G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #266
Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Robert Atkins
Summary
Rock & Roll and Clutch deliver sandwiches to the Pit, below Fort Wadsworth, while Throwdown has a sparring session with Scarlett, Helix, Jinx and Bombstrike.
Dr. Mindbender and Cobra Commander sneak a cute lil’ Revanche surveillance drone into the Pit to watch everything. The Joes eventually discover and destroy it.
Right outside the main gates of Fort Wadsworth, a paper-girl named Julie knocks on the door of houses that contain several Cobra troops.
Notes:
- Not exactly a great start to what’s supposed to be an important arc.
- Bombstrike’s a ninja, now? I suppose it’s similar to Barbeque sparring with everyone, circa issue 53.
- Really, a paper-girl? Is this supposed to be set in modern times, or still stuck in the 80’s? Home newspaper deliver is on the decline and the whole concept of having kids go out “collecting” to get subscription dues hasn’t been used since the mid-80’s. A more believable option would’ve been to have a door-to-door window salesman, PBS surveyor, bug exterminator, religious group, or one of those “have you got a minute for the environment” people.
- Unless it’s completely intentional that “Julie” really isn’t a paper-girl, and the whole thing is a flimsy ruse. But I doubt that.
- This arc promises to have an appearance by “every living member of GI Joe (and Cobra)”. Nobody really notable or unusual on the Joes’ side, but we do get some window-dressing appearances by Techno, HEAT, Alley, Toxo and plain ol’ Vipers. Plus a HISS tank driver, Night-Creeper, Crimson Guardsman and Crimson Guardswoman.
- Another window-dressing scene includes what, I believe, is the first appearance of the GI Joe Patriot Grizzly tank. I think it was one of the vehicles that came out around 2002-2004.
- Four houses are supposed to be filled with incognito Cobras. Once again, it’s RIGHT OUTSIDE THE MAIN GATE of Fort Wadsworth. This happened way back in issue 30 or so, and the Joes even raided the house. Not to mention that it also happened since the IDW relaunch, when the Joes discovered the home of Crimson Guardsman “Darren”. I guess that plot has been completely forgotten.
- The Crimson Guardswoman is named “Laura 343”, adding another “line” to the CG series. Along with the various Viper types, these are tough for me to keep track of.
- The Revanche drone is ridiculous. I’m not exaggerating when I say it looks like the cutesy little robot mascot of JJ Abrams’s “Bad Robot” company.
- While sparring with Throwdown, Bombstrike and Helix say: “let’s tag-team him”. This is a term that is incredibly mis-used in modern society. When two people do something at once, it is NOT “tag-teaming”, it’s a “double-team”. Any fan of pro rasslin’ will tell you that double-teaming is, technically, illegal and only allowable for a referee-mandated count of 10 (unless it’s a Texas Tornado, No DQ or some other special match stipulation). If Bombstrike and Helix were to actually “tag-team” that means Bombstrike would attack first, then tag out to Helix, who takes her place and attacks Throwdown.
- You’ll hear “tag-teaming” used in business speak, a lot. 90% of the time, it’s used incorrectly. “Our guys will tag-team on that project”. If one person works on the project, then stops, and lets somebody else work on it in their absence, that is “tag-teaming”. If they’re both working on it, at the same time, that’s a simple “double-team”. As the late great Gorilla Monsoon would say: “those people wouldn’t know the difference between a wrist-lock and a wrist-watch”.
- And while I’m down here: another incorrect business speak term is when someone refers to “Superwoman”. Umm…Superwoman’s a villain and longtime member of the CSA. Unless you count that rarely-seen time-traveling Superoman who appeared in an early 80’s “DC Comics Presents” Annual….but I’m completely going off on a tangent, now.
Appearances
Characters (figures): Clutch, Rock & Roll, Stalker, Scarlett, Jinx, Helix, Bombstrike, Cobra Commander, Dr. Mindbender
Characters (comic-only): Throwdown, Laura 343, Julie the Paper-girl
Vehicles & Stuff (toys): VAMP, Cobra HISS, VAMP Mk2 (cameo), Wolverine (cameo), Armadillo mini-tank (cameo), Patriot Grizzly, Hammer or Modern VAMP (not sure)
Vehicles & Stuff (not toys): Revanche “Bad Robot” drone.
FIRSTIES:
Characters: Julie the Paper-girl, Laura 343
Vehicles: Patriot Grizzly, “Bad Robot” Revanche drone
Rating: 2 Flag Points
You would literally have no idea this is supposed to be the beginning of a 10-part story arc. I like the issue but it feels more like a fill-in than anything else. Doesn’t really feel like it’s setting anything up.
Yes, complete filler and yet another “transitional issue”. Clutch and Rock & Roll summing up the current status quo (and reiterating the “call him Throwdown” stuff) is probably there as an introduction for new readers when this gets collected in a Trade Paperback. Errrr.., excuse me: “a Collected Edition”.
It probably goes without saying, but I’m only following this book because of tradition. And some weird “loyalty” that Comic Buying Me thinks is important to maintain. I’m really not excited for this arc. Hope I’m proven wrong in 3 months.
I guess I can kinda see a setup as it explains Cobra wants to neutralize Snake-eyes. But that’s it. I’m just getting bored with the title and that breaks my heart as I have loved ARAH for 35+ years.
I’m really excited about the arc but there’s a very good chance it might not amount to much, (kind of like how Cobra World Order just completely fizzled out). But I do think the idea of featuring “every living character” is ill-conceived. Not enough pages to go around and most will end up just being background scenery.
I still love ARAH to death even if it is kind of dated. But then, that might be what I love about it.
Sadly, I am losing interest in ARAH by the issue. I find myself re-reading the Marvel run more than wanting to read ARAH.
From what I have seen you’re not alone. Comic stores here don’t even have shelf copies of this book – they only bring it in for subs. One store owner told me that G.I. Joe and Transformers comics simply don’t sell, (the latter really surprised me actually as the last TF comics before the recent reboot were awesome).
There’s only one shop in my town that has copies. They’ve sold old GI Joe and Star Wars toys for over 20 years, so they cater to the nerd collector.
Unless you have a store subscription (aka “hold slot”), then you will not find GI Joe on the rack at a “regular” comic store.. Even if you’re there at 11:01am on Wednesday/New Release Day. However… when I was in Toronto, two weeks ago, a store I visited had a big selection of IDW GI Joe “Trade Paperbacks”.
GI Joe, as a franchise, is pretty low on the Nerd Food Chain. Well below Marvel/DC, Star Wars, Star Trek, He-Man or even Dr. Who.
Oh…and I guess Cobra forgot all about that time they brainwashed and captured Snake-Eyes, circa issue 165 or so. Hama not only forgets old plots, he also forgets the “new” plots that he’s spun since the IDW relaunch.
Oh for sure. You go to Seibertron.com and there’s new TF news daily. Head on over to HissTank.com and it’s a ghost town in regards to any new info. I’m honestly surprised ARAH has gone on as long as it has. Most other books would have been canceled with those numbers. But I’m still happy it’s around.
I was a little surprised to see Hama revisit an old “brainwashed Joes” story line again as well. He even used the same characters! But it was two of my faves, (Clutch and R&R), so I certainly can’t complain.
Do we know what the actual sales figures are like for ARAH? Just wondering to get a feel for it’s likely longevity.
One of the things that makes it harder to guage is the digital sales. K personally haven’t bought a hardcopy book in a couple years as I but everything digitally now – that ultimately might hurt the comic book stories but I imagine it’s pretty good income for the publishers.