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Cobra Commander #1-5
Cobra Commander, Vol. 1: Determined to Rule the World
For Fans of Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen and Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing, COBRA COMMANDER is an espionage horror series uncovering a world power’s truly terrifying rise to power and the one man who will sacrifice anyone and anything to get it.
The Cobra Threat Begins HERE.
In a world where the Cobra organization hasn’t formed, one man’s sinister plans to utilize the mysterious alien substance known as Energon sends shockwaves across the globe. Who is Cobra Commander? Where does he come from? And what horrors is he planning to unleash that will rock the world – and maybe the universe – to its core?
Red-Hot writer Joshua Williamson (Superman, DUKE) and artist Andrea Milana (IMPACT WINTER: ROOK) kick off the second of four action-packed miniseries that will introduce the best and worst humanity has to offer in the Energon Universe.
The Cobra Threat Begins HERE.
In a world where the Cobra organization hasn’t formed, one man’s sinister plans to utilize the mysterious alien substance known as Energon sends shockwaves across the globe. Who is Cobra Commander? Where does he come from? And what horrors is he planning to unleash that will rock the world – and maybe the universe – to its core?
Red-Hot writer Joshua Williamson (Superman, DUKE) and artist Andrea Milana (IMPACT WINTER: ROOK) kick off the second of four action-packed miniseries that will introduce the best and worst humanity has to offer in the Energon Universe.
112 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2024
9 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 30, 2024
"You probably hoped I was dead." -- the title character
No, Cobra Commander - we need you alive, if only for the G.I. Joe special missions force to have its regular adversary or 'big bad' in play for what I expect to soon develop into a new series. Although taking some cues from the mid-1980's incarnation of toy line / cartoon program / Marvel Comics run, this was updated to feature a more savvy character in an abundantly violent tale - with enough blood spilled and harsh fatalities to rival a flick by DePalma or Tarantino - so it would be difficult to claim that it was all 'fun.' (Although one GR reviewer called it just that, I have to respectfully disagree given the non-stop depicted brutality and sadism.). It maintains a downbeat tone throughout - not surprising, given that the focus is on an antagonistic type who will soon lead a ruthless terrorist organization determined to . . . well, you KNOW - but does work as a piece meant for a mosaic.
No, Cobra Commander - we need you alive, if only for the G.I. Joe special missions force to have its regular adversary or 'big bad' in play for what I expect to soon develop into a new series. Although taking some cues from the mid-1980's incarnation of toy line / cartoon program / Marvel Comics run, this was updated to feature a more savvy character in an abundantly violent tale - with enough blood spilled and harsh fatalities to rival a flick by DePalma or Tarantino - so it would be difficult to claim that it was all 'fun.' (Although one GR reviewer called it just that, I have to respectfully disagree given the non-stop depicted brutality and sadism.). It maintains a downbeat tone throughout - not surprising, given that the focus is on an antagonistic type who will soon lead a ruthless terrorist organization determined to . . . well, you KNOW - but does work as a piece meant for a mosaic.
July 22, 2024
Lots of nods to the cartoon, which I always appreciate, and more intriguing than the Duke series. A fun read.
July 9, 2025
Cobra Commander origin story was good! What's up with Destro? 3.4 stars
July 7, 2025
EN So far, from everything I've read in the new Energon Universe, this has clearly been the weakest entry. It's still a solid volume, but it doesn't quite match the quality of the others.
This is where we start seeing the early steps toward the rise of Cobra. I liked how they explored the origins of Cobra Commander and his relationship with Destro — that part was handled well.
However, I wasn’t a fan of the simultaneous introduction of Cobra-La. I assume they brought it in to establish some connection between the two factions, but it ended up feeling a bit muddled. It actually left me confused, and I had to look it up afterward to better understand their relationship. Perhaps this is clearer to longtime G.I. Joe fans, but for newcomers like me, it can be disorienting.
That said, it's still a decent read overall.
