Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Andrea Milana
Colorist: Annalisa Leoni
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Cover Artists: Andrea Milana & Annalisa Leoni; Ricardo López Ortiz; Chris Burnham & Brian Reber; Aco; Nick Dragotta & Patricio Delpeche
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 21, 2024
Isolated from the world, the futuristic city of Cobra-La lacks resources. After torturing Megatron to learn the secrets of the Transformers, Cobra Commander left his adoptive home. His masters sent Duke along to keep him focused. Will the man help or hinder Cobra Commander in his quest? Let’s leap into Cobra Commander #2 and find out!
Story
Cobra Commander and Duke traveled from the snowy wastes to the sultry Everglades. In this humid jungle, man lives in barely controlled chaos. Powerboats roar along thin strips of water. Children hunger to see alligators kill and eat. Thankfully, the signal leads Cobra Commander away from the crowds. He ventures into the wild swamps of Florida, where a Park Ranger orders the men to stop. So far, Cobra Commander has regarded his companion as more of a distraction than an aide. Perhaps the man can finally prove valuable!
More dangers inhabit these swamps than Park Rangers. The Dreadnoks rule this region with an iron hand. Ripper favors his knife. Buzzer cherishes his chainsaw. They roam the dirt and mud roads and lavish their abrasive love on those who enter their territory without paying a toll. But there are regions where they are forbidden to go, areas deemed too dangerous to enter. Guess where the Energon signal leads!
In Cobra Commander #2, Duke and our protagonist search for an extraterrestrial resource of priceless value. Lord Globulus charged the Duke with protecting his agent. Yet Pythona did something to Duke. Did she enhance his ability to defend Cobra Commander? Or is he a ticking timebomb, programmed to act against Cobra Commander under prescribed circumstances? What is Pythona’s plan, and where do her loyalties lie?
Joshua Williamson paints his titular antihero as a tortured soul. The disordered nature of the outside world frustrates Cobra Commander. Duke’s company irritates him further. The need to hide his features attracts attention and throws obstacles in his path. While hardly admirable, his dedication to his mission demands respect. Still, don’t request the privilege to peer behind Cobra Commander's mask. He doesn't take kindly to such appeals.
Art
Andrea Milana arrays guns atop the lid of an opened wooden crate in Cobra Commander #2. A glove and tools reside on a metal tray, spotted with blood. Two men sit tied to chairs amid a workshop filled with tools. When they prove reluctant to answer questions, a hand picks up a chainsaw. Buzzer and Ripper smile as blood sprays.
The outlaws' customized Thunder Machine roars across a double-page spread. Propeller boats skip across the waterway beyond a park filled with tourists. A boy following Cobra Commander sticks his tongue out. Clad in his wide-brimmed hand and trench coat, the stranger turns and extends his fingers toward the boy’s face.
Annalisa Leoni saturates Andrea Milana’s compelling art with vibrant color in Cobra Commander #2. The protected waterways live and breathe with the throbbing energy of nature. Cobra Commander stands out in his blue clothes and silver mask. Yet he seems to belong in this region ruled by ticket takers, Park Rangers, and gangs.
Black lines obscure a barely recalled memory. They dissipate, revealing violent Pythona. Her white face echoes her attendants’ surgical garb. Yet yellow teeth protrude from the red creature she clutches.
Uppercase words inhabit white dialogue balloons. The words grow bold for inflection and enlarged for shouts. Sound effects enhance the buzzing chainsaw, the Thunder Machine’s roaring, and the creature struggling to escape Pythona’s clutches. Duke’s encounter with the Ranger proves explosive. Yet a creaking door makes you wonder what chaos will welcome the man who values order above all else.
Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
When a scientist and a soldier venture into the heart of darkness, a violent encounter separates them in Cobra Commander #2.
Rating 9.4/10
To preview interior art and more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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