We are one month away from the release of the Energon Universe’s G.I. JOE series. The series will see the creative team of the Duke mini-series, writer Joshua Williamson, artist Tom Reilly, and Jordie Ballaire, team-up again. Now ahead of the November 13th release Skybound and Image Comics has provided us with an extended preview and new variant covers for G.I. JOE #1 to share following the initial first look.
Ben Abernathy, series editor spoke on how exciting this new series launch is by saying “I feel honored at the amazing talent that jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this historic launch issue…….To see some of the best in this business putting their spin on these iconic characters with these covers is nothing short of amazing!”
As we see in the preview pages below, G.I. JOE #1 will be picking up directly where the Duke mini-series left off with the team out on their first mission. Furthermore, the G.I. JOE mission is directly related to what is going on with the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth. That is something all teased in the solicitation for the first issue:
Conrad Hauser, Codename DUKE, has assembled a special force known as G.I. Joe to battle the rising power of the mysterious COBRA in the aftermath of the Autobots and Decepticons’ arrival on Earth. But the enigmatic Cobra Commander has unleashed the power of Energon like never before!
Featuring the First Appearance of an ALL-NEW character and many familiar faces, this is the comic that will change everything you think you know about G.I. JOE…and that’s only half the surprises in store!
The main cover for G.I. JOE #1 will be handled by series artist Tom Reilly. Additional variant covers are also available by an all-star line-up of artist, including Jerome Opeña & Dave Stewart, Brett Booth, Livesay & Andrew Dalhouse, David Finch, Danny Miki & Dave McCaig, Lee Bermejo, Sozomaika, Jenny Frison, David Nakayama, Jeff Spokes, E.J. Su, Jonboy Meyers, and Andrea Milana & Andres Juarez. You can check out the new covers and extended seven-page preview below.
You can check out the first batch of covers for the series first issue by clicking here.
G.I. JOE #1 is scheduled to be released in comic book shops and digital storefronts on November 13th. Learn more about the comic book in Skybound and Image Comics press release below.
Preview: New Pages and Covers Revealed for G.I. JOE #1 from Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly & Jordie Bellaire
LOS ANGELES 10/10/2024 — Today Skybound and Image Comics, in collaboration with leading toy and game company Hasbro, revealed an early look at interior pages and the stacked lineup of variant covers for G.I. JOE #1. From the chart-topping, critically acclaimed creative team of writer Joshua Williamson (Duke, Cobra Commander), artist Tom Reilly (Duke) and colorist Jordie Bellaire (Duke, W0rldtr33), the comic book launch that promises to introduce a bold new vision of G.I. Joe and Cobra to the Energon Universe will hit comic books shelves on Wednesday, November 13.
Conrad Hauser, Codename DUKE, has assembled a special force known as G.I. Joe to battle the rising power of the mysterious COBRA in the aftermath of the Autobots and Decepticons’ arrival on Earth. But the enigmatic Cobra Commander has unleashed the power of Energon like never before!
Featuring the First Appearance of an ALL-NEW character and many familiar faces, this is the comic that will change everything you think you know about G.I. JOE…and that’s only half the surprises in store!
This extra-length debut issue will feature a wraparound main cover by Reilly, along with variant covers by superstar artists Jerome Opeña & Dave Stewart; Brett Booth, Livesay & Andrew Dalhouse; David Finch, Danny Miki & Dave McCaig; Lee Bermejo; Sozomaika; Jenny Frison; David Nakayama; Jeff Spokes, E.J. Su; Jonboy Meyers; and Andrea Milana & Andres Juarez.
“I feel honored at the amazing talent that jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this historic launch issue,” noted tired series editor, Ben Abernathy. “To see some of the best in this business putting their spin on these iconic characters with these covers is nothing short of amazing!”
Skybound and Hasbro have recently announced a bevy of promotional initiatives in support of G.I. JOE #1, including the Skybound Insiders “Choose Your Side” initiative that is offering readers the opportunity to see themselves on the pages of G.I. JOE in the series’ house ads, which will begin running in issue #1 on November 13. Also recently announced are Los Angeles events on November 13, including a Joshua Williamson signing at Things from Another World at Universal CityWalk Hollywood, paired with an exclusive Skybound Insiders screening of G.I. JOE: The Movie (1987) and Q&A. Williamson will be making additional signing stops at Collector’s Paradise in Los Angeles and Third Eye Comics in Annapolis on November 14 and 16, respectively. Fans of G.I. JOE will want to make sure they are locked in as Insiders, so as not to miss upcoming events and activations to be announced.
