Destro #4

History

The Destro miniseries was announced in March 2024 as one of two simultaneous G.I. Joe launches — alongside Scarlett — that Skybound used to round out the quartet of villain- and hero-focused minis begun with Duke and Cobra Commander. Writer Dan Watters, known for work on Loki and Universal Monsters, was paired with artist Andrei Bressan (Birthright, Dark Ride) and colorist Adriano Lucas, the same artistic engine behind the ongoing Transformers title, providing visual continuity across the Energon Universe. Issue #4 was lettered by Rus Wooton and edited under the Skybound/Image banner, with a cover A by Bressan and Lucas and a robust slate of incentive variants by Siya Oum, Nikola Čižmešija, Travis Moore, and Homare.

Trivia · 8 facts

• Published September 18, 2024 by Image Comics/Skybound Entertainment as the fourth of five issues in the Destro miniseries (the final of four initial G.I. Joe minis in the Energon Universe).
• Written by Dan Watters, with interior art by Andrei Bressan, colors by Adriano Lucas, and lettering by Rus Wooton.
• Key narrative revelation: Astoria Carlton-Ritz — a character originating from the single 1980s Transformers G1 cartoon episode 'The Girl Who Loved Powerglide' — is unmasked as the Energon Universe's version of Chameleon, a G.I. Joe character who was Baroness's half-sister and largely toyline-only in prior continuities.
• Tomax and Xamot Paoli attempt to acquire M.A.R.S. Industries from Artyom Darklon while Destro is presumed dead; they also test the Battle Android Trooper (B.A.T.) prototypes, which prove indiscriminately lethal.
• Destro, operating in secret, obtains classified U.S. intelligence files and confronts Astoria Carlton-Ritz, learning that her 'Project Overkill' AI system was responsible for the drone attack on his arms fair in issue #1.
• Characters appearing in the issue include Destro, Chameleon, Tomax, Xamot, Cobra Commander (cameo), General Flagg, Artyom Darklon, Mercer, and Scrap-Iron.
• Five cover editions were published: Cover A by Bressan & Lucas, Cover B by Siya Oum (open-to-order variant), a 1:10 incentive connecting cover by Nikola Čižmešija, a 1:25 incentive by Travis Moore, and a 1:50 incentive by Homare.
• The issue directly bridges into G.I. Joe #1 (by Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly), with Chameleon and Destro both appearing on that title's cover — confirming their roles as ongoing Energon Universe principals.

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