Publisher: Image Comics (Skybound Imprint)
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Tom Reilly
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Release Date: 31st January 2024

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After a really strong opening issue which introduced us to the Energon Universe version of Conrad S. Hauser, Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly’s Duke is back again this week as our Real American Hero continues his efforts to uncover the truth about the mysterious giant shape-changing robots, one of whom brutally killed his close friend right before his eyes in the pages of Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers #2.

This issue sees Hauser seeking assistance from old friend Lance Steinberg (aka “Clutch”) as they dig a little deeper into the mystery which has left Duke squarely in the crosshairs of both the ultra-shady M.A.R.S. Industries (and their mysterious chrome-domed boss) and the United States Military. This results in elite soldiers Craig “Rock ‘N Roll” McConnel and Lonzo “Stalker” Wilkinson being called into action to track Duke down, leading to all sorts of vehicle and bullet-filled carnage. Go Joe!

As someone who has only a passing knowledge of the G.I. Joe comic universe, I’m definitely a fan of series writer Joshua Williamson’s slow-burning approach here. Taking his time to introduce all the pieces and gradually slot them together makes the whole universe feel a lot more accessible, and while I think I’ve only really recognised three of the characters from the cartoons of my childhood so far, I’m already feeling fully immersed in both this storyline and the Energon Universe as a whole.

Tom Reilly’s artwork is the perfect fit for this series with its slightly stylised but impressively realistic approach.  Similar in style to the likes of, say, David Aja or Mitch Gerads, but boasting Reilly’s own impressive flair the dramatic, particularly during the aforementioned action sequences when the bullets start flying. It’s a visually interesting book that manages to hold the attention even during the dialogue-heavy sections, and colourist Jordie Bellaire does her fair share of the heavy lifting with a smooth, evocative palette that perfectly illustrates the switch between different locations.

The final pages see our heroes-slash-fugitives being captured, which seems like the only logical conclusion given the expertise and resources being aimed at them. However, the final page throws an interesting new wrinkle into the proceedings with an unexpected addition to the story (unless of course you’ve checked out any of Skybound’s preview and hype material for the series.) As I mentioned above, I’m well and truly invested in this new story, and the Energon Universe as a whole, and can’t wait to see what comes next.

Rating: 4/5.

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[PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]

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The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
Article Archive: Ceej Says
You can follow Ceej on Twitter

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