G I Joe #6 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Tom Reilly

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Tom Reilly; Derrick Chew; Lorenzo De Felici; Karl Kerschl; Travis Moore & Adriano Lucas; Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Ivan Talavera; Clayton Crain; Rose Besch; Davi Go

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 23, 2025

 

Destro has Duke in his power once again. But Duke has an ace up his sleeve. Clutch has infiltrated Cobra. Duke's childhood friend alerted the Joes that the Cobra Commander was targeting Dr Monev and his Brainwave Scanner. Now, Clutch helps Duke and the team escape Destro's Washington, DC facility.

 

After lifting off in a stolen helicopter, the Baroness realizes Duke isn’t onboard. Can Duke prevent Cobra Commander from detonating his Brainwave Bomb? And will the United States function more efficiently if everyone in the nation’s capital chants, “Obey Cobra”? Let's grab our rifles, leap into G I Joe #6, and find out!

 

Story

Duke's investigation into Tyler Frost's death led him to Destro. He cost Destro dearly when he destroyed Destro's Colorado base. Destro barely survived a power struggle to retain control of his family’s centuries-old weapons business. After the Cobra Commander's manipulations, Destro hungers to kill the man who jeopardized his position with Cobra. But something more worries Destro in G I Joe #6. Cobra Commander is using Destro and MARS like disposable tools. Destro needs leverage on Cobra Commander to ensure he remains a valued partner and retains access to Energon. But he must ensure he and MARS survive if Cobra Commander's operation fails.

 

Destro told the Cobra Commander about Duke, so the man who controls Earth’s Energon supply understands the forces that drive the soldier. When they meet in G I Joe #6, Cobra Commander senses a potential partner. The Cobra Commander's argument that they are more alike than different reveals how little he understands Duke. As Duke strives to prevent Cobra Commander from detonating his Brainwave Bomb, Duke also fights for people's freedom to make their own choices.

 

In Joshua Williamson’s story, Cobra Commander knows war is coming. The only way to ensure the survival of the fittest is to unify the world under a central leader. Still, Cobra Commander isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. He has plans within plans. And he parcels them out sparing, mixing truth with lies, to keep his friends close and his enemies frightened.

 

Art

After showing Duke's reflection on the Cobra Commander's faceplate, Tom Reilly celebrates each man’s journey on a double-page spread. As helicopters fly overhead, Duke and Cobra Commander confront each other on a rooftop. Cobra Commander remains calm amid the crackling energy and Dr Monev’s screams. His indifference to suffering enrages Duke, who demands he disengage the Brainwave Bomb.

 

When Mercer's troops attacked the Joes for the Cybertronian shard, Duke attacked Destro's henchman in a FANG gyrocopter. In G I Joe #6, Destro pursues the Joes in a FANG. Clutch's argument with the Baroness evokes their earlier confrontation in The Pit. Colors stream around Destro like a meteor shower, and his red diadem glows. Amid the violent clashing of Jordie Bellaire's limited palette, nothing sparks as much energy as Duke's gunfire revealing Cobra Commander's metal hand. As with Ash in Army Of Darkness, it was a necessary upgrade. Yet the gray hand that glows bluish-white symbolizes the Cobra Commander's

exile from his former home.

 

Rus Wooton fires black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Cobra Commander speaks red letters while gazing at the United States Capitol. Sound effects enliven gunfire, laser beams, the thrum of power, and a moment that will change the Joes forever. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Dr Monev created his Brainwave Scanner to protect Humans from themselves. Cobra Commander’s Brainwave Bomb is part of his grand design to protect Humans from the Cybertronians. While fractures weaken the Joes and Cobra, both groups also win. How much they win and lose is yet to be determined. Yet Cobra and the Joes are destined for transformation in G I Joe #6.

