Megatron...Prisoner of Cobra-La! Cobra Commander #1 (Energon Universe Discussion) | Skybound Comics

Skybound & Image Comics follow up on the revelation from Transformers #4 that Megatron is on Earth by introducing iconic G.I. Joe antagonist, Cobra Commander in his own mini series set in the Energon Universe! The nostalgia goes into overdrive as we witness the backstory of of the masked man bent on world domination and learn the nature of his plans for world domination - all he needs is a little energon, and a lot of luck...
Subscribe here for more: www.youtube.com/@Moonbase3?su...
Cobra Commander #1 (Skybound / Image Comics)
Published 1/17/2024
Joshua Williamson - Writer
Andrea Milana - Artist
Annalisa Leoni - Colorist
Rus Wooton - Letterer
Sean Mackiewicz & Jonathan Manning - Editors
Andrez Jaurez - Logo & Publication Design

[@woundedzilla1517]

All hail Megatron.

[@williamwilkinson6665]

@woundedzilla1517....it's only logical for Shockwave to be Decepticon leader...

[@chheinrich8486]

Cobra-la! Well that was nice surprise, not every cobra commander can be a disgrutaled cars sales man😂

[@Moonbase3]

🤣 Yeah, as much as I love the car salesman angle, Cobra-La is going to be a better fit for the Energon Universe, I think.

[@jaws848]

Ever heard of "Baron Ironblood"?​@@Moonbase3

[@ninjaconsultantsixshot]

I really like the use of Cobra-La. I think it helps differentiate the Energon Universe from what Hama is doing.

[@Moonbase3]

100% agree. From what I understand, Cobra-La is where Hama drew the line back in the day.

[@deniseg9210]

I know Cobra-La isn’t exactly popular among the fandom of GI Joe but if the writers of these comics are able to do it in a way that’s intriguing and really make it work then I think people should give it a chance.

[@Moonbase3]

Totally agree! So far, so good!

[@deniseg9210]

@@Moonbase3 yeah I look forward to when all these stories in the Energon Universe (Void Rivals,Transformers,and Gi Joe) really come together.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, I'm really excited to see some crossover events!

[@deniseg9210]

@@Moonbase3 yeah. Maybe it'll end with everyone coming together to defeat Unicron?

[@Moonbase3]

That could be cool! Although, I could see some of the evil factions from each title joining up with Unicron, too. At least, initially.

[@bloodysimile4893]

When ever I hear Corba-la, I think, "Duke has gone into a coma."

[@voxnewman]

The hat the Commander wears and the inclusion of Megatron makes me think of the G1 episode that took place in a post-apocalyptic future in which Cobra Commander showed up in.

[@Moonbase3]

Are you thinking of "Only Human?" He appeared there in a similar get up as this issue.

[@voxnewman]

@@Moonbase3 yes

[@Moonbase3]

That's a good one!

[@voxnewman]

@@Moonbase3 it's the one I constantly thought about as a kid

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

Oh my, the Energon universe is really showing their universe is going to be completely unique. Cobra-La is often ignored because it wasn’t that popular amongst creators (Larry Hama flat out refused to add them in the Marvel comic).

[@Moonbase3]

I thought I'd seen that anecdote about Hama before. I also read somewhere that Buzz Dixon used the name Cobra-La as a jokey placeholder for a better name, but Hasbro loved it so much that it stuck.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

@@Moonbase3 Yeah the concept of Cobra-La is that it meant to be an evil version of the mythical Shangri-La. Reminds in the Halo game series one of the name characters named Arbitur. When making the 2nd game he had a working title that used an Islamic term, but it never going to be his real name because they didn’t want any more real world parallels.

[@Moonbase3]

Interesting! I never played much Halo as I never had an Xbox until much later when I got a heavily discounted 360 after the Xbox One was out. Would like to get around to that series someday.

[@mcpics4448]

I was really not expecting Cobra-La of all things to get adapted considering how the franchise as a whole tends to avoid them. But here we are. Though, I kinda like this take on how they're a part of Cobra Commander's background. Having him be a human who was taken into their society and got disfigured in an accident there feels like combining the best parts of that origin and his original more well known human one. I guess I do prefer it when G.I. Joes don't hold themselves to "realism" if I'm honest. That clever subversion where they trick us into thinking that one Cobra-La scientist who kept screaming "retreat" is Cobra Commander before the actual (and very human) one shows up and shoots him was pretty good! I think I'm gonna enjoy this writing, it feels like it actually enjoys the source material and how to experiment with it. And as people figured it turn out that Megatron had been found and stored by Cobra and pulling the whole “Megatron being captive and used for research” trope! Though Cobra as an organisation does not yet exist, so it's kinda exciting that we're apparently going to see the gradual forming of G.I. Joe and Cobra in this continuity. Also wondering if they taking some of the G2 and Devil Due G.I. Joes/Transformers approach as in G2 Megatron famous tank mode was because of Cobra repairs to him, as for the other, Cobra La having ties with Unicron in the last devil due crossover where they team up so I wonder if they’ll do something similar there as well. I like the shout out to the "Old Snake" look with Cobra Commander's hat and coat. Heck, I like all of this so far! I'm confident to say this is better than the IDW’s G.I. Joe. Image will deliver a better, more fun take on G.I. Joe.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, Skybound is nailing it so far. I agree with you about the realism. I like it when G.I. Joe gets weird and wild, so I really can't wait to see what they do with Cobra-La long term. Williamson was definitely the right person to handle this slice of the Energon Universe!

