G.I. JOE #4, by Image Comics & Skybound on 2/19/25, brings Cobra Commander’s grand scheme one step closer to reality when Dr. Venom and his Brainwave Scanner are captured.
Credits:
- Writer: Joshua Williamson
- Artist: Tom Reilly
- Colorist: Jordie Belaire
- Letterer: Rus Wooton
- Cover Artist: Tom Reilly (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: February 19, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of G.I. JOE #4:
Recap:
When we last left the Joes in G.I. Joe #3, Clutch infiltrated the COBRA base disguised as a COBRA soldier and learned Cobra Commander was building a secret weapon. To complete the device, he needs the expertise of the nefarious scientist Dr. Archibald Monev, aka Doctor Venom. Unfortunately, Dr. Venom is under arrest and on his way to testify for a hearing. The issue ended with the Joes and COBRA forces converging on the transport carrying Dr. Venom.
Plot Analysis:
In G.I. Joe #4, Baroness (now working for the Joes in exchange for immunity), Risk, and Duke speed away from the wrecked transport on motorbikes, with Dr. Venom holding on for dear life. The Crimson Twins, Tomax and Xamot, join the fight, stopping the Joes in their tracks with advanced weapons. Rather than risk civilian lives, Duke and his team surrender themselves and Dr. Venom.
Elsewhere, Stalker and Cover try to turn back the cargo shipment that holds Dr. Venom’s Brainwave Scanner. The Scanner is headed for the hearings before Congress, but the Joes believe the risk is too high. Suddenly, the group is attacked by sniper fire from Astoria Carlton-Ritz and the Dreadnoks. The enemies take the Scanner and the Joes hostage, and Stalker’s previous wound re-opens during the fight.
Elsewhere, Mercer and Destro examine the body of the scientist who attacked Cobra Commander in the previous issue. They notice the spy looks human on the outside, but he’s a blue-skinned reptilian underneath. Clutch sneaks into the lab to overhear the exam results. That’s when he hears the word “Energon” for the first time.
The examination of the Cobra-La double agent is interrupted when Destro and Mercer receive a summons from Cobra Commander to head to M.A.R.S. Industries. When they arrive, Detro protests the unauthorized use of his facilities. The issue ends with Destro changing his tune when Cobra Commander explains what his secret weapon is supposed to do and the perfect guinea pigs they have to test it.
First Impressions:
Not bad. Not bad at all. Joshua Williamson moves the series closer to Real American Hero in terms of grittiness and complexity, but as with the criticisms of the previous issues, the art is the biggest letdown.
Artwork and Presentation:
Tom Reilly delivers an action-packed issue with characters racing, shooting, and running at a breakneck pace. Coupled with Williamson’s above-average script, Reilly’s work sells the story.
Unfortunately, the art is this issue’s low point due to Jordie Bellaire’s ugly coloring. To put it bluntly, what on Earth is Bellaire smoking!? The palette selection is muddy (literally and figuratively), and Bellaire’s color application is a mess. For example, there’s a scene where two Joes are reacting to Stalker’s injury, but you can’t tell what’s happening in the panel because the “blood” looks like a shadow that blends in with the rest of the shadows. You know it’s bad when the coloring actively disrupts the story.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
The highlight of G.I. Joe #4 is Williamson’s plot movement and all-around energy. It feels like things are happening, potentially big things, so the series has taken on greater momentum compared to the first few issues.
The Negatives:
By far, Jordie Bellaire’s muddy, ugly coloring is the major failing of this issue. When the coloring is so off that it disrupts what you’re seeing on the page, somebody at Skybound needs to give Bellaire a talking-to.
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
The question we receive most about the interconnected Energon universe is the timing of the strongly hinted-at crossover. This issue brings readers one step closer with the first scene that makes G.I. Joe aware of the existence of Energon. No formal crossover dates have been announced, but the titles are moving in that direction.
Final Thoughts:
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G.I. JOE #4 is a fairly solid entry in the series, cobbling together an engaging mix of gritty action, plenty of plot movement, and the reveal of Cobra Commander’s master plan. Joshua Williamson’s script largely hits all the right notes for a Joe series that gets closer to its superior counterpart, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, while throwing in a few Transformers tidbits to give the story a unique twist. Sadly, the biggest failing of this issue is, again, the art.
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