G.I. JOE #26 (SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT/IMAGE COMICS)
The Baroness is framed for the murder of Crystal Ball!
When she walked in on Zartan’s brutal killing of the illusionist, it exposed his disguise as General Hawk! Now, he’s got Night Force on the hunt for the rogue agent.
Duke and his team have intercepted their capture attempt. Patience isn’t going to be a virtue here!
G.I. Joe #26 by Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Lee Loughridge & Rus Wooten continues its’ “Night Force” storyline!
Let’s buckle in for the action!
G.I. Joe #26 by Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Lee Loughridge & Rus Wooten (Skybound/Image Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
WRITING:
Williamson gets right to business with this issue. Having both teams squaring off is a fan’s dream come true! Duke’s bold refusal to turn over the Baroness kickstarts the action. The writing stages each individual match-up differently to let the personas shine. It takes nothing away form the explosive mood following everyone during this meeting. The Baroness’ escape never misses on building its’ intensity from the jump. Even with small breaks, it never slows the momentum up.
Speaking of the breaks, Williamson throws two key points into to separate the action. Watching Zartan stage his next move brings back a fan-favorite. Their meeting is brooding with misleads as all signs lead to COBRA. Once here, the Commander’s latest project unlocks secrets bet left unsaid. It’s placed strongly enough pause the action before driving it home to finish. Readers watch as Duke’s past hits him in the present causes a startling reaction. As it plays out, the closing teases more surprises as this story has only just begun!
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW!
ART & LETTERING:
Reilly & Loughridge show the tempers flaring early and often in this issue. Duke and Flint’s exchange is anything but pleasant as neither backs down. This moves into the Baroness’s escape via full shot. A fantastic two page spread delivers on monster action as the chase begins. Panels segway back to more familiar territory as the match-ups begin. Stalker and Beach-Head’s calm talk is met with relaxed motion. The same can’t be said for Risk and his adversary. A multi panel grid spotlights the action while a vested party watches.
Readers witness Zartan’s next act slowly roll out. A full page makes a statement as he brings in a surprise guest. The half panel reveal sparks interest as another plot begins to unfold. COBRA’s time is significant as it unlocks something best left hidden. As events shift back to Duke, Wooten’s lettering brings terror out as the fight goes off the rails. Panels lock in on the sheer horror unfolding. It leads into a shocking finish as the last page throws everything off axis. Simply put: the art never misses here!
FINAL GRADE: 9.2
Night Force goes for the knockout but Duke never hears the bell in this action packed issue! Williamson delivers an exciting showdown with huge ramifications. Is anyone doing better action art than Tom Reilly and the team? Look at the high-octane panels on display here! There’s no better action series on the market right now than G.I. Joe!
Let us know your thoughts on G.I. Joe #26 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