[@hellsonly8908]

So he is a human.

[@rubaiyat300]

No idea is inherently bad, it's always in the execution. So here's hoping that it pulls it off.

[@-Tarn-1212]

It seems Megatron is enjoying his stay 🗿

[@Moonbase3]

🤣

[@johnbatsis5830]

Just wait till Megatron is truly back and violates cobra commander's ass

[@michealperez1863]

Always been a fan of Cobra-La. Glad it's being incorporated into this new continuity. I'm getting the books; now if only I could get the time to sit down and read them.

[@_misterJ]

The intro sequence of GIJOE the movie where Pythona infiltrates the Cobra lair is one of the sickest openings in Animation history. If this comic's writing is anywhere near the caliber of that movie you got yourself a reader.

[@Moonbase3]

It's pretty good so far, I think!

[@josiaharaki7310]

Cobra Commander's about to pull an Isaac Sundak and resurrect him, isn't he...

[@Moonbase3]

Depends if Megatron has his own schemes!

[@lizelin6187]

@@Moonbase3 Oh he most definitely does. That smile he had says it all. Besides, he wouldn't be Megatron if he didn't.

[@Moonbase3]

Very true!

[@Rchannel616]

When they titled this new continuity the "Energon Universe" they were not joking 😂. I honestly love that. Stuff like that REALLY goes a long way of ensuring everything is connected for a reason, even if there's side stories that don't connect to the overarching one.

[@Moonbase3]

Totally! I feel like energon will become more and more important to all the titles as time goes on.

[@paulking8491]

It would be neat to see Cobra Commander being responsible for creating the animal and monster Decepticons as a fusion of cybertronian and Cobra-La technology.

[@Moonbase3]

This idea has got my interest...

[@krazykuz13cmc]

No all of them are alien’s period. Were around long before anybody from gi joe was even a thought

[@paulking8491]

​@@krazykuz13cmclots of Transformers were built on earth in present time though. the Dinobots, Stunticons, Combaticons, Trypticon. remember how Starscream built the Combaticons out of military scrap but they had no personality chips? or how Sparkplug built Autobot X out of spare parts and they transferred Spikes mind into it? since in this comic Cobra Commander is reverse engineering cybertronian technology he could take the place of Zarak and Cobra La take the place of Nebulos. then he starts building headmaster exosuits for CobraLa soldiers. it would be quite impressive to see Scorponok burst out of the Himalayas

[@alecfigueroa5769]

I haven’t seen that animated movie, not sure if I even knew it existed. But after realizing that’s where this stuff is pulling from, I want to go check it out! I really loved what you pointed out with that reference to the original design being killed by the new one. Really neat touch, I’m enjoying where Williamson is taking things so far

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, he's turning out to be a great choice for the G.I. Joe side of things so far. The animated movie isn't perfect, but it's a fun watch for sure. The intro is pretty amazing.

[@keithmorgan3932]

Since megs smirked......you know shit is going down!!! lol

[@Moonbase3]

Oh hell yeah! 🤣

[@adamsanter9385]

Megatron is simply biding his time

[@Ethan-AndrewCupido]

My favourite corner of the Internet 🙌🏽 keep at it MoonBase3! . I actively avoided Snippets and previews of this Issue, just waiting for when you'd make a video . I must say I'm not too familiar with GI Joe but the way Skybound is so far at this point integrating it with the Transformers is really exciting!, and this release schedule makes me want to march to the front door at Skybound and demand more frequent releases 😅 .

[@Moonbase3]

Thanks, man! I like hearing how these series are landing for people who aren't hardcore into G.I. Joe - seems like Skybound is winning some folks over, which is great to see. And I totally hear you on the release schedule...the wait between issues can be downright painful!

[@Often_Uneliable]

Ah, you've sold me on this side of the Energon universe... Guess I'm all in! Gonna start picking these GI Joe runs up, as usual, your breakdowns are fantastic, and I can't wait for the next one!

[@Moonbase3]

Thanks, I appreciate it! And I definitely think it's worth giving the first issues a shot to see if they grab you. They're written and drawn well enough that I think they'll be a good read even if you're not into G.I. Joe.

[@mr.end-game711]

Cobra-La is very underutilized potion of the G.I.Joe, more so then the Quintessons. Not gonna lie I didn't expect Skybound to use Cobra-La and I'm am amazed they did it in the first issues of Cobra Commander. I just thought that mention of Cobra-La in Duck #1 was just an easter egg but it was Joshua Willams foreshadowing his next book.

