Review: ‘Duke’ #2 Escalates As Everything Clicks

Skybound’s relaunch of GI Joe is only three issues in and already its breathing new life on the franchise. In Duke #2, the action continues, and brings in a quartet of Joe favorites, including one unexpected surprise.

Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Jordie Bellaire, and Rus Wooton get Duke in deep.

Duke is on the run, framed of murders he didn’t commit. His only ally is a fellow Joe — Clutch — who’s also one of his oldest friends. Unfortunately two of General Hawk’s best soldiers are on his trail, and they might be better than he is. Getting captured might be a good thing though, as it puts him on a collision course with a familiar face that might be as dangerous as they are helpful.

Williamson crafts a story that’s incredibly exciting as it moves the plot along. The issue escalates the conflict as it slowly brings more into the picture. Each character provides a new dynamic too — Clutch is the old friend, Stalker is the competent fighter that’s just a little better than Duke, Rock’n’Roll is the wild card. It builds through the issue until the last page, with a reveal that’s a surprise but also adds momentum going into next issue. 

Even if the story was sub-par (which its not), this issue would be worth it for the art. Reilly’s character acting is engaging as his action scenes. The page of Clutch forgetting his girlfriend’s name is incredibly funny, and mostly lands thanks to a few small changes in body language and facial expression. Each of the Joes fight differently, and Reilly gives him different body types that dictate those differences. That’s not even counting probably the best spread of the issue, a cutaway of the Pit.

Bellaire mixes colors that are bright enough for the characters to pop, while keeping the world around them real. She creates some great lighting effects that add to the scifi nature of the action and plot. Wooton does a solid job with the dialogue, but stands out with the little things- adding small effects with beeping devices, and enveloping the page in “sound” when the fighting starts.

Duke #2 is available now from Skybound Entertainment/Image Comics.