Cobra Commander #1: Holy S#!^, It’s A CCCCOOOOOBBBRRRRAAAAA

Serving as a shock to just about everyone, Cobra Commander was announced last year as part of the kick off for G.I Joe in the new Energon Universe. In interviews and a note in the back of Cobra Commander #1, writer Joshua Williamson discusses the importance behind putting both the good and evil on equal footing, highlighting the importance of introducing the motivations behind the villains before they come into contact with the heroes. Cobra Commander #1 does just that, spotlighting the titular character’s savage nature and unique backstory that will likely be a surprise to new readers and longtime G.I Joe fans alike. Additionally, Cobra Commander #1 proves that the Energon Universe as a whole is going to strive for interconnection despite the drastically different tones and genres that the books explore.

Right off the bat, Cobra Commander #1 makes it clear that this is not going to be anything like fans have seen before. Within a few pages, the book introduces several core concepts, never letting the foot off the gas even through the final page. If fans thought that Void Rivals #1 blew their minds with that Transformers reveal then this book will leave them shaking on their knees. Media today has been oversaturated with cameos and Easter eggs; however, the Energon Universe is built on a foundation of interconnectivity, and Cobra Commander #1 is an example of the best way to convey that foundation. Without spoiling anything, the way this introductory issue ends sets up a whole plethora of ideas for this new world, while also answering some lingering questions from other books. That being said, if you just wanted to read Duke, Transformers, or Void Rivals alone, then you don’t need to pick up Cobra Commander; although, if you do then you are in for a great read.

While a lot of people will go into this series praising  Williamson for his writing ability and vast knowledge of the most obscure G.I Joe mythology (something that is very warranted), much of the delight of reading this issue comes from the art from Andrea Milana and colors from Annalisa Leoni. Without spoiling anything, Cobra Commander #1 fully dives into the realm of science fiction, an aspect that makes it very visually distinct from the Duke series that is running side by side. A fun way to look at it that makes this world so much more full is to view Duke like the conspiracy theorist whereas Cobra Commander is the conspiracy. This all works so well because Milana and Leoni fully embrace the bizarre and straight up weird imagery that is unabashedly present almost immediately. With the other Energon Books, some surprises show up but visually, you can imagine what you are going to get. Cobra Commander flips that script upside down and backwards, making it a delightful read.

There is one rather confusing aspect of the book and that is either because of a miscommunication between Williamson and the letterer, Rus Wooton, or because it has just yet to be explained in the narrative. As the issue opens, Cobra Commander speaks in a way that has him emphasize the S’s like a snake. Jumping into a flashback his way of speaking seems fairly normal. It seems like the book catches up to modern day by the end; however, Cobra Commander’s speech does not go back to the way it was introduced. This could be because he only speaks that way to freak people out, or because the book hasn’t explained it yet. Either way, this was the only part of the comic that remained confusing through the final pages.