G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #18 (December 1983)

"Destro Returns!"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Edward Norton (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Ace, Airborne (last seen in issue #16), Clutch, Flash, Grunt, Hawk, Rock 'N Roll, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Stalker, Torpedo, Wild Bill

Supporting Characters: Kwinn

Villains: Cobra Commander, Cobra troops (including the pilot seen last issue), Destro, Dr. Venom, Scar-Face

Reagan-era Goodness: Destro and Scar-Face hijack an airliner to Libya. Libya was considered a sponsor of terrorism almost on par with Iran during the early 1980s. However, proof would not show itself until 1986 after a disco in Berlin was bombed.

Story: The G.I. Joe team, Kwinn, and Snake Eyes converge on Coney Island to find Destro already there also looking for the fugitive courier. Destro and Scar-Face escape to Libya, but are followed by the G.I. Joe team. Scar-Face is captured, but Destro doesn't appear too concerned.

Review: Again Larry Hama writes this issue to quickly move the plot along, building up to the climax of next issue. Most of the plot threads set in motion as far back as issue #12 are moved along fairly quickly here.

Everybody arriving at Coney Island more or less simultaneously was a bit convenient. I could buy the Joes and Destro arriving the same day, but all three was a bit much. Kwinn and Snake Eyes wouldn't have had access to any intelligence of Scar-Face being there. They just happened to luck into finding him.

This story makes no apology for Destro and Scar-Face being terrorists. They hijack an airliner to make their escape to Libya. Presumably, they release the plane and its passengers unharmed afterward. Cobra is considered a "fighter in the cause" of the "freedom loving peoples of Libya." Like Cobra being welcomed in Iran back in issue #7, this allows for a bit of globe-trotting by the G.I. Joe team. However, the exact nature of the relationship isn't made clear. Over time, we'll see less and less of Cobra interacting with real-world terrorist nations in favor of countries created for the comic like Sierra Gordo.

In Libya, Dr. Venom finally gets his chance to inject Scar-Face with his toxin. Cobra's plan is finally spelled out: get rid of the G.I. Joe team by inserting Scar-Face into their headquarters. The plan works out perfectly when the Joes follow Scar-Face to Libya. Also working out is Hawk's exit strategy for leaving Libya by having his air power secure their escape route. I'm not entirely sure where they boarded the submarine back to the US though.

The tag line for the next issue claims Joe triumphs but a Joe dies. See you next issue.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #17 (November 1983)

"Loose Ends"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Joe Rosen (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Ace, Breaker, Clutch, Cover Girl, Doc, Flash, Grand Slam, Grunt, Gung Ho, Hawk, Rock 'N Roll, Scarlett, Short-Fuze, Snake Eyes, Stalker, Steeler, Torpedo, Tripwire, Wild Bill, Zap

Breaker, Cover Girl, Doc, Gung Ho, Short-Fuze, Steeler, Tripwire, and Zap all appear next in issue #19. Grand Slam also appears in issue #19 but behind the scenes.

Supporting Characters: Kwinn

Villains: Cobra Commander, a Cobra operative (a hospital doctor), Cobra troops, Destro, Dr. Venom, Major Bludd, Scar-Face

Cameo Appearances: Baroness (briefly seen in a hospital room, also in flashback)

Reagan-era Goodness: Kwinn and Snake Eyes win a pink Cadillac in a dice game. Elvis Presley had a pink Cadillac in the 1950s, which inspired Bruce Springsteen to record his song "Pink Cadillac" (released in 1984). The appearance of the car in this issue predates the song by about seven or eight months.

Story: Pursuing Cobra, the G.I. Joe team captures Major Bludd when he attempts to hijack a bus carrying none other than Scar-Face. Snake Eyes and Kwinn escape from their Miami jail cell and get underway to Coney Island.

Review: Picking up where the previous installment left off, this issue keeps the proverbial ball rolling. Hawk was wearing not only an armored vest under his uniform, but a SWAT vest. While the plot convenience was handled reasonably well, I can't say that I cared for the convenience of Hawk being up and around a few hours later to deal with Major Bludd in the hospital. I guess this begs the question of the other Joes being similarly equipped.

The intrigue within Cobra takes another turn when Cobra Commander convinces Destro that Major Bludd's attempted assassination was because he was in love with the Baroness! Destro buys it hook, line, and sinker. Bludd gets his comeuppance when he's captured after a failed attempt to hijack a bus.

I wasn't too keen on the contrived escape by Snake Eyes and Kwinn from their Miami jail. Kwinn just happens to carry a saw blade in his shoe? Please. However, I did enjoy the two of them riding in the pink Cadillac after the dice game with Kwinn chiding Snake Eyes for taking a man's hat. What I'm not sure about is how Kwinn knows that Scar-Face's hideout is at Coney Island or why Scar-Face is there instead of say, Springfield.

And Coney Island is where all the loose ends of the current storyline will apparently be wrapped up. Destro knows he'll find him there, Kwinn and Snake Eyes inexplicably know he's there, and Snake Eyes tips off the G.I. Joe team. The stage is being set for the next two issues and the resolution of this storyline.

Commercial Break - G.I. Joe #11, #14, and #16

By 1983, G.I. Joe was a phenomenon for boys between 5 and 12 (I'm sure some girls liked it too, but I never knew any). That year debuted three additional commercials for the comics (not to mention a buttload for the toys). Let's take a look, shall we?

First up is G.I. Joe #11, which made young De super excited to see new Joes added to the roster:



Even the commercial alluded to the mysterious air around Destro by shrounding him in shadow. One somewhat interesting note is the Joe flying the hang-glider. That's Grunt in his tan uniform, which was the figure included with the Falcon Glider "toy" (quotes used because that thing was a giant piece of styrofoam crap that glided about as well as a rock) whereas it was Airborne flying the glider in the comic itself.

Let's take a look at the ad for G.I. Joe #14:



Despite his lame voice in the commercial (thankfully changed to Arthur Burghardt's rich bass voice in the cartoon), Destro is still considered the mack daddy of bad guys. Love the song lyrics too: "Destro is his name. Destro is his name!" and now G.I. Joe is fighting Cobra and Destro. The guy gets his own billing too!

Take a look at the Joes hopping out of the personnel carrier. Tripwire wouldn't appear until two issues later but he's brandishing his metal detector like a can of whup-ass. And there was only one Skystriker jet in the comic, not a squadron.

Lastly, the commercial for G.I. Joe #16 is a potpourri of product placement (not like the comic itself wasn't):



Did the songwriter even read the comic? Major Bludd was "trained by Destro"? I guess mentioning Major Bludd being hired to assassinate Destro wasn't deemed suitable in an advertisement for kids. The Cobra Officer captured as part of the plan wouldn't happen until G.I. Joe #18. Cobra managed to escape in this issue when Cobra Commander shot Hawk in the back (after deciding not to shoot Destro!).