--
PT De tudo o que li até agora do novo Universo Energon, este foi claramente o mais fraco. Continua a ser um volume sólido, mas não atinge o mesmo nível de qualidade dos restantes.
É aqui que começamos a ver os primeiros passos rumo à ascensão da Cobra. Gostei da forma como exploraram as origens do Cobra Commander e a sua relação com o Destro — essa parte foi bem conseguida.
No entanto, não gostei da introdução simultânea da Cobra-La. Suponho que o tenham feito para criar uma ligação entre as duas facções, mas acabou por ficar algo confuso. Fiquei mesmo com dúvidas e tive de pesquisar para perceber melhor a relação entre ambas. Talvez isto seja mais claro para os fãs veteranos de G.I. Joe, mas para quem está a chegar agora, como eu, pode ser um pouco desorientador.
Ainda assim, no geral, é uma leitura decente.
This is where we start seeing the early steps toward the rise of Cobra. I liked how they explored the origins of Cobra Commander and his relationship with Destro — that part was handled well.
However, I wasn’t a fan of the simultaneous introduction of Cobra-La. I assume they brought it in to establish some connection between the two factions, but it ended up feeling a bit muddled. It actually left me confused, and I had to look it up afterward to better understand their relationship. Perhaps this is clearer to longtime G.I. Joe fans, but for newcomers like me, it can be disorienting.
That said, it's still a decent read overall.
--
PT De tudo o que li até agora do novo Universo Energon, este foi claramente o mais fraco. Continua a ser um volume sólido, mas não atinge o mesmo nível de qualidade dos restantes.
É aqui que começamos a ver os primeiros passos rumo à ascensão da Cobra. Gostei da forma como exploraram as origens do Cobra Commander e a sua relação com o Destro — essa parte foi bem conseguida.
No entanto, não gostei da introdução simultânea da Cobra-La. Suponho que o tenham feito para criar uma ligação entre as duas facções, mas acabou por ficar algo confuso. Fiquei mesmo com dúvidas e tive de pesquisar para perceber melhor a relação entre ambas. Talvez isto seja mais claro para os fãs veteranos de G.I. Joe, mas para quem está a chegar agora, como eu, pode ser um pouco desorientador.
Ainda assim, no geral, é uma leitura decente.
February 2, 2025
7.6/10
Cobra Commander is a narcissistic psychopath. He definitely suffers from God complex and has zero, and i mean zero, empathy or sympathy for anyone. To have anyone like that in a powerful position is trouble. Unfortunately for the world, he is also a very clever individual.
This might be a small arc, but Williamson did within these pages, exactly what he had to. He gives a good sense of who Cobra Commander is, provides some information about Cobra-La and most importantly he leaves you excited for the future.
I like that the series so far are new reader friendly, although I'm sure there are references that readers with prior knowledge will appreciate.
The Energon Universe manages so far to make me interested in IP's and characters, that i didn't care about before.
Cobra Commander is a narcissistic psychopath. He definitely suffers from God complex and has zero, and i mean zero, empathy or sympathy for anyone. To have anyone like that in a powerful position is trouble. Unfortunately for the world, he is also a very clever individual.
This might be a small arc, but Williamson did within these pages, exactly what he had to. He gives a good sense of who Cobra Commander is, provides some information about Cobra-La and most importantly he leaves you excited for the future.
I like that the series so far are new reader friendly, although I'm sure there are references that readers with prior knowledge will appreciate.
The Energon Universe manages so far to make me interested in IP's and characters, that i didn't care about before.
September 4, 2024
Here, we see the beginnings of Cobra Commander and the start of Cobra. We also see the first energon cube and another very familiar face. Cobra Commander now has the power needed to make crazy weapons and people like Destro tentatively join up with him. Also looks like Cobra-La, the new Cobra and the Transformers are on a collision course now. This Energon Universe has been building up quite nicely. I have have enjoyed every book I've read so far. Looking forward to reading the next books coming down the pipeline.
