Published Apr 30, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT
Sam Fang primarily covers news for CBR, with over a decade of experience writing about entertainment and pop culture and degrees in both journalism and art.
This article contains spoilers for G.I. Joe #21, available now from Image Comics.
The G.I. Joe franchise has finally brought back a fan-favorite character. Storm Shadow has just returned to the mainline G.I. Joe series, nearly two years after his last appearance.
G.I. Joe #21 was released by Image Comics on April 15, and it saw both Storm Shadow and Scarlett's return. The issue signaled round two for the fight between the Arashikage and Cobra, with tensions rising in the ongoing conflict. The arrival of Storm Shadow certainly escalated things, considering the character hasn't been seen much since his debut in Image's Scarlett miniseries that hit stores back in 2024 and saw the G.I. Joe team member infiltrating the Arashikage clan.
Storm Shadow Returns in This Month's Nearly Silent G.I. Joe Issue
Storm Shadow's presence in G.I. Joe #21 was, as expected, a silent affair. The new issue followed Image Comics' ongoing trend of releasing silent (or mostly silent) issues, paying homage to the groundbreaking G.I. Joe: Silent Interlude. That's not to say that plenty of action didn't unfold, even without dialogue.
In the pages of G.I. Joe #21, fans can witness Storm Shadow's arrival on the scene in a shocking battle against Cobra. This builds nicely from the character's debut in the Scarlett miniseries, though things didn't quite go as planned. Storm Shadow and his allies Jinx and Scarlett fought hard but were ultimately defeated after an intense duel with Cobra Commander.
The story also saw Scarlett suffering a terrible loss of her own, with G.I. Joe's Col. Hawk ordering her to be extracted. As a result, the Arashikage Clan is left in total ruin after the events of G.I. Joe #21, likely ushering in a new major conflict in the ongoing series. Exactly where things are headed remains to be seen, but solicits for G.I. Joe #22 tease a hunt for Energon, with both the Joes and Cobras racing to get their hands on the valuable energy source.
G.I. Joe Teases More Fan-Favorite Characters Returning
Image courtesy of IDW Publishing.Storm Shadow's return in G.I. Joe is only the beginning for fans of the action franchise, with more long-awaited battles set to grace the pages of the comic series in the coming months. This June, G.I. Joe #23 sees a brand-new G.I. Joe named 'Risk' entering the picture after previously appearing in the first issue. He is the first new Joe to debut in Image's Energon Universe. That issue will also see Destro and Baroness meeting again.
After that, July will see Risk moving into a larger role as he makes an unexpected ally in the series' 24th issue. Readers will also learn more about Cobra's Crystal Ball and a secret plan that's sure to shake things up as the story moves forward. Image's G.I. Joe series is written by Joshua Williamson and debuted all the way back in 2020 as part of the Energon Universe, Skybound's shared franchise with a single narrative that also includes M.A.S.K., Transformers, and Void Rivals.
G.I. Joe #21 is available now from Image Comics.
Video Game(s) G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra
First Film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Cast Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lee Byung-hun, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Jonathan Pryce, Saïd Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid, D. J. Cotrona, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Park, Ray Stevenson, Bruce Willis, Dwayne Johnson, Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Úrsula Corberó, Samara Weaving, Iko Uwais
Spin-offs G.I. Joe Renegades
Spin-offs (Movies) G.I. Joe Chuckles Spinoff
English (US) · 