From writer Dan Watters (Lucifer, Cowboy Bebop: Supernova Swing) and artist Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride) comes a fantastic refresh of a fan-favorite G.I. Joe character with Destro #1. Featuring colors by Adriano Lucas and lettering from Rus Wooton, this opening issue fires a salvo of action, intrigue, and pure comic-book goodness to make one of the best debuts of Skybound’s new Energon Universe.
“James McCullen Destro XXIV is the man behind M.A.R.S. Industries, the undisputed leader in providing high-tech weapons to world powers…for the right price.
But the emergence of Energon has changed everything.
As Destro’s ambitions grow, the “Crimson Twins” Tomax and Xamot Paoli emerge to destroy their competition, and Cobra Commander realizes his current ally could be his future greatest enemy.”
Writing & Plot
Dan Watters is the latest writer to be tasked with giving a classic G.I. Joe character a fresh start for Image/Skybound’s new iteration of this universe, and he comes out swinging with Destro #1. The steel masked head of the Military Armaments Research Syndicate (M.A.R.S) makes his first appearance in the Energon Universe by testing out his new battalion of Energon powered robot-soldiers, using them to overthrow a despotic government. As a result, some of his rival weapons dealers – and the sole energon supplier himself, Cobra Commander – start to understand how much of a threat Destro may be. Watters pens a debut chapter that is as fun as it is fascinating. Destro’s appeals to his ancestors juxtaposes against his machinations against Cobra Commander and his other weapons dealer rivals, and it makes him a blast to read about. Watters’ dialogue is punchy and memorable, mixing realistic speech with Hollywood-esque flair. Every major supporting character in this issue is memorable, as they are all given unique personalities and stellar writing to make them and this new world of G.I. Joe feel like an established place. In terms of scripting, this is a phenomenal first issue that makes the wait for chapter 2 a painful one.
Art Direction
One of the best parts about the Energon Universe so far is how different each comic’s visual style has been, and Andrei Bressan creates one of the best so far with his work in Destro #1. His eyes for character detail and action choreography make for a phenomenal looking book. Bressan’s inks and distinct penciling approach make for a comic that feels timeless in a way, like a direct continuation of the old Marvel-era Joe comics, but with a modern style. Almost every page in this issue is memorable, due to both Watters’ plotting and especially Bressan’s panel and art direction. Adriano Lucas’s color art fills in the visual experience with an approach that goes perfectly hand in hand with the pencils. He veers towards a saturated palette that, when combined with Bressan’s inks, gives every panel an extra sense of dimension and texture. The action especially comes alive with their approach, a explosions and debris feel like they rain down over the entire page. Rus Wooton’s lettering finishes off the reading experience with a reflexive font that captures the tone of the dialogue, and SFX work that works like an accent to the action while still being very comic-book-y. Destro is an outstanding looking comic in terms of visual direction.
Verdict
Destro #1 is a fantastic opening issue for this new take on one of G.I. Joe’s best characters. Dan Watters’s script is witty and punchy, making every character memorable while setting up a compelling conflict for the coming chapters. The art work from Andrei Bressan and Adriano Lucas is perfectly directed and visually unique, enough to make this one of the best looking comics in Skybound’s Energon Universe thus far. Be sure to grab this issue when it hits shelves on June 19th!