 

Rating: 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

G I Joe #5 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Tom Reilly

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Tom Reilly; David Finch, Sandra Hope & Adriano Lucas; Ryan Sook; Karl Kerschl; Travis Moore & Adriano Lucas; E J Su; Tyler Kirkham

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 19, 2025

 

After rescuing Dr Monev, Duke said, “Never tell me the odds,” and wished Risk had an Off switch. But when backup arrived, they came from Cobra Commander, not Colonel Hawk. The soldiers turn Duke's team into a chain gang, and the Cobra Commander has their first work assignment. Which member of the Joes will become a test subject for Dr Monev’s Brainwave Bomb? And will anyone care if everyone in the nation’s capital chants, “Obey Cobra”? Let's grab our rifles, leap into G I Joe #5, and find out!

 

Story

Like Snake Plissken, Destro thought Duke was dead. The Joes may wish Duke was dead, and Destro’s lieutenant Mercer is happy to oblige. But Duke has an ace up his sleeve as Mercer pounds him mercilessly. Duke knows the way his old buddy Clutch thinks. His stalwart focus on the mission, loyalty to his team, and reverence for their fallen comrade win Duke respect as the Joes battle Cobra’s forces in G I Joe #5.

 

The MARS Industries facility in Washington, DC, may be ideal for Cobra Commander's operation. Still, Cobra Commander didn't secure Destro's permission before taking over his base of operations. By relocating to the nation’s capital, Cobra Commander jeopardizes Destro's agreement with the United States military if anything goes wrong. Destro has scrambled for leverage in their partnership, but Cobra Commander calls the shots. So when a firefight breaks out in MARS, Destro hurries to quash it, lest he lose access to Cobra Commander’s Energon.

 

If Destro rises as the most charismatic villain in G I Joe #5, Cobra Commander proves the most effective. Cobra Commander demonstrates his ability to sway people once again. He seeks out talented people lacking in morals, uses them, and then discards them when they offer no more immediate use. But Cobra Commander's approach loses him more than he gains as he perches on the brink of his new world order. While he discards partners from a position of strength, Duke wins admiration and loyalty amid a hopeless situation because he empowers others in Joshua Williamson’s story.

 

Art

Mercer spreads his arms wide as the platform rises. Then he unchains Duke and makes him kneel before Destro. Ripper, Chameleon, Scrap Iron, and Cobra soldiers watch as Destro yanks Baroness by the hair. Destro covers his features in a mask, and the Cobra Commander hides behind a shield. Yet Chameleon’s mask, goggles, and long hair make her look the least Human as a taut confrontation explodes into furious action.

 

Jordie Bellaire unleashes a limited color palette on Tom Reilly's action in the MARS Industries Washington DC facility. Orange and pink enliven the gray base, while red links Destro, Cobra, and the Crimson Twins. Mercer and Duke glow blue as they greet the man in the blue and green mask. Harsh overhead lights make Destro's medallion flare. Orange and red streak through the air as crimson spurts and flows across faces. Yet Destro’s reflective mask fades to gray when yellow energy crackles, white lasers burn through the air, and Clutch’s face glows blue. 

 

Rus Wooton fires black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation, change color, and swell for raised voices in G I Joe #5. Sound effects enliven savage beatdowns, a roaring engine, laser fire, and explosions while Clutch fires a handgun at his childhood friend. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

An inventor demonstrates why Congress questioned his ethics, a bully shows his true colors, and Scrap Iron earns his name as Duke weakens Cobra Commander’s coalition in G I Joe #5.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

G I Joe #4 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Tom Reilly

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Tom Reilly; David Finch & Adriano Lucas; Derrick Chew; David Nakayama; Travis Moore & Adriano Lucas; E J Su; Tyler Kirkham

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 19, 2025

 

Cobra Commander holds the world’s supply of Energon. His scientists have the alien technology of the shard of Cybertron. Now, Cobra Commander set his sights on Dr Monev and his brainwave scanner.

 

Rock 'N Roll's shadow hangs heavy over Duke's team. Clutch hides out in Springfield. Risk wants to take command. Can Duke and his unhappy and distracted team prevent Cobra from capturing Dr Monev and his mind-controlling invention? Let's grab our rifles, leap into G I Joe #4, and find out!