[@Moonbase3]

I never even considered it as a possibility it seemed so far fetched. But I love the decision!

[@Deinobi]

Makes you wonder what other forgotten and weird pieces of lore they're gonna use in GI Joe and Transformers

[@MatthewLoh-ru1mw]

Because it was HATED by many Joe fans

[@darkroom0716]

As someone more or less brand new to GI Joe I quite liked Cobra Commander #1. Havent gotten to Duke yet but I will sooner or later.

[@wendellstephens6311]

Duke was pretty good. It gave off, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Misson Impossible vibes.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, I thought Duke was really good, and it was the title I was least excited for.

[@mrt1957]

that was amazing and I thank you for making me feel human. This whole storyline is just mind blowing. I always fancied Cobra! Cowards who retreated but had the best gear! Brilliant prestation. Hey A.J. from D.C? You here?!

[@Macrochenia]

I was definitely caught by surprise with Cobra-La. Makes me wonder what other supernatural-oriented Hasbro properties might get added into the Energon Universe? Visionaries? Inhumanoids?

[@MatthewLoh-ru1mw]

None of them. Only Transformers and GI JOE

[@IronGraham]

This issue was really fun felt being through in the deep end, in a good way.

[@Moonbase3]

100% agree! It was a hell of a way to start a series, that's for sure.

[@nowlwane9623]

It’s interesting to see two villains work together in contrast to the heroes working together.

[@sol_117]

The fact that we are having so much interconnection between issues (and franchises) from the start, makes me really excited for the eventual crossover events

[@Moonbase3]

Same here!

[@VulpisFoxfire]

No comment on CC being dressed in his 'Old Snake' persona's outfit, from that one ep of the final season of Transformers?

[@Moonbase3]

It may have come up in a previous video - I don't remember for sure, but regardless, you're right, I should have called it out here. I got so focused on the stuff I wanted to talk about most that it slipped my mind.

[@VulpisFoxfire]

@@Moonbase3 No problem...that episode just always stuck in my mind as being one of the few real instances of a crossover between the two cartoons, despite the comics having rather strong ones, between the outright GI Joe/Transformers crossovers as well as the 'Generation 2' comic series.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, it's a good one. I also like the Flint connection with Marissa.

[@TheRenegade718]

This is not the first time Cobra La has been involved with Gi Joe Transformers. A prehistoric Cobra La was in the early 2000’s GiJoe/Transformers crossover comic book where again Megatron head was discovered and experimented on where they created Serpentor from Megatrons AI. Im a true GiJoe/Transformers fan and I remember both 80s Movies like it was yesterday, and I’ll say Cobra La had our eyes popping out our heads when Pythona introduction was presented. Plus that Cobra intro song….. SHEESH! Also you gotta look at it like the creators of Cobra La had us kids back then being giving the thought of Inner Earth/Hollow Earth vibes.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, that intro is a thing of beauty. I haven't read the Devil's Due comics, but I had heard that Cobra-La shows up there. I recently brought my tpbs of those crossovers out of storage - they've been in my backlog for way too long...Time to finally read them!

[@TheRenegade718]

@@Moonbase3 You won’t be disappointed with that read. I listen to that song at least once a year!

[@SheerAntAttack]

As someone who knows zero to nothing about GI.Joe let alone Cobra LA and all that stuff, it felt like "slowdown" sign with the streak of goated comics, but I didn't walk out disappointed with Megatron's appearance and devious smirk Alas, I feel good for the GI.Joe fans that may enjoy this

[@Moonbase3]

There're some very intriguing Megatron moments in this issue!

[@SheerAntAttack]

@@Moonbase3 that smirk screams he's gonna wreck the place to the ground with or without arms, or they're gonna wreck him if his appearance in issue 4 is almost direct after cobra commander

[@Moonbase3]

I'm very curious to see what Megatron is going to do. It's entirely possible that Cobra-La might not exist very long in the Energon Universe when he gets free!

[@tomhur1]

Hah! I love it when a popular fan theory comes true. This is nothing but awesome. I'm very fond of the recurring story trope of Megatron being out of commission as an experiment several Transformers continuities like to do, so seeing it here is nothing short of delightful. Especially since it's going hand in hand with the shared universe stuff. I was surprised by the addition of Cobra-La here too, I'm aware of how many Joe fans despise them so it's a big risk using them as the backbone for their version of Cobra. Personally, I think it works rather well. Also, I don't know if someone's pointed this out, but that guy at the end with Cobra Commander? I think that's G.I. Joe member Grunt. If it is him I wonder what he's doing with Cobra.

[@Moonbase3]

I wondered about that too, with Grunt - I wasn't sure if Cobra Commander was calling him by his name or just referring to him as a grunt. That would be pretty crazy if it's Grunt - if so, I wonder if he'll end up defecting or serving as some kind of double agent for Cobra-La. Could be interesting!

[@danielmedela8725]

As someone that has never paid much attention to GI Joe outside of their IDW appearances, I must say I liked the issue, but I got the impression that it was a deep cut... then again, that should be expected from the moment we saw the Skuxxxoid in Void Rivals...

