Review: Cobra Commander #1

Sometimes you give the people what they want, and they don’t even know it. The early reveal of Cobra-La and the involvement of direct continuity with its origins from the animated movie was something I did not have on my comic book bingo card. Sometimes you get a shot of something unpredictable and it works out so well. 

Nothing here should be a spoiler. Even in the Devil’s Due (with Image!) series Transformers vs. G.I. Joe, the continuity is the same as the original animated G.I. Joe movie, where Cobra Commander is from the hidden land of Cobra La, sent to form Cobra and manipulate world events. He is still infected by a toxin or spore, which deforms or devolves him partially into a snake.

This all aligns in the Energon Universe created by the masterminds of Skybound/Image Comics. We fast forward to how Cobra Commander rises through the ranks of Cobra La, all leading to the reveal of where his undeniably mysterious technology comes from. 

Megatron. 

Series writer Joshua Williamson with artists Andrea Milana and Annalisa Leoni present a perfectly laid out backstory and a glimpse into how the version of Cobra Commander within the Energon Universe rises to power. Not too dissimilar from the version we know in the current run of G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero (ARAH), which has just surpassed its 301st issue. While the origins may be the same as the animated cartoon, it appears this version takes a more methodical and sinister approach to grand-scale plans. Bloodier too. 

This isn’t the first time G.I. Joe and Transformers have crossed paths, but this version looks to be as intriguing as the run from Devil’s Due and Image Comics back from 2003 through 2007.

Before anyone asks, yes, the original crossover did take place when Marvel originally published both Transformers and G.I. Joe. This was set in its own continuity, and had very little crossover into either main series. A more concrete union took palace with the surprise ending of G.I. Joe #138, running four issues from 139 to 142, featuring the Generation 2 series of Transformers. 

The crossovers from IDW may have left longtime fans skeptical about another attempt. However the new foray into a larger world-spanning story begins with a more serious tone and darker ramifications for the future. 

Cobra Commander #1 is now available at your local comic book shop.