WARNING! Spoilers ahead for G.I. Joe #1

Thanks to the Energon Universe, the worlds of Transformers have never been more closely tied together. The freshly-released G.I. Joe #1 furthers those connections in the story’s portrayal of Cobra Commander, who seems to be undergoing a transformation of his own. In fact, G.I. Joe’s ultimate villain just might become a Transformer in his own right.

G.I. Joe #1 – written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Tom Reilly – features the Cobra organization united after the alliance between Cobra Commander and Destro. Readers get a glimpse of the Commander without his mask in the issue, where the villain is also depicted tweaking his cybernetic hand with a screwdriver.

Previously, in his own miniseries, Cobra Commander made use of his Transformers-based weaponry in his fight with the formidable Nemesis Enforcer. The insect-like Transformers formed around his hand to give Cobra Commander an Iron Man-like gauntlet to shoot devastating blasts of energy.

Cobra Commander’s Transformation Is A Product Of Shared Continuity Between G.I. Joe And Transformers

G.I. Joe #1 – Written By Joshua Williamson; Art By Tom Reilly; Color By Jordie Bellaire; Lettering By Rus Wooton

Judging from the brief glimpse Commander’s origins in the hidden society of Cobra-La, Cobra Commander may actually wind up being the “missing link” between the technological and organic in the Energon Universe.

Cobra Commander’s obsession with Energon and Cybertronian tech would appear to stem from Megatron’s imprisonment by Cobra-La. The Commander spent years studying the captive Decepticon, using his findings to develop weapons of his own. Cobra-La’s supreme leader Lord Golobulus sent the Commander out into the world to find more of the rare power source known as Energon, but the future leader of Cobra had other ideas. Upon finding a store of Energon controlled by the Dreadnok biker gang in Louisiana, Cobra Commander decided to strike out on his own, forming his own army under the banner of Cobra and leaving the secret society of snake men behind.

Cobra Commander Is Quickly Becoming The Character That Embodies Both Sides Of The G.I. Joe/Transformers Universe

A Techno-Organic Reinvention Of A Classic Villain For A New Era

Cobra Commander’s cybernetic hand proved to be quite deadly, as the villain previously used it to dispatch Nemesis Enforcer, the bodyguard assigned by Cobra-La to watch over the Commander. His insect-like Transformers-based weaponry proved to be effective against his enemies throughout his previous, self-titled miniseries, but the Iron Man-like gauntlet was an even more formidable upgrade. Cobra Commander was also the recipient of some techno-organic process courtesy of Cobra-La, where he was infused with some manner of powerful venom from a multi-headed snake.

This coming war between the organic and the technological seems to be a crucial storyline for the Energon Universe moving forward from here, and Cobra Commander could be the centerpiece of the entire conflict.

The page that introduces Cobra Commander in G.I. Joe #1 features both his cybernetic hand and the mutant snake of Cobra-La, seemingly hinting that both sides of the Commander’s persona will play a huge role in stories to come. crucial storyline for the Energon Universe moving forward from here, and Cobra Commander could be the centerpiece of the entire conflict.

The Commander Will Have A Crucial Role To Play In The Coming Cobra-La Vs. Cybertron Conflict

G.I. Joe #2 – Releases December 18, 2024 From Skybound Entertainment

Readers also must not forget the looming threat of Megatron, who escaped from his imprisonment following a brutal battle with Golobulus in last summer’s Energon Universe Special. Megatron has yet to make another appearance in the present day, apparently biding his time to heal while Soundwave rules the Decepticons in his stead. Fans have to assume that Megatron will be looking for revenge on his former tormentor Cobra Commander, but perhaps Skybound has other plans for the two Big Bads of the Energon Universe: Cobra Commander and Megatron both have a mutual enemy in Cobra-La, so perhaps a team-up isn’t out of the question.

Cobra Commander giving away more of his body to Transformers tech could be a grim foreshadowing of Energon Universe storylines, as the techno/organic war looks to be the defining conflict of the new continuity.

However things turn out, Skybound and the various creative teams working on each book are certainly building up to some major events to come in the Energon Universe. Cobra Commander giving away more of his body to Transformers tech could be a grim foreshadowing of Energon Universe storylines, as the techno/organic war looks to be the defining conflict of the new continuity. Whether or not Cobra Commander becomes a Transformer in the Energon Universe, Skybound’s shared G.I. Joe/Transformers continuity remains the most exciting line in comics today.

G.I. Joe #1 is available now from Skybound Entertainment.

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  G.I. Joe

  Created by

  Donald Levine

  First Film

  G.I. Joe: The Movie

  Latest Film

  Snake Eyes

  First TV Show

  G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

  Latest TV Show

  G.I. Joe Renegades

  First Episode Air Date

  September 12, 1983

  G.I. Joe is a long-running franchise centered around a line of action figures produced by Hasbro, which has expanded into a wide array of media including comic books, animated series, and films. The franchise is known for its depiction of an elite military unit, G.I. Joe, fighting against the terrorist organization Cobra. Over the decades, G.I. Joe has become a significant cultural icon, particularly in the United States, with its slogan "A Real American Hero."

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  Transformers (2023)

  Writer

  Daniel Warren Johnson

  Penciler

  Daniel Warren Johnson

  Colorist

  Mike Spicer

  Letterer

  Rus Wooton

  Publisher(s)

  Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment

  Optimus Prime was supposed to have led the Autobots to victory. Instead, the fate of Cybertron is unknown, and his allies have crash-landed far from home, alongside their enemies—the Decepticons. As these titanic forces renew their war on Earth, one thing is immediately clear: the planet will never be the same. New alliances are struck. Battle lines are redrawn. And humanity’s only hope of survival is Optimus Prime.

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