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, Skybound is going for some deep cut references, but it seems to me like everything so far has been very friendly to newcomers. Hopefully that's the case, anyway!

[@anthonycolon9199]

Great Review!!!💯

[@Moonbase3]

Thank you! Much appreciated! :)

[@darthtrajk666]

Loved the issue, can’t wait to see more.

[@Moonbase3]

Same here!

[@silentstryker1590]

Looks awesome. This has the makings of a wild ride.

[@sebastiancortes6346]

So that's why Cobra Commander found Megatron

[@adamheisey5698]

This happened before in Dreamwave comics back in 2004. They had a villain controlling Megatron but couldn’t control him completely. Plus must of the Autobots we’re under the villains control also.

[@Moonbase3]

Yup - Lazarus. The part in Cobra Commander #1 when Megatron's eye flashes really reminds me of a similar part in the Dreamwave comics.

[@frankreynolds445]

I was 28 when I seen the 1987 movie that had Cobra La. I was first into bio based civilizations in the late 1960s

[@davidjames468]

I have enjoyed every origin of Cobra Commander so far. Whether it's the Cartoon, the Larry Hama version, the IDW, the Movies, or now this, he is a true threat, and I'm always glad when an even more serious take than ever before occurs. Hama's Cobra Commander was no slouch, but this one truly looks like a man without scruples as the old file card (written by Hama) once said.

[@thedude4840]

I was apprehensive at first but Im pretty on board for the gi joe and tf combined universe stuff. I’m looking forward to seeing how the comics pan out. I’m also pretty happy with how non genre specific the comics are. Void rivals is an old school space opera, duke is a Jason Bourne esque spy thriller, I’m guessing cobra commander is gonna be some kinda “putting together a team” kinda story to build cobra.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, now that we've gotten a taste of the four titles, I feel pretty excited for where the Energon Universe might go from here. And that's a good observation about the different genres in the books!

[@thedude4840]

@@Moonbase3 I am curious about what kind of megatron we’re getting. I liked the gladiator philosopher from IDW but I also wouldn’t mind a WFC/FOC style megatron either .

[@Moonbase3]

I'm curious about that as well. I'm wondering if he'll stick fairly close to his cartoon roots (but updated), considering that's pretty much how Optimus Prime is being written.

[@sammde133]

Man, first issue was great! Out of the two mini series, I was looking forward to this one the most! Nice seeing Megatron and Cobra-La! I don’t know much about Cobra-La as they usually get ignored and aren’t always talked about but I’m intrigued and can’t wait to see more!

[@Moonbase3]

Agreed. It did not disappoint!

[@omegahtv6779]

Great video! Thank you so much!!

[@Moonbase3]

Thank you! I appreciate that and I'm glad you enjoyed the video! :)

[@omegahtv6779]

@@Moonbase3 I truly did bro 🙏🏿

[@darrenrenna]

This sounds like a cool way to expand the GI-Joe and Transformers mythos. A lost Lovecraftian civilization meets the Transformers with humanity caught in the middle.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, for sure! It definitely makes Earth more interesting in the grand scheme of the Energon Universe.

[@evildeceptigod3743]

Great video 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Moonbase3]

Thank you!

[@doobles9253]

Cobra La is an ancient civilization pre-dating humanity, driven underground, set in a universe with transformers… The Beast Wars drove Cobra La underground, I’m betting on it now

[@Moonbase3]

That would be rad!

[@VAULT-TEC_INC.]

I love the “Old Snake” look of Cobra Commander in this issue.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, it's a nice callback!

[@kerainen]

In the latin dubbed version of GIJOE the Movie, Golobulus was voiced by the same actor that voiced Megatron in the 80s series.

[@Moonbase3]

I had no idea. That's pretty cool!

[@madhousestudiosdevious]

So, I don’t got much to say, but, in the alt cover for Transformers #5, Starscream is seen rebuilding green a purple decepticons. And there’s a text bubble that we don’t saw who says. Plus the ad says Starscream rebuilds the strongest decepticon. So what I’m saying is, Devastator anyone? Also man, that scene with megatron’s eye flashing also gave me dreamwave vibes

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, as soon as I saw that panel with the flashing eye, Dreamwave was the first thing I thought of. As for Devastator - that would be awesome! I'm not sure what to make of that cover, though, to be honest. You can see three heads there, so it makes me think of Reflector, but it doesn't quite look like him and the coloration is off. Not sure what's going on there - we might be in for a surprise with that...Regardless, it would be great to see Devastator or any other combiner in this continuity sooner rather than later!

[@madhousestudiosdevious]

@@Moonbase3 my mind keeps going back to them saying Starscream brings in the strongest decpeticon. So unless Reflector is gonna be one of the strongest characters, I’ll stay firm with my thoughts of Devy. However, a super powerful Reflector sounds cool.

[@Moonbase3]

I agree with you completely in that Reflector doesn't seem to make a lot of sense with that synopsis - I would never consider him to be anywhere close to one of the most powerful Decepticons. Devastator would make a lot more sense in that context.

