G.I. Joe #7 is the beginning of a new story arc, but when you open the comic you might think you’re reading another series entirely. For one thing, it doesn’t focus on Duke and his team, or even the massive revelation that G.I. Joe #6 closed out on. Instead, G.I. Joe #7 is a seemingly solo tale focused on Beach Head, as he’s sent on a mission to infiltrate a wealthy collector’s house and take back a mysterious package. Despite Beach Head’s skills, he also has to contend with a group of skilled mercenaries…and his mission immediately going south when Cobra’s forces show up.
Beach Head’s introduction is meant to reintroduce “Night Force”, the classic team of G.I. Joe operatives who pull off covert missions. What separates this version of Night Force from its original incarnation? It’s so secretive, Duke and his team don’t know about it; even General Hawk waves off Cover Girl when she inquires about it. It’s just another way that Joshua Williamson is continuing to update parts of the G.I. Joe mythology – he’s showing how a organization like the Joes would operate in (relatively) real life and adding wrinkles to the story that make it way more interesting. It’s also paying off a plot thread that Williamson set up in the 2024 Energon Universe Special, as he reintroduces two fan-favorite Joes as part of Night Force.
Williamson also pays homage to another piece of G.I. Joe lore: the “Silent Mission” story that Larry Hama wrote and illustrated all the way back in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21. Granted, this issue isn’t totally silent, as there’s still bursts of dialogue. But the majority of that dialogue is internal, giving readers a look into how Beach Head’s methods works. Williamson also gives the readers more insight into his character: he’s reluctant to train others as that would mean training a replacement, he belatedly realizes that the mission going off without a hitch means that things are about to go south (which leads to the arrival of the Cobra troops) and even when he’s rescued, he feels like he blew things. I’d love for Williamson to take this approach to more characters, as by the end of the issue I wanted to see more of Beach Head.
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G.I. Joe #7 doesn’t just see a shift in characters, but a shift in artists as well since Andrea Milana steps in to illustrate this new story arc. Milana brings the same sense of tension that he did with his work on Cobra Commander, especially with Beach Head’s introduction. It’s quiet, and two mercs are patrolling the sandy beaches until he pops up from a cover and puts bullets through their heads. It’s a surprising moment, made even more surprising by the fact that Lee Loughridge is keeping everything mostly in shadow. Loughridge continues to use a darker color scheme throughout the issue, save for Rus Wooton’s captions which are a bright white.
G.I. Joe #7 kicks off its newest story arc in a unique way, shifting to a different cast of characters and a new artist while also expanding the world of the Energon Universe. Even though this title isn’t a year old yet, Josh Williamson still knows how to keep fans hooked.
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