I was never a fan of the G.I.Joe comics of the 1980s, and the Devil's Due revival hasn't proven to be my cup o' tea either. And as for the Transformers, by the time the Dreamwave Productions crew wrapped up its first limited series, my interest in that '80s cartoon resurrection had waned as well. So it was a safe bet that a crossover between the two properties wouldn't be up my alley either. Turns out, I was wrong. Blaylock breathes new life into these properties by linking their origins, and it makes for exciting and fun storytelling.
Before the world ever heard of his terrorist organization, Cobra Commander leads a small army to the hidden wreckage of an alien spacecraft, and within, he discovers the keys to success in his quest for world domination. Months later, Col. Clayton Abernathy leads a detail of skilled soldiers on a routine protection mission during a world summit in Washington, D.C., but they're soon set upon by Cobra soldiers, armed with futuristic technology.
Miller's storytelling has always been crisp and clear, but I wondered how he'd handle the intricate detail of the varied Transformers designs. It turns out he's more than equal to the task. He conveys the robots' immensity quite well, though when it comes to displays of power, the visuals are a bit understated. The colors are vibrant as well. There's a straightforward, action-oriented feel at play here, but I can't help but wonder if the story might have proven to be more engaging had a darker atmosphere been brought out in the visuals.
Blaylock maintains a thoroughly accessible tone with his script. He doesn't assume the reader will be familiar with the Joe or TF characters. He starts both properties off from square one here, and the intertwined alternate history is an inventive and even logical one. The focus is here is on the human characters -- the Joes and Cobra's leaders -- and I found we got to know the protagonists quite well. I know little about the G.I.Joe characters, I loved the notion that the stoic and silent Snake-Eyes started out as a blabbermouth smart-ass.
In this story, the G.I.Joe task force is a response to the threat that Cobra poses, one that's a greater danger thanks to the terrorists' use of robots "in disguise." It's a relatively simple concept, but it works incredibly well. Blaylock even taps into real-world fears about terrorism and devastating attacks for which it is impossible to prepare. That topical relevance is only touched upon ever so slightly, but it's there, and it strengthens the storytelling a bit.