We'll return to the comics shortly.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #16 (October 1983)

"Night Attack!"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Joe Rosen (letterer), Andy Yanchus (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Airborne (last seen in G.I. Joe #11, appears next in G.I. Joe #18), Breaker, Clutch, Cover Girl (Courtney S. Krieger, first appearance, full name revealed in G.I. Joe: Order of Battle #1), Doc, Flash (last seen in G.I. Joe #10), Grand Slam, Grunt, Gung Ho, Hawk, Rock 'N Roll, Scarlett, Short-Fuze, Stalker, Steeler, Torpedo (last seen in G.I. Joe #13), Tripwire (Tormod S. Skoog, first appearance, full name revealed in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1), Wild Bill, Zap

Clutch, Doc, Gung Ho, Rock 'N Roll, Wild Bill, and Zap were all last seen in G.I. Joe #14. Grand Slam, Short-Fuze, and Steeler were last seen in G.I. Joe #11

Supporting Characters: General Flagg (last seen in G.I. Joe #14, appears next in G.I. Joe #19)

Villains: Baroness, Cobra Commander, Cobra troops, Destro, Dr. Venom, Major Bludd, Scar-Face

Character Notes: Doc, Flash, Grand Slam, Grunt, Short-Fuze, and Stalker are strictly behind the scenes in this issue. Their presence in Washington, DC is revealed in the next issue.

Story: Cobra quietly invades Washington, DC in an attempt to poison the US money supply with Dr. Venom's biological toxin. When Cobra Commander implements his plan to assassinate Destro (using Major Bludd), the Baroness purposely crashes her tank to save him. Hawk faces off against Destro, leaving the Commander in a quandary of whom to kill.

Review: This was the very first issue read by young De. My friend Kevin and I read this issue aloud while sitting on the swing set outside his house. I think we might have made hang gliders for our action figures out of heavy bond paper earlier that afternoon. Anyway, enough reminiscing for now.

This is a fairly solid issue that advances the storyline at a fairly brisk pace. The training session that kicks off the story is pretty routine and does a decent job of introducing the new Wolverine missile tank and its driver, Cover Girl. While I had hoped there wouldn't be friction between Scarlett and Cover Girl, it's not outside of Scarlett's personality to bristle at outsiders. Tripwire introduction as a clumsy explosives expert is pretty hilarious if you think about it. Thankfully, this aspect is not played up for laughs too often.

My favorite scene in this issue is easily the dinner scene at Cobra headquarters when we get a glimpse into everyone's head to see how all of them are scheming in one way or another. The old adage of "no honor among thieves" is certainly in play here. Major Bludd is formally introduced to the rest of the Cobra cadre here; his true purpose as Destro's assassin a secret until later in the issue.

Hawk's meeting with General Flagg is rather telling. Cobra announces the Capitol building as their target, but Hawk is convinced that the Treasury is the actual target based on the clues found in Sierra Gordo and Vermont. However, Flagg is having none of it based on the incident in Vermont (where the G.I. Joe team blew up a furniture factory in broad daylight) and hoping to avoid a public panic. Speaking from personal experience, I live and work near DC and a panic would not only affect the city but a surrounding radius of about 25-30 miles. On September 11, 2001, getting out of the city and its immediate suburbs (such as Arlington, where the Pentagon is located) was a nightmare.

For the record, money is not printed at the Treasury Building, it's printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Yes, it's a division of the US Treasury but the buildings are located at a considerable distance from each other. The main building is near the White House while the Bureau is over near the tidal basin at the Jefferson Memorial. Oh, and the printing presses are underground and have been for a long time (I used to work there). You can't just walk inside and be greeted by printing equipment. All right, enough nitpicking.

The real barometer of the Destro-Baroness relationship comes when the Baroness sacrifices herself to save Destro from being killed by Major Bludd (manning the turret in her tank). Destro eventually composes himself to fist fight Hawk where the good colonel manages to land many a blow on Destro's steel mask. It's a bit silly but it's very minor in the face of the overall story. The Commander's decision to shoot Hawk is a pained one but it's a decision that allows Cobra to escape and fight another day.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #15 (September 1983)

"Red-Eye to Miami!"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Andy Yanchus (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Grunt, Hawk, Scarlett, Snake Eyes (appears next in G.I. Joe #17), Stalker

Supporting Characters: Kwinn (appears next in G.I. Joe #17)

Villains: Baroness, Cobra Commander, a Cobra lawyer (first and only appearance), Cobra troops (disguised as renegade Sierra Gordo troops, no further appearances, all killed by Kwinn), Destro, Dr. Venom, a group of smugglers (first and only appearance), Major Bludd (Sebastian Bludd, first appearance, named revealed in G.I. Joe #16), renegade Sierra Gordo troops

Character Note: There is one other Joe at Hawk's meeting but only that person's hands are visible.

Story: Dr. Venom, Kwinn, and Snake Eyes escape from Sierra Gordo aboard a stolen airplane. Meanwhile, the intrigue begins to heat up within the Cobra organization.

Review: This issue is unusual in that most of the story doesn't directly involve the G.I. Joe team in any significant capacity. They appear for a few panels to briefly foreshadow the next issue, but that is it as far as their participation in this issue.

Kwinn returns and, once he kills the Cobra troops, it's time for the unlikely trio to get out of the jungle despite Dr. Venom being the most undesirable of traveling companions. They manage to steal a World War II-era British Avro Lancaster bomber from the airfield attacked by the G.I. Joe team last issue. I'm not entirely certain how a banana republic would have access to a vintage WWII bomber in working condition 40 years after the war, but hey, I'm willing to suspend a little disbelief for a decent story.

During the escape is a neat sequence between the bomber and a fighter pilot dispatched from the airfield. Dr. Venom flies below the cloud cover and gives the fighter pilot's eyes a chance to dilate in the darkness before switching on the bomber's running lights and blinding him. Later, Venom unsurprisingly betrays Kwinn and Snake Eyes by attempting to murder them. Kwinn nearly kills him but Snake Eyes tells his Eskimo friend to spare the life of "the weasel."

At Cobra headquarters, it is learned that Dr. Venom is alive and well and offering the biological catalyst for the toxin. While Cobra Commander acknowledges Venom is crafty, he's still not sold on how the G.I. Joe team learned the location of the furniture factory from last issue. Destro blames Scar-Face but the Commander doesn't buy it and calls in Major Bludd to deal with his Destro problem. However, Destro tells the Baroness of his actions which tears her loyalties apart. We'll see both of these items dealt with next issue.

The smuggler plot point was a little dumb but I suppose somewhat necessary to add a bit of urgency. With the fuel line shot, the three escapees dump everything and then are in the process of removing the plane's paneling in the hopes of making it to shore. The old married couple strolling down memory lane as the plane crash lands was a bit silly.

Landing a plane on a beach is apparently a crime, so Kwinn and Snake Eyes are taken into custody while Venom escapes through his lawyer. While Dr. Venom appears next issue, Kwinn and Snake Eyes aren't seen until the issue following next.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #14 (August 1983)

"Destro Attacks"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Joe Rosen (letterer), Christie Scheele (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Ace (Brad J. Armbruster, first appearance, name revealed in G.I. Joe: Order of Battle #1, appears next in G.I. Joe #17), Breaker, Clutch (last seen in G.I. Joe #12), Doc (appears next in G.I. Joe #17), Gung Ho, Grunt, Hawk, Rock 'N Roll, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Stalker, Wild Bill, Zap (latter two last seen in G.I. Joe #11)

Clutch, Gung Ho, Rock 'N Roll, Wild Bill, and Zap appear next in G.I. Joe #16.

