G.I. Joe Special Missions #19
Special Missions #19- “Getting There”
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Herb Trimpe
Summary
Wild Bill and Lift-Ticket lead a Tomahawk crew along the Mekong River to pick up Chuckles’ team. After avoiding gunnery batteries and a duel with two Russian HINDs, they have to land and steal the fuel from a HIND. They eventually make it to the pick-up site and find Chuckles and his pals.
Notes:
- Secondary story to issue 18 and concludes the 4-part “Southeast Asia Mission” that
had been going on since issue 14. This issue just adds some backstory of how the Tomahawk arrived. Pretty much a “spotlight on the Tomahawk” story. It was one of the better Joe vehicles (in all 3 mediums), by the way. - This story has a very “Vietnam movie” feel to it. Only thing missing is an insane door gunner, blowing away locals and hollering “get some! get some!!”
- Once again, fuel is a big part of the airlift. They start off by hauling extra drums in the Tomahawk’s open bay (ya’d THINK they’d get some doors for the thing).
- Iceberg mentions that his team has been gone for “three months”, which would work in both real time and the always ambiguous “comic time”.
- No specific country is mentioned, again. Probably intended to be either Cambodia or Vietnam.
- We learn that “JP-4” is military jargon for jet fuel.
- Muskrat’s being used again and he seems to be becoming a favorite of Hama. He’s a somewhat ornery guy, but still a good trooper.
- Repeater is using “special” teflon-coated bullets that play into the plot and the duel with the HIND.
- The Joes read their orders, in-flight, and are instructed to destroy them. This apparently means “eat them”, as Lift-Ticket hopes they’re printed on the easier-to-digest paper stock.
Appearances:
Characters (figures): Wild Bill, Lift-ticket, Muskrat, Lifeline, Repeater, Keel-Haul, Chuckles, Iceberg, Snake-Eyes, Scarlett
Characters (“comic-only”): HIND pilots Anatoly & Misha (both croak)
Vehicles and stuff (toys): Tomahawk, USS Flagg
Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Russian HINDs
Firsties:
Characters: Anatoly & Misha
Vehicles: none
Rating: Rating: 2 Flag Points
