G.I. Joe #5 by IDW Publishing arrives in stores today. The end of a robotic struggle! All is come on the PIT front, or is it? Destro goes on a date! Snake Eyes shows up but leaves more questions than answers. Some characters choose love over war, but who?

G.I. Joe #5 Review

The 1st story arc of IDW’s main G.I. Joe title near conclusion, and
some of the Joes’ first struggles end in this issue. The variant cover
for this issue shows Stalker and Snake Eyes, both of whom make
significant appearances in this issue.

The Joe team struggles to destroy the remaining Trojan horses from
Destro. Unfortunately, they are going against their own weaponry, as
they chase the devices over their own mine-embedded fortifications.

Some of you have voiced criticisms about how the chase after the robots
has spread too thin. Well, you’ll be glad to know that it’s done in
this issue.

Though the chase is done, the Joes’ troubles are far from over. While
the Joes are at ease with no more robotic critters running around, they
are completely unaware of how exposed they will be in the near future.
It’s good to see an end to the chase. It spanned nearly three issues.
Now we can see the Joes take on more of a formidable enemy.

Could Cobra start to show more of themselves during the next story arc?
The build up has been steady so far, and I think it will be at a much
faster pace as the 2nd story arc starts after the next issue.

The artwork in this issue makes generous use of color holds, and as
with past issues, it is done well here. The airbrush shading is applied
without overpowering the inks, and clarity remains high in this issue.
This is especially evident on pages 7-8, where Destro talks to the
captive Baroness. The sense of depth is evident and is pleasant on the
eyes.

We learn more about how Destro treats his potential enemies. He comes
off as a respectable gentleman, yet formidable arms dealer. I can see
him winning over The Baroness in no time.

Flint makes a brief appearance in this issue, before Duke and Scarlett
get into an argument. This argument reveals more of the tension between
them, and the reasons for it. The love triangle is elaborated upon just
a bit. Actions speak louder than words, as Scarlett is being extra
careful not to officially reveal whose been working for her.

For those of you thinking that you’d have to wait until G.I. Joe Origins #5 to
see Snake Eyes kick some ass, your wish has been granted early. Though
it’s not what you’d expect, at all. Though I must say, we most likely
won’t see Snake Eyes completely unleashed until the next issue(and Origins #5).

Snake Eyes’ ambush sequence is portrayed with emphasis on intensity
through wide panels in the beginning, and with a grid layout to show
his constant pace in the middle. Through the use of even sized panels
we see sense how quick Snake Eyes is, compared to the rest of the
characters who witness him. After Snake Eyes fades into the distance,
the panels go from small to wide, emphasizing how shocked the other
Joes are.

This issue ends with us witnessing the intelligence and precautions
taken by Destro on simple things such as going on a date. My only
nitpick here is that the texture for Destro's flannel attire looks
flat, applied without going along the folds of the clothing. This is a
man who is not naïve, and who has managed to prevent The Baroness from
killing him. After reading this issue, I think she’ll choose not to.

This issue is a breath of fresh air, as the Joes in the PIT can take a
brief rest, while the others continue their wild goose chase overseas.
The chase overseas for Scarlett’s leads has been the more interesting
aspect of the last issues, and it seems that this will be the focus of
the next issue(s).

With more tension between Duke and Scarlett revealed, the sudden
appearance of Snake Eyes, Destro’s unexpected precautions against The
Baroness, and some Joes thinking that they can finally relax, this
issue reads as the calm before the storm. It’s worth picking up as many
important events that will definitely lead into later issues occur in
this issue.