G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 19, G.I. Joe 84

Special Missions 019 coverG.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”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 18, G.I. Joe 83

Special Missions 018 coverG.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”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 17, G.I. Joe 82

Special Missions 017 coverG. 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”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 16, G.I. Joe 81

Special Missions 016 coverG.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”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 15, G.I. Joe 79, G.I. Joe 80

Special Missions 015 coverG.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”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 14, G.I. Joe 77, G.I. Joe 78

Special Missions 014 coverG.I. Joe Special Missions #14 (October 1988) – “In From the Cold” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Andy Mushynsky

This one starts with some Joes (Chuckles, Iceberg, Snake Eyes, and Scarlett) in a old Dakota plane flying through the Himalayas in the (fictitious) region of Chomo Lungma. They have a CIA case officer named Anderson with them (who you’ll remember from issue 8) and he’s guiding them to a hidden valley. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 14, G.I. Joe 77, G.I. Joe 78”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 13, G.I. Joe 75, G.I. Joe 76

Special Missions 013 coverG.I. Joe Special Missions #13 (September 1988) – “Washout” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe

This one starts in the (fictional) country of Trucial Abysmia, in northeast Africa. Dusty and Outback re with a couple of provisional Joes (Lightfoot and Mangler) on an evaluation run to see how they perform in the field. The mission is supposed to be easy, but they get ambushed by some government troops. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 13, G.I. Joe 75, G.I. Joe 76”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 74, G.I. Joe Special Missions 12

GIJoe 074 coverG.I. Joe #74 (August 1988) – “Alliance of Convenience” – Larry Hama/Ron Wagner/Randy Emberlin

This one starts on Cobra Island with the civil war between Serpentor and Cobra Commander (who we know is actually Fred VII in disguise) throwing everything they have at each other. The team of Joes (Lt. Falcon, Spirit, Sneak Peek, Tunnel Rat, Dial-Tone, and Gung Ho) sent to recon the island observes as Baroness’s troops are pushed back by Serpentor’s forces despite their superior numbers. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 74, G.I. Joe Special Missions 12”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 11, G.I. Joe 73

Special Missions 011 coverG.I. Joe Special Missions #11 (June 1988) – “Sheep’s Clothing” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe

This one starts in Frankfurt, Germany, where a group of four armed robbers have taken over the main PX building at the American base and are holding hostages inside. Chuckles, Dial-Tone, and Lowlight are on the scene, but Chuckles calls in Scarlett, Lady Jaye, and Jinx from New York for back-up. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 11, G.I. Joe 73”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 71, G.I. Joe 72

GIJoe 071 coverG.I. Joe #71 (May 1988) – “Bailout” – Larry Hama/Ron Wagner/Randy Emberlin

This one continues from last issue, with Wild Bill, Maverick, and Crazy Legs having to cooperate with Zarana, Monkeywrench, and Thrasher to evade General Villavaca’s troops as they search the jungles of Sierra Gordo for their downed plane. Just to complicate things, they also have a bunch of refugees (who the Dreadnoks were using as hostages to force the Joes to help them escape) who need to be looked after, plus Thrasher has a broken arm and won’t stay quiet when Wild Bill is setting it. (Crazy Legs solves that problem by knocking Thrasher out.) Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 71, G.I. Joe 72”