Supporting Characters: General Flagg (last seen in G.I. Joe #12, appears next in G.I. Joe #16), Kwinn

Villains: Baroness, Cobra Commander, Cobra airborne troops (first and only appearance), Cobra operatives (posing as furniture factory employees, first and only appearance for all), Destro (first full appearance), Dr. Venom, Scar-Face

Story: While Dr. Venom, Kwinn, and Snake Eyes attempt to escape the sunken bunker, the G.I. Joe team follow the micro dot (found in Sierra Gordo) to Springfield, Vermont in hopes of finding Cobra's headquarters.

Review: Obscured in shadow or behind objects, Destro finally makes his first full appearance here and it's a doozy. His relationship with the Baroness heats up big time and we learn that he had a hand in Scar-Face's activities down in Sierra Gordo. However, we have no idea what Destro's agenda is at this point but we do know he's out for Cobra Commander's blood given that he had the micro dots switched so the G.I. Joe team would attack him in Vermont. And the plan might have worked if the Baroness hadn't been the Commander's pilot. By saving the Baroness, he also saved the Commander, and he's not happy about it.

Before the battle in Vermont, the Baroness notes that the micro dot originally planned to be planted in Sierra Gordo was to have Cobra's headquarters underneath Ft. Wadsworth! Little does Cobra know what lurks beneath that small Army base. Cobra's other plan is to introduce Dr. Venom's biological toxin into G.I. Joe headquarters by having one of their troops captured. But Dr. Venom being the wily sort, notes (after his escape from the bunker) that the toxin is useless without his secret catalyst.

Dr. Venom and Snake Eyes escape from their watery prison only to run into the disguised Cobra troops from last issue. Kwinn was clubbed on the head by the bad doctor and left for dead. Of course, we'll see Kwinn again quite soon.

My last item deals with the G.I. Joe team's new weapon, the Skystriker jet. Sure, it's likely that there will be occasions when air support might be necessary. However, the jet literally blows up a furniture factory outside of Vermont. Yes, it's an evil furniture factory that probably made tables with uneven legs but that sort of thing is hard to hide from the public. In issue #16, General Flagg alludes to the Vermont mission not ending well despite the clues found there.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #13 (July 1983)

"Last Plane from Rio Lindo"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Joe Rosen (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Doc (last seen in G.I. Joe #11), Gung Ho, Grunt (last seen in G.I. Joe #10), Hawk, Rock 'N Roll (last seen in G.I. Joe #11), Scarlett, Snake Eyes (behind the scenes), Stalker, Torpedo (Edward W. Leialoha, first appearance, name revealed in G.I. Joe: Order of Battle #2, appears next in G.I. Joe #16)

Supporting Characters: Kwinn (behind the scenes)

Villains: Baroness, Cobra Commander (last seen in G.I. Joe #11), Cobra troops (some disguised as renegade Sierra Gordo soldiers), Destro (last seen in G.I. Joe #11, face obscured in this story), Dr. Venom (behind the scenes), Scar-Face, a group of mercenaries (Emil and Richter named, first and only appearance, all killed in this story)

Character Notes: As revealed in G.I. Joe #14, Dr. Venom, Kwinn, and Snake Eyes are alive in the sunken bunker and are thus, behind the scenes in this issue.

Reagan-era Goodness: Scarlett throws $1,300 at the Sierra Gordo cabbie when the rescue team takes his cab. The cabbie goes nuts, exclaiming, "American dollars! Hundred-dollar bills!" Pretty sure it'll be a good, long while before anyone goes that nuts over American currency again.

Story: With Snake Eyes believed dead, the remaining team members prepare to leave Sierra Gordo and find a courier pouch containing a document with a micro-dot. Meanwhile at Cobra headquarters, Cobra Commander reveals his plans to the Baroness.

Review: This issue takes place immediately after issue #12 and doesn't really take a rest until the end. So we'll proceed as apace as we can...

Intrigue presents itself early in this story when Scar-Face insists on leaving immediately while the Baroness wants to finish the job of killing the G.I. Joe team. As we'll learn in the next issue, Scar-Face had his reasons for hightailing it out of Sierra Gordo. The Baroness even lets Cobra Commander onto her instincts that Scar-Face may be a pawn in someone else's agenda. However, Cobra Commander later reveals that Scar-Face was under a post-hypnotic suggestion to make him appear duplicitous (umm... yeah). Once again, the Commander is pulling the strings to get the G.I. Joe team to hopefully chase its tail while they engage in evil. We'll soon learn that the Commander isn't totally in control. It's this sort of subtle layering that would go on to hook many a reader and make it clear that this comic was more than marketing for toys.

If jumping off an exploding boat wasn't enough, poor Stalker is attacked by a crocodile. His rattling off of biology info while he fights the crocodile is a bit silly. Taking the cake for silliness is Breaker building a fire in enemy territory, which is rightfully chastised by Stalker. I guess we're to assume that Breaker is a bit young but it seems a bit convenient for a special forces operative to relax his guard when he's still in the middle of a hostile area. Gung Ho would have probably kicked his butt had he not gone into town to phone headquarters.

The fire does attract some mercenaries who believe that they can glean some information about Cobra and sell it. It's not entirely clear who the mercenaries worked for: the recently-collapsed government or the rebels responsible for its collapse. Despite having seen action in Algeria (presumably during the Algerian War in the 1960s), they are no match for a squad of Cobra troops. This is the sort of enemy G.I. Joe should be up against, not the buffoons seen later in the series or in the cartoon.

Based on the abandoned research station found by the G.I. Joe team, it would appear to be the location where Dr. Venom crafted the biological toxin currently in the possession of Scar-Face and the Baroness. While Stalker immediately discounts Breaker's finding the courier pouch, no one really questions the micro dot found. We'll see the ramifications of the micro dot next issue.

The issue's end of letting us know that somebody was still alive in the bunker was a nice way to cap off the issue. We're not sure who's still alive in there but somebody certainly is.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #12 (June 1983)

"Three Strikes for Snake-Eyes"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Joe Rosen (letterer), Glynis Wein (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch (last seen in G.I. Joe #9, appears next in G.I. Joe #14), Gung Ho, Hawk, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Stalker (last seen in G.I. Joe #10)

Supporting Characters: General Flagg (appears next in G.I. Joe #14)

Villains: Baroness, Cobra troops (some called Cobra commandos by Kwinn), Dr. Venom (last seen in G.I. Joe #10), Kwinn (last seen in G.I. Joe #2), Scar-Face (first appearance, a Cobra courier, name never revealed)

Story: Investigating stolen missile guidance chips, a small G.I. Joe team is sent to the small South American nation of Sierra Gordo. There, they encounter the Baroness and Dr. Venom, along with the mercenary Kwinn. Snake Eyes learns the chip theft was a ruse to disguise the delivery of a biological toxin but is apparently killed when the Baroness escapes.

