The Eruditegorilla

G.I. Joe #122 (March 1992) – “Transformer” – Larry Hama/Andrew Wildman/Randy Emberlin

This one continues from last issue, with Cobra’s forces trying to get into Destro’s newly-acquired castle in Trans-Carpathia so they can capture and brainwash him for Cobra Commander’s amusement. The Joes have a team outside but are forced to withdraw by a contingent of Cobras who are dug in pretty well. Hawk brings in the heavy artillery (the Battle Wagon driven by Ambush) and prepares to go on the offensive. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 122, G.I. Joe 123”

G.I. Joe #120 (January 1992) – “Return to the Silent Castle” – Larry Hama/Andrew Wildman/Randy Emberlin

This one continues from last issue, with Cobra Commander handing Baroness over to Destro (not mentioning her time in the brainwave scanner) to keep Destro from using his computer virus to wipe out more of Cobra Commander’s secret Swiss bank accounts. Destro also makes the Commander sign over title to his old castle in Trans-Carpathia (the one Snake Eyes assaulted to rescue Scarlett in issue 21) as compensation for destroying Destro Castle in Scotland. Destro figures this castle is much more defensible, since he designed it himself to be all but impregnable. Destro doesn’t know about Baroness being brainwashed by the brainwave scanner and Cobra Commander tells the Night Creepers that she’s been programmed to betray Destro and take him to another brainwave scanner to zombify him. Destro’s claiming the old castle works out perfectly, since there’s a brainwave scanner in the basement. But Cobra Commander isn’t aware (though the Night Creepers are) that there’s someone else at the castle … someone very dangerous. At the castle, we see Hawk, Flint, and Lady Jaye watching the castle until Destro gives them a sign that everything is cool. Lady Jaye catches a glimpse of someone on the parapets and we see it’s two ninjas (at least I think they’re supposed to be ninjas) named Slice and Dice. Yeah, you heard me, Slice and Dice. As if that weren’t enough, we see Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Tjbang, Nunchuk, and Dojo rappelling down a cliff outside the castle. Slice and Dice sense them through the rock somehow and Storm Shadow senses them sensing him, so he tells the others they have to hang there perfectly still for an hour to allay suspicion. A Cobra plane flies by and activates Baroness’s post-hypnotic suggestion, so she asks Destro to give her a tour of the place, starting in the basement. When they get to the room with the brainwave scanner, Baroness tries to knock Destro out but he stops her. Their tiff is interrupted by some Red Ninjas hiding out in the basement. Destro and Baroness waste them, but run right into Slice and Dice. At the Trans-Carpathian border, we see Stalker and Dusty bringing a couple of tanks (loaded with more Joes) into the country for maneuvers with the Trans-Carpathian Army, but Stalker tells Dusty they’re taking a little detour to check on Destro. This is a pretty good issue, although I’m starting to feel “ninja overload”, which is probably just going to get worse. It was cool to see the old castle again, but Slice and Dice are such goofy names (not to mention their costumes) for characters we’re supposed to take as serious threats. Tjbang, Dojo, and Nunchuk are almost as bad; the title seems to be losing its realism and sliding into “comic booky” territory, more like a superhero tile than the serious military story it was before. I’m sure Larry Hama had no choice in the matter and is doing his best, but it does make me long for the earlier issues.

G.I. Joe #121 (February 1992) – “Slice and Dice and Everything” – Larry Hama/Andrew Wildman/Randy Emberlin

This one continues from the above issue, with Destro and Baroness slipping through a secret door to get away from the ninjas. Baroness’s brainwashing seems to have taken a back seat to self-preservation, but a Cobra air assault is on the way and the jet pilot is getting ready to give Baroness another signal to activate the post-hypnotic suggestion. The Joes rendezvous near the castle and try to hide their armour when Storm Shadow warns them about the air assault. Unfortunately, one of the tanks stalls and starts rolling down a slope that will expose them to the Cobras. Inside the castle, Destro and Baroness barricade themselves in a control room and Destro wonders if he can get the Cobras to fight the red ninjas. Baroness gets another signal from the jet and prepares to stab Destro with a sword, but he seems to be expecting it. As the Joes engage with three of the Cobra strike team outside, Destro tells Baroness he’s aware of her brainwashing but still loves her, even to the point of voluntarily undergoing his own brainwashing. Slice and Dice bust in on them, but some Cobras show up a minute later, triggering a three-way fight. Outside, the Joes come in hard, but the Cobras use some of Destro’s defenses against them to even things up. The Joe ninjas head inside to fight their red ninja counterparts, who are busy pushing back the Cobras. That gives Destro and Baroness the chance to slip away again and Destro leads them back to the basement where he gets into the brainwave scanner and tells Baroness to turn it on. I assume Destro is using reverse psychology here, showing Baroness how much he loves her to break the brainwashing. The rest of the issue is mostly just fighting and it looks like we’ll get a big ninja fight next issue. I’m still overloaded on ninjas, so I’m not really looking forward to that, especially since the ninjas seem to be getting more like superheroes all the time.

G.I. Joe #118 (November 1991) – “Deceptions and Diversions” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Randy Emberlin

This one continues from last issue, with some mercenaries in Beirut busting into Snake Eyes’s hotel room to claim the reward on his head. He takes them down easily but doesn’t kill them, which makes them wonder if he’s as bloodthirsty as they’ve been told. Apparently Cobra Commander told everyone that some Joes had gone renegade and were now working for Destro, hence the bounty he’d placed on them. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 118, G.I. Joe 119”