 

Story

When Cover Girl catches Clutch’s transmission, Duke must make a snap decision. Cobra is making a move for Dr Monev and his experimental brainwave scanner. The inventor is in Washington, DC. His invention is in Virginia. They’re not worlds apart. Still, Duke opts to split up the team. As Duke, Risk, and Baroness try to rescue Dr Monev, Stalker and Cover Girl seek to secure the mind-alteration machine. Both groups come under fire from Cobra forces. And no one on either team is happy with Duke’s leadership.

 

After losing people and the Cybertronian shard, the Joes are hungry for a win in G I Joe #4. Aside from their differences and waning confidence in Duke, the team faces another obstacle. The Joes are a secret team. Few in the military know they exist, forcing them to fight their fellow soldiers when they need to work together to protect the USA from Cobra.

 

While Duke's team threatens to burst and bleed out like one of Stalker's stitches, Destro's forces align under Cobra Commander. Destro insists he is a co-leader of Cobra. But the Commander calls the shots in Joshua Williamson’s story. As Cobra Commander folds Extensive Enterprises and the remnants of the Dreadnoks under his umbrella, he treats MARS personnel and facilities like his own. Perhaps Destro can still count on Chameleon and Hybrid Technologies. Still, he must scramble to keep up with Cobra Commander's moves and discover his partner's weaknesses.

 

Art

Tom Reilly shows Dr Monev’s fright as he clutches Duke's collar on the speeding motorcycle with his wrists bound by handcuffs. Baroness shows her disgust while glancing back on her cycle to fire at their pursuers. Duke grits his teeth as he struggles to make his plan work. An explosion hurls his team to the ground in G I Joe #4, evoking their failure to protect the Cybertronian shard. Duke believes they still have options. But when civilians flee another explosion, and a father clutches his frightened child, Duke drops his gun.

 

Blue, green, and pink energize the Crimson Twins' pursuit as their armored jeep rams aside white vehicles. Xamot and Tomax’s gray skin contrasts with their fluorescent red uniforms and the intense green and blue air. Blue-white lasers distort the Joes’ perceptions as explosions from stinger missiles threaten to white out Washington, DC.

 

Orange, purple, gray, and green enliven a sniper in Shenandoah National Park. After a familiar silhouette emerges from the blue and orange smoke, Jordie Bellaire grants him lifelike coloring as he carries out vehicular carnage. Then he points a laser rifle with a curved bayonet at Stalker and Cover Girl.

 

Rus Wooton fires black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. His letters shrink for lowered voices, grow bold for intonation, and swell for raised voices in G I Joe #4. Sound effects enliven knockout blows, bursting brains, grinding gears, sheering metal, and alarms bathing Springfield in crimson. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Firefights in National Parks and the nation's capital leave Duke's team defeated. Like Captain Kirk after V’ger swallows the USS Enterprise, Duke insists they're down but not out. But the Cobra Commander is gathering all the components to complete his plans. Once, he worked to make Cobra-La a world power. Now, if the Cobra Commander's plan is successful, all will bow at his feet.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

G I Joe #3 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Tom Reilly

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Tom Reilly; David Finch & Adriano Lucas; Pablo Villalobos; David Nakayama; Travis Moore & Adriano Lucas; Patricia Martín; Rose Besch; Frank Cho; Felix Leon

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 15, 2025

 

Duke led his new team to disgrace. Rock 'N Roll is dead. Striker and Cover Girl are in the hospital. His lifelong bud is missing. So, when Colonel Hawk drafts in a replacement, Duke hits the roof. After Risk tells Duke to man up and forget about "Heavy Metal," Duke welcomes his new teammate with a flurry of punches. Can Risk help the Joes foil the Cobra Commander's dream of world domination? Let's grab our rifles, leap into G I Joe #3, and find out!

 

Story

After losing a chunk of Cybertron to Cobra, Colonel Hawk has something to prove to his superiors. But that doesn’t mean he will let Duke break international regulations and go after Destro’s Head Of Security. Frustrated by Hawk’s decisions, Duke unleashes his frustrations on the swaggering Risk. Baroness wonders at this loss of time in planning their next op, but Hawk knows that people who work hard often need to play hard.