Reagan-era Goodness: This story begins with Cobra stealing MX Missile guidance chips. The MX Missile was a hotly debated topic at the time due to nuclear proliferation concerns and a number of other issues. You can read more about it here.

Breaker and Stalker begin their mission undercover as video arcade owners. The basis for this was Cobra's hiding the missile guidance chips in boxes full of video game circuits.

Review: This was the first issue I ever owned. I remember my brother bringing it home from school and the two of us would read and re-read this issue several times over the years. The cover eventually fell off and was subsequently lost. Oh the joys of youth.

This issue sets in motion storylines that will continue throughout the next six months. Although we had seen seeds planted in earlier stories, this is where things are really set into motion.

It's good to see Kwinn again, even if he is working for Cobra. Pay special attention to the penultimate page to get a sense of Kwinn's temperament in future issues. It stays quite true to what we've already learned about him back in issue #2.

Scar-Face makes his first appearance here and it's not very remarkable. He's essentially a lackey here but his future appearances make it quite clear there's more to him than it would seem. The origin of his odd scarring has never been revealed but I have a feeling it wouldn't have passed muster by the Comics Code Authority anyway.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention poor Snake Eyes. He manages to get beaten up, set on fire, and blown up in the span of a day. If that isn't the textbook definition of "bad ass," I don't know what is.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #11 (May 1983)

"The Pipeline Ploy!"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Jon D'Agostino (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Christie Scheele (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Airborne (Franklin E. Talltree, first appearance, appears next in G.I. Joe #16), Breaker, Doc (Dr. Carl Greer, first appearance, full name given in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1, appears next in G.I. Joe #13), Grand Slam (last seen in G.I. Joe #8, appears next in G.I. Joe #17), Gung Ho (Etienne R. LaFitte, first appearance, full name given in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1), Hawk, Rock 'N Roll (appears next in G.I. Joe #13), Scarlett, Short-Fuze (appears next in G.I. Joe #17), Snake Eyes, Snow Job (Harlan W. Moore, first appearance, full name given in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1, appears next in G.I. Joe #19), Steeler (last seen in G.I. Joe #8, appears next in G.I. Joe #16), Wild Bill (William S. Hardy, first appearance, full name given in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1, appears next in G.I. Joe #14), Zap (appears next in G.I. Joe #14)

Supporting Characters: General Flagg (last appearance behind the scenes in G.I. Joe #6)

Villains: Baroness, Cobra Commander, Cobra troops, Destro (James McCullen Destro XXIV; first appearance; full name revealed in G.I. Joe #96, known only as "The Specialist" and face obscured in this story; appears next in G.I. Joe #13)

Story: Investigating reports of Cobra activity along the Alaskan oil pipeline, the G.I. Joe team discovers Cobra's plan to introduce a plague toxin into the Alaskan oil supply. The plague is revealed as a diversion for Cobra to steal plutonium from a nearby nuclear power plant.

Review: The first story to introduce Hasbro's new toys for the year oddly flows a lot better than it should. Also odd is that the introduction of new characters and equipment doesn't feel too forced. The sole exception in my opinion was the brief aerial battle using hang-gliders. I know the Airborne character needed something to do, but it felt like Larry Hama was merely shutting up a Hasbro executive by including the gliders so he'd never have to use them again (and he didn't).

The new characters are actually interesting. Snow Job's little con game with Rock 'N Roll about setting up a date with Gung Ho's sister was amusing, as was Gung Ho's reaction. Doc is a neat character and a little devious. His end run around the Geneva Convention was inspired as was deceiving the Cobra troops with a tetanus booster (instead of the plague vaccine) to exchange for the plutonium.

"The Specialist" working for Cobra is, of course, Destro. According to Cobra Commander, Destro was to be his field commander but this role wouldn't stick for very long as the political intrigue within the Cobra organization dictated Destro taking a bigger role. A key part of this intrigue is the Baroness, whom we learn, in this issue, already had a prior relationship with Destro. The groundwork is being laid for Hama's intricate plot weaving that will last for years to come.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 (April 1983)

"A Nice Little Town Like Ours..."

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Chic Stone (inker), Joe Rosen (letterer), Christie Scheele (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch (appears next in G.I. Joe #12), Flash (appears next behind the scenes in G.I. Joe #16), Grunt (appears next in G.I. Joe #13), Hawk (also in flashback), Rock 'n Roll, Scarlett (appears next in G.I. Joe #12), Short-Fuze, Snake Eyes (also in flashbacks), Stalker (appears next in G.I. Joe #12), Zap (appears next in G.I. Joe #14)

Guest Star: Billy (first appearance; name unrevealed in this story; last name never revealed; earliest chronological appearance in flashback in G.I. Joe #38; appears next in G.I. Joe #29)

Villains: Baroness (last seen in G.I. Joe #8), Cobra Commander, Cobra junior officers (Rollo named, first and only appearance for all), Cobra troops, Dr. Venom (first appearance; a Cobra scientist and inventor of the Brainwave Scanner; real name never revealed; appears next in G.I. Joe #12), the citizens of Springfield (some may have appeared last in G.I. Joe #5)

Cameo Appearance: Clutch (in flashback)

Story: While attempting to neutralize a Cobra stronghold in Manhattan, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Zap are captured and taken to Cobra's headquarters in a town called Springfield. While Snake Eyes is tortured, Scarlett and Zap escape with the help of a young boy sworn to defeat the Cobra organization.

Reagan-era Goodness: Dr. Venom's laboratory is underneath the town video arcade. For all the young whippersnappers out there, arcades were huge in the 1980s with the advent of Pac-Man. Aside from beach boardwalks and amusement parks, I rarely see them anymore with a few notable exceptions (like those seen in the movie The King of Kong).

Review: Larry Hama returns and sticks around for the next ten issues before taking his next break. This story really sets things into motion by establishing quite a bit of backstory without going into a lot of detail. In the case of Snake Eyes, this was accomplished through single-panel flashbacks (I'll get to those in a minute). We're also introduced to Springfield, which will figure a lot into the next 40 issues.

The concept of Springfield is, to me, a very scary prospect. You more or less have an entire town full of terrorists who are training their children to be terrorists. The town appears very normal and can therefore operate clandestinely without arousing suspicion. Also, it's location is kept secret and has never been revealed though there is a lot of speculation among fans. Some swear up and down that it's located in Vermont based on the events of G.I. Joe #14. However, most agree that it's somewhere along the East Coast.

As previously mentioned, we're treated to some insight into the origins of Snake Eyes through his torture in the Brainwave Scanner. While his childhood is fairly unremarkable, we learn that he was involved in a helicopter crash in the Middle East. For years, I thought this alluded to the botched rescue of hostages in Iran. Larry Hama would revisit the circumstances of the accident several times and reveal its purpose several years later. Also seen are a flashback to Vietnam, the death of Snake Eyes' family, and a ninja shrine. It won't be for another couple of years before Larry tackles all of these items head on in G.I. Joe #26-27.

