Skybound, Image Comics, and Hasbro are expanding their G.I. Joe comics universe with two new series, and two franchise favorites are leading the way. Skybound's G.I. Joe line will add two new series featuring Scarlett and Destro, and they will feature some all-star talent at the helm. Scarlett will be written by Kelly Thompson (Birds of Prey, Black Widow) and feature artwork by Marco Ferrari (Frontiersman), while Destro will be written by Dan Watters (Loki, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!) and will feature artwork by Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride, Birthright). Both series are slated to hit this June, and you can find full previews of each issue on the next slide.
"I'm fortunate that, thanks to my job, I often get to dig into characters and worlds that I've loved for a long time," said Kelly Thompson. "But G.I. JOE's Scarlett is truly one of my first geek loves as a kid, and I am absolutely thrilled to have a hand in building her for this new, incredibly cool and rich universe at Skybound."
"I'm very excited to join the Scarlett team and to use every tool in my toolbox to bring her to life in this new series," said Marco Ferrari. "I can't wait for everyone to dive into Scarlett's mission with us!"
"I'm incredibly excited to bring Destro to life with Andrei," said Dan Watters. "This is going to be a visceral, explosive thriller in which he [Destro] isn't very nice to anyone at all – everything you'd want from your favorite amoral arms trafficker."
"I just can't wait to see what Dan has planned for Destro!" said Andrei Bressan. "I'm pretty excited because everything going on with the Energon Universe so far has been bonkers and Destro...he is just an absolute bad***, ready to kill and destroy."
"Duke and Cobra Commander were two of the highest-selling G.I. JOE comics of all-time, and they're only the start of our new beginning for the amazing G.I. JOE franchise," said Sean Mackiewicz, SVP, Publisher, Skybound. "With G.I. Joe and Cobra now locked on an unavoidable collision course, Scarlett and Destro will introduce new characters and factions that will disrupt their most carefully laid plans. Kelly Thompson, Marco Ferrari, Dan Watters, and my favorite madman, Andrei Bressan are crafting action-packed, jaw-dropping comics that will forever change the Energon Universe."
Scarlett #1 will hit comic stores on June 5th, while Destro #1 will hit comic stores on June 19th. You can find the official descriptions for Scarlett and Destro below.
"Shana 'Scarlett' O'Hara is about to take on the most dangerous black ops mission of her career: infiltrating the mysterious rising power in Japan known as the Arashikage Clan. Her one lead is her former partner-Jinx-turned Arashikage enforcer. Now, Scarlett must use her operative skills to survive undercover... and discover a shocking weapon that could change the balance of power on Earth."
"James McCullen Destro XXIV is the man behind M.A.R.S. Industries, the undisputed leader in providing high-tech weapons to world powers...for the right price. But the emergence of Energon has changed everything. As Destro's ambitions grow, the "Crimson Twins" Tomax and Xamot Paoli emerge to destroy their competition, and Cobra Commander realizes his current ally could be his future greatest enemy."
Are you excited for Destro and Scarlett? Let us know in the comments and you can talk all things comics with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!