I'm not a fan of G.I.Joe or the Transformers, and the plotting here is pretty basic stuff. But there's a certain charm to it as well, and I think I know why. If you're like me, you remember those Justice League/Justice Society teamups of the 1970s and '80s with fondness, and the same sort of dynamic is at play in this story. Good guys and bad guys team up to prevent the end of the world, and even though the plot device is too big a pill to swallow, it's hard not to appreciate the irreverent nature of the premise and the interaction among the characters. This is a cute comic book, but little more, and the price tag is a bit high for a light diversion.
Two years after they were defeated, Cobra is in the process of rebuilding its organization, and Cobra Commander's plan involves using a wormhole to Cybertron that was accidentally discovered by scientists. The soldiers of G.I.Joe learn of their plan and intervene, only to find themselves transported along with their enemies to Cybertron. The incident sets off a chain reaction, displacing Autobots and Decepticons alike fom Cybertron to Earth... at four different points in the past. The Joes and Cobra forces discover that the robots must be returned to their rightful place and time, or it will mean the end of Earth.
Su and Seeley tell the story clearly in their linework, but in a book full of giant transforming robots and colorful military agents, there's a surprising lack of larger-than-life visuals. There's not much in the way of artwork that really grabs the reader and makes him sit up and take notice. The art is capable, but never goes beyond being simply standard fare. The backgrounds are lacking at times as well. Furthermore, given that big chunks of this story is set in the past, there's not enough culture and color from the periods being included. A couple of afros do not make for a fun trip back to the 1970s.
I'll give Jolly credit... this is an accessible script. This is a sequel to Devil's Due first Joe/Transformers crossover, but some concise background information on the first page brings the reader up to speed on just about everything s/he needs to know. Now, if one isn't as familiar with the individual characters, there's probably not as much to be had here as there is for hard fans of either one (or both) of the Hasbro toy properties.
The premise is awkward and forced, yes, but there's a certain degree of fun to be found in it as well. This is standard super-hero storytelling, seeing the heroes and villains from two different worlds setting their differences aside to save mankind. The time travel angle is plenty of fun as well, bringing variety to the settings.
