G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Baroness #1
(Sssilent Missions)
Writer: Declan Shalvey
Pencils: Jöelle Jones
Summary
From his castle on Mustafar, Cobra Commander reviews assigns the Baroness to assassinate an Old White Guy. Baroness arrives at a performance the Old White Guy is attending, decked out in a cocktail dress. After beating up some security guards, she changes into her usual garb and prepares a sniper shot to take out the Old White Guy. She then spots Destro, who is also in the theater’s audience. To be coy, she fires a deliberate glancing shot off of Destro’s metal mask. The two then duel, one-on-one, to see who gets the “honor” of killing the Old White Guy.
Apparently Baroness makes the hit, then escapes into the crowd with the Old White Guy’s Female Companion. She either stuff into, or removes, an envelope from the Female Companion’s dress. Baroness also leaves a cutesy note with a time and place for Destro. The two then meet in Paris to have a date.
Notes
- While this is supposed to be a “Sssilent Mision”, keeping with the ARAH tradition of silent stories, it really could’ve benefited from some dialogue. I feel there are a lot of details that needed to be clarified. Primarily, WHEN is this story intended to take place? Who is the Old White Guy?
- Baroness and Destro meet up in Paris, yet the performance appears like it could have been anywhere in the Americas or Europe.
- I score this as the third “Baroness Solo Issue”, after issue 253 and issue 280.
- Yet looking back at issue 280: was the “Old White Guy” supposed to be the Borovian Prime Minister Josef Brozowski? Issue 280 was set in Paris… so it might tie in? Probably over-thinking that.
- Since Cobra Commander appears to be in a remote base on a mountaintop, I’m wondering if it’s possibly even set before issue 1? It’s not (visually) the same castle from issue 1, but he’s primarily been operating in Springfield, Cobra Island, the Silent Castle, or even Rancho Corba Acres in the ARAH (Hama) run.
- If it was intended to be before issue 1, then how/why does Baroness have her signature black leather togs, which debuted in issue 23? Sure, you can No-Prize it and say: “she’s always had those, we just didn’t see her in them until issue 23”.
- Cobra Commander also appears to be selecting among his other cronies/sycophants, as we see computer screen cameos of Zartan, Firefly, the Crimson Twins, Copperhead and (possibly) Zarana. The last page shows each of these characters numbered 1-5, which I take as foreshadowing for the next 4 issues. Which makes us wonder if these 5 Sssilent Missions are all intended to have some sort of encompassing framing sequence.
- I suppose the main purpose of this was just to make the Baroness look attractive and act all saucy…and I guess it did that.
- Sorry, but these “Silent Missions” (including last year’s G.I. Joe focused issues) seem more like obligation than inspiration.
- I ended up with “Cover B” for this one. To keep me (semi-) organized, I’m using that as the “Feature Image”.
Appearances
Characters (figures): Cobra Commander, Baroness, Destro, Firefly (cameo), Zartan (cameo), Tomax (cameo), Xamot (cameo), Copperhead (cameo), Zarana (?) (cameo)
Characters (comic-only): Old White Guy (Josef Brozowski?), Odl White Guy’s Female Companion
Vehicles and stuff: Water Moccasin (cameo)
Vehicles and stuff (comic-only): Cobra Commander’s Mustafar Castle.
