G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #53

“Pit-Fall”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Rod Whigham

Summary

With the Joes kicked out of the Pit and bunking up with the chaplains assistants, Hawk leads three Pentagon generals through the Pit. Cobra chooses to attack… in moving trucks and with a buncha’ BATs. Serpentor wants to lead a squad of Cobra troopers into the Pit, but Cobra Commander demands to take the lead. CC, Destro and their troops push Hawk and the generals deeper into the Pit (Hawk broke out the weapons lockers and all the old guys got a kick out of shootin’ stuff). Two generals die, but Hawk and General Hollingsworth make it out through the escape hatch. The entire Pit is blown up, with Destro and Cobra Commander at the bottom.

Flint and Lady Jaye notice a small squad of Cobra Eels on the other side of Ft. Wadsworth and alert the other Joes. The Joes manage to get some firearms from the chaplains’ armorer and lead a small assault on their own motor pool. The Cobras (basically Serpentor and the Zartan clan) make their escape on a tractor trailer. Hawk and Gen. Hollingsworth make it out of the water tower. Hollingsworth immediately re-instates the Joe team, as a mobile unit with no central base.

Notes:

• Ugh. Second time in three months that a potential big battle was a disappointment. Cobra leads a lame assualt into the Pit…with nothing but foot soldiers.
• No mention is made of the fact that Cobra Commander thought GI Joe HQ was under Ft. Wadsworth before (issue 19…or issue 14).
• Flint’s trying to put the moves on Lady Jaye in a secluded area of Ft. Wadsworth. This scene looks like the famous “real life” shot of Ft. Wadsworth,— with the white barracks, the flag pole and right below the bridge.
• Hollingsworth supports Hawk from the start, but the other two, General Ryan and Admiral Dyson, aren’t sold on Cobra as a threat.
• The escape route to the water tower was detailed on the schematic of the new Pit, circa issue 22.
• Clarence the Chaplains’ Assistant is back. This time he’s offended that the Joes are messing up the Tea Room. He’s been “pushed to the limit”….so he walks out. “Just wait until they need the doilies mended” says his friend.
• As the Joes talk to the Ft. Wadsworth armorer (Percy), he seems to know all about GI Joe AND Cobra. A slip-up, since both were organizations were top secret and a lowly chaplains assitant wouldn’t know about either.
• Beach-head and Leatherneck are having an arm wrestling contest in the Tea Room, with everyone from their respective service branches cheering them on. Some of the military rivalry that would occassionally pop up in all “war comics”.
• Most of the Joes appear in their dress khakis, so it’s tough to score everyone. Makes is easy for the artist, too.
• I’m pretty sure this is the end of the Marvel Joes’ association with Ft. Wadsworth. It had bordered on ridiculous at times (like Fred’s missed surveillance or the desolate appearance in issue 19), but the “secret identity” thing was a neat element that other versions of GI Joe ignored (the toys and comics). It was a nice irony that the US’s best military men were stationed under the wimpiest branch of the military.
• Sgt. Slaughter makes a cameo again. MAYBE this is Sarge’s last appearance.
• The cover has the official Marvel 25th Anniversary treatment: a portrait of one character (in this case, Snake-Eyes) and a border with all of Marvel’s superheroes. Every Marvel comic released in November 1986 had this same treatment. Aside from the fake Hulk in issue 10, this was the closest the Joes got to the superheroes. Also kinda’ cool that Snake-Eyes was chosen to be the “poster-boy” for the comic. I would’ve shat had it been Duke or Flint on the cover.

Appearances:

Characters (figures):Hawk, Flint, Lady Jaye, Gung-Ho, Leatherneck, Wet-Suit, Sgt. Slaughter, Spirit, Rock n’ Roll, Cross Country, Roadblock, 1 or 2 Un-named Joes, Cobra Commander, Destro, Zartan, Zarana, Zandar, Serpentor, Buzzer, Cobra Eels, Cobra BATs

Characters (“comic-only”): Gen. Hollingsworth, Gen. Ryan (dies), Admiral Dyson (dies), Chaplains Assistants: Clarence, Cecil & Percy

Vehicles and stuff (toys): VAMP Mark 2

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none to speak of

Firsties:
Characters: none

Vehicles: none

Rating: Rating: 2 Flag Points