 

After leaving Hawk and Duke with something to prove, Joshua Williamson hurls Mercer and Destro in hot water. While capturing the alien shard, Mercer revealed his identity. Now the Joes know Cobra and MARS are in cahoots. Destro can keep his Energon concession for now, but there are others Cobra Commander can use. Unfortunately, the Joes are not the only ones targeting him. While the Cobra Commander keeps his “partners” in the dark about the extent of his operations, he remains alert, never knowing when his past will attack him in G I Joe #3.

 

Aside from losing Rock ‘N Roll, Duke is worried about Clutch. His childhood friend helped Duke when everyone else was out to get him. Clutch got thrown in the Pit with Duke when it was still a prison. Perhaps another of the Joes misses Clutch more than she realizes. She betrays far more interest in him than before when she discovers Clutch is alive. The former junkyard mechanic gives Duke a shot at redemption when he tells them what Cobra Commander is up to in G I Joe #3. But can Duke work with Risk to deliver a win?

 

Art

Operators cast shadows on upper story control room windows as Clutch stumbles into Cobra Commander's lair. The power surging through the vast room reflects off his helmet before Mercer appears on his visor. Destro frowns at Mercer while standing at attention. He glimpses a reflection of his metal mask when the Cobra Commander enters. Cobra Commander dispatches an attacker with his mechanical hand, evoking the royal guards he killed with robot insects in Cobra-La.

 

Jordie Bellaire wields limited coloring schemes to portray the emotional intensity and fierce action surging through Tom Reilly's art. While red and blue rule Cobra Commander's headquarters, orange, gray, and beige clash in the Pit. Green, purplish-gray, and orange color a fraught ride through Washington DC in a black SUV, while the color of a familiar symbol hints at a later revelation in G I Joe #3.

 

Rus Wooton catapults black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. His letters shrink for lowered voices, grow bold for intonation, and swell for raised voices. The red Cobra symbol replaces the organization's letters, while giant red letters burst from dialogue balloons. Explosive sound effects enliven brutal Pit fighting, black blood spraying as bones break, and a hatch hissing open that would make Indiana Jones tremble. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Cobra Commander uses Destro and MARS but has others at his beck and call. Unless Duke and his team can frustrate his plans, Cobra Commander looks to have the entire Earth under his sway in G I Joe #3.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

G I Joe #2 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Tom Reilly

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Tom Reilly; David Finch, Danny Miki & Dave McCaig; David Nakayama; Travis Moore & Adriano Lucas; Otto Schmidt; Derrick Chew; Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer; Josh Burns; Matthew Waite

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 18, 2024

 

Rock 'N Roll shrugged off bullets. He didn't flinch before laser beams. But the soldier with a big heart and ironclad loyalty fell before Destro's latest invention. As Rock 'N Roll burns, Mercer points his rifle at Cover Girl and orders her to help his Vipers load the Energon tech for transport. Destro's lieutenant squeezes Clutch's neck. A grenade incapacitated Stalker. The Baroness disappeared. Was Duke's faith in his new team misplaced? Let's grab our rifles, leap into G I Joe #2, and find out!

 

Story

Before all this started, Duke complained they weren't ready. He believed his team was outmatched, outgunned, and behind on technology. That proves the case as his soldiers falter before Mercer's Vipers. Rock 'N Roll may have captured Duke and thrown him in the Pit when he sought the truth about the Transformers. Still, the big guy followed Duke's orders and accepted his friend Clutch. Duke may still be the leader. But the G I Joe team lost its heart when Rock 'N Roll died.  

 

Unlike Duke, Cobra Commander doesn't care about his people. All that matters is results. He also likes to keep his assets on their toes. So when Destro invents a new rifle, Cobra Commander quietly alters its design. Destro entered this partnership believing he had the upper hand. He viewed Cobra Commander as no more than another supplier. But far from only providing Energon, Cobra Commander brings knowledge from Cobra-La and a captured Decepticon. In G I Joe #2, Destro knows he could be the next person his “partner” deems disposable.

