Fort Cyclone, know called Fort Psycho. Jason is the last to be captured. However he is told that there might be a chance Blue Bishop is alive, and hiding in the prison. A prison that turns out to be a luxury resort, with drinks, food, activities, but drones to keep people in. A prison with its own history, and secrets of its own.

A mix of G.I. Joe, The Prisoner and well Matt Kindt. A paranoid tale of spies, lies, and betrayal, with large groups working behind the scenes to either control the world, or save it. I liked the story, which starts with a major bang, before settling into a more calm, well luxury resort kind of story. Kindt is good with the tricks, feeding the story slowly, keeping things slightly off, and when things get slow, dropping in some action. The art is really good, kinetic, violent, and really works well with the story. My biggest complaint is the fact that there are many characters, and they start to meld into each other. That though is a minor quibble.

A fun story, violent, funny, with a lot of Easter eggs, call backs to old shows and comics. I have come to really enjoy what Kindt does, and look forward to more adventures in this world.