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Summary
WARNING ! despoiler ahead for Duke # 1TheEnergon Universeera ofG.I. Joeis officially here , asDuke#1kicks off the Modern persistence in a can’t - miss origin of everyone ’s favourite Real American Heroes . tie in more closely than ever with theTransformers , Skybound ’s firstG.I. Joetitle in effect bring up the continuity in exciting and intriguing way , charting a Modern direction for the franchise while also honoring what has come before .
Coming from the creative team of Joshua Williamson , Tom Reilly , Jordie Bellaire and Rus Wooten , Duke#1 pick up right after the title of respect reference ’s debut appearance inTransformers#2 , which watch Conrad “ Duke ” Hauser just surviving aharrowing encounter with the Decepticon Starscream .
Duke # 1
Release Date :
December 27 , 2023
Writer :
Joshua Williamson
Artist :
Tom Reilly
Colorist :
Jordie Bellaire
Letterer :
Rus Wooten
CODENAME G.I. JOE STARTS HERE . Conrad Hauser has made first striking with an foreign being and subsist to tell the narrative . But no one , not even Colonel Hawk , believes the story of the special K fighter convince into a colossal foreign golem that nigh killed the man jazz as Duke . Now , one of the US Army ’s most decorated soldiers is on the hunt for answer , take up into a conflict that no amount of training could ever prepare him for . A war that only a tangible American hero has any chance of go … Superstar writer JOSHUA WILLIAMSON ( Superman , Batman ) and artist TOM REILLY ( The Thing , Ant - Man ) recoil off the first of four legal action - packed miniseries that will preface the good and worst humankind has to offer in the Energon Universe .
study place in a mankind where the G.I. Joe and Cobra organizations do n’t exist just yet , Duke goes AWOL to reveal the truth about these transforming foreign robots who have short appeared on Earth .
Duke#1 Kicks Off New G.I. Joe Era With Action & Intrigue
The opening scene of the issue sees Duke being dressed down by Col . Hawk , as the title character struggles to manage with late events . Duke want to know the Sojourner Truth about his encounter with the transforming attack aircraft jet , but the prescribed line of the U.S. government is that no such beings actually live . discomfited with the lack of answers , Duke decide to continue the search on his own . The story then jumps forward six months later to find an preoccupied Duke seeking out like - minded individuals in his quest . He get together Dr. Adele Burkhardt at one such gathering of conspiracy theorists , who informs Duke that various factions are using the alien resourcefulness Energon to create annihilating weapons of war .
Dr. Adele Burkhardt first appeared in 1982’sG.I. Joe : A Real American Hero#1 from Marvel Comics .
This sends Duke on a mission to infiltrate M.A.R.S. Industries , which should be familiar to long - timeG.I. Joefans as the weapons fabricate caller owned by Destro , who realise his Energon Universe debut here in a abbreviated cameo . Duke successfully sneaks in to get a vertex at the weaponry M.A.R.S. is manufacturing with Energon , but winds upgetting catch by Mercer , here portrayed as a guard duty in Destro ’s employment . Duke takes a thrashing , but Destro orders him to be released , alternatively setting Duke up for a massacre of the conspiracy theorist , include Dr. Burkhardt . Duke get away once more , but now finds himself on the run from the U.S. armed services itself , including future Joes Stalker and Rock ’ n Roll .
Duke Goes AWOL to Uncover the Truth About Transformers
The issue serves as a great introduction to the franchise for fans both new and old , as the creators reframe all the elements of classicG.I. Joein a totally new context . It ’s exciting to see the world being work up from the reason up in such a mode , tying in rather seamlessly withsister Hasbro propertyTransformers . Williamson ’s script is clear and direct , defining the characters through action as they move through the plot of ground at a breathless footstep . Most successful of all is the claim character , as this is a Duke that devotee have n’t seen before . Letting his hair grow well past Army regulation standards , Duke is a man possess here in his self - style miniseries .
frustrate by the lack of answers from the top brass , the future Joe loss leader limit out on his own to bring out the truth , and Williamson keeps things interesting with new reveals in every scene and cagey Easter eggs hide in plain muckle . Eagle - eyed fans will agnise allusions to franchise scoundrel Dr. Mindbender and Zartan , and the outlet feature a bevy of surprisal invitee star who will go on to become major players in theG.I. Joefranchise . Quite a few characters make their Energon Universe debut , and the turn of events that sees Stalker and Rock ’ n Roll depute to hunt down the AWOL Duke is a nicely - done cliffhanger . It not only raise the stakes immeasurably , but also ensures that expecting the unexpected will be a continuing theme in this new shared continuity .
Cobra Commander ’s seeking to obtain Energon will convey him into conflict with many characters , admit this one classical G.I. Joe villain .
Surprise Guest Stars MakeDuke#1 A Must-Read
All of this is buoyed by Tom Reilly ’s art , recalling the clear renderings of Alex Toth in his compositions . The storytelling keeps Williamson ’s script moving at a squeamish clip , with a smash - down , pull - outfight between Duke and Mercerat the end being a standout scenery in portraying Reilly ’s abilities at set out exciting pages . Reilly also excels at the quieter character moments : Reilly ’s Duke is haunted from the moment we see him , and the bet of what will happen if Energon hang into the faulty workforce can be encounter in every line of Dr. Burkhardt ’s face . Jordie Bellaire brings things home with her moody color , accentuating sure beats and moments by limiting the roof of the mouth to a single color for maximal impact . With these artists at the helm , the world ofG.I. Joehas seldom looked substantially .
If there is anything to criticize inDuke#1 , it ’s that the story does suffer pretty from having to break up up on threads established previously inTransformers . It is potential to pick up Duke without have to interpret the other Energon Universe series , but that also mean that a good ball of the initiative scene is taken up with a refreshment ofthe scene fromTransformers#2that introduces Duke . The scene does have the added welfare of getting to see Tom Reilly pull an awesome - await Starscream , but it takes up three pages of valuable material land in a 30 - page write up , and is essentially just rehashing a instant we ’ve already see without adding any raw context or apt story selective information .
This interconnectivity is what makes Skybound ’s raw publishing initiative exciting , but it could also quick jump the Energon Universe if the creators are n’t deliberate . Fortunately , the comics themselves have been of a very high quality so far , andDuke#1 continue to arrange the bar very high for what might be comedian ’ most exciting imprint at the moment . With theCobra Commanderseries put to first appearance in a few week , it will be interesting to see how this turning point of theEnergon Universecontinues to build up and expand , but one affair ’s for sure : the first issue ofDukeproves that theG.I. Joefranchise is in good hands .
Duke#1is usable now from Skybound Entertainment
