
IDW Publishing 2010
Written by Larry Hama
Penciled by SL Gallant
Inked by Derek Fridolfs
Coloured by J. Brown
Lettered by Neil Uyetake
While G.I. Joe members all over the globe are recalled back to The Pit, Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Stalker, and Clutch infiltrate a Crimson Guards’ house and discover the details behind the Cobra World Order… Meanwhile, Dr. Mindbender captures Wendy Ling-Torres—the junior senator in charge of G.I. Joe’s overwatch committee—and gives her a session in Cobra’s Brainwave Scanner…
I think opening up this issue with a memory/nightmare of Dukes was incredibly well done. To see him be this vulnerable and kind of coming apart at the seams is really strong, powerful stuff considering the story itself and what’s about to happen. This on top of finding his lost wife too it all just conspires to weave this depiction of him we’re not used to seeing. Add to this that it’s all done by Gallant makes it even more impactful. Gallant’s work on this series has been nothing short of sheer brilliance and it’s nice to see such a well oiled team working together.
Meanwhile elsewhere in the PIT the Joe’s are busy. The Joe’s are having visitors in the form well every military branch you can think of. I love seeing how the top Brass of other branches having been kept in the dark since the team’s creation are having trouble with it’s existence. Let’s face it there is an arrogance to these men and what they do that isn’t seen anywhere else in the world. Only military folk so high up can understand it but it’s fun for us little people to see it play out.
Larry really is a genius and this story is ramping up to a level where it’s no longer just what’s going to happen it’s hitting the happening stage. Bringing in the U.S.’s other military branches and finally revealing their existence and the threat Cobra poses is the biggest thing that could have happened to the team.
Ah Cobra Commander and Dr. Mindbender’s meeting was fantastic! I love seeing the Commander being more in control, forceful and less an idiot. Finally he’s doing this and it seems to be falling into place in a way that we’ve secretly wanted it to for years now! I think there’s always a part of us that wants Cobra to succeed so that the Joe’s have to come back and triumph in a spectacular fashion after a long term reassessment of their organization and then have them go kind of rogue to re-establish order. It’s basic really because with these two opposable forces that’s the most logical outcome scenario.
The informal committee that is evaluating not only Duke but whether to tell anyone of the Senator’s aide being a Crimson Guard is another aspect of this team I love. The espionage game is pretty highly advanced and that this core unit knows and can act independently from the main force really makes me giddy with anticipation.
The build up has been perfect and now it’s time for the real action to begin as the Joe’s and their allies scramble to stop Cobra and try to figure out their long term goals.
Best G.I. Joe arc to come along in years!