G.I. JOE: COBRA #13

Mike Costa, Christos N. Gage (w) • Antonio Fuso (a & c)

After the shocking events of last issue, all bets are off for the last chapter of Chuckles’ undercover saga. He’ll have to face enemies, friends… and, finally, himself. Costa, Gage, and Fuso finally bring one of the most shocking GI Joe stories of all time to a close, and not everyone is getting out alive.

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

[View with PicLens]

G.I. Joe: Cobra #11

Mike Costa, Christos N. Gage (w) • Antonio Fuso (a & c)

Chuckles continues his descent into the very nerve center of COBRA… only this time, he has Cobra Commander himself as a guide. Costa, Gage and Fuso take you on the final steps toward oblivion, and re-introduce yet another forgotten member of COBRA, just in time to make the trip just a little more dangerous.

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

[View with PicLens]

Issue #10 was refreshing.  I had no major issues with the last story arc in this series, but it’s like spending the weekend at your best friend’s house when you were a kid.  During that weekend, life was different, yet still fun, with some adventures.  But then you get back home and go back to your own bed, and suddenly, everything just falls into place.  The weekend was fun, sure, but there’s nothing like home, and getting thrust back into the Chuckles and Cobra Commander arc was like coming back home.

Click the “Read the Rest of the Story” link below to see the full review.

G.I. Joe: Cobra #10
Written by: Mike Costa and Christos Gage
Art by: SL Gallant and Antonio Fuso

The issue starts off with a fantastic intellectual speech by Cobra Commander, describing to Chuckles the concept of cognitive dissonance, which immediately  gives the Commander an air of superiority and the look of enhanced intelligence.  This isn’t your 80′s Sunbow Cobra Commander, a stumbling, bumbling, prattling blowhard.  This is a smart and sinister corporate mogul who, instead of building an empire on technological marvels, is quietly assembling a massive terrorist organization, and doing it a very smart and evil way.

The Commander seems to be leading Chuckles towards a forced escape attempt, all in a ploy to draw Chuckles deeper into the Cobra organization.  We learn that Chuckles has been held for 2 months, treated more as a guest than a prisoner, and we get an idea of exactly how badly  Cobra Commander wants him on his side.

Of course, throughout the process of this issue, Chuckles does escape, but as you could suspect, it doesn’t do much good, and he ends up where he started.

The entire issue seems like a 22 page mindgame, but in a good way, as we wonder what Cobra Commander’s true motivations are and try to figure out just how Chuckles is going to get out of this particular mess.  We get some nice looks at the updated Crimson Guard, more Cobra Vipers, and the HISS Tank is certainly getting some love in recent days.

Costa and Gage continue to write captivating adventure and suspense stories, which just happen to feature the G.I. Joe cast of characters.  Somehow they’ve made Cobra relevant in today’s society and managed to push aside the ridicule often afforded them due to the Sunbow treatment back in the 80′s.  Fuso and Gallant’s art maintains the style of the series, and while that doesn’t fit with what everyone wants to see, I still think it serves the atmosphere well and works nicely in the context of this series.

Another great installment, and it’s great to get back into the Chuckles story arc again.

[View with PicLens]

With it’s distinctive “film noir” style, it looks like G.I. Joe: Cobra is dipping into the action flick realm this month, but as usual, it’s being handled very well.  I am really looking forward to this one.

G.I. Joe: Cobra II #4
The plans of Cobra, Chuckles, and the agents following him all collide. Can anyone survive? Will the Joes get what they want from Chuckles… by any means necessary? And brace yourself for a last page that will impact the entire line of G.I. Joe books!

[View with PicLens]

Easily my favorite G.I. Joe themed comic in the last 13 years, Costa and Gage continue to hammer it out of the park with their unique film noir style, excellent dialog, and no holds barred action.  But anyone who knows me knows that I love seeing some obscure characters get attention, and they are doing that as well!  Issue #1 already gave us Croc Master…Issue #2 brings Chameleon on board (though, I did it first…  ) and we’ve been promised Crystal Ball and even Serpentor.  Normally this would make me cringe, but I have the utmost faith in these guys, they’ve only done awesome things so far.  Below you’ll find a 5-page preview of this latest issue of G.I. Joe: Cobra II, and I know I’ll be practically waiting at the comic store for it to arrive.

[View with PicLens]