Skybound's meticulous reintroduction of G.I. Joe IP into the Energon Universe reaches its culmination with Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly's electrifying debut issue. Building upon the foundations laid by recent miniseries Duke, Cobra Commander, Scarlett, and Destro, G.I. Joe #1 masterfully weaves together plot threads that have been expertly laid out on the chessboard over the past year, propelling the franchise forward with exciting momentum.

Williamson establishes Duke as the leader he was destined to become, showcasing growth from his titular miniseries and a new sense of hesitation when faced with the daunting reality of leading a team against Cobra Commander’s formidable alliance of villains. The lineup of his newly formed team is revealed, boasting an intriguing mix of fan favorite characters and the inclusion of someone longtime G.I. Joe fans wouldn’t expect to be working with the good guys. Duke's doubts about their readiness to face Cobra's threat create an immediate sense of tension for what’s in store for this team when they taste battle. Williamson's writing shines, conveying the weight of responsibility on Duke's shoulders and the new threat posed by Cobra.And boy is Cobra looking like a formidable foe! We see just how far he and Destro have advanced in their mastery of Energon. This new reality establishes extremely high stakes for Duke’s mission and the series as a whole.

Overall, the issue is very well paced, building momentum that crescendos with a climactic first skirmish between the two sides. Williamson even adds references to what's been happening in the shared Energon Universe with nods to recent events in the Transformers series. He nailed every job he had to do with this first issue and then some.

I’m so glad to have Tom Reilly back for another Joe book. I loved what he brought to the Duke mini and he didn’t disappoint. His distinct character designs prevent the large cast from blending together and his dynamic action sequences are equally impressive, injecting even more energy into the narrative. Jordie Bellaire's colors complement Reilly's art, adding depth and atmosphere to the visuals. Some of the more experimental color choices are reminiscent of Bellaire’s recent work on DC's Birds of Prey series, which made the book feel a bit less special in some regards. However, the creative duo, combined with Rus Wooton’s lettering, give us a very visually pleasing reading experience from start to finish.

G.I. Joe #1 is a resounding success, delivering on its promise to unite the disparate plot threads from previous miniseries. Williamson's character-driven writing and the captivating art make this issue a must-read. With nods to other Energon Universe titles, this debut sets the stage for an explosive, action-packed ride. The stakes are higher than ever before, the creative team's enthusiasm is infectious, and the sky appears to be the limit in terms of who may show up down the road. Hop on now before you’re left behind! more

Man, the energon universe is really, really good. If you are thinking about picking this up... Do it. It is fantastic. If you were a fan of the cartoon you will absolutely love this book. It's a good start to a story, and it'll be really cool to see when GI Joe and Cobra really go at it! The way they are introducing everything is briliant in my opinion. I really like the art as well. This is a fast read, that I'll probably read again. more

As a stand alone comic it worked superbly well with outstanding homages to the decades that have made Batman the greatest hero of them all. When book ended by issue 1 and what looks a very tempting issue 3 spoiler at the end , then I would say this is the Batman I want going forward. This is how Bruce , Selina with Gordon could really be the next incarnation of the world's greatest detective.......Simply outstanding.........Jonn more

Snyder & Dragotta are Killing It!!! I really like the story. I like how new it feels, but also feels like Batman. The story is sound, and it feels like a Batman story. As I'm reading this, all I can see in my head is Alan Ritchman as Batman in this. Let's talk about the fantastic art as well. It works so well! I'll be going over this in my podcast, Lunchbreak Reviews," and probably talk about as much as I can. more

Nice art, continuation of a cynical trend I hate. Mainly taking morally good characters and deconstructing them to make them “human.” By That I mean taking good guys and making them creeps. Thomas Wayne has gone from a good man who became a doctor instead of sitting on his trust fund to a guy who cheats on his wife while ignoring her because he cares too much about his career.

Leslie Thompkins tells Bruce dad did cheat and could have fathered a child. Bruce’s advisor says give up half his fortune and have”bro” sign an NDA. Why? To save his dead dad’s reputation? To avoid a scandal? Bruce has been in so many scandals, what is one more? Plan makes no sense. Wouldn’t be surprised if advisor is in on the plot.

The mayor is dead, and people ask who would kill him? Given his huge number of failures that have resulted in the deaths of thousands is anybody surprised at this?

Also, the public hates Bruce Wayne and Wayne Enterprises? Really?

Are writers so cynical that they can’t conceive of good people. In War Games, they made Leslie a killer. I think it’s been retconned, but such a cynical move. This issue has Bats lashing out in anger. So he’s a bottled keg waiting to explode instead of a man in control. There’s a new head of Court of Owls? That group has gone from a legend no knew existed to a group all know are real. Just take them down with a forensic accountant.

The Riddler is meeting with people, and Bats knows and confronted them. Gives the usual warning about watching them while actually having no evidence and letting their plan unfold and not actually stopping anything. Not a good story.

Or I could be wrong. more

this was a good issue, I really like how Batman actually uses detective work and uses a microscope and analyzes everything in the human body. It's so nice seeing Batman being mroe grounded and use his big old detective brain to solve mystery instead of fighting a robot in the multiverse. We need a more grounded take on Batman, and I like how Zdarsky puts in politics in an organic way.

this issue builds well on the previous one. it's good to see Batman actually doing some detective work again. there's a lot of different threads and is fascinating to see how they are gradually been woven together. I'm looking forward to seeing what the outcome is. I have to say that the ending was a bit confusing. I still don't understand what was going on

I love a great Mystery for Batman to solve. This one here is pretty good, as there are several that Batman needs to figure out. Who killed the Mayor? Who is Commander Star? What does Edward Nygma & the Court of Owls have to do with it? i really enjoy Chip's Batman, and I've been a fan of Jorge Jimenez's are for a long time now. If I have to give some critisim on this one, is I felt it ran long, and found myself going back to read the page prior a few times, but that is it. Batman seldomly dissapoints, but I'm looking forward to the next issue, what more could I want. more

First off, Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval did not dissapoint. This is a great new take on the mythos of Superman. I think this is a perfect time to release something like this. I felt that this is the Superman that I have wanted to get behind for a long time now. There was enough of the Man of Steel that we have grown accustom too, but there are so many more layers as well. Don't even get me started on the Art! The art was so fantastic. and the Lois Lane reveal was wonderful as well. I can't wait to keep reading this! more

As much as I loved the Williamson run, we all knew that he would be handleing Ollie over as soon as he could find someone worthy of running this title. This is one of those books that you just got to read and enjoy. The aftermath of Absolute Power is something I am very interested in. You really get a look inside Olivers head in this issue. I am a big fan of the conversation that he has with Bats. This issue ended the way a new start for Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow should with an amazing splash page, that I want tattooed, and Ollie saying, "...I"m coming for you." I can't wait to see where this will go! more

A masterful transition for the character that takes him from his recent multiverse-traveling, time-traveling, reincarnated superheroing self back to a street-level, social justice crusader operating in the shadows, possibly like we saw in the Mike Grell days. The character, and the book, are in good hands. This is the most excited I’ve been for the character in 35 years!

This was a subtle reminder that this is turning the page with a new creative team. I was a fan of Tom Taylor, but found myself really enjoying Dan Watters go around. I'm looking forward to where this story is going to go. The dialog felt witty just like I love from my Dick Grayson. The banter between him and Oracle was great! I would continue to collect Nightwing anyway, but this issue was great enough for me to sign up on comic book round up, write my first review, make a tiktok about the book, and upload it to my podcast! Tom Taylor couldn't do that! more