G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #216

Cobra Rising, Part 1

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Paolo Villanelli

Summary:

Two Night Creepers return to the Silent Castle, to deliver a message to Cobra Commander. The “Night Creeper Leader” tells of how his entire unit was killed, but he was kept alive to deliver a warning. The second Creeper turns out to be (new) Snake-Eyes, in diguise. Snake-Eyes breaks Cobra Commander’s nose, then disappears.

In The Pit, the Joes appear to be sealing off the sub/secret base, filling it full of cement. In Staten Island, Wade Collins and his family survived Cobra’s attack thanks to a bomb shelter. They plan to head out and start over, somewhere else. In Seattle, two Crimson Guardsmen begin mobilizing.

Finally, in Malta, Hawk meets with a new “illuminati”, of sorts, made up of counter-terrorism/special forces honchos from around the world. He’s sharing intel regarding Cobra, Revanche and MARS.

Notes:

• Snake-Eyes’ personal threat is similar to the way Original Snake-Eyes “warned” Cobra Commander, back in issue 108.
   
• New Snake-Eyes disappears from the Silent Castle, courtesy of a Fulton System Retrieval (ballooning up into the C-130).
   
• New Snake-Eyes actually WRITES messages to his teammates.
   
• Scarlett apepars to have modified her outfit a bit. Her top is more like the modern, battle-armor-ish, get-up she’s worn in other GI Joe books, since 2005 or so.
   
• Duke has a cool line as Jane laments about losing the giant robot weapon. “In the end, the weaposn don’t mean jack. It’s the quality of the troops who utilize the weapons that counts. And don’t you forget it”.
   
• If I’m understanding it correctly, the secret base is still down there, but access to it has been sealed off. So, they could still dig up this plotline, if needed.
   
• The Malta conference is a surprise. Along with Gerry McCarthy from Ireland, the other attendees are: Simone Calleja (Malta Riu Security Forces), Jorge Argiz (Grupo Especial de Operaciones of the Spanish National Police), Marie Fournier (Canadian Joint task Force Z… or maybe it’s “2”), Carlos Espinosa (Policia Federal Division de Intelligencia) and Russ Sheath (SAS).
   
• Wait…Russ Sheath? That has to be an in-joke, right?
   
• Gerry McCarthy uses the Gaelic(?) term for his Irish Department of Defense: An Roinn Cosanta.
   
• Flash has dialogue, this month. Been awhile for that, huh?
   
• I didn’t have a choice and picked up the “subscription cover” (shown above). It’s based on EC Comics and features Shipwreck in something that has absolutely nothing to do with this issue. Feels completely random, detached and unnecessary. Not a fan. I get that IDW did this to all of their books, this month, but I’m struggling to see any connection between GI Joe and EC Comics. Or why this was done in the first place.
   
• I’m guessing they’re labeling these story arcs now, as a set-up or helper for the eventual Trade Paperback or “collected edition”.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Hawk, Stalker, Scarlett, Wild Bill, Duke, Lt. Falcon, Flash, Airtight, Cross-Country, Steeler, Tollbooth (?), Cobra Commander, Dr. Mindbender

Characters (“comic-only”): Throwdown (Snake-Eyes II), Wade Collins & Family, Gerry McCarthy, Simone Calleja, Jorge Argiz, Marie Fournier, Carlos Espinosa, Russ Sheath.

Vehicles and stuff (toys): VAMP

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): GI Joe C-130

Firsties:
Characters: Simone Calleja, Jorge Argiz, Marie Fournier, Carlos Espinosa, Russ Sheath

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 4 Flag Points