GI Joe No. 1 will introduce a new team of Real American Heroes Energon Universe in November 2024, but it will also introduce a new character. When the cover, designed by series artist Tom Reilly, for GI Joe Number 1 was requested, fans were curious about the man in the fancy suit with the rifle. Now writer Joshua Williamson reveals this exciting new character and what he brings to the series.
Williamson spoke with ScreenRant about the newest member of the team. “His name is Risk‘ says Williamson. “He’s a former CIA operative…something of a rich boy looking for a thrill.» Williamson goes on to describe the new Joe as a hand-to-hand fighter and a lethal cage fighter.
Williamson also talked about Risk’s backstory and how he got his codename:
“In fact, part of his job at the CIA was to assess the risks…what was the collateral damage of this mission? Will this mission be too difficult? And then he went into the field because he felt… if I’m going to send people on these dangerous missions, I should do them too, right? If I’m going to advise someone to take a risk, I have to be able to take a risk too.»
Meet Risk, the newest member of GI Joe’s team.
Character design by Tom Reilly
Williamson also explains how Risk will fit into the new team’s dynamic, highlighting what the new Joe will be like:a bit of an antagonist to Duke” According to Williamson, The risk was chosen by the Duke’s superior, Hawke.. “Duke’s team is mostly made up of… people that Duke chose.Williamson explains, prompting Hawk to add his man to the team. Hawk feels the need to include a member of the main team, which is interesting since fans previously learned that he already has his own secret team with Flint and Lady Jaye. Why Hawke chose Risk to be on Duke’s team instead of his hidden splinter group will be an intriguing mystery in the new series.
Connected
While Risk’s backstory and skill set were important parts of the character, Williamson also describes how the visuals defined who Risk would be:
“You know, the most interesting thing about creating something new GI Joe character: how are they visually different? Because, again, I have this wall GI Joe toys here [on my shelf]and I just looked at them. And I would ask, “How is it different?” And I look at Duke, I look at Flint, I look at the different characters… and I think, “You know what’s missing from this cast?” Dude in a suit.»
Williamson gave GI Joe And Duke Artist Reilly took these “marching orders” when designing Risk, and the results speak for themselves. “[Tom] ran with it and did a bunch of cool things” says Williamson, resulting in a stylish character who could more than hold his own in a fight.
Risk GI JoeReply to John Wick
Variant cover 1:250 by Tom Reilly
Another source of inspiration for Risk was a Hollywood icon on the big screen. “We don’t have a John Wick character.says Williamson, explaining how Risk fills a void on the new team. “We don’t have a character who wears a suit and beats the crap out of people.The name of Keanu Reeves’ iconic hitman hints at the type of action that Risk will hopefully take in the pages of the book. GI Joeas the franchise gets a modern update. If you’re lucky, Risk will join the ranks of your favorite characters GI Joe, How Energon Universe continues to chart a bold path forward for fans both old and new.
GI Joe #1 will be available November 13, 2024 from Skybound Entertainment.