Speaking of the Brainwave Scanner, the story attempts to explain how it works without resorting to too much technobabble. The device's inventor, Dr. Venom, becomes a very prominent character in the months to come. He fits the archetype of mad scientist very well without coming off as silly though he is a bit one-dimensional. The other technological aspects to this story i.e., the odd aircraft and the laser gun in the arcade are a bit silly.

Lastly, this would be one of the last times we see most of the original Joes working as team. Beginning next issue is something we'll see quite frequently during the run of the series: the introduction of Hasbro's new toys into the comic book.

We Now Return to G.I. Joe

Hiatus was a bit longer than I expected, but that's what happens when a new baby enters your life. This morning, we pick up where we left off and hopefully don't encounter any more life hiccups that would interrupt daily updates.

Hiatus

I apologize for the lack of updates. My wife and I just had a baby so free time has been a little tough to come by of late. With any luck, we'll return to something resembling a regular schedule before too long.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #9 (March 1983)

The Diplomat

Credits: Steven Grant (writer), Mike Vosburg (artist), Chic Stone (inker), Janice Chiang (letterer), Andy Yanchus (colorist), Denny O’Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch, Grunt, Hawk, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Stalker

Supporting Characters: None

Villains: Cobra Commander, Cobra troops, Cobra frogmen (first and only appearance, not to be confused with the Cobra frogmen code named Eels that first appear in G.I. Joe #47), Cobra operatives (an airline pilot and a hotel desk clerk, first and only appearance for both), Derek Sutherland (an arms dealer, first appearance, killed in this story), Brian Hassell (first and only appearance, an undercover Cobra agent working as a State Department diplomat)

Other Characters: Ambassador of Al-Awali (first and only appearance)

Story: After learning of a Cobra assassination attempt on US ambassador Brian Hassell, the G.I. Joe team is assigned to protect the ambassador and gather more intelligence on Cobra's plans. Clutch and Scarlett escort Hassell to peace talks with the nation of Al-Alawi while Stalker and Snake Eyes follow a trail of clues to learn that Hassell is actually a deep cover Cobra agent with plans to assassinate the Al-Alawi ambassador and destroy US credibility in the Middle East.

Review: This is the second issue in a row that Larry Hama doesn't write. However, Hama will write the next ten issues before taking another break. Beginning this issue, Mike Vosburg handles the artwork and will continue to do so until issue #20. Vosburg's artwork has a bit of a cartoony, simplistic feel to it but still manages to tell the story well. Speaking of the story, this issue's narrative is fun, rather fast-paced, and akin to an action film which isn't a genre out of place when dealing with a counter-terrorist group.

I liked Cobra Commander's plan of essentially screwing with the G.I. Joe team with the likely possibility of scoring an assassination and its ensuing chaos. He apparently knew that Hassell might fail and doesn't care. The unpredictability of the Commander makes him pretty damn dangerous, which is something we'll see quite often as the series progresses.

This issue establishes that Cobra placed an operative in the US State Department. If there's an operative there, where else could Cobra possibly be hiding within the US government? FBI? CIA? Congress? That's a rather scary prospect and one that later issues would only touch on for the most part. To me, Cobra is a much more fearsome adversary working from within. However, Hasbro wouldn't have been able to sell very many toys of guys in business suits.

James McFadden brings up a really good point in his review. He puts forth that the death of Derek Sutherland creates the vacuum that Destro will fill later on as Cobra's arms supplier. That's an interesting take on the situation -- one definitely worthy of a No Prize (a non-award given out by Marvel for explaining continuity errors in their comics).

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #8 (February 1983)

Code Name: Sea-Strike!

Credits: Herb Trimpe (writer/artist/inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Christie Scheele (colorist), Denny O’Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch, Flash, Grand Slam, Grunt, Hawk, Rock ‘N Roll, Scarlett, Short-Fuze, Snake Eyes, Stalker, Steeler, Zap

Flash, Rock 'N Roll, Short-Fuze, and Zap appear next in G.I. Joe #10. Grand Slam and Steeler appear next in G.I. Joe #11.

Supporting Characters: None

Villains: Cobra Commander, the Baroness (appears next in G.I. Joe #10), Cobra troops (one identified as S.E.A. Legs Leader One)

Story: Cobra attempts to attack a space shuttle mission that will put a satellite into orbit capable of destroying Cobra’s network of undersea bases. The entire G.I. Joe team is assigned to defend Cape Canaveral.

Reagan-era Goodness: Before the mission begins, Hawk channels Phil Esterhaus when he tells everyone, “Let’s be careful out there.” For those of you who didn’t grow up in the 1980s, Phil Esterhaus said this every week on the cop show Hill Street Blues.

Review: This is the first issue where Larry Hama doesn’t write the story in some capacity. Instead, this issue is handled by artist and occasional co-writer, Herb Trimpe. What follows is a departure from the somewhat realistic aspects of Hama’s stories into cartoon territory. Cartoon territory isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it is a bit jarring to go from the ripped-from-the-headlines US-Soviet tension of the past two issues to a paper-thin plot featuring two-dimensional villains using odd vehicles/devices never seen before and, what the hey, a space shuttle flight.

Speaking of the shuttle flight, I find it incredibly unlikely that members of the G.I. Joe team would even be mission specialists on a shuttle flight. While we’ve seen a couple of the Joes in action as capable pilots, we’ve seen nothing to indicate the level of training necessary for a space mission. I don’t buy it. Incidentally, the G.I. Joe team would return to space in issue #65 using their own space shuttle ( another can o’worms unto itself).

Cobra’s plan here, to circle the planet with warheads, is rather ambitious as is Cobra Commander’s claim that it’s the first step “in ruling the cosmos itself.” Again, this is the sort of thing that would become rather common on the cartoon a couple of years later. Some of the more strident fans claim that since this issue wasn’t written by Larry Hama, it doesn’t count as part of the greater Joe canon. The events of this issue aren’t ever referred to again so I’m not going to freak out about it.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #7 (January 1983)

Walls of Death!

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Herb Trimpe (co-writer/artist), Chic Stone (inker), Jim Novak (letterer), Christie Scheele (colorist), Denny O’Neil (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch, Flash, Hawk, Scarlett, Stalker, Steeler

Supporting Characters: None

Guest Appearances: Colonel Brekhov, Daina, Horrorshow, Schrage, Stormavik (all appear next in G.I. Joe Yearbook #2)

Villains: Cobra Commander, Cobra commandos (Copperhead and Rattler named, both die in this story; Copperhead not to be confused with the character introduced in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1), Cobra troops (one impersonates Cobra Commander)

Story: The G.I. Joe team joins forces with the October Guard to retrieve the top-secret aircraft stolen by Cobra. Though victorious, Hawk reveals to the team they were merely a decoy to distract Cobra from the actual retrieval mission.

Reagan-era Goodness: Aside from the obvious US-USSR stuff, Breaker jokes about giving the Shah back upon encountering an Iranian border patrol. The Shah, of course, was overthrown in 1980 and fled to the US in exile.

Review: This story immediately follows issue #6 and is a reasonably strong follow-up. G.I. Joe and the October Guard team up only out of convenience, not because they’re willing to throw out their Cold War-honed ideologies. While everyone else recognizes the alliance for the uneasy matter that it is, Scarlett loudly bristles at the idea of working with “these lousy Reds.” And of course, once it’s clear they have the upper hand, the October Guard turns on the G.I. Joe team.

