G.I. Joe #110 (March 1991) – “Escalator to Armageddon” – Larry Hama/Ron Garney/Fred Fredericks
Last issue, a team of Joes was sent to Trucial Abysmia to take out some Cobra Terror Dromes, but Cobra had a secret operation going there so when the Joes were captured, Tomax and Xamot were ordered to get rid of them. A number of Joes (Doc, Quick Kick, Heavy Metal, Crankcase, Crazy Legs, Thunder, and Breaker) were killed, leaving only Duke, Lt. Falcon, and Cross Country against a Saw Viper and his team of executioners. Unfortunately, the Cobras are in a tank while the Joes only have a few pistol rounds left. Above the desert, another trio of Joes (Clutch, Rock n’Roll, and
Wildcard) are plummeting earthward after their parachute lines tore away, at least until Wildcard remembers there’s a secondary chute that’ll bring them down safely. We find out what Cobra is planning, with Tomax and Xamot’s group arriving at the border with neighbouring Benzheen, an oil-rich country that’s friendly to the West. Tomax calls Cobra Commander on Cobra Island to finalize plans and finds out that the Commander’s order to “get rid of the Joes” meant they were supposed to escort them to the border and release them. As Cobra forces roll into Benzheen (and overwhelm the defenses quite easily), Xamot calls the Saw Viper to order him to let the Joes go. He 
reluctantly obeys, but Duke is pissed off and swears he’ll kill the Saw Viper to avenge his fallen teammates, a confrontation the Saw Viper is looking forward to. In Benzheen, the Cobras blow up the yacht the Emir is on, but he escapes in a jet at the last second. The mobile battle bunker lands and makes contact with the surviving Joes in the desert, who figure the bunker’s firepower can help them get revenge on Cobra. In Benzheen, the twins let Cobra Commander know they’ve basically taken over the country (or the capital city at least) and therefore control ten percent of the world’s oil reserves, but when Cobra Commander hears about the seven Joes who were executed, he decides to go to Benzheen to oversee the operation personally. In Tricial Abysmia, the Joes catch up to the Cobras and blast their tanks, leaving only the Saw Viper
alive. Duke is ready to waste him, but the Saw Viper is smart enough not to go for a weapon (and points out that the Joes are there illegally so they can’t even take him prisoner). But the Emir of Benzheen has formally asked the United States to help take back his country, so the Joes are massing their entire force to go in and kick Cobra out. This is a pretty good issue, with obvious parallels to the first Gulf War when the Americans helped kick the Iraqi invaders out of Kuwait.
G.I. Joe #111 (April 1991) – “Probe and Feint” – Larry Hama/John Statema/Randy Emberlin
This one starts with Cobra Commander arriving in Benzheen to take over the invasion and giving Tomax and Xamot shit for killing the Joes, which will bring heat on Cobra. The twins blame the Saw Viper, but when he points out that he’s killed more Joes in a few minutes than Cobra Commander has in years, the Commander decides he’s a hero. Meanwhile, the Joes have arrived in force and have a plan to take back Benzheen. They start by luring some Cobras into the desert for a night ambush (led by Flint and Lady Jaye) and then bring in a few aircraft for a minor strike that’s really cover for dropping a team of ninjas behind Cobra’s lines. The plan works and the ninjas get in successfully, watched by
a recon support team hiding in the darkness outside (which includes Stalker and Sneak Peek, as well as new Joes Recoil, Ambush, and Cool Breeze, who’s a bit too sure of himself to suit Stalker). Flint’s team are heading back to safety when they run into a bunch of resistance fighters whose leader (Faoud) tells them they don’t just want Cobra out, but the Emir too … which means they consider the Joes to be their enemies. At the Joes’ desert headquarters, the Emir is yammering on about the need to protect his treasures from the fighting when Duke and the other Joes in the mobile bunker return with the bodies of their dead comrades. Hawk tells the Emir that honouring their dead takes precedence 
over his bullshit. In Benzheen, the ninjas are making notes on all the defenses so the Joes can be ready for an invasion, but when they run across the party and hear the Saw Viper bragging about wasting the Joes, they’re tempted to get a little payback. Scarlet reminds them that they have to stay undetected or Cobra will change their defenses and all their intel will be worthless. I guess this is meant to be a mini-cliffhanger, leaving us wondering if Snake eyes and Storm Shadow will ignore orders and give in to their need for vengeance, but I think they’re both professional enough to see the bigger picture.