G.I. Joe #3

Recap
As tensions rise within G.I. Joe — and punches are thrown — Cobra hunts a venomous new ally...
Review
G.I. Joe #3 picks up with the Joes still regrouping as Clutch does his best to send a message back to his allies while deep within the Cobra and M.A.R.S industry’s base. As Clutch navigates the enemy base, Cobra Commander and Destro discuss their next plan of action: kidnapping Doctor Archibald Monev and stealing his brainwave scanner. Meanwhile, Duke bickers and fights with the newest Joe recruit, Risk, over the recent events and how the team should proceed.
One of the most endearing aspects of this series is how the plot shares equal time between its heroes and villains. G.I. Joe #3 starts with a strong focus on the villains, showcasing their very classic, comic book plans and despicable attitude. This really helps identify these players as equal throughout the series, proving that Cobra is not a one-time enemy for the Joes, paying off all of that setup in the series that have led to this.
Additionally, G.I. Joe #3 does a great job of balancing the power within the ranks. Prior to this, both Cobra Commander and Destro had their own series. The way these characters are portrayed here feels exactly how they were portrayed prior, proving that the shared universe approach to this world works when consistency is maintained. This also works because the issue never hinges on the idea that both of these series were read by everyone picking up this one; but instead, it gives enough context to make this work standalone.
When it comes to the Joes, it is nice to see that this is not a flawless team of experts. These characters all have their flaws and sometimes that means infighting. This comes to an end when Stalker reminds them of the humanity within their goals. At the end of the day, this series needs to revolve around strong characters, as the world ending events cannot always be the hook. Thankfully, G.I. Joe #3 shows that the focus on character will be the through line that keeps everything relevant and produces longevity.
Final Thoughts
G.I. Joe #3 showcases everything that makes this series work so well, acting as a very powerful, core pillar to the Energon Universe.
G.I. Joe #3: The Real Battle
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10