[@robertgray1365]

That preview sent a lot of mixed signals. I saw the spoiler variant too and while the coloration looks like Devastator, none of the heads or additional components look like any of the Constructicons. And the interior pages show that they resurrect Thundercracker. What components did Skywarp have that allowed them to bring back another Seeker AND an additional, super-powerful Decepticon? As far as Reflector, in issue 4, when Soundwave and Starscream are tearing Skywarp apart, one panel shows Starscream dragging what appears to be Reflector's torso along the ground. Was Reflector ever a combiner outside of his alt mode, let alone a major threat?

[@Moonbase3]

The synopsis could be a fake-out. We'll have to wait and see. But yeah, neither Thundercracker or Reflector are characters I'd consider to be in the "most powerful" league when it comes to 'Cons.

[@majinjones4565]

Having Zartan be a member of Cobra La in this version of Transformers/GI Joe would make more sense and would be perfect explanation of the guy with Commander better.

[@Moonbase3]

That's a cool idea! It could be an interesting explanation for his color change gimmick.

[@majinjones4565]

@@Moonbase3 That is what I was thinking.

[@leor7582]

The modern day cobra commander is great. There is killing and villains winning in this new era of cartoons. Glad to see gi joe making the jump

[@norbertthetank5231]

Great video by the way

[@Moonbase3]

Thank you, much appreciated!

[@albernardi8]

Howdy MB3! Finally got my copy of Cobra Commander last night (I made the rookie mistake of assuming there’d be copies available at my LCS a week after release), and I have a lot of thoughts. So this is the first Skybound EnUn (no matter how much I love Transformers there’s only one EU) issue that I wasn’t over the moon with. I’m going to still pull it, give it a chance to win me over, but I’m not crazy about it. Positives: It went in a completely different direction than I expected. That’s not always a great idea, if say True Detective season 5 is about mail fraud that sounds like it’d suck, but here that’s welcome. I love sci-fi, the other takes on G.I. Joe have never done anything for me, this seems like it has potential. Weird alienish mystical stuff sounds pretty cool, much more unique and interesting than just another terrorist organization. With the mention of only organic technology (and the overall belligerent attitude) they remind me of the Yuuzhan Vong from Star Wars, which as a fan of the Vong era stories that’s quite a lot of fun. In fact my opinion of this issue did get bumped up a bit when I first saw the organic surgery scene, which looks like it could have come straight out of the WOTC sourcebook. While highly unlikely, I do kinda hope Williamson is at least familiar with the New Jedi Order novels and mines some inspiration from them, that series handles the idea of a purely organic empire masterfully. Also the art was good, I wasn’t as into it as I have been for the other series but I definitely vibed with it. Negatives: This is the other side to that bold decision, as a new Joe reader it gave me basically no set-up. Now I’m not asking for these comics to sit me down and explain to me the history of the snake dimension in full detail, but I figured we’d at least get a little text box establishing…something. I’m only vaguely familiar with the name Cobra-La because I was interested enough in Duke to watch a couple KZbin videos, I have no idea what’s going on here. I figured it was still on Earth, but I couldn’t tell if this was in another dimension or the center of the planet or the friggin moon or beneath the North Pole and good ol’Sandy Claws was gonna come out smashin’ his broom on his floor screaming “you snake bastards better turn down that reptile rock’n’roll.” Okay well maybe that last one wasn’t likely but I think everyone gets what I mean. Wasn’t the idea of Skybound’s reboot that we’d get new fans on board? Void Rivals, Transformers, and Duke all did so quite well, why the hell were we thrown into the deep end with CC? This isn’t even a case of “cultural osmosis should catch you up” like in Transformers #1, the popular image of Cobra is that of a regular terrorist organization. I can see it turning off readers just because they’re so confused. If it wasn’t for Williamson’s previous work and the promise of Megatron honestly I might’ve jumped ship right there. I’d be willing to meet the comic halfway, if they just gave even a little bit of a proper introduction to the place. Some narration from CC perhaps. I stress this so much because for the remainder of the issue I was trying to make sense of the setting and it threw off the whole issue. It’s a shame because G.I. Joe needs the clean start and new readers waaaay more than Void Rivals or Transformers. Void Rivals can just build popularity naturally as it’s brand new. Transformers, while not nearly as big as it was in the 1980s or late 2000s/early 2010s, is still a pop culture juggernaut with a thriving fandom. G.I. Joe is basically in limbo, and though it’s slowly getting back on its feet, it needs every shot it can take. ROTB didn’t even tickle the needle for Joe, so both of these books needed to come out swinging. Alas. Overall I’m mixed. I liked the art, and as stated in the Duke review I really love Williamson’s writing, but the package just was not to my taste here. I’m hoping issue 2 will either give more context or just stick to a more horror tone, but we’ll see. What I’m not mixed on is yet another exquisite analysis, fantastic job as always! (Also I just noticed this video absolutely blew up!!! Congratulations my friend on rocketing past 2k!!!)