Cobra bases themselves in Iran, which was already considered a hotbed of terrorist activity at the time with the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the hostage crisis of 1980. However, their bunker is rife with ridiculous booby traps like giant falling walls of stone, flooding tunnels, and a pit of King Cobras, better found in Raiders of the Lost Ark (someone even mentions Steven Spielberg when they encounter the snakes). This is easily the weakest part of the story but it’s brief, thankfully.

Cobra Commander has shown himself to be fairly crafty so far and this issue is no exception. At some point, he has one of his troops impersonate him. This is telegraphed as “Operation Doppelganger” with the Commander saying “it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared.” Off-hand, I don't recall how often this trick was used but it was never overdone a la Doctor Doom in the pages of Fantastic Four.

The story ends with Hawk revealing the team's true purpose as a decoy. It's quite clear that he's just as pissed off as the Joes. He doesn't want to be the bad guy but orders are orders. This is the first time we see Hawk in a position like this, unfortunately it won't be the last.

Another Commercial Break

Sorry for the dearth of posts lately. It's been crazy this past week. I'm at the Farpoint convention this weekend and probably won't have time to post the entry for issue #7. However, I can leave you with this commercial for the first line of G.I. Joe action figures back in 1982.



As a kid, I loved how this ad introduced me to the characters (the comic commercial only mentioned Hawk). However, with 25 years of hindsight under my belt, I'm a little embarrassed about this commercial and its pedestrian production values. Sure, there was some recycling of the comic spot but then it segues into lazy zooms of action figures.

I'm also a little embarrassed to say that I have every single one of these figures in my possession.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #6 (December 1982)

To Fail is to Conquer... to Succeed is to Die!

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Herb Trimpe (co-writer/artist), Jack Abel (inker), Jim Novak (letterer), Christie Scheele (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch, Flash, Grand Slam, Grunt, Hawk, Rock ‘N Roll, Scarlett, Short-Fuze, Snake Eyes, Stalker, Steeler, Zap

Supporting Characters: General Flagg (behind the scenes, appears next in G.I. Joe #11)

Guest Appearances (first appearance for all): Colonel Brekhov, Horrorshow, Schrage, Stormavik (real names never revealed), Daina (Daina L. Janack, full name revealed in G.I. Joe Volume 2 #28, with the others as the Oktober Guard)

Villains: Cobra Commander, Cobra troops

Other Characters (first appearance for all): Ahmed (leader of an Afghan rebel tribe), a CIA agent (liaison between the G.I. Joe team and the Afghan rebels; both appear next in G.I. Joe Special Missions #9)

Character Notes: Although the entire team appears at various points in this story, only Breaker, Clutch, Flash, Hawk, Scarlett, Stalker, and Steeler figure significantly.

During Hawk's briefing, Grand Slam is specifically named as part of the mission team. However, Flash is named later. The next issue makes it clear that this is indeed Flash and not Grand Slam.

Story: A G.I. Joe team is sent to retrieve a top-secret Soviet aircraft that crash-landed in Afghanistan. However, the Soviet Union has sent their special operations unit, the Oktober Guard, to retrieve the aircraft as well. The two teams battle briefly before they are captured by Cobra.

Reagan-era Goodness: Most of this story takes place in Afghanistan after the Soviet Union illegally annexed it.

Review: Where to begin on this one? For starters, Larry Hama and Herb Trimpe throw the standard "go get it" mission into the political hotbed that was Afghanistan. Also included are a tribe of Afghan rebels (they certainly weren't the Taliban since they tolerated Scarlett's presence) and a CIA liaison. For folks not around at the time, the CIA was helping the locals wage war against the Soviets with hopes of knocking the Communist influence back over the Iron Curtain.

The invention of the Oktober Guard only makes sense though I'm curious as to why the team remained so small over the years. Still, the Soviet equivalent of G.I. Joe is a neat thing to see and would recur every so often. Originally, the team was to be named the Pravda Patrol and were to appear in issue #3. You can learn more about this here.

At the time the issue came out, there was a bit of controversy regarding Hawk's secret communication with Cobra. The good colonel reveals just what was going on at the end of the next issue.

This was a reasonably strong beginning to one of G.I. Joe's first multi-part stories. I remember being blown away by the second part, but we'll tackle that next time.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #5 (November 1982)

"Tanks" for the Memories...

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Don Perlin (artist), Jon D'Agostino and Mike Esposito (inkers), Jim Novak (letterer), Stan Goldberg (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch, Scarlett, Steeler

Supporting Characters: General Flagg, General Austin (appears next in G.I. Joe #33)

Cameo Appearances: Snake Eyes, Stalker (along with Scarlett as Cobra Commander's wooden machine gun targets)

Villains: Cobra Commander (last seen in G.I. Joe #3), the Baroness (last seen in G.I. Joe #1, appears next in G.I. Joe #8), Cobra troops (some possibly last seen in G.I. Joe #3), Cobra undercover agents (an airport gate attendant; a skycap; a taxi driver; a doorman named Hollis; Mrs. Hood; and the Springfield Drum and Bugle Corps, first and only appearance for all)

Story: G.I. Joe's MOBAT (Multi-Ordnance Battle Tank) is rolled out during an Armed Forces Day parade in New York City and tangles with Cobra during an attempt to steal the tank.

Reagan-era Goodness: Scarlett asks about plugging a Pac-Man cartridge into the MOBAT's computer system before declaring that disco is dead.

Review: This was quite the fun story that didn't lose much in the aging process. The only part I wasn't too thrilled about was the hefty amount of technobabble in the beginning where a number of the MOBAT's systems are discussed. Sure, Scarlett's humor was used to counterbalance the tech-heavy dialogue but it still came off as awkward. Of course, just about all the equipment mentioned played some part in the story so I'm guessing Larry Hama didn't want things to seem too contrived during the action. In any case, moving on...

While I like the idea of an ammo-less tank fighting a battle in New York City, the idea of driving a top secret tank around in a parade without the means to defend itself strikes me as a tad daft. The intent was to show the tank as looking as inconspicuous as the next tank and the utmost security precautions were taken, but it still came across as an unnecessary risk to not equip the MOBAT with a few shells or some bullets for the machine gun. This point is brought up in the story with the answer being that they couldn't risk hurting civilians. Maybe my opinion is a bit tainted with post-9/11 skepticism, but I still think the reasoning was a little iffy here.

The first mention of Springfield is made in this story. A more concrete connection between the town and Cobra will be forthcoming in issue #10.

Commercial Break

I mentioned the commercial for G.I. Joe #1 in the review section of its entry. Imagine being an eight-year old kid and seeing this commercial. Tell me you wouldn't have been jazzed to check out the comic.



If I don't have the entry for issue #5 up tonight, you'll see it sometime tomorrow. Thanks to my satellite provider, the entry was not up as planned, but it's up now.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #4 (October 1982)

Operation: Wingfield!

