G.I. Joe: A Real American hero #178

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: S.L. Gallant

Summary:

BN-001 and his Blue Ninjas continue their attack on Broca Beach. The Blue Ninjas go aquatic to assault the returning Vipers on the cargo ship from Maine. The ship unknowingly picked up some stowaways: Duke, Scarlett and Stalker, who join the fray.

BN-001 separates from his Ice Cream Truck Command Module, looking like a giant Dr. Octopus (or “Gearhead” if you read Batman in the mid-90’s). Cobra Commander also goes into battle, vowing to take out BN-011 personally.

Finally, Storm Shadow encounters the remains of a Blue Ninja attack on the outskirts of Broca Beach and finds Sensei Moskovina. She’s a little worse for wear, but reveals she has a self-destruct bomb implanted in her.

Notes:

• Cobra Commander removes his cloth shroud on his armor and enters the battle with a full faceplate battle helmet. I mention this, because not only does it look kinda’ cool, but since his return from the “dead” in issue 99, CC has usually worn his cloth head-piece and not his 80’s faceplate helmet (aside from that weird red/gold “Pharoah” armor in Trucial Abysmia, circa 1991).
   
• BN-001 activates the “Scythian Chariot Mode” on his ice cream truck… it’s basically a “human lawnmower”, somewhat similar to that (foiled) terrorist plot that was in the news in April 2012. Kinda’ funny to see it mowing down bats, on the front of an ice cream truck that’s marked: “Stop: watch for children!”
   
• Everyone uses the phrase “BN-001″… which is sort of a mouthful.
   
• Good scene where Snake-Eyes, Baroness and Dr. Mindbender commandeer a captured Revanche van fitted with a “trojan horse”. Snake-Eyes detects the “horse”, a Blue Ninja riding on the under-carriage, and cuts him open.
   
• To weed out fake Freds, Cobra Commander has been asking them: “who are the commanders of the Crimson Guard”. That doesn’t seem like a difficult question to outsiders. Especially since Cobra Commander knows the Blue Ninjas have been “cyber-stalking” Cobra. This silly question seems like something from a GI Joe cartoon.
   
• Also seems silly to me that Broca Beach is basically Cobra’s stronghold…and no vehicles are being deployed. Where’s the Cobra armor and heavy weaponry? Heck, get a few FANG copters and you could mow down the Blue Ninjas from the air.
   
• We see a Revanche Robotics logo, which has two stylized “R’s” over the familiar Arashikage hexagram.
   
• We also see that BN-001 has the hexagram on his armor/body.
   
• The cover for this issue (at least the “Cover B” that I got) is strange and just seems unfocussed. Scarlett, Stalker and Duke are peering off-camera at something. Weird composition.
   

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Snake-Eyes, Duke, Scarlett, Stalker, Storm Shadow, Baroness, Dr.Mindbender, Cobra Commander

Characters (“comic-only”):BN-001, Sensei Moskovina

Vehicles and stuff (toys): none

Vehicles and stuff (not toys):Cobra Transport Helicopter (cameo)

Firsties:
Characters: none

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 2 Flag Points