G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #324
Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Paul Pelletier
Summary
The Joes investigate a suspicious satellite in Earth orbit. Ace is able to snag some intel in the Sky Raven and it appears to be run by Revanche. Payload, Sci-Fi and Lady Jaye are sent up in the Defiant Space Shuttle to take it down. After evading attacks from the satellite and the Blue Ninja within, the Joes are able to destroy both.
As the Joes return home, Revanche rejoices that their decoy worked, as their REAL satellite was cloaked the whole time. This proves that their cloaking technology is effective and that they can continue with their worldwide Terror Drome operations. Also: a lone Revanche surveillance unit is “reactivated” from beneath the sands outside of the Pit/Camp Greer.
Notes
- I liked this issue because it was straightforward action, followed up on a subplot, and included my favorite G.I. Joe vehicle: The Defiant.
- This is probably one of the better showcases for the Defiant in the title’s history. They use the gripper arm in the shuttle’s bay and even the MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit)!
- Payload wears his usual gear, but Sci-Fi also wears his normal gear. So you have to surmise that it’s always been space-ready…which would explain it’s unusual appearance.
- Silliest element is Lady Jaye’s spacesuit. She wear a typical astronaut suit and helmet… but with HER HAT ON inside the helmet.
- Lady Jaye also uses her “power javelin” for the first time, I think. It’s that weird javelin launcher that came with her figure. Keep in mind that she hasn’t sued her trick javelins (like Hawkeye or Green Arrow) that she frequently used in the cartoon. Basically, for those arriving late, Comic Book Lady Jaye = hat and conventional weapons. Cartoon Lady Jaye = no hat and trick javelins.
- Countdown flies the Defiant’s “Booster Unit”. I’d like to see its “space station mode” be used in the comic, one day.
- The Sky Patrol Sky Raven makes its second appearance. Its first appeared in issue 214. Ace pilots it, so you can surmise that it has some kind of low-orbital capabilities.
- The Joes accurately guess that the satellite is tied to Revanche’s recent Terror Drome constructions. In a ways, this is a solid follow-up from issue 322.
- I’m probably grasping at straws with this, but it would be interesting if the Revanche robot/cyborg outside of the Pit ties into the “giant robots and stuff beneath the Pit” subplot that went nowhere, circa issue 210. Naw…. probably not gonna’ happen. The Revanche robot was probably just left behind, randomly, in a completely unconnected issue/story.
- But I gotta’ admit: if Revanche WAS tied into all that technology and the sub-base below the Pit… I might change my stance on them.
- The Postbox/letters page mentions that the new villains from issue 321 were originally seen in “G.I. Joe: Origins #13”. I haven’t read that, not aware of it, and figured it was not tied in to Hama’s continuity. I’m guessing that in terms of actual continuity, it’s not…but the characters appeared in a different timeline in “G.I. Joe: Origins”. Maybe.
- This issue contains a 5 page backup of IDW’s new “Phantom of the Opera” comic.
Appearances:
Characters (figures): Countdown, Payload, Hardtop, Lady Jaye, Sci-Fi, Law & Order, Ace, Duke, Mainframe, Stalker
Characters (comic-only): Alpha-001
Vehicles and stuff (toys): Defiant, Sky Raven
Vehicles and stuff (comic–only): Revanche satellites
