Advance Review: Cobra Commander #3

Let me start by saying Cobra Commander #3 is not for the faint of heart! Picking up where the last issue left off, Joshua Williamson continues to steer this miniseries into some seriously dark territory. The Dreadnoks are unleashed in all their sadistic glory, and artists Andrea Milana and Annalisa Leoni don't shy away from portraying the brutality. Cobra Commander is tortured to the brink for more information on what he’s doing in the Florida swamp, with beautifully gruesome artwork stopping just short of showing the full extent of the Dreadnoks' work.

Williamson moves us closer to potentially seeing a major power shift in the broader Energon Universe as Cobra Commander’s hunt brings him closer than ever to stealing the Energon fuel cell. Even with this pacing of the issues continue to feel super fast and painfully slow at the same time. One minute you’re on the first page and then the next thing you know you’re at the end of the issue! It speaks to just how fun and action the entire creative packs onto each page, yet Williamson’s methodical script gives you just enough story development to not make you feel cheated. In this issue, that includes seeing the determination and grit of Cobra Commander on full display, further building this new adaptation of the character, & the reveal of his protector was a genuine surprise, well-executed by Milana & Leoni’s art.

My one gripe with this issue is that it didn’t do enough for a G.I. Joe novice like myself to distinguish between all the Dreadnoks. I found the interrogation scenes a tad confusing & found myself flipping back to remember who was who. Williamson tried to keep things in order by referencing names, but it didn’t feel like their designs were unique enough to help me keep track. Overall, you could tell Williamson had a lot of fun writing them.

Williamson has said that this series is all about watching Cobra Commander become the fearsome, ruthless leader that G.I. Joe fans have come to expect, and while we’re seeing bits & pieces of the makings of this persona, it has yet to fully realized yet. With only two issues to go, there’s not much space left to do a lot storywise & there are still a few major plot threads lingering. Namely, what else does Cobra Commander have planned for Megatron and will he actually take the Energon cell back to Cobra-La & give Golobulus an army? Williamson is an amazing writer, so let’s see what he has planned for us!

Rating: 8/10