G.I. Joe #6 dedicates the majority of its story to the long-awaited showdown between G.I. Joe leader Duke and Cobra Commander. But if that wasn’t enough, the creative team of Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly throw in another major wrinkle: the “Brain Bomb” that Cobra Commander has built is primed to go off, killing those in its immediate vicinity while brainwashing the rest of Washington, D.C. into serving Cobra. The only way to stop the device will force Duke to make a difficult choice…is it one he’s prepared to make.
Having previously written Duke and Cobra Commander in their own respective miniseries prior to G.I. Joe, Williamson understands what makes both of these characters tick. No matter the odds, Duke will fight for what’s right while Cobra Commander is willing to sacrifice anyone and everyone to achieve his goals. It’s the classic “unstoppable force meets immovable object,” and Williamson has a blast pitting these two against each other.
But where Williamson’s script really shines is highlighting the differences between the Joes and Cobra. The Joes are essentially a ragtag team of people, and some of them don’t get along at all. Yet when push comes to shove, they help Duke in a tight moment. Compare that to Cobra: it’s a force comprised of the deadliest killers in the world, but Destro and Cobra Commander are just waiting for an opportunity to stab each other in the back.
Reilly is having just as much of a blast illustrating it, judging by the quality of his pages. Throughout G.I. Joe #6, he displays just how outmatched Duke is, with the Joes’ leader finding out quickly that his standard weaponry is no match for Cobra Commander’s hi-tech augmentations. (Also I’m genuinely surprised, and a little grossed out, by how much punishment Duke takes throughout the issue.) The standout image in G.I. Joe #6 comes in a spread featuring Duke and Cobra Commander facing off, with Reilly drawing a montage of the events that led them up to this point in the background. It’s a great way to catch readers up while showcasing how similar, and utterly different, the two are.
Image/Skybound
Jordie Bellarie continues to deliver some great color work, particularly when it comes to emphasizing fight scenes. Whenever Cobra Commander fires an Energon blaster, the page lights up in a bright blue. Whenever Duke shoots his gun, panels glow with golden light. Red is the most prominent color, from the crimson hues of Cobra’s uniforms to the blood surrounding Duke’s body as he takes hit after hit. Bellaire utilizes color to underline the harsh reality of war, and the sacrifice it requires.
I will say that G.I. Joe #6 contains a major moment in its closing pages that once again sees an upheaval in the Energon Universe. You’ll have to wait and see just what this surprise is, but I can safely say it matches Void Rivals #1 in terms of “whoa” factor. It also underlines a comment Williamson made about the ripples that spread out from events in other titles like Void Rivals and Transformers, and how it affects the G.I. Joe/Cobra conflict. This is the biggest ripple yet.
G.I. Joe #6 closes out its first story arc with more of the action-packed, character-driven approach that’s made the series so fun to read, and ends on a major reveal. Yo Joe, indeed!
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