G.I. Joe (2024) issue 18

« G.I. Joe #18 »
"I said TWO napkins."
Publisher	Image Comics Skybound Entertainment
First published	January 28, 2026
Cover date	January 2026
Written by	Joshua Williamson
Art by	Marco Foderà
Colors by	Lee Loughridge
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editors	Ben Abernathy
Continuity	Energon Universe

Marvin F. Hinton has left behind his days slinging machine gun fire for the joys of serving hot fresh sandwiches to his hometown of Biloxi. But when a pair of troublesome twins put his community in danger, Roadblock is willing to pick that burden back up.

Synopsis

"Colonel Hawk" calls Flint to inquire about the history of one Marvin F. Hinton. While Flint never personally served with "Roadblock", he's aware of his reputation as the world's best heavy gunner. However, last he heard, Hinton had returned to his hometown to pursue his dream...

Running a food truck! At a busy lot in Biloxi, Marvin's Melts serves a number of hungry patrons the finest grilled cheese sandwiches in Mississippi. However, his day is interrupted by the arrival of Tomax and Xamot Paoli of Extensive Enterprises, who claim to be fans of his sandwiches and wish to discuss a business opportunity. The pair tell Marvin that they'd like him to be the face of their new international chain of Red Rocket food trucks. However, he coldly rebuffs them, having no interest, fully aware that they're using the Red Rockets as a front for recruiting new Crimson Guard. The Crimson Twins leave, warning Marvin that he will soon regret rejecting their offer. Minutes later, a Crimson Stinger arrives. A trio of Crimson Guards emerges, firing into the air and creating a panic. Roadblock immediately leaps into action, knocking out two of the Siegies in quick succession. The third aims the Stinger's machine gun at the Marvin's Melts truck, but Roadblock simply flips the jeep over, breaking the machine gun off.

Roadblock then follows after Tomax and Xamot's car in his truck, rear-ending them at a stoplight. The twins pull guns on him, but Roadblock simply pulls the machine gun from out of his truck and opens fire on them. The twins take cover behind their now totaled car until they are rescued by the Crimson Guard. As they drive off, Roadblock warns them to never return. Marvin turns to return to his truck, but the destruction has caused it to set on fire, much to his dismay.

Returning to the lot, he finds the community there cleaning up the mess. One of Marvin’s younger customers tells him that "[[Night Force|his friends]" helped them. Marvin questions where the police are, but Shooter informs him that they would prefer to keep things quiet. She then asks Marvin if they can talk, to which he asks how he can help her.

Meanwhile, in Springfield, Chameleon and Mercer reflect on recent events, including the fact that the Dreadnoks are now working with Cobra. Destro meets with Cobra Commander in his secret lab, feigning relief at his safe return in order to hide his betrayal. The Commander takes it in stride, viewing the ordeal as a learning experience, as they now know more about G.I. Joe's operation; he then tells Destro that their focus needs to be on recovering the remaining deposits of Energon around Earth. Destro tells the Commander that he realizes how much Cobra needs him and asks that he finally reveal his origins to the Laid. The Commander says he will in due time, but that the Energon comes first. He then tells Destro that he believes he has found more than an ally in him, but a friend, which Destro reciprocates. However, as soon as Destro leaves, Cobra Commander activates a secret recording from the eyes of Major Bludd, showing him that Destro was behind his attempted assassination.

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

G.I. Joe	Cobra	Dreadnoks	Others
Flint (2) Roadblock (3) Lady Jaye (8) Beach Head (9) Shooter (10)	Tomax and Xamot (4 & 5) Crimson Guardsmen (6) Chameleon (16) Mercer (17) Destro (18) Cobra Commander (19) Major Bludd (20)	Zartan (1) Ripper (11) Buzzer (12) Torch (13) Zandar (14) Zarana (15)	Miss Sally (4) Young Customer (7)

Quotes

"Welcome to Marvin's Melts. How can I help you have a cheesy day?"

—Roadblock greeting his customers.

"Where to next, brother?"
"I'd like to go to a nice restaurant to get the stink of that place off of me."
"It really was below our standing, wasn't it?"

—Xamot and Tomax

Notes

Continuity notes

• Last issue revealed that the man we've known as Colonel Clayton "Hawk" Abernathy has actually been the Dreadnok leader Zartan in disguise. On the very first page of this issue, "Colonel Hawk" is seen touching his face to adjust the new mask he's wearing.
• Tomax and Xamot haven't been seen since issue #6. They've clearly kept busy while Cobra Commander and Destro have been struggling for control of Cobra.
• Cobra Commander has been searching for stockpiles of Energon hidden on Earth since the events of his eponymous miniseries. Earth having caches of Energon around the globe was also acknowledged in Transformers #25, where Shadow Watch was shown to have been stockpiling the substance for years.
• Cobra Commander provided Major Bludd with his cybernetic eye implants in issue #12. It makes sense that he would use them for his own subterfuge, as he watches the events of Destro’s betrayal from issues #13 and #14 play out from Bludd's perspective.

G.I. Joe references

• This issue homages an episode of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon, "Red Rocket's Glare". In that episode, Roadblock's aunt and uncle are scammed into opening a Red Rocket burger franchise as part of a scheme by Extensive Enterprises.
• Roadblock tells a group of kids not to talk to strangers, echoing one of the famous "Knowing is Half the Battle" PSAs from the Sunbow cartoon.
• Inside the Marvin's Melts truck, Roadblock has a postcard of Paris. His original filecard outlined that his dream was always to be a gourmet chef, with him joining the Army as a way to eventually pay for culinary school in France.
• The flashback to Roadblock’s time in the Army on page six depicts Roadblock in an outfit based on his original A Real American Hero look.
• Tomax and Xamot mention someone with "beach shirts", likely a reference to Chuckles, G.I. Joe's undercover specialist. Chuckles has previously been connected to the Crimson Twins in the pages of IDW Publishing's Hasbro Universe series G.I. Joe: Cobra.

Real life references

• The Biloxi Lighthouse is visible in the background when Roadblock confronts Tomax and Xamot.

Other notes

• Energon Experience: Presented by Skybound Executive Editor Ben Abernathy.
  • Character Spotlight: Hawk. Or, rather…
  • Face the Music!: Zartan! We get to see a glimpse of Tom Reilly’s proper design for the Dreadnok leader, depicting him in his full hood and outfit, colored purple like the design from the Sunbow cartoon.
  • Creator Spotlight: Ben asks letterer Rus Wooton who his favorite Dreadnok is. Rus loves Road Pig.

Covers

• Cover A: Roadblock defends his truck with some serious firepower, by Tom Reilly.
• Cover B: Chameleon, by Kendrick Lim.
• Cover C: Roadblock, by Ben Oliver.
• Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Roadblock on an explosion background, by Lucas Meyer and Adriano Lucas.
• Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Night Force (minus Shooter), by Michele Rubini and Romulo Fajarado Jr..
• Cover F (1:100 Copy Incentive): Night Force, by Patricia Martín.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Ads

• Explore the Energon Universe in Transformers #29, G.I. Joe #19, and Void Rivals #27.
• Ghost Pepper Volume 1 TPB
• Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #7
• Universal Monsters: Phantom of the Opera
• Super Creepshow

Reprints

• G.I. Joe Volume 3: Dreadnok War (March 25, 2026) ISBN 1534333452 / ISBN 978-1534333451
  • Collects G.I. Joe issues #13–18.
  • Trade paperback format.

• 
  Volume 3: Dreadnok War – cover art by Tom Reilly