August 15, 2025
A fun, horror story origin of the Cobra Commander. The G.I. Joe universe is shaping up to be a very interesting place.
July 9, 2025
I will be the first to confess that the idea of a shared GI Joe / Transformers universe doesn't have much nostalgia appeal for me as I was forbidden from watching the cartoon or collecting the toys in the '80s by my well-intentioned parents. Of course, this didn't prevent me from learning all about them from my classmates or seeing the occasional episode at my friends' houses but ultimately it was never my thing.
That said, I do remember the cuckoo for cocoa puffs plotline of Cobra Commander coming from a bonkers snake based undersea society and that's the very direction they go with in this comic, Williamson does the best he can with the bizarre hand he was dealt and the Commander is a weirdly compelling sociopathic protagonist here, so much so I might just read the next volume.
That said, I do remember the cuckoo for cocoa puffs plotline of Cobra Commander coming from a bonkers snake based undersea society and that's the very direction they go with in this comic, Williamson does the best he can with the bizarre hand he was dealt and the Commander is a weirdly compelling sociopathic protagonist here, so much so I might just read the next volume.
December 3, 2024
Far better, funny and horrorific, than expected.
July 14, 2024
3.75 stars. I don’t know a ton about this world, as has been the case with the other Energon books, but I am definitely in on this universe. While I don’t fully understand the backstory of who Cobra Commander is, I am excited to continue to see what they show us through the other titles in this universe. Enjoyed the art more than I thought I would. I especially thought the violence was done on and off the panel very well.
October 13, 2024
Surprisingly good foray into the origin story of GIJoe’s arch nemesis. Pulls lots of fun stuff from the ‘80’s animated series, and expands on this new Energon Universe slash Hasbro Reboot being helmed by Robert Kirkman.
Worked for me! I am into it.
3.5/5
Worked for me! I am into it.
3.5/5
May 28, 2024
If you're asking how I finished a tpb that hasn't been released yet, I read the individual issues and instead of pseudo-cheating by logging five thin comic books I'm logging them as one tpb.
June 25, 2024
Most importantly the book is FUN. Williamson and Skybound forge their own story while rewarding longtime fans of the IP.
September 26, 2024
GI Joe was huge for me as a kid. I’ve been collecting Cobra Commander figures for the last 5 or so years. This new Energon Universe is a ton of fun. I think I read them out of order however, cause Duke is up next and I think it should have been first. Oh well!
June 22, 2025
interesting new take on the origins of Cobra Commander. love the art
June 19, 2025
2009 saw the release of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the first live-action film to be spun off from the Hasbro toy franchise. Although I have a weird soft spot for that movie, in which director Stephen Sommers treats the whole thing like one big cartoon, I'm sure it wasn't the G.I. Joe film that fans were hoping for. As much as that movie puts its own spin on the origin story of the terrorist organisation, as the subtitle suggests, Skybound is doing their own version of how Cobra came to be, and it's way more interesting.
As part of the Energon Universe, where we've had Daniel Warren Johnson's current Transformers series, having already written the miniseries Duke, which laid the foundations of the G.I. Joe Team, Joshua Williamson's next venture is to write the solo adventures of Cobra Commander. Born as an outsider who was brought into the ancient civilization of Cobra-La, the future Cobra Commander has plans to utilise the mysterious alien substance known as Energon that will send shockwaves across the globe.
Although there is still a mystery into where the titular lead actually comes from, Williamson does a great job at establishing this character's sinister drive for science and success, even if it means a pile of corpses along the way. Williamson may be repeating a central theme from Duke, which is to showcase one character on a quest that makes him turn on the rest of the world, but Cobra Commander is a darker book, leaning towards horror and bloody violence, which is appropriate for the Darth Vader-like villain.