 

In Joshua Williamson’s story, Cobra Commander wanted to send the United States a message. Anything that you have, I can take. Colonel Hawk heard that message loud and clear. He oversees other agents and teams aside from Duke’s. Colonel Hawk can’t attack the man in the iron mask thanks to General Flagg's deal with Destro. So, he sent Destro’s suppliers a message. With Duke’s team in tatters, Hawk brings Risk home. The man’s fighting skills are formidable. While Duke may clash with Hawk, Risk follows orders and delivers results. Hawk needs a solid performer on Duke's team. If Duke can’t handle the demands of leadership, well, no one is indispensable, are they?

 

Art

Cover Girl screams as smoke rises from Rock 'N Roll's corpse. But it's only a foretaste of the horror awaiting her in G I Joe #2. Before that, gunfire sparks off Mercer's Vipers as Duke fires the Cobra helicopter's cannons. After laser beams cut through the rotor, a reflection of the copter falls across Mercer's visor. Then Duke hurtles toward him and knocks him to the debris-strewn floor.

 

Jordie Bellaire's unique blend of colors enhances the energy and drama of Tom Reilly's art. White fire turns Cobra armor yellow. Duke's green uniform turns yellow, and his gray utility belt turns orange as he kamikazes the copter toward the building with guns blazing. With the right arm behind his back, the blue-and-orange Cobra Commander watches tiny pink Duke and Mercer fight above his left wrist.

 

Destro's silver and black uniform evokes a Terminator. As he strides past the black-and-yellow BATs, you wonder if Destro's failure with the androids is another invention that Cobra Commander has improved. Mercer’s blue and orange armor links him more closely with Cobra Commander than Destro, while the Baroness' orange visors and the blue star on her chest question where she belongs. But soldiers who enter battle with their eyes exposed and a red symbol emblazoned on their blue uniforms prove the most chilling combatants in G I Joe #2.

 

Rus Wooton orders black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Duke’s enlarged colored dialogue transforms balloons into stars, while the red Cobra symbol replaces the organization's letters. Colorful and energetic sound effects enliven hand-to-hand fighting, weapons fire, and explosions. Yet a strange beeping proves a cause for concern on multiple fronts in G I Joe #2. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Duke promised his team they were the best soldiers in the world and couldn't fail unless they gave up. Now, everyone on his team is wounded, missing, or dead, and Colonel Hawk is drafting in a replacement. In G I Joe #2, Duke must learn how to fail while retaining his superior’s respect and his subordinates’ loyalty. And he must do so quickly because Cobra Commander already has a technological advantage, and he’s just stolen a chunk of Cybertron from under Duke’s nose.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

G I Joe #1 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Tom Reilly

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Tom Reilly; Jerome Opeña & Dave Stewart; Brett Booth, Livesay & Andrew Dalhouse; David Finch, Danny Miki & Dave McCaig; Lee Bermejo; Sozomaika; Jenny Frison; David Nakayama; Jeff Spokes; E J Su; Jonboy Meyers; Tom Reilly & Andres Juarez; David Finch; Andrea Milana & Andres Juarez; Nathan Szerdy; Ivan Tao; Livio Ramondelli; David Mack; Marcelo Matere; Natali Sanders; Leirix Li; Cedric Poulat; Peter Smith; Clayton Crain; Ryan Browne; Pasquale Ferrara; Mayday Trippe; Tyler Kirkham; Jaime Sullivan; Alexis Ziritt; Javan Jordan; Martin Simmonds; Joe Benitez & Peter Steigerwald; Ryan Kincaid; Marat Mychaels; Drew Zucker; Dan Panosian; Deegan Puchkors; Mico Suayan; Matthew Waite; Mike Mayhew; Ben Harvey; Tony Fleecs; Alex Sinclair; Rian Gonzales; José Lima Araújo & Chris O’Halloran

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 13, 2024

 

Duke’s hunt for the truth made him a fugitive. His fellow soldiers threw him into the Pit with his enemies. But when Major Bludd’s forces tried to kill him, Duke made peace with Rock 'N Roll and Stalker and turned an enemy into an ally. After Duke brought Destro's house crashing down, Colonel Hawk declared him dead. Can Duke and his newborn squad of elite soldiers take on the combined might of MARS Industries and COBRA? Let's grab our rifles, leap into G I Joe #1, and find out!

