I will be the first to admit that I didn’t grow up playing with G.I. Joes or Transformers. I don’t have the rose-tint of nostalgia for the cartoon series or the toy lines and rather just have a passing knowledge of the brands from basic popular culture. This is to say that before the Energon Universe started with Void Rivals a year and a half ago, I had never read a G.I. Joe comic before. All that has changed with Image and Skybound’s Energon Universe where the G.I. Joe line has become one of my go-to reads each week.
Unlike the current “Transformers” title, the G.I. Joe line has taken its time to build the world and the characters. There have been four mini-series that have allowed newcomers like me to learn about who characters like Scarlett and Destro are and what their larger roles in this new universe will be. This has also allowed the hype to build for the ongoing G.I. Joe book to launch. I am pleased to report that the first issue of G.I. Joe drops today and is just a great, fun comic book.
If you have missed the other G.I. Joe mini series or Transformers, don’t worry about anything. This one issue gets you caught up and drops you right into the action with the Joes. Duke has been tasked with leading a new team, codenamed G.I. Joe, with investigating a mysterious shard left behind from a recent Transformers battle. The only catch with this is a new enemy has risen in the darkness who wants to control the Energon energy for themselves: the nefarious Cobra. What makes this feel different from the G.I. Joes of the past, I would argue, is this universe feels more in line with what DC is doing with the Absolute line and Marvel with the Ultimate series of books. There are moments where you can see the classic aspects of a character shine (yes, Cobra Commander does have one “yesssssss” with his trademark hiss) but this also drops the characters into uncharted territory (I mean, Baroness is on the Joes!). One thing that has drawn me to this whole line of titles is the feeling that anything can happen here, especially with how this first issue ends.
You can tell from the first few pages that the creative team on this book have been dreaming up what their G.I. Joe story would be from a very young age. Writer Joshua Williamson and artist Tom Reilly have put their all into what I would call a passion project for the both of them. This isn’t just another comic job for them, this is their childhood dreams come to life on each page. Williamson’s fast paced and kinetic writing style for this book makes this title feel like a big summer action flick.
Tom Reilly is a gem of an artist whose brilliant cartooning style draws your eye to each panel. One of Reilly’s strengths on this title is their inkwork. Inking is an aspect of comics that sorely gets overlooked, but this title is one of those where you can see the craft and care that Reily’s ink lines convey so much character with sometimes so little.
Jordie Bellaire’s color choices for this title really hit the sweet spot for me. There’s this retro-comic book style to it that elevates Reilly’s art with Bellaire’s unique pallet. Bellaire is a colorist who deeply understands the importance of how colors do so much to convey the feeling or the tone of a scene.
G.I. Joe is straight up just a fun comic book. It moves quickly and gives you the action that I can only imagine longtime fans have craved from when they first played with their action figures. Williamson, Reilly, and the whole team on this book have all the toys out in the sandbox and are ready to show you just how cool of a book they have here.
If you are a longtime fan, I dare you to check out this re-imagining.
If you want a fun action comic, check this title out.
If you want to see everything this universe has to offer, check this one out as well as the whole line of the Energon Universe. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Before I go, as a new fan of G.I. Joe, I feel like I can finally say this with my heart truly in it: YOOOOOOOOOOOO, JOE!
Save the world, read comics!
Tripper
Create an Account
Sign In
