G.I. Joe Special Missions #16
Special Missions #16- “Tight Circle”
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Herb Trimpe
Summary
Due to some suspicious activity over Cobra Island, all the Joe pilots gear up and pay a visit. Cobra picks them up on radar and sends up a squadron of their own aircraft. After a big dogfight, the Joes manage to snap a few recon photos before bailing. Ghostrider engages the Star-Viper (in his Stilleto) in a one-on-one duel. After a… TIGHT CIRCLE…the Star-Viper passes out from the stress and crashes into the ocean.
Fred and Dr. Mindbender laugh at the whole incident. It was just a diversion to draw the Joes’ attention away from their real operation: they were loading a giant cargo ship with personnel, headed for the mainland US.
Notes:
- Finally, a big air battle with all the jets and shit. Nobody runs out of fuel, either!
- The Cobra cargo ship ties into Zandar and Zarana’s New Jersey real estate scam, as we’ll see in GI Joe #81
- On the splash page, Fred and Dr. Mindbender appear to be driving around in… a cobra VW bug!
- Lady Jaye is shown in cameo… with her arm draped over Hawk, as if they were an item.
- It appears that Wild Weasel is one of the Rattler pilots…but if it was him, he’s dead. I’m guessing Wild Weasel’s helmet just happens to be the standard issue for all Rattler pilots and the real Wild Weasel is alive and well…and not in this issue.
- The Conquest once again has two seats. Maverick flies as Slipstream’s co-pilot.
- Lift-Ticket flies in the Skystriker’s co-pilot seat. Slightly unusual, as he was always pilotting a helicopter or helping Wild Bill fly the C-130.
Appearances:
Characters (figures): Hawk, Ace, Wild Bill, Lady Jaye, Stalker, Mainframe, Maverick, Slipstream, Lift-ticket, Ghostrider, Dr. Mindbender, Star-Viper (dies)
Characters (“comic-only”): Fred VII
Vehicles and stuff (toys): Skystriker, Conquest X-30, Phantom X-19 Stealth, Vector (cameo), Cobra Night Raven, Cobra Rattler, Cobra Stiletto
Vehicles and stuff (not toys): GI Joe C-130, Cobra VW bug
Firsties:
Characters: none
Vehicles: none
Rating: Rating: 3 Flag Points
