COMIC REVIEW: GI Joe Cobra II #2 (IDW)

"No! It can't stop there! I need to see what's next!" - me, after gazing at the last panel of G.I. Joe Cobra II #2

I actually said these words. Out loud. I don't do that very often; I love comics, I read dozens every month (including every G.I. Joe book) and while I certainly enjoy them, it isn't often that I say something like that.




Put it simply; the writing team of Mike Costa and N. Gage are knocking it out of the park every month, and Antonio Fuso's art brings their gritty, unexpected take on the G.I. Joe comic universe to life in an interesting and dynamic way. This issue brings Chuckles back into the game and not as the deranged mess the first issue left us expecting. I was a little worried that the new Joe operative introduced in the previous issue was simply going to be a stand-in for Jinx, sort of a "hey, look, we killed a character but it doesn't matter, because we just replaced her!" thing. Not at all; new character, new name, new specialties, apparently. And while it's possible that it's just a coincidence, she does have a codename that had a previous place in Joe history, one so obscure only the hardiest of fans will pick up on it, and even if the writers were unaware, it still tickled.

Moreover, it marked the second issue in a row where the issue introduced one of the more laughable fringe characters of the Cobra hierarchy and made him interesting and creepy and new. First, Croc Master, now...well, you've probably seen this on the net, but, SPOILER: Crystal Ball...that's right, Crystal Ball. One of the most notorious 'peg-warmers' of the original toy line, who is named by some fan sites as the most universally disliked figure in G.I. Joe history...and I hung on his appearance. The comic pivoted on it. I cared about what happened. And if you have ever enjoyed G.I. Joe comics, if you are interesting in seeing what can be done in the G.I. Joe universe, if you are just interested in plain excellent comic storytelling, so will you.

Of the three concurrently running G.I. Joe titles, Cobra is clearly the best, and it deserves its move to monthly series this coming June. I cannot wait for next month. And the next. And so on.

Dan Ford
Staff Reviewer