Chuck Dixon and Alex Cal continue the next chapter in the Cobra Command sage in G.I. Joe #10. The Joes discover that Cobra's long-term goal is not to occupy Nanzhao but to destroy it, but they are no closer to figuring out what Cobra's endgame really is.
STORY/WRITING
A solid, and bloody, chapter in the Cobra Command story as Cobra forces continue to decimate both the population and the agriculture of the Southeast Asian country of Nanzhao. Another action-packed, military-centric story, which is the type of storytelling that Dixon excels at. Throughout this story, we are getting teases of the main events yet to come: a direct confrontation of Joes versus Cobra forces, as well as a more personal Snake Eyes versus Storm Shadow. This issue brings the chess pieces one move closer.
CHARACTERS
While Dixon is great with gritty, militaristic stories, he doesn't always take the time for some of the characters to shine through. And when he does, he tends to focus on the same handful of characters: Scarlet, Duke, Snake Eyes, and Mainframe. It's bad enough that Scarlet will forever be written as being involved in a love-triangle with Snake Eyes and Duke, but now it's a love-quadrangle with Mainframe. At least this issue brings Mainframes unrequited love to a front, so hopefully this drawn-out plot point can be placed to rest and other characters can start being developed more fully.
ART
I've liked Cal's art since the start of this series, and I'm growing more fond of it with each issue. While he sometimes gives characters an exaggerated posture, especially during conversations, it lends a dynamic quality to the art that keeps it visually interesting. Some of the men's faces are a bit too similar (Flint and Hawk, most notably), but that may have as much to do with the uniform as Cal's style. Since the alternative would be to give each character their 80's style uniform like the Real American Hero series, I'm happy to muddle my way through with the modern, realistic camos.
INTANGIBLES
Who would have thought that Buzz Boars could have looked so cool and threatening? Kudos to you, Dixon and Cal. Well done.
VERDICT
Another solid chapter in an excellent storyline. Recommended.
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