What has been fun reading these comics as part of the Energon Universe, is that how it combines the lore of both the Transformers and G.I. Joe properties to inform the world-building in this new shared universe, such as Cobra Commander has in his possession a supposedly dead Megatron, which is what sets up the search for Energon. Even outside of the Transformers, Cobra-La is its own world with its organic-based technology, ridding itself of the horrors of anything metallic. There is some frustration as the world-building leads to a number of cliffhangers that will most likely pay off in later storylines.
With a great deal of this book being Cobra Commander versus the Dreadnoks, opens the door for plenty of toy opportunities with not just like the likes of Cobra Commander who frequently changes his look, you also have characters like Buzzer and Ripper, who like to torture their victims with chainsaws and torches. Whilst his art isn't as polished as Tom Reilly's work on Duke, Andrea Milana revels in the bloody spectacle, as well as crafting great action sequences through loose line-work and dynamic panel layouts.
From its compelling villain to the multi-layered world-building, Cobra Commander does a great job of establishing the terrorist organisation Cobra, which no doubt we will see more of in the upcoming Destro miniseries.
As part of the Energon Universe, where we've had Daniel Warren Johnson's current Transformers series, having already written the miniseries Duke, which laid the foundations of the G.I. Joe Team, Joshua Williamson's next venture is to write the solo adventures of Cobra Commander. Born as an outsider who was brought into the ancient civilization of Cobra-La, the future Cobra Commander has plans to utilise the mysterious alien substance known as Energon that will send shockwaves across the globe.
Although there is still a mystery into where the titular lead actually comes from, Williamson does a great job at establishing this character's sinister drive for science and success, even if it means a pile of corpses along the way. Williamson may be repeating a central theme from Duke, which is to showcase one character on a quest that makes him turn on the rest of the world, but Cobra Commander is a darker book, leaning towards horror and bloody violence, which is appropriate for the Darth Vader-like villain.
What has been fun reading these comics as part of the Energon Universe, is that how it combines the lore of both the Transformers and G.I. Joe properties to inform the world-building in this new shared universe, such as Cobra Commander has in his possession a supposedly dead Megatron, which is what sets up the search for Energon. Even outside of the Transformers, Cobra-La is its own world with its organic-based technology, ridding itself of the horrors of anything metallic. There is some frustration as the world-building leads to a number of cliffhangers that will most likely pay off in later storylines.
With a great deal of this book being Cobra Commander versus the Dreadnoks, opens the door for plenty of toy opportunities with not just like the likes of Cobra Commander who frequently changes his look, you also have characters like Buzzer and Ripper, who like to torture their victims with chainsaws and torches. Whilst his art isn't as polished as Tom Reilly's work on Duke, Andrea Milana revels in the bloody spectacle, as well as crafting great action sequences through loose line-work and dynamic panel layouts.
From its compelling villain to the multi-layered world-building, Cobra Commander does a great job of establishing the terrorist organisation Cobra, which no doubt we will see more of in the upcoming Destro miniseries.
May 16, 2025
Either I didn't know anything about Cobra Commander's origins, or they have completely redone it...
Highlights:
- He comes from Cobra-La, an organization somewhere on Earth that deals with alien technology
- Somewhat of an outcast, the organization doesn't trust him
- He has been keeping a powered-down Megatron captive and taking info from him.
- Introduces Dreadnoks, which are the future named COBRA troops
- Makes an alliance with Destro and starts COBRA
- Epilogue hints that Megatron escaped and Cobra-La will be "taking war to the stars"
This one has a good amount of lore to dive into and I hope we get more explanations in future volumes. Looking forward to "Scarlett" and "Destro", plus more of Void Rivals and Transformers.
Loving the Energon Universe.
Highlights:
- He comes from Cobra-La, an organization somewhere on Earth that deals with alien technology
- Somewhat of an outcast, the organization doesn't trust him
- He has been keeping a powered-down Megatron captive and taking info from him.
- Introduces Dreadnoks, which are the future named COBRA troops
- Makes an alliance with Destro and starts COBRA
- Epilogue hints that Megatron escaped and Cobra-La will be "taking war to the stars"
This one has a good amount of lore to dive into and I hope we get more explanations in future volumes. Looking forward to "Scarlett" and "Destro", plus more of Void Rivals and Transformers.
Loving the Energon Universe.
September 9, 2024
This was such a good Cobra origin story. I was absolutely thrilled to see Cobra Commander really show utterly evil he can be to his core. He’s not just the shade and comedy relief like in the cartoons. He’s dangerous and seriously so. I can’t wait for more! I knew Image wouldn’t fail me!
June 5, 2024
That was freaking awesome! Sign me tf up!
July 23, 2024
So this is a great read but I must warn, I don't think this is going to be what people expected. I am really rusty on Cobra lore but from what little I remember, this is a bit intense. Cobra Commander is far less scheme'y' and smarmy and far more terrifying and brutal. Cunning and strategic. Tech instead of skills and he embraces this weakness. Much like what was done in Transformers for StarScream, they did for Cobra Commander. The villains in this universe are way more terrifying than what I remember in the 90s and I am down for it.
Both Duke and Cobra Commander are amazing start to mini-series to explain the rise of GI Joe and Cobra. Must reads. Once again the Energon universe is pumping out winners.
Both Duke and Cobra Commander are amazing start to mini-series to explain the rise of GI Joe and Cobra. Must reads. Once again the Energon universe is pumping out winners.
May 23, 2025
A weak entry in the Energon universe, a lot bloodier than I expected (dismemberment, hanging body parts, torture) but felt less engaging than any of the other pieces. CC just didn’t come across as that interesting compared to Destro or any of the Transformers. A quick read that is important to the larger story but not a must read own its own merit.
June 13, 2024
This rules
March 16, 2025
Relatively weaker and bland compared to the other entries in the Energon Universe. It lacks heart and passion, but makes up with cool and ruthless moments in the story.
July 29, 2025
Commits the cardinal sin of comics aimed at childern aged 30 and up: it's boring.
December 8, 2024
Cobra Commander vol. 1 Begins The Cobra Part Of This New G.I. Joe Story
Cobra Commander vol. 1: Determined To Rule The World by Joshua Williamson and Andrea Milana begins the story of G.I. Joe's sworn enemy - Cobra. Joshua Williamson tells a good story once again but I don't think this is anywhere near half as good as the Duke miniseries. I am a "less is more" type of guy when it comes to certain characters that I like in fiction or in TV shows and movies. And Cobra Commander is definitely one of those characters that you don't need to know more about because you ruin the character's mystique by giving out too much information.
When we first see Cobra Commander back in the '80s G.I. Joe cartoon, he's already an established antagonist of the Joe team. And not once do we ever get any type of origin for him back then. And that works for me because the more you know about Cobra Commander the less of a threat he feels like to me. And that's what happens here.
Mr. Williamson attempts to give Cobra Commander an origin story here and I feel that he fails in his attempt. I would've just been happy if this story was about seeing an already established Cobra Commander discovering Energon and it's potentials than the story that we got. In fact, I think that the two Cobra miniseries that we should've gotten should've been for Destro and Zartan instead of Cobra Commander and Destro. And Cobra Commander could've been operating in the background and pulling the strings the whole time.
Which would've been the complete opposite of what this story is. The other thing that really bothered me is the major change made to Zartan's character. *Spoiler alert* (if you don't want to know what the change was that was made to Zartan, then skip over this next part) Zartan is now a scientist. He is no longer just a mercenary for hire.
I don't know how I feel about this yet. I know, story-wise, that there must be a reason for this. But, so far, everybody seems to be a scientist. Destro is a scientist instead of just a weapons dealer now.
Zartan is a scientist instead of a mercenary. Cobra Commander is also a scientist now instead of just being a terrorist leader. It'll probably be revealed in either the Destro miniseries or the Scarlett miniseries that Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are now scientists as well. I'm gonna wait and reserve my judgement about that until after this story finishes.
