After the non-stop, game-changing thrill ride that was the Dreadnok War, where does G.I. Joe – and by extension, the Energon Universe – go from here? Those answers will have to wait, as G.I. Joe #18 returns to the tradition of spotlighting a new member of the mysterious Night Force. This time, it’s a Joe fan favorite: Marvin T. Hinton, better known as the heavy gunner and chef supreme Roadblock! Roadblock hung up his weapons to pursue a life of cooking for others, yet his peace is disturbed by Cobra’s attempt to recruit him. Cobra quickly learns that this was a very, very bad idea.
From the jump, Joshua Williamson and returning artist Marco Fodera make Roadblock the most likable character in G.I. Joe‘s roster. He gives life lessons to younger customers in a subtle yet clever homage to the iconic “knowing is half the battle” promos from the G.I. Joe cartoon. He helps his fellow food truck workers, lifting heavy boxes as if they were paperback books. He greets everyone with the saying, “How can I help you have a cheesy day?!” yet he’s also very formidable, especially in an action sequence that dominates the back half of G.I. Joe #18.
That sequence pits Roadblock against the Crimson Twins, Tomax and Xamot, and their Crimson Cobra Troopers. Thanks to Lee Loughridge’s bright colors, the Crimson Troopers stand out like a sore thumb due to their bright red suits and armored faceplates, while Tomax and Xamot are equally recognizable with their three-piece suits and smug, self-satisfied looks. Fodera also makes sure you cannot miss Roadblock; he towers over everyone, and his biceps are the size of boulders. In perhaps the most eye-popping piece of artwork in G.I. Joe #18, Roadblock literally picks up one of the Crimson Troopers’ trucks and tips it over – and this is before he grabs his signature gatling gun!
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Unlike most of the previous issues, Night Force doesn’t show up until the very end of the issue, and it doesn’t take much convincing for Roadblock to join the team. Now that their roster is filled out, questions remain. Will Night Force encounter Duke and his team of G.I. Joes? Will they learn General Hawk’s shocking secret? Will we be seeing more iconic Joes in future issues? One of these questions has already been answered if you’ve seen the solicits for G.I. Joe #27, but the rest will no doubt fuel future issues.
Williamson also introduces another plot thread that’s sure to pay off in spades, as Cobra Commander returns and seemingly buries the hatchet with Destro. I say “seemingly” because the final page is both a reminder that Destro was responsible for the Dreadnoks almost killing the Commander, and the Commander doesn’t seem like the type of man who forgets a slight. It also mirrors the potential rift growing in Duke’s team and the secret Night Force doesn’t know, which shows that Williamson loves a good parallel.
G.I. Joe #18 both provides a much-needed breather issue after the Dreadnok War, and gives Roadblock his due. I hope to see more of Roadblock and Night Force in future issues, along with a recipe for one of Marvin’s Melts.
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