Many of us really saw it coming throughout the Cobra Civil War that Krake was destined to be the new Cobra Commander, but I still thought it was a very fun ride getting to the end result. But I think most folks were complaining a bit that we didn’t really know Krake’s history and what makes him tick.

No longer. The entirety of the 2012 G.I. Joe: Cobra annual is devoted to the backstory of Cobra agent Krake and how he becomes who he is. I was approaching the issue with some hesitation, just because I wasn’t entirely sure how much I cared. Turns out I did care.

Click the read the rest of the story link below for the full review.

G.I. Joe: Cobra Annual 2012

Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artist: SL Gallant

I started this issue off on a good foot just seeing SL Gallant’s name on the cover of the issue. That immediately put a smile on my face. I’ve grown so used to seeing his fantastic art on the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero title that I hadn’t really considered how his work on a more modern issue would be. Well, I was not disappointed. Turns out Gallant is just awesome no matter what era he’s doing the art chores for, and I found every single page of this double-sized Annual to be a pure joy just to look at.

Chuck Dixon throws us directly into the action, and we travel back in time several years to really see how Krake gets his start as a newborn in Thailand. Born to the wartorn region of the Golden Triangle, Krake quickly finds himself an orphan and a mercenary in the thick of the drug war. He learns on the fly and essentially hones his skills and builds his reputation from the ground up.

Along the way, we see many familiar faces from Major Bludd to The Baroness, and even the old school Cobra Commander himself. But honestly, Cobra kinds of drifts in and out, with the core focus of the story purely on the man who would become Krake. Speaking of the name “Krake” the best part of this issue, I thought, was Major Bludd haphazardly giving him that code name based on an Australian serpent…a very cool touch. For whatever reason I’d never thought to really research what the term “Krake” meant, and its translation makes perfect sense.

Every single page of this oversized annual is action-packed, and I have to be honest. I LOVED it. My uncertainty about the IDW modern G.I. Joe universe has been pretty well documented. While I love pockets of what IDW has done, I haven’t felt fully invested in the current stories since they began. Even though I love the Cobra angle, and I adore the Real American Hero stories, the mainstream G.I. Joe stories have left something to be desired. Well, I’m not sure what has changed, but in the past few months I have been pulled in. Pulled in in a big way. I eagerly turned each page of the Cobra Annual, desperately looking forward to seeing exactly who Krake is and what makes him tick. A year ago I didn’t care much about Krake, but now? Now I think he makes a fantastic Cobra Commander, born in blood, and ready to lead the terrorist organization on a global crusade. I am invested.

A great issue. There is a lot to love here with Dixon’s excellent pacing and Gallant’s fantastically clean, smooth, and nearly flawless art. Fifty pages of greatness here, I strongly encourage any Joe fan to give it a shot. This might just be a good jumping on point for many folks, too.

I can see how the eight dollar price tag might scare off some folks, but I do think there is enough content in this issue to warrant the cost increase. It’s essentially a double sized issue for double the price. Still worth it, in my opinion.

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