G.I. Joe #15 marks the midpoint of the Dreadnok War, and it’s here where the action slows down – well, slows down as much as Josh Williamson and Tom Reilly will let it. There’s still plenty of kickass moments, including the opening pages where Duke and Road Pig throw down. This is mostly a character-based issue, though the creative team does make the most of the different character interactions that take place.
The first, and biggest, is between Duke and Cobra Commander. It’s the first time the G.I. Joe and Cobra leaders have been in a situation together where they aren’t actively fighting each other or outrunning the Dreadnoks, and it gives them time to discuss their goals. For Duke, it’s learning more about the nature of the Transformers, though he learns that they might not be the threats he or the world fears. For Cobra Commander, it’s revealing his endgame, which is to transcend his own humanity. I never expected Cobra Commander of all characters to have deep motivations, but it shows the strong gift for character work that Williamson has.
The other two interactions happen when Road Pig encounters the Dreadnoks, and General Hawk learns of Destro’s power play. The former takes a sharp turn, as you’d expect Road Pig to brutally murder the Dreadnoks; yet they end up bonding over one surprising thing – and no, it’s not the bloodthirst or the brutality. With Hawk and Destro, there’s the matter of each representing an opposing faction in G.I. Joe and Cobra respectively, and the fact that Destro drops a secret that threatens to shake the foundation of Duke’s team of Joes.
In addition to some great character work, G.I. Joe #15 also boasts some gorgeous art courtesy of Reilly and Jordie Bellaire. Once again, Bellaire makes use of different colors to set the mood; Hawk and Destro’s meeting takes place aboard an aircraft carrier, which bears hues of gray that are broken up by the light reflecting off of Destro’s signature metal mask. In contrast, the scenes with Duke, Cobra Commander and the Dreadnoks are mostly lit in bright pinks and sandy yellows. Whatever shadows there are obscure Cobra Commander’s face enough to not show his features but also highlight the scarred body hiding underneath his helmet.
These shadows don’t obscure the violence that takes place, which Reilly draws in great detail. When Duke slams his fist into Road Pig’s stomach, you’ll see the ripples spread out over the boar-masked behemoth’s stupendous stomach. When Cobra Commander leaps forward to sink his teeth into a Dreadnok’s neck, it’s with an unexpected ferocity – yet it also highlights that the reason he leads Cobra is because he’ll do whatever it takes to get on top, no matter what state he’s in.
G.I. Joe #15 may be light on action, but it more than makes up for it with great character moments as the Dreadnok War reaches its midway point. With only two parts left, it’s anyone’s guess where the story could go, but I am hooked.
