G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #323
Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Paul Pelletier
Summary:
Below the seemingly abandoned Springfield movie theatre, Cobra Commander has called in his forgotten flunkies: Firefly, Major Bludd, Copperhead, Crystal Ball, Scrap-Iron, Overkill and the Crimson Twins. He rallies his troops with a presentation on how they have been secretly docile to Destro’s forces and the MARS occupation of Springfield, but plan to retaliate. They’ve hacked Destro’s surveillance equipment and have been monitoring Castle Destro. They also still have the hidden underground airstrip and two columns of armor in hiding.
In Daytona Beach, Zartan regroups with the Dreadnoks. When they question how “tough” he is, he easily fights off a group of 5 (regular) bikers who were trying to crash the party.
In Scotland, Destro parades his troops through the village of Creag Mohr. They’re apparently on the way to the airfield to mount an offensive.
Finally, at the Cobra Casino, Alpha-001 gloats aloud how well his plans are going. Revanche has been turning all patrons into cyborgs and sending them back home as sleeper agents.
Notes:
- Cobra Commander that what Destro doesn’t know will “cost him half the battle!” Har…har…
- Overkill looks a little different from his last appearances in “Murder by Assassination”. His appearance on this cover also differs from his appearance in the interior panels.
- This confirms that Major Bludd did not die at the end of issue 191.
- Wild Weasel is not mentioned in Cobra Commander’s role call, but there is a Cobra trooper that might be mistaken for him. I figured it was an AVAC.
- Strangely enough, Red Ninjas are included. I guess you could surmise that Firefly brought them along.
- I think Copperhead was allied with Firefly and Crystal Ball the last time we saw him, in issue 220. He was also used as a background character in the “Cobra World Order” arc… so nothing of mention has been done with him.
- Tomax and Xamot ask they be reinstated as Crimson Guard Commanders. I don’t recall if/when they were removed from those positions, originally.
- Hey…no Cesspool for Cobra Commander’s forgotten flunkies?
- Zartan changes into a clown to take out the bikers; a clown that resembles Harley Quinn, a bit.
- There’s a female bar patron in the background of one Dreadnok scene. I think she’s just a background nondescript person, and not “Heartwrencher” or any of the other 2001-2010 female Dreadnoks.
- Think this is the first time they’ve named the village below Castle Destro: Creag Mohr.
- Also the first time (I think) they’ve mentioned “Destro’s Household Guard”, his guys in traditional highlander kilts and stuff. Cobra Commander also refers to them as such, too.
- There’s and entire fleet of Despoilers flying, as opposed to the usual AGP’s. I always kinda’ figured that the Despoiler was Destro’s personal ride and not mass-produced for his troops.
- I was always under the assumption that Destro’s activities were hidden and unknown to the locals. Here, they literally parade through the town and the locals seem to know and appreciate them.
- Alpha-001 mentions that he still has “a legion of “enhanced mutant trooper legions”. Well…so much for that convenient killswitch that wiped them out, a few issues ago. Wishful thinking on a reader’s part.
- Alpha-001 also mentions that he’s had new “sense of humor chips” installed. Thus, I expect him to become a monologuing goofball villain, going forward. Hama seems to love writing that type of character; even in his Wolverine days.
- One of the few issues with absolutely NO Joes in it. They’re not even mentioned, as this is all the bad guy factions scheming against each other.
- I know we, as fans, like to geek out when the comics show off a lot of characters and vehicles, but this is a little cheesy. We’ll see if any of these characters and vehicles actually do anything in subsequent issues.
Appearances:
Characters (figures): Cobra Commander, Firefly, Tomax, Xamot, Major Bludd, Overkill, Crystal Ball, Scrap-Iron, Destro, Baroness, Zartan, Zandar, Zarana, Zanzibar, Road Pig, Torch, Ripper, Buzzer, Monkeywrench, Thrasher, Gnawgahyde
Characters (comic-only): Alpha-001
Vehicles and stuff (toys): Destro’s Dominator, Razorback, Despoiler, DEMON, Cobra HISS (cameo), Cobra Rattler (cameo), Cobra Mamba (cameo)
Vehicles and stuff (comic-only): Cobra Aspid
