I'm a casual Transformers fan, and possibly a more casual G.I. Joe fan; despite the ever-growing pile of Classified figures I keep building up. But I read the book regularly for a bit around issue #100, with
M.D. Bright on art, and we got this one from a quarter-bin recently: from 1990,
G.I. Joe #103, "Amazing the Welkin" Written by Larry Hama, pencils by M.D. Bright, inks by Randy Emberlin.
Storm Shadow breaks into the Pentagon, to get a face-to-face meeting with "the Jugglers," a secret cabal of generals. (There's a couple M.P.'s there, which is hard to believe: those guys wouldn't want anyone that might talk--or testify--around them!) They immediately assume he's there to assassinate them, despite his recent face-turn; but Storm Shadow just wants a mission. Not for him, but for Snake-Eyes: Scarlett was currently in a coma, and fading fast; seemingly taking S-E with her. Storm Shadow demands a nice, juicy mission; to help his friend out of depression; and he had one in mind, since he had helped himself to the secret file of one George Strawhacker. The Jugglers call it blackmail, but S-S calls Strawhacker "some kind of real
hero" that had been set up for a fall and was currently a prisoner in Borovia somewhere.
Most of the rest of the issue is two other plots: the Joes and the October Guard retreat in Sierra Gordo, with Roadblock and Misha injured while trying to cover their friends; while Spirit and Mutt (and presumably his dog, Junkyard!) get arrested in Millville by Hawk and Law (and his dog, Order!) While they claimed the town had been taken over by COBRA, everyone was acting normally, and with no proof Hawk had to bring them in. But, the mill workers are later triggered by the hypnotic codeword "Broca" and return to work on COBRA Terrordromes. I don't know who Cobra Commander is explaining that to in that scene, but he is obviously just thrilled to death with himself. And Scarlett's sister gets a court order, against Snake-Eyes: she claims Scarlett "never took up with a
proper gentleman" because of him, but she also has the plug pulled on her life support. Storm Shadow then slaps the proverbial gauntlet down in front of Snake-Eyes: Scarlett was going to die, that was a given; but he could still save Strawhacker, who had been going to marry his twin sister before she died.
On a plane over eastern Europe, Storm Shadow pushes his friend even further; putting Snake-Eyes into the "
Arashikage mindset," ninja beast-mode. As Snake-Eyes parachutes in to go to murder-town; Storm Shadow tells Stalker, it's tough-love, had to be done...also, that way, apparently neither of them had to go? Snake-Eyes has got it! But, back in New York, Scarlett wakes up from her coma, asking where Snake-Eyes was!
I had actually been looking for another M.D. Bright issue from around that time, which had an ending I really liked: some local insurgents fighting COBRA get the Joes to safety, then accept only reloads and a single shaped-charge to continue their fight...but that was maybe all they needed!
I used to have this one! I’m trying to remember, but I do believe Snake Eyes was successful in his mission to rescue George. At least I want to remember he did otherwise what was the point. I do remember Clutch & Rock n Roll were also brainwashed at some point, creepily repeating that “Broca” mantra. They’d get better later.
ReplyDeleteI was a casual collector of the comics myself, despite being a diehard fan of the cartoon and avid collector of their action figures.
I didn’t really regularly buy them until after after buying #91, and picked up it with the later 90’s until I stopped after the 3-part Destro story in the late 110’s.
How many issues of GI Joe do you have?
A good question! I think there's a Kickstarter running now for collections; I should consider the digital option. I wish I still had all of the old digests, too.
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