Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
G.I. Joe Special Missions #19 (March 1989) – “Getting There” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Andy Mushynsky
This one starts on the USS Flagg aircraft carrier with Lift Ticket checking out the Tomahawk helicopter in anticipation of a big mission. Wild Bill, Muskrat, Repeater, and Lifeline are on the mission too, but they don’t find out what it is until after they take off. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 19, G.I. Joe 84”
Conan the Barbarian #103 – “Bride of the Vampire” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan
This one continues from last issue, with the unconscious Conan being taken by the Drellik king and his Bamula tribesmen thrown into a dungeon by the other Drelliks. A Drellik is a native word for vampire, but only the king is a true vampire; his followers have adopted his blood-drinking ways, but they die as easily as any other person. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 103, Conan the Barbarian 104”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #18 (February 1989) – “Extraction” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Andy Mushynsky
This one starts with Chuckles, Scarlett,Snake Eyes, and Iceberg returning from their mission in Tibet (uh, I mean Chomo Lungma) travelling down the Mekong River to find an extraction site. They’ve already missed a couple due to Snake Eyes spotting some ambushes, so they’re coming up on their last site somewhere in Southeast Asia. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 18, G.I. Joe 83”
Conan the Barbarian #101 – “The Devil Has Many Legs” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan
This one starts with Conan camping in the jungle, having given up the sea after the death of his lover Bêlit last issue. As he’s brooding by his fire, he’s attacked by some Bamula tribesmen, who quickly surround him. Conan kills their war-chief but is overcome by superior numbers. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 101, Conan the Barbarian 102”
G. I. Joe Special Missions #17 (January 1989) – “All in a Night’s Work” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Andy Mushynsky
This one starts with Dusty waking up four Joes (Muskrat, Shockwave, Hardball, and Hit & Run) to tell them they have a mission. They meet up with the team leader for the mission (Stalker) who fills them in en route. Armed gunmen have taken over the headquarters of Nexustech, a company in Siliconville, California that makes microchips and other high-tech stuff for the government. Local and federal law authorities are in a pissing contest over jurisdiction, so they probably won’t be much help, and the building is built like a bunker, so it’ll hard to get in without endangering the hostages. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 17, G.I. Joe 82”
Conan the Barbarian #100 – “Death on the Black Coast” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan
This one starts with the Tigress sailing the Black Coast as usual, but Bêlit’s destination is well outside their normal haunts. She takes the ship to the mouth of the Zarkheba River, which they passed once before and reminds Conan that its waters are said to be poisonous, inhabited only by venomous reptiles. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 100, Conan the Barbarian 92”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #16 (December 1988) – “Tight Circle” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Andy Mushynsky
This one starts with Cobra moving a bunch of heavy crates on Cobra Island in preparation for airlifting them someplace else. The crates are labelled “Farm Machinery”, but the Joes (who are spying on Cobra with their satellite) don’t believe that for a second. When one of the crates breaks open, they see that it actually contains … a sofa? Hawk is doubly suspicious now and sends all the Joe pilots (Wild Bill, Lift Ticket, Ace, Slipstream, Maverick, and Ghost Rider) to the island for recon. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 16, G.I. Joe 81”
Conan the Barbarian #98 – “Sea-Woman” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan
This one starts with a lookout on Bêlit’s ship spotting something amazing in the sea … a beautiful blue-skinned woman standing on a lily pad. Naturally, all the men (including Conan) want to bring her on board, but Bêlit is suspicious of her (either from legitimate caution or jealousy). Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 98, Conan the Barbarian 99”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #15 (November 1988) – “… and Into the Fire” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Andy Mushynsky
Last issue, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Chuckles, Iceberg, and CIA agent Anderson went to a hidden valley in the Himalayas to find a renegade CIA operative named Esterhazy who supposedly died twenty years ago. Esterhazy’s original mission was to help the people of Chomo Lungma (a fictional stand-in for Tibet) fight the Chinese imperialists, but when Nixon and Mao settled some of their differences diplomatically, that meant Esterhazy’s mission was no longer needed. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 15, G.I. Joe 79, G.I. Joe 80”
Conan the Barbarian #96 – “The Long Night of Fang and Talon Part 1” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan
This one continues from last issue, with Conan following the lion Sholo, hoping to find a secret way into the ancient city of Abombi where Bêlit is being held by Ajaga, a tribal chief who has learned how to command animals. Conan figures Ajaga’s siren call is bringing Sholo to his city and Conan can follow the lion to find Bêlit, but he’s not sure what’ll happen if Ajaga orders Sholo to attack Conan himself. (Sholo’s loyalty is due to Conan killing his former master, Amra, but it’s a tenuous connection at best.) Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 96, Conan the Barbarian 97”