G.I. Joe (2024) issue 5

Publisher	Image Comics; Skybound Entertainment
First published	March 19, 2025
Cover date	March 2025
Written by	Joshua Williamson
Art by	Tom Reilly
Colors by	Jordie Bellaire
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editors	Ben Abernathy
Continuity	Energon Universe

After being captured by Cobra, the Joes stage a daring escape. Meanwhile, Cobra Commander modified the Brainwave Scanner with Doctor Monev.

Synopsis

Mercer welcomes the captured G.I. Joes to Cobra’s M.A.R.S. Industries base. Before he brings them to Cobra Commander, however, he reintroduces Duke to his old enemy, Destro, who has him beat him up. Destro comments that Duke is good at taking a lot of punishment, but perhaps his real weakness lies within his team. At that moment, he begins threatening to torture Baroness, who dares him to try. Chameleon offers to do it, but Destro shuts her down. Returning his attention to Duke and co., he asks how they were able to intercept Cobra at both the Brainwave Scanner shipping site and the Doctor Monev kidnapping. Duke laughs and, without knowing if he was even there, orders Clutch to attack.

Thankfully, Clutch was present in the room, and even better, he was sitting inside a H.I.S.S. tank, which he uses to pelt the Cobra officers with a torrent of Energon gunfire. While Mercer shields his boss, Ripper cowers on the ground once again, and Duke and the Joes take cover behind the tanks.

Simultaneously, in another part of the facility, Cobra Commander and Doctor Archibald Monev work on the modifications to the Brainwave Scanner. Monev points out the sounds of battle in the distance, but the Commander brushes it off. He then tells him about a side effect of the Scanner’s modifications: not only will it enslave the minds of everyone within its blast radius, but because of the Energon’s strength, it will also wipe their minds of any prior memories or personality. Cobra Commander brushes this off as well, calling it “a worthy sacrifice” and telling his hostage to get back to work.

Back in the other room, Tomax and Xamot arrive on the scene, and Scrap-Iron brings out the bazooka to blow up Clutch’s H.I.S.S. The Joe leaps out of the vehicle just in time to escape the explosion and joins his teammates in their hiding spot. He shoots Duke’s handcuffs, and the team discuss their next course of action. Baroness says they can’t fight without weapons, to which Risk responds that they can fight with their fists. Duke agrees and adds that they can grab weapons off of the Cobra troops they fight on the way out. Destro orders his men to prepare to shoot them dead, but the Joes unexpectedly come out screaming. As planned, they fight their way through the enemy troops, snatching their weapons and using them against them. Duke lobs a bomb at Destro and Chameleon. Tomax and Xamot leave in disgust at the M.A.R.S. CEO’s handling of the situation. The Joes run out to the helipad, where they steal a transport helicopter, although Destro gives chase in a F.A.N.G. Inside the stolen chopper, Baroness notices him, and then notices that Duke isn’t with them in the vehicle.

Within the M.A.R.S. headquarters, Monev and Cobra Commander marvel at the former’s work on the Brainwave Scanner. The Commander suggests readying the bomb for transport, but Monev reminds him that Destro didn’t bring a test subject for them. As he leans into the machine, his captor pushes him inside. The restraints lock him in his seat, and, despite the protests that the device could kill him, the Commander pulls the lever. While the Scanner does its work, Destro contacts his partner-in-crime and informs him about the Joes’ escape. Because of the commotion, more military troops may be on the way, so they need to hasten their plans. Cobra Commander tells him he’ll take care of the bomb’s transportation and hangs up, but before he can leave, Duke holds a gun to his head and demands to know who he is.

Featured characters

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

G.I. Joe	Cobra	Others
Duke (3) Baroness (4) Risk (5) Stalker (6) Cover Girl (7) Clutch (12)	Mercer (1) Cobra Troopers (2) Destro (8) Ripper (9) Scrap-Iron (10) Chameleon (11) Cobra Commander (13) Tomax and Xamot (15 & 16)	Archibald Monev (14)

Quotes

"How did you know Clutch was here?”
"I guessed."
"YOU GUESSED?!"

—Baroness continues to learn how crazy her leader is.

"If I die today… I’m glad to know it’s alongside this team. For Rock ‘n Roll."
"For Rock ‘n Roll."
"Just one thing left to say… YO JOE!
"They’re mad.

—Duke and the Joes prepare to make their big push, while Destro comments on the plan’s insanity.

"What… What are you doing?” "Testing it." "Please… No. It could kill me." "It could."

— Cobra Commander shows how little he cares for others, Dr. Monev included.

"Who the Hell are you?

— Duke finally meets Cobra Commander face-to-face.

Notes

Continuity notes

Mercer references his and Duke’s prior meetings in the first issues of Duke and this series, as well as his encounters with Destro in the former.
Chameleon once again calls Destro “lover,” referencing the relationship that started between them at the end of his self-titled series.
Clutch has been hiding out amongst Cobra’s ranks since the end of issue 2.
Ripper cowers on the ground when the battle begins, just as he did when a similar Energon gunfight broke out in Cobra Commander issue 5, something which itself was due to all the harrowing events he endured fighting the Commander and Nemesis Enforcer alongside his fellow Dreadnoks prior issues of that series.
The Joes pay tribute to Rock 'n Roll, who was killed by Cobra Vipers at the end of issue 1, before making their last stand.

G.I. Joe references

When threatening to torture Duke’s team, Destro targets Baroness, which maybe in part due to their romantic connection in prior stories.
The Joes make their escape in a Cobra transport helicopter, a non-toy vehicle that appeared frequently in the original A Real American Hero comics.

Real-life references

Errors

On page 10, panel 4, Clutch shoots Duke’s handcuffs off, but he is seen with them on in the first panel of the next page. They disappear again in panel 2, and aren’t seen on his wrists afterwards.

Covers

Cover A: Destro holds a hologram of the captured Joes, by Tom Reilly.
Cover B: Baroness punches Destro, by David Finch, Sandra Hope, and Adriano Lucas.
Cover C: Baroness, by Ryan Sook.
Cover D (1:10 Copy Incentive): G.I. Joe charges into battle with Clutch and Cover Girl in a V.A.M.P., half of a connecting cover with issue 7 depicting a battle between them and Cobra, by Karl Kerschl.
Cover E (1:25 Copy Incentive): Cobra Valkyrie on an explosion background, by Travis Moore and Adriano Lucas.
Cover F (1:50 Copy Incentive): Design specs for the G.I. Joe V.A.M.P., by E. J. Su.
The 616 Comics Cover: Cobra Commander, by Tyler Kirkham.