One of the best parts of Joshua Williamson’s G.I. Joe run so far is seeing the wildly different ways that both G.I. Joe and Cobra have formed. In addition to characters you’d expect, including Duke and Cobra Commander, there are also some unexpected moments. The Baroness, usually a villain, has now joined the side of the angels with the Joes – and little does Duke know that his best friend Clutch is hiding the Autobot Hound under his nose. G.I. Joe #11 is all about exploring how those bonds shape the team, usually for the better.
For Baroness, she has to deal with the psychotic Major Bludd wanting revenge on her for gouging out one of his eyes, and her parents being threatened by the winged Raptor. Normally, she’d take less-than-ideal methods to secure the win, but in a twist, G.I. Joe #11 has Baroness actually trying to reason with Raptor. On top of that, she has help in the form of Cover Girl, who is working to protect her parents. Williamson writes a great dynamic between Baroness and Cover Girl that I’d love to see more of, with their snarky remarks masking a deep respect for each other.
G.I. Joe #11 doesn’t just focus on the bond between Baroness and Cover Girl, however. It also turns its attention to Hound and Clutch’s attempts to seek more Energon, leading them to reveal Hound’s presence to fellow Joe Risk; meanwhile, Cobra Commander and Destro continue their uneasy impasse. The dynamics couldn’t be more different, as Clutch is willing to help Hound despite the Transformers’ presence causing havoc on Earth, while Destro and the Commander can barely tolerate each other. The way these moments build up on each other, while also leaving room for future issues, is masterful writing on Williamson’s part.
This is also a gorgeous, action-packed comic, thanks to Andrea Milana’s artwork. Milana doesn’t hold anything back and opens up where G.I. Joe #10 left off, delivering a two-page spread with Hound descending upon Cobra’s forces. It’s a chaotic image that adds a bit of a horror element to the book – let’s face it, a giant robot chasing after you is pretty damn scary. If that wasn’t intense enough, Milana utilizes a unique way to display the Baroness vs. Bludd and Cover Girl vs. Raptor fight, cutting between panels to show the escalating brutality and finally ending with a image that nearly crosses the line into R-rated territory.
It wouldn’t look nearly as good without Lee Loughridge’s colors. Loughridge makes great use of shadows and light, depending on the scene. When Hound attacks Cobra, it’s the dead of night, throwing darkness all over his towering form. The streets of Paris are lit with golden, inviting light, a stark contrast to the brutal fight between Baroness and Bludd. Even Cobra Commander’s lab has a faint yellow glow that feels extremely menacing, which is on point for the masked villain.
G.I. Joe #11 closes out its latest arc with a mix of great character dynamics and brutal fight scenes, setting the stage for its next big storyline. If Williamson keeps this up, he may make a G.I. Joe fan of me yet.
