Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
G.I. Joe #63 (September 1987) – “Going Under” – Larry Hama/Ron Wagner/Andy Mushynsky
This one starts with Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Flint, and Lady Jaye on leave in Grenada. Snake Eyes is stewing over Stalker, Snow Job, and Quick Kick being captured in Borovia, but since their mission wasn’t officially sanctioned, nobody is allowed to make a rescue attempt, not even a covert one. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 63, G.I. Joe 64”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #6 (August 1987) – “Evasion” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe
This one continues from G.I. Joe 61, showing us how Outback escaped into the sewers in Borovia’s capital city, while his teammates (Stalker, Snow Job, and Quick Kick) were caught by the Borovian Army. The Joes were in Borovia to rescue a political prisoner, but he was already exchanged for a Borovian spy and since their mission is top secret (and utterly deniable), they weren’t told about the exchange. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 6, G.I. Joe 62”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #5 (June 1987) – “Showdown” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe
This one starts on Cobra Island, with a ground crew prepping the Night Raven stealth fighter for a recon flight. The crew are all impressed by the plane’s tech (including low-tech stuff like a breakout tool to be used if the canopy jams in a crash), but much less so with its pilot, the Strato-Viper. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 5, G.I. Joe 61”
G.I. Joe #59 (May 1987) – “Divergent Paths” – Larry Hama/Ron Wagner/Bob McLeod
This one starts in Denver at the garage hideout of Crimson Guardsman Fred (that’s Fred VII for those keeping score), where Cobra Commander and his son Billy are staying. Fred has built a prosthetic leg to replace the one Billy lost in the explosion, but Billy’s having a little trouble getting used to it. He catapults into a martial arts stance to keep from falling, surprising himself as much as the others, since he still has no memory of his old life. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 59, G.I. Joe 60”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #4 (April 1987) – “No Holds Barred” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe
This one starts with a team of Joes (Wild Bill, Roadblock, Leatherneck, and Lifeline) in a cargo plane being pursued by a Russian HIND helicopter over the Malay Peninsula. The Joes have retrieved a Cobra Firebat and are trying to get the electronic black boxes out so they’ll know the technical specs of the plane, but the Oktober Guard want the black boxes too. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 4, G.I. Joe 58”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #3 (February 1987) – “Burn-out” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe
This one starts with some Joes (Stalker, Leatherneck, and Slipstream) hanging out undercover at a café in some unidentified Middle Eastern country. They’re with an American mercenary pilot (Deke) who flies MiGs for the local dictator, Colonel Sharif. But Deke is helping the Joes, who want to get inside Sharif’s airbase. Unfortunately, the café owner is a spy for Sharif and lets him known about Deke’s treachery. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe Special Missions 3, G.I. Joe 57”
G.I. Joe #55 (January 1987) – “Unmaskings” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky
This one opens with Destro and Cobra Commander trying to figure a way out of the remains of the Pit before they drown. (Well, Destro is trying to figure a way out, while Cobra Commander throws a temper tantrum.) Figuring the Joes must have more than one emergency escape route, Destro finds a tunnel-boring machine that they can use to dig their way to the surface. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 55, G.I. Joe 56”
G.I. Joe #54 (December 1986) – “Launch Base” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Sam De La Rosa
This one opens with Snake Eyes and Scarlett honouring Destro with a bouquet of flowers on the site where the Pit collapsed last issue. They’re not the only ones, as Baroness glides by to drop a wreath for her dead boyfriend. Meanwhile on Cobra Island, Serpentor is enjoying his new position as Cobra leader (since Cobra Commander supposedly died alongside Destro) and makes a deal with the new provisional government of Sierra Gordo to buy a Terror Drome from Cobra. (The Terror Drome is a launch base for a Firebat jet, which can take down pretty much any plane that gets too close.) Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 54, G.I. Joe Special Missions 2”
G.I. Joe Special Missions #1 (October 1986) – “That Sinking Feeling” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe
This one starts with a team of Joes (Cutter, Shipwreck, Torpedo, Wetsuit, and Deep Six) aboard a Swedish trawler (the Christina) in the Baltic Sea. They’re obviously not there for the sights and we see the Russians have sent the Oktober Guard to check them out, with Colonel Brekhov and Daina flying over them in a HIND chopper. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: Special Missions 1, G.I. Joe 53”
G.I. Joe #51 (September 1986) – “Thunder Machine” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky
This one continues where last issue left off, with the Dreadnoks and Storm Shadow meeting Zartan’s sister (Zarana) in their gas station hideout in New Jersey. They also meet Zandar (Zartan and Zarana’s brother) and another Dreadnok named Thrasher, who used to run with them years ago. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 51, G.I. Joe 52”