G.I. JOE #21 (IMAGE COMICS/SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT)

It has been a minute since fans saw one Shana O’Hare grace the Energon Universe.

Last time readers saw Scarlett, she was going on a mission to find Jinx. This led to her involvement with The Arashikage. It also brought one of the most notorious characters of G.I. Joe lore into the EU. His name is STORM SHADOW!

G.I. Joe #21 by Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Lee Loughridge & Rus Wooten sees COBRA looking to pick a fight with the wrong trio of fighters.

Let’s take a longer look at what this issue is bringing!

G.I. Joe #21 by Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Lee Loughridge & Rus Wooten ( IMAGE Comics/Skybound)

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Williamson does a perfect homage to the classic “Silent Interludes” issue from 1983. Much like that Marvel Comics’ #21, this issue has virtually no dialogue. Its’ structure is very straight forward. Snow Job has orders to bring Scarlett back from her undercover assignment. All the while, Cobra Commander is making plans of his own for Scarlett’s current place of residence. This leads into a beautifully violent scenario. Luckily for this series, bringing this heavy action to life lays into the art team’s strengths.

The breakout character in this moment is Storm Shadow. If anyone had questions how he would fit in the Energon Universe, Williamson allows him to spread his wings and soar. There’s a great deal of brutality when he swings his sword. More defiantly, his lunging at Cobra Commander with lasers shooting at him is a moment. His fearlessness shows no limits. It leads to a standstill in combat. The fallout is not without great cost. Fans will be clamoring for this to be ran back!

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Reilly is Back with Loughridge for this special occasion. Scarlett’s begging of Jinx to leave with her is a strong visual. It’s overtaken by an excellent two page spread of Cobra’s arrival. This results in lighting the match for an absolutely explosive confrontation. Commander and company get a half panel image to welcome them into the story. Using smaller panels (like a 9 grid set-up) allows Reilly to tear loose on the visuals. Storm Shadow’s strikes are equally as intense as his eyes staring at its’ next target. This walks readers into the climactic point of the issue.

Another fantastic two page spread unleashes the deadly ninja into a frenzy of blood and pain. There’s not a chance readers will be calm during this sequence of events. It leads into a tense confrontation with the lead opposition. Pacing speeds events up to a great fever pitch. The resolution hits fast but does it’s intended duty. This spins into a more calm but dramatic fallout. Panels lock in on the emotional tolls taken. Events are capped off with very engaging closing panels. There’s no doubt this match-up is now far from over.

FINAL GRADE: 9.5

Cobra Commander's assault on The Arashikage leads into a phenomenal story that actions speak louder than words. Williamson orchestrates a direct and unapologetic melee to remember. Reilly & Loughridge deliver on high-octane combat with every panel. There’s never a shortage of excitement with this series!

Let us know your thoughts on G.I. Joe #21 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!