[@Moonbase3]

You know, that's a great point. I was so bowled over by the fact that they were doing Cobra-La, that I didn't give that its proper consideration in the sense of potential barriers for newcomers - I was thinking more about potential barriers for G.I. Joe fans who had a less than favorable view of Cobra-La. With how newbie-friendly this continuity has been, it's definitely throwing a curve ball with this issue. Excellent, excellent point, and I totally get why you feel the way you do here. Cobra-La is a deep-cut, for sure, and sparingly used in Joe media, so that makes perfect sense that it would be a bit baffling for those unfamiliar with the lore. Here's hoping Williamson will provide a bit more context in future issues...I can't imagine he wouldn't, if the idea is to be an easy jumping on point, but I guess we'll see. I've seen the Yuuzhan Vong mentioned a few times in the comments section, so that's cool that there's a point of comparison - I wonder if Williamson is familiar with that stuff...will be interesting to see what he does with all of this. Anyway, great comment as always! Always appreciated, dude! And thank you for the congratulations. The numbers were certainly a surprise!

[@JasonEvangelho]

THANK YOU for the lore lesson. Cobra Commander #1 was the first issue of the Energon Universe where I walked away thinking "WTF is going on here?" It didn't grab me like the rest. As opposed to all the rest, this one felt like it demanded some pre-existing knowledge which I just didn't have. So thanks as always for enhancing my enjoyment (and understanding) of the EU!

[@Moonbase3]

Happy to help! This one definitely seems less immediately accessible than the others. I imagine Williamson will provide more detail about Cobra-La moving forward, but I can see how it would make for a confusing experience for new readers or those only familiar with the military side of G.I. Joe!

[@Cluckkent88]

I think if g.i. Joe had another sunbow season and introduce Cobra La it would’ve been a massive hit.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, I wonder how things would have played out if it had gone that way!

[@manofaction1807]

One of the coolest comics I've read is a long damn time! It Works!!! COBRAAALA LA LA LA LA!!!!

[@skarhead7597]

Love it

[@cameronzwicke5761]

This sounds pretty cool to be honest. Cobra LA has always reminded me of the yuzhan vong from Star Wars legacy or whatever it's called now.

[@robterrell7301]

Cobra Commander was on an episode of the Transformers in the early 80’s.

[@Moonbase3]

That was a cool cameo!

[@garysuarez9614]

So THIS is the source material for the Blue Lazer!

[@dmaynor]

keep it up!

[@Moonbase3]

Thank you! Appreciate it!

[@takeover2796]

Cobra Commander holds the key to Springfield Illinois where the juvenile parole bored is

[@screenname8206]

I like this👍🏾

[@sagadsaga566]

Who ever remember, watching Transformers rise of the beast at the end G.I. Joe teams are with the Spanish kid from the Bronx because he knows the transformers

[@adamlangley5731]

Well, I will be reading Duke number two tonight and yes, I’ve been very happy with the first Duke, and the first cobra Commander

[@MagnaCarta80]

Trivia : Chris Latta who voiced starscream in G1 transformers also voiced the original cobra commander . Interesting to think starscream is holding Megatron captive 😃

[@legion7765]

I just read this one and haven’t picked up any gi joe ever but loved the cartoon as a yougling. Pretty cool when I saw megatron at the end there. I’ll be picking up duke and any of the transformer stuff

[@Moonbase3]

Nice! I'm really enjoying Duke so far.

[@BlkandUgly]

I remember there was an episode of transformers Gen 2 where cobra commander made an appearance.

[@usuck1883]

Cool! I’m still waiting for a G.I. Joe/Transformers cartoon or live action movie/series 🤓🤖

[@Moonbase3]

I'm sure one is coming sooner or later, especially since the last Transformers movie teased a crossover! :)

[@scotkov5356]

In the last Transformer movie "Rise of the Beast" at the end of the easter egg they introduce GI Joe. Guess we can speculate there might be a GI-Joe/Transformer movie?

[@Moonbase3]

Definitely seems like that's what they were hinting at...guess we'll see!

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

I love it- it's ballsy and fresh- the first time I've ever liked anything "Cobra-La" related! They really made it all look cool and alien in a "Journey To The Center Of The Earth" kinda way. Love the art- perfect for this story.

[@Moonbase3]

Agreed. Andrea Milana's work is new to me, but I like how everything is looking so far!

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

@@Moonbase3 Same! Never seen his stuff but this entire new line has a grim and gritty look that's refreshing after years of an almost anime cartoon look in IDW and elsewhere. I wonder about their ability to feel pain- we see them scream when hurt- but Optimus tore his own arm off and afterwards wasn't in distress. Maybe pain is only in that instant for them? Or they can turn those circuits off.

[@Moonbase3]

That's a good question! I never really thought about it before you pointed it out! Because Skywarp was definitely feeling some pain in TF#4, but Prime's lost arm didn't seem to bother him too much once it was removed.

[@hickboyjusthick698]

I went and saw that GI Joe movie at the movies. I loved it.

