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Codename: G.I. Joe Deluxe Edition Book One
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 22, 2025
This is the third energon universe book I’ve read, I’ve never read any G.I. Joe or watched anything related to it so this was a fresh look at the franchise for me and I really enjoyed this!
This seemingly introduces two teams, one led by Duke and the other by Cobra Commander. You don’t need to read any other energon universe book to enjoy this but it is definitely rooted in the universe and if you’ve read the other books there’s a lot of details relating to the transformers series here.
Overall I’m looking forward to reading more of this series but also I’m looking forward to how they’re planning on interconnecting all these stories!
This seemingly introduces two teams, one led by Duke and the other by Cobra Commander. You don’t need to read any other energon universe book to enjoy this but it is definitely rooted in the universe and if you’ve read the other books there’s a lot of details relating to the transformers series here.
Overall I’m looking forward to reading more of this series but also I’m looking forward to how they’re planning on interconnecting all these stories!
September 3, 2025
Of all the Energon Universe stuff, G.I. Joe was the property with which I had the least experience and least affinity. Fortunately, Joshua Williamson makes the entire experience a welcoming one for newcomers. This one springboards off of the early issues of Transformers and establishes a spy/action hero story to sit alongside giant robots and the space opera of Void Rivals.
A note on the deluxe editions: they're beautiful! Well bound, slightly oversized, and super-cool iridescent and shiny font on the front. For anyone like me with a good sized collected comic shelf, these books stand out. For me, I prefer to have about a year of stories all in one go, so I'll keep on with this format moving forward.
I'm intrigued to see where this all goes!
A note on the deluxe editions: they're beautiful! Well bound, slightly oversized, and super-cool iridescent and shiny font on the front. For anyone like me with a good sized collected comic shelf, these books stand out. For me, I prefer to have about a year of stories all in one go, so I'll keep on with this format moving forward.
I'm intrigued to see where this all goes!
July 26, 2025
"He said you're not blood like the rest of us."
September 5, 2025
This was a quick read, despite the page count, but enjoyable. A lot of action happens, and a lot of the new universe is laid out herein, surprisingly quickly. I read this after first reading the VOID RIVALS Deluxe Vol. 1, followed by the TRANSFORMERS Deluxe Vol. 1, and that is absolutely the correct reading order. I recommend doing so to others.
The characters are new and very different from what came before. For some reason, I'm having a bit of trouble with that. I think, despite growing up on the original 80s versions, I was fine with the IDW changes because they had been so long after the original (ignoring the Image version in the early 00s... or was it late 90s?), and they built slowly.
This run feels very recent after IDW, and I'm having a bit of trouble separating it. Sort of like thinking, "That's not how it happened..." now not in reference to the Marvel run, but in reference to IDW.
I do have to say that the art isn't completely to my taste, but that applied to Transformers, too. They're doing something different here, and I will stick with it, but I'm not quite fully on board yet.
That applies to the writing and storyline, too. I'm glad to see the semi-obscure stuff they're referencing, but I'm not sure that I like the new version of the canon. Much like with Transformers, there are also a lot of deaths that, to me, feel like they might be killing off characters with a lot of potential too early.
I'm here for the next volume, and we'll see.
The characters are new and very different from what came before. For some reason, I'm having a bit of trouble with that. I think, despite growing up on the original 80s versions, I was fine with the IDW changes because they had been so long after the original (ignoring the Image version in the early 00s... or was it late 90s?), and they built slowly.
This run feels very recent after IDW, and I'm having a bit of trouble separating it. Sort of like thinking, "That's not how it happened..." now not in reference to the Marvel run, but in reference to IDW.
I do have to say that the art isn't completely to my taste, but that applied to Transformers, too. They're doing something different here, and I will stick with it, but I'm not quite fully on board yet.
That applies to the writing and storyline, too. I'm glad to see the semi-obscure stuff they're referencing, but I'm not sure that I like the new version of the canon. Much like with Transformers, there are also a lot of deaths that, to me, feel like they might be killing off characters with a lot of potential too early.
I'm here for the next volume, and we'll see.
October 24, 2025
The Duke miniseries is exactly what I was hoping it'd be. Great action, strong art, and a fun reintroduction to Duke, Baroness, and some of the other Joes. Count me in if this is actually a preview of what the series might be...
Unfortunately, the Cobra Commander mini is fairly dreadful. Yes, it's based on IP intended for younger audiences and based on toys, but I was still hoping for something more... something darker and more sinister than some guy from a snake city or whatever.
Certainly a mixed bag.
Unfortunately, the Cobra Commander mini is fairly dreadful. Yes, it's based on IP intended for younger audiences and based on toys, but I was still hoping for something more... something darker and more sinister than some guy from a snake city or whatever.
Certainly a mixed bag.
October 30, 2025
I liked it, but it changed classic G. I. Joe in many ways. Specifically, I'm not a fan of this direction with The Baroness. It's too reminiscent of the 2009 movie. I look forward to see the three groups of the Energon Universe finally fully meeting and weaving their stories. I'm surprised how much I'm most interested in the Void Rivals leg over the characters of my childhood.
December 2, 2025
I have nothing but the highest affiliation with the IP, but this new take on the material rules. Love the Cobra Commander mini being just baddies fighting baddies.
November 12, 2025
I´ve never ever seen or read any G.I. Joe title in my whole life before this one.
This was a good introduction for our hero but an even better one for our villain(s)!
I got the second deluxe edition waiting to be read, diving into more backstorys of characters I can´t even remember the names of atm. I can´t remember the last time I had to familiarise myself with so many new characters. But it´s interesteing to see how they link up this title with the Image Transformers on going title.
The secong volumes will have to decide if I keep on with this title book.
This was a good introduction for our hero but an even better one for our villain(s)!
I got the second deluxe edition waiting to be read, diving into more backstorys of characters I can´t even remember the names of atm. I can´t remember the last time I had to familiarise myself with so many new characters. But it´s interesteing to see how they link up this title with the Image Transformers on going title.
The secong volumes will have to decide if I keep on with this title book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews