3 Razors

• Title: G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files #2
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mike Costa
• Artist: Antonio Fuso

The second issue of G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files opens with the son of the original Cobra Commander awaking from a coma. After shaking the kid up a little, the JOEs send in Chameleon for the role she was born to play, bending men to her will. Realizing his role as the team’s intelligence officer into Cobra may be diminished by Billy agreeing to cooperate, Tomax makes some moves of his own by beginning to plant seeds of discord among the ranks starting with the teams technical officer Clockspring.

Although Billy has only limited knowledge of the operation, he does offer the team a target: a Tiger Team known as the Night Creepers who recently attacked a base in Los Alamos to steal “exotic materials.” Flint‘s plan for catching the group is more than a little unorthodox as he proposes hiring the team… to break into the Pentagon.

G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files #2 is a solid issue that gives us a closer look at how the team does business, and how far they are willing to go to stop Cobra. For fans.

[IDW, $3.99]

• Title: G.I. JOE: Special Missions #3
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Chuck Dixon
• Artist: Paul Gulacy

The race for Cobra’s lost fortune continues as the Baroness‘ attempt to recover the billions Snake Eyes sunk to the bottom of the ocean becomes more complicated by the the Scarlett and the Special Mission force’s arrival on the scene, back-up JOEs on the way (along with an entire legion of Serpentor’s best warriors), and an on-board mutiny when the sailors for hire discover just what the Baroness is having them pull out of the watery depths. And Scarlett punches a shark. Twice.

Scarlett and the shark, which only take up about half a page of the comic, are really the highlight here. Chuck Dixon reminds us again just how smart and dangerous the Baroness is as she sniffs out the mutiny well-before the crew make and attempt on her life to keep the cash for themselves.

Forgive me for the water metaphor, but three issues in the storyline still feels like its treading water. I’m still interested to see where things are going, and trust Dixon to get there, but I would like events to move forward a little faster. For fans.

[IDW, $3.99]