[@brainstorm9560]

If they ever brought the Inhumanoids (or Primordia I guess now that they no longer have the trademark) in on this I would love if they could somehow tie Cobra-la to the ancient Inhumanoid Sslither. Maybe Sslither can be a deity in Cobra-la's religion or something like that.

[@Moonbase3]

That's a cool crossover idea! I'm not super familiar with Inhumanoids, but Sslither looks pretty dang cool.

[@blissfairchild7194]

This Cobra Commander sounds cool. I liked Cobra-la and wanted to see more of them. However, I still like the UK's story for Cobra Commander as well, how he was Baron Ironblood and leader of the Red Shadows, then left them to form Cobra.

[@Moonbase3]

That's cool, I'm not familiar with that particular origin. Was that during the original Action Force run?

[@blissfairchild7194]

@@Moonbase3 so.. when GI Joe ARAH was in America, in the UK, initially they went a different route at first before eventually just using the same molds as the GI Joe line. When they were doing their own thing, they had a major villain called Baron Ironblood, and his army was called the Red Shadows. I think the UK comics also have more on this as well. When they started transitioning fully to GI Joe, they came up with a story about how the Baron actually became Cobra Commander. It was pretty interesting to me. I kind of wish they made o-rings of Baron Ironblood and the Red Shadows.

[@Moonbase3]

Oh, I see. I've seen some of these names pop up in other continuities like the IDW universe, but I really know very little about the UK comics. I never got into them like I did with TFUK, but I'm intrigued. I definitely like that origin idea for Cobra Commander! Thanks for the info!

[@byronjasper2873]

I remember a transformers episode where cobra commander appeared.

[@GoldenMarcus]

Megatron is alive?!

[@Moonbase3]

Oh yeah!

[@skywolfguardz778]

I still remember when GI Joe and the transformer was still in the Marvel verse. In the Marvel series, Megatron was remade. This time, he was a tamk. Then he met Cobra Commander. You know what? I need to find that Marvel series of coba commander meeting megatron. I remember the first Transformer comic book that came out. And I bought it. Then after that I bought the First issue Comic book of GI JOE. Now DW has taken over the series of Transformer and GI JOE. Damn. How times flies when I was a kid back then. Growing up.

[@JTR_3]

Image has the liscence now, more specifically Skybound inside Image

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, those were interesting days - I think I still have those issues of G.I. Joe that led up to the launch of the TF G2 comics...bought them as they came out at a grocery store, back when comics were in grocery stores and gas stations. :)

[@crowejagerson3628]

I absolutely love this. I enjoyed cobra La and the sci fi part of G.i. joe a lot more then the military vs terrorists stuff. That said they didnsay expect the unexpected and they were going into strange places. Do i dare hope for Inhumanoids to make a cone back.

[@khlgrn68]

This iteration reminds me of the GI Joe Resolute version. The body on the table could we be seeing experimentation? Maybe we’re getting a foreshadow of the Python Patrol or Neo Vipers?

[@Moonbase3]

Interesting idea! I assumed it was Cobra Commander on the table, but I wonder if they enhanced him somehow. That could be cool!

[@khlgrn68]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@Moonbase3 I thought the same thing as well! Maybe it is him,could someone from Cobra-La may have a grudge against Cobra Commander’s actions?Then again, the scientist may have the nobleman background like the movie version, and I can’t see them just throwing away a brilliant mind. Contingency plan? By chance,the Cobra-La people may have a high endurance, now that I think of Nemesis Enforcer. Cobra Commander will have to be on the up and up, he made enemies and more pending.

[@Moonbase3]

He certainly seems to be stirring the pot in Cobra-La based on what we've seen. His experiments with machines are basically blasphemy in that society. Plus, he's instigating riots and killing people left and right - seems like he's got a lot of enemies, so what he brings to the table must be worth a lot to Golobulus!

[@sunsetsuperman74]

The look on Megatron tells me that he's going to wipe out Cobra-La

[@Moonbase3]

Seems like that's definitely a possibility!

[@sunsetsuperman74]

@@Moonbase3 More like a guarantee

[@ConstanceMists]

As someone who knows next to nothing about GI Joe or its lore, outside of it being blatant propaganda for kids, I was initially veeery skeptical of the energon universe even including them, I can say this definitely grabbed my interest. Duke #1 didn’t really do anything for me and felt kind of generic so far, as I expected, but this book definitely seems like its going in a more interesting direction so far. I really like the art and colors, its definitely eye catching and fits in well with the rest of the art direction for the universe. Also i am VERY glad to see Megatron is not working alongside the cobras and they’re taking more of an 07 movie approach with Megatron being experimented on to advance their technology. I’ll definitely continue reading this book.

[@Moonbase3]

Awesome to hear! As divisive as Cobra-La can be among the G.I. Joe fanbase, I wonder if it was a smart choice to use it for newcomers or people uninterested in the franchise since it adds a very different - and colorful - feel to everything.

