G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #290

Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Andrew Lee Griffith

Summary:

Picking up from the conclusion “Snake-Hunt” in issue 275, the Oktober Guard is speeding out of Springfield, to get Daina some emergency medical help. Colonel Brekhov and Stormavik spill the beans to Stalker and Wade Collins that they were all “dead and reanimated by an A.I.” (with the exceptions of Dragonsky and Daina).

After their seeming demise in Special Missions #26, the Guard were immediately medevac’d by a Russian medical team and taken to a stealth ship, off the coast of Sierra Gordo. They were then taken to the “Bacu Robotics and Cybernetics Center in St. Petersburg, Russia”, where they were reborn with cybernetic enhancements. However, their actual A.I. components were fared out to…Revanche. As a result, Horroshow is 100% Revanche components, with Brekhov at 20%, Stormavik at 40% and Schrage at around 70%.

Back in the present, two weeks pass, and the Guard is determined to fix Horrorshow’s recent malfunctions. Doctors inform them that the only way to get new A.I. modules for Horrorshow is to obtain them from Revanche HQ in New Jersey. The Guard attacks Revanche H.Q. and after meeting some resistance, are able to find the parts they need. Despite being 100% Revanche, Horrorshow’s original personality is able to override the programming and help save his teammates.

Revanche’s Alpha-001 remarks that it’s all part of their “long game”, as the Guard have trojan horses inside them.

Notes:

• Yup, as we predicted here, awhile back, the reborn Oktober Guard are tied into Revanche. While this certainly isn’t the first time long-dead characters have been brought back by off-screen ret-conned shenanigans (see: “Soldier, Winter”), it feels very “connect-the-dots” and not fresh or intriguing.
• Sorry, but I still feel Hama accidentally brought them back and forgot they were dead, in the first place. Revanche was a convenient plot device to fix the error.
• All the “new” Oktober Guard guys that have popped up since issue 102 (including those since the relaunch) have still not been mentioned. Not a big deal, but a reference to Col Krimov/Red Star being a dead ringer for Col. Brekhov in issue 146 would’ve been appreciated.
• No-Prize Explanation and/or “Fan Theory” on WHY the cyborg Oktober Guard haven’t appeared until recently, and we’ve seen those other guys? Simple: it took a long time to “grow” them back to full functionality. Like, years.
• In fact, in this issue, the guard discover that Revanche has been “growing” parts in regeneration vats.
• Sorry, but I don’t know if “Bacu” is an abbreviation for something, a geographic location, or what. An editorial asterisk would’ve been nice.
• Alpha-001 has a fun line as the Blue Ninjas shout his name: “Pre-programmed self-congratulations are STILL satisfying. It allays fleeting thoughts of rust and system failure”.
• Alpha-001 dispatches a special “Quantum Eradicator” model to fend off the guard.
• The Joes and Oktober Guard leave Springfield via the Bongo the Ballon Bear’s van. When it breaks down, Crystal Ball shows up to help.
• No letters page, this issue. Instead, we get a full page of next issue’s cover.
• Once again, I opted for “Cover B”, since it featured the Oktober Guard.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Clutch, Stalker, Rock and Roll, Crystal Ball, Colonel Brekhov, Daina, Horrorshow, Dragonsky, Stormavik, Schrage

Characters (comic-only): Wade Collins, Alpha-001, 2 un-named Russian doctors, Quantum Eradicator

Vehicles and Stuff (toys): none

Vehicles and Stuff (comic-only): Bongo the Balloon Bear’s Van

Firsties: 2 un-named Russian Doctors.

Rating: 2 Flag Points