Scott's Take: Duke Volume 1: Knowing is Half the Battle by Joshua Williamson

Duke Volume 1: Knowing is Half the Battle by Joshua Williamson with Tom Reilly (illustrator) and Jordie Bellaire (colorist) is a miniseries despite being titled Volume 1. There is no Volume 2 and there will not be. This is a miniseries set in the Energon Universe. A recently started line of books based on the idea--- what if the Transformers and the G.I. Joe lived in the same universe? This miniseries is designed to start setting up the G.I. Joe part of the Energon Universe. 

 

Duke barely survived an encounter with the Decepticon known as Starscream, but his friend was not so lucky. The United States military is covering it up and telling the highly decorated soldier that he is just wrong. So, Duke goes rogue and finds out that the rot in the institutions he has served his whole life in is deeper that he knows.

 

The art is pretty good even if the colors are a little dull. I don’t know if this was a deliberate choice, but Duke spends a good portion of this tale looking like Captain America from Infinity War. This is a mature and well thought out tale that raises a number of questions about what does a man who believes in the system do when the system fails him? We don’t get to explore this version of Duke too in much depth as this is more of a thriller than a character development read.

 

I really liked this read until the ending. Major spoilers, but a lot of the questions raised in this tale are brushed aside in order to have Duke help form the G.I. Joes.

 

The newly formed G.I. Joe group is assigned to kill Optimus Prime. They don’t know he is a good guy or, I guess, a good robot. Started here, this mission will be followed up in one of the new books in the universe. At the time of this review, I do not know which one.

 

The next announced book in the series, Cobra Commander, focuses on the Cobra Commander forming his group to take over the world.

 

Additionally, a full G.I. Joe series will start sometime this fall. That series will have Duke and other members of the G. I. Joe group.

 

Overall, while they are building up the G.I. Joe part of the universe with miniseries, they are currently giving the Transformers universe an actual series.

 

There is also something called Void Rivals set in space. I read it, and quite frankly, I still have no idea how it’s supposed to tie in yet. Which is why I have not reviewed it. I did not much care for it either.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3zEWshf

 

My reading copy was a Hoopla digital eBook via the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2024