I'm intrigued to find out why, all of a sudden, everybody now has a background in science. And the only thing that makes sense to me is that it must have something to do with the Transformers. I guess we'll see as the story goes on. I've got a funny feeling that Joshua Williamson is going to wind up changing Zartan's entire story for this current G.I. Joe run.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mr. Williamson even goes so far as to say that Zartan got his abilities from messing around with Energon. Other than that, I have no other gripes about this story. The artwork was good. I just would've preferred a more manipulative version of Cobra Commander like the one in the cartoon than the version that appears in this story.
But, if you're not really familiar with the cartoon, then check this out. It continues the Energon Universe story and is worth reading just for that 🙂👍.
Cobra Commander vol. 1: Determined To Rule The World by Joshua Williamson and Andrea Milana begins the story of G.I. Joe's sworn enemy - Cobra. Joshua Williamson tells a good story once again but I don't think this is anywhere near half as good as the Duke miniseries. I am a "less is more" type of guy when it comes to certain characters that I like in fiction or in TV shows and movies. And Cobra Commander is definitely one of those characters that you don't need to know more about because you ruin the character's mystique by giving out too much information.
When we first see Cobra Commander back in the '80s G.I. Joe cartoon, he's already an established antagonist of the Joe team. And not once do we ever get any type of origin for him back then. And that works for me because the more you know about Cobra Commander the less of a threat he feels like to me. And that's what happens here.
Mr. Williamson attempts to give Cobra Commander an origin story here and I feel that he fails in his attempt. I would've just been happy if this story was about seeing an already established Cobra Commander discovering Energon and it's potentials than the story that we got. In fact, I think that the two Cobra miniseries that we should've gotten should've been for Destro and Zartan instead of Cobra Commander and Destro. And Cobra Commander could've been operating in the background and pulling the strings the whole time.
Which would've been the complete opposite of what this story is. The other thing that really bothered me is the major change made to Zartan's character. *Spoiler alert* (if you don't want to know what the change was that was made to Zartan, then skip over this next part) Zartan is now a scientist. He is no longer just a mercenary for hire.
I don't know how I feel about this yet. I know, story-wise, that there must be a reason for this. But, so far, everybody seems to be a scientist. Destro is a scientist instead of just a weapons dealer now.
Zartan is a scientist instead of a mercenary. Cobra Commander is also a scientist now instead of just being a terrorist leader. It'll probably be revealed in either the Destro miniseries or the Scarlett miniseries that Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are now scientists as well. I'm gonna wait and reserve my judgement about that until after this story finishes.
I'm intrigued to find out why, all of a sudden, everybody now has a background in science. And the only thing that makes sense to me is that it must have something to do with the Transformers. I guess we'll see as the story goes on. I've got a funny feeling that Joshua Williamson is going to wind up changing Zartan's entire story for this current G.I. Joe run.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mr. Williamson even goes so far as to say that Zartan got his abilities from messing around with Energon. Other than that, I have no other gripes about this story. The artwork was good. I just would've preferred a more manipulative version of Cobra Commander like the one in the cartoon than the version that appears in this story.
But, if you're not really familiar with the cartoon, then check this out. It continues the Energon Universe story and is worth reading just for that 🙂👍.
June 4, 2025
So, to be transparent, I'm not a G.I. Joe fan. I have no nostalgia for this brand or these characters. However, being invested in pop culture has led me to be aware of some characters like Duke, Snake Eyes and, of course, Cobra Commander. So, when I judge this, I'm judging it by how it stands on its own with no prior knowledge or reading required.
Looking at it from that perspective, this character mini-series is decent and not much more.
