Cobra #19 (IDW)

writer: Mike Costa
artists: Antonio Fuso

(via unleashthefanboy.com)

The fascinating thing about the Oktober Guard arc is that it harks back to Cobra's earliest days as Chuckles explored G.I. Joe's opposite number as it was being discovered for the first time.  Mike Costa has wisely (but in this series he's done nothing but wise things) decided to use the same approach.  Only, the Oktober Guard isn't Cobra.

What made Cobra so fascinating to explore in the manner Costa (and original co-writer Christos Gage) did was that it was definitely well-known, and its members to varying degrees iconic, yet every aspect came off as fresh and intriguing.  Recently the tables have flipped, with certain of the characters featured in those early days (Erika La Tene, Tomax Paoli) now functioning as G.I. Joe informants, while the good guys are once again predominantly represented by agents like Ronin.

Ronin is a character unique to Cobra, and if you're a fan of hers you may want to approach this issue with caution.  Like Chuckles before her she goes rogue on her latest mission, eager to learn more about the Oktober Guard, and ends up in hot water.

The Oktober Guard itself is not Cobra, and it's certainly isn't G.I. Joe.  Since the end of the Cold War, America's relationship with Russia has altered drastically.  Vladimir Putin proved to be an unlikely ally in the early days of the War on Terror, yet since that time the two countries have significantly diverged in their interests, to the point where Russia might as well exist on another planet for all its apparent importance to Americans today.  Yet it remains inextricably linked to greater global affairs, and as such the continued presence of the Oktober Guard is not only a reminder of the past but a terrific nod to a part of G.I. Joe mythology that can sometimes be overlooked.

Costa is quick to acknowledge that the Guard is formidable, every bit the compelling rival that Cobra remains.  He's got less familiar territory to work with, though, which is actually good as far as the focus on the greater Joe operation is concerned.  It's not just Ronin, as it was all but only Chuckles driving the story in the beginning.  This is where the tangled web of the complete Cobra run really begins to develop.  It's not just the Guard that intrigues, but how its existence forces everything we've been following to date push forward.

It speaks directly to the strength of Costa's writing.  It's familiar but also something new, which is what Cobra has been from the start, and the fact that he's still got new ways to express it is yet another reason why this is still one of the best series on the market.