DUKE #1, by Image Comics on 12/27/23, puts the Joe’s greatest soldier on the wrong side of the law when Duke can’t get over a chance encounter with jet that turns into a robot.
The Details
- Written by: Joshua Williamson
- Art by: Tom Reilly
- Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by: Rus Wooton
- Cover art by: Tom Reilly (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: December 27, 2023
Is DUKE #1 Good?
Joshua Williamson leaps headfirst into a tension-filled thriller that sends G.I. Joe’s top soldier on the run from a nefarious corporation and a government that wants to cover up the truth. Image Comics is just getting started with their interconnected Energon Universe, and DUKE #1 is a big swing in the right direction.
Williamson’s man-on-the-run tale centers on Duke, who still suffers from shock after a routine transport mission crosses paths with a gleefully murderous jet that could turn into a robot (See TRANSFORMERS #2). Duke is ordered to take time off when nobody will believe his story and all official records have either been doctored or “misplaced.” When Duke’s personal mission to uncover the truth leads him to M.A.R.S. Industries, Duke winds up becoming target #1 on G.I. Joe’s apprehend list.
As the description implies, the G.I. Joe Universe and the Transformers Universe have now merged into an interconnected Energon Universe under Image Comics. However, G.I. Joe fans who don’t want the Transformers chocolate mixed in with their G.I. Joe peanut butter can take heart that Duke’s previous encounter with a Transformer only serves as a catalyst for his journey. This issue is a Joe adventure through and through.
What’s great about DUKE #1? Williamson delivers a taut, dramatic espionage thriller from top to bottom. Duke finds himself wounded by his traumatic experience but broken by the lies and obvious cover-ups by the government he’s sworn to serve. Williamson crafts a man on a mission who serves an ideal encapsulated by truth, justice, and the American way.
What’s not so great about DUKE #1? Duke’s Transformer encounter serves as the catalyst for his personal mission, but it’s not clear why Col. Hawk or the government would cover it up. If anything, an encounter with a very unique and potentially hostile force is exactly what G.I. Joe was formed to deal with, so Williamson skipped that key bit of information to lock this issue in.
How’s the art? Tom Reilly’s penchant for mid-century aesthetic heightens and enhances the espionage thriller aspects of Williamson’s story. There’s too much sci-fi happening to say this looks like a James Bond story, but Reilly makes you believe Duke could be the American equivalent with excellent visuals.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s DUKE #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a disheveled and frazzled Duke reporting to Colonel Hawk for a lecture and advice. Duke can’t shake his recent encounter with a flying robot, and nobody will believe his story. It’s clear a cover-up is happening, and Col. Hawk is in on it, so Duke is ordered to take time off.
Duke uses his personal time to investigate any research cell or academic group that can corroborate his story about giant, murderous robots. His search leads him to Dr. Adele Burkhart, who was fired from her job working on cutting-edge energy tech because she feared it could be misused as a powerful weapon. Dr. Burkhart believes Duke may have stumbled onto a secret arms race.
We conclude the issue with a break-in, vindication, and state-sponsored murder.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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DUKE #1 is a taut, tense espionage thriller that puts Duke on the run from a shadowy corporation and the government he served. Williamson crafts an excellent espionage story with layers of conspiracy and paranoia, and Reilly’s art is a perfect fit for Williamson’s script.
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