G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO – DUKE – Review

G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO – DUKE, by Image Comics & Skybound on 4/30/25, finds Duke infiltrating a secret research island under COBRA control to avenge an old friend’s loss.

Credits:

• Writer: Wes Craig
• Artist: Wes Craig
• Colorist: Jason Wordie
• Cover Artist: Wes Craig, Jason Wordie
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: April 30, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 32
• Format: Silent Issue, One-Shot

Covers:

Analysis of G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO – DUKE:

Plot Analysis:

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Duke begins with the titular hero coming ashore on an island in the dead of name, using a small drone to eliminate guards on the beach to clear the way. As Duke ventures deeper into the jungle, he runs afoul of Crimson Guard patrols, but he takes them out with guile and expert skills. Duke then encounters an advanced Crimson Guard with sharpened teeth and bladed gauntlets. Duke “kills” the enemy by shoving a knife into his eye.

Later, Duke infiltrates his target – a COBRA chemical factory. He sets a timebomb and flees, but before he can escape, he’s ambushed by the Crimson Guardsman he thought he killed. During the fight, the enemy is tossed into a vat of chemicals. Duke barely makes it outside to avoid the explosion. Duke is thrown forward during the blast and has some type of PTSD episode, prompting him to inject himself with… something.

Duke spots a nearby trailer. When he enters, he finds news clipping about people dying in a chemical weapons test, including a former military comrade. The scientist jumps Duke from behind a door. Duke fends off and defeats the scientist. The issue ends with Duke copying COBRA data from the scientist’s laptop before fleeing the island.

First Impressions:

I was with Wes Craig’s silent issue right up to the exploding chemical factory. After that point, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Duke falls apart. Silent issues are tricky, and this issue shows you what happens when a creator doesn’t get it completely right.

Artwork and Presentation:

Wes Craig, who pulls double-duty as writer and artist, does a bang-up job crafting an action-packed story that brings the reader along on a silent adventure. Duke’s intentions and actions are made clear (until the last act), so you’re going to love the visuals in this issue.

Art Samples:

Story Positives & Negatives:

The Positives:

If you’re a G.I. Joe fan, and better yet, a Duke fan, this issue shows the perennial Duke team leader showing why he has the respect of his peers. Duke shoots, punches, kicks, stabs, and explodes his way through every obstacle, even when he takes a few licks in the process. If the goal of this issue was to elevate Duke’s cred, mission accomplished.

The Negatives:

If you’re a G.I. Joe fan, and better yet, a Duke fan, this issue shows the perennial Duke team leader showing why he has the respect of his peers. Duke shoots, punches, kicks, stabs, and explodes his way through every obstacle, even when he takes a few licks in the process. If the goal of this issue was to elevate Duke’s cred, mission accomplished.

Big Picture:

Series Continuity:

If you’ve been enjoying this silent-issue series from Skybound, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Duke is the last of the bunch. If you’re interested in more silent issues, let your LCS know.

Final Thoughts:

(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)

G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO – DUKE sends the titular Joe on a one-man search and destroy mission to take out a COBRA chemical weapons factory. Wes Craig’s art and script give you plenty of gritty, hard-hitting action to elevate Duke’s cred, but the difficulty of a silent issue rears its ugly head in a last act that’s hard to follow.

---

---

---

As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.