Storm Shadow vs. Scarlett Is Back in G.I. JOE #21

Skybound, Image Comics, and Hasbro just pulled the pin and dropped a fresh look at G.I. JOE #21, serving up new preview pages and a killer lineup of variant covers for what’s shaping up to be an absolute burner of an issue. The powerhouse team of Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Lee Loughridge, and Rus Wooton is back in full attack mode, delivering an action-heavy chapter that brings two legendary G.I. JOE icons crashing back into the spotlight. And yes, comic fam, it’s going down on April 15, 2026.

That’s right—Storm Shadow and Scarlett are back, and this ain’t no friendly reunion. The Arashikage and Cobra already crossed paths once before, but now it’s time for Round Two, and you already know this rematch is coming with blades, drama, and straight-up chaos. The only question is… will G.I. Joe have to step in before this whole thing explodes out of control?

On the cover front, G.I. JOE #21 is loaded. The main cover comes from Tom Reilly, with additional open-to-order stunners by Joshua Cassara & Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Ben Oliver. For the hardcore collectors, the incentive variants are bringing the heavy artillery too, including a 1:25 by Tonči Zonjić, a 1:50 by Jay Anacleto & Romulo Fajardo Jr., and a 1:100 by Ito. In other words, this issue isn’t just coming to fight—it’s coming to flex.

Storm Shadow and Scarlett return for a rematch in G.I. JOE #21 from Skybound and Image Comics — G.I. JOE #21 brings Storm Shadow and Scarlett back into the fight for an explosive Round Two.

And let’s keep it all the way real—G.I. JOE remains one of the major engines driving the Energon Universe, that massive shared comics playground built through the historic team-up between Hasbro and Skybound. This universe has already been setting fans on fire with a bold new era of TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, and it keeps getting bigger. You’ve got Void Rivals still cooking with Robert Kirkman, Andrei Bressan, and Dee Cunniffe, the two-time Eisner Award-winning TRANSFORMERS continuing to dominate, and now the hype train gets even louder with M.A.S.K. launching on June 3 from Dan Watters, Pye Parr, and Pierluigi Casolino.

Bottom line? The Energon Universe is not playing around. Every issue keeps dropping key moments, major reveals, and the kind of big-franchise storytelling that has fans locked in and talking. And with Storm Shadow and Scarlett stepping back into the ring in G.I. JOE #21, this one feels like a must-read knockout.

Author Profile

Al Mega: I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!