[@ConstanceMists]

⁠​⁠@@Moonbase3 I had never even heard of it or that it was controversial among the fanbase. It was odd to me but I honestly just figured that was the accepted lore 😅 It honestly made sense as a transformers GI Joe tie in for me with the ark crashing in prehistoric times

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, I agree, I think it fits in well here. And it's definitely odd, but that's part of the appeal for me. 😂

[@jkd1975]

Skybound should get the rights to the inhumanoids and add them to the energon universe as well.

[@Moonbase3]

That could be cool!

[@gandalflotr2898]

I agree I would love to see autobots combines fighting with Inhumanoids

[@drivebye2709]

Always imagined Cobra-La as being marooned Yuuzhan Vong. 🤪

[@Moonbase3]

I hadn't heard of them until your comment. Interesting!

[@BBBHuey]

With the reveal of Cobra-La, it gives me hope that perhaps maybe the Inhumanoids will become a part of the Energon universe.

[@Moonbase3]

You never know! Could happen someday.

[@dominickgaramella6431]

Transformers and GI Joe collaborations are my favorite

[@Moonbase3]

Hoping there's a full-blown crossover at some point!

[@dominickgaramella6431]

@@Moonbase3 IDW had an amazing issue in which Cobra Commander and destro find Megatron in an ancient temple during World war II

[@mrclean6379]

Cobra lalalalalalalaaaa!!!!! Crazy

[@Sammo212]

I have been loving the new Transformers book...enough so that I think I might also pick up the new Joes book.

[@Moonbase3]

I'm enjoying Duke and Cobra Commander quite a bit so far!

[@KirkWilliamsIsBroken]

So does this mean Megatron will be getting his Awesome G2 Green & Purple Tank Reformat/Upgrade? Please do that Skybound.

[@Moonbase3]

I would love it if so.

[@Romulus623]

I like the no retreat Cobra Commander, more tyranical!

[@Moonbase3]

I'm liking it too!

[@rollin-kimblecroskey9110]

I like Cobea-La and I think that it should've been used more in the various cartoons and comics that came after the original.

[@Moonbase3]

Hopefully Skybound will do some cool stuff with it to make up for how little it's been used!

[@thebman80]

What's really amazing is that the movie came out in 1987 and they didn't bother to use Cobra-La as a plot device again until the Dark Horizon comics in 2007. Twenty years after the movie, such a waste of stuff that could have been used.

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, I know it's divisive, but it still has its fans and there were stories that could have been told there. Oh well, it's looking like it'll get its due now!

[@cthulhu626]

Cobra La was based on H.P. Lovecrafts “At the mountains of madness”

[@Moonbase3]

That's cool! I didn't know that.

[@jimcampbell9566]

at the end of issue, I thought Cobra Commander called his bodyguard, "Grunt". as in the Gijoe ...Grunt. ? not just a grunt like a lackey or a goon ?

[@Moonbase3]

Yeah, I was unclear on which it was supposed to be, Cobra Commander calling him by his name or just calling him a lackey. I'm guessing Williamson wanted us to be wondering about that!

[@Jagunco]

I got to admit that I was a bit annoyed that Cobra Commader was such a noggin. It was like he never once won but still seemed to have an endless budget. It was like how did it take so long for the rest of cobra to get sick of him and make Serpentor? He was usless. Ah well

[@Moonbase3]

He seems much more capable in this book!

[@seanlorde2045]

1:20 i thought I was seeing a cybertruck

[@Moonbase3]

😂

[@dragoonseye76]

DW TF was so good.

[@cyberpimp29]

More of whatever this is please

[@nightfox24w]

This cobra commander, sound like sigma 6 and g.i. Joe renegade, take over world with iron fist

[@AzraelThanatos]

This is making me think that this Cobra Commander might have a lot inspired by the Resolute version

[@Moonbase3]

Oh, nice. I'm not familiar with Resolute, I should check it out.

[@AzraelThanatos]

@@Moonbase3 It's worth watching, I believe the entire thing is on KZbin, can't remember if their original site is still functional, but there had been everything put up officially on youtube a bit after they finished releasing the sections...and you don't need to go with just the short segments of it a week like when it was originally released. It's semi-based on the old cartoon, but diverges pretty wildly from how things function there.

[@Moonbase3]

Nice, thanks for the recommendation! I'll have to give it a watch. I'm intrigued by it sort of being based on the original cartoon...!

[@retime5929]

I do hope the comic issues moving forward doesn't have Megatron retained and exploited by humans and finally have that long awaited confrontation against Cobra.

[@Moonbase3]

I'm looking forward to when Megatron is free!

[@jackieanderson9408]

Good 😊

[@Moonbase3]

Thanks! 😁

[@captainlang6212]

Okay, G.I. JOE meets Transformers, I CAN DIG IT! 😄 Now let's get down to business...STAR TREK meets STAR WARS...the 5 year voyage of the Enterprise into the galaxy far far away!😃 Holy whorp speed BATMAN! The force strong is with us!🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@conradhooker5043]

Dreadnoks and the crimson twins are the ones I want to see!

[@Moonbase3]

I'm pretty excited to see the twins! I wonder how far off they are...