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Herb Trimpe (co-writer and artist), Jack Abel and Jon D'Agostino (inkers), Diana Albers (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch, Flash, Grand Slam, Grunt, Hawk, Rock ‘N Roll, Scarlett, Short-Fuze, Snake Eyes, Stalker, Steeler, Zap (Breaker, Clutch, Scarlett, and Steeler appear next in G.I. Joe #5, then all appear next in G.I. Joe #6)

Supporting Characters: General Flagg (behind the scenes)

Villains (first appearance for all): Vance Wingfield (appears next in G.I. Joe: America's Elite #0), Carruthers (dies in this story), Shary Wingfield (appears next in G.I. Joe: Frontline #14), members of Strike First

Other Characters: Tyler Wingfield (no appearance, strictly behind the scenes in this story as revealed in flashback in G.I. Joe: Frontline #14, first actual appearance in G.I. Joe: Frontline #13)

Character Notes: Although the entire team appears at various points in this story, only Breaker, Grunt, Hawk, Snake Eyes, Stalker, and Zap figure significantly.

Story: A small G.I. Joe team is assigned to investigate the extent of Cobra's involvement with the militia group Strike First, led by the fanatical Vance Wingfield. Knowing his group is under suspicion, Wingfield attempts to bomb Russia in order to start World War III. Once the bombing raid fails, Wingfield activates the nuclear device underneath the compound. The timely arrival of the rest of the G.I. Joe team leads to the disarming of the nuclear device and the capture of Strike First.

Reagan-era Goodness: Wingfield's entire doomsday scenario relies on Cold War strike-counterstrike protocols established by both the US and the then USSR.

Review: While I liked this story well enough as a kid, it reads a lot better as an adult. The very idea that Cobra was lending aid to militia groups really sets Cobra up as an adversary to be taken seriously. Militia groups getting their hands on nuclear weapons is a scenario I really don't want to think about, but I'm sure there's some wingnut out there who would jump at the chance.

The aircraft in Strike First's inventory is a bit strange, even for 1982. For starters, they have a B-29 which was in very short supply at the time having been replaced by the B-52 in the 1950s (and still flying high today). You would think that Cobra might have provided them with something a little more modern (they did, after all, supply top-of-the-line Soviet tanks). Ditto the F-86 Sabres.

The final panel baffled me as a kid and still baffles me as an adult. If anyone can make some kind of sense about this, please feel free to use the comments section to enlighten me.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #3 (September 1982)

The Trojan Gambit

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Herb Trimpe (artist), Jack Abel and Jon D'Agostino (inkers), Diana Albers (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Clutch, Flash, Grand Slam, Grunt, Hawk, Rock ‘N Roll, Scarlett, Short-Fuze, Snake Eyes, Stalker, Steeler, Zap

Supporting Characters: General Flagg

Villains: Cobra Commander (last seen in the first story of G.I. Joe #1, appears next in G.I. Joe #5), Cobra troops (some last seen in the first story of G.I. Joe #1, some appear next in G.I. Joe #5), Cobra Battle-Robot (first appearance, destroyed in this story)

Character Notes: Grand Slam, Grunt, and Rock ‘N Roll only appear on the splash page of this story. Short-Fuze and Zap appear only briefly.

Story: After successfully assaulting a United States Cobra stronghold, the G.I. Joe team takes a battle-robot found on the premises back to "The Pit" for analysis. Once inside their headquarters, the robot self-activates and wreaks havoc while attempting to escape. During all of this, Cobra waits for the robot to reveal the location of G.I. Joe headquarters.

Reagan-era Goodness: There's a bit of discussion about how "The Pit" is designed to survive a small tactical "nuke."

Review: This is pretty much your standard "bottle" conflict—where the heroes face some kind of peril within their own headquarters. It's not a bad story by any means, but it doesn't exactly scream "Classic" either.

This is the first story where G.I. Joe headquarters is referred to as "The Pit" in dialogue. Issue #1 provided a diagram of "The Pit," which more or less corresponds to what we're shown in this story. Also, this is the first time we're told that "The Pit" is underneath the motor pool at Fort Wadsworth. What's interesting here is that the actual Fort Wadsworth, while located on Staten Island, became a US Naval installation in 1979—three years before this story takes place. Larry Hama was unaware of this at the time and based Fort Wadsworth on his memories from the mid 1970s. Currently, the installation is home to the Coast Guard.

Given that "The Pit" is located on Staten Island and that the Cobra stronghold was within driving distance, the stronghold was probably somewhere in New Jersey. I guess with Cobra having a headquarters on an island and bankrolling a Middle Eastern dictator, sinking time and money into the development of a battle-robot shouldn't be too much of a stretch. However, it's the sort of sci-fi element that would be more common in the cartoon instead of the comic.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #2 (August 1982)

Panic at the North Pole!

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Don Perlin (artist), Jack Abel (inker), Jim Novak (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor)

Feature Characters: Breaker, Stalker, Scarlett, Snake Eyes

Supporting Characters: General Flagg, General Austin (appears next in G.I. Joe #5)

Villains: Kwinn (first appearance, appears next in G.I. Joe #12), two Soviet agents (first and only appearance)

Story: After a US Arctic research station is discovered destroyed, a small G.I. Joe team is sent to investigate. During their mission, they encounter Kwinn, an eskimo mercenary currently employed by the Soviet Union who reveals that a failed experiment to induce "fear waves" was responsible.

Reagan-era Goodness: This issue pretty much relies on the heightened tensions of the Cold War. And since G.I. Joe is "a real American hero," the Soviets are responsible.

Review: Reading this again, I liked this issue a lot better than the first one. The use of a small team helps to move the story along without attempting to keep track of a dozen characters. Speaking of characters, we get a neat look into what a few members of the G.I. Joe team do when they're not part of the ultimate weapon of democracy: Stalker photographs wildlife, Breaker plays with computers at MIT, Scarlett fights in a martial arts tournament, and Snake Eyes chills out in a sensory deprivation tank.

While we learned Snake Eyes couldn't talk last issue, his disfigurement (hence why he wears a mask) is revealed here. We'll eventually learn how the damage to his face happened during "Snake Eyes: The Origin" in issues #26-27.

Although Cobra was built up to be the nemesis of G.I. Joe, Kwinn is an interesting adversary of his own right. He comes to respect the G.I. Joe team (particularly Snake Eyes) but cannot side with them due to his personal code of honor not allowing for breaches of contract. However, he does arrange for the team to win the day in a somewhat roundabout way (the issue concludes with the G.I. Joe team marching toward the Soviets' location).

Lastly, the device responsible for the "fear waves," the low frequency modulator, makes a return appearance of sorts in issue #68. Oddly enough, that story also takes place in a cold environment.

G.I. Joe #1A "Hot Potato"

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Don Perlin (artist), Jack Abel (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Glynis Wein (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor)

Feature Characters: Clutch, Hawk, Rock 'N Roll (all three next in G.I. Joe #3), Stalker, Scarlett, Snake Eyes

Supporting Characters: None

Villains: Colonel Sharif and his Guardians of Paradise (first appearance for all, Colonel Sharif appears next in G.I. Joe: Special Missions #3)

Story: A small G.I, Joe team is sent to the emirate of Colonel Sharif to retrieve proof that Sharif is being bankrolled by Cobra. Although mission orders deem the team expendable, both Snake Eyes and Rock 'N Roll disobey Scarlett's orders to leave her behind.