 

Story

Duke wants his team to take on giant transforming robots. But they fail while fighting drones. Cover Girl helped Colonel Hawk cover up the death of his friend. She stood by Hawk's side when he sent Rock 'N Roll and Stalker after Duke. Now, all three work with his childhood friend Clutch and the mercenary Baroness, but that doesn't mean they like or trust each other. If they can’t take on flying drones, how can they defeat COBRA, let alone murderous alien robots?

 

Destro watches COBRA soldiers march through Springfield. His is an uneasy alliance with Cobra Commander. Neither partner trusts nor feels any loyalty to his partner. After regaining control of his company, someone is attacking Destro’s suppliers. Destro knows MARS Industries must keep finding new ways to utilize Cobra Commander’s Energon, or he will lose exclusive access to Earth's most potent power source. Worse, Destro will lose his ancestors' esteem.

 

Giant transforming robots brought their battle to Earth. Alien technology litters the Pacific Ocean, and everyone wants a piece of the Energon action. In G I Joe #1, Hawk tasks Duke with protecting what the United States has recovered. It’s not much, but the space debris could provide the key to surviving the next alien battle. Or better yet, wipe out the transforming robots before their war leaves Earth in ruins. But the Cobra Commander doesn't care about Earth's survival. He wants to rule the planet, and anything from Cybertron is his rightful property.

 

In Joshua Williamson’s story, Destro must demonstrate that MARS Industries is an asset to COBRA, and Duke’s people must reward his faith in them. Duke put these disparate people together. In G I Joe #1, he needs their help to combat the alien invaders, defeat the Energon-fueled terrorist threats, and avenge his fallen friend.

 

Art

Tom Reilly introduces Duke with snapshots of his recent battles. Instead of fighting people or giant robots, his team uses jetpacks to battle training drones. After the exercise, Duke frowns at Colonel Hawk, and only one person shows interest in his teammates when they gather for a briefing. Hawk and Destro face off across a double-page spread as both apprise their troops of their objectives.

 

Unlike Duke, Destro stands on a pillar, regarding ranks of soldiers marching past his machines of war. The metal-faced modern-day Horatio Nelson strides unbidden into a darkened room to spy the ravaged skin Cobra Commander hides behind a mask. Pythona called it his mark of shame for bringing an abomination into Cobra-La. Inset panels compare the organic healing Cobra Commander traded for alien crystals while he adjusts another blasphemy against Cobra-La with a screwdriver.

 

Jordie Bellaire dispenses coloring sparingly on Tom Reilly’s art. She swathes Duke’s team in orange, green, red, yellow, and brown. Next to the heroes' textured and energizing colors, she showcases the partnership of Destro and Cobra in pink, purple, blue, and mauve. A high-energy fight explodes in Abu Dhabi fight amid yellow and purple, while a yellow, orange, and red nightmare in G I Joe #1 reminds Duke of his failure to save Tyler Frost.

 

Rus Wooton orders black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Duke introduces his team with yellow block letters, and yellow borders surround his offscreen briefing. Yellow often colors the sound effects as Duke fights to weld clashing personalities into an effective force. Enlarged colored dialogue enlivens battles, and white weapon fire heralds the demise of an engaging hero. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

After giant alien robots made Earth their battleground, a psychopath raised a formidable army overnight. Duke and his team are under the gun to prove their worth to their commander and protect the Earth from destruction in G I Joe #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For a special forces team of covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Duke Vol 1 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artists: Tom Reilly & Jason Howard

Colorists: Jordie Bellaire & Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artist: Tom Reilly

Editor: Sean Mackiewicz

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $14.99

Release Date: June 5, 2024

 

Sergeant Conrad Hauser has a sterling service record. But lately, he's been acting out. Colonel Hawk wants Duke to shape up and be an exemplary soldier again. But will Conrad, known as Duke by his fellow soldiers, pass the Psych Eval? Let’s leap into Duke Vol 1 and find out!