Thematically, this book gives the reader... nothing to think about. The art, by Andrea Milana, gets the job done but is extremely generic and lacking, especially compared to the Skybound Transformers or Void Rivals series. However, there is something undeniably interesting about Cobra Commander and the idea of giving the main villain of the Joes a mini-series centered around his origin for this new universe. The book never hides the villainy of the commander behind a veil of sympathy or makes him out to be misunderstood, he is just a truly mischievous villain, which I really commend Williamson for sticking to. He is ruthless, conniving, slimy, egotistical and power hungry, and the book sets the scene as to why he is a step above the other evils as a threat in this new universe.
Its honestly just interesting, and even a bit exciting, seeing what the commander will endure and what lengths he will go to to achieve his goals. That's what made this book worth reading for me... the true villainy behind the mask and trench coat.
Looking at it from that perspective, this character mini-series is decent and not much more.
Thematically, this book gives the reader... nothing to think about. The art, by Andrea Milana, gets the job done but is extremely generic and lacking, especially compared to the Skybound Transformers or Void Rivals series. However, there is something undeniably interesting about Cobra Commander and the idea of giving the main villain of the Joes a mini-series centered around his origin for this new universe. The book never hides the villainy of the commander behind a veil of sympathy or makes him out to be misunderstood, he is just a truly mischievous villain, which I really commend Williamson for sticking to. He is ruthless, conniving, slimy, egotistical and power hungry, and the book sets the scene as to why he is a step above the other evils as a threat in this new universe.
Its honestly just interesting, and even a bit exciting, seeing what the commander will endure and what lengths he will go to to achieve his goals. That's what made this book worth reading for me... the true villainy behind the mask and trench coat.
January 10, 2025
Easily my least favorite of the Energon Universe books so far, though maybe that's because I wasn't aware of Cobra Commander's weird-ass backstory. Like, apparently he's an alien? (Or maybe he's from an Atlantis-style undersea society on Earth? It's unclear the setting.) But he's also an outsider among the aliens, so when shit goes down, he's forced to find a source of Energon on Earth.
You might think, hmm, who would have Energon on Earth? Perhaps those GI Joe fellows? Or Destro? Or like, some important nation-state or business? No, of course, it's a backcountry Florida crime family. They have an Energon stash and also a serious interest in weapons and torture.
So, CC goes there, battles everybody, etc etc etc. The plot is not particularly surprising (), but the gore definitely caught me off guard. I guess I should have known after the brutality of the first Transformers volume: we're playing with adult toys here.
Anyway, CC hooks up with Destro by the end, which I suppose sets him up to be a menace for the new-formed Joes. That essentially makes this volume a prequel, which also means you don't really have to read it. Lucky you.
You might think, hmm, who would have Energon on Earth? Perhaps those GI Joe fellows? Or Destro? Or like, some important nation-state or business? No, of course, it's a backcountry Florida crime family. They have an Energon stash and also a serious interest in weapons and torture.
So, CC goes there, battles everybody, etc etc etc. The plot is not particularly surprising (), but the gore definitely caught me off guard. I guess I should have known after the brutality of the first Transformers volume: we're playing with adult toys here.
Anyway, CC hooks up with Destro by the end, which I suppose sets him up to be a menace for the new-formed Joes. That essentially makes this volume a prequel, which also means you don't really have to read it. Lucky you.
July 15, 2024
“What power is this?”
“MINE.”
I finished this too over the weekend and forgot to log it but tl;dr, this rules. And might be my favorite of the Energon Universe minis so far.
Probably because it’s absolutely the dorkiest one of them yet. You’ve got Cobra-La and Lord Goblous. You’ve got Nemesis. You’ve got the DREADNOKS, which I was extremely happy to see. And best of all you get Cobra Commander being a weasily little shit and murdering people with nanobots and wearing a dope ass trench coat throughout.
Truly the only thing missing was a “ONCE, I wassss a man!” monologue. Aside from that, it’s certainly the one that’s read and looked the best for me. Also giving it a slight edge ahead of Duke is actually providing a pretty meaty leap forward for the Energon Universe umbrella. Finally revealing exactly where That Decepticon™️ is and where they might be going in the future titles. I really, REALLY appreciated that.
