Finally! After 37 issues, including the preliminary minis, one of the most popular Joes makes his first appearance in the Energon Universe. That’s right… Dee-Jay is here!
:: checks notes ::
Oh, wait. I meant Roadblock.
That makes a lot more sense.
Wait, he doesn’t talk in rhyme? And he’s not being recruited to the main Joe team, but rather to Night Force?
… the heck?
Like the Movie “Chef,” but with More Gunplay
Taking a little bit of a breather after the “Dreadnok War” arc, we pay a visit to Biloxi, Mississippi. Here, the proprietor of the food truck Marvin’s Melts, one Marvin "Roadblock” Hinton, gets a pair of unwanted guests—Xamot and Tomax. Apparently, the twins have sent reps to Marvin multiple times, whom he has emphatically rebuffed in multiple ways. Now they’ve come in person, with an offer: they want Marvin to be the face of their own brand of food trucks, Red Rockets. He, of course, tells them “no,” letting them know that he’s aware the food trucks are merely a recruiting tool for their “little cult,” meaning Cobra. And he ain’t about that.
Having expected they’d be turned down, the twins depart, and mere moments later, a Cobra Stinger appears, carrying a squadron of Crimson Vipers. They immediately open fire, even though the area is filled with people enjoying a meal. This does not sit well with Marvin, so he sets out to “rebuff” these messengers as well.
After a really fun action scene, the twins and their Vipers are sent on their way, having received the message of Marvin’s very emphatic “no” response to their offer. In the aftermath of the battle, he finds that some “friends” of his have come to help clean up after the battle—Flint and the other members of Night Force.
Meanwhile, at Cobra headquarters in Springfield, Cobra Commander and Destro are playing a little game of “you don’t know that I know what you think I don’t know,” that’s not going to end badly for anyone at all…
How Can I Help You Have a Cheesy Day?
This was just fun. After all the heavy character work and wall-to-wall action of the previous arc, this was the perfect way to reset before the you-know-what hits the fan back at the Pit. We needed something a little lighter and breezier before we delve into Duke’s hurt and rage at Clutch keeping one of “the robots” secretly among them. Plus, as I said before, Roadblock is one of the most beloved Joes, so it’s great to see him in whatever context. I am a little sad that he doesn’t talk in rhyme anymore, though.
Most of the issue is again a big fight scene, but it’s a very different type of one than the Dreadnok battles. Roadblock is a larger-than-life figure, and pulls off some feats of strength that leave Xamot and Tomax with their jaws on the floor. And so we don’t feel like the whole issue is just a fun throwaway, the last few pages showcase just how dangerous this version of Cobra is—even more so now that their leaders are actively scheming against each other, with no care for who gets caught up in their wake. The Cobra Commander and Destro of the old cartoon series are not these two.
Line Cooks
The increasingly-busy Joshua Williamson is once again the man with the plan, and Marco Fodera is the one who brings it to life this month. Fodera’s style is similar to that of regular artist Tom Reilly, while still having a look of his own. Maybe it’s because of his hulking rendition of Roadblock, but his art reminds me of Sanford Greene of “Bitter Root” fame. He’s got that cartoony kind of look that counterbalances the violence of the book, but everything is still detailed and grounded, if that makes sense. Either way, if I’m being honest, I like his work a little bit more than Reilly’s. Part of that might be because of Lee Loughridge’s colors—although they’re still not “traditional” comic colors, they’re not anywhere as retro alternative as Jordie Bellaire’s colors usually are. It’s just all more cohesive for me than the regular art team, which is not a slight on them; it’s just a testament to how good this “fill-in” team is. I hope they use them again.
As for Williamson and his writing, it’s impressive that even when he keeps adding more books to his workload, his quality remains pretty consistent. There’s nothing to say about his work that I haven’t said multiple times before; everyone has their own voice, and the pacing is brisk without speed running through ideas. It’s obvious he’s got a ton of plans for this book and is in it for the long haul, which is fine by me.
Put It in a Doggie Bag
G.I. Joe has, after a rocky second arc, settled into a nice groove as a book that is very consistent from month to month, even when parts of the creative team change. There’s nothing quite like a fun done-in-one palette cleanser story after a big arc, and that’s just what G.I. Joe #18 gives us. Roadblock is a great character, and the food truck is a terrific way to bring his culinary background into play in the modern day. The hints of a darker side to his character make him an interesting addition to the almost-complete Night Force team. It will be interesting to see what they’re up to next—I’m assuming in the “breather” issue after the next arc.
Now that we’ve had a chance to catch our breath and have a laugh or two, it’s time to get serious again with Duke’s impending crashout. I’m excited and anxious to see where the book goes next, and am still waiting for the Arashikage ninja plots from the Scarlett miniseries to come into play somehow, but if Williamson and company can keep putting out books like this each time, I’ll keep coming back for more. The old Larry Hama-written Marvel comics are still the high-water mark for G.I. Joe comics, but given enough time, this book could give those a run for their money.