Cobra Commander issue 2

« Cobra Commander #2 »
Publisher	Image Comics Skybound Entertainment
First published	February 21, 2024
Cover date	February 2024
Written by	Joshua Williamson
Art by	Andrea Milana
Colors by	Annalisa Leoni
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editors	Sean Mackiewicz & Jonathan Manning
Continuity	Energon Universe

Cobra Commander's hunt for the mysterious energon leads him to a series of dangerous encounters in the swamps of Florida.

Synopsis

In the swamps of Florida, Buzzer and Ripper, two members of the local biker gang the Dreadnoks, capture and torture a pair of gun runners for information about who they were selling weapons to in their turf. When they refuse to talk, Buzzer murders one with his chainsaw. The other tells them they don't know the buyer's name, just that they were supposed to meet them in Orlando. The Dreadnoks untie the surviving dealer... only to chain him to their tricked out Thunder Machine and drag him across the ground, killing him.

The next day, Cobra Commander and his Cobra-La "enforcer" investigate the swamps at a nearby gator tour, where Cobra Commander expresses his hatred of his fellow humans; they're too chaotic. What the world needs is order. As the Commander traipses off into the swamp to follow the energon signature, the protector thinks back to when Pythona gave him this assignment, modifying his body in some unseen ways using the organic technology of Cobra-La. As the pair argue, they are confronted by a park ranger, whom the enforcer attacks on the Commander's order. The ranger draws his gun, but the enforcer is unfazed by the bullets and crushes his skull with a simple headbutt.

During the skirmish, the Commander slips away and stumbles upon the Dreadnoks' cabin. His energon detector beeps, indicating that they too have been experimenting with the alien energy source. At that moment, Buzzer and Ripper return in the Thunder Machine and confront their uninvited guest. The pair tell him that he'll have to pay their toll, but the Commander simply pulls out his pistol and fires at the two, causing them to scatter, and blowing up the Thunder Machine with a custom built grenade before taking his leave. The Dreadnoks prepare to chase after him but are halted by Zarana, who reminds them that that part of the swamp is off-limits.

Going deeper into the swamp, Cobra Commander discovers a large body of water filled with raw energon. The Commander revels in how his success will be rewarded by Cobra-La... or what else he could achieve with all this raw transformative power. However, at that moment, he ends up plunging into the depths of the water, where a congregation of energon-enhanced alligators await!

Featured characters

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

Quotes

"I hate it here."
"These are your people."
"They were never my people. They are all fools."

—Cobra Commander and his protector

"Been a while since we had ourselves a fair shootout, Ripper. Should we call in for back-up?"
"I think we can handle this one..."

—Buzzer and Ripper

Notes

Continuity notes

• The gun runners mention that they were selling to "some big dude with a flattop," likely referring to Mercer of M.A.R.S., who we met previously in Duke #1.
• This issue marks the first time that a non-Cybertronian has referred to energon by its proper name. How Cobra-La knows what it's called is unknown, but perhaps Megatron told them.

G.I. Joe references

• Continuing the trend from Duke, the designs for Ripper, Buzzer, and Zarana are based on their G.I. Joe Classified Series action figures.
• The Thunder Machine is the signature vehicle of the Dreadnoks from the original A Real American Hero toyline, though its original driver — Thrasher — is nowhere in sight.
• Ripper is seen snacking on the Dreadnoks' favorite treat, a pink frosted donut.
• Zarana's reference to a "family meeting" suggests we'll soon be meeting her brothers Zartan, frequent leader of the Dreadnoks, and/or Zandar, her twin.
• A segment of the Florida swamps filled with alligators so dangerous that even the Dreadnoks dare not follow? Who could possibly be hiding there?

Real-world references

• Real-life gator tours are a common fixture of the Floridian tourist trade.

Errors

• Just as with previous issues, the back cover of the comic is patterned after a classified file (this time in red). However, it features the same grammatical errors, reading: "The contents of this booklet is confidential. This unauthorized disclosure of information within is prohibited."

Other trivia

• Buzzer sadly lacks the erudite English accent and mannerisms of his Marvel comic counterpart.

Covers

• Cover A: Cobra Commander is attacked by Buzzer, by Andrea Milana and Annalisa Leoni.
• Cover B: Cobra Commander's helmet emerges from the swamps, by Ricardo López Ortiz.
• Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive): Cobra Commander surrounded by Torch, Zarana, and gators, by Chris Burnham and Brian Reber.
• Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Buzzer on explosion background, by ACO.
• Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Ripper and gators corner Cobra Commander, by Nick Dragotta and Patricio Delpeche.

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• Explore the Energon Universe in Duke #3, Void Rivals #7, and Transformers #6.
• Renegade Game Studios' Transformers Deck-Building Game, Transformers Roleplaying Game, G.I. Joe Deck-Building Game, and G.I. Joe Roleplaying Game
• Invincible: Escape From Mars
• Skybound Insiders

Reprints

• Cobra Commander Volume 1: Determined to Rule the World (June 12, 2024) ISBN 1534398155 / ISBN 978-1534398153
  • Collects issues #1–5.
  • Trade paperback format.

• Codename: G.I. Joe Deluxe Edition Book One (June 25, 2025) ISBN 153432822X / ISBN 978-1534326910
  • Collects Duke issues #1–5, Cobra Commander issues #1–5, and the G.I. Joe story from Energon Universe Special 2024.
  • Hardcover format.

• 

  Volume 1: Determined to Rule the World – cover art by Andrea Milana

• 

  Deluxe Edition Book One – cover art by Andrea Milana, Tom Reilly and Jordie Bellaire

External links

References