With this issue, G. I. Joe Origins officially surpassed G. I. Joe Cobra as the best book to feature the characters; a brief storyline focusing on a mere foot soldier within Cobra’s society has turned into one of the most gripping pieces of serialised fiction I’ve read in a long time. This issue features more action than prior instalments, and fewer words; the focus is more on the physical decisions of Mad Monk than on his vocal choices – he does what he can for superiors who clearly don’t care if he lives or dies, and he does it in an extremely brutal fashion. The length David Lapham goes to insure Monk’s struggle is more physically painful is intense; silent pages dominate the book, building on the gruelling choices he is forced to make, and in effect, crafting a monster. It’s powerful stuff, and never ceases to amaze.