G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #317
Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Paul Pelletier
Summary:
At Cobra Island, Wet-Suit’s team successfully lands and sets up a surveillance detail. They notice that Revanche has brainwashed all of their former patrons, planted them with chips, and is sending them home. One patron malfunctions and reverts to a mutant, so a Casino Robot quickly sics a flamethrower on her. The memory is then deleted from the other patrons.
In Springfield, the ninja infiltration team also successfully sets up shop. They’re even welcomed by a Cobra Youth kid named Monty, who asks if “Nina” (Jinx) wants to return to the troop. “Nina” and her granddad “Dan” (Sean Collins/Throwdown) agree to help the troop entertain senior citizens.
In Baton Rouge, Dr. Mindbender tests out his new upgraded body. He’s now equipped with enhanced strength, armor, and a “martial arts chip”.
Finally, in Scotland, Destro and the Baroness demonstrate that they have implanted “remote neuron triggers” inside Cobra Commander, and will force him to comply, under fear of excruciating pain.
Notes:
- Kinda’ neat to see Wet-Suit appearing in his actual WET -SUIT. The orange helmet with the SCUBA gear n’ all. Usually, he appears in his Navy SEAL garb.
- Helix mentions that the team has the “new heat-reducing ghillie suits”, which makes them invisible to infrared scanners. Their gear has similar treatments, as well.
- As “Steve-241”, Snake-Eyes has the most dialogue he was ever had. He basically leads the infiltration team and narrates all of their activity.
- Dawn complains about having to hide in the car trunk upon their entrance to Springfield. Storm Shadow replies: “there’s a legend of a ninja who submerged under an outhouse, breathing through a straw for two days, waiting for his victim to come have a seat”. Funny. I’ll just take Storm Shadow/Hama’s word at the “legend” and NOT look it up.
- Dr. Mindbender is basically a full-on Marvel super-villain, now. In fact, he reminds me, a tiny bit, of Professor Power. A former science geek who transferred himself into a super-shell body.
- Alpha-001 is using a hologram projector to make himself appear human to the casino patrons.
- May or may not be intentional, but there are recurring or overlapping themes in the separate scenes. The two scenes involving the Joes include infiltration and set-up. The Bad Guy scenes involve sci-fi tech stuff infiltrating the human body.
Appearances:
Characters (figures): Wet-Suit, Helix, Muskrat, Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Scarlett, Jinx, Duke, Stalker, Mainframe, Destro, Baroness, Dr. Mindbender, Cobra Commander
Characters (comic-only): Multo, Sean Collins/Throwdown, Dawn Moreno, Monty (Cobra Youth Kid), Alpha-001
Vehicles and Stuff (toys): Cobra Moray, Cobra Maggot (cameo)
Vehicles and Stuff (comic-only): none to speak of
Firsties: Monty
