A darker, more espionage-based title, G.I Joe Cobra #15 focuses on the more stealthy and less flashy aspects of the G.I Joe franchise, offering something more interesting in the process.

The official description from IDW:

The lies and betrayals keep adding up, as Flint struggles to maintain his honor amidst his team of scoundrels and backstabbers. And is the information that Tomax has been supplying really on the level? Of course not… but what game is he playing?

As the title suggests, G.I Joe Cobra focuses heavily in the rivalry between Cobra and the Joe’s.  However, this title demonstrates this through the more sinister nature and subterfuge  of the franchise. There aren’t any flashy combat sequences. Its a very modern approach to G. I Joe, offering an updated aspect.

For instance, the plot makes use of various limitations of a modern world. The Joe’s don’t just fly in with an army of aircraft. The title shows the Joe’s with a limited range of resources, and this actually makes the G.I Joe Cobra #15 much more thrilling. Whilst the traditional, guns blazing approach has its own charm, by limiting the characters options, both the world and plot itself becomes much more grounded.

As for how the title looks, the artwork certainly does its best to suit the theme. The strong use of shade and shadows works well. However, some might find the definition a little loose, the line art not properly defining the characters. Its not difficult to tell who’s who, but that’s mainly through a strong use of clothes and coloring than any actual detail.

Besides this, the use of colour itself actually lends itself well here. G.I Joe Cobra #15 switches between the light, cool blue hues of various computer screens and covert operations centers, and the warm, subtle oranges of the outdoor scenes. It gives a strong vibe to the title that suits the tension, although the strong use of orange makes every panel appear as if its set in a warm sunny afternoon.

Still, at its heart, this is a tale of G.I Joe vs Cobra. Whilst it is certainly interesting, it can often feel like an never ending dance; the basic premise has been told in various titles and plot lines. The title certainly makes it engaging where it can, but it might need to pull some stronger punches to get the message across.

3.5/5