G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #102

“He Said What?”

Writer: Larry Hama
Pencilers: M.D. Bright

Summary:

In Sierra Gordo, the Joes and Oktober Guard evade Darklon’s troops into the jungle, where they meet up with the Tucaros (Recondo’s old pals from issue 40). The Tucaros are now led by an MIT-educated guy named Anibal.

In Millville, Mutt, Spirit and Jeff lead a group of teens as a resistance against Cobra. They succeed in blowing up the police station and smashing a BUGG.

In New York, Sioban is still intent on un-plugging Scarlett. Snake-Eyes busts into Scarlett’s hospital room, rips off his bandges and hold her hand to his face. A tearful Snake-Eyes then mutters: “Sc-sc….Sc-Scarlett”. Awwww.

Notes:

• Snake-Eyes’ face is shown again. After the damage done by the Paine Brothers, he now appears to look normal, just with two long vertical scars across his face.
• Only audible dialogue that Snake-Eyes ever spoke. The letters page mentions the empty balloons from issue 1…and how it’s possible Snakes could speak, but it was always inaudible and extremely difficult for him.
• Question might arise: “if he loves her so much, why didn’t he say her real name (Shana) instead of her code-name”? No-Prize explanation: Snake-Eyes met, worked and fell in love with her as “Scarlett”. Snakes is a hardcore career military man, so in his mind Scarlett IS her name.
• The Tucaros appear hostile until they hear Roadblock say the word “Recondo”. They have fond memories of the Jungle Trooper (but wouldn’t they have remembered Roadblock?)
• The Tucaros have the two Dragonov sniper rifles that Recondo offered to the “River Gods” in issue 40.
• From the Pit III, Law calls Millville and speaks to a brainwashed Uncle Jeff. Law’s dog Order was lonely for ol’ Junkyard. Jeff tells Law to get bent.
• Cobra Commander again acts cartoony, as he wants his new brainwashed caller answering service to be marketed as “Dial-a-Crank”.
• It seems that Cobra wanted to take over Millville simply for manufacturing purposes. That makes sense.
• Cobra Commander appoints Fred XXIII in charge of “stamping out the resistance” in Millville.
• Destro and the Baroness arrive in Sierra Gordo for “pleasure”. Destro is without his mask, so for the moment he still appears to be “retired”.
• Despite the country being in constant revolution since issue 12, downtown Rio Lindo (capital of Sierra Gordo) appears okay, with neoteric skyscrapers and spiffy buildings with no damage.
• The corner box has a nifty picture that wasn’t used very often– a shot of Hawk and Snake-Eyes. Probably my favorite of the three or four corner box graphics that were used.
• The letters page has a melancholy letter from a young kid trying to overcome the grief of having no father, then having his father figure (a Vietnam vet) kill himself. He’s been drawn to Snake-Eyes for comfort. The letter ends well, as the kid talks about organizing a peace rally after witnessing the Tienamen Square incident on TV. I dunno…but stuff like this shows how GI Joe was more than just “Yo Joe! Bang! Bang! Shoot the bad guys! Yay America”. I don’t think most people got that.

Appearances:
Characters (figures): Flint, Lady Jaye, Muskrat, Roadblock, Spirit, Mutt, Junkyard, Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Scarlett, Law, Order, Wild Bill (cameo), Cobra Commander, Darklon, Destro, Baroness

Characters (“comic-only”): Uncle Jeff, Russ the Vet, Spike, Raggedy Mouf (Spike’s gang), Tiny (Spike’s gang), Dragonsky, Daina, Lt. Gorky, Sgt. Misha, Sioban O’Hara, Anibal, Tucaros

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Desert Fox, Cobra HISS II, Cobra BUGG, Cobra Mamba, MARS DEMON, MARS Razorback

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Oktober Guard BMP (disabled, early on)

Firsties:
Characters: Anibal, Raggedy Mouf, Tiny

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 3 Flag Points