The all-new series will become another tentpole of the Energon Universe, the crown jewel of the historic collaboration between Hasbro and Skybound, who has introduced a brand-new era of the TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE franchises in one shared comic book universe. Energon Universe titles include the ongoing series Void Rivals by writer Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead), artist Lorenzo De Felici (Kroma), and colorist Patricio Delpeche (The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country) and the two-time Eisner Award winning TRANSFORMERS by writer Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb), artist Jorge Corona (Middlewest), and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater, Murder Falcon). The Energon Universe also includes G.I. JOE miniseries Duke, from Joshua Williamson , Tom Reilly and Jordie Bellaire; Cobra Commander from Joshua Williamson, Andrea Milana (Impact Winter: Rook) and Annalisa Leoni (Oblivion Song); Scarlett, from writer Kelly Thompson (Black Widow, Birds of Prey), artist Marco Ferrari (Frontiersman), and colorist Lee Loughridge (I Hate This Place, Killadelphia); and Destro, from writer Dan Watters (Loki, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!), artist Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride, Birthright), and colorist Adriano Lucas (Dark Ride, Birthright), which introduce the iconic characters of the G.I. JOE and Cobra factions to the Energon Universe. Fans should expect can’t-miss moments from every issue of the Energon Universe, as secrets are unveiled along the path to answering the BIG questions from some of the biggest franchises in comics today.
G.I. JOE #1 ($4.99, unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.
The full list of variant covers is below:
- I. JOE #1 Cover A (Wraparound) by Tom Reilly (Lunar Code 0924IM247)
- I. JOE #1 Cover B by Jerome Opeña & Dave Stewart (Lunar Code 0924IM248)
- I. JOE #1 Cover C by Brett Booth, Livesay & Andrew Dalhouse (Lunar Code 0924IM249)
- I. JOE #1 Cover D by David Finch, Danny Miki & Dave McCaig (Lunar Code 0924IM250)
- I. JOE #1 Cover E by Lee Bermejo (Lunar Code 0924IM251)
- I. JOE #1 Cover F by Sozomaika (Lunar Code 0924IM252)
- I. JOE #1 Cover G by Jenny Frison (Lunar Code 0924IM253)
- I. JOE #1 Cover H (1:10 Copy Incentive) (Connecting) by David Nakayama (Lunar Code 0924IM254)
- I. JOE #1 Cover I (1:25 Copy Incentive) by Jeff Spokes (Lunar Code 0924IM255)
- I. JOE #1 Cover J (1:50 Copy Incentive) by E.J. Su (Lunar Code 0924IM256)
- I. JOE #1 Cover K (1:100 Copy Incentive) (Foil, Cardstock) by Jonboy Meyers (Lunar Code 0924IM257)
- I. JOE #1 Cover L (1:250 Copy Incentive) (Cardstock) by Tom Reilly & Andres Juarez (Lunar Code 0924IM258)
- I. JOE #1 Cover M (1:500 Copy Incentive) (Cardstock) by David Finch (Lunar Code 0924IM259)
- I. JOE #1 Cover N Blank Sketch Cover (G.I. JOE) (Lunar Code 0924IM260)
- I. JOE #1 Cover O Blank Sketch Cover (COBRA) (Lunar Code 0924IM261)
- I. JOE #1 Cover P (Wraparound) (Foil, Cardstock) by Tom Reilly ($5.99) (Lunar Code 0924IM262)
- I. JOE #1 Cover Q (Foil, Cardstock) by Jenny Frison ($5.99) (Lunar Code 0924IM263)
- I. JOE #1 Cover R (Die Cut Cobra Commander Mask Cover) (Foil, Cardstock) by Andrea Milana & Andres Juarez ($5.99) *Note: this cover has the same final order cutoff as the other covers (October 21) but has an on-sale date of November 20. (Lunar Code 0924IM264)
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