I’m still kinda disappointed this one in particular isn’t an ongoing (but I still hold out hope we might get some more of these in the future, especially with the incoming new Joe comic), but I’m really happy these exist at all. I was a big, big fan of the IDW era of Joe and these bringing that energy is certainly making me more endeared toward them.
“MINE.”
I finished this too over the weekend and forgot to log it but tl;dr, this rules. And might be my favorite of the Energon Universe minis so far.
Probably because it’s absolutely the dorkiest one of them yet. You’ve got Cobra-La and Lord Goblous. You’ve got Nemesis. You’ve got the DREADNOKS, which I was extremely happy to see. And best of all you get Cobra Commander being a weasily little shit and murdering people with nanobots and wearing a dope ass trench coat throughout.
Truly the only thing missing was a “ONCE, I wassss a man!” monologue. Aside from that, it’s certainly the one that’s read and looked the best for me. Also giving it a slight edge ahead of Duke is actually providing a pretty meaty leap forward for the Energon Universe umbrella. Finally revealing exactly where That Decepticon™️ is and where they might be going in the future titles. I really, REALLY appreciated that.
I’m still kinda disappointed this one in particular isn’t an ongoing (but I still hold out hope we might get some more of these in the future, especially with the incoming new Joe comic), but I’m really happy these exist at all. I was a big, big fan of the IDW era of Joe and these bringing that energy is certainly making me more endeared toward them.
October 11, 2024
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this but compared to the "Duke" miniseries it highlights how some characters, especially villains, are just so much more fun. Cobra commander is not a nice guy but you have to admire his skill and determination at seeing things through.
I don't know how close this version's backstory is to the cartoon/comics but it's much more weird than I thought (which was he was just a regular human bent on world domination) - I think I'd have preferred something more down to earth but I guess with transformers in the mix this world can be a bit more wild.
There's a part of the story involving interrogation/torture that is really well done and demonstrates a surprising amount of character in terms of manipulation.
The artwork is good and arguably cleaner than that in Duke and transformers which I think suits this character and his worldview better.
I was left wanting more from this character and creative team which is probably the main objective from this miniseries.
I don't know how close this version's backstory is to the cartoon/comics but it's much more weird than I thought (which was he was just a regular human bent on world domination) - I think I'd have preferred something more down to earth but I guess with transformers in the mix this world can be a bit more wild.
There's a part of the story involving interrogation/torture that is really well done and demonstrates a surprising amount of character in terms of manipulation.
The artwork is good and arguably cleaner than that in Duke and transformers which I think suits this character and his worldview better.
I was left wanting more from this character and creative team which is probably the main objective from this miniseries.
January 10, 2025
Disliked by his own people and effectively an alien to all humans, Cobra Commander must slice out his own place in the world. Obsessed with gaining the trust of Golobulus, the ruler of Cobra-La, Cobra Commander seeks to harness the power from Energon to secure his place. But the access to Energon forces the Commander to seek out a group of hillbillies in rural America in what turns out to be a blood-soaked journey for supremacy.
A story with no good guys, Joshua Williamson continues to capably flesh out the G.I. Joe corner of the budding Energon Universe. References to events in other stories in the universe are hinted at here, but Williamson keeps the focus on Cobra Commander's journey here. It's a fun villain-centric story that has you both rooting for and against the main character. Andrea Milana's artwork is also a great fit for the story, capturing the absurdity of the various characters really well.
A story with no good guys, Joshua Williamson continues to capably flesh out the G.I. Joe corner of the budding Energon Universe. References to events in other stories in the universe are hinted at here, but Williamson keeps the focus on Cobra Commander's journey here. It's a fun villain-centric story that has you both rooting for and against the main character. Andrea Milana's artwork is also a great fit for the story, capturing the absurdity of the various characters really well.
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