Written by Chuck Dixon
Illustrated by Alex Cal and Beni LobelThe Commander demands satisfaction! COBRA’s war on a helpless sovereign nation roars toward its conclusion. Snake Eyes is alone against the Red Ninjas led by Storm Shadow in the Temple of the Bells as weapons of mass destruction fall over Nanzhao. The Joes are in jeopardy at a border crossing against a squadron of B.A.T.s. Storm Shadow offers Snake Eyes a devil’s deal; the key to the heart of COBRA. Will the most dangerous Joe accept?
This is it! The one you’ve been waiting for! The scuffle that’s been building-up in the background of IDW’s latest G.I. Joe multi-part story arc, ‘Cobra Command’, for more than two months now.
Snake Eyes versus Storm Shadow. Sword brother against sword brother in the middle of a jungle combat zone.
Was it worth the wait? We’ll fill you in after the jump. WARNING: Spoilers ahead!
If you’ve seen the trailer for the upcoming G.I. Joe: Retaliation you know how hard the filmmakers are pushing the Snake Eyes/Jinx versus the red ninja clan on a mountainside brawl. Pretty much every theater and TV spot closes with Snake Eyes air-kicking that one unlucky red into a rock wall before cutting his tether line, as we watch the ninja fall to his death. Having viewed that trailer something like one hundred times now, I know there’s absolutely no way it will be as cool as I’m being led to believe, but nevertheless, I’m still looking forward to it.
I’m sure it’s no coincidence that Chuck Dixon and co. have orchestrated a similar showdown between Snake Eyes and a group of red ninjas and Storm Shadow in Cobra Command. The difference, though, is that I did expect to be blown away by this one, and while I wasn’t disappointed with how it worked out, calling it a fight is far from accurate.
Having seen the solicitations for the April 2012 G.I. Joe books, I already know that the Snake Eyes ongoing is undergoing a title change as it becomes Snake Eyes AND Storm Shadow. Context clues in place, I’d already kind of pieced together that this issue’s battle wouldn’t be the very last for either of these Arashikage tough guys. However, the absence of a fight — which is what happens, or doesn’t happen, rather — was a little bit of a shock, although looking back now, it really shouldn’t be.
Knowing what we know about these two guys and their storied pasts, having them “fight it out”, in retrospect, seems kind of pointless. What happens instead is far more inline with the classic versions of each character, which is always fun to see in the new IDW Joe-verse. Instead of crossing swords, Storm Shadow confidently lures Snake Eyes into his parlor, tests his mettle by aiming a handful of expendable red ninjas in his direction, before ultimately throwing himself at Snake Eyes’ mercy, appealing to his former clansman’s most honorable nature and asking for help in taking revenge on Cobra. No kidding, with this kind of beautiful plotting, I almost flipped to the issue’s credits page just to make sure Larry Hama hadn’t replaced Chuck Dixon for a quick fill-in.
While Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are renewing their vows, the rest of the Joe team is still under assault by a bunch of Cobra troops and B.A.T.s (Battle Android Troopers). Pulling out what I believe is a first for the Joes, Dixon has Scarlett call in some much-needed ordinance assistance from the Canadian navy, making for some pretty funny one-liners. And in another movie-inspired beat, we see Roadblock and Flint wrap their little team-up as they take a B.A.T. on their own. No small feat, considering it takes a full-on barrage of bunker busters to stop three B.A.T.s plaguing the rest of the Joes in this issue.
With only one chapter left in Cobra Command, it doesn’t look like G.I. Joe is going to get to claim this one as a win. Cobra’s gone from being an ultra-secretive, off the radar, “bogeyman” terrorist organization that only G.I. Joe believed in to being a massive, worldwide threat that demolished an entire nations’ infrastructure as something of a coming out party. With Cobra running roughshod over the Joe team, they’ve seen their resources depleted and their financial backing reduced by the boys in Washington. Now, as if all of that wasn’t enough, the team’s commando numero uno has joined forces with the enemy’s deadliest agent and they’ve both just disappeared. Things look bad for G.I. Joe all around, but the good news is, they’ve never looked better for us as fans. This is exciting stuff people, and if you’re not reading, you don’t know. And knowing’s… nah, too easy.
Final Verdict: 8.5 — Buy two — one for yourself and one for a frenemy.