Review: This was the short, back-up story found in G.I. Joe #1. I had to locate my copy since the collected edition I had been using failed to reprint it. Grr...

Given the lack of story space, the villains are pretty much the stereotypical Muslim fanatics we would see a million times more in pre-9/11 American pop culture. However, we do receive a bit of character development on the Joe side. We learn that Scarlett is a bit of a ball buster yet is grateful for her rescue by Snake Eyes. Via Rock 'n Roll's unexpected soliloquy, we learn that Snake Eyes has some kind of feelings for Scarlett hence why he defied orders to rescue her. It's this sort of writing that would establish the comic as being much more than a vehicle to sell toys.

This story isn't normally reprinted along with the main story in issue #1. The first time I read it was when the issue was reprinted in G.I. Joe Digest #1. Digests, for the uninitiated, were smaller, allegedly pocket-sized comics that were often reprints of older material. Unfortunately, in order to squeeze in enough material to make the page count, some stories were edited to fit the format. Every once in a while, I'd be a bit surprised to find missing material after obtaining an issue of something I'd only read in the digest.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1 (June 1982)

Operation: Lady Doomsday

Credits: Larry Hama (writer), Herb Trimpe (artist), Bob McLeod (inker), Jim Novak (letterer), Glynis Wein (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor)

Feature Characters (first appearance for all): Breaker (Alvin R. Kibbey, appears next in G.I. Joe #2), Clutch (Lance J. Steinberg, middle initial revealed in G.I. Joe #20), Flash (Anthony S. Gambello, appears next in G.I. Joe #3), Grand Slam (James Barney, appears next in G.I. Joe #3), Grunt (Robert W. Graves, full name revealed in G.I. Joe #55, appears next in G.I. Joe #3), Hawk (Colonel Clayton M. Abernathy), Rock ‘N Roll (Craig S. McConnell, full name revealed in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1), Scarlett (Shana M. O’Hara), Short-Fuze (Eric W. Freistadt, full name revealed in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1, appears next in G.I. Joe #3), Snake Eyes (real name never revealed), Stalker (Lonzo R. Wilkinson), Steeler (Ralph W. Pulaski, appears next in G.I. Joe #3), Zap (Rafael J. Melendez, appears next in G.I. Joe #3)

Clutch, Hawk, Rock 'N Roll, Scarlett, Stalker, and Snake Eyes appear next in the second story, "Hot Potato"; then Scarlett, Stalker, and Snake Eyes appear in G.I. Joe #2; then all six appear in G.I. Joe #3.

Supporting Characters (first appearance for all): General “Iron Butt” Austin (full name never revealed), General Lawrence J. Flagg (full name revealed in G.I. Joe Battle Files #1), Dr. Adele Burkhart (appears next in G.I. Joe #39)

Cameo Appearance: Shooter (name only, see Continuity Note)

Villains (first appearance for all): Cobra Commander (real name never revealed, appears next in G.I. Joe #3), the Baroness (Anastasia deCobray, full name revealed in G.I. Joe #94, appears next in G.I. Joe #5), Gregor (appears next in G.I. Joe #39), Cobra Command troops (none named, some appear next in G.I. Joe #3)

Continuity Note: When the Pentagon sergeant calls up a display of the G.I. Joe team, her hand in is in the way of the head shot for someone code named Shooter. At the time, this was meant as an in-joke to Editor-in-chief Jim Shooter. However, Larry Hama would eventually use this character 24 years later in G.I. Joe: Declassified.

Story: The terrorist organization Cobra Command has kidnapped whistle-blowing nuclear physicist Dr. Adele Burkhart. Special Counter-terrorist Group Delta (code name: G.I. Joe) is sent to Cobra’s island stronghold to rescue her.

Reagan-era Goodness: On the front cover, G.I. Joe is called “the ultimate weapon of democracy.” Take that as you will.

Dr. Burkhart mentions the Doomsday Project as the development of a retaliatory weapons system designed to annihilate all life on the planet—essentially MAD taken to an extreme.

Review: The one that started it all. I wouldn’t see my first issue of G.I. Joe until a year and a half later (issue #12), but you couldn’t get through an afternoon without seeing the commercial for this premiere issue at least a dozen times. Oh yeah, it was the first comic book ever to have a television commercial and it was made of awesome. Eventually, this comic series would spawn the comics obsession I retain to this day.

The plot is incredibly straightforward but is riddled with clichés like the Pentagon having a giant room full of high-tech wizardry, lots of dialogue while fighting, and diatribes about “what we’re fighting for.” We also get a fair amount of exposition as we’re introduced to the G.I. Joe team and Cobra Command (eventually shortened to just Cobra). When I first read this story as a reprint in G.I. Joe Yearbook #1, I liked it quite a bit. Reading it now is a tad difficult given the clichés listed above and knowing this was geared primarily to sell toys first.

This first issue also contains a number of pin-ups with short dossiers of various team members and equipment as well as a second story, “Hot Potato,” which I’ll tackle soon.

Introduction

One of my favorite comic book series growing up was Marvel's G.I. Joe. The series, chock full of action, paralleled my enthusiasm for Hasbro's toy line for a good long while. Even when I wasn't buying the figures any longer, I was still reading the comic. Like a number of kids my age, G.I. Joe was the "gateway" comic that led to reading other comics. The amount of money per annum spent on comics can be blamed squarely on picking up my first issue of G.I. Joe.

Toward the last year or so of the series, I stopped reading as things had become a bit too silly thanks to Hasbro's mandates that characters and situations created for the toys had to be featured in the comic (with one notable exception—Cobra-La). Thanks to keeping up with the comic-related press at the time, I learned of the series cancellation ahead of time and managed to pick up the last few issues. When I visited a comic show this past December, the last five issues tend to sell for much much more than cover price.

It's unfortunate that both the toy line and the comic book went out with a bit of a whimper instead of a bang. Eventually, both would return and the fever pitch of the toy line as I type this is almost on par with the situation 25 years ago. It's certainly a good time to be a Joe fan.

This index is my attempt to index the G.I. Joe comics "universe" as I know it. We'll begin with the Marvel series and its subsequent spin-offs in chronological, production order. Eventually, we'll get to the modern stuff but you'll find references to the modern comics scattered throughout. If something has been omitted or is just outright wrong, feel free to tell me in the comments section for each book.

Some of you comics "old timers" might recognize the format of the index as the one used by George Olshevsky during his days of chronicling Marvel comics back in the 1980s. Olshevsky's format was co-opted by Murray Ward for his line of DC comic indexes and then again when Ward and Peter Sanderson attempted to revive the indexes for Marvel in the mid-1990s.

I'm not sure what else to say at this point so strap in and get ready for Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine to take us to a time when A Flock of Seagulls inspired stupid haircuts, Michael J. Fox was charming audiences on Family Ties, and Coca-Cola lamely tried to hide switching from sugar to corn syrup with New Coke.