 

Story

Is Duke suffering from a delusion? He claims his friend Tyler Frost was killed when an enemy fighter jet attacked their plane and transformed into a robot. Colonel Hawk claims it was an accident, and the trauma played with Duke’s mind. But he refuses to show Duke the plane’s black box recording. So, Duke accepts Hawk's offer of time off to hunt for answers.

 

Where do you turn when everyone thinks you're crazy? Conrad Hauser investigates other people with similar claims in Duke Vol 1. He attends a gathering where guests speak of giant robots. Their stories merge with all-too-familiar stories about aliens and UFOs. But one person impresses Duke. Dr Adele Burkhart devoted her life to finding clean energy sources. She discovered a new element, but her superiors hushed up her research. Dr Burkhart may not have seen a giant flying robot. Still, she believes this power source could power war machines like the one Duke saw.

 

Should he trust Dr Burkhart’s claims? Duke has nothing to lose. So he investigates MARS Industries. He doesn't find a flying robot, but Duke discovers the company is making war machines that could unleash incredible destruction. Duke is a great soldier, but that doesn't make him a ninja. Sneaking into MARS arouses Destro’s ire. The head of MARS wants to protect his secrets. Still, he knows how to discredit a soldier who can’t pass a psych exam.

 

When the news media starts attacking Duke, Hawk’s hands are tied. Hawk has no choice but to send Duke’s people to apprehend him. But Duke knows how to hide out. Instead of seeking out relatives or fellow soldiers, he finds Clutch. Once, Lance built vehicles, and Conrad raced them. In Duke Vol 1, Clutch runs a junkyard. He’s willing to help Duke continue his investigation. But will Stalker and Rock ‘N Roll let him?

 

Joshua Williamson’s story is a portrait of a Real American Hero. Duke doesn’t care about fame or glory. He destroys the enemy and saves people’s lives. But now his government has turned against him, and he has incurred the wrath of a well-connected arms dealer. Can Duke convince his fellow soldiers to help him? Or must he side with the enemies of the United States to learn the truth about Frost's death? Duke must decide who he can trust and where his loyalties lie.

 

Art

We meet Duke in training, on the battlefield, and flying a jet. Then Tom Reilly shows Duke slumped in a chair. He shouts and slings files off Hawk's desk. In a flashback, a silhouette of robot arms appears on his goggles, prompting Duke to jettison his parachute, activate his wings and rocket pack, and fire at a smiling robot. Six months later, Duke drives a jeep through Washington DC. He sports long hair and a beard as he enters a four-story house and meets a woman walking with a cane. After studying drawings of power units and war machines, Duke dresses in black and rappels into MARS Industries.

 

Jordie Bellaire applies color sparingly to Tom Reilly’s art in Duke Vol 1. Vibrant green and orange highlight daytime action, while subdued browns, yellows, greens, and grays portray light streaming through the blinds in Hawk’s office. Amid the limited coloring, Destro’s statue is silver, MARS personnel sport red and gray, and deaths heaped at Duke’s door fill panels with red. Bellaire often splashes vibrant colors onto black and white panels, such as red when he sneaks into MARS and blue when Duke speaks with the Baroness. Still, orange dominates his memories of a robot who smiles while killing his friend.

 

Rus Wooton orders uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Sound effects highlight battles, activated technology, and a vicious slap after a one-night stand. Mike Spicer lavishes cool tones on Jason Howard's art for an epilogue featuring a reunion with colleagues and the organization of a highly trained special mission force to combat emerging threats outside the US Military’s purview. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When his superiors cover up the death of a friend, Duke risks his life to discover the truth about giant flying robots. An arms manufacturer’s bid to dominate the market shakes up the US Military, making a discredited sergeant the perfect tool to pry the lid off a conspiracy of silence in Duke Vol 1.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For covers of individual issues see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

To preview interior art see the announcement at Skybound.com.